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.

DNase coated melanin-like nanospheres for sepsis treatment in severe COVID

As the treatment of severe COVID-19 is very difficult, the researchers from the Korea Research Institute of Biosciences and Biotechnology (KRIBB) suggested that DNase-1 can be utilized to dissolve the neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), hence halting the further progression of COVID-19.

27 Oct 2020

Small molecules block SARS-CoV-2 spike-ACE2 attachment

The search includes immunological agents, enzyme inhibitors, and soluble competitive inhibitors. Now, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 provides preliminary evidence that small molecules can inhibit viral entry by inhibiting spike-ACE2 attachment.

26 Oct 2020

NRP-1 receptor potentiates SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

The COVID-19 pandemic is still actively spreading in many parts of the world, causing redoubled efforts to develop antivirals and vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A recent study explores the role of a second type of cell surface receptor, called neuropilin, in the virus's entry into the host cell and its subsequent replication.

26 Oct 2020

SARS-CoV-2 mutations possibly making virus less virulent

In their bioRxiv* preprint paper, the researchers focus on mapping the clade-specific mutations' effects on the protein structures' conformation and stability. They identified the mutations in the set of seven proteins - orf8, nsp2, nsp4, nsp6, nucleocapsid protein (N), and Spike protein (S).

21 Oct 2020

"Immunological imprinting" could influence antibody response to COVID-19

Researchers in the United States and Spain have shown that prior exposure to seasonal coronaviruses may influence antibody responses to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

21 Oct 2020

Androgen deprivation strategies could help mitigate SARS-CoV-2 infection

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers have noted that women are generally less severely affected by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). This has led to the exploration into estrogen and androgens' role in the hyperinflammatory clinical phenotypes of COVID-19. A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv shows that drugs targeting androgens and TMPRSS2 inhibitors may potentially combat the pandemic.

20 Oct 2020

Scientists reveal host pathways hijacked by three lethal coronaviruses

Seeking to inform development of drugs effective against multiple pathogenic human coronaviruses, David E. Gordon and colleagues compared host interactions of MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, uncovering host pathways commonly hijacked by all three.

16 Oct 2020

Researchers identify potential drugs that could be repurposed as pan-coronavirus treatments

A large international consortium of almost 200 researchers from 14 leading institutions in six countries has studied three different coronaviruses - SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV - with the aim of finding vulnerabilities shared by these three pathogens.

15 Oct 2020

Capillary blood microsampling could prove a breakthrough in SARS-CoV-2 serosurveillance

As COVID-19 seems to be making a comeback in many areas of the world, including Japan, a new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in October 2020 shows the relevance of microsamples of blood in serosurveillance of this disease.

15 Oct 2020

Scientists use dehumidifiers to detect airborne SARS-CoV-2

Now, a team of researchers at the University of Maryland presented a simple approach that can potentially provide information about the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in the atmosphere at any location.

14 Oct 2020

Alternate primers for whole-genome SARS-CoV-2 sequencing

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in October 2020 describes the gap frequencies and positions in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome and a set of alternative primers with a sequencing scheme to provide better genomic coverage and quality.

14 Oct 2020

D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 increases viral fitness and infectivity

Researchers from the Duke Human Vaccine Institute and Duke University, Durham NC, USA, recently analyzed the D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 in the context of a soluble S ectodomain construct. Their study has been published in the preprint server bioRxiv.

14 Oct 2020

Pre-existing immunity to other coronaviruses may be poor

Brenda M. Westerhuis et al., in a recent medRxiv* preprint paper, investigate the antibody cross-reactivity - to explain the severe disease. COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

13 Oct 2020

Suramin shows promise as COVID-19 treatment

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv reports the elucidation of the mechanism of inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 by a non-nucleotide inhibitor called suramin. This is the first such compound to be shown to have such activity and shows promise for use as a repurposed drug against COVID-19.

12 Oct 2020

Newly identified coronavirus epitopes induce robust antibody responses

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have conducted a study showing that infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-C0V-2) triggers robust immune responses to epitopes across the full viral proteome.

12 Oct 2020

SARS-CoV-2 survives on human skin for 9 hours

Japanese researchers have now studied the survival possibilities of the flu virus and the SARS-CoV-2 on human skin. Their study titled, "Survival of SARS-CoV-2 and influenza virus on the human skin: Importance of hand hygiene in COVID-19," was published in the latest issue of the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

8 Oct 2020

Proteolytic cleavage of nucleocapsid helps SARS-CoV-2 evade host immune responses

A team of scientists of the University of Oxford reveals that the nucleocapsid protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) undergoes autoproteolysis, and that resulting products can escape the host immune responses and facilitate viral proliferation. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

7 Oct 2020