H1N1 virus protein model

From Yenra

Two weeks from the time the first patient virus samples were made available, Singapore scientists report an evolutionary analysis of a critical protein produced by the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus strain.

In the Biology Direct journal's May 20th issue, Sebastian Maurer-Stroh, Ph.D., and his team of scientists at the Bioinformatics Institute (BII), one of the research institutes at Singapore's Biopolis, also demonstrated the use of a computational 3-dimensional (3D) structural model of the protein, neuraminidase.

With the 3D model, Dr. Maurer-Stroh and his team were able to map the regions of the protein that have mutated and determine whether drugs and vaccines that target specific areas of the protein were effective.

They found that commercial drugs Tamiflu and Relenza are effective in treating the current H1N1 virus.

Scientists at Biopolis research institutes sponsored by Singapore's Agency for Science, Technology and Research include a chip that is able to quickly sequence or decode the genes in the flu virus and distinguish between the H1N1, seasonal, and mutated flu strains; a microkit for the detection and identification of the flu virus strain within 2 hours; and a molecular diagnostic assay to distinguish between the H1N1 and seasonal flu strains.

The interactive 3D model is available at http://mendel.bii.a-star.edu.sg/SEQUENCES/H1N1/