Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Spike Protein

The spike protein is a large glycoprotein that projects from the surface of coronaviruses, forming the crown-like spikes that give this family of viruses its name and serving as the principal molecular machinery for entry into host cells. In SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, the spike protein binds to …

Curated from this journal's research 📚 12 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 21× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2692-1537 🗓 Reviewed July 2026

Overview

The spike protein is a large glycoprotein that projects from the surface of coronaviruses, forming the crown-like spikes that give this family of viruses its name and serving as the principal molecular machinery for entry into host cells. In SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, the spike protein binds to a receptor on the host cell surface and mediates fusion of the viral and cellular membranes, enabling infection. Because it is exposed on the viral exterior and essential for entry, the spike protein is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies and a focus of vaccine design, and mutations within it underlie many viral variants. Research in this journal addresses the spike protein and the broader biology of coronaviruses. Studies examine how the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein influences interferon and cytokine gene expression, the molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and analyses based on spike glycoprotein gene sequences, narrative reviews of the novel coronavirus, and the origins and treatment of the virus. Additional work covers cell-based therapies for COVID-19, immune responses following vaccination, neutralizing antibodies in convalescent plasma, and dietary approaches involving mannose-binding lectins. Key aspects of the field include receptor binding and membrane fusion, the spike protein as a vaccine and antibody target, viral evolution and variants, and the immune response to coronavirus infection.

Research published in this journal

12 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

2020

The Novel Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19): A Narrative Review

Rezapour BarataliCorresponding author
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health, Assistant Professor, PhD in Health education and promotion, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Exact topic International Journal of Coronaviruses Cited by 2 doi:10.14302/issn.2692-1537.ijcv-20-3373

How this research is being cited

The 12 articles above have been cited 21 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Spike Protein, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in International Journal of Coronaviruses (ISSN 2692-1537).

Journal editorial board
Dr. Omeed Memar · USA Dr. SUDIPTI GUPTA · United States Dr. Jose Luis Turabian · Spain

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.