Crystal structure of reovirus attachment protein σ1 reveals evolutionary relationship to adenovirus fiber

Reovirus attaches to cellular receptors with the σ1 protein, a fiber-like molecule protruding from the 12 vertices of the icosahedral virion. The crystal structure of a receptor-binding fragment of σ1 reveals an elongated trimer with two domains: a compact head with a new β-barrel fold and a fibrous tail containing a triple β-spiral. Numerous structural and functional similarities between reovirus σ1 and the adenovirus fiber suggest an evolutionary link in the receptor-binding strategies of these two viruses. A prominent loop in the σ1 head contains a cluster of residues that are conserved among reovirus serotypes and are likely to form a binding site for junction adhesion molecule, an integral tight junction protein that serves as a reovirus receptor. The fibrous tail is mainly responsible for σ1 trimer formation, and it contains a highly flexible region that allows for significant movement between the base of the tail and the head. The architecture of the trimer interface and the observed flexibility indicate that σ1 is a metastable structure poised to undergo conformational changes upon viral attachment and cell entry.