Protein shape shift reveals how the mpox virus begins replicating

edited by Lisa Lock , reviewed by Robert Egan

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Add as preferred source Colorized transmission electron micrograph of mpox virus particles (teal) in an infected cell (brown). Credit NIAID The way two mpox virus proteins change shape as they bind together acts like a switch that starts the process of viral replication, a study led by researchers at the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School reveals. This kind of detailed structural information promises to help scientists, armed with a new generation of AI-powered virtual screening tools, target their search for ways to inhibit viral replication, treat mpox and related diseases, and prepare for emerging pathogens.