At the time of the covidu-19 pandemic, it is crucial to find a way to reduce the spread of the virus. In this respect, the spike protein, which is a key protein for entry into the host cell, i.e. the cell in the human body, is of particular interest to scientists.
It uses a masking mechanism to survive and spread the virus. This is called glycosylation, in which carbohydrates bind to a protein. At certain points in the spike protein, a coating is formed which makes it substantially invisible to the immune system.
This information was used by scientists from the Austrian Institute of Molecular Biotechnology, who focused their research on lectins – proteins that can very effectively recognize and bind sugars. “We intuitively thought that lectins could help us find new partners that would interact with the spike protein,” said study co-author David Hoffmann.
The researchers therefore tested 140 lectins and found two of them, which they found to have a strong ability to bind to the SARS-CoV-2 protein. “We now have the tools to bind to the protective layer of the virus, preventing the virus from entering cells,” said Stefan Mereiter, another author of the research.
The researchers apparently discovered a weakness in coronavirus that they could use to benefit treatment. Lectins can not only prevent the virus from multiplying, they can even prevent new mutations. These are hot candidates for the anti-covid-19 drug. The Austrian Academy of Sciences in press release.
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