The Glycoproteins of All Filovirus Species Use the Same Host Factors for Entry into Bat and Human Cells but Entry Efficiency Is Species Dependent

Hoffmann, Markus; González Hernández, Mariana; Berger, Elisabeth; Marzi, Andrea; Pöhlmann, Stefan

Filoviruses, in particular ebola-and marburgviruses, pose a severe threat to humans and wildlife [5] , not only in Africa but, as a result of increased international travel and trade, also globally. This is highlighted by the currently ongoing EVD epidemic in West Africa, where for the first time a filovirus outbreak spread from remote to densely populated areas. Bats constitute a natural reservoir for filoviruses [3, 12, 15, 55, 72] but the interaction of filoviruses with bat cells remains largely uncharacterized. The present study addressed the question whether filovirus entry into cells from the natural reservoir, fruit bats, relies on the same molecular mechanisms as entry into human and NHP cells. We found that GPs of all filovirus species are able to mediate entry into bat cells but differ in their efficacy. Furthermore, GP processing by the host protease furin and presence of the MLD were dispensable for efficient entry into bat cells, while blockade of host factors known to be important for filovirus entry into human cells (including cysteine proteases, two pore channels and NPC1) also reduced entry into bat cells. Taken together, our results indicate that filovirus entry into human and fruit bat cells relies on the same host cell factors, although the capacity to engage those factors seems to differ among the GPs of the filovirus species.