Cryo-electron microscopy, a breakthrough technique for imaging biological samples in transmission electron microscopy, has empowered researchers battling COVID-19. This Nobel-recognized method has illuminated how SARS-CoV-2 invades human cells, offering promising paths for novel treatments—though development will take time.
Swiss professor Jacques Dubochet earned the 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering cryo-electron microscopy. This technology recently delivered molecular-level images of the COVID-19 coronavirus. U.S. researchers first pinpointed the spike protein that enables the virus to bind to lung cells and initiate infection.
The pivotal advance came from a Westlake University team in Hangzhou, China, with findings published in Science on March 4, 2020. Using cryo-microscopy, they decoded how the spike protein hijacks core lung cell functions to facilitate viral replication.
The target is angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), abundant in the lungs, heart, kidneys, and intestines. ACE2 primarily helps regulate blood pressure. One Chinese researcher likened it to a house (the body), a thief (the virus), and a forced door (ACE2). The goal now: engineer therapies to block the spike protein's attachment to ACE2.
No such drug exists yet. Current antivirals curb viral replication but not initial entry. This Chinese study charts a new course: identify compounds neutralizing the spike protein, then confirm no harmful side effects.
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