Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39803583›Full record

ArticlebioRxiv : the preprint server for biology2025

Molecular basis for shifted receptor recognition by an encephalitic arbovirus.

Xiaoyi Fan, Wanyu Li, Jessica Oros, Jesse S Plung, Jessica A Plante, Himanish Basu, Sivapratha Nagappan-Chettiar, Joshua M Boeckers, Laurentia V Tjang, Colin J Mann and 12 more

Abstract readPreprint
In one paragraph

Article in bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

22 authors.

Xiaoyi FanDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0009-0002-3181-9994
Wanyu LiDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-5964-1545
Jessica OrosDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0009-0004-9424-7289
Jesse S PlungDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-1950-7031
Jessica A PlanteWorld Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
Himanish BasuDepartment of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Sivapratha Nagappan-ChettiarDepartment of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-4371-8090
Joshua M BoeckersDepartment of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Laurentia V TjangDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0949-3713
Colin J MannDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0949-2075
Vesna BrusicDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8447-3520
Tierra K BuckDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Haley VarnumDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8558-8007
Pan YangDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-2431-0252
Linzy M MalcolmDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
So Yoen ChoiDepartment of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
William M de SouzaDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, KY, USA.
Isaac M ChiuDepartment of Immunology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-0723-4841
Hisashi UmemoriDepartment of Neurology, F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-7198-2062
Scott C WeaverWorld Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-8016-8556
Kenneth S PlanteWorld Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7485-3167
Jonathan AbrahamDepartment of Microbiology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-7937-3920

Funding

Training in the Molecular Biology of Neurodegeneration and Alzheimer's DiseaseT32AG000222 · NIA · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI Bruce A YANKNER · 1992 to 2026
$18.5M
Medical Scientist Training ProgramT32GM144273 · NIGMS · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · PI David Shumway Jones, Jacqueline A. Lees · 2022 to 2026
$14.7M
MOLECULAR BASIS OF VIRAL INFECTIVITYT32AI007245 · NIAID · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI Aaron Gregory Schmidt · 1985 to 2026
$11.3M
World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses (WRCEVA)R24AI120942 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI WEAVER, SCOTT C · 2016 to 2024
$8.5M
Molecular Codes for the Establishment of Functionally Segregated Dopaminergic CircuitsR01MH125162 · NIMH · BOSTON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL · PI UMEMORI, HISASHI, WATABE-UCHIDA, MITSUKO · 2021 to 2025
$4.1M
Structural and functional studies of alphavirus receptorsR01AI182377 · NIAID · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · PI Jonathan Abraham · 2024 to 2026
$2.2M
NIAID NIH HHS R01 AI182377NIAID NIH HHS R24 AI120942NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI007245NIA NIH HHS T32 AG000222NIGMS NIH HHS T32 GM144273NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH125162Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

After decades of inactivity throughout the Americas, western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) recently re-emerged in South America, causing a large-scale outbreak in humans and horses. WEEV binds protocadherin 10 (PCDH10) as a receptor; however, nonpathogenic strains no longer bind human or equine PCDH10 but retain the ability to bind avian receptors. Highly virulent WEEV strains can also bind the very low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) and apolipoprotein E receptor 2 (ApoER2) as alternative receptors. Here, by determining cryo-electron microscopy structures of WEEV strains isolated from 1941-2005 bound to mammalian receptors, we identify polymorphisms in the WEEV spike protein that explain shifts in receptor dependencies and that can allow nonpathogenic strains to infect primary cortical neurons. We predict the receptor dependencies of additional strains and of a related North American alphavirus. Our findings have implications for outbreak preparedness and enhance understanding of arbovirus neurovirulence through virus receptor binding patterns.

Identifiers

PMID39803583
PMCPMC11722376

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.