A Review of Shrimp Cellular Receptors for WSSV: Potential Targets for Antiviral Strategies in Shrimp Aquaculture

The white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a highly lethal pathogen for several crustacean species, which implies that this virus has caused high mortalities and significant economic losses for the global shrimp aquaculture industry. Viruses’ entry into the host cell depends on the interaction between those proteins located on the surface of the virus and its attachment to specific surface-exposed cell receptors. In this review, the findings in the interaction of the receptors recognized by WSSV proteins are summarized and discussed, providing thus a comprehensive and finer understanding of the importance of these molecules for WSSV pathogenesis, as well as suggesting strategies targeting critical components for the design and development of therapeutic antivirals against WSSV that could be used in shrimp farming.