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Study identifies key features in SARS-CoV-2 genome essential for replication in respiratory cells

Researchers at the Institute of Medical Virology, the University of Zurich in Switzerland, have identified features in the SARS-CoV-2 genome that are important for human respiratory cell growth.

29 Mar 2021

Addressing the increasing plasticity of SARS-CoV-2

Researchers summarize what this rapid increase of plasticity of SARS-CoV-2 could mean for the future of the pandemic and anti-SARS-CoV-2 measures.

29 Mar 2021

Developing orally administrable drugs to combat SARS-CoV-2

Researchers in China have reported the successful design and synthesis of two antiviral compounds that target the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)’s main protease, essential in virus replication.

29 Mar 2021

Virus-cell interaction may partly explain the higher infection rate of COVID-19

Bioengineering researchers at Lehigh University have identified a previously unknown interaction between receptors in human cells and the spike, or "S," protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

29 Mar 2021

Large U.S. study identifies sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with SARS-CoV-2 testing and positivity

The massive and continuing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), throughout the world, has led to a staggering toll of over 549,000 deaths in the USA, among over 30 million cases. A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server discusses the factors related to the chances of testing positive for this virus.

29 Mar 2021

Persistent impact on smell and taste in COVID-19 patients one year later

The presentation of the infection ranges from asymptomatic, through dry cough with fever, anosmia/dysgeusia, to shortness of breath with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server reports on the clinical progression of anosmia and dysgeusia, in particular, one year after the infection.

29 Mar 2021

Single Sputnik V vaccine dose elicits robust immune response in previously infected individuals

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv server describes successful immunization of the vaccinated population with a single dose of the Russian-made Sputnik V vaccine.

29 Mar 2021

Linear epitope mapping of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein

The spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been the primary target of many drug discovery efforts and is similarly utilized in each of the approved COVID-19 vaccines to elicit the generation of anti-spike protein antibodies, thereby granting immunity.

28 Mar 2021

Boerhavia diffusa possess potential therapeutic properties against COVID-19

Several companies and research groups have been searching for suitably docking ligands that inhibit the function of this protein. In a research paper recently published to the Springer journal VirusDisease by Surya & Praveen (March 6th, 2021) in silico docking simulations towards 3CLpro have been performed, focusing in particular on natural products obtained from the plant Boerhavia diffusa.

28 Mar 2021

Combined clinical and genomic data better predicts COVID-19 severity

The current COVID-19 outbreak is one of the worst pandemics in history and has claimed millions of lives across the globe, overwhelmed healthcare systems, and created unprecedented socio-economic ramifications.

28 Mar 2021

Antibody agents effective at neutralizing European, South African, and United States SARS-CoV-2 variants

Researchers in the United States have demonstrated the effectiveness of three antibody agents at neutralizing recently emerged variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) – the agent responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

28 Mar 2021

New SARS-CoV-2 genome variants identified in US mink

Researchers in Canada have discovered two novel variants in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gene sequences collected from mink in the United States.

28 Mar 2021

Research finds polymerase of SARS-CoV-2 can adopt an alternative structure

New research by German scientists has uncovered another form of coronavirus polymerase. The current polymerase thought to be used for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for replication and transcription. It contains a monomeric enzyme with the catalytic subunit nsp12, two copies of subunit nsp8, and one copy of subunit nsp7.

28 Mar 2021

mRNA vaccines and monoclonal antibodies protect against new NYC-B.1.526 variant

A new fast-spreading severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant called B.1.526 recently emerged in New York City and caused concerns for its potential to resist the immune system.

28 Mar 2021

Selecting SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors in human airway epithelial cells

In a recent article currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, researchers from Belgium and the U.S. demonstrated a robust replication model for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) isolates in primary human epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface and appraised the antiviral effect of selected viral replication inhibitors.

28 Mar 2021

Researchers identify new drug candidates for treating patients with severe COVID-19

University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) researchers have identified the most toxic proteins made by SARS-COV-2--the virus that causes COVID-19 - and then used an FDA-approved cancer drug to blunt the viral protein's detrimental effects.

27 Mar 2021

Novel molecule could offer a new way to fight against SARS coronavirus 2

Scientists at the University of Bonn and the caesar research center have isolated a molecule that might open new avenues in the fight against SARS coronavirus 2. The active ingredient binds to the spike protein that the virus uses to dock to the cells it infects.

27 Mar 2021

Universal mask policy could reduce healthcare workers' risk of acquiring COVID-19

A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine from researchers at Henry Ford Health System has found that Henry Ford's early implementation of a universal mask policy in the COVID-19 pandemic was associated with reducing the risk of healthcare workers at Henry Ford acquiring COVID-19.

26 Mar 2021

New project receives $9 million CIHR funding to track global threat of COVID-19 variants

A project spearheaded by a researcher at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Medicine has been awarded $9 million in Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) funding to create a national network for better researching and responding to the global threat COVID-19 variants pose.

26 Mar 2021

A novel approach to oral vaccination against Covid-19

Scientists at the University of Würzburg together with a pharmaceutical company are working on a novel approach to oral vaccination against the coronavirus.

26 Mar 2021