Nick's post on Amantadine resistance in swine flu was so interesting, I had to look at the protein structures myself.
I couldn't find any structures with the S31N mutation that Nick discussed, but I did find some structures with the M2 protein and Amantadine. Not only are these structures beautiful, but you can look at them and see how the protein works and how the drug prevents the protein from functioning.
As Nick mentions, the M2 protein from influenza makes a channel for hydrogen ions within the viral membrane. The channel controls the pH inside the virus by opening and closing.…
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