Overview
- The CSIR‑CCMB team led by Dr. Santosh Chauhan published a peer‑reviewed study in The EMBO Journal on Thursday that names DZIP3 as a single human protein that senses viral RNA and activates antiviral signalling.
- Laboratory experiments mapped a clear mechanism: DZIP3 binds viral RNA, changes shape to activate, moves to mitochondria, and tags key immune proteins to trigger Type I interferon release.
- The study showed that activating this pathway reduced replication of multiple viruses in models, including SARS‑CoV‑2, Chikungunya virus, and Japanese Encephalitis virus, indicating broad antiviral potential.
- Funded by the Department of Biotechnology, the Hyderabad team has started early-stage work to discover small molecules that enhance DZIP3 activity, a step that still requires extensive preclinical safety and efficacy testing.
- The discovery validates a hypothesis from Dr. Chauhan’s lab from about seven years ago and points to a new research track where boosting rapid cellular RNA sensing could help contain emerging viral infections if drug development proves successful.