The findings of a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences showed that a specific protein, occludin, mediates the transmission of the virus between cells. In the study, the researchers from the University of Missouri, US, identified that occluding played a critical role in the spread of coronavirus from cell to cell after infection.

They noted that this finding can help in the development of new antiviral drugs in the future. In the study, the research team examined the process through which coronavirus was spread between cells by analyzing cell samples.

The team found that the viral infection damages the occludin protein in a single cell. This damage to the protein structure helps in viral replication and transmission to neighboring cells throughout the body, making the infection worse and the symptoms potentially more severe.

Dr. Wenjun Ma, an associate professor at the university and lead author of the study, noted that this knowledge is helpful for developers of antiviral drugs by examining the potential impact the antiviral drugs have in strengthening the occluding protein against infection. 

(Source: https://www.financialexpress.com/healthcare/covid-19/occludin-protein-in-humans-found-to-help-in-covid-19-transmission-between-cells-experts-reveal/3071274/ )