SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research

A rational design strategy and validation for protease-resistant fusion-inhibitor antiviral peptides

This study designs and validates protease-resistant antiviral peptides that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 fusion, showing improved efficacy in vitro and in vivo.

Genome-Wide Interrogation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Protein Interactions Uncovers Hidden Regulatory Sites

This study maps SARS-CoV-2 protein-RNA interactions using eCLIP, revealing new regulatory sites for viral replication and translation.

TMEM106B mediates ACE2-independent replication of the SARS-CoV-2 S-E484D variant in airway-derived cell models

This study identifies TMEM106B as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2 S-E484D variant entry, independent of ACE2, in airway-derived cell models.

Phagocytosis of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid- and RNA-Containing Immune Complexes Drives Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Endothelial Dysfunction

This study investigates how SARS-CoV-2 RNA and nucleocapsid-containing immune complexes drive inflammation and endothelial dysfunction through Fcγ receptor and TLR-8 pathways.

Mechanistic insights into coronavirus inhibition by a distinct base-modified adenosine analog targeting the viral polymerase

This paper investigates the mechanism of 6-ethyl-modified 7-deazaadenosine (EDA) as a coronavirus inhibitor, showing it stalls viral polymerase without causing mutagenesis.

Antigenic landscape of a highly mutated SARS-CoV-2 Spike in ongoing viral evolution

This study examines how mutations in the N-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 Spike affect antigenic properties and immune escape, finding that structural flexibility and loss of heme-metabolite interaction reduce antibody neutralization.

A SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor trimerizes to lock the spike protein in a closed conformation

This paper describes a trimeric inhibitor, S22, that stabilizes the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a closed conformation, preventing ACE2 binding and viral entry.

Early innate immune signatures correlate with Ad26.COV2.S vaccine durability and protective efficacy

This study identifies early innate immune signatures following Ad26.COV2.S vaccination that correlate with vaccine durability and protective efficacy in rhesus macaques and humans.

Lack of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 imprinting promotes BA.3.2.2 infection in children

This study shows that the lack of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 immune imprinting in children makes them more susceptible to BA.3.2.2 infection, as it evades neutralizing antibodies typically present in adults.

SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibition Through Dimerization Promotion by Peptidomimetic Inhibitors and Disruption by Ebselen

This study examines how different inhibitors affect the dimerization of SARS-CoV-2 main protease, revealing distinct mechanisms of action between peptidomimetics and ebselen.

MULTIVALENT ACE2 ENGAGEMENT ACTIVATES PIEZO1-SPHINGOMYELINASE SIGNALING IN SARS-COV-2 SPIKE-MEDIATED CELL-CELL FUSION

This study identifies a pathway by which SARS-CoV-2 Spike activates PIEZO1-sphingomyelinase signaling to promote cell-cell fusion through ceramide generation and phosphatase-mediated actin cortex detachment.

Multiviral RBD-decorated chimpanzee adenoviral vaccine elicits broad neutralizing immunity against diverse betacoronaviruses

Mapping the Fragment-Binding Landscape of SARS-CoV-2 nsp14 for Antiviral Drug Discovery

The paper maps the fragment-binding landscape of SARS-CoV-2 nsp14, identifies promising sites for antiviral drug development, and provides a prioritized resource for future inhibitors.

Snail restricts SARS-CoV-2 entry by limiting ACE2 expression as part of broader remodelling of epithelial determinants of viral tropism

This study identifies Snail as a host restriction factor that limits SARS-CoV-2 entry by reducing ACE2 expression through transcriptional regulation and translational suppression.

Combinatorial mosaics dissect the residue level basis of ACE2 binding divergence between SARS-CoV-2 and RaTG13

The paper constructs combinatorial RBD mosaics of SARS-CoV-2 and RaTG13 to identify residue-level differences affecting ACE2 binding affinity.

The SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain has evolved decreased inherent antigenicity in humans

The study shows that SARS-CoV-2 variants have reduced the ability of human naive B cells to recognize the RBD compared to the original Wuhan-Hu-1 variant.

Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 reshapes upper airway immunity in children

This study uses single-cell transcriptomics to show that SARS-CoV-2 variants reshape pediatric upper-airway immunity differently from adults.

Clonotype specificity distinguishes epitope-tailored and permissive somatic hypermutation

The paper shows that clonotype-restricted somatic hypermutations (SHMs) are associated with cryptic epitope recognition, while shared SHMs are permissive and not specific to particular epitopes.

A mosaic RBD-nanoparticle pan-sarbecovirus vaccine elicits nanobodies that target highly conserved epitopes

This study identifies nanobodies targeting conserved SARS-CoV-2 RBD epitopes that neutralize variants and zoonotic sarbecoviruses.

Non-canonical alternate interactors of SARS CoV-2 Spike protein implicated in placental susceptibilty

The paper identifies CD147, EGFR, and LDLR as non-canonical interactors of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in placenta, associated with increased susceptibility to vertical transmission.

Coronavirus spherules are supported by a novel triple-layer protein lattice

This study identifies a triple-layer protein lattice within coronavirus spherules and confirms a molecular pore in DMVs, providing insights into coronavirus replication structures.

Predicting viral host range for reverse zoonosis surveillance

The paper predicts viral host range using a combination of experimental screening and deep learning to identify potential animal reservoirs for reverse zoonotic transmission.

Epidemiology and virological characteristics of the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant PJ.2.1

The paper characterizes the epidemiology and virology of the SARS-CoV-2 variant PJ.2.1, finding it spreads mainly in older adults and shows increased ACE2 binding but not greater antibody evasion.

Male and female mice achieve equivalent protection against heterologous SARS-CoV-2 infection through divergent immune mechanisms

The paper shows that male and female mice achieve similar protection against a different SARS-CoV-2 strain through distinct immune mechanisms, with sex-specific roles for T-cells and inflammation.

Genome-wide within-host evolution during prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection in a person with advanced HIV infection

The paper tracks SARS-CoV-2 mutations over 90 days in an HIV-positive individual and tests their functional impact on viral entry and replication.

Bilayer-bound structure of SARS-CoV-2 Envelope protein in complex with a host PDZ domain

This study determines the bilayer-bound structure of SARS-CoV-2 E protein in complex with a host PDZ domain, revealing its pentameric oligomer state and structural interactions.

The pharmacokinetics, bio-distribution and therapeutic efficacy of a trimeric nanobody against SARS-CoV-2 in the golden Syrian hamster COVID-19 model

This study evaluates the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, and therapeutic efficacy of a trimeric nanobody against SARS-CoV-2 in golden Syrian hamsters, showing that intranasal administration provides effective respiratory exposure and therapeutic benefit.

A Monoclonal Antibody Panel to Track Antigenic Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 Subvariants

The paper develops a monoclonal antibody panel to track antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 subvariants and identifies differences in antibody-evasion profiles between JN.1 and BA.3.2 lineages.

HNRNPM promotes protein synthesis via an interaction with stem-loop 5 in the SARS-CoV-2 5'-UTR

This study identifies HNRNPM as a host protein that interacts with SL5 in the SARS-CoV-2 5'-UTR to promote viral protein synthesis.

A 10-year longitudinal study reveals bat-driven SARSr-CoV evolution

This study tracks SARSr-CoV evolution in Rhinolophus bats over 10 years, revealing host factors driving viral diversification and adaptation.