spike protein
noun/ˈspaɪk prəʊtiːn/
/ˈspaɪk prəʊtiːn/
(biology)- a part that sticks out from the outside of a virus, which joins it to a cell in the body of an animal or person and helps it to enter the cell
- A feature of coronaviruses are the spike proteins that protrude from their surface.
Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
spike protein