http://www.lifescience.net/news/351/promising-antiviral-from-a-banana-protein/#.Vi4PMpjNXrw.redditA sugar-binding protein isolated from bananas has previously been shown to be a potent inhibitor of infection by several families of viruses that are pathogenic to humans. The protein, called BanLec, does so by binding to sugar molecules that are attached to viral coat proteins, effectively blocking virus entry into host cells. However, BanLec also acts as a so-called mitogen that activates cell proliferation, which could lead to deleterious side-effects. However, an international research collaboration has now demonstrated that BanLec can be modified in such a way that its antiviral properties are retained, while its mitogenic effect is eliminated. Professor Hans-Joachim Gabius (Ludwig Maximillian University of Munich) played a leading role in the design and successful completion of the project. Its findings could pave the way to a novel class of antiviral agents. “In addition, it could facilitate the development of custom-made tools for further investigation of the mechanisms that underlie sugar-protein interactions, which are still poorly understood,” says Gabius.
