Publication date: Jul 05, 2025

In one version of this process, the NiRAN domain uses a molecule called GDP to attach a protective cap to the beginning of the virus’s RNA. “Now, in a new study published in Cell, Small and colleagues demonstrate exactly why scientists still don’t know how the NiRAN domain works. The findings could have sweeping implications for drug developers already working to design antivirals based on flawed assumptions, and underscore the importance of rigorous validation. published a structural model describing exactly how this domain works. But the NiRAN domain can also use a related molecule, GTP, to form a protective cap. He could find no evidence to support the model previously produced by Yan and colleagues. Once the Rockefeller researchers validated their results, they submitted their findings to Cell. “Efforts based on a flawed structural model could result in years of wasted time and resources. “

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