Researchers might’ve just solved a huge coronavirus mystery

[Chris Smith]

• Researchers may have discovered a previously unknown step involved in the mechanism that allows the novel coronavirus to infect cells.
• Scientists have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 binds to a receptor called neuropilin-1, which is found in various places inside the human body. That connection facilitates the critical link-up between the spike protein and the ACE2 receptor.
• By blocking neuropilin-1 in cell cultures, scientists were able to significantly reduce the coronavirus's ability to infect a person.

Scientists figured out months ago how the novel coronavirus binds to cells. Then they discovered a mutation that allows SARS-CoV-2 to attach to ACE2 receptors even more efficiently than before. That mutation doesn’t make the virus more lethal than before, just more contagious. Separately, researchers have been looking at ways to block the spike protein from linking up to cells. Blocking this process would prevent the virus from entering cells and replicating, and would ultimately lead to clearing the virus faster from the body. The neutralizing antibodies that coronavirus survivors develop, and which vaccines would teach the immune system to create, could block the spike protein and prevent it from hooking up to the ACE2 receptors. That’s the idea, at least, as vaccines are still in development so it’s unclear whether they can block infections.

Now, new research may have uncovered a key detail about the process that allows the virus to hook up to cells. The discovery might help drugmakers create other therapies that could further target the spike protein and prevent it from linking to ACE2 receptors.

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Researchers might’ve just solved a huge coronavirus mystery originally appeared on BGR.com on Fri, 23 Oct 2020 at 12:03:03 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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