Translocon based development of antiviral compounds

The current coronavirus pandemic is devastating because there is still no effective treatment. We want to develop two completely new therapeutic approaches. The first approach aims at designing peptides that will first recognize the genetic material of the viruses and then kill the infected cell by inhibiting the machinery for protein secretion and protein insertion into the cell membrane. This approach uses the knowledge that a functioning protein transport machinery (the translocon) is essential for any cell`s life. In the second approach, we develop a method for tailoring small molecules to prevent viral coat proteins from interacting with each other, thus preventing the assembly of new viruses. By gaining insight into these fundamental mechanisms, we create a basis for future drugs that can be adapted comparatively quickly to virus mutants that may arise.