Pressurized DNA state inside herpes capsids-A novel antiviral target.
PLoS Pathog
; 16(7): e1008604, 2020 07.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-32702029
ABSTRACT
Drug resistance in viruses represents one of the major challenges of healthcare. As part of an effort to provide a treatment that avoids the possibility of drug resistance, we discovered a novel mechanism of action (MOA) and specific compounds to treat all nine human herpesviruses and animal herpesviruses. The novel MOA targets the pressurized genome state in a viral capsid, "turns off" capsid pressure, and blocks viral genome ejection into a cell nucleus, preventing viral replication. This work serves as a proof-of-concept to demonstrate the feasibility of a new antiviral target-suppressing pressure-driven viral genome ejection-that is likely impervious to developing drug resistance. This pivotal finding presents a platform for discovery of a new class of broad-spectrum treatments for herpesviruses and other viral infections with genome-pressure-dependent replication. A biophysical approach to antiviral treatment such as this is also a vital strategy to prevent the spread of emerging viruses where vaccine development is challenged by high mutation rates or other evasion mechanisms.
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Antiviral Agents
/
DNA, Viral
/
Capsid
/
Herpesviridae Infections
/
Herpesviridae
Type of study:
Prognostic_studies
Limits:
Animals
/
Humans
Language:
En
Journal:
PLoS Pathog
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United States