Scytovirin is a 95-
amino acid antiviral
protein isolated from the
cyanobacteriaScytonema varium.[1] It has been cultured in E. coli and its structure investigated in detail.[2][3][4] Scytovirin is thought to be produced by the bacteria to protect itself from viruses that might otherwise attack it, but as it has broad-spectrum antiviral activity against a range of enveloped viruses, scytovirin has also been found to be useful against a range of major human pathogens, most notably
HIV / AIDS but also including
SARS coronavirus and
filoviruses such as
Ebola virus and
Marburg virus.[5][6][7] While some lectins such as
cyanovirin and Urtica dioicaagglutinin are thought likely to be too
allergenic to be used internally in humans, studies so far on scytovirin and griffithsin have not shown a similar level of immunogenicity.[8] Scytovirin and griffithsin are currently being investigated as potential
microbicides for topical use.[9]
^Xiong C, O'Keefe BR, Botos I, Wlodawer A, McMahon JB (April 2006). "Overexpression and purification of scytovirin, a potent, novel anti-HIV protein from the cultured cyanobacterium Scytonema varium". Protein Expression and Purification. 46 (2): 233–9.
doi:
10.1016/j.pep.2005.09.019.
PMID16289703.
^Li Y, Zhang X, Chen G, Wei D, Chen F (2008). "Algal lectins for potential prevention of HIV transmission". Current Medicinal Chemistry. 15 (11): 1096–104.
doi:
10.2174/092986708784221421.
PMID18473805.