SARS-CoV-2 Research
At present, the outbreak of a coronavirus-associated acute respiratory disease called coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the third time that animal coronavirus has spread to human in just 20 years, leading to a major epidemic. As the virus continues its global spread, understanding the SARS-CoV-2 mechanism is critical for drug discovery and vaccine development. Relying on the recombinant virus development platform in our gene therapy service, Creative Biolabs launched tools for SARS-CoV-2 research including pseudoviruses and recombinant overexpressed viruses.
Background of SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Since December 2019, in a city of 11 million people in Wuhan, China, more and more patients with unexplained pneumonia have alarmed local hospitals. The pathogenic factor was not discovered until January 7, 2020: SARS-CoV-2. The isolation and identification of the virus significantly promoted the development of molecular diagnostic methods and the identification of infected persons. The virus particles of SARS-CoV-2 look like a corona: the virus particles are spherical and have a certain polymorphism; the diameter of the virus particles is 60-140 nm, with obvious spikes, and the length is 8-12 nm. The morphological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 are consistent with the typical characteristics of Coronaviridae.
Tools to Study SARS-CoV-2-Host Interactions
SARS-CoV-2 is a positive-stranded single-stranded RNA virus composed of several key proteins, including a spike (S) protein, a hemagglutinin esterase dimer (HE), a membrane (M) glycoprotein, an envelope (E) protein and a nucleocapsid (N) protein to promote infection. The S protein binds to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) receptor to mediate the virus into the host cell, thereby fusing the viral membrane to the host membrane. At present, many studies are focused on a better understanding of the interaction between the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE-2 receptor, so as to better develop anti-infection strategies.
Fig.1 Postulated mechanisms modulating SARS-CoV-2 attachment and fusion machinery on human host cells. (Perrotta, 2020)
The Role of Recombinant Virus in SARS-CoV-2 Research
Through the use of recombinant DNA technology, recombinant viruses can be produced and modified in specific virus vectors, which can effectively transfer and promote a high level of transgenic expression in a variety of host cells. Relying on our extensive experience in the recombinant virus platform, we have developed two products to help researchers in the research of SARS-CoV-2.
Pseudoviruses have the basic components of cell entry and virus infection, but they lack nucleic acids and lose the ability of self-replication. Due to their safety and versatility, they are considered to be effective virology tools that can be used to imitate SARS-CoV-2 for further research.
Targeted overexpression of disease-causing genes through recombinant viral vectors provides a new and highly flexible method for the research and modeling of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Creative Biolabs provides high-quality and different types of recombinant viruses that can be used in SARS-CoV-2 research. We strictly check and verify every step of recombinant virus production to ensure its reliability.
Reference
- Perrotta, F.; et al. Severe respiratory SARS-CoV2 infection: Does ACE2 receptor matter. Respiratory Medicine. 2020: 105996.
