Rotavirus Essay -- Biology Protein Synthesis

Every year it kills approximately 1 Million children world wide. The invader sneakes in unnoticed, takes over, all the while increasing in number as it goes. These children are falling victim to a rotavirus responsible for severe pediatric diarrhea. This rotavirus takes over in the human digestive tract, invading its cells and hijacking its protein synthesis machinery. This inhibits normal protein production in favor of a virus army. Children affected by this have had no chance of recovery, but now a glimmer of hope is visible on the horizon-a cure, whose secret lies in the virus' unique structure-a tunnel, which, like the fate of the virus, could be sealed. So, what is the Rotavirus actually doing?? Our bodies consist of many, many cells. These cells make up our skin, our bones, our heart, liver, stomachs. Inside of every single cell is a protein synthesis factory containing a protein called eIF4G that produces the proteins that each tissue, organ and everything else needs to be whole and function correctly. When a Rotavirus infects a human being it affects the cells in the digestive tract causing severe diarrhea. Pediatric diarrhea caused by this Rotavirus is directly responsible for the death of 1 million children around the world. This picture illustrates normal protein synthesis (right) with host mRNA and abnormal protein synthesis (left). The poly-A tail and the PABP that are visible in the middle are part of the host machinery. The NSP3 on the far right is what the virus has in place of PABP.Reproduced with permission from Varani and Allain (2002) Nature Structural Biology, 9,158. During normal protein synthesis, the cell's machinery makes proteins using a template of its own DNA. This copy is known ... ...racts the viral NSP3 protein much like opposite poles of two magnets. Then... What's next?? The tunnel that was discovered as part of the NSP3 protein structure is the key to finding a cure for the virus that causes pediatric diarrhea. The viral protein functions by attracting the host mRNA into its tunnel much like a key would fit into a lock. If the lock is blocked the key cannot fit and the virus cannot replicate. This "blocker" is called an inhibitor. Inhibitors are used in modern day medicine to treat many illnesses by preventing the function of the invaders. Now that the structure has been discovered, the next step is to create a medication that will plug up the lock (viral NSP3's tunnel) and prevent the key (viral mRNA) from entering. This would effectively prevent viral takeover and putting a halt to suffering caused by pediatric diarrhea. Rotavirus Essay -- Biology Protein Synthesis Every year it kills approximately 1 Million children world wide. The invader sneakes in unnoticed, takes over, all the while increasing in number as it goes. These children are falling victim to a rotavirus responsible for severe pediatric diarrhea. This rotavirus takes over in the human digestive tract, invading its cells and hijacking its protein synthesis machinery. This inhibits normal protein production in favor of a virus army. Children affected by this have had no chance of recovery, but now a glimmer of hope is visible on the horizon-a cure, whose secret lies in the virus' unique structure-a tunnel, which, like the fate of the virus, could be sealed. So, what is the Rotavirus actually doing?? Our bodies consist of many, many cells. These cells make up our skin, our bones, our heart, liver, stomachs. Inside of every single cell is a protein synthesis factory containing a protein called eIF4G that produces the proteins that each tissue, organ and everything else needs to be whole and function correctly. When a Rotavirus infects a human being it affects the cells in the digestive tract causing severe diarrhea. Pediatric diarrhea caused by this Rotavirus is directly responsible for the death of 1 million children around the world. This picture illustrates normal protein synthesis (right) with host mRNA and abnormal protein synthesis (left). The poly-A tail and the PABP that are visible in the middle are part of the host machinery. The NSP3 on the far right is what the virus has in place of PABP.Reproduced with permission from Varani and Allain (2002) Nature Structural Biology, 9,158. During normal protein synthesis, the cell's machinery makes proteins using a template of its own DNA. This copy is known ... ...racts the viral NSP3 protein much like opposite poles of two magnets. Then... What's next?? The tunnel that was discovered as part of the NSP3 protein structure is the key to finding a cure for the virus that causes pediatric diarrhea. The viral protein functions by attracting the host mRNA into its tunnel much like a key would fit into a lock. If the lock is blocked the key cannot fit and the virus cannot replicate. This "blocker" is called an inhibitor. Inhibitors are used in modern day medicine to treat many illnesses by preventing the function of the invaders. Now that the structure has been discovered, the next step is to create a medication that will plug up the lock (viral NSP3's tunnel) and prevent the key (viral mRNA) from entering. This would effectively prevent viral takeover and putting a halt to suffering caused by pediatric diarrhea.