Scientists from China have concluded that a gene inhibitor in bats could be the key in the quest for Covid-19 cure.
As reported by the SCMP, the research team said in a joint paper, that the gene inhibitor called 'carolacton' is capable to supress Sars-CoV-2 infection. This is the novel coronavirus behind the Covid-19.
READ ALSO: New Coronavirus Study Suggests Social Distancing Should Be Four Times Longer Than Current Guidelines
Who are these researchers and what have they found about bat genes?
The team was composed of researchers from Tsinghua University, the Chinese Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. There are also researchersfrom Singapore's Duke University and NUS Medical School.
The study which was yet to be peer-reviewed was published on online archive bioRxiv.
The researchers analyzed the gene functions of the black fruit bat and found that carolacton was able to inhibit MTHFD1. It is a primary gene responsibe in the production of purine, which in turn is a vital element in the replication of replication in Sars-CoV-2 both bats and humans.
According to them the MTHFD1 could be a viable target for developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
The paper read:
"MTHFD1 knockdown blocks replication of multiple RNA viruses, including influenza virus, mumps virus, Melaka virus and Zika virus. Importantly, host cells have a higher tolerance for MTHFD1 inhibition than viruses, potentially providing a therapeutic window for targeting MTHFD1 with antiviral drugs. We tested the effect of carolacton on the infection of Sars-CoV-2 ... [The result] supports a therapeutic window of this compound in potential clinical applications."
Antiviral and anti-cancer drugs
The research team said that developing drugs for COVID-19 would be quite similar to that of anticancer drugs as they also targeted particular genes that cancer cells need in order to survive.
