WIM no. 17 Spring 2020

מכון ויצמן למדע Learning from other lethal viruses Insights on Ebola, arenaviruses pave way for Dr. Ron Diskin ’ s next target: the coronavirus I n an effort to find solutions for the novel coronavirus, structural biologist Dr. Ron Diskin is expediting two parallel investigations to counter the disease based on his previous research on similar animal-borne contagions, and on the vaccine for Ebola, a virus that, like SARS CoV-2, is also believed to have originated in bats. In the last six months, Dr. Diskin, of the Weizmann Institute’s Department of Structural Biology, has made a series of crucial discoveries related to viruses that cross over from animals to humans. In fact, papers published by Dr. Diskin just weeks before the coronavirus outbreak, and another one in more recent weeks, may point to new ways to find a cure not only for the coronavirus—but a wide range of highly infectious and lethal viruses that cross over from animals (particularly rodents) to humans. In January in Nature Communications, he described a molecular decoy he and his lab members engineered that leads a group of animal-borne viruses, called arenaviruses, to avert cell membranes—and thereby prevents infection. The lab is applying the same approach used to create this new molecule, which they call “Arenacept,” to the coronavirus. Dr. Diskin also recently published two other important studies, in Nature Medicine and Cell Host & Microbe , respectively, showing just how the vaccine against the Ebola virus activates the immune system to fight off the virus. In collaboration with partners in Cologne, Germany, the Diskin lab mapped out how the antibodies bind to the virus and destroy them— and discovered that smaller doses than what are currently administered are just as effective. The latter study identified the precise molecular target of these specific antibodies acquired by all vaccinated individuals and Ebola patients who had recovered from the disease, and described the mechanism by which a common immunological response against Ebola is elicited. These discoveries are incredibly timely, and taken together with Dr. Diskin’s other insights on the mechanisms of lethal viruses, he plans to investigate the novel coronavirus—with his eyes set on a cure or vaccine. In the first avenue, he is conducting a comprehensive screening for identifying a decoy molecule that will have all the desired properties needed to construct an immunotherapeutic molecule (immunoadhesin). In the second avenue, Dr. Diskin is collaborating with several groups to isolate antibodies from recovered coronavirus patients. They intend to elucidate three-dimensional structures to reveal how these antibodies bind to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which could lead to a potential vaccine or antibody treatment for coronavirus. g Dr. Ron Diskin Weizmann MAGAZINE Coronavirus Response