SARS-CoV-2 attaches to human cells by binding its spike protein to ACE2 receptors — but could other receptors be involved in this process?
Author: Virginia Garda
Chem and Chem Bio grad student at UCSF. Interested in using chemical biology to understand neurodegenerative diseases.
Bio-catalytic chemistry simplifies synthetic route to produce COVID-19 drug
Molnupiravir, a drug developed by Merck, will probably be authorized by the FDA in the coming weeks. This paper discusses the development of a shortened synthetic route to produce the medicine.
µMap ID – a new technique for identifying the targets of drug candidates
Finding the target of drug candidates is often challenging. A new technique called µMap ID may speed up this process.
Using Polymers for Data Storage
Rather than storing data in binary code, could polymers be used to encode data in hexadecimal?
Side effect found to be responsible for antiviral activity of many repurposed drugs against SARS-CoV-2 during in vitro screens
Although many repurposed drugs entered trials against COVID-19 in the past year and a half, only one drug has been proven to be efficacious. What happened?
Collagen-mimetic protein in the surface of bacteria helps them latch onto skin
Two proteins in the surface of GAS bacterium are able to bind to damaged collagen. Thus facilitating the infection of this pathogen in wounds.
Lipid allows tuberculosis bacterium evade immune response
Mycobacteria, the pathogen that causes tuberculosis, is able to avoid being attacked by the immune system. A unique lipid in its outer membrane plays a major role.
Saliva enzyme protects ticks against human skin bacteria
Recently discovered tick enzyme can attack human skin bacteria, protecting ticks while they feed from human blood.