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COVID-19 mutation mapping identifies escape mutations against therapeutic antibodies

A new study maps all known mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 virus, showing how each contributes to escape from individual antibodies.

3 Dec 2020

Multidisciplinary research sheds new light on reaction mechanisms in cellular processes

Multidisciplinary research involving crystallography, kinetic studies, molecular docking, genetics and other techniques in biochemistry has yielded a wealth of knowledge about the reaction mechanisms in cellular processes.

1 Dec 2020

SARS-CoV-2 spike protein shows slow but stable evolution, study finds

A new preprint published in November 2020 describes the seven different clades into which the virus has diversified.

27 Nov 2020

Researchers develop synthetic defective SARS-CoV-2 genome that inhibits viral replication

A shorter genome comprising only a part of the SARS-CoV-2's RNA genome competes with the normal virus for growth and can potentially prevent viral replication.

26 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

Researchers develop new search engine to investigate viral sequences in COVID-19

Since the beginning of 2020, labs from all around the world are sequencing the material from positive tests of people affected by COVID-19 and then depositing sequences mostly to three points of collection: GenBank, COG-UK, and GISAID.

23 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

Antimalarials could disrupt SARS-CoV-2’s Nsp1 translation termination

A research team from the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology in Russia have shown that Nsp1 – a non-structured protein present in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogen – stimulates translation termination in the stop codon recognition stage. Studying and developing drugs that compete with Nsp1 for binding with the termination complex could therefore be a potential strategy for fighting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Nov 2020

Mink farms potential viral reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2

A new study published in the journal Science in November 2020 describes the probable transmission of the virus between farmed minks and humans working on the mink farm, even with biosecurity measures in place and the culling of infected farms as soon as an infection is reported.

12 Nov 2020

Discovery of novel hidden gene in SARS-CoV-2

A team of researchers from Germany, Taiwan, and the United States has identified and characterized a new hidden gene in SARS-CoV-2 that is also present in Guangxi pangolin coronaviruses – though, curiously, absent in closely related pangolin and bat coronaviruses.

11 Nov 2020

Researchers uncover new 'hidden' gene in SARS-CoV-2

Researchers have discovered a new "hidden" gene in SARS-CoV-2--the virus that causes COVID-19--that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential.

10 Nov 2020

SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome structure reveals potential targets for development of drugs

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus RNA genome structure was studied in detail by researchers from the University of Groningen, the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw, and Leiden University.

10 Nov 2020

Translational study within SARS-CoV-2 infected cells opens up new therapeutic avenues

A recent study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in October 2020 shows what the protein translation process looks like in specific terms. In doing so, the study has provided new insights that might prove helpful in developing new therapies for COVID-19 patients.

9 Nov 2020

An analysis of genetic diversity of D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2

A new study published in the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 reports that the effect of the mutation is minimal, in terms of pathogenicity or altered response to neutralizing antibodies elicited against the native virus strain.

4 Nov 2020

RNA-binding proteins may suppress antiviral defenses against SARS-CoV-2

Conducted by researchers in South Korea at the Institute for Basic Science and the International Vaccine Institute, a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in November 2020 describes the many host proteins that bind with the ribonucleic acid (RNA) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and regulate the replication of the virus.

4 Nov 2020

Research shows how remdesivir inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication

In a recent bioRxiv preprint, a research team from Germany, Goran Kokic et al. study the molecular mechanism of remdesivir-induced stalling of RdRp - using synthetic RNA chemistry, biochemistry, and cryo-electron microscopy.

2 Nov 2020

Structure and mechanisms of ribosomal frameshifting during SARS-CoV-2 translation

The structure of a 3’ stimulatory pseudoknot in the viral genome or by itself has been proposed recently. Researchers report the structure and mechanisms of mammalian ribosomes during translation of the -1 frameshifting of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome in a new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv.

28 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

Researchers develop new strategy to improve siRNA stability

RNA interference is a gene regulatory mechanism in which the expression of specific genes is downregulated by endogenous microRNAs or by small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).

16 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