magnesium, calcium, and manganese ions in the body set up a bridge that allows the virus to enter a cell undetected. Antiviral medications that combat the virus could be developed based on these discoveries.
Dr Gupta said, “Last year, my team and I discovered the mechanism by which the SARS-CoV-2 modifies its messenger RNA (or mRNA) and evades immune system resistance. Now, we have discovered that different metal ions help a process called RNA capping to ensure undetected growth in a host’s body. This is an important breakthrough in our understanding of the mutating virus”.
The processes that are required for body functions are carried out by proteins in our cells, and mRNA is responsible for transmitting these signals. Meanwhile, RNA capping is required for the effective generation of viral proteins as well as the defence of the virus’s RNA from the immunological response of the host.
Gupta described the link between metal ions and the virus. He said, “We found metal ions were the real culprits helping the virus disguise itself and appear to the immune mechanism that it is its own. These ions form a bridge between the viral mRNA and the virus’s two proteins (non-structural protein (nsp)16 and nsp10)”. Metal ions can be detected in the body’s blood, bones, and tissue. He added, “The virus then uses its own proteins to modify its mRNA cap so that it mimics the cellular mRNA. Consequently, the immune system can’t recognize it. After the RNA cap modification, the nsp16-nsp10 protein complex stretches itself, in which ion binding helps.”
A detailed research about the virus will lead to finding a long-term cure. This discovery may also enable others to investigate the complexities of how the virus functions and control it from spreading throughout our bodies before it becomes widespread.
Gupta said, “With our new study, we have a much better understanding of exactly how the virus employs RNA cap modification for its survival”. He added, “Since we now have atomic-level details of this mechanism, it will help us develop new drug candidates (anti-virals) capable of blocking this camouflage activity by targeting the ion binding process”.
