Coronavirus Research Products

Coronavirus Research Products In the investigation of coronaviruses, various molecular and biochemical research tools are available, including antibodies, immunoassays, PCR kits, and instruments. Coronaviruses are a family of enveloped RNA viruses that infect various mammals as well as birds. Of clinical importance is the betacoronavirus genus, which contains several high-profile zoonotic viral species. Notable betacoronaviruses include SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, OC43, HKU1, and more recently, SARS-CoV-2.

Members of the Coronaviridae family contain a single-stranded RNA genome of roughly 26 to 32 kilobases. There are four major structural proteins (envelope, membrane, nucleocapsid, and spike), which can been targeted in assays to detect virus detection. Common viral immunological tools, such as antibodies and enzyme immunoassays (EIAs and ELISAs), operate on specific binding to antigens on the viral surface. Host immunoglobulins against the virus can also be used as targets. Recombinant coronavirus proteins , including the spike protein (S-protein) and nucleocapsid protein (N-protein), are also available commercially for studying the virus. PCR is another common method, which detects viral nucleic acids. Relevant applications include reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), and real-time (quantitative) qRT-PCR assays. These methods for investigation can serve as tools for basic and applied research into coronaviruses, such as in virology, immunology, drug development, and vaccine research.

Notable coronaviruses:

SARS-CoV — The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome-related) coronavirus caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak in 2003. The virus has an incubation period of 2-10 days, and can lead to pneumonia and lymphopenia in infected individuals. The SARS coronavirus genome is 29.7 kilobases in length, which encodes 14 known proteins. The human protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is known to be the primary receptor required for viral infection. SARS-CoV ELISA kits can be used in immunodetection studies.

MERS-CoV — MERS-CoV causes Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which first emerged in the Arabian peninsula in 2012. The virus is roughly 30 kilobases with as many as 27 predicted open reading frames2. The receptor for the virus is reported to be dipeptidyl peptidase 4, also known as CD26. Upon infection, the virus has an incubation period of roughly 2-14 days, colonizing the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Viral particles have also been detected in feces, serum, and urine3. MERS-CoV infection can be investigated using specific antibodies or ELISA kits.

SARS-CoV-2 — SARS coronavirus 2, previously known as 2019 novel coronavirus or 2019-nCoV, is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19)7. Genomic analyses have determined a single-stranded RNA genome size of roughly 29.9 kilobases, encoding 29 open reading frames5,8. Phylogenetic comparisons indicate a close nucleotide sequence identity (up to 96%) to SARS-like coronaviruses isolated from bats. In contrast, SARS-CoV-2 moderately resembles SARS-CoV (79%) and MERS-CoV (50%)4,5,6. More about the biology of the SARS-CoV-2 can be found here.

The COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to COVID-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have released valuable laboratory information in regards to SARS-CoV-2, including procedural guidelines and diagnostic testing1. An increasing amount of diagnostic tests are being released both by government and private sectors, comprising mainly of nucleic acid tests and immunoassays.

Recommended Reading:

  • An Overview of COVID-19 Assays

    An Overview of COVID-19 Assays

    Two general methods are used in the diagnostic detection of COVID-19: the sequence-specific molecular nucleic acid test and the antigen-specific immunoassay. We describe the general workflow for these gold-standard methods with a focus on the various tools involved in the process.
  • The Molecular Targets of SARS-CoV-2

    The Molecular Targets of SARS-CoV-2

    In an unprecedented display of effort and collaboration, the scientific community has made great strides in such a short amount of time. We highlight what researchers have now learned about the viral infection pathway of COVID-19 with an emphasis on the emerging targets for new drugs and vaccines.

References:
  • [1] Information for Laboratories: 2019-NCoV | CDC. 9 Feb. 2020, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/lab/index.html.
  • [2] Cotten, Matthew, et al. Full-Genome Deep Sequencing and Phylogenetic Analysis of Novel Human Betacoronavirus - Volume 19, Number 5—May 2013 - Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal - CDC. wwwnc.cdc.gov, doi:10.3201/eid1905.130057.
  • [3] CDC. “MERS Clinical Features.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Aug. 2019, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/mers/clinical-features.html.
  • [4] Wu, Fan, et al. “A New Coronavirus Associated with Human Respiratory Disease in China.” Nature, Feb. 2020, pp. 1–8. www.nature.com, doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2008-3.
  • [5] Lu, Roujian, et al. “Genomic Characterisation and Epidemiology of 2019 Novel Coronavirus: Implications for Virus Origins and Receptor Binding.” The Lancet, Jan. 2020, doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30251-8.
  • [6] Zhou, Peng, et al. “A Pneumonia Outbreak Associated with a New Coronavirus of Probable Bat Origin.” Nature, Feb. 2020. doi:10.1038/s41586-020-2012-7.
  • [7] Gorbalenya, Alexander E., et al. “The Species Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Related Coronavirus?: Classifying 2019-NCoV and Naming It SARS-CoV-2.” Nature Microbiology, Mar. 2020, pp. 1–9. www.nature.com, doi:10.1038/s41564-020-0695-z.
  • [8] “What Do We Know about the Novel Coronavirus’s 29 Proteins?” Chemical & Engineering News, https://cen.acs.org/biological-chemistry/infectious-disease/know-novel-coronaviruss-29-proteins/98/web/2020/04.