NOVEMBER 12, 2020Chemists discover the structure of a key...

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

Chemists discover the structure of a key coronavirus protein
https://phys.org/news/2020-11-chemists-key-coronavirus-protein.html

MIT chemists have determined the molecular structure of a protein found in the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This protein, called the envelope protein E, forms a cation-selective channel and plays a key role in the virus's ability to replicate itself and stimulate the host cell's inflammation response.If researchers could devise ways to block this channel, they may be able to reduce the pathogenicity of the virus and interfere with viral replication, says Mei Hong, an MIT professor of chemistry.

"Our findings could be useful for medicinal chemists to design alternative small molecules that target this channel with high affinity," says Hong, who is the senior author of the new study.