Reverse genetic characterization of the natural genomic deletion in SARS-Coronavirus strain Frankfurt-1 open reading frame 7b reveals an attenuating function of the 7b protein in-vitro and in-vivo

During the outbreak of SARS in 2002/3, a prototype virus was isolated from a patient in Frankfurt/Germany (strain Frankfurt-1). As opposed to all other SARS-Coronavirus strains, Frankfurt-1 has a 45-nucleotide deletion in the transmembrane domain of its ORF 7b protein. When over-expressed in HEK 293 cells, the full-length protein but not the variant with the deletion caused interferon beta induction and cleavage of procaspase 3. To study the role of ORF 7b in the context of virus replication, we cloned a full genome cDNA copy of Frankfurt-1 in a bacterial artificial chromosome downstream of a T7 RNA polymerase promoter. Transfection of capped RNA transcribed from this construct yielded infectious virus that was indistinguishable from the original virus isolate. The presumed Frankfurt-1 ancestor with an intact ORF 7b was reconstructed. In CaCo-2 and HUH7 cells, but not in Vero cells, the variant carrying the ORF 7b deletion had a replicative advantage against the parental virus (4- and 6-fold increase of virus RNA in supernatant, respectively). This effect was neither associated with changes in the induction or secretion of type I interferon, nor with altered induction of apoptosis in cell culture. However, pretreatment of cells with interferon beta caused the deleted virus to replicate to higher titers than the parental strain (3.4-fold in Vero cells, 7.9-fold in CaCo-2 cells)

Identification of a contemporary human parechovirus type 1 by VIDISCA and characterisation of its full genome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Enteritis is caused by a spectrum of viruses that is most likely not fully characterised. When testing stool samples by cell culture, virus isolates are sometimes obtained which cannot be typed by current methods. In this study we used VIDISCA, a virus identification method which has not yet been widely applied, on such an untyped virus isolate.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We found a human parechovirus (HPeV) type 1 (strain designation: BNI-788st). Because genomes of contemporary HPeV1 were not available, we determined its complete genome sequence. We found that the novel strain was likely the result of recombination between structural protein genes of an ancestor of contemporary HPeV1 strains and nonstructural protein genes from an unknown ancestor, most closely related to HPeV3. In contrast to the non-structural protein genes of other HPeV prototype strains, the non-structural protein genes of BNI-788st and HPeV3 prototype strains did not co-segregate in bootscan analysis with that of other prototype strains.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>HPeV3 nonstructural protein genes may form a distinct element in a pool of circulating HPeV non-structural protein genes. More research into the complex HPeV evolution is required to connect virus ecology with disease patterns in humans.</p

Coronavirus Antibodies in African Bat Species

Asian bats have been identified as potential reservoir hosts of coronaviruses associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV). We detected antibody reactive with SARS-CoV antigen in 47 (6.7%) of 705 bat serum specimens comprising 26 species collected in Africa; thus, African bats may harbor agents related to putative group 4 CoV

Chikungunya Fever in Travelers Returning to Europe from the Indian Ocean Region, 2006

Chikungunya fever should be added to the list of differential diagnoses for ill travelers returning from this region

Detection and Prevalence Patterns of Group I Coronaviruses in Bats, Northern Germany

The virus is probably maintained on the population level by amplification and transmission in maternity colonies

A Novel Diagnostic Target in the Hepatitis C Virus Genome

Christian Drosten and colleagues develop, validate, and make openly available a prototype hepatitis C virus assay based on the conserved 3' X-tail element, with potential for clinical use in developing countries

Performance of the RealStar Chikungunya Virus Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR Kit▿

A novel commercial Chikungunya virus real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) kit was evaluated on a comprehensive panel of original patient samples. The assay was 100% sensitive and specific in comparison to a published real-time RT-PCR. Viral loads from both assays were highly correlated. The kit proved to be suitable for routine use in patient care

Detection of All Species of the Genus Alphavirus by Reverse Transcription-PCR with Diagnostic Sensitivity▿

Clinical arbovirus screening requires exclusion of a broad range of viruses with as few assays as possible. We present a reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for the detection of all species of the genus Alphavirus qualified for exclusion screening (limit of detection [LOD], 5 to 100 RNA copies per reaction across all Alphavirus species; detection of viremia down to ca. 10,000 copies per ml)