Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first detected in late December 2019 and has spread worldwide. Coronaviruses are enveloped, positive sense, single-stranded RNA viruses and employ a complicated pattern of virus genome length RNA replication as well as transcription of genome length and leader containing subgenomic RNAs. Although not fully understood, both replication and transcription are thought to take place in so-called double-membrane vesicles in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Here we show detection of SARS-CoV-2 subgenomic RNAs in diagnostic samples up to 17 days after initial detection of infection and provide evidence for their nuclease resistance and protection by cellular membranes suggesting that detection of subgenomic RNAs in such samples may not be a suitable indicator of active coronavirus replication/infection. During SARS-CoV-2 replication subgenomic RNAs (sgRNA) are transcribed and subsequently translated into viral proteins. Here, Alexandersen et al. provide evidence that sgRNA is not necessarily an indicator for active viral replication, but can be detected up to 17 days after symptom onset in clinical samples.
【저자키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, Virus-host interactions, 【초록키워드】 viruses, coronavirus, Genome, Transcription, Infection, diagnostic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, Viral proteins, severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus, RNA, Replication, Spread, Severe acute respiratory syndrome, clinical samples, Viral, subgenomic RNA, sgRNA, respiratory, SARS-CoV-2 replication, Coronavirus-2, Evidence, Nuclease, cytoplasm, Single-stranded RNA viruses, symptom onset, Indicator, acute respiratory syndrome, acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus, infected cells, subgenomic RNAs, single-stranded RNA virus, positive, active viral replication, cellular membranes, virus genome, cellular membrane, Vesicle, initial, thought, transcribed, translated, 【제목키워드】 diagnostic, Replication, subgenomic RNA, genomic,