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Chemoselective Modification of Viral Surfaces via Bioorthogonal Click Chemistry
Published on: August 19, 2012
Harnessing prebiotic formamide chemistry: a novel platform for antiviral exploration
Maria Grazia Martina1, Chiara Vagaggini2, Elena Dreassi2
1Dipartimento di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Parma, Viale delle Scienze, 27/A, Parma, 43124, Italy.
Abstract:
Viruses and host cells are intricately connected through a shared "chemical language" that may trace back to the prebiotic chemistry of early Earth. In this study, we present an innovative platform for antiviral exploration inspired by this primordial chemical framework. By "doping" the formamide-based prebiotic chemistry model with orotic acid derivatives, we generated complex, non-natural chemical mixtures capable of disrupting the replication of multiple viruses with minimal or no toxicity for eukaryotic cells. This strategy underscores the potential of an evolution-inspired approach in antiviral discovery, offering a novel avenue for identifying new agents with unconventional mechanisms that might elude traditional discovery methods.
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