As the number of new 2019-nCoV cases continues to rise across the globe, experts have been working tirelessly on vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and improved diagnosis. A key target for these efforts is a densely glycosylated spike protein, which the 2019-nCoV harnesses to gain entry into host cells. New research has now revealed the cryo-electron microscopic structure of the spike trimer in the prefusion conformation, which is shown in the side view below (1).

Credit: Daniel Wrapp.

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