SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor
Markus Hoffmann, Hannah Kleine-Weber, Simon Schroeder, Marcel A. Müller, Christian Drosten, Stefan Pöhlmann
Open AccessPublished:March 05, 2020DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2020.02.052
Summary
The recent emergence of the novel, pathogenic SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China and its rapid national and international spread pose a global health emergency. Cell entry of coronaviruses depends on binding of the viral spike (S) proteins to cellular receptors and on S protein priming by host cell proteases. Unravelling which cellular factors are used by SARS-CoV-2 for entry might provide insights into viral transmission and reveal therapeutic targets.
