Scientists have found a common vulnerability between polio and cold viruses

American scientists have discovered a hidden molecular mechanism that helps enteroviruses multiply in the human body. This was reported on May 12 by Science Daily magazine.

The researchers studied the work of enteroviruses responsible for the development of polio, encephalitis, myocarditis and the common cold. A group led by Deepak Koirala, associate professor of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, found out how pathogens use their RNA structure to capture cellular resources and create their own copies.

In the course of their work, biologists have fixed the structure of the interaction of viral RNA with the 3CD protein. It turned out that this complex works like a switch: when a protein is attached to a specific structure of RNA in the form of a clover, the virus copies its genome. When the protein detaches, the RNA switches to the production mode of viral proteins.

"We found that it is the 3C domain of the 3CD protein that binds to RNA in the viral genome, and then attracts other components, such as the host protein PCBP2, to assemble the replication complex," explained the scientist.

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What subjects are we talking about and what is the reason for this?

Using X-ray crystallography and other analysis methods, the team proved that two 3CD molecules are attached to the viral RNA at once. This discovery resolved a long-standing scientific dispute about the structure of the replication process.

According to the publication, the mechanism turned out to be almost identical in all seven studied types of enteroviruses. According to the researchers, this similarity makes the RNA structure an ideal target for drugs. Experts claim that they will subsequently be able to design a new generation of antiviral drugs.

Vera Seryozhin, an expert at the LabQuest medical company, told Izvestia on March 15 about the signs of a dangerous form of angina. She stressed that streptococcal angina can affect the heart and kidneys. According to the specialist, if she is not treated with antibiotics on time, serious complications can develop, including rheumatic damage to the connective tissue of the heart, kidneys and joints.