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Concept
Spike protein
Summary
In virology, a spike protein or peplomer protein is a protein that forms a large structure known as a spike or peplomer projecting from the surface of an enveloped virus. The proteins are usually glycoproteins that form dimers or trimers.
The term "peplomer" refers to an individual spike from the viral surface; collectively the layer of material at the outer surface of the virion has been referred to as the "peplos". The term is derived from the Greek peplos, "a loose outer garment", "robe or cloak", or "woman['s] mantle". Early systems of viral taxonomy, such as the Lwoff-Horne-Tournier system proposed in the 1960s, used the appearance and morphology of the "peplos" and peplomers as important characteristics for classification. More recently, the term "peplos" is considered a synonym for viral envelope.
Spikes or peplomers are usually rod- or club-shaped projections from the viral surface. Spike proteins are membrane proteins with typically large external ectodomains, a single transmembrane domain that anchors the protein in the viral envelope, and a short tail in the interior of the virion. They may also form protein–protein interactions with other viral proteins, such as those forming the nucleocapsid. They are usually glycoproteins, more commonly via N-linked than O-linked glycosylation.
Spikes typically have a role in viral entry. They may interact with cell-surface receptors located on the host cell and may have hemagglutinizing activity as a result, or in other cases they may be enzymes. For example, influenza virus has two surface proteins with these two functions, hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. The binding site for the cell-surface receptor is usually located at the tip of the spike. Many spike proteins are membrane fusion proteins. Being exposed on the surface of the virion, spike proteins can be antigens.
Spikes or peplomers can be visible in electron micrograph images of enveloped viruses such as orthomyxoviruses, paramyxoviruses, rhabdoviruses, filoviruses, coronaviruses, bunyaviruses, arenaviruses, and retroviruses.
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