scholarly journals A PCR amplicon–based SARS-CoV-2 replicon for antiviral screening

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiro Kotaki ◽  
Xuping Xie ◽  
Pei-Yong Shi ◽  
Masanori Kameoka
Keyword(s):  
Rna Replication ◽  
Stable Cell Line ◽  
Viral Translation ◽  
Antiviral Compounds ◽  
Urgent Task ◽  
Mock Control ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Polymerase Inhibitor ◽  
Biosafety Level

AbstractThe development of specific antiviral compounds to SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent task. One of the obstacles for the antiviral development is the requirement of biocontainment because infectious SARS-CoV-2 must be handled in a biosafety level-3 laboratory. Replicon, a non-infectious self-replicative viral RNA, could be a safe and effective tool for antiviral screening; however, SARS-CoV-2 replicon has not been reported yet. Herein, we generated a PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 replicon. Eight fragments covering the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome except S, E, and M genes were amplified with HiBiT-tag sequence by PCR. The amplicons were ligated and in vitro transcribed to RNA. The cells electroporated with the replicon RNA showed more than 3,000 times higher luminescence than MOCK control cells at 24 hours post-electroporation, indicating robust viral translation and RNA replication. The replication was drastically inhibited by remdesivir, an RNA polymerase inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2. The IC50 of remdesivir in this study was 0.29 μM, generally consistent to the IC50 obtained using infectious SARS-CoV-2 in a previous study (0.77 μM). Taken together, this system could be applied to the safe and effective antiviral screening without using infectious SARS-CoV-2. Because this is a transient replicon, further improvement including the establishment of stable cell line must be achieved.

scholarly journals A PCR amplicon-based SARS-CoV-2 replicon for antiviral evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomohiro Kotaki ◽  
Xuping Xie ◽  
Pei-Yong Shi ◽  
Masanori Kameoka
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Stable Cell Line ◽  
Antiviral Compounds ◽  
Urgent Task ◽  
Mock Control ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Polymerase Inhibitor ◽  
Biosafety Level

AbstractThe development of specific antiviral compounds to SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent task. One of the obstacles for the antiviral development is the requirement of biocontainment because infectious SARS-CoV-2 must be handled in a biosafety level-3 laboratory. Replicon, a non-infectious self-replicative viral RNA, could be a safe and effective tool for antiviral evaluation. Herein, we generated a PCR-based SARS-CoV-2 replicon. Eight fragments covering the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome except S, E, and M genes were amplified with HiBiT-tag sequence by PCR. The amplicons were ligated and in vitro transcribed to RNA. The cells electroporated with the replicon RNA showed more than 3000 times higher luminescence than MOCK control cells at 24 h post-electroporation, indicating robust translation and RNA replication of the replicon. The replication was drastically inhibited by remdesivir, an RNA polymerase inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2. The IC50 of remdesivir in this study was 0.29 μM, generally consistent to the IC50 obtained using infectious SARS-CoV-2 in a previous study (0.77 μM). Taken together, this system could be applied to the safe and effective antiviral evaluation without using infectious SARS-CoV-2. Because this is a PCR-based and transient replicon system, further improvement including the establishment of stable cell line must be achieved.

scholarly journals Experimental Models of COVID-19

2022 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A. Caldera-Crespo ◽  
Michael J. Paidas ◽  
Sabita Roy ◽  
Carl I. Schulman ◽  
Norma Sue Kenyon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Human Populations ◽  
Hamster Model ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Biosafety Level

COVID-19 is the most consequential pandemic of the 21st century. Since the earliest stage of the 2019-2020 epidemic, animal models have been useful in understanding the etiopathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection and rapid development of vaccines/drugs to prevent, treat or eradicate SARS-CoV-2 infection. Early SARS-CoV-1 research using immortalized in-vitro cell lines have aided in understanding different cells and receptors needed for SARS-CoV-2 infection and, due to their ability to be easily manipulated, continue to broaden our understanding of COVID-19 disease in in-vivo models. The scientific community determined animal models as the most useful models which could demonstrate viral infection, replication, transmission, and spectrum of illness as seen in human populations. Until now, there have not been well-described animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection although transgenic mouse models (i.e. mice with humanized ACE2 receptors with humanized receptors) have been proposed. Additionally, there are only limited facilities (Biosafety level 3 laboratories) available to contribute research to aid in eventually exterminating SARS-CoV-2 infection around the world. This review summarizes the most successful animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection including studies in Non-Human Primates (NHPs) which were found to be susceptible to infection and transmitted the virus similarly to humans (e.g., Rhesus macaques, Cynomolgus, and African Green Monkeys), and animal models that do not require Biosafety level 3 laboratories (e.g., Mouse Hepatitis Virus models of COVID-19, Ferret model, Syrian Hamster model). Balancing safety, mimicking human COVID-19 and robustness of the animal model, the Murine Hepatitis Virus-1 Murine model currently represents the most optimal model for SARS-CoV-2/COVID19 research. Exploring future animal models will aid researchers/scientists in discovering the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and in identifying therapies to prevent or treat COVID-19.

scholarly journals Triaryl Pyrazoline Compound Inhibits Flavivirus RNA Replication

2006 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 1320-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesc Puig-Basagoiti ◽  
Mark Tilgner ◽  
Brett M. Forshey ◽  
Sean M. Philpott ◽  
Noel G. Espina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Synthesis ◽  
Hepatitis Virus ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Viral Rna ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Stable Cell Line ◽  
Selection Marker ◽  
Viral Translation ◽  
Flavivirus Infection

ABSTRACT Triaryl pyrazoline {[5-(4-chloro-phenyl)-3-thiophen-2-yl-4,5-dihydro-pyrazol-1-yl]-phenyl-methanone} inhibits flavivirus infection in cell culture. The inhibitor was identified through high-throughput screening of a compound library using a luciferase-expressing West Nile (WN) virus infection assay. The compound inhibited an epidemic strain of WN virus without detectable cytotoxicity (a 50% effective concentration of 28 μM and a compound concentration of ≥300 μM required to reduce 50% cell viability). Besides WN virus, the compound also inhibited other flaviviruses (dengue, yellow fever, and St. Louis encephalitis viruses), an alphavirus (Western equine encephalitis virus), a coronavirus (mouse hepatitis virus), and a rhabdovirus (vesicular stomatitis virus). However, the compound did not suppress an orthomyxovirus (influenza virus) or a retrovirus (human immunodeficiency virus type 1). Mode-of-action analyses in WN virus showed that the compound did not inhibit viral entry or virion assembly but specifically suppressed viral RNA synthesis. To examine the mechanism of inhibition of dengue virus, we developed two replicon systems for dengue type 1 virus: (i) a stable cell line that harbored replicons containing a luciferase reporter and a neomycin phosphotransferase selection marker and (ii) a luciferase-expressing replicon that could differentiate between viral translation and RNA replication. Analyses of the compound in the dengue type 1 virus replicon systems showed that it weakly suppressed viral translation but significantly inhibited viral RNA synthesis. Overall, the results demonstrate that triaryl pyrazoline exerts a broad spectrum of antiflavivirus activity through potent inhibition of viral RNA replication. This novel inhibitor could be developed for potential treatment of flavivirus infection.

scholarly journals High-Throughput Screening of a Diversity Collection Using Biodefense Category A and B Priority Pathogens

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 946-956 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther W. Barrow ◽  
Patricia A. Clinkenbeard ◽  
Rebecca A. Duncan-Decocq ◽  
Rachel F. Perteet ◽  
Kimberly D. Hill ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Inhibitory Concentration ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Chemical Databases ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Biosafety Level

One of the objectives of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) Biodefense Program is to identify or develop broad-spectrum antimicrobials for use against bioterrorism pathogens and emerging infectious agents. As a part of that program, our institution has screened the 10 000-compound MyriaScreen Diversity Collection of high-purity druglike compounds against three NIAID category A and one category B priority pathogens in an effort to identify potential compound classes for further drug development. The effective use of a Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute–based high-throughput screening (HTS) 96-well–based format allowed for the identification of 49 compounds that had in vitro activity against all four pathogens with minimum inhibitory concentration values of ≤16 µg/mL. Adaptation of the HTS process was necessary to conduct the work in higher-level containment, in this case, biosafety level 3. Examination of chemical scaffolds shared by some of the 49 compounds and assessment of available chemical databases indicates that several may represent broad-spectrum antimicrobials whose activity is based on novel mechanisms of action.

scholarly journals Synthesis and in vitro Efficacy Studies of Silver Carbene Complexes on Biosafety Level 3 Bacteria

2009 ◽  
Vol 2009 (13) ◽  
pp. 1739-1745 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Panzner ◽  
Arpaporn Deeraksa ◽  
Alyssa Smith ◽  
Brian D. Wright ◽  
Khadijah M. Hindi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbene Complexes ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Biosafety Level ◽  
Efficacy Studies

scholarly journals In vitro screening of anti-viral and virucidal effects against SARS-CoV-2 by Hypericum perforatum and Echinacea

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leena Hussein Bajrai ◽  
Sherif Ali El-Kafrawy ◽  
Rabie Saleh Alnahas ◽  
Esam Ibraheem Azhar
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Rift Valley Fever ◽  
Hypericum Perforatum ◽  
Hemorrhagic Fever ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Valley Fever ◽  
Level 3 ◽  
Infectious Cycle ◽  
Biosafety Level

AbstractSpecial Infectious Agent Unit in King Fahd Medical Research Center at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, has pursed the anti-viral project field to optimize the group of medicinal plants for human-infectious diseases. We have begun virtually in this field since COVID-19 pandemic, besides our divergence in the infectious agents’. In this study and based on the previous review, Hypericum perforatum (St. John’s Wort) and Echinacea (gaia HERBS®) were tested in vitro using Vero E6 cells for their anti-viral effects against the newly identified Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) through its infectious cycle from 0 to 48 hours post infection. The hypericin (0.9 mg) of H. perforatum and the different parts (roots, seeds, aerial) of two types of Echinacea species (Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia) were examined their efficacy in certain concentration and under light-dependent anti-viral activities to measure the inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 mRNA expression of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) gene and the viral load with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), and to assess the neutralization of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding on cell culture assay. Interestingly, the mixture (H.E.) of 100 mg/mL of H. perforatum and Echinacea was tested too on SARS-CoV-2 and showed crucial anti-viral activity competing H. perforatum then Echinacea effects as anti-viral treatment. Therefore, the results of gaia HERBS® products, H. perforatum and Echinacea species, applied in this study showed significant anti-viral and virucidal effects in the following order of potency: H. perforatum, H.E., and Echinacea on SARS-CoV-2 infectious cycle; and will definitely required a set up of clinical trial with specific therapeutic protocol based on the outcome of this study.Author SummaryAfter an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in the Southern region of Saudi Arabia, particularly in May 2003, Special Infectious Agents Unit (SIAU) was established and founded by Prof. Esam Ibraheem Azhar. This unit contains a full range of facilities including Biosafety Level 3, allows him and his research groups to ambulate and culture risk group 3 viruses in Saudi Arabia & Gulf States for the first time. Since that time, SIAU and our international collaboration have been extended to implement a standard protocols in the infectious agents diagnostics procedure through different mode of collaboration including exchange of expertise, joint research program and more recently a technology transfer agreements with number of international institute sharing same interests. Furthermore, we have been engaged in number of researches related to Hajj & Umrah plus number of national services with the Ministry of Health (MOH) through which, we utilize our Mobile biosafety level 3 Lab to enhance the diagnostics of MERS CoV in the Holly sites during Hajj since 2014.In our SIAU and with a powerful team, we have excellent researches made valuable contributions through in vivo and in vitro animal and human studies, and several human viral pathogens which are a threat to global health security due to millions of pilgrims visiting Saudi Arabia every year from 182 countries: with particular areas of interests in: Alkhurma Viral Hemorrhagic Fever, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Viruses, Rift Valley Fever Virus, MERS-CoV and more recently the new global infectious diseases threat, Sever Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).

scholarly journals Analysis of Ribonucleotide 5′-Triphosphate Analogs as Potential Inhibitors of Zika Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase by Using Nonradioactive Polymerase Assays

2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaofei Lu ◽  
Gregory R. Bluemling ◽  
Paul Collop ◽  
Michael Hager ◽  
Damien Kuiper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Zika Virus ◽  
Nonstructural Protein ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Antiviral Compounds ◽  
Double Stranded Dna ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Potential Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging human pathogen that is spreading rapidly through the Americas and has been linked to the development of microcephaly and to a dramatically increased number of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases. Currently, no vaccine or therapeutic options for the prevention or treatment of ZIKV infections exist. In the study described in this report, we expressed, purified, and characterized full-length nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) and the NS5 polymerase domain (NS5pol) of ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Using purified NS5, we developed an in vitro nonradioactive primer extension assay employing a fluorescently labeled primer-template pair. Both purified NS5 and NS5pol can carry out in vitro RNA-dependent RNA synthesis in this assay. Our results show that Mn2+ is required for enzymatic activity, while Mg2+ is not. We found that ZIKV NS5 can utilize single-stranded DNA but not double-stranded DNA as a template or a primer to synthesize RNA. The assay was used to compare the efficiency of incorporation of analog 5′-triphosphates by the ZIKV polymerase and to calculate their discrimination versus that of natural ribonucleotide triphosphates (rNTPs). The 50% inhibitory concentrations for analog rNTPs were determined in an alternative nonradioactive coupled-enzyme assay. We determined that, in general, 2′-C-methyl- and 2′-C-ethynyl-substituted analog 5′-triphosphates were efficiently incorporated by the ZIKV polymerase and were also efficient chain terminators. Derivatives of these molecules may serve as potential antiviral compounds to be developed to combat ZIKV infection. This report provides the first characterization of ZIKV polymerase and demonstrates the utility of in vitro polymerase assays in the identification of potential ZIKV inhibitors.

scholarly journals Hijacking Components of the Cellular Secretory Pathway for Replication of Poliovirus RNA

2006 ◽  
Vol 81 (2) ◽  
pp. 558-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A. Belov ◽  
Nihal Altan-Bonnet ◽  
Gennadiy Kovtunovych ◽  
Catherine L. Jackson ◽  
Jennifer Lippincott-Schwartz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secretory Pathway ◽  
Brefeldin A ◽  
Rna Replication ◽  
Bound State ◽  
Small Gtpases ◽  
Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Virus Growth ◽  
Guanine Nucleotide Exchange ◽  
Membrane Reorganization

ABSTRACT Infection of cells with poliovirus induces a massive intracellular membrane reorganization to form vesicle-like structures where viral RNA replication occurs. The mechanism of membrane remodeling remains unknown, although some observations have implicated components of the cellular secretory and/or autophagy pathways. Recently, we showed that some members of the Arf family of small GTPases, which control secretory trafficking, became membrane-bound after the synthesis of poliovirus proteins in vitro and associated with newly formed membranous RNA replication complexes in infected cells. The recruitment of Arfs to specific target membranes is mediated by a group of guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) that recycle Arf from its inactive, GDP-bound state to an active GTP-bound form. Here we show that two different viral proteins independently recruit different Arf GEFs (GBF1 and BIG1/2) to the new structures that support virus replication. Intracellular Arf-GTP levels increase ∼4-fold during poliovirus infection. The requirement for these GEFs explains the sensitivity of virus growth to brefeldin A, which can be rescued by the overexpression of GBF1. The recruitment of Arf to membranes via specific GEFs by poliovirus proteins provides an important clue toward identifying cellular pathways utilized by the virus to form its membranous replication complex.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document