Peng Liu

HKU5 merbecoviruses use bat Pipistrellus abramus ACE2 and several artiodactyl ACE2s through a cryo-EM-defined binding mode distinct from other ACE2-using coronaviruses, showing independent evolution of ACE2 usage.

This paper develops a method to engineer customized viral receptors (CVRs) for various coronaviruses, enabling infection models for viruses lacking known receptors.

This study identifies RBM indel types in sarbecoviruses and their impact on ACE2 receptor usage across species, revealing how specific residues and structural features influence tropism and adaptiveness.