Synthetic virus developed to deliver a new generation of medicines

Researchers at the universities of Wageningen, Eindhoven, Leiden and Nijmegen have developed a synthetic virus. This can be used in the future to 'package' new generations of medicines consisting of large biomolecules and to deliver them into diseased cells, by a natural process.

New types of medicines consist of large biomolecules such as DNA and RNA. Delivering these to diseased cells is challenging. For example DNA is inherently unable to penetrate inside cells, and is quickly broken down. This is why natural viruses which have been made harmless are used to deliver these medicines. Viruses can efficiently penetrate into cells, but the process of making natural viruses harmless has not yet been perfected. Scientists are therefore searching for alternatives.

The research published in Nature Nanotechnology is based on a theoretical model that describes how the tobacco mosaic virus is produced. Paul van der Schoot (Applied Physics department) recently developed this model together with dr. Daniela Kraft of Leiden University. Van der Schoot used measurement data from the formation of this virus, which had remained unexplained for the last thirty years.

A virus always consists of genetic material (DNA or RNA), encapsulated in a coat of protein. These enable viruses to enter the cells. Missing parts of the genetic material are fatal for this process because they allow enzymes to attack the material. In his model Van der Schoot added vital missing link to the existing understanding of how the RNA of the tobacco mosaic virus collects a surrounding protein coat.