Individuals lacking globoside are resistant to parvovirus B19 (B19V) infection. We have revealed the mechanism of the interaction between B19V and globoside. pH acts as a switch prohibiting the interaction on the plasma membrane and promoting it inside acidic endosomal compartments, where the glycosphingolipid is essential for the infectious trafficking of the virus.
This work redefines the role of globoside as an essential intracellular binding partner required for infectious entry.

This work was carried out in the group of PD Dr. Carlos Ros.

References:

• J. Bieri, C. Ros;
  "Globoside is dispensable for parvovirus B19 entry but essential at a postentry step for productive infection"
  J. Virol., 2019, 93(20), e00972-19/1-15; doi:10.1128/JVI.00972-19.
• J. Bieri, R. Leisi, C. Bircher, C. Ros;
  "Human parvovirus B19 interacts with globoside under acidic conditions as an essential step in endocytic trafficking"
  PLoS Pathogens, 2021, 17(4), e1009434/1-22; doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1009434.