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Researchers at the University of Toronto and the Structural Genomics Consortium have improved the knowledge of how viruses including the flu, cold, and COVID-19 enter airway cells.
Researchers discovered the crystal structures of TMPRSS11D, a human protein that viruses utilize to enter our bodies, at the University of Saskatchewan’s Canadian Light Source. The report appears in Nature Communications.
Learning how viruses utilize our proteins to enter cells can help researchers prevent infections.
The structure-based knowledge acquired here is helping researchers improve potential drugs.
Because it has similarities to other critical proteins in the body, understanding the crystal structure of this “doorway” is crucial to identifying medications for fighting coronavirus and influenza viruses.
A lot blood proteins that aid coagulation resemble TMPRSS proteins.
Administering small TMPRSS protein features not found in coagulation proteins can inhibit infections and affect wound healing.
Finding effective chemicals or medications that are selective for the target you want and don’t disrupt other vital processes is the biggest problem.
These proteins have great therapeutic target potential; however exact targeting is difficult.
It’s interesting that the researchers’ antiviral activity against these targets may affect influenza, cold, and coronaviruses.
Targeting these proteins helps researchers produce vaccines, therapies, and preventative drugs.
Sources:
Bryan J. Fraser et al. (2025). Structural basis of TMPRSS11D specificity and autocleavage activation, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-59677-3
Scientists reveal crystal structure of protein that allows viruses to infect cells in human airway. https://phys.org/news/2025-05-scientists-reveal-crystal-protein-viruses.html
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