British research team firstly discovers the infection mechanism of HIV and Ebola virus

A research team led by the University of Leeds recently observed how the AIDS virus and Ebola virus attach to cells and spread the virus infection for the first time. The latest achievement of this study published in the Journal of Applied Chemistry is hopeful to provide a new method for the treatment of these diseases: blocking the interaction between the virus and cells, rather than eliminating the pathogens.

According to the report of the official website of University of Leeds, the lead author of this research paper, Dr. Yuan at Astbury structure Molecular Biology Center said that so far, the problem that how AIDS virus and Ebola virus attach to cells is still a "black box". Although scientists know that the virus can interact with healthy cells, in which way that they are bound together remains a mystery.

To do this, the researchers used is called "quantum dots" nano-crystals (about the size millionth of a millimeter), mimicking the shape of the virus, as the virus "double" experiment. Quantum dots are fluorescent crystals, color of light emitted depends on the size of its crystals, this property makes quantum dots is applied to a new generation of TV manufacturers, or as an advanced biological fluorescent probes for molecular and cellular imaging.

In order to be able to bind the quantum dot cells, as they must be wrapped in "sugar-coated." Paper co-author, Dr. Bruce Turnbull Astbury structure Molecular Biology Center said that all human cells were wearing "sugar-coated", their interaction with other cells by binding these proteins sugar; virus through the interaction between the protein and sugar attached to the surface of healthy cells, they want to find out what factors control the binding process.

The results showed that the two proteins that interact with the sugar on cell surface ——DC-SIGN and DC-SIGNR, bind with the surface sugar of AIDS virus and Ebola virus in different ways, thus resulting in the spread of the virus. While before this, the two proteins show different personalities like twins and are almost indistinguishable. The study will contribute to the ultimate development of a series of inhibitors designed to bind to specific virus.

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