Vásquez MI

Language: Spanish
References: 8
Page: 18-21
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ABSTRACT

The appearance of this new pathogenic virus has set off alarms in the health systems of all countries, becoming a challenge for biomedical research. The spike protein, or spike, is one of the four main structural proteins that cover the surface of each virion. Spike is a type I transmembrane protein, highly glycosylated and responsible for entry into the host cell. Structurally, there are two domains, S1 and S2, that play important roles in receptor binding and membrane fusion. Within the S1 N-terminal domain is the receptor-binding domain (called RBD). This domain binds to the host cell's receptor for angiotensin called ACE2 and initiates viral infection. The viral binding leads to conformational changes in the spike S2 ??domain that allow fusion between the membranes and, ultimately, transfer of the nucleocapsid into the cell. Due to its essential role during spike coronavirus infection, it is the main therapeutic target.

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