The SARS-CoV-2 virus contains a gene that codes for a strange protein that could be a good target for drugs to fight COVID-19 and possibly other coronavirus infections, according to a new study from the University of California, Berkeley. When the virus injects its genome into a cell, the so-called ORF3a gene is expressed to...
by QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute The illustration depicts two peptide drugs to target SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein uses the ACE2 receptor (pink funnel) to bind to and invade cells. With the first peptide drug (purple balls), the virus latches onto the cloaking peptides (purple balls, which protect ACE2), which they mistake for ACE2 receptor on...
