Northwestern University researchers have discovered a vulnerability in the novel coronavirus' spike protein. This sheds light on potential therapeutic direction in the near future.
The spike protein contains the virus' binding site, which binds to host cells and enables passage of the virus into the host cells. Using microscopic simulations, the researchers discovered the polybasic cleavage site, a positively charge site located 10 nanometers from the actual binding site on the spike protein. The positively charged site bonds to the negatively charged human-cell receptors.
Using this discovery, researchers developed a negatively charged molecule to bind to the positively charged cleavage site. Blocking this site inhibits the virus from bonding to the host cell.
"Our work indicates that blocking this cleavage site may act as a viable prophylactic treatment that decreases the virus' ability to infect humans," said Northwestern's Monica Olvera de la Cruz, lead researcher of the study. "Our results explain experimental studies showing that mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein affected the virus transmissibility."
The research was published online last week in the journal, ACS Nano.