How SARS-CoV-2 Recruit Human Cells – A Healing Practice

SARS corona viruses are different from other corona viruses

Even before the Corona pandemic, there were corona viruses that caused influenza-like illnesses. It is now shown how SARS-CoV-2 differs from the usual corona viruses by a German research team in a current study. Accordingly, SARS coronaviruses have a unique mechanism by which infected cells are stimulated to produce many new copies of the virus.

Researchers at the German Center for Infection Research (DZIF) led by Prof. Rolf Helgenfeld from Lübeck University and Dr. Albrecht von Brunn of Ludwig Maximilians University in Munich discovered how SARS viruses stimulate the production of viral proteins in infected cells in such a way that many new copies of the virus can be formed. According to the study, other coronaviruses do not have this mechanism. This is also an explanation for the high pathogenicity of SARS viruses compared to their relatives. The results of the research were recently published in the prestigious newspaper.EMBO Journal” Gifts.

How does SARS differ from common coronaviruses

Coronaviruses have been known to cause harmless colds for more than 50 years. In 2002, SARS-CoV-1 was first recognized, causing severe lung disease in infected people. The German Center for Infection Research team has now compared the genome of the SARS coronavirus to types of coronaviruses that are harmless to humans. In doing so, they came across an area that only occurs in SARS viruses, and thus it has been dubbed the “SARS Unique Domain” (SUD).

SARS proteins affect human proteins

The working group showed that the SUD proteins detected in viruses interacted with a human protein called Paip-1. According to the study, along with Paip-1 and other proteins, SUD binds to ribosomes, the “protein synthesis plant” of the host cell. By binding, SUD proteins stimulate the production of all proteins in the ribosomes, as human and viral proteins are produced in increasing quantities.

SARS viruses destroy excess production

Another SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus protein called Nsp1 specializes in the intentional destruction of messenger RNA molecules that encode human proteins. As a result, the infected cell mainly produces only the viral proteins, so that many new copies of the coronavirus can be formed.

SUD proteins have been known for several years

Researchers working with Albrecht von Brunn discovered SUD proteins in the first SARS viruses many years ago. “As an experienced coronavirus researcher, I knew that you had to look into the details of the SARS coronavirus genome if you want to understand this virus,” explains the head of the research department.

Interaction between virus and human proteins

Helgenfeld’s team has already decoded the 3D structure of the SUD protein. The two groups of experienced work joined forces for the present study. As part of this alliance, the researchers succeeded in elucidating the interaction between the SUD proteins and the human Paip-1 protein. They also managed to create a 3D complex hull from SUD and Paip1.

“These studies of the interaction between coronavirus proteins and infected human cell proteins will help us understand how viruses take advantage of the main functions of the host cell,” Helgenfeld asserts. (Fb)