SARS-CoV-2 Evolved Variants Bind to Sialylated Gangliosides and Are Inhibited by a Tetravalent Sialo-Glycocluster.

The altered tropism and infection severity of the evolved SARS-CoV-2 variants indicate engagement of attachment factors other than the ACE2 receptor for the cellular attachment and entry of the virus. In this work, we report the binding of Omicron, Delta, and B.1.

Disruption Mechanisms of Enveloped Viruses by Ionic and Nonionic Surfactants.

The world has witnessed multiple pandemics and endemics caused by enveloped viruses in the past century. To name a few, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other pandemics/endemics caused by coronaviruses, influenza viruses, HIV-1, etc. The external and topical applications of surfactants have been effective in limiting the spread of viruses.

Kinetics of Ganglioside-Rich Supported Lipid Bilayer Formation with Tracer Vesicle Fluorescence Imaging.

Gangliosides, forming a class of lipids complemented by sugar chains, influence the lateral distribution of membrane proteins or membrane-binding proteins, act as receptors for viruses and bacterial toxins, and mediate several types of cellular signaling. Gangliosides incorporated into supported lipid bilayers (SLBs) have been widely applied as a model system to examine these biological processes. In this work, we explored how ganglioside composition affects the kinetics of SLB formation using the vesicle rupturing method on a solid surface.

SARS-CoV-2 Binding to Terminal Sialic Acid of Gangliosides Embedded in Lipid Membranes.

Multiple recent reports indicate that the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 specifically interacts with membrane receptors and attachment factors other than ACE2. They likely have an active role in cellular attachment and entry of the virus. In this article, we examined the binding of SARS-CoV-2 particles to gangliosides embedded in supported lipid bilayers (SLBs), mimicking the cell membrane-like environment.

Membrane attachment and fusion of HIV-1, influenza A, and SARS-CoV-2: resolving the mechanisms with biophysical methods.

Attachment to and fusion with cell membranes are two major steps in the replication cycle of many human viruses. We focus on these steps for three enveloped viruses, i.e.