![]() ![]() The NIST team’s new method dramatically improves the ability to identify these sugar molecules accurately. Until now, our ability to determine the types of sugars at specific spots on the spike proteins has largely depended on educated guesswork. These sugars help the virus particle both infect the cell and evade the immune system. One reason is that each spike protein is draped in a varied bunch of sugar molecules. Because the spike proteins play an essential role in the infection process, vaccines and treatment methods often target them, but these proteins are not easy marks. The chief weapon many viruses use to latch onto and invade a victim’s cell is a spike-shaped protein jutting from the virus surface. Medical scientists laboring to repel infectious viruses, such as those that cause COVID-19 and HIV, now have a better method for obtaining that intel because of research from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). To effectively repel an enemy invasion, it helps to have accurate intelligence about that enemy’s weaponry and attack plan. ![]()
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