title: Inhibition of herpesvirus and influenza virus replication by blocking polymerase subunit interactions.
abstract: Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play a key role in many biological processes, including virus replication in the host cell. Since most of the PPIs are functionally essential, a possible strategy to inhibit virus replication is based on the disruption of viral protein complexes by peptides or small molecules that interfere with subunit interactions. In particular, an attractive target for antiviral drugs is the binding between the subunits of essential viral enzymes. This review describes the development of new antiviral compounds that inhibit herpesvirus and influenza virus replication by blocking interactions between subunit proteins of their polymerase complexes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padua, Italy. Electronic address: giorgio.palu@unipd.it.
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Palù
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loregian
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006564:Herpesviridae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006566:Herpesviridae Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000821:virology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D021122:Protein Subunits / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D021122:Protein Subunits; D014764:Viral Proteins; D012321:DNA-Directed RNA Polymerases
keywords: Antiviral therapy; Herpesvirus; Influenza virus; Protein–protein interaction; Viral polymerase