virusMED

virusMED maps and annotates functional hotspots on viral proteins to characterize metal binding sites, antigen epitopes, and drug binding sites for virology research.

Key Features:

• Extensive Database: Contains atomic interactions around 25,306 hotspots from 8,041 experimentally determined viral protein structures spanning 805 virus strains across 75 virus families, including influenza, HIV-1, and SARS-CoV-2.
• Positional Annotation: Organizes and annotates the relative positions of individual hotspots on each viral protein to enable atlas-style characterization of functional sites.
• Rich Annotation Tags: Provides annotations for virus species and strains, hosts, specific viral proteins, metal ions, antibodies, and FDA-approved drugs.
• Rapid Screening Capability: Annotation system enables rapid identification and filtering of hotspots relevant to specific research questions or therapeutic targets.

Scientific Applications:

• Therapeutic and Vaccine Design: Supports rational design of antiviral drugs and vaccine antigens by mapping drug binding sites and antigen epitopes on viral proteins.
• Mechanistic Studies: Facilitates molecular characterization of virus–host interactions and investigation of pathogenesis through detailed maps of metal binding and interaction hotspots.

Methodology:

Curates experimentally determined viral protein structures, identifies hotspots involved in metal binding, antigen epitopes, or drug interactions, and organizes atomic interaction and positional annotation data for visualization and annotation.