Coronavirus spike + ACE-2 receptor + antibody

3D Model

Model of the SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus spike trimer with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor and vaccine-stimulated antibody. ACE-2 protein spans the cell membrane and is used by viruses, including Covid, to enter cells. Spike proteins on the outside of the Covid virus bind to ACE-2 which triggers endocytosis - the engulfment by the cell of the ACE-2 and the attached virus. Once inside the cell, the virus can replicate and spread. Antibodies provided by vaccination bind to the Covid spike and prevent it attaching to ACE-2, leaving it unable to infect cells. The raw files for this model were kindly provided by Darren Gowers from Molecular Models