Highlights • MERS-CoV is a novel coronavirus causing SARS-like disease with high fatality rate. • Its S protein is necessary and sufficient to mediate binding, fusion and cell entry. • We and others identified neutralizing antibodies targeting RBD in S1 subunit. • We identified MERS-CoV fusion inhibitory peptides targeting HR1 in S2 subunit. • Combining MERS-CoV entry and fusion inhibitors have synergistic antiviral effect. The recent outbreak of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection has led to more than 800 laboratory-confirmed MERS cases with a high case fatality rate (∼35%), posing a serious threat to global public health and calling for the development of effective and safe therapeutic and prophylactic strategies to treat and prevent MERS-CoV infection. Here we discuss the most recent studies on the structure of the MERS-CoV spike protein and its role in virus binding and entry, and the development of MERS-CoV entry/fusion inhibitors targeting the S1 subunit, particularly the receptor-binding domain (RBD), and the S2 subunit, especially the HR1 region, of the MERS-CoV spike protein. We then look ahead to future applications of these viral entry/fusion inhibitors, either alone or in combination with specific and nonspecific MERS-CoV replication inhibitors, for the treatment and prevention of MERS-CoV infection.
【저자키워드】 MERS-CoV, Receptor-binding domain, Middle East respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, fusion inhibitor, Entry inhibitor, six-helix bundle, 【초록키워드】 Treatment, neutralizing antibody, coronavirus, S protein, Infection, peptide, MERS, virus, inhibitors, Spike protein, Novel coronavirus, Antiviral effect, Replication, outbreak, RBD, therapeutic, inhibitor, disease, S2 subunit, binding, Combination, S1 subunit, Safe, Middle East, global public health, cell entry, syndrome, Fatality rate, treat, MERS-CoV infection, laboratory-confirmed, inhibitory, Prevent, effective, synergistic, the S1 subunit, the receptor-binding domain, MERS-CoV entry, MERS case, nonspecific, prophylactic strategy, 【제목키워드】 Spike protein, Middle East, respiratory syndrome coronavirus,