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The importance of sugars: Carme Rovira in an article in El País


In a recent article published in El País, Carme Rovira highlights the importance of understanding the structure, position and behavior of sugars for the design of effective vaccines and drugs, both for COVID19 and for other diseases, such as cancer.

The article explains the discovery of the glycan layer that covers the spicules of the coronavirus and “camouflages” it before our immune system. This description has been possible thanks to computer simulations, since it is not possible to see these structures by microscopic techniques.

Original publication in El País.

La proteína espícula del SARS-CoV-2 ‘desnuda’ (izquierda) y recubierta del glaseado de glicanos (azúcares) que la protegen y la esconden de nuestro sistema inmunitario (derecha). LORENZO CASALINO, ZIED GAIEB; AMARO LAB, UNIVERSIDAD DE CALIFORNIA SAN DIEGO