Journal
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Volume 13, Issue 1, Pages -Publisher
NATURE PORTFOLIO
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34339-w
Keywords
-
Categories
Funding
- Wellcome Trust [215453/Z/19/Z]
- Royal Society [215453/Z/19/Z]
- MRC (TSF) [MR/T032413/1]
- Addenbrooke's Charitable Trust [900239]
- NIHR Cambridge BRC
- NHSBT [WPA15-02]
- Wellcome Trust [215453/Z/19/Z] Funding Source: Wellcome Trust
Ask authors/readers for more resources
This study shows the design, synthesis, and screening of artificial RNA endonuclease XNAzymes capable of cleaving genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA and self-assembling into enzymatic nanostructures inhibiting cellular viral replication.
The unprecedented emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, underscores the need for diagnostic and therapeutic technologies that can be rapidly tailored to novel threats. Here, we show that site-specific RNA endonuclease XNAzymes - artificial catalysts composed of single-stranded synthetic xeno-nucleic acid oligonucleotides (in this case 2'-deoxy-2'-fluoro-beta-D-arabino nucleic acid) - may be designed, synthesised and screened within days, enabling the discovery of a range of enzymes targeting SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab, ORF7b, spike- and nucleocapsid-encoding RNA. Three of these are further engineered to self-assemble into a catalytic nanostructure with enhanced biostability. This XNA nanostructure is capable of cleaving genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA under physiological conditions, and when transfected into cells inhibits infection with authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus by RNA knockdown. These results demonstrate the potential of XNAzymes to provide a platform for the rapid generation of antiviral reagents. RNA viruses have been responsible for large-scale epidemics and pandemics throughout the last few centuries. Here, the authors show the design, synthesis and screening of artificial RNA endonuclease XNAzymes capable of cleaving genomic SARS-CoV-2 RNA and self-assembling into enzymatic nanostructures inhibiting cellular viral replication.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available