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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2

Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2

Published on: November 5, 2021

[Coronaviruses].

Fumihiro Taguchi¹

¹Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Laboratory of Virology and Viral Infections. ftaguchi@nvlu.ac.jp

|August 25, 2012

Summary

Coronaviruses utilize a unique nested mRNA structure for replication. This process involves translating viral proteins, including structural components, which are then assembled and released from host cells.

Area of Science:

Virology
Molecular Biology
Genomics

Background:

Coronaviruses possess a positive-stranded RNA genome (~30 kb) and belong to the Nidovirales order.
A key characteristic of Nidovirales is their 3' co-terminal nested mRNA structure.
Coronaviruses generate multiple subgenomic mRNAs, typically translating the open reading frame (OFR) at the 5' end.

Purpose of the Study:

To elucidate the complex replication strategy of coronaviruses.
To detail the translation and function of viral proteins encoded by the coronavirus genome.
To describe the assembly and release mechanism of infectious virions.

Main Methods:

Analysis of coronavirus genome organization and mRNA transcription.
Investigation of protein translation from viral mRNA, including ribosomal frame-shifting.

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Live Imaging and Quantification of Viral Infection in K18 hACE2 Transgenic Mice Using Reporter-Expressing Recombinant SARS-CoV-2

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Characterization of viral protein functions and virion assembly pathways.

Main Results:

The 5' end of the coronavirus genome (mRNA-1) encodes two open reading frames (ORFs), 1a and 1b, separated by a pseudoknot structure.
Translation of mRNA-1 yields proteins 1a and 1a+1b, the latter via ribosomal frame-shifting.
Proteolytic processing of 1a generates 16 non-structural proteins with diverse functions (e.g., RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, helicase).
Subsequent mRNAs (smaller than mRNA-2) encode structural proteins: nucleocapsid (N), spike (S), membrane (M), and envelope (E).
Virions assemble within the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment and are released via exocytosis.

Conclusions:

Coronaviruses employ a sophisticated nested mRNA transcription and translation system.
The coordinated expression of non-structural and structural proteins is crucial for viral replication and assembly.
Understanding these mechanisms provides insights into coronavirus pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.