Researchers have analyzed the structure of an enzyme present in many coronaviruses, which could help in the development of a treatment for COVID-19. The enzyme in question allows the new coronavirus in particular to hide from the immune system.
In eukaryotic cells, one end of the messenger RNA is modified during transcription to become what is biologically called a cap. Its multiple roles are to protect messenger RNA from its degradation by specific enzymes, to regulate its export outside the nucleus, and also subsequently to allow it to bind to molecules that will “read” its genetic information, necessary for the synthesis of a protein. Once this task is completed, the cap separates from the messenger RNA to facilitate the degradation of the latter.
This mechanism also exists in certain viruses, including coronaviruses, but mainly to protect their messenger RNA against host cell immunity. Researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio Health Sciences Center this week published the results of their study on one of the molecules present in the novel coronavirus, which it uses to synthesize the cap.
Named nsp16, this is an enzyme already identified previously in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and whose role is to modify the cap of their messenger RNA to prevent them from being recognized by the cell’s defenses host.
« It’s a camouflage Says the study’s lead author, Dr. Yogesh Gupta. ” Due to changes that trick the cell, the resulting viral messenger RNA is now considered part of the cell’s own code, not that of an intruder ».
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His team analyzed the structure of the enzyme in order to be able to represent it in 3D. The main objective of this identification is to be able to subsequently develop a treatment that can target and block the activity of nsp16, in order to allow the immune system to quickly identify the SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA and prevent its translation. and its replication. If the development of treatment is successful, it may also be used against other viruses that also express nsp16.
« Yogesh’s work has uncovered the 3D structure of a key enzyme in the virus responsible for COVID-19, necessary for its replication, and found a point there that can be targeted to inhibit this enzyme. It is a fundamental advance in our understanding of the virus Says Dr. Robert Hromas, co-author of the study.
Source : Nature
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