Antiviral Therapy Assays

Antiviral therapy consists of one or more methods for treating viral infections. DNA viruses infect cells through a series of steps: they attach to host cell receptors using viral proteins and enter the cell via endocytosis or membrane fusion. The viral capsid is then transported through the cytoplasm, often using the cell’s cytoskeleton, and undergoes uncoating to release the viral DNA genome. The viral genome typically enters the nucleus for replication, utilizing the host cell’s machinery. New viral genomes and proteins are assembled into new virus particles, which exit the cell through cell lysis or budding. RNA viruses infect cells by attaching to host cell receptors using viral proteins, entering the cell via endocytosis or membrane fusion. Inside the cell, the viral capsid breaks down, releasing the viral RNA genome into the cytoplasm. The viral RNA is translated by host ribosomes to produce viral proteins, which form replication complexes. The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase synthesizes complementary RNA, which serves as a template for producing more viral RNA genomes. Finally, new viral genomes and proteins are assembled into new virus particles, which exit the cell through cell lysis or budding.

The antiviral drugs are used for preventing or inhibiting the attachment of viruses to target cell membranes (receptors), internalization of virus, fusion and uncoating of virus, viral DNA/RNA replication, viral protein synthesis, assembly and budding of virus, and virus release.