Genetically Engineered Live-Attenuated Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Viruses Confer Full Protection against Lethal Infection
Francisco J. Gutierrez-Alvarez, José M. Honrubia, Raúl Fernández‐Delgado, Li Wang, Carlos Castaño-Rodríguez, Sonia Zúñiga, Isabel Sola, Luis Enjuanes
Abstract
evaluation of these deletion mutants highlighted the relevance of predicted linear motifs in viral pathogenesis. Two of them, an Atg8 protein binding motif (Atg8-BM), and a forkhead-associated binding motif (FHA-BM), when deleted, rendered an attenuated virus that was evaluated as a vaccine candidate, leading to full protection against challenge with a lethal dose of MERS-CoV. This approach can be extended to the engineering of vaccines protecting against the new pandemic SARS-CoV-2.
Topics & Concepts
VirologyMiddle East respiratory syndrome coronavirusGenetically engineeredMiddle East respiratory syndromeCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)BiologyCoronavirus InfectionsSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)2019-20 coronavirus outbreakCoronavirusMedicineGeneGeneticsOutbreakInfectious disease (medical specialty)DiseasePathologySARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 ResearchViral gastroenteritis research and epidemiologyAnimal Virus Infections Studies