Researchers from the United States explained the speed and breadth of the propagation of coronavirus compared with the atypical pneumonia of the high power of the interaction of the spike protein of the virus with a receptor through which it penetrates into the body’s cells. It is reported by RIA Novosti with reference to the publication in Biophysical Journal.
Coronaviruses SARS-COV-2 and SARS-COV-1 use the ACE2 receptor to penetrate the human body cells. The receptor binds to the cell using flexible spike protein growth (S-protein), which make up a “crown” of the virus.
Scientists from the University of Likhai in the United States have developed the technology of quantifying the interaction force between the S-protein and the ACE2 receptor. During the study, it was possible to establish that the interaction between SARS-COV-2 spikes protein and ACE2 receptors are much stronger than the interaction between the structurally identical protein SARS-COV-1 and the same receptors. Researchers have established that the whole thing in a previously unknown interaction between SARS-COV-2 spike and Glycans ACE2 are groups of sugars attached to the surface of the receptors.
“After we removed all the Glycans of the ACE2 and again measured the strength of the interaction, we saw that the SARS-COV-2 S-COV-2 interaction force with ACE2 fell to levels similar to SARS-COV-1, – are given in the press -Relize the university words of the head of research, associate professor of departments of bioengineering and mechanical engineering and mechanics Frank Zhang.