MERS CoV News and Research

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In recent history, we have witnessed the emergence of several different life-threatening viruses. In addition to causing serious public health concerns around the globe, they have been responsible for significant human morbidity and mortality. Modern life that entails uncurtailed travel of humans and goods means that initially localized outbreaks may pose a risk of transmission anywhere in the world.

Are SARS-CoV-2 antibodies associated with disease enhancement?

As SARS-CoV-2 continues to wreak its havoc, antibodies that neutralize the virus and protect against infection have become an important focus of research. However, there is a concern as to whether these antibodies can actually enhance the disease.

6 Jan 2021

Researchers identify natural products with potential to disrupt viral spread

Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of California San Diego have broken down the genomic and life history traits of three classes of viruses that have caused endemic and global pandemics in the past and identify natural products - compounds produced in nature - with the potential to disrupt their spread.

5 Jan 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein remains remarkably conserved among 37 variants from Hong Kong

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to intensify in many parts of the world, vaccine development is proceeding apace.

21 Dec 2020

Cross-reactive coronavirus antibodies shape COVID-19 convalescent plasma functionality

The onset of the current COVID-19 pandemic revealed the seventh known pathogenic human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.

21 Dec 2020

Research at Advanced Photon Source laid the groundwork for effective COVID-19 vaccines

There is light at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic tunnel. Several vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 are now in clinical trials, with one -- developed by Pfizer/BioNTech -- already having been approved for emergency use in the United States.

18 Dec 2020

Neanderthal gene variant increases risk of severe COVID-19

Researchers in Germany have conducted a study showing that between 2 and 8% of people in Eurasia carry a genetic variant inherited from Neanderthals that significantly increases the risk of becoming critically ill with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Dec 2020

Households are a high-risk setting for SARS-CoV-2 transmission

The results of a new study have confirmed that households, and other crowded indoor environments, are high-risk settings for SARS-CoV-2 transmission.

14 Dec 2020

Molecular simulations reveal that remdesivir targets two SARS-CoV-2 enzymes

Remdesivir has been shown to target both RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and main protease of SARS-CoV-2 – resulting in a ‘double whammy’ effect.

7 Dec 2020

N-Glycosylation sites may contribute to spike-mediated invasion by SARS-CoV-2

The sugar residues decorating the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 are essential to the viral-receptor binding.

3 Dec 2020

Emergence of new zoonotic infections like SARS-CoV-2 is inevitable

A team of researchers at the ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute explored the role of animals, the veterinary, and associated zoonotic links of SARS-CoV-2 and prevention and control strategies based on 'One Health' approaches. The research is published in the journal Veterinary Quarterly.

2 Dec 2020

Potential SARS-CoV-2 antiviral: Ionophore X-206 found to inhibit viral replication in cell cultures

In a study published in the journal Antiviral Research, researchers from Aarhus University, Denmark, report on their tests on different polyether ionophores to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 in vitro.

1 Dec 2020

Nucleic acid-hydrolyzing scFv 3D8 exhibits potent antiviral effects on SARS-CoV-2

3D8, a 27-kDa recombinant antibody fragment, was found in autoimmune-prone Murphy Roths Large mice. The single-chain variable fragment (scFv) has the nucleic acid hydrolyzing activity and is shown to degrade DNA or mRNA of viruses in infected cells.

30 Nov 2020

Resveratrol shows potential as SARS-CoV-2 antiviral, study finds

A recent study reveals that resveratrol, a phenolic compound produced by spermatophytes, can inhibit the viral replication SARS-CoV-2.

27 Nov 2020

Monoclonal antibody HB27 shows potent neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2

A new study reports a very promising anti-SARS-CoV-2 monoclonal antibody, HB27, that appears to have two distinct mechanisms of action inhibiting the virus-host cell interaction and subsequent infection.

27 Nov 2020

Phycobilins found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 enzymes in vitro

Researchers have released an interesting new study that describes the broad-spectrum of antiviral activity that phycobilins can have. Phycobilins, which are bioactive plant compounds, were found to inhibit two coronavirus enzymes.

26 Nov 2020

Genomic analysis provides clues about SARS-CoV-2 ancestry and transmission

Researchers in the UK conducting a genomic analysis of severe acute respiratory virus syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and SARS-like coronaviruses in the bat and pangolin have identified strong host-associated divergences that could provide clues about the ancestry and interspecies transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

25 Nov 2020

Researchers discover close SARS-CoV-2-relative in animal hosts outside China

In a major new discovery that might deepen our understanding of SARS-CoV-2’s animal origins and its genetic evolution, coronaviruses very closely related to SARS-CoV-2 have been discovered in two horseshoe bats outside of China.

25 Nov 2020

The role of micro-RNA in SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19

A team of researchers based in Iran have explored the role of micro-RNA in COVID-19. Their study titled, “The emerging role of microRNAs in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection,” was published in the latest issue of the journal International Immunopharmacology.

24 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike deletion mutations may evade current vaccine candidates, study finds

A thought-provoking new study reports that the anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike antibodies elicited by natural infection may not be able to neutralize emerging strains that display deletion mutations in their genomic RNA.

23 Nov 2020

Pomegranate peel extract shows potential as inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 virus

Researchers led by first author Relja Suručić from the Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Banja Luka, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, have studied the use of pomegranate peel extracts in preventing infections with SARS-CoV-2.

22 Nov 2020