Hantaan virus glycoproteins Gn and Gc (Gn/Gc)

The Hantaan virus glycoproteins Gn and Gc are the primary surface components of the Hantaan orthohantavirus (HTNV), the prototype virus causing Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome (HFRS) (UniProt: P08668). These glycoproteins are synthesized as a single precursor polyprotein from the viral M segment and are subsequently cleaved into Gn and Gc, which assemble into heterodimeric spikes on the viral envelope. Gn is primarily responsible for host cell attachment by interacting with receptors such as beta-3 integrins and decay-accelerating factor (DAF), while Gc acts as a class II fusion protein that facilitates the merger of viral and host membranes in the acidic environment of the endosome (PubMed: 30653203). As the only proteins exposed on the virion surface, they are the critical targets for the host's neutralizing antibody response and the primary focus for vaccine development. Current therapeutic strategies include the use of inactivated vaccines like Hantavax and the development of DNA vaccines and neutralizing monoclonal antibodies designed to block viral entry (PubMed: 29445145). Understanding the structural and functional roles of Gn and Gc is essential for developing broad-spectrum countermeasures against various hantaviruses.

Other names

G1 and G2 glycoproteinsHantaan virus envelope glycoproteinsHTNV Gn/GcM segment polyprotein

Neutralization of viral entry by blocking receptor binding or preventing pH-dependent membrane fusion.