A nidovirus perspective on SARS-CoV-2

Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, vol. 538, pp. 24–34

Abstract

Two pandemics of respiratory distress diseases associated with zoonotic introductions of the species Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus in the human population during 21st century raised unprecedented interest in coronavirus research and assigned it unseen urgency. The two viruses responsible for the outbreaks, SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, respectively, are in the spotlight, and SARS-CoV-2 is the focus of the current fast-paced research. Its foundation was laid down by studies of many corona- and related viruses that collectively form the vast order Nidovirales. Comparative genomics of nidoviruses played a key role in this advancement over more than 30 years. It facilitated the transfer of knowledge from characterized to newly identified viruses, including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, as well as contributed to the dissection of the nidovirus proteome and identification of patterns of variations between different taxonomic groups, from species to families. This review revisits selected cases of protein conservation and variation that define nidoviruses, illustrates the remarkable plasticity of the proteome during nidovirus adaptation, and asks questions at the interface of the proteome and processes that are vital for nidovirus reproduction and could inform the ongoing research of SARS-CoV-2.

Authors 2

1. Anastasia A. Gulyaeva Aachen Department of Medical Microbiology

   Leiden University Medical Center

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands

2. Alexander E. Gorbalenya corresponding Aachen Department of Medical Microbiology

   Leiden University Medical Center · Lomonosov Moscow State University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands; Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119899, Moscow, Russia. Electronic address: a.e.gorbalenya@lumc.nl

   Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, 2300 RC, Leiden, the Netherlands

   Faculty of Bioengineering and Bioinformatics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119899, Moscow, Russia