A joint study by researchers at The University of Queensland and The University of Helsinki has revealed an alternative pathway by which viruses enter host cells, opening new avenues for targeted antiviral treatments.
The results show that a diverse group of viruses, including influenza, alphaviruses, and even certain SARS-CoV-2 variants, can infect cells without the need for a specific protein called dynamin, challenging the previous belief that viruses rely on dynamin-dependent internalisation pathways.
Co-author Dr Anmin Jiang from The Queensland Brain Institute said the findings highlighted a significant adaptability among viruses.
“This alternative pathway not only offers insights into how viruses can overcome cellular defences but also opens new avenues for targeted antiviral treatments, especially for emerging virus variants,” Dr Jiang said.
“This research could lead to the design of drugs that block both dynamin-dependent and independent pathways, adding a robust layer to antiviral defences.”
Using genetically modified cells, researchers studied viral infections with various animal viruses in the presence or absence of dynamin.
The team demonstrated that while smaller viruses strictly relied on dynamin-dependent pathways, many larger viruses successfully used alternative pathways to penetrate cells.
This research was published in PLoS Pathogens.
