Structural basis for the recognition of SARS-CoV-2 by full-length human ACE2

How SARS-CoV-2 binds to human cells Scientists are racing to learn the secrets of severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which is the cause of the pandemic disease COVID-19. The first step in viral entry is the binding of the viral trimeric spike protein to the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Yan et al. present the structure of human ACE2 in complex with a membrane protein that it chaperones, B 0 AT1. In the context of this complex, ACE2 is a dimer. A further structure shows how the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 interacts with ACE2 and suggests that it is possible that two trimeric spike proteins bind to an ACE2 dimer. The structures provide a basis for the…

• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Awards: 81920108015, 31971123, 31930059
• KR
  Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province

  Award: 2020C04001