Scientists from Washington State University claim to have discovered how one of the planet's most deadly viruses uses teamwork to "break into" the human cell.
Virologist Hector Aguilar-Carreno and his team of researchers were studying how the Paramyxovirus family of viruses, which includes the deadly Nipah virus (NiV), infiltrate cells.
The results, published in PLOS Pathogens, reveal that two proteins on the surface of the virus collaborate to gain entry to the cell. The researchers liken this to the work of two skilled burglars - one protein "casing the joint" while the other waits for "the signal" to break in.
The Paramyxovirus family includes measles, mumps, respiratory syncytial virus in humans and distemper in dogs.
Aguilar-Carreno explains:
"Our study provides the most complete picture of what happens after Nipah virus attaches itself to the surface of the human cell to gain entry. This is important not only to our understanding of how Nipah is transmitted, but also for viruses of the same family that can cause serious human and animal diseases."
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