scholarly journals Serotonergic Drugs Inhibit Chikungunya Virus Infection at Different Stages of the Cell Entry Pathway

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Bouma ◽  
Denise P. I. van de Pol ◽  
Ilson D. Sanders ◽  
Izabela A. Rodenhuis-Zybert ◽  
Jolanda M. Smit
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Serotonin Receptor ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Replication Cycle ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Potential Host ◽  
Serotonergic Drugs

ABSTRACT Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an important reemerging human pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus causes an acute febrile illness, chikungunya fever, which is characterized by headache, rash, and debilitating (poly)arthralgia that can reside for months to years after infection. Currently, effective antiviral therapies and vaccines are lacking. Due to the high morbidity and economic burden in the countries affected by CHIKV, there is a strong need for new strategies to inhibit CHIKV replication. The serotonergic drug 5-nonyloxytryptamine (5-NT) was previously identified as a potential host-directed inhibitor for CHIKV infection. In this study, we determined the mechanism of action by which the serotonin receptor agonist 5-NT controls CHIKV infection. Using time-of-addition and entry bypass assays, we found that 5-NT predominantly inhibits CHIKV in the early phases of the replication cycle, at a step prior to RNA translation and genome replication. Intriguingly, however, no effect was seen during virus-cell binding, internalization, membrane fusion and genomic RNA (gRNA) release into the cell cytosol. In addition, we show that the serotonin receptor antagonist methiothepin mesylate (MM) also has antiviral properties toward CHIKV and specifically interferes with the cell entry process and/or membrane fusion. Taken together, pharmacological targeting of 5-HT receptors may represent a potent way to limit viral spread and disease severity. IMPORTANCE The rapid spread of mosquito-borne viral diseases in humans puts a huge economic burden on developing countries. For many of these infections, including those caused by chikungunya virus (CHIKV), there are no specific treatment possibilities to alleviate disease symptoms. Understanding the virus-host interactions that are involved in the viral replication cycle is imperative for the rational design of therapeutic strategies. In this study, we discovered an antiviral compound, elucidated its mechanism of action, and propose serotonergic drugs as potential host-directed antivirals for CHIKV.

scholarly journals Serotonergic drugs inhibit CHIKV infection at different stages of the cell entry pathway

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen M. Bouma ◽  
Denise P.I. van de Pol ◽  
Ilson D. Sanders ◽  
Izabela A. Rodenhuis-Zybert ◽  
Jolanda M. Smit
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Economic Burden ◽  
Serotonin Receptor ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Replication Cycle ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Potential Host ◽  
Serotonergic Drugs

AbstractChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an important re-emerging human pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes. The virus causes an acute febrile illness, chikungunya fever, which is characterized by headache, rash and debilitating (poly)arthralgia that can reside for months to years after infection. Currently, effective antiviral therapies and vaccines are lacking. Due to the high morbidity and economic burden in the countries affected by CHIKV, there is a strong need for new strategies to inhibit CHIKV replication. The serotonergic drug, 5-nonyloxytryptamine (5-NT), was previously identified as a potential host-directed inhibitor for CHIKV infection. In this study, we determined the mechanism of action by which the serotonin receptor agonist 5-NT controls CHIKV infection. Using time-of-addition and entry bypass assays we found that 5-NT predominantly inhibits CHIKV in the early phases of the replication cycle; at a step prior to RNA translation and genome replication. Intriguingly, however, no effect was seen during virus-cell binding, internalization, membrane fusion and gRNA release into the cell cytosol. Additionally, we show that the serotonin receptor antagonist MM also has antiviral properties towards CHIKV and specifically interferes with the cell entry process and/or membrane fusion. Taken together, pharmacological targeting of 5-HT receptors may represent a potent way to limit viral spread and disease severity.ImportanceThe rapid spread of mosquito-borne viral diseases in humans puts a huge economic burden on developing countries. For many of these infections, including Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), there are no specific treatment possibilities to alleviate disease symptoms. Understanding the virus:host interactions that are involved in the viral replication cycle is imperative for the rational design of therapeutic strategies. In this study, we discovered an antiviral compound and elucidated the mechanism of action and propose serotonergic drugs as potential host-directed antivirals for CHIKV.

scholarly journals The Phosphatidylserine Receptor TIM-1 Enhances Authentic Chikungunya Virus Cell Entry

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 1828
Author(s):  
Jared Kirui ◽  
Yara Abidine ◽  
Annasara Lenman ◽  
Koushikul Islam ◽  
Yong-Dae Gwon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Ectopic Expression ◽  
Point Mutations ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Human Hepatoma Cells ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Phosphatidylserine Receptor

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a re-emerging, mosquito-transmitted, enveloped positive stranded RNA virus. Chikungunya fever is characterized by acute and chronic debilitating arthritis. Although multiple host factors have been shown to enhance CHIKV infection, the molecular mechanisms of cell entry and entry factors remain poorly understood. The phosphatidylserine-dependent receptors, T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 1 (TIM-1) and Axl receptor tyrosine kinase (Axl), are transmembrane proteins that can serve as entry factors for enveloped viruses. Previous studies used pseudoviruses to delineate the role of TIM-1 and Axl in CHIKV entry. Conversely, here, we use the authentic CHIKV and cells ectopically expressing TIM-1 or Axl and demonstrate a role for TIM-1 in CHIKV infection. To further characterize TIM-1-dependent CHIKV infection, we generated cells expressing domain mutants of TIM-1. We show that point mutations in the phosphatidylserine binding site of TIM-1 lead to reduced binding, entry, and infection of CHIKV. Ectopic expression of TIM-1 renders immortalized keratinocytes permissive to CHIKV, whereas silencing of endogenously expressed TIM-1 in human hepatoma cells reduces CHIKV infection. Altogether, our findings indicate that, unlike Axl, TIM-1 readily promotes the productive entry of authentic CHIKV into target cells.

scholarly journals Conformational changes in Chikungunya virus E2 protein upon heparan sulfate receptor binding explain mechanism of E2–E1 dissociation during viral entry

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibekananda Sahoo ◽  
Tirumala Kumar Chowdary
Keyword(s):  
Fusion Protein ◽  
Heparan Sulfate ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Binding Protein ◽  
Md Simulations ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Sequence Motif ◽  
Receptor Binding Protein

AbstractReceptor binding is the first step in viral cell entry. In enveloped virus cell entry, viral and host membrane fusion follows receptor binding. Viral surface receptor-binding protein associates with membrane fusion protein and masks its structure, to prevent pre-mature fusion activity. Dissociation of receptor-binding protein from fusion protein is an essential step before membrane fusion. Mechanism of receptor binding leading to dissociation of receptor binding and fusion protein is poorly understood in alphaviruses. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), an alphavirus, re-emerged as a global pathogen in recent past. CHIKV surface envelope proteins, E2 and E1, function as receptor binding and fusion protein, respectively. Site of heparan sulfate (HS) receptor binding on E2–E1 heterodimer and its effect on E2–E1 heterodimer conformation is not known. Using molecular docking, we mapped HS binding to a positively charged pocket on E2 that is structurally conserved in alphaviruses. Based on our results from docking and sequence analysis, we identified a novel HS-binding sequence motif in E2. Purified E2 binds to heparin and HS specifically through charge interactions. Binding affinity of E2 to HS is comparable with other known HS–protein interactions (Kd ∼ 1.8 μM). Mutation of charged residues in the predicted HS-binding motif of E2 to alanine resulted in reduction of HS binding. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on E2, after docking HS, predicted allosteric domain movements. Fluorescence spectroscopy, far-UV circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments on HS-bound E2 corroborate our findings from MD simulations. We propose a mechanism where receptor-binding results in allosteric domain movements in E2, explaining E2–E1 dissociation.

scholarly journals Dynamics of Chikungunya Virus Cell Entry Unraveled by Single-Virus Tracking in Living Cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (9) ◽  
pp. 4745-4756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tabitha E. Hoornweg ◽  
Mareike K. S. van Duijl-Richter ◽  
Nilda V. Ayala Nuñez ◽  
Irina C. Albulescu ◽  
Martijn J. van Hemert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Antiviral Treatment ◽  
Febrile Illness ◽  
Living Cells ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Entry Pathway ◽  
Early Endosomes ◽  
Entry Behavior ◽  
Insight Into

ABSTRACTChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a rapidly emerging mosquito-borne human pathogen causing major outbreaks in Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The cell entry pathway hijacked by CHIKV to infect a cell has been studied previously using inhibitory compounds. There has been some debate on the mechanism by which CHIKV enters the cell: several studies suggest that CHIKV enters via clathrin-mediated endocytosis, while others show that it enters independently of clathrin. Here we applied live-cell microscopy and monitored the cell entry behavior of single CHIKV particles in living cells transfected with fluorescent marker proteins. This approach allowed us to obtain detailed insight into the dynamic events that occur during CHIKV entry. We observed that almost all particles fused within 20 min after addition to the cells. Of the particles that fused, the vast majority first colocalized with clathrin. The average time from initial colocalization with clathrin to the moment of membrane fusion was 1.7 min, highlighting the rapidity of the cell entry process of CHIKV. Furthermore, these results show that the virus spends a relatively long time searching for a receptor. Membrane fusion was observed predominantly from within Rab5-positive endosomes and often occurred within 40 s after delivery to endosomes. Furthermore, we confirmed that a valine at position 226 of the E1 protein enhances the cholesterol-dependent membrane fusion properties of CHIKV. To conclude, our work confirms that CHIKV enters cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis and shows that fusion occurs from within acidic early endosomes.IMPORTANCESince its reemergence in 2004, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) has spread rapidly around the world, leading to millions of infections. CHIKV often causes chikungunya fever, a self-limiting febrile illness with severe arthralgia. Currently, no vaccine or specific antiviral treatment against CHIKV is available. A potential antiviral strategy is to interfere with the cell entry process of the virus. However, conflicting results with regard to the cell entry pathway used by CHIKV have been published. Here we applied a novel technology to visualize the entry behavior of single CHIKV particles in living cells. Our results show that CHIKV cell entry is extremely rapid and occurs via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Membrane fusion from within acidic early endosomes is observed. Furthermore, the membrane fusion capacity of CHIKV is strongly promoted by cholesterol in the target membrane. Taking these findings together, this study provides detailed insight into the cell entry process of CHIKV.

scholarly journals BHK-21 Cell Clones Differ in Chikungunya Virus Infection and MXRA8 Receptor Expression

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 949
Author(s):  
Peiqi Yin ◽  
Margaret Kielian
Keyword(s):  
Cell Lines ◽  
Primary Infection ◽  
Sindbis Virus ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Mrna Level ◽  
Receptor Expression ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Cell Clones ◽  
Clonal Cell Lines ◽  
Exogenous Expression

Baby hamster kidney-21 (BHK-21) cells are widely used to propagate and study many animal viruses using infection and transfection techniques. Among various BHK-21 cell clones, the fibroblast-like BHK-21/C-13 line and the epithelial-like BHK-21/WI-2 line are commonly used cell clones for alphavirus research. Here we report that BHK-21/WI-2 cells were significantly less susceptible to primary infection by the alphavirus chikungunya virus (CHIKV) than were BHK-21/C-13 cells. The electroporation efficiency of alphavirus RNA into BHK-21/WI-2 was also lower than that of BHK-21/C-13. The growth of CHIKV was decreased in BHK-21/WI-2 compared to BHK-21/C-13, while primary infection and growth of the alphavirus Sindbis virus (SINV) were equivalent in the two cell lines. Our results suggested that CHIKV entry could be compromised in BHK-21/WI-2. Indeed, we found that the mRNA level of the CHIKV receptor MXRA8 in BHK-21/WI-2 cells was much lower than that in BHK-21/C-13 cells, and exogenous expression of either human MXRA8 or hamster MXRA8 rescued CHIKV infection. Our results affirm the importance of the MXRA8 receptor for CHIKV infection, and document differences in its expression in two clonal cell lines derived from the original BHK-21 cell cultures. Our results also indicate that CHIKV propagation and entry studies in BHK-21 cells will be significantly more efficient in BHK-21/C-13 than in BHK-21/WI-2 cells.

scholarly journals Nitrogen-Based Heterocyclic Compounds: A Promising Class of Antiviral Agents against Chikungunya Virus

Life ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 16
Author(s):  
Andreza C. Santana ◽  
Ronaldo C. Silva Filho ◽  
José C. J. M. D. S. Menezes ◽  
Diego Allonso ◽  
Vinícius R. Campos
Keyword(s):  
Antiviral Activity ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Heterocyclic Compounds ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Antiviral Drug ◽  
Important Class ◽  
Available Nitrogen ◽  
Global Threat ◽  
Present Understanding

Arboviruses, in general, are a global threat due to their morbidity and mortality, which results in an important social and economic impact. Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), one of the most relevant arbovirus currently known, is a re-emergent virus that causes a disease named chikungunya fever, characterized by a severe arthralgia (joint pains) that can persist for several months or years in some individuals. Until now, no vaccine or specific antiviral drug is commercially available. Nitrogen heterocyclic scaffolds are found in medications, such as aristeromycin, favipiravir, fluorouracil, 6-azauridine, thioguanine, pyrimethamine, among others. New families of natural and synthetic nitrogen analogous compounds are reported to have significant anti-CHIKV effects. In the present work, we focus on these nitrogen-based heterocyclic compounds as an important class with CHIKV antiviral activity. We summarize the present understanding on this class of compounds against CHIKV and also present their possible mechanism of action.

scholarly journals Insights into Antibody-Mediated Alphavirus Immunity and Vaccine Development Landscape

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 899
Author(s):  
Anthony Torres-Ruesta ◽  
Rhonda Sin-Ling Chee ◽  
Lisa F.P. Ng
Keyword(s):  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Inflammatory Arthritis ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Susceptible Populations ◽  
Humoral Responses

Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne pathogens distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate areas causing a wide range of symptoms ranging from inflammatory arthritis-like manifestations to the induction of encephalitis in humans. Historically, large outbreaks in susceptible populations have been recorded followed by the development of protective long-lasting antibody responses suggesting a potential advantageous role for a vaccine. Although the current understanding of alphavirus antibody-mediated immunity has been mainly gathered in natural and experimental settings of chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection, little is known about the humoral responses triggered by other emerging alphaviruses. This knowledge is needed to improve serology-based diagnostic tests and the development of highly effective cross-protective vaccines. Here, we review the role of antibody-mediated immunity upon arthritogenic and neurotropic alphavirus infections, and the current research efforts for the development of vaccines as a tool to control future alphavirus outbreaks.

scholarly journals Characterization of the Early Events in Dengue Virus Cell Entry by Biochemical Assays and Single-Virus Tracking

2007 ◽  
Vol 81 (21) ◽  
pp. 12019-12028 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hilde M. van der Schaar ◽  
Michael J. Rust ◽  
Barry-Lee Waarts ◽  
Heidi van der Ende-Metselaar ◽  
Richard J. Kuhn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cell Membrane ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Viral Membrane ◽  
Virus Particles ◽  
Biochemical Assays ◽  
Particle Ratio ◽  
Infectious Unit

ABSTRACT In this study, we investigated the cell entry characteristics of dengue virus (DENV) type 2 strain S1 on mosquito, BHK-15, and BS-C-1 cells. The concentration of virus particles measured by biochemical assays was found to be substantially higher than the number of infectious particles determined by infectivity assays, leading to an infectious unit-to-particle ratio of approximately 1:2,600 to 1:72,000, depending on the specific assays used. In order to explain this high ratio, we investigated the receptor binding and membrane fusion characteristics of single DENV particles in living cells using real-time fluorescence microscopy. For this purpose, DENV was labeled with the lipophilic fluorescent probe DiD (1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine, 4-chlorobenzenesulfonate salt). The surface density of the DiD dye in the viral membrane was sufficiently high to largely quench the fluorescence intensity but still allowed clear detection of single virus particles. Fusion of the viral membrane with the cell membrane was evident as fluorescence dequenching. It was observed that DENV binds very inefficiently to the cells used, explaining at least in part the high infectious unit-to-particle ratio. The particles that did bind to the cells showed different types of transport behavior leading to membrane fusion in both the periphery and perinuclear regions of the cell. Membrane fusion was observed in 1 out of 6 bound virus particles, indicating that a substantial fraction of the virus has the capacity to fuse. DiD dequenching was completely inhibited by ammonium chloride, demonstrating that fusion occurs exclusively from within acidic endosomes.

scholarly journals Epidemiological Evidence for Lineage-Specific Differences in the Risk of Inapparent Chikungunya Virus Infection

2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fausto Bustos Carrillo ◽  
Damaris Collado ◽  
Nery Sanchez ◽  
Sergio Ojeda ◽  
Brenda Lopez Mercado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Chikungunya Virus ◽  
Literature Search ◽  
Systematic Literature Search ◽  
Epidemiological Evidence ◽  
Chikv Infection ◽  
Adjusted Risk ◽  
Household Contacts ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Asymptomatic Infections

ABSTRACTIn late 2013, chikungunya virus (CHIKV) was introduced into the Americas, leading to widespread epidemics. A large epidemic caused by the Asian chikungunya virus (CHIKV) lineage occurred in Managua, Nicaragua, in 2015. Literature reviews commonly state that the proportion of inapparent CHIKV infections ranges from 3 to 28%. This study estimates the ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic CHIKV infections and identifies risk factors of infection. In October to November 2015, 60 symptomatic CHIKV-infected children were enrolled as index cases and prospectively monitored, alongside 236 household contacts, in an index cluster study. Samples were collected upon enrollment and on day 14 or 35 and tested by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (rRT-PCR), IgM capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (IgM-ELISAs), and inhibition ELISAs to detect pre- and postenrollment CHIKV infections. Of 236 household contacts, 55 (23%) had experienced previous or very recent infections, 41 (17%) had active infections at enrollment, and 21 (9%) experienced incident infections. Vehicle ownership (multivariable-adjusted risk ratio [aRR], 1.58) increased the risk of CHIKV infection, whereas ≥4 municipal trash collections/week (aRR, 0.38) and having externally piped water (aRR, 0.52) protected against CHIKV infection. Among 63 active and incident infections, 31 (49% [95% confidence interval {CI}, 36%, 62%]) were asymptomatic, yielding a ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic infections of 1:0.97 (95% CI, 1:0.56, 1:1.60). Although our estimate is outside the 3% to 28% range reported previously, Bayesian and simulation analyses, informed by a systematic literature search, suggested that the proportion of inapparent CHIKV infections is lineage dependent and that more inapparent infections are associated with the Asian lineage than the East/Central/South African (ECSA) lineage. Overall, these data substantially improve knowledge regarding chikungunya epidemics.IMPORTANCEChikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an understudied threat to human health. During the 2015 chikungunya epidemic in Managua, Nicaragua, we estimated the ratio of symptomatic to asymptomatic CHIKV infections, which is important for understanding transmission dynamics and the public health impact of CHIKV. This index cluster study identified and monitored persons at risk of infection, enabling capture of asymptomatic infections. We estimated that 31 (49%) of 63 at-risk participants had asymptomatic CHIKV infections, which is significantly outside the 3% to 28% range reported in literature reviews. However, recent seroprevalence studies, including two large pediatric cohort studies in the same setting, had also found percentages of inapparent infections outside the 3% to 28% range. Bayesian and simulation analyses, informed by a systematic literature search, revealed that the percentage of inapparent infections in epidemic settings varies by CHIKV phylogenetic lineage. Our study quantifies and provides the first epidemiological evidence that chikungunya epidemic characteristics are strongly influenced by CHIKV lineage.

scholarly journals Regulatory Role of the Morbillivirus Attachment Protein Head-to-Stalk Linker Module in Membrane Fusion Triggering

2018 ◽  
Vol 92 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Herren ◽  
Neeta Shrestha ◽  
Marianne Wyss ◽  
Andreas Zurbriggen ◽  
Philippe Plattet
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Cell Surface ◽  
Membrane Fusion ◽  
Measles Virus ◽  
Cell Entry ◽  
Regulatory Role ◽  
Fusion Activity ◽  
Animal Pathogens

ABSTRACTMorbillivirus (e.g., measles virus [MeV] and canine distemper virus [CDV]) host cell entry is coordinated by two interacting envelope glycoproteins, namely, an attachment (H) protein and a fusion (F) protein. The ectodomain of H proteins consists of stalk, connector, and head domains that assemble into functional noncovalent dimer-of-dimers. The role of the C-terminal module of the H-stalk domain (termed linker) and the connector, although putatively able to assume flexible structures and allow receptor-induced structural rearrangements, remains largely unexplored. Here, we carried out a nonconservative mutagenesis scan analysis of the MeV and CDV H-linker/connector domains. Our data demonstrated that replacing isoleucine 146 in H-linker (H-I146) with any charged amino acids prevented virus-mediated membrane fusion activity, despite proper trafficking of the mutants to the cell surface and preserved binding efficiency to the SLAM/CD150 receptor. Nondenaturing electrophoresis revealed that these charged amino acid changes led to the formation of irregular covalent H tetramers rather than functional dimer-of-dimers formed when isoleucine or other hydrophobic amino acids were present at residue position 146. Remarkably, we next demonstrated that covalent H tetramerizationper sewas not the only mechanism preventing F activation. Indeed, the neutral glycine mutant (H-I146G), which exhibited strong covalent tetramerization propensity, maintained limited fusion promotion activity. Conversely, charged H-I146 mutants, which additionally carried alanine substitution of natural cysteines (H-C139A and H-C154A) and thus were unable to form covalently linked tetramers, were fusion activation defective. Our data suggest a dual regulatory role of the hydrophobic residue at position 146 of the morbillivirus head-to-stalk H-linker module: securing the assembly of productive dimer-of-dimers and contributing to receptor-induced F-triggering activity.IMPORTANCEMeV and CDV remain important human and animal pathogens. Development of antivirals may significantly support current global vaccination campaigns. Cell entry is orchestrated by two interacting glycoproteins (H and F). The current hypothesis postulates that tetrameric H ectodomains (composed of stalk, connector, and head domains) undergo receptor-induced rearrangements to productively trigger F; these conformational changes may be regulated by the H-stalk C-terminal module (linker) and the following connector domain. Mutagenesis scan analysis of both microdomains revealed that replacing amino acid 146 in the H-linker region with nonhydrophobic residues produced covalent H tetramers which were compromised in triggering membrane fusion activity. However, these mutant proteins retained their ability to traffic to the cell surface and to bind to the virus receptor. These data suggest that the morbillivirus linker module contributes to the folding of functional pre-F-triggering H tetramers. Furthermore, such structures might be critical to convert receptor engagement into F activation.

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