| (Nanowerk News) Researchers from the IBB-UAB have developed a new class of nanostructures capable of trapping and neutralising large quantities of the SARS-CoV2 virus particles, both in liquid solutions and on the surface of materials. These novel nanoparticles could be used to manufacture antiviral materials such as wastewater and air filters, and could be exploited to develop new tests for the early detection of Covid-19. Moreover, the nanoparticles could be redesigned to target other pathogens. | |
| The study was led by researchers from the Institute for Biotechnology and Biomedicine of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (IBB-UAB), who highlight the potential of the developed nanostructures for the manufacturing of new antiviral materials. | |
| The study was published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials (“Protein Nanoparticles for Targeted SARS-CoV-2 Trapping and Neutralization»”). | |
| The new nanoparticles, called LCB1-NPs and LCB3-NPs, are formed by repeats of three proteins, which are joined together thanks to the self-assembly properties of one of the three, called ZapB. In the genetic engineering strategy that was implemented, the researchers fused ZapB with the mCherry protein, which confers red fluorescence to the nanoparticles, and to this union they added the LCB1 and LCB3 proteins, which provide the ability to bind and neutralise the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Thus, by forming these nanostructures, it was possible to localise all these functions in a single nanoparticle. | |
 |
|
| Illustration of the formation of the new nanoparticles, LCB1-NPs and LCB3-NPs, designed by the IBB-UAB researchers. (Image: IBB-UAB) | |
| The researchers underscore the high affinity of the nanoparticles to bind to the viral spike protein that allows SARS-CoV2 internalization into cells. This process enables the nanoparticles to neutralise the infection in both liquid solutions and immobilised on a surface. This demonstrates the great versatility of this new antiviral nanomaterial, paving the way for its utilisation in a multitude of applications. | |
| “Each nanoparticle is composed of many LCB1 or LCB3 proteins, resulting in a high density of SARS-CoV-2 binding sites that allow each nanoparticle to bind to more than one virus. This greatly increases their potential as an antiviral material compared to other materials in which each nanostructure can only bind to one single particle of the virus,” explains IBB-UAB researcher Marc Fornt, first author of the study. | |
| The red fluorescence makes it easier to track and localize the nanoparticles with the naked eye, which makes them much easier to handle. | |
| An experiment using the nanoparticles to engineer a virus filter has allowed the researchers to demonstrate the ability of this new nanomaterial to trap and neutralise large quantities of SARS-CoV-2. Among its applications are the filtering of wastewater containing secretions from patients affected by Covid-19 to prevent them from reaching the water system, and the filtering of air in sensitive areas such as hospital wards. The nanoparticles could also be used in the manufacturing of new ultra-sensitive detection tests to diagnose the disease in the early stages of infection, when the viral load is still very low. | |
| “These new nanoparticles are also of great interest for the industrial production of antiviral materials due to the simplicity, speed and low cost involved in making them,” says IBB-UAB researcher and director of I3PT Salvador Ventura, who coordinated the study. | |
| The modular system through which the nanostructures were generated allows the protein that recognises and neutralises SARS-CoV-2 to be replaced by proteins that recognise other pathogens of interest. “This flexibility provides a solid framework for the generation of new materials to combat potential emerging infectious diseases effectively and rapidly, particularly if combined with recent advances in de novo protein design,” concludes Salvador Ventura. |
| Source: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Note: Content may be edited for style and length) |
News
Study Shows Brain Signals Only Matter if They Arrive on Time
Signals are processed only if they reach the brain during brief receptive cycles. This timing mechanism explains how attention filters information and may inform therapies and brain-inspired technologies. It has long been recognized that [...]
Does Space-Time Really Exist?
Is time something that flows — or just an illusion? Exploring space-time as either a fixed “block universe” or a dynamic fabric reveals deeper mysteries about existence, change, and the very nature of reality. [...]
Unlocking hidden soil microbes for new antibiotics
Most bacteria cannot be cultured in the lab-and that's been bad news for medicine. Many of our frontline antibiotics originated from microbes, yet as antibiotic resistance spreads and drug pipelines run dry, the soil [...]
By working together, cells can extend their senses beyond their direct environment
The story of the princess and the pea evokes an image of a highly sensitive young royal woman so refined, she can sense a pea under a stack of mattresses. When it comes to [...]
Overworked Brain Cells May Hold the Key to Parkinson’s
Scientists at Gladstone Institutes uncovered a surprising reason why dopamine-producing neurons, crucial for smooth body movements, die in Parkinson’s disease. In mice, when these neurons were kept overactive for weeks, they began to falter, [...]
Old tires find new life: Rubber particles strengthen superhydrophobic coatings against corrosion
Development of highly robust superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating using recycled tire rubber particles. Superhydrophobic materials offer a strategy for developing marine anti-corrosion materials due to their low solid-liquid contact area and low surface energy. However, [...]
This implant could soon allow you to read minds
Mind reading: Long a science fiction fantasy, today an increasingly concrete scientific goal. Researchers at Stanford University have succeeded in decoding internal language in real time thanks to a brain implant and artificial intelligence. [...]
A New Weapon Against Cancer: Cold Plasma Destroys Hidden Tumor Cells
Cold plasma penetrates deep into tumors and attacks cancer cells. Short-lived molecules were identified as key drivers. Scientists at the Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), working with colleagues from Greifswald University Hospital and [...]
This Common Sleep Aid May Also Protect Your Brain From Alzheimer’s
Lemborexant and similar sleep medications show potential for treating tau-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease. New research from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that a commonly used sleep medication can restore normal sleep patterns and [...]
Sugar-Coated Nanoparticles Boost Cancer Drug Efficacy
A team of researchers at the University of Mississippi has discovered that coating cancer treatment carrying nanoparticles in a sugar-like material increases their treatment efficacy. They reported their findings in Advanced Healthcare Materials. Over a tenth of breast [...]
Nanoparticle-Based Vaccine Shows Promise in Fighting Cancer
In a study published in OncoImmunology, researchers from the German Cancer Research Center and Heidelberg University have created a therapeutic vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to target cancer cells. The researchers demonstrated that virus peptides combined [...]
Quantitative imaging method reveals how cells rapidly sort and transport lipids
Lipids are difficult to detect with light microscopy. Using a new chemical labeling strategy, a Dresden-based team led by André Nadler at the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (MPI-CBG) and [...]
Ancient DNA reveals cause of world’s first recorded pandemic
Scientists have confirmed that the Justinian Plague, the world’s first recorded pandemic, was caused by Yersinia pestis, the same bacterium behind the Black Death. Dating back some 1,500 years and long described in historical texts but [...]
“AI Is Not Intelligent at All” – Expert Warns of Worldwide Threat to Human Dignity
Opaque AI systems risk undermining human rights and dignity. Global cooperation is needed to ensure protection. The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has changed how people interact, but it also poses a global risk to human [...]
Nanomotors: Where Are They Now?
First introduced in 2004, nanomotors have steadily advanced from a scientific curiosity to a practical technology with wide-ranging applications. This article explores the key developments, recent innovations, and major uses of nanomotors today. A [...]
Study Finds 95% of Tested Beers Contain Toxic “Forever Chemicals”
Researchers found PFAS in 95% of tested beers, with the highest levels linked to contaminated local water sources. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), better known as forever chemicals, are gaining notoriety for their ability [...]
