Unveiling COVID's Achilles' heel: Scientists identify key proteins for infection

Scientists at UC Riverside have discovered that COVID-19 relies on key human proteins for its replication. The virus takes advantage of a post-translational process called SUMOylation, which directs the virus' N protein to the right location for packaging its genome after infecting human cells. By blocking access to these human proteins, it may be possible to prevent the virus from infecting people. This finding could lead to the development of a new class of antiviral medications that target not only COVID-19 but also other viruses such as the flu, RSV, and Ebola.