Wild-type Rinderpest virus uses SLAM (CD150) as its receptor

Rinderpest virus (RPV) is a morbillivirus, related closely to the human pathogen Measles virus (MV). Although cell culture-adapted strains of RPV can infect many kinds of cell from different hosts, one such strain has previously been shown to have a detectable preference for cells expressing the MV receptor CD150 (SLAM), a protein found only on certain types of activated T cells, B cells and dendritic cells. Here, it is shown that the wild-type, virulent parent of the most common vaccine strain of RPV requires CD150 as a receptor, whilst the cell culture-adapted vaccine strain has acquired the ability to use heparan sulphate as an alternative receptor.