Helicase News and Research

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Emergence of a new SARS-CoV-2 variant from Southern France

A new study has described the emergence of another new SARS-CoV-2 variant from south-eastern France with Cameroonian origin.

6 Jan 2022

Study suggests efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors is not compromised in current COVID-19 variants

A new study has focussed on assessing the Mpro mutants of newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants.

2 Dec 2021

Plant-derived virus-like particle vaccines against SARS-CoV-2

In a review published in Biotechnology Letters, the authors discuss plant-derived VLP-based vaccines.

1 Dec 2021

Ensemble cryo-electron microscopy uncovers conformational states of the nsp13 helicase of SARS-CoV-2

With this background, the goal of a new study published on the bioRxiv* preprint server was to use cryo-electron microscopy to investigate the nsp13 helicase conformational states in order to gain insights of how nsp13 functions during viral transcription/replication.

16 Nov 2021

The ability of natural flavonoids to inhibit SARS-CoV-2

A recent systematic review discusses naturally occurring flavonoids as a promising antiviral alternative against SARS-CoV-2.

31 Oct 2021

Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 helicase by single DNA lesions

In a paper, the impact of specific DNA lesions is investigated regarding the unwinding activity of NSP13.

18 Oct 2021

Review of COVID-19 clinical and viral characteristics, pathogenesis, and genetics

A new review article investigates the clinical and viral characteristics, pathogenesis, as well as human genetic basis associated with COVID-19.

27 Sep 2021

Rice lab receives NIH grant to unravel DNA’s secrets

The poor bacteriophages in Yang Gao's lab are about to have a lot of bad days.

28 Aug 2021

New study identifies novel compound as promising pan-coronavirus drug candidate

A recent study describes a novel compound with frameshifting capability against MERS-CoV, inhibiting viral propagation within infected cells.

23 Aug 2021

Finding most promising targets for pan-coronavirus drugs

Safe and effective vaccines offer hope for an end to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the possible emergence of vaccine-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as novel coronaviruses, make finding treatments that work against all coronaviruses as important as ever.

22 Jul 2021

A new strategy to combat pathogenic bacterium

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogenic bacterium present in many ecological niches, such as plant roots, stagnant water or even the pipes of our homes. Naturally very versatile, it can cause acute and chronic infections that are potentially fatal for people with weakened immune systems.

21 Jun 2021

A study on SARS-CoV-2 proteins for the development of COVID-19 drugs

The authors of the review have grouped the virus proteins into three categories, (a) host-entry, (b) self-acting, and (c) host-interacting. Additionally, individual SARS-CoV-2 proteins are evaluated to be either directly targeted by drugs or block virus-host interactions.

16 Jun 2021

Corilagin: could a plant compound used in Chinese herbal medicine help prevent COVID-19?

The study, published in the journal Phytomedicine, characterized an active compound, corilagin (a derivative from Phyllanthus urinaria), as potential SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitors for its preventive application in daily antiviral hygiene products.

31 May 2021

Scientists discover novel defensive response to SARS-CoV-2

Scientists from Hokkaido University have discovered a novel defensive response to SARS-CoV-2 that involves the viral pattern recognition receptor RIG-I. Upregulating expression of this protein could strengthen the immune response in COPD patients.

21 May 2021

Researchers speculate the low prevalence of COVID-19 in Japan

Protective immune memory--through B cells, which make antibodies, and/or T cells, which in the case of CD8+ T cells can kill virus-infected cells--can be induced by identical but also by related viruses.

20 May 2021

Nanopore analysis identifies pseudouridine modifications in SARS-CoV-2

In a paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by Fleming, Mathewson & Burrows (May 10th, 2021), nanopore devices are developed that allow identification of the passage of pseudouridine through a protein sensor. This further allowed the group to identify five conserved pseudouridine sites on the 3’ end of SARS-CoV-2 sub-genomic RNAs, which could potentially be beneficial to the virus in immune evasion.

17 May 2021

Natural products a rich source for novel antiviral compounds

In a recent review in the journal Viruses, researchers look at natural products that can be identified as potential alternative antiviral agents. The reviewers discussed the antiviral activities of several natural products towards DNA and RNA viruses with an analytical approach. The researchers detailed the cellular/viral targets of the active molecules and their impact on the infection and viral replication cycle.

10 May 2021