Enterovirus Receptors And Entry

In order to invade the host, Enteroviruses must first attach to receptors expressed on the cell surface and undergo a series of events that culminate in genome release. However, Enterovirus receptors serve functions beyond that of mere docking sites and it is now clear that intracellular signals initiated by receptor binding prime the host cell for virus internalization by promoting modification(s) of the host cell that facilitates endocytic uptake. For many Enteroviruses, these processes are complicated by the inaccessibility of their receptors to cellular junctions and/or to the complex environment in which they are interacting with their target cells, such as the gastrointestinal tract. In this chapter, we discuss the diverse cellular factors that serve as Enterovirus receptors, the steps involved in Enterovirus genome release, and the endocytic pathways utilized by these viruses to gain access to the host cell cytosol.