A simple reverse genetics method to generate recombinant coronaviruses.

ABSTRACT: Engineering recombinant viruses is a pre-eminent tool for deciphering the biology of emerging viral pathogens such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the large size of coronavirus genomes renders the current reverse genetics methods challenging. Here, we describe a simple method based on "infectious subgenomic amplicons" (ISA) technology to generate recombinant infectious coronaviruses with no need for reconstruction of the complete genomic cDNA and apply this method to SARS-CoV-2 and also to the feline enteric coronavirus. In both cases we rescue wild-type viruses with biological characteristics similar to original strains. Specific mutations and fluorescent red reporter genes can be readily incorporated into the SARS-CoV-2 genome enabling the ge

SUBMITTER: Melade J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9066064 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature