Since 1997, more than 1000 cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) have been reported in humans.1 During this time, A(H5N1) viruses have evolved into dozens of clades, showing ever-expandin...

Clade 2.3.4.4b H5N1 viruses have phenotypic characteristics that are different from a clade 2.1.3.2 H5N12005 virus. The ability of clade 2.3.4.4b viruses to attach to and replicate in respiratory epit...

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) emerged as a pathogen of increasing health concern globally, particularly due to its association with outbreaks of severe respiratory diseases and acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) in children. Knowledge regarding the tissue tropism and pathogenesis of EV-D68 within the respiratory tract and central nervous system remains limited, primarily due to an incomplete understanding of the host factors that facilitate the entry of EV-D68 into host cells. Several cellular receptors involved in EV-D68 infections have been identified, including ICAM-5, sialylated glycoproteins, and heparan sulfate (HS). Here, we investigate the receptor requirement of a panel of EV-D68 strains covering all clades, focusing on HS and sialosides utilizing glycan arrays. We found that all EV-D68 strains binding to HS harbor a cell culture adaptive substitution in the structural protein VP1 at position 271, which changes the amino acid into a positively charged one. Glycan array analyses revealed that EV-D68 strains prefer α2,6-linked sialic acids presented on N-glycans, α2,8-linked sialic acids on gangliosides, or both. Inhibition of glycolipid biosynthesis or multivalent glycolipid mimics confirmed that ganglioside structures serve as entry receptors for certain EV-D68 strains. Lastly, we examined whether EV-D68 strains that bind to HS or glycolipids require different uncoating mechanisms. Bafilomycin A1 minimally affected the cell entry of HS-binding EV-D68 strains B2/039 and B2/947, and the ganglioside preferring B1/2013 and other viruses were strongly inhibited. Together, we identified that EV-D68 strains can use disialoglycolipids as novel receptors and that different EV-D68 strains show a promiscuous sialic acid binding repertoire.

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YouTube video by RAZOR Science Show

Highly pathogenic H5Nx influenza A viruses are causing unprecedented, season-independent outbreaks across avian and mammalian species, including dairy cattle, a novel reservoir. The sialoside-binding ...

The department of Viroscience at the Erasmus MC and the department of Chemical Biology & Drug discovery at Utrecht University have joined forces to identify functional glycan receptors for influenza A...

The department of Viroscience at the Erasmus MC and the department of Chemical Biology & Drug discovery at Utrecht University have joined forces to identify functional glycan receptors for influenza A...

The department of Viroscience at the Erasmus MC and the department of Chemical Biology & Drug discovery at Utrecht University have joined forces to identify functional glycan receptors for influenza A...

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause systemic disease, including neurological complications, even after mild respiratory disease. Previous studies have shown that SA...

Influenza of avian origin (H5N1) has been confirmed in a single sheep in Yorkshire.

Learn about the fascinating story behind the intriguing Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and how it was first discovered.

Declaration To Defend Research Against U.S. Government Censorship, V.1.1 Drafted by Lisa Schiff (@lschiff.bsky.social), Alice Meadows (@alicemeadows.bsky.social), Catherine Mitchell (@camitchell.bsky....

🔊Registration and Abstract Submission open The 27th ESCV Annual Meeting is officially under way! 🚨Abstract Submission Deadline: 12 May 2025 🚨Early Bird…