Effects of binding epitopes on receptor function. Credit: Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08121-5
A team of microbiologists and virologists from Wuhan University, in collaboration with colleagues from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the University of Washington, and Humabs BioMed SA, have discovered that coronavirus DNA can be used to create receptors that can be attached to cell membranes. . Human or animal cell membranes for research activities.
In a paper published in the journal Nature, the group describes how they built such receptors from scratch and sheds light on their possible uses.
Previous studies have shown that coronaviruses infect humans by using their surface spike proteins to bind to receptor proteins on the surface of host cells. Once binding occurs, the virus can enter the cell via the receptor and cause an infection. Previous research has also shown that to protect people in the future from the thousands of coronaviruses that exist in nature, we must find ways to mimic the behavior of coronaviruses.
Unfortunately, finding samples and culturing them in a lab is not only difficult, but also dangerous. So the researchers decided to collect samples of the coronavirus genome instead. In such samples, the same spike protein that grows naturally on the original virus can be “grown.” The problem is finding human cells with receptors compatible with the spike protein.
In this new effort, the researchers wondered if it might be easier to simply create a receptor based on the shape of the spike protein and fuse it to the surface of human cells. The results could be used in research efforts to combat the original coronavirus if it mutates in a way that allows it to infect humans.
To create the desired receptor, the research team used known coronavirus receptors to build what they called a scaffold. These receptors include ACE2, which is best known to be used by the virus that causes COVID-19. Next, the researchers added a section called the virus-binding domain that matched the part of the spike protein. We then manipulated the results in different ways to find the best results.
The research team tested the receptors using pseudoviruses, then proceeded to mimic known receptors, and found that they could mimic real receptors, such as ACE2, with great accuracy. Over time, they created 12 unique receptors. The research team suggests that these are as good as the real thing for research purposes.
Further information: Peng Liu et al, Design of customized coronavirus receptors, Nature (2024). DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-08121-5
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Citation: Artificial receptors made from coronavirus DNA open new avenues for research (November 6, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-11-artificial-ceptors-coronavirus-dna- Retrieved November 6, 2024 from avenues.html
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