New Insights into SARS-CoV-2 Mechanism Could Aid in Covid-19 Treatment

Research Unveils Protective Mechanism of SARS-CoV-2

New Delhi, June 6: Researchers in the United States have discovered a mechanism that the SARS-CoV-2 virus employs to shield itself within the human body while it replicates and spreads to additional cells.

The team from the Texas Biomedical Research Institute and the University of Chicago noted that without this protective mechanism, the virus's ability to infect is significantly diminished.

This research, published in the journal Nature Communications, not only highlights a potential target for new Covid-19 treatments but also provides valuable insights for future vaccine and antiviral development.

The study builds on previous findings from Texas Biomed that pinpointed ORF3a, a viral protein crucial for the virus's ability to cause disease.

Specifically, the researchers found that ORF3a plays a critical role in safeguarding structural proteins, particularly the spike protein that aids in the virus's spread to other cells, during their assembly on viral particles' surfaces.

It achieves this by promoting the formation of a dense cluster of proteins that encircle the spike protein, offering protection during transit, akin to a security detail safeguarding a valuable asset, according to the researchers.

Jueqi Chen, an Assistant Professor at the University of Chicago, referred to these protective structures as "3a dense bodies" or 3DBs.

These 3DBs seem to prevent the spike protein from being fragmented into smaller parts.

In the absence of ORF3a, the formation of 3DBs is compromised, leading to damaged spike proteins that severely hinder the virus's ability to infect new cells, the expert explained.

"Targeting ORF3a could be a promising strategy for developing antiviral drugs," stated Luis Martinez-Sobrido, a Professor at Texas Biomed.

"This finding could also play a crucial role in vaccine development, as we have previously demonstrated," Martinez-Sobrido added.