Category: Virology

Over 80 million people were infected with SARS-CoV-2 by the end of 2020, bringing the term "spice protein," more commonly known as the viral spike protein, into the global spotlight. However, the term can also refer to a specific cellular protein (SPICE1) involved in cell division or to health-promoting proteins and compounds found within culinary spices like turmeric and garlic.

According to laboratory studies, extracts from Japanese knotweed have shown significant antiviral activity against a range of viruses, including influenza and SARS-CoV-2. This research explores whether Japanese knotweed is an antiviral and what science says about its potential health benefits.

Lysine, an essential amino acid, is known to have an antagonistic relationship with another amino acid called arginine, which certain viruses, including the herpes simplex virus (HSV), require to multiply. This unique competitive inhibition is the primary mechanism through which L-lysine is believed to help manage viral infections and their outbreaks.

Over the past decades, research has revealed that a virus's genetic material encodes more than just its structural components, including a variety of non-structural proteins (NSPs). These NSPs are crucial to the viral life cycle, performing essential tasks like replication and modulating host cell processes. Understanding what a NSP protein is provides critical insight into viral function and disease progression.

A 12-ounce Corona Extra beer contains approximately 1.2 to 1.6 grams of protein, a negligible amount in terms of human nutrition. However, the same term 'corona' also refers to coronaviruses, which are complex biological particles composed of many different functional proteins critical for their life cycle and infectiousness.

According to scientific research, the viral 'V' protein is not a single, universally defined protein, but a designation for different, unrelated proteins across multiple virus families, each with unique structures and functions. The nature of the V protein depends entirely on the specific virus, though a common theme is its involvement in antagonizing the host's immune response.

Chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infects an estimated 296 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of liver disease. The function of the HBV protein is not singular but encompasses a complex array of activities essential for the viral life cycle, immune evasion, and the development of liver pathologies such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.