New Common Weakness in Enteroviruses Sparks Broad-Spectrum Drug Hope

Researchers mapped, at atomic resolution, a conserved cloverleaf RNA structure at the start of enterovirus genomes that recruits the 3CD protein to initiate replication. The sD stem-loop binds two 3C units, acting as a molecular switch between translation and replication, a feature conserved across poliovirus, coxsackievirus, rhinoviruses, and EV71. Because this RNA–protein interface is highly conserved, it offers a promising target for broad-spectrum antivirals that could disrupt replication across the enterovirus family.