Spike glycoprotein

UniProtKB accession:  P0DTC2

Grouped By:  Matching UniProtKB accession

UniProtKB description:  Attaches the virion to the cell membrane by interacting with host receptor, initiating the infection. The major receptor is host ACE2 (PubMed:32142651, PubMed:32155444, PubMed:33607086). When S2/S2' has been cleaved, binding to the receptor triggers direct fusion at the cell membrane (PubMed:34561887). When S2/S2' has not been cleaved, binding to the receptor results in internalization of the virus by endocytosis using host TFRC and GRM2 and leading to fusion of the virion membrane with the host endosomal membrane (PubMed:32075877, PubMed:32221306, PubMed:34903715, PubMed:36779763). Alternatively, may use NRP1/NRP2 (PubMed:33082294, PubMed:33082293) and integrin as entry receptors (PubMed:35150743). The use of NRP1/NRP2 receptors may explain the tropism of the virus in human olfactory epithelial cells, which express these molecules at high levels but ACE2 at low levels (PubMed:33082293). The stalk domain of S contains three hinges, giving the head unexpected orientational freedom (PubMed:32817270).