Viruses often have more than one plan for sneaking into our cells. SARS-CoV-2 is no different [NASW]

Hero image credit: NIAID

To enter a cell, all viruses need clever ways of ringing its molecular doorbell.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, gets its foot in the door by attaching to an external protein on human cells called ACE2, but new research suggests that another type of protein called an integrin could also be a promising target. Two complimentary studies show, for the first time, that integrins contain genetic sequences that direct the cellular housekeeping mechanism of autophagy, a process often exploited by viruses to enter cells and evade detection. Understanding how the coronavirus gets into the body is essential for developing ways to treat it, and a thorough understanding of the link between integrins, autophagy, and SARS-CoV-2 could help scientists repurpose existing medications to treat COVID-19.

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