Identification of a receptor-binding domain in the S protein of the novel human coronavirus Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus as an essential target for vaccine development

J Virol. 2013 Sep;87(17):9939-42. doi: 10.1128/JVI.01048-13. Epub 2013 Jul 3.

Abstract

A novel human Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) caused outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like illness with a high mortality rate, raising concerns of its pandemic potential. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP4) was recently identified as its receptor. Here we showed that residues 377 to 662 in the S protein of MERS-CoV specifically bound to DPP4-expressing cells and soluble DPP4 protein and induced significant neutralizing antibody responses, suggesting that this region contains the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which has a potential to be developed as a MERS-CoV vaccine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Neutralizing / blood
  • Antibodies, Viral / blood
  • Binding Sites
  • Cell Line
  • Coronavirus / genetics
  • Coronavirus / immunology
  • Coronavirus / metabolism*
  • Coronavirus Infections / virology
  • Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Receptors, Virus / metabolism
  • Respiratory Tract Infections / virology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism*
  • Viral Vaccines / genetics
  • Viral Vaccines / immunology

Substances

  • Antibodies, Neutralizing
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Receptors, Virus
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • Viral Vaccines
  • DPP4 protein, human
  • Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4