HYDERABAD: Researchers at the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology have discovered a molecular glue mechanism used by plants to trap and disable viruses, a breakthrough that could pave the way for stronger disease-resistant crops and future therapies for disorders such as cancer and dementia.
The findings were published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the study was led by Mandar V Deshmukh and his research team at CCMB.
According to the researchers, the study focused on how plants defend themselves against viruses containing double-stranded RNA. During infection, plants produce special RNA-binding proteins that recognise the viral genetic material. Scientists found that these proteins gather around Viral Replication Complexes — the sites where viruses multiply — and halt the replication process.
Using advanced tools such as Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations, the CCMB team found that these proteins possess a unique structural fold with positively charged sticky patches. These charged surfaces attract one another and assemble into dense, gel-like droplets known as biomolecular condensates.
“These proteins act like a molecular glue,” explained Jaydeep Paul. “By forming these dense droplets, plant cells effectively trap viral RNA and prevent it from interacting with the machinery needed for replication.”
Speaking to the TNIE, Deshmukh said, “These droplets, also known as biomolecular condensates, represent a shift in how scientists understand a living cell. Rather than a collection of static membrane-bound compartments like the nucleus and mitochondria, the cell is now seen as a dynamic environment in which membraneless organelles form like oil droplets in water. Understanding these states has significant implications for both basic science and applications in agricultural and medical biotechnology.”
Highlighting the agricultural benefits, Deshmukh said the discovery opens new avenues for developing crop varieties with enhanced natural immunity. By strengthening these protein-based traps, scientists can design plants that are more resilient to viral outbreaks that cause billions of dollars in crop losses globally.
He added that the study could also help researchers tackle human diseases such as cancer, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by manipulating harmful protein clumps found in affected cells.
Sticky protein patches targeted
Scientists may eventually be able to dissolve neurotoxic clumps associated with dementia or dismantle liquid barriers that protect growing tumours. A deeper understanding of these molecular mechanisms could also aid the development of drugs that precisely target sticky protein patches.
The research was conducted using Arabidopsis thaliana, a widely used model plant in biological research. Scientists said the study opens the door to designing next-generation antiviral therapies for crops and potentially new treatments for human diseases linked to abnormal protein aggregation.
This story has been written by Meghna Nath.