Scott, C and Griffin, S orcid.org/0000-0002-7233-5243 (2015) Viroporins: Structure, function and potential as antiviral targets. Journal of General Virology, 96 (8). pp. 2000-2027. ISSN 0022-1317
Abstract
The channel-forming activity of a family of small, hydrophobic integral membrane proteins termed ‘viroporins’ is essential to the life cycles of an increasingly diverse range of RNA and DNA viruses, generating significant interest in targeting these proteins for antiviral development. Viroporins vary greatly in terms of their atomic structure and can perform multiple functions during the virus life cycle, including those distinct from their role as oligomeric membrane channels. Recent progress has seen an explosion in both the identification and understanding of many such proteins encoded by highly significant pathogens, yet the prototypic M2 proton channel of influenza A virus remains the only example of a viroporin with provenance as an antiviral drug target. This review attempts to summarize our current understanding of the channel-forming functions for key members of this growing family, including recent progress in structural studies and drug discovery research, as well as novel insights into the life cycles of many viruses revealed by a requirement for viroporin activity. Ultimately, given the successes of drugs targeting ion channels in other areas of medicine, unlocking the therapeutic potential of viroporins represents a valuable goal for many of the most significant viral challenges to human and animal health.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2015 The Authors. Published by the Microbiology Society. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Journal of General Virology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Medicine (Leeds) > Leeds Institute of Cancer and Pathology (LICAP) > Oncology and Cancer Research - Labs (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 06 Sep 2016 14:38 |
Last Modified: | 25 Oct 2016 08:47 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1099/vir.0.000201 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Microbiology Society |
Identification Number: | 10.1099/vir.0.000201 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:88837 |