ABSTRACT
Viruses have brought humanity many challenges: respiratory infection, cancer, neurological impairment and immunosuppression to name a few. Virology research over the last 60+ years has responded to reduce this disease burden with vaccines and antivirals. Despite this long history, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented attention to the field of virology. Some of this attention is focused on concern about the safe conduct of research with human pathogens. A small but vocal group of individuals has seized upon these concerns - conflating legitimate questions about safely conducting virus-related research with uncertainties over the origins of SARS-CoV-2. The result has fueled public confusion and, in many instances, ill-informed condemnation of virology. With this article, we seek to promote a return to rational discourse. We explain the use of gain-of-function approaches in science, discuss the possible origins of SARS-CoV-2 and outline current regulatory structures that provide oversight for virological research in the United States. By offering our expertise, we - a broad group of working virologists - seek to aid policy makers in navigating these controversial issues. Balanced, evidence-based discourse is essential to addressing public concern while maintaining and expanding much-needed research in virology.
Subject(s)
Research , Virology , Virus Diseases , Humans , COVID-19/prevention & control , Information Dissemination , Pandemics/prevention & control , Policy Making , Research/standards , Research/trends , SARS-CoV-2 , Virology/standards , Virology/trends , Virus Diseases/prevention & control , Virus Diseases/virology , VirusesABSTRACT
Early detection of viral pathogens by DNA-sensors in clinical samples, contaminated foods, soil or water can dramatically improve clinical outcomes and reduce the socioeconomic impact of diseases such as COVID-19. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and its associated protein Cas12a (previously known as CRISPR-Cpf1) technology is an innovative new-generation genomic engineering tool, also known as 'genetic scissors', that has demonstrated the accuracy and has recently been effectively applied as appropriate (E-CRISPR) DNA-sensor to detect the nucleic acid of interest. The CRISPR-Cas12a from Prevotella and Francisella 1 are guided by a short CRISPR RNA (gRNA). The unique simultaneous cis- and trans- DNA cleavage after target sequence recognition at the PAM site, sticky-end (5-7 bp) employment, and ssDNA/dsDNA hybrid cleavage strategies to manipulate the attractive nature of CRISPR-Cas12a are reviewed. DNA-sensors based on the CRISPR-Cas12a technology for rapid, robust, sensitive, inexpensive, and selective detection of virus DNA without additional sample purification, amplification, fluorescent-agent- and/or quencher-labeling are relevant and becoming increasingly important in industrial and medical applications. In addition, CRISPR-Cas12a system shows great potential in the field of E-CRISPR-based bioassay research technologies. Therefore, we are highlighting insights in this research direction.
Subject(s)
CRISPR-Cas Systems/physiology , DNA, Viral/isolation & purification , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques , Animals , Biosensing Techniques/methods , Biosensing Techniques/trends , COVID-19/virology , DNA, Viral/analysis , Environmental Pollutants/analysis , Environmental Pollutants/isolation & purification , Food Contamination/analysis , Humans , Molecular Typing/methods , Molecular Typing/trends , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/methods , Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques/trends , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Virology/methods , Virology/trends , Virus Diseases/classification , Virus Diseases/diagnosis , Virus Diseases/virologySubject(s)
Classification , SARS-CoV-2 , Virology/trends , Viruses/classification , Viruses/isolation & purification , Animals , Carbon/analysis , Databases, Genetic , Datasets as Topic , Ecosystem , Genome, Viral/genetics , Giant Viruses/genetics , Giant Viruses/isolation & purification , Host Microbial Interactions , Humans , Metagenome/genetics , Permafrost/chemistry , Permafrost/microbiology , Permafrost/virology , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Species Specificity , Terminology as Topic , Viruses/genetics , Wastewater/microbiology , Wastewater/virologySubject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Civil Defense , Delivery of Health Care , Pandemics , SARS-CoV-2/physiology , COVID-19/diagnosis , COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/therapy , Career Choice , Civil Defense/organization & administration , Civil Defense/standards , Civil Defense/trends , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/diagnosis , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/epidemiology , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/prevention & control , Communicable Diseases, Emerging/therapy , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Delivery of Health Care/standards , Delivery of Health Care/trends , Economic Recession , Emergencies , France/epidemiology , Healthcare Disparities/organization & administration , Healthcare Disparities/standards , Healthcare Disparities/trends , Humans , Learning , Politics , Public Health/methods , Public Health/standards , Public Health/trends , Socioeconomic Factors , United States/epidemiology , Virology/education , Virology/organization & administration , Virology/trendsABSTRACT
This first International Alliance for Biological Standardization Covid-19 webinar brought together a broad range of international stakeholders, including academia, regulators, funders and industry, with a considerable delegation from low- and middle-income countries, to discuss the virology, epidemiology and immunology of, and the vaccine development for SARS-CoV-2.
Subject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Coronavirus Infections/immunology , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Pandemics/prevention & control , Pneumonia, Viral/immunology , Pneumonia, Viral/prevention & control , Viral Vaccines , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Basic Reproduction Number , COVID-19 , COVID-19 Vaccines , Congresses as Topic , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Coronavirus Infections/virology , Drug Design , Female , Global Health , Humans , International Cooperation , Internet , Male , Middle Aged , Pneumonia, Viral/epidemiology , Pneumonia, Viral/virology , Reference Standards , SARS-CoV-2 , Seasons , Telecommunications , Virology/trends , Young AdultSubject(s)
Betacoronavirus , Chiroptera/virology , Coronavirus Infections/prevention & control , Animals , Anniversaries and Special Events , Betacoronavirus/immunology , COVID-19 Vaccines , China/epidemiology , Congresses as Topic , Coronavirus Infections/epidemiology , Editorial Policies , History, 20th Century , Humans , Pandemics , Periodicals as Topic/history , SARS-CoV-2 , Viral Vaccines , Virology/trendsABSTRACT
I have been researching coronaviruses for more than forty years. This viewpoint summarizes some of the major findings in coronavirus research made before the SARS epidemic and how they inform current research on the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2.