`nature communications, Peer-reviewed journal

London, Sep 5 To fight against the Covid-19, the scientists have identified a small neutralising antibody, a so-called nanobody, that has the capacity to block SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells.The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, suggests that this nanobody has the potential to be developed as an antiviral treatment against Covid-19."We hope our findings can contribute to the amelioration of the Covid-19 pandemic by encouraging further examination of this nanobody as a therapeutic candidate against this viral infection," said study co-author Gerald McInerney from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.The search for effective nanobodieswhich are fragments of antibodies that occur naturally in camelids and can be adapted for humansbegan in February when an alpaca (animal) was injected with the new coronavirus' spike protein, which is used to enter our cells.After 60 days, blood samples from the alpaca showed a strong immune response against the spike protein.Next, the researchers cloned, enriched and analysed nanobody sequences from the alpaca's B cells, a type of white blood cell, to determine which nanobodies were best suited for further evaluation.They identified one, Ty1 (named after the alpaca Tyson), that efficiently neutralizes the virus by attaching itself to the part of the spike protein that binds to the receptor ACE2, which is used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect cells.This blocks the virus from slipping into the cells and thus prevents infection."Using cryo-electron microscopy, we were able to see how the nanobody binds to the viral spike at an epitope which overlaps with the cellular receptor ACE2-binding site, providing a structural understanding for the potent neutralisation activity," said study researcher Leo Hanke.According to the researchers, nanobodies offer several advantages over conventional antibodies as candidates for specific therapies.They span less than one-tenth the size of conventional antibodies and are typically easier to produce cost-effectively at scale.Critically, they can be adapted for humans with current protocols and have a proven record of inhibiting viral respiratory infections."Our results show that Ty1 can bind potently to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and neutralize the virus, with no detectable off-target activity," the study authors wrote."We are now embarking on preclinical animal studies to investigate the neutralizing activity and therapeutic potential of Ty1 in vivo," they noted.( With inputs from IANS )Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

`nature CommunicationsFOLLOW

`nature communications, Latest News

The way gut microbiome interacts with oral medication in prostate cancer patients has been illustrated in a new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University. The study also suggests that the bacteria in the gut play a role in tr ...

New York, Oct 1 Researchers have demonstrated that an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm could be trained to classify ... ...

A new study from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University illustrates how the gut microbiome interacts with oral medication in prostate cancer patients, suggesting bacteria in the gut play a role in treatment outcomes. ...

A method for fast, cheap, yet accurate testing for COVID-19 infection has been developed by a team of researchers. The method simplifies and frees the testing from expensive reaction steps, enabling upscaling of the diagnostics. ...

London, Sep 24 Researchers have developed a method for fast, cheap, yet accurate testing for Covid-19 infection. The ... ...

Vocabulary that one uses to describe their emotions can be used as an indicator to know the mental, physical, and overall well-being, according to recent research. ...

In years to come, human memories of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to be etched in human minds with precision and clarity, distinct from other memories of 2020. ...

London, Sep 5 To fight against the Covid-19, the scientists have identified a small neutralising antibody, a so-called nanobody, ... ...