Scytovirin

Scytovirin
Identifiers
Organism	Scytonema varium (Cyanobacterium)
Symbol	SVR

Scytovirin is a 95-amino acid antiviral protein isolated from the cyanobacteria Scytonema varium.^[1] It has been cultured in E. coli and its structure investigated in detail.^[2][3][4] Scytovirin is thought to be produced by the bacteria to protect itself from viruses that might otherwise attack it, but as it has broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a range of enveloped viruses, scytovirin has also been found to be useful against a range of major human pathogens, most notably HIV / AIDS but also including SARS coronavirus and filoviruses such as Ebola virus and Marburg virus.^[5][6][7] While some lectins such as cyanovirin and Urtica dioica agglutinin are thought likely to be too allergenic to be used internally in humans, studies so far on scytovirin and griffithsin have not shown a similar level of immunogenicity.^[8] Scytovirin and griffithsin are currently being investigated as potential microbicides for topical use.^[9]

References

1. Bokesch, H. R.; O'Keefe, B. R.; McKee, T. C.; Pannell, L. K.; Patterson, G. M.; Gardella, R. S.; Sowder Rc, 2nd; Turpin, J; Watson, K; Buckheit Jr, R. W.; Boyd, M. R. (2003). "A potent novel anti-HIV protein from the cultured cyanobacterium Scytonema varium". Biochemistry 42 (9): 2578–84. doi:10.1021/bi0205698. PMID 12614152.
2. Xiong, C; O'Keefe, B. R.; Botos, I; Wlodawer, A; McMahon, J. B. (2006). "Overexpression and purification of scytovirin, a potent, novel anti-HIV protein from the cultured cyanobacterium Scytonema varium". Protein Expression and Purification 46 (2): 233–9. doi:10.1016/j.pep.2005.09.019. PMID 16289703.
3. McFeeters, R. L.; Xiong, C; O'Keefe, B. R.; Bokesch, H. R.; McMahon, J. B.; Ratner, D. M.; Castelli, R; Seeberger, P. H.; Byrd, R. A. (2007). "The novel fold of scytovirin reveals a new twist for antiviral entry inhibitors". Journal of Molecular Biology 369 (2): 451–61. doi:10.1016/j.jmb.2007.03.030. PMC 2696897. PMID 17434526.
4. Moulaei, T; Stuchlik, O; Reed, M; Yuan, W; Pohl, J; Lu, W; Haugh-Krumpe, L; O'Keefe, B. R.; Wlodawer, A (2010). "Topology of the disulfide bonds in the antiviral lectin scytovirin". Protein Science 19 (9): 1649–61. doi:10.1002/pro.445. PMC 2975129. PMID 20572021.
5. Ziółkowska, N. E.; Wlodawer, A (2006). "Structural studies of algal lectins with anti-HIV activity". Acta biochimica Polonica 53 (4): 617–26. PMID 17128290.
6. Li, Y; Zhang, X; Chen, G; Wei, D; Chen, F (2008). "Algal lectins for potential prevention of HIV transmission". Current medicinal chemistry 15 (11): 1096–104. doi:10.2174/092986708784221421. PMID 18473805.
7. Garrison, A. R.; Giomarelli, B. G.; Lear-Rooney, C. M.; Saucedo, C. J.; Yellayi, S; Krumpe, L. R.; Rose, M; Paragas, J; Bray, M; Olinger Jr, G. G.; McMahon, J. B.; Huggins, J; O'Keefe, B. R. (2014). "The cyanobacterial lectin scytovirin displays potent in vitro and in vivo activity against Zaire Ebola virus". Antiviral Research 112C: 1–7. doi:10.1016/j.antiviral.2014.09.012. PMID 25265598.
8. Barton, C; Kouokam, J. C.; Lasnik, A. B.; Foreman, O; Cambon, A; Brock, G; Montefiori, D. C.; Vojdani, F; McCormick, A. A.; O'Keefe, B. R.; Palmer, K. E. (2014). "Activity of and effect of subcutaneous treatment with the broad-spectrum antiviral lectin griffithsin in two laboratory rodent models". Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy 58 (1): 120–7. doi:10.1128/AAC.01407-13. PMC 3910741. PMID 24145548.
9. Huskens, D; Schols, D (2012). "Algal lectins as potential HIV microbicide candidates". Marine Drugs 10 (7): 1476–97. doi:10.3390/md10071476. PMC 3407925. PMID 22851920.