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IISc researchers find Covid protein that blocks immunity

A team of researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has identified a protein in the SARS-CoV-2 that antagonises the host’s immune system. In the study published in the journal Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, the team identified a viral protein called ORF6, which blocks immunity. During COVID-19 infection, the body’s early antiviral responses are orchestrated by Interferons (IFNs), triggering specific signalling events that pose a critical hurdle for viruses.