Second mechanism of action discovered for COVID-19 drug remdesivir
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Researchers have found that a metabolite of remdesivir potentially targets a SARS-CoV-2 protein involved in suppressing the host cell’s defence response.
A team from Goethe University Frankfurt, Germany, have uncovered a second potential mechanism of action of remdesivir, the antiviral that has been used to combat SARS-CoV-2. The researchers found that a remdesivir metabolite named GS-441524 targets a SARS-CoV-2 protein called nsP3, whose tasks include suppressing the host cell’s defence response.
According to the scientists, remdesivir was developed to disrupt an important step in the propagation of RNA viruses, to which SARS-CoV-2 also belongs: the reproduction of the virus’s own genetic material. This is present as RNA matrices with which the host cell directly produces virus proteins. To accelerate the production of its own proteins, however, RNA viruses cause the RNA matrices to be copied. To
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IMAGE: Scientists Martin Hengesbach (left) und Andreas Schlundt at the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometre at Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany. view more
Credit: Uwe Dettmar for Goethe-University Frankfurt, Germany
FRANKFURT. When the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates, this initially only means that there is a change in its genetic blueprint. The mutation may lead, for example, to an amino acid being exchanged at a particular site in a viral protein. In order to quickly assess the effect of this change, a three-dimensional image of the viral protein is extremely helpful. This is because it shows whether the switch in amino acid has consequences for the function of the protein - or for the interaction with a potential drug or antibody.
Coronavirus Representational Image (Photo Credits: File Image)
London, May 10: A worldwide network of scientists has isolated functional units of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins in such a way that their structure, function and interactions can now be characterised by researchers the world over and develop protocols to quickly spot mutations and new variants.
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The global consortium, led by researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and TU Darmstadt, provides working protocols that will allow laboratories around the world to work quickly and reproducibly on SARS-CoV-2 proteins and also the mutants to come.
Scientists develop coronavirus protocols to quickly spot mutants
By IANS |
Published on
Mon, May 10 2021 11:27 IST |
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Scientists develop coronavirus protocols to quickly spot mutants. Image Source: IANS News
London, May 10 : A worldwide network of scientists has isolated functional units of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins in such a way that their structure, function and interactions can now be characterised by researchers the world over and develop protocols to quickly spot mutations and new variants.
The global consortium, led by researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and TU Darmstadt, provides working protocols that will allow laboratories around the world to work quickly and reproducibly on SARS-CoV-2 proteins and also the mutants to come.
Representative Image
A worldwide network of scientists has isolated functional units of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins in such a way that their structure, function and interactions can now be characterised by researchers the world over and develop protocols to quickly spot mutations and new variants.
The global consortium, led by researchers at Goethe University Frankfurt and TU Darmstadt, provides working protocols that will allow laboratories around the world to work quickly and reproducibly on SARS-CoV-2 proteins and also the mutants to come. When the Covid-19 virus mutates, this initially only means that there is a change in its genetic blueprint.
The mutation may lead, for example, to an amino acid being exchanged at a particular site in a viral protein. In order to quickly assess the effect of this change, a three-dimensional image of the viral protein is extremely helpful. This is because it shows whether the switch in amino acid has consequences for the function of the protein -