Scientists from Moscow State University have used a photosensitizer to neutralize coronavirus CoV-2 with light. This was reported in a press release on the website “Godnauki.rf”.
To deactivate the virus, the researchers used a photosensitizer – a substance that causes sensitivity to light – that binds to the S-protein (spike protein) of the coronavirus … The S-protein is located on the surface of the viral particle and plays a key role in the attachment of the pathogen to the cell of the infected host. In light, the photosensitizer produces reactive oxygen species that oxidize the virus and destroy it.
The researchers used a specially developed molecular modeling method and compared the ability of different photosensitizers to bind to the S-proteins of three different coronaviruses that can infect humans: SARS-CoV , MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.
Experiments have shown that the cationic photosensitizer contributed to the almost complete deactivation of coronavirus in the aquatic environment. This result means that this method may be promising for combating the further spread of COVID-19.