A Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Peptide Blocks Infection of Viruses by Binding to Phosphatidylserine in the Viral Envelope.

ABSTRACT: The ongoing threat of viral infections and the emergence of antiviral drug resistance warrants a ceaseless search for new antiviral compounds. Broadly-inhibiting compounds that act on elements shared by many viruses are promising antiviral candidates. Here, we identify a peptide derived from the cowpox virus protein CPXV012 as a broad-spectrum antiviral peptide. We found that CPXV012 peptide hampers infection by a multitude of clinically and economically important enveloped viruses, including poxviruses, herpes simplex virus-1, hepatitis B virus, HIV-1, and Rift Valley fever virus. Infections with non-enveloped viruses such as Coxsackie B3 virus and adenovirus are not affected. The results furthermore suggest that viral particles are neutralized by direct interactions with CPXV012 peptide

SUBMITTER: Luteijn RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7563927 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature