They found the weak point of the coronavirus – USA

American scientists have found a weak point in several coronaviruses, among which is the cause of Covid-19: SARS-CoV-2, writes BTA, citing the journal Science.

The authors of the present study from the Institute of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Georgia point out that the coronaviruses SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV may have similar “weaknesses”, allowing the development of a drug capable of to beat them. .

The researchers identified around 300 proteins that are produced in the body after infection and interact with the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. In particular, a protein called Tom70 caught their attention.

The receptor protein in question is a mitochondrial enzyme that binds to the Orf9b coronavirus genome and helps viruses take over the body. According to scientists, it is a suitable “target” for drugs with a wide spectrum of action.

Modern antiviral drugs target viral enzymes, but they often mutate and develop resistance to the drug. Scientists have concluded that protein exposure is a more effective method of treating patients.

Reuters, meanwhile, said that according to a study from the University of Oxford, which included 58 people and looked at the long-term effects of Covid-19, more than half of hospitalized patients were still experiencing symptoms: shortness of breath, fatigue, anxiety, depression, two to three months after the initial infection.