20. Oct 2020
Towards quantitative structural cell biology: in situ experiments and simulations discover flexible hinges in SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein.
MoPS series talk
Datum: 20. October 2020 |
14:00 –
15:00
Sprecher:
Mateusz Sikora, Max Planck Institute, Frankfurt
Veranstaltungsort: via Zoom
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein mediates viral entry to the host cells and initiates the infection. As the only exposed surface protein, it is a primary target for vaccine development. We combined cryo-electron tomography, subtomogram averaging, and molecular dynamics simulations to visualise and structurally characterise spike proteins on the surface of intact virions. We discover three hinges in the stalk of S protein that endow it with surprising flexibility and can be relevant in the process of binding to the surface of the host cell.
