Search PubMedSearch

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Coronavirus”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Rapid Generation of Reverse Genetics Systems for Coronavirus Research and High-Throughput Antiviral Screening Using Gibson DNA Assembly.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) pose a significant threat to human health, as demonstrated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The large size of the CoV genome (around 30 kb) represents a major obstacle to the development of reverse genetics systems, which are invaluable for basic research and antiviral drug screening. In this study, we established a rapid and convenient method for generating reverse genetic systems for various CoVs using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector and Gibson DNA assembly. Using this system, we constructed infectious cDNA clones of coronaviruses from three genera: human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) of the genus Alphacoronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus A59 (MHV-59) of Betacoronavirus, and porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV-Haiti) of Deltacoronavirus. Since beta coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) represent major human pathogens, we modified the infectious clone of the beta coronavirus MHV-A59 by replacing its NS5a gene with a fluorescent reporter gene to create a system suitable for high-throughput drug screening. Thus, this study provides a practical and cost-effective approach to developing reverse genetics platforms for CoV research and antiviral drug screening.

Reverse Genetics

Antigenic relationship of the feline infectious peritonitis virus to coronaviruses of other species.

Utilizing the direct and indirect fluorescent antibody procedure, the antigenic relationship of the feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) to 7 other human and animal coronaviruses was studied. FIPV was found to be closely related to transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) of swine. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus and FIPV were in turn antigenically related to human coronavirus 229E (HCV-229E) and canine coronavirus (CCV). An interesting finding in the study was that the 8 coronaviruses selected for this study fell into one of two antigenically distinct groups. Viruses in each group were antigenically related to each other to varying degrees, but were antigenically unrelated to coronaviruses of the second group. The first antigenically related group was comprised of mouse hepatitis virus, type 3 (MHV-3), hemeagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus 67N (HEV-67N) of swine, calf diarrhea coronavirus (CDCV), and human coronavirus 0C43 (HCV-OC43). The second antigenically related group was comprised of FIPV, TGEV, HCV-229E and CCV.

Antigens, Viral

hnRNPC facilitates coronavirus replication by directly binding the frameshift-stimulatory element of viral genomic RNA.

Translation of key viral replicative proteins in coronaviruses requires a programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting (-1 PRF) event controlled by the viral frameshift-stimulatory element (FSE). Although previous studies have analyzed host factor dependencies of coronaviruses, how host cellular factors alter -1 PRF efficiency and affect viral replication remains poorly understood. Here, using RNA pull-down combined with LC-MS/MS analysis, we identified heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein C (hnRNPC) as a major interacting protein of FSE RNA. Coronavirus infection triggers hnRNPC mRNA decay, alters hnRNPC protein levels, and induces its cytoplasmic relocalization, where it appears to bind directly to FSE RNA through residues Asn7 and Asn83. This binding is associated with increased -1 PRF efficiency and may facilitate coronavirus replication. Deletion mapping analysis shows that hnRNPC preferentially binds U-rich regions of the FSE RNA. Finally, we demonstrated that the small molecule Elbasvir directly binds hnRNPC, disrupting the interaction between hnRNPC and FSE RNA and inhibiting coronavirus replication by decreasing -1 PRF efficiency. Collectively, our study identifies hnRNPC as a key host cofactor for coronaviruses and provides a novel target for broad-spectrum antiviral drug development.

RNA, Viral

Antigenic relationship between human coronavirus strain OC 43 and hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus strain 67N of swine: antibody responses in human and animal sera.

Hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus of swine (HEV) was adapted to growth in suckling mouse brain. Electron micrographs of HEV-infected suckling mouse brain, prepared by negative staining and thin-section techniques, exhibited typical morphological characteristics shared with other members of the Coronaviridae. The adaptation of HEV to suckling mouse brain facilitated serologic testing by the use of common host reagents and compatible animal systems. With hemagglutination inhibition, complement-fixation, and neutralization tests, an antigenic relationship was demonstrated between human coronavirus OC 43 and HEV in specific immune and hyperimmune animal sera. Children and adults with seroconversion to OC 43 antigen had diagnostic rises in titer of antibody to HEV antigens. Individuals with seroconversion to human coronaviruse 229E and B814 demonstrated antibody to HEV but not diagnostic rises in titer. Swine with titers of antibody to HEV had lower or no detectable titers of antibody to coronavirus OC 43. Although the prevalence and geometric mean titer of antibody to OC 43 were higher than the titer of antibody to HEV in every group of normal humans tested, significant differences in antibody response to coronavirus OC 43 and HEV were seen between populations that did or did not have possible contact with swine. The evidence suggested that antibody to HEV in humans probably represented a heterologous response to infection with coronavirus OC 43. However, a heterotypic response to unknown or uncharacterized strains of coronavirus cannot be excluded.

Adult

Diagnosis of human coronavirus infection by immunofluorescence: method and application to respiratory disease in hospitalized children.

Rabbit antisera were prepared against coronavirus strains 229E and OC43 and used successfully to detect viral antigen in epithelial cells shed from the nasopharynx of symptomatic volunteers who had received coronavirus inocula three to four days before. The same serologic reagents were applied to nasopharyngeal secretion cells obtained from 106 infants and children hospitalized with respiratory tract disease and apparently not infected with conventional respiratory viruses. No coronavirus infections were detected by this method. It appears that coronavirus OC43 or 229E infections were not common in children in Tyneside hospitals during the period of study. However, fluorescence is a useful method for detection of coronavirus infections in symptomatic human subjects.

Adult

OC43 strain-related coronavirus antibodies in different age groups.

Serum antibodies against human coronavirus OC43 in different age groups were measured by complement fixation (CF), haemagglutination inhibition (HI), radial diffusion haemolysis-in-gel (HIG), and solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) methods. Antigen grown in suckling mouse brain was used in all tests. Results obtained by the CF and HIG tests, and the RIA, were in good agreement with regard to the presence or absence of antibodies. Similar results were also obtained with the HI test if nonspecific haemagglutination inhibitors were first removed by treatment with phospholipase C and only titers of 1:20 or greater were considered positive. Children 6--23 months of age (n = 45) were without measurable coronavirus antibodies in all four assays. A rapid increase in the prevalence of antibodies then occurred in subsequent age groups, and practically all persons 6 years of age or older were found to have OC43 antibodies as measured by the HIG test or the RIA. The mean antibody levels determined by these two methods continued to increase, however, up to the age group of 10--14 years. This increase in antibody levels after the initial antibody incidence plateau may be due to boosting effects caused by related coronavirus strains, since OC43 antigens are known to cross-react with antibodies induced by other human coronaviruses. Taken together, these data suggest that OC43 virus, or an antigenically related coronavirus strain, is very common in Finland.

Adolescent

Comparison of the morphology of three coronaviruses.

The morphology of three coronaviruses, avian infectious bronchitis virus strain Connecticut (IBV Conn), human coronavirus strain 229E (HCV 229E) and mouse hepatitis virus strain 3 (MHV3), were examined by negative staining. Significant differences were found in the sizes of the three coronaviruses. Furthermore, three types of surface projection of the same lengths, but varying widths and morphology, were observed. Both IBV Conn and HCV 229E had bulbous projections characteristic of coronaviruses, although the projections of HCV 229E were somewhat thinner than those of IBV Conn. On the other hand, MHV3 particles had thin, cone-shaped surface projections, that were completely unlike typical coronavirus projections. The significance of these results is discussed.

Coronaviridae

Dysregulation of lung epithelial cell homeostasis and immunity contributes to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus disease severity.

Coronaviruses (CoV) emerge suddenly from animal reservoirs to cause novel diseases in new hosts. Discovered in 2012, the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is endemic in camels in the Middle East and is continually causing local outbreaks and epidemics. While all three newly emerging human CoVs from the past 20 years (SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV) cause respiratory disease, each CoV has unique host interactions that drive differential pathogeneses. To better understand the virus and host interactions driving lethal MERS-CoV infection, we performed a longitudinal multi-omics analysis of sublethal and lethal MERS-CoV infection in mice. Significant differences were observed in body weight loss, virus titers, and acute lung injury among lethal and sub-lethal virus doses. Virus-induced apoptosis of type I and II alveolar epithelial cells suggests that loss or dysregulation of these key cell populations was a major driver of severe disease. Omics analysis suggested differential pathogenesis was multi-factorial with clear differences among innate and adaptive immune pathways as well as those that regulate lung epithelial homeostasis. Infection of mice lacking functional T and B cells showed that adaptive immunity was important in controlling viral replication but also increased pathogenesis. In summary, we provide a high-resolution host response atlas for MERS-CoV infection and disease severity. Multi-omics studies of viral pathogenesis offer a unique opportunity to not only better understand the molecular mechanisms of disease but also to identify genes and pathways that can be exploited for therapeutic intervention all of which is important for our future pandemic preparedness.IMPORTANCEEmerging coronaviruses like SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and MERS-CoV cause a range of disease outcomes in humans from an asymptomatic, moderate, and severe respiratory disease that can progress to death but the factors causing these disparate outcomes remain unclear. Understanding host responses to mild and life-threatening infections provides insight into virus-host networks within and across organ systems that contribute to disease outcomes. We used multi-omics approaches to comprehensively define the host response to moderate and severe MERS-CoV infection. Severe respiratory disease was associated with dysregulation of the immune response. Key lung epithelial cell populations that are essential for lung function get infected and die. Mice lacking key immune cell populations experienced greater virus replication but decreased disease severity implicating the immune system in both protective and pathogenic roles in response to MERS-CoV. These data could be utilized to design new therapeutic strategies targeting specific pathways that contribute to severe disease.

Animals

Further studies on human enteric coronaviruses.

Comparisons were made between human enteric coronaviruses and the enteric coronaviruses of pigs and calves by negative staining. Examination of human intestinal organ culture fluids at various time intervals after inoculation with the human enteric coronavirus showed increasing numbers of particles in the fluids. Thin sections of the columnar epithelial cells of these explants showed a number of features consistent with the replication of known human and animal coronaviruses. Virus particles found in thin sections had a mean diameter of 68 nm. In addition, a structure was found in thin sections which has not been described previously. This structure may represent the viral nucleocapsid.

Animals

Coronavirus surveillance in passerines reveals novel deltacoronaviruses in Eurasian tree sparrows with implications for One Health and livestock biosecurity.

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are widespread RNA viruses infecting a broad range of avian and mammalian hosts. Although gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses (DCoVs) are common in wild birds, their presence in Eurasian passerines remains poorly understood. We screened 243 birds (35 species) at migratory stopover sites in Slovenia (2020-2021) using pan-coronavirus RT-PCR. Coronavirus RNA was detected only in four Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus). Whole-genome sequencing yielded genomes of 26,017-26,018 bp with high internal conservation (99.95-99.98% identity). Phylogenetic analysis revealed notable evolutionary incongruence: isolates were highly related to porcine DCoVs in the ORF1ab region (95.6-96.1% amino acid identity) but clustered with divergent avian DCoVs in the spike gene (75.7-76.8% identity). RDP5 analysis provided strong evidence for a large-scale recombination event (p = 1.17 × 10-43), consistent with a mosaic genomic architecture combining an ORF1ab region closely related to porcine DCoVs with an avian-associated spike gene. This genomic pattern highlights evolutionary connectivity among DCoVs associated with different host groups and the potential role of recombination in changes in host association. The synanthropic behaviour and mobility of P. montanus facilitate contact with diverse hosts, making this species relevant for investigating DCoV ecology at wildlife-livestock interfaces. These findings represent the first genomic characterisation of DCoVs in P. montanus in Europe and support the inclusion of passerines in broader coronavirus surveillance. Genomic surveillance of underrepresented wild-bird hosts can improve our understanding of DCoV diversity, recombination, and evolution across wildlife-livestock interfaces.

Cross-species transmission

Counterimmunoelectroosmophoresis for detection of neonatal calf diarrhea coronavirus: methodology and comparison with electron microscopy.

A counterimmunoelectroosmophoresis (CIE) technique is described for the detection of calf diarrhea coronavirus antigens in intestinal contents. The antibody reagent was prepared in rabbits against the Nebraska calf diarrhea coronavirus adapted to Vero cells and purified by density gradient centrifugation. The method was applied to intestinal contents of diarrheic and normal calves and compared with electron microscopy (EM). Calf coronavirus antigens were detected in intestinal contents of 44% (21/48) of the diarrheic calves and 24% (4/17) of the normal calves. Two precipitin lines could be observed in the majority of the positive samples. When compared with EM, CIE detected more positive animals. In only two cases (2/20) CIE was negative despite the visualization of coronavirus particles by EM.

Animals

Rabbit cardiomyopathy associated with a virus antigenically related to human coronavirus strain 229E.

A new disease of rabbits is described. Following an acute febrile course, animals die or recover by the 11th day postinoculation. The characteristic pathologic finding is multifocal myocardial degeneration and necrosis. The disease can be transmitted by various routes with tissue filtrates or with infectious sera diluted to 10(-6) and passed through 0.1 micron filters. Virus particles with morphologic features characteristic of a coronavirus are present in infectious but not in normal rabbit serums. The antigen(s) in the infectious serums cross-reacts with the 229E and the OC43 strains of human coronavirus. Antigen cross-reacting with the 229E virus is detectable by immunofluorescent staining in frozen sections of heart tissue from sick but not from healthy animals. Animals surviving infection seroconvert to coronavirus specificity, as demonstrated by the presence in convalescent serums of antibody capable of reacting with the 339E virus. Susceptibility to infection has not been demonstrated in mice, hamsters, or guinea pigs, and the virus was not adapted for growth in tissue culture. It is uncertain whether the agent is a natural pathogen of rabbits or a coronavirus contaminant from another species, possibly human. The name rabbit infectious cardiomyopathy is suggested for this disease.

Animals

Spatial Proteomics Using BiFCPL Identifies Regulators of DMV Formation Involved in Coronavirus Replication.

β-Coronaviruses hijack host factors to remodel host endo-membranes to form double membrane vesicles (DMVs), which act as central hubs for the replication of viral genomes. Understanding the molecular mechanism underlying DMV formation is critical for developing effective antiviral strategies and has garnered significant attention. However, the host factors involved in DMV formation remain scanty. Here, we employed a bimolecular fluorescence complementation-based proximity labeling (BiFCPL) strategy to investigate the proteome of DMVs generated by co-expression of SARS-CoV-2 NSP3 and NSP4. Our analysis identified 62 proteins with high confidence, among which five proteins were localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and were further confirmed to be recruited to DMVs through interactions with NSP3/NSP4. Moreover, we demonstrated that the absence of GRAMD1B or TEX2 resulted in the formation of enlarged DMVs induced by either NSP3/NSP4 or coronaviruses infection, and impaired coronaviruses replication as well. Collectively, our study concerning host-virus interactions sheds light on novel host factors involved in DMV formation.

Virus Replication

The experimental production of diarrhoea in colostrum deprived axenic and gnotoxenic calves with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, rotavirus, coronavirus and in a combined infection of rotavirus and E. coli.

We attempted to produce diarrhoea experimentally in the newborn calf by orally injecting 17 colostrum-deprived calves with two serotypes of Escherichia coli Ent+ K99+, a rotavirus and a coronavirus. With E. coli alone, a dose of 2 x 10(8) bacteria administered 24 hours after birth causes a mild attack of diarrhoea, whereas 1 x 10(10) bacteria leads to dehydration and death. An inoculation of rotavirus is followed by diarrhoea which always contains large quantities of rotavirus. These animals were anorectic for a time, but none was dehydrated or died. With coronavirus, there were large quantities of watery diarrhoea, which led to dehydration and death. The inoculation of rotavirus, not lethal in itself, followed by a similarly non lethal inoculation of E. coli in doses of 3 x 10(8) to 2 x 10(9) led to dehydration and death. The authors conclude that dehydration and death of the animal can caused by large doses of E. coli or coronavirus or by two non-lethal doses of rotavirus and E. coli administered one after the other.

Animals

Direct RNA nanopore sequencing of full-length coronavirus genomes provides novel insights into structural variants and enables modification analysis.

Sequence analyses of RNA virus genomes remain challenging owing to the exceptional genetic plasticity of these viruses. Because of high mutation and recombination rates, genome replication by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases leads to populations of closely related viruses, so-called "quasispecies." Standard (short-read) sequencing technologies are ill-suited to reconstruct large numbers of full-length haplotypes of (1) RNA virus genomes and (2) subgenome-length (sg) RNAs composed of noncontiguous genome regions. Here, we used a full-length, direct RNA sequencing (DRS) approach based on nanopores to characterize viral RNAs produced in cells infected with a human coronavirus. By using DRS, we were able to map the longest (∼26-kb) contiguous read to the viral reference genome. By combining Illumina and Oxford Nanopore sequencing, we reconstructed a highly accurate consensus sequence of the human coronavirus (HCoV)-229E genome (27.3 kb). Furthermore, by using long reads that did not require an assembly step, we were able to identify, in infected cells, diverse and novel HCoV-229E sg RNAs that remain to be characterized. Also, the DRS approach, which circumvents reverse transcription and amplification of RNA, allowed us to detect methylation sites in viral RNAs. Our work paves the way for haplotype-based analyses of viral quasispecies by showing the feasibility of intra-sample haplotype separation. Even though several technical challenges remain to be addressed to exploit the potential of the nanopore technology fully, our work illustrates that DRS may significantly advance genomic studies of complex virus populations, including predictions on long-range interactions in individual full-length viral RNA haplotypes.

Cell Line

Coronavirus Cryptic Landscape and Draft Genome of a Novel CoV Clade Related to MERS From Bats Circulating in Northeastern Brazil.

We identified seven distinct coronaviruses (CoVs) in bats from Brazil, classified into 229E-related (Alpha-CoV), Nobecovirus, Sarbecovirus, and Merbecovirus (Beta-CoV), including one closely related to MERS-like CoV with 82.8% genome coverage. To accomplish this, we screened 423 oral and rectal swabs from 16 different bat species using molecular assays, RNA sequencing, and evolutionary analysis. Notably, gaps in the spike-encoding gene led us to design new primers and perform Sanger sequencing, which revealed high similarities to MERS-related (MERSr) CoV strains found in humans and camels. Additionally, we identified key residues in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, suggesting potential interactions with DPP4, the receptor for MERSr-CoV. Our analyses also revealed evidence of recombination involving our laboratory-produced sequences. These findings highlight the extensive genetic diversity of CoVs, the presence of novel viral lineages, and the occurrence of recombination events among bat CoVs circulating in Brazil, underscoring the critical role bats play as reservoirs for emerging viruses and emphasizing the necessity of ongoing surveillance to monitor the public health risks associated with CoV spillover events.

Chiroptera

A new coronavirus-like particle associated with diarrhea in swine.

Coronavirus-like particles were detected by electron microscopy in the intestinal contents of pigs during a diarrhea outbreak on 4 swine breeding farms. Diarrhea was reproduced in experimental pigs with one of the isolates, designated CV777, which was found to be distinct from the 2 known porcine coronaviruses, transmissible gastroenteritis virus and hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus.

Animals