Identifying Primate ACE2 Variants That Confer Resistance to SARS-CoV-2

SARS-CoV-2 infects humans through the binding of viral S-protein (spike protein) to human angiotensin I converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The structure of the ACE2-S-protein complex has been deciphered and we focused on the 27 ACE2 residues that bind to S-protein. From human sequence databases, we identified nine ACE2 variants at ACE2–S-protein binding sites. We used both experimental assays and protein structure analysis to evaluate the effect of each variant on the binding affinity of ACE2 to S-protein. We found one variant causing complete binding disruption, two and three variants, respectively, strongly and mildly reducing the binding affinity, and two variants strongly enhancing the binding affinity. We then collected the ACE2 gene sequences from 57 nonhuman primates. Among the 6 apes and 20 Old World monkeys (OWMs) studied, we found no new variants. In contrast, all 11 New World monkeys (NWMs) studied share four variants each causing a strong reduction in binding affinity, the Philippine tarsier also possesses three such variants, and 18 of the 19 prosimian species studied share one variant causing a strong reduction in binding affinity. Moreover, one OWM and three prosimian variants increased binding affinity by >50%. Based on these findings, we proposed that the common ancestor of primates was strongly resistant to and that of NWMs was completely resistant to SARS-CoV-2 and so is the Philippine tarsier, whereas apes and OWMs, like most humans, are susceptible. This study increases our understanding of the differences in susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection among primates.     

Covid‐19.bioreproducibility.org: A web resource for SARS‐CoV‐2‐related structural models

The COVID‐19 pandemic has triggered numerous scientific activities aimed at understanding the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus and ultimately developing treatments. Structural biologists have already determined hundreds of experimental X‐ray, cryo‐EM, and NMR structures of proteins and nucleic acids related to this coronavirus, and this number is still growing. To help biomedical researchers, who may not necessarily be experts in structural biology, navigate through the flood of structural models, we have created an online resource, covid19.bioreproducibility.org, that aggregates expert‐verified information about SARS‐CoV‐2‐related macromolecular models. In this article, we describe this web resource along with the suite of tools and methodologies used for assessing the structures presented therein.     

新型冠状病毒的相关研究进展

2019年12月出现于湖北武汉的一种新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)感染所致肺炎疫情,给人类生命安全造成威胁。迄今为止,对2019年出现的SARS-CoV-2的研究仍处于起步阶段,本文就其相关研究进展进行综述,重点阐述了目前关于SARS-CoV-2的病原学与致病机制方面的研究成果,同时对其流行病学以及该病毒引发的肺炎临床特点加以总结,有助于读者及时了解SARS-CoV-2最新的研究动态,并为今后开展治疗药物及疫苗研发提供方向。     

Genomic surveillance of Nevada patients revealed prevalence of unique SARS-CoV-2 variants bearing mutations in the RdRp gene

Patients with signs of COVID-19 were tested through diagnostic RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 using RNA extracted from the nasopharyngeal/nasal swabs.To determine the variants of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the state of Nevada,specimens from 200 COVID-19 patients were sequenced through our robust sequencing platform,which enabled sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 from specimens with even very low viral loads,without the need of culture-based amplification.High genome coverage allowed the identification of single and multi-nucleotide variants in SARS-CoV-2 in the community and their phylogenetic relationships with other variants present during the same period of the outbreak.We report the occurrence of a novel mutation at 323aa (314aa of orf1b) of nsp12 (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) changed to phenylalanine(F) from proline (P),in the first reported isolate of SARS-CoV-2,Wuhan-Hu-1.This 323F variant was present at a very high frequency in Northern Nevada.Structural modeling determined this mutation in the interface domain,which is important for the association of accessory proteins required for the polymerase.In conclusion,we report the introduction of specific SARS-CoV-2 variants at very high frequency in distinct geographic locations,which is important for understanding the evolution and circulation of SARS-CoV-2variants of public health importance,while it circulates in humans.     

Sustainability of SARS-CoV-2 Induced Humoral Immune Responses in COVID-19 Patients from Hospitalization to Convalescence Over Six Months

Virologica Sinica - Understanding the persistence of antibody in convalescent COVID-19 patients may help to answer the current major concerns such as the risk of reinfection, the protection period...     

C19orf66 Inhibits Japanese Encephalitis Virus Replication by Targeting -1 PRF and the NS3 Protein

Virologica Sinica - The Japanese encephalitis serogroup of the neurogenic Flavivirus has a specific feature that expresses a non-structural protein NS1′ produced through a programmed -1...     

A Self-Biomineralized Novel Adenovirus Vectored COVID-19 Vaccine for Boosting Immunization of Mice

Virologica Sinica - SARS-CoV-2 has caused more than 3.8 million deaths worldwide, and several types of COVID-19 vaccines are urgently approved for use, including adenovirus vectored vaccines....     

黄色肉芽肿性胆囊炎与胆囊癌的临床特征分析及螺旋CT检查的鉴别诊断价值

目的:研究黄色肉芽肿性胆囊炎(XGC)与胆囊癌的临床特征分析及螺旋CT检查的鉴别诊断价值。方法:选取从2018年1月-2020年12月于我院接受腹部螺旋CT检查的41例XGC患者纳入研究,记作XGC组,另取同期医院接受腹部螺旋CT检查的45例胆囊癌患者作为胆囊癌组。分析两组临床特征、螺旋CT检查结果表现,比较两组血清血管内皮生长因子(VEGF)、糖类抗原19-9(CA19-9)水平的差异。并以病理检查为金标准,分析螺旋CT检查用作XGC与胆囊癌鉴别诊断的价值。结果:XGC组患者食欲下降、体重下降人数占比均低于胆囊癌组(均P<0.05);而两组腹痛、黄疸、发热、白细胞(WBC)升高、谷丙转氨酶(ALT)升高、谷草转氨酶(AST)升高、胆囊扩张发生率对比差异无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。XGC组囊壁增厚均匀、壁内有低密度结节人数占比均低于胆囊癌组,而有肿大淋巴结人数占比高于胆囊癌组(均P<0.05)。螺旋CT检查诊断XGC的灵敏度、特异度、准确度分别为95.12(39/41)、95.56%(43/45)、95.35%(82/86)。XGC组患者血清VEGF、CA19-9水平均低于胆囊癌组,差异均有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论:XGC患者食欲下降、体重下降发生率低于胆囊癌患者,螺旋CT检查鉴别诊断XGC与胆囊癌的价值较高,值得临床关注。