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Corona: How virus interacts with cells
Scientists from Würzburg and the US have charted the first global atlas of direct interactions between SARS-CoV-2 RNA and human host cells. This may provide a starting point for novel treatments.
18 host proteins play an important role during SARS-CoV-2 infection – two of them are particularly interesting. They could open up new ways to treat infections with SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA viruses. Graphics: SCIGRAPHIX / S. Westermann
SARS-CoV-2 infections pose a global threat to human health and a formidable research challenge. One of the most urgent tasks is to gain a detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between the virus and the cells it infects. It must also be clarified, whether these interactions favour the multiplication of the virus or – on the contrary – activate defence mechanisms.
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IMAGE: 18 host proteins play an important role during SARS-CoV-2 infection - two of them are particularly interesting. They could open up new ways to treat infections with SARS-CoV-2 and other. view more
Credit: SCIGRAPHIX / S. Westermann
SARS-CoV-2 infections pose a global threat to human health and a formidable research challenge. One of the most urgent tasks is to gain a detailed understanding of the molecular interactions between the virus and the cells it infects. It must also be clarified, whether these interactions favour the multiplication of the virus or - on the contrary - activate defence mechanisms.
In order to multiply, SARS-CoV-2 uses proteins of the host cell. However, thus far no detailed information on the part of the human proteome - i.e. the total of all proteins occurring in human cells - that is in direct contact with the viral RNA existed.