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This news release, originally issued by Diamond Light Source, describes a template for how to develop directly-acting antivirals that would combat COVID-19. The study focused on a specific part of the Nsp3 gene that SARS-CoV-2 uses to suppress the host cell’s natural antiviral response. Researchers from the University of California used the Highly Automated Macromolecular Crystallography (AMX) and the Frontier Microfocusing Macromolecular Crystallography (FMX) beamlines at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) to characterize the molecular structure of proteins involved in this mechanism. The beamlines' ultrasmall yet powerful x-rays and rapid sample mounting automation enabled the researchers to collect hundreds of high-resolution datasets per eight-hour shift. NSLS-II is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility at DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory that offers a comprehensive suite of life science research capabilities. For more information on Brookhaven’s role in this research, please contact Cara Laasch, 631-344-8458, laasch@bnl.gov.