Virus infections are a major cause of heavy diseases and death among men and animals. The recent outbreak of SARS and the potential danger that an avian influenza virus may become pandemic have clearly shown that members of any virus family can potentially turn into a pathogen. To combat virus infection and propagation, systematic and comprehensive studies both on viral components mediating virus-cell interactions, and on the cell biology behind virus entry are necessary. Our network, teaming 11 academic and industrial groups, is aimed at undertaking an interdisciplinary and intersector effort to reveal the diversity of pathways and associated molecular mechanisms of cell entry of enveloped viruses, and to transfer knowledge into industrial products. Collaborative research by experimental and theoretical approaches will be directed towards the identification of cellular receptors and of viral fusion proteins responsible for interaction with host cells. Study of pathways of virus uptake by host cells, the relationship between virus-cell interactions and signalling, and unravelling steps of virus maturation will offer in future new ways of combating virus infection. Further topics are focusing on folding and 3D structure as well as on conformational changes of viral fusion proteins including identification of fusion intermediates.

http://www2.hu-berlin.de/virusentry/