Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus
Specialists from the University of Southampton have discovered a fundamental feature of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 infection. New research may help develop a vaccine for the disease.
An article published on the phys.org portal notes that scientists created the world’s first model of the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and, thanks to it, found that the coronavirus has a large number of spikes, with which it attaches to and penetrates the cells of the human body. These spikes are coated with sugars, known as glycans, which mask the viral proteins of the coronavirus and help it hide from the immune system.
However, after studying the structure of glycans, scientists came to the conclusion that coronavirus is not too well protected from antibodies. According to Professor Max Crispin, who leads the research team, the new coronavirus is like a “wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Viruses before which human immunity is powerless, such as HIV, have a very dense layer of glycans. At SARS-CoV-2, protection is much weaker, and it acts on the principle of “hit and run,” that is, it does not stay for long in one host organism.
“A lower glycan density means that the immune system has fewer barriers to neutralizing the virus with antibodies,” Crispin explained.
He noted that the results of the study are “very encouraging” regarding the development of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus Scientists have found a weak spot in coronavirus
