Insect Chemosensory Proteins against COVID-19

This article describes a novel strategy to fight SARS-CoV-2 infection by employing tiny soluble binding proteins called “Odorant Binding Proteins” (OBPs), “Niemann-Pick Type C2 (NPC2s)”, and “Chemosensory Proteins” (CSPs). The possible interactions between these proteins and sensory receptors are not relevant to COVID-19. We concentrate on the interaction between the protein-binding site and C18 lipids in COVID. Extended lipid chains, like palmitic acid (C18), oleic acid (C18:1), and linoleic acid (C18:2) resemble the primary components of membrane viral particles. The virus’s surface is covered in C18 lipids. In light of this, OBPs’, NPC2s’ and CSPs’ capacity to interact with C18-lipids and transfer them to Degradative Enzymes (ODEs) may provide a novel molecular strategy for combating coronavirus infection, regardless of the course of viral mutation. In order to confine COVID virus variations in a hydrophobic pocket and/or produce viral particles devoid of an outer protective envelope, proteins with the ability to bind long lipid chains on viral surfaces or peplos may show great promise.