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Structure of SARS-CoV-2 genome deciphered

Scientists from the International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw (IIMCB) in cooperation with researchers from the University of Groningen and the University of Leiden for the first time have studies in detail the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome structure. The results of this groundbreaking research could significantly accelerate the development of innovative RNA-targeted therapeutic strategies to fight SARS-related infections.

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COVID-19 disease is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 beta coronavirus, one of two genera that can infect mammals. Its genome is a single-stranded RNA molecule consisting of approximately 30,000 nucleotides. RNA viruses encode all proteins needed to take control of the host cell. Only a few RNA structural elements of the coronaviruses have been identified so far. Researchers from IIMCB together with their colleagues from the University of Groningen and the University of Leiden, under the supervision of Prof. Janusz Bujnicki (IIMCB), Dr. Danny Incarnato (UG), and Prof. Martijn J. van Hemert (UL), have managed to provide the first experimental characterization of the entire SARS-CoV-2 genome structure. The team performed the RNA structure probing to obtain single-base resolution secondary structure maps of the full SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus genome both in vitro and in living infected cells.

A chance to treat COVID-19

Understanding the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is critical to develop chemical substances that, by disrupting the functioning of the viral RNA, may block its lifecycle and stop its replication. Interestingly, several of 87 highly structured SARS-CoV-2 RNA regions are similar to genomic fragments of other coronaviruses, meaning that an effective drug targeting SARS-CoV-2 could also be effective against future new coronavirus strains.

Full text of the article Genome-wide mapping of SARS-CoV-2 RNA structures identifies therapeutically-relevant elements have been currently published in the Nucleic Acids Research journal among the its very best papers in Breakthrough Articles section.

Source of information: International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology in Warsaw