Convergent use of aminopeptidase N receptor by hedgehog merbecoviruses.

Hedgehog aminopeptidase N (APN) acts as a functional receptor for European and Asian hedgehog merbecoviruses, with a distinct binding mode revealed by cryo-EM analysis.

• Why it matters: Understanding viral receptors is crucial for assessing spillover risks and developing countermeasures against wildlife coronaviruses like EriCoVs, which pose potential transmission threats.
• What they did: Researchers identified hedgehog APN as a receptor for EriCoVs through analysis of 93 species' orthologues, cryo-EM structural studies, and functional assays involving receptor-binding domain antibodies.
• The result: Findings suggest that neutralizing antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain and hedgehog APN can block virus entry, informing strategies to evaluate merbecovirus spillover and pathogenicity.