Structure of human astrovirus could lead to antiviral therapies, vaccines

(University of California - Santa Cruz) By studying the astrovirus capsid, the protein shell of the viral particles, the DuBois lab is laying the foundation for new antiviral therapies and vaccines for human astroviruses. In a new study, DuBois used x-ray crystallography to show how a specific protein structure on the surface of the virus is blocked by a neutralizing antibody, thus preventing the virus from infecting human cells.

Source: EurekAlert! - Biology - November 21, 2016 Category: Biology Source Type: news