Researchers develop “Nano-Glue”
In a recent study, researchers target the electropositive receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with the abundant ?-sheet structure as a novel COVID-19 therapeutic drug design.
The global public health emergency wrought by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic can be mitigated with safe, effective, and targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies. While vaccination campaigns have been rolling out at an impressive speed in many parts of the world, the lack of an effective anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) drug and the emergence of mutated variants are raising concerns globally. Thus, novel compounds with effective antiviral activity are an urgent requirement for the treatment of severe COVID-19.
In a recent study released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers target the electropositive receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with the abundant β-sheet structure as a novel COVID-19 therapeutic drug design. The interdisciplinary researchers from China and Italy discovered ultrathin 2D CuInP2S6 (CIPS) nanosheets to selectively bind to the RBD of spike protein, thus inhibiting the viral entry. They also found it to be able to promote viral host elimination with the possibility of triggering anti-viral immunization as the CIPS-bound SARS-CoV-2 was quickly phagocytosed and eliminated by macrophages.
