Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40705828›Full record

ArticlePLoS pathogens2025

Identification of the human cytomegalovirus gHgLgO trimer as the central player in virion infectivity.

Lena Thiessen, Roberto Garuti, Lucie Kubic, Miwako Kösters, Divya Amarambedu Selvakumar, Thomas Krey, Irene Görzer, Thomas Fröhlich, Barbara Adler

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PLoS pathogens, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Lena ThiessenMax von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany.
Roberto GarutiMax von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany.
Lucie KubicMax von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany.
Miwako KöstersLaboratory for Functional Genome Analysis LAFUGA, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Divya Amarambedu SelvakumarCenter of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Thomas KreyCenter of Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, Institute of Biochemistry, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
Irene GörzerCenter for Virology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
Thomas FröhlichLaboratory for Functional Genome Analysis LAFUGA, Gene Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Munich, Germany.
Barbara AdlerMax von Pettenkofer-Institute and Gene Center, Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) Munich, Munich, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7031-3585

Funding

German Center for Infection Research (DZIF)
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Glycoproteins in the viral envelope of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) orchestrate virion tethering, receptor recognition and fusion with cellular membranes. The glycoprotein gB acts as fusion protein. The gHgL complexes gHgLgO and gHgLpUL(128,130,131A) define the HCMV cell tropism. Studies with HCMV lacking gO had indicated that gHgLgO, independently of binding to its cellular receptor PDGFRα, plays an important second role in infection. Here, we identified a gO mutation which abolished virus particle infectivity by preventing the interaction of gHgLgO with host cell heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). We could not only show that gHgLgO - HSPG interactions are a genuine second role of gHgLgO, but also that gHgLgO is a main player in determining the infectivity of HCMV virus particles. This challenges long-accepted textbook knowledge on the role of gB and gMgN complexes in virion tethering. Additionally, it adds the gHgLgO complex to the antigens of interest for future HCMV vaccines or treatments.

Indexed as

CytomegalovirusCytomegalovirus InfectionsViral Envelope ProteinsVirionHeparan Sulfate ProteoglycansHumansHeparan Sulfate ProteoglycansUL115 protein, Human herpesvirus 5Viral Envelope Proteins

Identifiers

PMID40705828
PMCPMC12316387

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.