Press release -
Insights on a mechanism to stop COVID-19 replication. Just published the study of the Politecnico di Milano in the New Journal of Chemistry
Stopping the replication of SARS-CoV-2 is likely possible thanks to a compound called EBSELEN: a group of researchers from the Politecnico di Milano has communicated aspects relevant to the blocking of replication mechanism in the New Journal of Chemistry.
Two important aspects of the propagation of a virus are its ability to enter the host's cells, that is, to infect the host, and then to replicate in infected cells.
As for SARS-CoV-2, the Mpro protein plays an important role in the replication and transcription of the virus. Mpro therefore represents a particularly promising target for blocking the virus itself because a compound that inhibits Mpro blocks the virus.
EBSELEN proved to be the most potent inhibitor of Mpro in a study examining approximately 10,000 selected compounds. In their study, the researchers at Politecnico elucidate key aspects of the Mpro blocking mechanism by EBSELEN.
"We have identified that the selenium atom of EBSELEN strongly interacts with some groups typically present in proteins via the chalcogen bond, a weak bonding that has been studied for years in our laboratories; this binding may contribute to the inhibition of the virus replication. This represents an important step forward in the fight against COVID-19. " Says Prof. Giuseppe Resnati of the Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "Giulio Natta" of the Politecnico di Milano.
The article clarifies the details of the EBSELEN / enzyme binding mechanism. It is shown that selenium plays a fundamental role in establishing the interactions that favor the binding of EBSELEN to SARS-CoV-2 and to other pathogenic retroviruses in humans such as those of HIV and Hepatitis C.
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Politecnico di Milano is a scientific-technological university which trains engineers, architects and industrial designers.
The University has always focused on the quality and innovation of its teaching and research, developing a fruitful relationship with business and productive world by means of experimental research and technological transfer.
Research has always been linked to didactics and it is a priority commitment which has allowed Politecnico Milano to achieve high quality results at an international level as to join the university to the business world. Research constitutes a parallel path to that formed by cooperation and alliances with the industrial system.
Knowing the world in which you are going to work is a vital requirement for training students. By referring back to the needs of the industrial world and public administration, research is facilitated in following new paths and dealing with the need for constant and rapid innovation. The alliance with the industrial world, in many cases favored by Fondazione Politecnico and by consortiums to which Politecnico belong, allows the university to follow the vocation of the territories in which it operates and to be a stimulus for their development.
The challenge which is being met today projects this tradition which is strongly rooted in the territory beyond the borders of the country, in a relationship which is developing first of all at the European level with the objective of contributing to the creation of a single professional training market. Politecnico takes part in several research, sites and training projects collaborating with the most qualified European universities. Politecnico's contribution is increasingly being extended to other countries: from North America to Southeast Asia to Eastern Europe. Today the drive to internationalization sees Politecnico Milano taking part into the European and world network of leading technical universities and it offers several courses beside many which are entirely taught in English.
