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Next-generation SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine candidate elicits powerful immunity in preclinical trials

New research – by scientists at the University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Iowa in the USA – describes a novel COVID-19 vaccine candidate that has achieved impressive immunologic results in mouse studies.

25 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant may induce more inflammation, study suggests

Since COVID-19 was first detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China, many different variants of its causative virus – SARS-CoV-2 – have emerged. Through increased viral fitness, some of these have risen to predominance over earlier variants in a remarkably short period of time. New research, by a team of scientists at major institutions in France, examines the reasons behind this phenomenon in one such variant of concern (VOC), the so-called UK variant.

25 May 2021

Discovery of novel SARS-related coronaviruses in bats

In a recent study published on the bioRxiv* server, Peng Zhou, Zheng-Li Shi and colleagues at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, with collaboration from scientists at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences in China, have identified a new lineage of SARS-related coronaviruses that utilize bat angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors for cell entry, which is the same receptor used by SARS-CoV-2 to infect host cells.

25 May 2021

Why COVID-19 patients have more pathogenic bacteria in their noses

Researchers compared the nasal microbiome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, healthy individuals, and healthcare workers. These studies indicated an increase in the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa present in the nasal microbiome of COVID-19 patients, which may be responsible for other secondary infections.

24 May 2021

Novel natural compounds may help treat COVID-19, study suggests

A new study in the journal Chemistry Europe reports two natural compounds identified by virtual screening and computational modeling as having great promise for the development of drugs against SARS-CoV-2.

24 May 2021

Researchers identify aluminum hydroxide/TLR9 agonist as potential adjuvant to improve RBD-based COVID-19 vaccine efficacy

The study findings reveal that RBD-based vaccines adjuvanted with the formulation can induce strong anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing immunity in young and aged mice. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

24 May 2021

Genetically engineered intestinal organoids reveal potential treatment targets against SARS-CoV-2

Using CRISPR/Cas9 and human intestinal organoids to study genes implicated in the biology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), researchers from the Netherlands identified a specific serine protease (TMPRSS2) as an attractive pan-coronavirus therapeutic target. Their exciting findings are available in a study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

24 May 2021

Research suggests Garcinia kola extract might suppress severe COVID-19 cytokine storms

Researchers in the UK and Nigeria have conducted a study showing that Garcinia kola seed extract and garcinoic acid may provide therapeutic benefits in the late stage of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other coronavirus infections.

24 May 2021

STING agonist diABZI shows promise against SARS-CoV-2 variants

COVID-19 vaccines are the most effective way to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. For people who are already infected, new research suggests the small molecule stimulator of interferon genes (STING) agonist-1, diABZI, may be effective in controlling SARS-CoV-2 infection — including those caused by variants.

23 May 2021

Decreasing activity of ZMPSTE24 protease with age and comorbidities may make elderly COVID-19 patients vulnerable

Studies have shown that circulating levels of PAI-1, the coagulation cascade activator, are considerably higher in COVID-19 patients with severe respiratory illness compared to patients with bacterial-sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hence the increase in PAI-1 levels is recognized as an early marker of endothelial dysfunction in COVID-19 patients.

23 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 mutations strengthen RBD-ACE2 binding, making the virus more infectious

In January 2020, the first complete severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome sequence was deposited to GenBank. Since then, the amount of new genome sequences has increased rapidly at GenBank and GISAID. This has laid the foundations for analyzing the virulence, antigenicity, pathogenicity, and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 mutations.

22 May 2021

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants exhibit enhanced affinity towards the ACE2 receptor

In a short correspondence paper recently uploaded to the Lancet by Ramanathan, Muthukumar et al. (May 19th, 2021) the affinity of labeled SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain proteins sourced from each of these two variants of concern towards human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) recombinant proteins is investigated using microscale thermophoresis, confirming the enhanced affinity towards the receptor observed in other studies.

22 May 2021

Modeling SARS-CoV-2 spike/human ACE2 complex identifies high-affinity variants that cause greater transmissibility

The study, published in the Journal of Molecular Biology, shows promise in detecting potential new variants that can cause the faster spread of COVID-19. The recent mutations and variants detected have caused the rapid spread of the infection in many countries.

21 May 2021

How do common mutations in SARS-CoV-2’s spike affect its binding affinity with host cell receptors?

Antibodies produced during a previous case of COVID-19 or vaccine-induced immunity are targeted towards S protein, where the neutralizing antibodies attach to the Spike RBD domain. Some of the variants have mutations in their RBD domain, causing resistance to the neutralizing antibodies. However, the effect of these mutations on the affinity and kinetics of the binding of Spike RBD to ACE2 is not clear. A new study has been published on the bioRxiv* preprint server, which deals with the study of affinity and kinetic analysis of the interface between Spike RBD and ACE2 at physiological temperatures.

21 May 2021

Facets of SARS-CoV-2 infection and animal models

A new study in the journal Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology discusses the ribonucleic acid (RNA) genome of the virus, and the mechanisms by which it establishes infection within the host cell. The researchers also summarize the development of animal models of COVID-19, which will both help understand the clinical features of the illness, and indicate new approaches for the treatment of the infection.

21 May 2021

Metal complexes against coronavirus

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused more than 3.42 million deaths worldwide. Despite the fact that there are vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, the emergence of new variants and the lack of adequate treatments have encouraged the search for new ways to combat this disease more effectively.

21 May 2021

Could graphene oxide nanosheets be an effective SARS-CoV-2 antiviral in PPE?

A new study has been published in Small, which has combined in silico and in vitro analysis to examine if graphene oxide (GO) sheets have an inhibitory effect against SARS‐CoV‐2 surface proteins.

20 May 2021

Protein-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 may provide advantages over mRNA-based vaccines

Researchers in the UK have developed a protein-based subunit vaccine directed against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that could serve as an alternative to the mRNA-based vaccines currently approved for protecting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

20 May 2021

Nasal epithelium in newborn infants express fewer receptors for SARS-CoV-2 than adults

A new report in the British Medical Journal indicates that newborns have a lower abundance of entry receptors for SARS-CoV-2.

19 May 2021

Nasal epithelium in newborn infants express fewer receptors for SARS-CoV-2 than adults

A new report in the British Medical Journal indicates that newborns have a lower abundance of entry receptors for SARS-CoV-2.

19 May 2021

ACE2 News and Research

Next-generation SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine candidate elicits powerful immunity in preclinical trials

SARS-CoV-2 UK variant may induce more inflammation, study suggests

Discovery of novel SARS-related coronaviruses in bats

Why COVID-19 patients have more pathogenic bacteria in their noses

Novel natural compounds may help treat COVID-19, study suggests

Researchers identify aluminum hydroxide/TLR9 agonist as potential adjuvant to improve RBD-based COVID-19 vaccine efficacy

Genetically engineered intestinal organoids reveal potential treatment targets against SARS-CoV-2

Research suggests Garcinia kola extract might suppress severe COVID-19 cytokine storms

STING agonist diABZI shows promise against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Decreasing activity of ZMPSTE24 protease with age and comorbidities may make elderly COVID-19 patients vulnerable

SARS-CoV-2 mutations strengthen RBD-ACE2 binding, making the virus more infectious

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants exhibit enhanced affinity towards the ACE2 receptor

Modeling SARS-CoV-2 spike/human ACE2 complex identifies high-affinity variants that cause greater transmissibility

How do common mutations in SARS-CoV-2’s spike affect its binding affinity with host cell receptors?

Facets of SARS-CoV-2 infection and animal models

Metal complexes against coronavirus

Could graphene oxide nanosheets be an effective SARS-CoV-2 antiviral in PPE?

Protein-based vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 may provide advantages over mRNA-based vaccines

Nasal epithelium in newborn infants express fewer receptors for SARS-CoV-2 than adults

Nasal epithelium in newborn infants express fewer receptors for SARS-CoV-2 than adults

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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