Covid-19 -Tracing the Route Map of the Clever Spiky Protein

SREEKUMAR RAGHAVAN
The Kerala Model of Public Health
that was effective in containing the Nipah virus and now the Covid-19 followed
a Route Map tracing procedure to identify and isolate potential people affected
by the virus. Once a patient was identified, the most important step apart from
isolating him or her was 'contact tracing'-finding out where this person had
visited recently and who all were likely to be there in those times. Publishing
the ‘route map’ enables citizens to inform the health authorities whether they
were in any of the contact points mentioned in it and require quarantine or
isolation.
Something similar is being done by the scientists at California Institute of
Technology (Caltech) to understand how viruses may inroads in our body cells.
Andre Hoelz, Professor of Chemistry at Caltech who has never worked on
Coronavirus before is trying to understand what it does once Covid-19 enters
our body. Viruses can't survive on their own and they need a host cell to
accomplish many of their functions.
It is the spiky proteins (ORF 6) of Covid-19 enables it to enter our cells and
target the Nuclear Pore Complex (NPC).
Nucleus (the brain of a cell) copies instructions of the genetic
material held in RNA to cytoplasm, the main chamber of the cell. This is vital
for the manufacture of a given protein needed for the cell. "When viruses
interact with a host cell, they want to get an advantage any way they can. A
lot of viruses do this by targeting the nuclear pore complex. They will destroy
it, they will take it apart, they will modify it," according to Hoelz.
By blocking the NPC, viruses prevent the nucleus from exporting RNA strands.
That is good for the virus, as it is provided with nearly unfettered access to
the cell's machinery to manufacture its own proteins. Hoelz likens it to an
automobile factory.
"If you have a factory that can make cars and SUVs on the same assembly
line, but you want to make more SUVs, you stop making the cars," he says.
"The virus has the instructions to make its own parts like tires, body,
engine—all the things you need to build an SUV—plus this ability to stop the
original cars from being made."
In simple terms, the spiky protein of Covid-19 gets hold of the core genetic
material in the cell present as a protein (RNA or Ribonucleic acid). It may
also be akin to a hacker entering into our computer network and taking control
by seizing the source codes. Virology may sound interesting when presented this
way. But it is not so easy to separate the structures on work on them.
For better understanding of how ORF6 proteins cause harm to NPC of our cells,
Hoelz was directed by the Covid-19 initiative in US to manufacture both ORF6
and the parts of the NPC it targets in a lab. This will enable them to find out
precisely how ORF6 inactivates NPC.
Hoelz believes the spiky virus is indeed unbelievably clever because it
deactivates an alarm system making it difficult for other cells to know that
they are the next target for attack. Similar ORF6 proteins were also found in
coronaviruses that cause common cold, SARS and MERS (Middle East Respiratory
Syndrome).
Origin the name Corona
Corona gets its name from Latin
word 'corona' meaning a crown. Using
electron microscope the structure of virus was already identified and hence the
images of a round virus with 'spikes' becoming its mascot. The large spikes on
its surface gives the appearance of a crown. It is these spikes that help them
get inside our cells. Some scientists are working on treatments based on
anti-bodies found in patients who were cured of CoronaVirus infection. This may provide a blue print for a vaccine
or therapy to prevent future outbreaks.
Closure of Wet Markets
The closure of wet markets that
sell illegally poached wild animals in countries like China are vital to
prevent future outbreaks of viruses. There are conflicting news reports about
reopening of such markets in China and government taking measures to close down
such markets. Prevention is better than cure, always.
References: https://www.caltech.edu/about/news/caltech-scientists-turn-research-toward-fighting-coronavirus-pandemic
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