Scientists enlist engineered protein to battle the MERS virus

(University of Toronto) Researchers converted a staple human ubiquitin protein into an anti-viral tool. Through subtle tweaks, they created an engineered version of the ubiquitin that binds more tightly and paralyzes a key enzyme in MERS to halt viral replication in cells. Other synthetic forms of ubiquitin can be quickly generated to target a diverse range of pathogens.
Source: EurekAlert! - Infectious and Emerging Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: news