Japan-based Okayama University researchers studied ways to stop replication of influenza RNA, according to News-Medical Life Sciences.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications published the study.
Here are five insights:
1. The researchers created artificial RNA restriction enzymes, which includes an artificial RNA binding protein as well as an RNA cleaving enzyme.
2. The team developed RNA restriction enzymes that targeted the staphylococcal nuclease, or SNase, domain,
3. The study then compared the SNase-based enzymes' ability to cleave influenza RNA with PIN-fusion enzymes.
4. The researchers discovered the SNase-based enzymes could fully cleave their target RNA in five minutes.
5. The researchers concluded the "SNase restriction enzyme technique could one day prove to be a very powerful tool in the development of anti-viral drugs."
