Syntheticbiology meets medicine: 'Programmable molecular scissors' could help fight COVID-19 infection Cambridge_Uni NatureComms
Enzymes are naturally occurring biological catalysts, which enable the chemical transformations required for our bodies to function—from translating the genetic code into proteins, right through to digesting food. Although most enzymes are proteins, some of these crucial reactions are catalyzed by RNA, a chemical cousin of DNA, which can fold into enzymes known as ribozymes. Some classes of ribozyme are able to target specific sequences in other RNA molecules and cut them precisely.
As Taylor explained:"It's like having a pair of scissors where the overall design remains the same, but you can change the blades or handles depending on the material you want to cut. The power of this approach is that, even working by myself in the lab at the start of the pandemic, I was able to generate and screen a handful of these XNAzymes in a matter of days."
"It's really encouraging that for the first time—and this has been a big goal of the field—we actually have them working as enzymes inside cells, and inhibiting replication of live virus," said Dr. Pehuén Pereyra Gerber, who performed the experiments on SARS-CoV-2 in Matheson's lab.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
China's COVID policies, wholesale inflation to drive oil this week
Read more »
Two Philadelphia doctors explain why COVID boosters are necessary | Expert OpinionDaily News | Two Philadelphia doctors explain why COVID boosters are necessary | Expert Opinion
Read more »
Moderna says bivalent COVID-19 booster shot performs better against BA.5 omicron subvariantNEW: Moderna announces that a booster dose of its bivalent COVID-19 vaccine performs better against two circulating versions of the omicron variant, compared with a booster shot of its original formula.
Read more »
As more employees return to the office, mass transit volumes soar, some to pre-COVID heightsMore employers want employees to work several days in the workplace, fueling increased traffic volume, rebounding transit ridership.
Read more »
Moderna’s New Covid-19 Booster Produced Strong Immune Response in StudyModerna gave the first data from a company-sponsored study on its newly authorized Covid-19 booster, saying the shot produced a stronger immune response against Omicron subvariants
Read more »