Molecular biology and bioinformatics studies on influenza A virus nucleoprotein and its relationship with the host chaperone protein complex

The influenza A virus (IAV) is one of the major respiratory pathogens accountable for seasonal epidemics and global pandemics. Increasing antiviral resistance has presented a dire need for novel and effective antivirals. A paradigm shift in drug design and discovery is now looking into host-directed antiviral therapy. We evaluated the host-virus interplay between IAV nucleoprotein (NP) and host chaperone proteins Hsp90, HspA8, Hsp40 and Hsp27. Following in silico analysis and molecular studies, we revealed the significance of Hsps as a potential antiviral target and broad-spectrum therapeutic agent against not only IAV, but possibly other viral pathogens sharing the same mechanism.