Ebola’s “Achilles heel” and link to NP-C

Ebola’s ‘Achilles heel’ has been identified by a team of scientists, prompting hopes of new treatments to stop the virus spreading.

Researchers in New York believe they have located the vital protein, which affects whether or not the virus can spread to infect its victim.

Their study found the virus can only invade host cells by attaching to the protein – called Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1).

If it is unable to access that protein, it loses the ability to infect and kill its victim.

Read the full article here:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-3097589/Ebola-s-Achilles-heel-identified-paving-way-new-treatments-defeat-deadly-virus.html

The journal article can be viewed here:

http://mbio.asm.org/content/6/3/e00565-15