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SARS-CoV-2 variants develop resistance against type I interferons

A study conducted at the University of Colorado and National Institutes of Health, USA, has revealed that the resistance developed by newly emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2 against host interferon responses could serve as a potential driving force for viral evolution.

22 Mar 2021

Male fertility and androgen production may be impacted by COVID-19

An interesting new study has appeared online in the journal Hormones that discusses the effects of COVID-19 on the male and female gonads.

22 Mar 2021

Could nanoparticle vaccines offer broad protection against sarbecoviruses?

To understand the ability of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-elicited antibodies to neutralize and protect against emerging variants (that are pathogenic) and other sarbecoviruses, a large team of researchers studied immunity by receptor-binding domain nanoparticle vaccines. They showed that a clinical-stage multivalent SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain nanoparticle vaccine (SARS-CoV-2 RBD-NP) protected mice from the SARS-CoV-2-induced disease.

22 Mar 2021

ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 offers less protection against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

The results of a double-blind, randomized, multisite placebo-controlled trial that was conducted in South Africa show that Oxford’s ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 (AZD1222) vaccine has no efficacy against the B.1.351 variant in preventing mild-to-moderate coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and shows reduced neutralization properties of developed antibodies. The findings are published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike stimulates hyperinflammation via Toll-like receptor 2

A new study, released on the bioRxiv* preprint server, describes the mechanism of inflammation in severe COVID-19, besides revealing a potential new therapeutic target to modulate the severity of COVID-19.

19 Mar 2021

Study shows how ACE2 mutations influence SARS-CoV-2 spike binding in humans and animals

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison aimed to better understand how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with various mammalian angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. This way, they can identify the factors that influence intra- and cross-species virus transmission.

18 Mar 2021

Engineering immunogens to focus immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have designed constructs by adding more glycans and adding the receptor-binding motif from related sarbecoviruses to focus the immune response to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) receptor-binding motif. Such immunogens could potentially also neutralize other variants and coronaviruses.

18 Mar 2021

Scientists explore structure of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain with G485R mutation

Researchers at the Bio21 Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, The University of Melbourne, studied the structure of a SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) with a G485R mutation. This mutation is a residue and not directly involved in interactions with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) residues but found in the Β1´/Β2' loop region.

18 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 variants with E484K mutation show mRNA vaccine-induced antibody evasion

A recent study found that the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine had limited efficacy in identifying mutated receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein similar to the B.1.351 and P.1 variants.

18 Mar 2021

How resistant is the SARS-CoV-2 Brazilian variant to antibodies?

Researchers based at the University of Oxford, UK, have shown that the P.1 Brazilian variant of SARS-CoV-2 is less resistant to natural or vaccine acquired antibody responses than the B.1.351, South African, variant, despite sharing convergent mutations.

18 Mar 2021

Gene expression of viral entry factors may explain the differences of COVID-19 severity

A new study uncovers which cell types can be infected by SARS-CoV-2 due to their viral entry factors. The study also suggests that increased gene expression of these viral entry factors in some individuals partially explains the differences of COVID-19 severity reported in relation to age, gender and smoking status.

18 Mar 2021

Study shows how coronavirus variants spread more quickly

The fast-spreading UK, South Africa, and Brazil coronavirus variants are raising both concerns and questions about whether COVID-19 vaccines will protect against them.

18 Mar 2021

Researchers develop rapid method for identifying antibody-resistant SARS-CoV-2 mutants

Researchers in the United States have described a novel rapid method for identifying antibody-resistant mutants in SARS-CoV-2.

17 Mar 2021

Researchers explore difference in reactions to SARS-CoV-2 infection between children and adults

The COVID-19 pandemic has claimed over 2.67 million lives in less than a year and a half. However, it is uncommon in children, with less than 2% of the cases being in individuals below the age of 19. Most of these are of mild severity, with the clinical features of severe COVID-19 being rare in this age group.

17 Mar 2021

New research proposes innovative antibody-based treatment to prevent SARS-CoV-2 viral entry

A brief report by researchers at the University of Virginia, USA, proposes using an antibody-based treatment with a plug-and-play strategy to inhibit the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to invade human cells.

17 Mar 2021

Researchers develop innovative profiling methods for SARS-CoV-2 infection

A team of researchers from various institutions in the USA used RNA-sequencing data and other methods to profile unique genes and other characteristics associated with SARS-CoV-2 in New York City (NYC).

17 Mar 2021

Novel protein construct prevents lethal COVID-19 in mice

Researchers in the United States have developed a novel protein that prevented lethal disease among mice infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

16 Mar 2021

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Endangered marine mammals — seals, dolphins, whales, and otters — are almost as vulnerable as humans in becoming infected from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Researchers from the Dalhousie University in Canada published a study in Science of The Total Environment that found human wastewater as a potential mode of coronavirus transmission to animals.

16 Mar 2021

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

An interesting new study deals with the effects of the natural mutations in the spike antigen of the SARS-CoV-2, the pathogen that is responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease pandemic.

16 Mar 2021

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Using pseudoviruses with single amino acid substitutions, researchers found that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 reduce monoclonal antibody neutralization differently. However, convalescent sera samples did not lose neutralization potency many and were also effective against the B.1.1.7 (UK-derived) strain.

16 Mar 2021

ACE2 News and Research

SARS-CoV-2 variants develop resistance against type I interferons

Male fertility and androgen production may be impacted by COVID-19

Could nanoparticle vaccines offer broad protection against sarbecoviruses?

ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 offers less protection against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

SARS-CoV-2 spike stimulates hyperinflammation via Toll-like receptor 2

Study shows how ACE2 mutations influence SARS-CoV-2 spike binding in humans and animals

Engineering immunogens to focus immune response to SARS-CoV-2

Scientists explore structure of SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain with G485R mutation

SARS-CoV-2 variants with E484K mutation show mRNA vaccine-induced antibody evasion

How resistant is the SARS-CoV-2 Brazilian variant to antibodies?

Gene expression of viral entry factors may explain the differences of COVID-19 severity

Study shows how coronavirus variants spread more quickly

Researchers develop rapid method for identifying antibody-resistant SARS-CoV-2 mutants

Researchers explore difference in reactions to SARS-CoV-2 infection between children and adults

New research proposes innovative antibody-based treatment to prevent SARS-CoV-2 viral entry

Researchers develop innovative profiling methods for SARS-CoV-2 infection

Novel protein construct prevents lethal COVID-19 in mice

SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater may pose risks to marine mammals

Study explores how SARS-CoV-2 mutations produce antibody resistance and enhanced transmissibility

New study tests how mutations in SARS-CoV-2 affect antibody neutralization

Industry Focus eBook - Forensics & toxicology (2nd edition) eBook

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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