Researchers identify key gene necessary for cells to consume and destroy viruses news-medical.net - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from news-medical.net Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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IMAGE: A UT Southwestern study identified a gene used in the cellular recycling process called autophagy that rids cells of viruses. The above illustration breaks down the steps involved in this. view more
Credit: UT Southwestern Medical Center
DALLAS - Dec. 16, 2020 - A team led by UT Southwestern researchers has identified a key gene necessary for cells to consume and destroy viruses. The findings, reported online today in
Nature, could lead to ways to manipulate this process to improve the immune system s ability to combat viral infections, such as those fueling the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Scientists have long known that cells use a process called autophagy to rid themselves of unwanted material. Autophagy, which translates as self-eating, involves isolating cellular garbage in double-layered vesicles called autophagosomes, which are then fused with single-layered vesicles known as lysosomes to degrade the materials inside and recycle them into build