The miniproteins can not only block entry of viruses like SARS-CoV-2 into our cells but also clump virus particles together, reducing their ability to infect
Researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore have designed a new class of artificial peptides or miniproteins that they say can render viruses like SARS-CoV-2 inactive.
According to the study, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, the miniproteins can not only block virus entry into our cells but also clump virus particles together, reducing their ability to infect.
The researchers noted that a protein-protein interaction is often like that of a lock and a key.
Preventing entry
The team used this approach to design miniproteins that can bind to, and block the spike protein on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which helps it to enter and infect the human cells.
This binding was further characterised extensively by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and other biophysical methods.
These miniproteins are helical, hairpin-shaped peptides, each capable of pairing up with another of its kind, forming what is known as a dimer. Each dimeric ‘bundle’ presents two ‘faces’ to interact with two target molecules.
The researchers hypothesised that the two faces would bind to two separate target proteins locking all four in a complex and blocking the targets’ action.
“But we needed proof of principle,” said Jayanta Chatterjee, Associate Professor in the Molecular Biophysics Unit (MBU), IISc, and the lead author of the study.
th