Glycans in Viral Infection and Immunity
A special issue of Viruses (ISSN 1999-4915). This special issue belongs to the section "General Virology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2020) | Viewed by 58960
Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The importance of the involvement of glycans in the process of viral infections has for a long time been underestimated. Yet, over the past two decades, we have witnessed an amazing number of new discoveries that clearly allow us to position glycans at the heart of host–virus interactions. This was made possible by impressive technological advances in glycan and glycoprotein structural analyses, as well as in cellular and molecular biology. We have uncovered the roles that glycans play in a large array of viruses and hosts, including enveloped and nonenveloped viruses, ranging from small RNA viruses to large DNA viruses that infect prokaryotes and all kinds of eukaryotes, such as plant, invertebrate, and vertebrate eukaryotes. Glycans appear to control infection in many ways. They can be used by viruses as attachment factors and entry receptors, they can facilitate entry mediated by protein receptors, and they can contribute to virus species specificity or to tissue specificity. They also appear to be of utmost importance to controlling anti-viral immune responses. Recognition of viral glycans by lectins of the innate immune system can lead to efficient anti-viral responses or, inversely, to immune escape and viral dissemination. They can also be targets of adaptive immune responses. For all these reasons, glycans play key roles in processes of host–pathogen co-evolution and show great potential in the development of anti-viral therapies.
In this Special Issue of Viruses, we aim to discuss the recent developments in all aspects of “glycovirology”. These may range from the molecular level to the level of population dynamics, passing through cellular and tissue aspects, including the host immune response. We expect glycan-derived intervention approaches to also generate much interest in these times when the lack of efficient anti-viral prophylactic and therapeutic means is sorely being felt. We cordially invite you to contribute with your most recent research findings and/or insights into this topic. We welcome reviews as well as original research articles, including technical aspects.
Prof. Dr. Jacques Le Pendu
Prof. Dr. Göran Larson
Guest Editors
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