London: Scientists have developed artificial enzymes programmed to target the genetic code of SARS-CoV-2 and destroy the virus, an advance that may lead to a new generation of antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and its variants.
Enzymes are naturally occurring biological catalysts, which enable the chemical transformations required for our bodies to function -- from translating the genetic code into proteins to digesting food.
Although most enzymes are proteins, some of these crucial reactions are catalysed by RNA, a chemical cousin of DNA, our genetic material, which can fold into enzymes known as ribozymes. (PTI)
