scholarly journals Roles of host small RNAs in the evolution and host tropism of coronaviruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingren Meng ◽  
Yanan Chu ◽  
Changjun Shao ◽  
Jing Chen ◽  
Jian Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Rnas ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Epidemiological Modeling ◽  
Host Tropism ◽  
Adaptive Mutations ◽  
Human Lungs ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Human Coronaviruses ◽  
Host Jumping

Abstract Human coronaviruses (CoVs) can cause respiratory infection epidemics that sometimes expand into globally relevant pandemics. All human CoVs have sister strains isolated from animal hosts and seem to have an animal origin, yet the process of host jumping is largely unknown. RNA interference (RNAi) is an ancient mechanism in many eukaryotes to defend against viral infections through the hybridization of host endogenous small RNAs (miRNAs) with target sites in invading RNAs. Here, we developed a method to identify potential RNAi-sensitive sites in the viral genome and discovered that human-adapted coronavirus strains had deleted some of their sites targeted by miRNAs in human lungs when compared to their close zoonic relatives. We further confirmed using a phylogenetic analysis that the loss of RNAi-sensitive target sites could be a major driver of the host-jumping process, and adaptive mutations that lead to the loss-of-target might be as simple as point mutation. Up-to-date genomic data of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and Middle-East respiratory syndromes-CoV strains demonstrate that the stress from host miRNA milieus sustained even after their epidemics in humans. Thus, this study illustrates a new mechanism about coronavirus to explain its host-jumping process and provides a novel avenue for pathogenesis research, epidemiological modeling, and development of drugs and vaccines against coronavirus, taking into consideration these findings.

scholarly journals Persistent COVID-19 Symptoms Minimally Impact the Development of SARS-CoV-2-Specific T Cell Immunity

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 916
Author(s):  
Hengsheng Fang ◽  
Adam D. Wegman ◽  
Kianna Ripich ◽  
Heather Friberg ◽  
Jeffrey R. Currier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cellular Immunity ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
T Cell Immunity ◽  
N Protein ◽  
Cell Immunity ◽  
Public Health Challenge ◽  
Human Coronaviruses ◽  
Cellular Immune ◽  
Persistent Viral Infections ◽  
Insight Into

SARS-CoV-2 represents an unprecedented public health challenge. While the majority of SARS-CoV-2-infected individuals with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 resolve their infection with few complications, some individuals experience prolonged symptoms lasting for weeks after initial diagnosis. Persistent viral infections are commonly accompanied by immunologic dysregulation, but it is unclear if persistent COVID-19 impacts the development of virus-specific cellular immunity. To this end, we analyzed SARS-CoV-2-specific cellular immunity in convalescent COVID-19 patients who experienced eight days or fewer of COVID-19 symptoms or symptoms persisting for 18 days or more. We observed that persistent COVID-19 symptoms were not associated with the development of an overtly dysregulated cellular immune response. Furthermore, we observed that reactivity against the N protein from SARS-CoV-2 correlates with the amount of reactivity against the seasonal human coronaviruses 229E and NL63. These results provide insight into the processes that regulate the development of cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 and related human coronaviruses.

scholarly journals Aquatic Biota is Not Exempt from Coronavirus Infections: An Overview

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Núñez-Nogueira ◽  
Andres Arturo Granados-Berber
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Aquatic Biota ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Human Health Effects

Coronaviruses are pathogens recognized for having an animal origin, commonly associated with terrestrial environments. However, although in a few cases, there are reports of their presence in aquatic organisms like fish, frogs, waterfowls and marine mammals. None of these cases has led to human health effects when contact with these infected organisms has taken place, whether they are alive or dead. Aquatic birds seem to be the main group carrying and circulating these types of viruses among healthy bird populations. Although the route of infection for CoVID-19 by water or aquatic organisms has not yet been observed in the wild, the relevance of its study is highlighted because there are cases of other viral infections known to have been transferred to humans by aquatic biota. It is encouraging to know that aquatic species, such as fish, marine mammals, and amphibians, shows very few cases of coronaviruses and that some other aquatic animals may also be a possible source of cure or treatment against then, as some evidence with algae and marine sponges suggest.

scholarly journals Aquatic Biota is Not Exempt from Coronavirus Infections: An Overview

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
GABRIEL NÚÑEZ-NOGUEIRA ◽  
Andres Arturo Granados-Berber
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Aquatic Organisms ◽  
Marine Sponges ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Aquatic Biota ◽  
Bird Populations ◽  
Terrestrial Environments ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Human Health Effects

Coronaviruses are pathogens recognized for having an animal origin and commonly associated with terrestrial environments. However, although in few cases, there are reports of their presence in aquatic organisms like fish, crustaceans, waterfowls and marine mammals. None of these cases have even led to human health effects, when contact with these infected organisms, whether they are alive or dead. Aquatic birds seem to be the main group in carrying and circulating these types of viruses in healthy bird populations and play an important role in these environments. Although the route of infection for CoVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) by water or aquatic organisms, has not yet been observed in the wild, the relevance of its study is highlighted , because there are cases of other viral infections (no coronavirus), which are known to have been transferred to the human by aquatic biota. What is even better, it becomes encouraging to know that aquatic species shows very few cases in fishes, marine mammals, and crustaceans, and some other aquatic animals may also be a possible source of cure or treatment against coronaviruses, as some evidence with algae and marine sponges suggests.

scholarly journals Detection of canonical A-to-G editing events at 3′ UTRs and microRNA target sites in human lungs using next-generation sequencing

Oncotarget ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (34) ◽  
pp. 35726-35736 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramani Soundararajan ◽  
Timothy M. Stearns ◽  
Anthony J. Griswold ◽  
Arpit Mehta ◽  
Alexander Czachor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Microrna Target ◽  
Human Lungs ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Generation Sequencing

scholarly journals Persistent viral infections in farm and companion animals: mechanisms of establishment and maintenance of viral persistence

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 353
Author(s):  
M. PAPANASTASOPOULOU (Μ. ΠΑΠΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΟΠΟΥΛΟΥ)
Keyword(s):  
Viral Infections ◽  
National Level ◽  
Companion Animals ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Animal Origin ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Neoplastic Disease ◽  
Persistent Infections ◽  
Persistent Viral Infections

In persistent viral infections the responsible virus is not eliminated by the host's immune system, but it is maintained in infected cells for months, years or lifetime and it is excreted periodically or continuously. The carrier animal may either appear healthy or show clinical signs. The epizootiologic importance of persistent infections is of compelling interest, since the asymptomatic carriers become a permanent source of viral dissemination that can transport the virus across long-distances and reintroduce it into a given herd, region or country, where the disease had been eliminated. Moreover, a persistent viral infection may be reactivated and cause recrudescent episodes of disease, may lead to immunopathologic or neoplastic disease in the individual host and yet may be transmitted to other animals or to the humans via contaminated materials of animal origin. The economic losses are significant at both farm and national level. Fifty four RNA or DNA viruses induce persistent infections in farm and companion animals. In particular, 14 viruses cause persistent infections in bovines, 7 in small ruminants, 9 in swine, 11 in equines, 8 in cats and 5 in dogs. The majority of these infections are caused by retroviruses and herpesviruses. For a virus to establish and maintain persistent infection, it should have limited cytolytic action, it should be able to maintain its genome within host cells over time and to evade the immune defence mechanisms of the host. The preventive measures are largely based either on the immunization of susceptible animals or on the eradication of the disease by stamping-out policy. The currendy available vaccines are inactivated or live attenuated. Most of them are prepared by conventional methods, but they also exist those that are biotechnologicaUy engineered, such as vector vaccines marker vaccines or subunit vaccines. A major advantage related to the use of marker vaccines is that vaccinated animals can potentially be differentiated from the naturally infected ones by this process.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 may regulate cellular responses through depletion of specific host miRNAs

2020 ◽  
Vol 319 (3) ◽  
pp. L444-L455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafal Bartoszewski ◽  
Michal Dabrowski ◽  
Bogdan Jakiela ◽  
Sadis Matalon ◽  
Kevin S. Harrod ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Responses ◽  
Mirna Target ◽  
Cellular Responses ◽  
Specific Host ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Target Sites ◽  
Bioinformatic Approaches ◽  
Mirna Sponges ◽  
Human Coronaviruses ◽  
Respiratory Coronavirus

Cold viruses have generally been considered fairly innocuous until the appearance of the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019, which caused the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic. Two previous viruses foreshadowed that a coronavirus could potentially have devastating consequences in 2002 [severe acute respiratory coronavirus (SARS-CoV)] and in 2012 [Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV)]. The question that arises is why these viruses are so different from the relatively harmless cold viruses. On the basis of an analysis of the current literature and using bioinformatic approaches, we examined the potential human miRNA interactions with the SARS-CoV-2’s genome and compared the miRNA target sites in seven coronavirus genomes that include SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and four nonpathogenic coronaviruses. Here, we discuss the possibility that pathogenic human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2, could modulate host miRNA levels by acting as miRNA sponges to facilitate viral replication and/or to avoid immune responses.

scholarly journals Clinical and epidemiological features of the new coronavirus infection COVID 19 in the central black region

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
IE Esaulenko ◽  
VI Popov ◽  
TN Petrova ◽  
AYu Goncharov
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Risk Groups ◽  
Regional Features ◽  
Epidemiological Features ◽  
Quality Of Medical Care ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Human Coronaviruses ◽  
Main Thing

The article provides an analysis of a large-scale epidemic outbreak caused by human coronaviruses. The epidemiological situation in the world and the Russian Federation is analyzed, which forced specialists to significantly increase the level of epidemiological danger from coronaviruses. The epidemic situations of the incidence in six regions of the Central Black Earth Region are described, the dynamics and regional features of the spread and nature of the course of the new coronavirus infection Covid-19 are generalized and systematized. Some epidemiological aspects of this infection in the territory of the Voronezh region are described. The dynamics of the epidemic process is described and a number of epidemiological indicators are analyzed (daily increase in morbidity and mortality, distribution of the duration of lethal diseases, risk groups, etc.). The clinical and epidemiological features of the combined forms of infections are analyzed: the prevalence of a moderate course, the risk of complications in risk groups. The difficulty of verifying this infection from other viral infections based on the clinical picture, the high virulence and severity of the course has been established. It was shown that the mobilization of health care to combat coronavirus infection revealed the main thing: the health care system has resources and mechanisms through which it is possible to quickly switch to work in extreme conditions. New hospitals and beds, re-equipment with diagnostic and resuscitation equipment, accelerated retraining of doctors. All this was effective evidence that an adequate potential supply of resources will not only reduce the consequences of possible epidemics in the future, but also during the period outside the epidemic will help accelerate the adoption of effective decisions and improve the quality of medical care for the population.

scholarly journals The Importance of Research on the Origin of SARS-CoV-2

Viruses ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1203
Author(s):  
Kenneth Lundstrom ◽  
Murat Seyran ◽  
Damiano Pizzol ◽  
Parise Adadi ◽  
Tarek Mohamed Abd El-Aziz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Receptor Binding ◽  
Hot Spot ◽  
Binding Domain ◽  
Receptor Binding Domain ◽  
Host Tropism ◽  
Protein Receptor ◽  
Sialic Acid Binding ◽  
Human Coronaviruses ◽  
Very High

The origin of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus causing the COVID-19 pandemic has not yet been fully determined. Despite the consensus about the SARS-CoV-2 origin from bat CoV RaTG13, discrepancy to host tropism to other human Coronaviruses exist. SARS-CoV-2 also possesses some differences in its S protein receptor-binding domain, glycan-binding N-terminal domain and the surface of the sialic acid-binding domain. Despite similarities based on cryo-EM and biochemical studies, the SARS-CoV-2 shows higher stability and binding affinity to the ACE2 receptor. The SARS-CoV-2 does not appear to present a mutational “hot spot” as only the D614G mutation has been identified from clinical isolates. As laboratory manipulation is highly unlikely for the origin of SARS-CoV-2, the current possibilities comprise either natural selection in animal host before zoonotic transfer or natural selection in humans following zoonotic transfer. In the former case, despite SARS-CoV-2 and bat RaTG13 showing 96% identity some pangolin Coronaviruses exhibit very high similarity to particularly the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. In the latter case, it can be hypothesized that the SARS-CoV-2 genome has adapted during human-to-human transmission and based on available data, the isolated SARS-CoV-2 genomes derive from a common origin. Before the origin of SARS-CoV-2 can be confirmed additional research is required

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document