Russian scientists from Moscow State University and other scientific organizations have found a way to effectively neutralize Coronavirus SARS-COV-2 with light. This is reported in a press release on the site “Godunuki.rf”.
To deactivate the virus, the researchers applied a photosensitizer – causing sensitivity to the light substance – which binds to the S-protein (protein-“spike”) of the coronavirus. The S-protein is on the surface of the viral particle and plays a key role in the attachment of the pathogen to the cell of the host’s infected organism. In the light of the photosensitizer produces active forms of oxygen, which oxidize the virus and destroy it.
Researchers used a specially developed molecular modeling method and compared the ability of various photosensitizers to contact S-proteins of three different coronaviruses, capable of infecting a person: SARS-COV, MERS-COV and SARS-COV-2.
Experiments were demonstrated that the cationic photosensitizer contributed to almost complete deactivation of the coronavirus in the aquatic environment. This result means that this method can be promoted to combat the further distribution of COVID-19.