Norovirus GII.4 Vims-like Particles Recognize Galactosylceramides in Domains of Planar Supported Lipid Bilayers

摘要

In-depth understanding of the cell-surface dependent processes leading to virus binding and infection of host cells, including the identification of new receptors mediating the initial steps, is of central importance for the development of new anti-viral therapies. One still poorly understood but highly contagious virus is the human norovirus, which causes acute gastroenteritis. It is a single-stranded non-enveloped RNA virus belonging to the Caliciviridae family and during recent years, new strains, particularly of the genotype GII.4, have emerged causing worldwide epidemics. However, detailed knowledge on 1) the target cell, 2) the mechanism of viral entry, and 3) the receptor(s) for cellular uptake are still lacking.