Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026

Co-immunoprecipitation of the Mouse Mx1 Protein with the Influenza A Virus Nucleoprotein
Published on: April 21, 2015
The antiviral effect of interferon-beta against SARS-coronavirus is not mediated by MxA protein
Martin Spiegel1, Andreas Pichlmair, Elke Mühlberger
1Abteilung Virologie, Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Hygiene, Universität Freiburg, D-79008 Freiburg, Germany.
Abstract:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a novel coronavirus termed SARS-CoV. No antiviral treatment has been established so far. Interferons are cytokines which induce the synthesis of several antivirally active proteins in the cell. In this study, we demonstrated that multiplication of SARS-CoV in cell culture can be strongly inhibited by pretreatment with interferon-beta. Interferon-alpha and interferon-gamma, by contrast, were less effective. The human MxA protein is one of the most prominent proteins induced by interferon-beta. Nevertheless, no interference with SARS-CoV replication was observed in Vero cells stably expressing MxA. Therefore, other interferon-induced proteins must be responsible for the strong inhibitory effect of interferon-beta against SARS-CoV.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibitors of Viral Protein Synthesis
Inhibitors Of Virion Release
Leaky Scanning
Coronavirus

