What is it about?
We currently lack ‘broad-spectrum’ drugs that are effective against different viruses, including those yet to emerge. Viruses use host cellular machineries that are crucial for their replication and propagation. Hence, drugs that target these machineries have potential as new, broad-spectrum, antiviral therapeutics. Here we show that the natural product Ipomoeassin F selectively reduces the production of several proteins important for SARS-CoV-2 viral infection in vitro, including the viral spike protein and its cellular receptor.
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Why is it important?
Our work highlights the possibility of developing Ipomoeassin-F as a broad-spectrum, antiviral agent that may contribute to preparations for future pandemics.
Perspectives
Performing this research project was a great pleasure because, as part of a long standing collaboration, we have taken the first steps towards demonstrating that ipomoeassin F has the potential for therapeutic application in an area of unmet clinical need. We hope that our article will raise awareness and prompt further studies of Sec61 inhibitors as potential broad-spectrum antivirals.
Dr Sarah O'Keefe
University of Manchester
This article describes the discovery of ipomoeassin F as a potential antiviral lead compound. The finding is very encouraging because it will promote future collaborative research on using ipomoeassin F-derived analogs and probes to investigate pharmaceutical potential of Sec61.
Wei Shi
Ball State University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Ipomoeassin-F inhibits the in vitro biogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its host cell membrane receptor, Journal of Cell Science, January 2021, The Company of Biologists,
DOI: 10.1242/jcs.257758.
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