SARS-CoV-2 antibodies

and proteins from GeneTex

Our Partner GeneTex offers an extensive line of research antibodies and proteins to support the study of SARS-CoV-2

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), previously known as 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV), is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus that causes the potentially lethal COVID-19 respiratory tract infection. This new virus belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus, which also includes SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The first case of COVID-19 was detected in December, 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has now been declared a pandemic (1). Human-to-human spread has been confirmed, with a suspected incubation period of ~2-14 days. There are some reports of transmission in the absence of clear symptoms, though infected people are likely most contagious due to coughing and sneezing that expel respiratory droplets.

With SARS-CoV-2 now reaching pandemic status, researchers and clinicians have been working furiously to learn more about the virus’s biology and pathogenesis as well as how to treat the more clinically aggressive COVID-19 cases. As with any viral pathogen, understanding how SARS-CoV-2 enters host cells is of great significance.

In their study published very recently in Cell, Hoffmann et al. confirm findings reported by Zhou et al. that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for SARS-CoV-2, as it is for SARS-CoV (2, 3). In addition, they identify the serine protease TMPRSS2 as a critical factor in the priming of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, an essential step for viral entry into host cells through fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. The authors also demonstrate that the serine protease inhibitor camostat mesylate, an agent that has already seen clinical application as a treatment for chronic pancreatitis in Japan, is able to interfere with SARS-CoV-2 infection of lung cells. Finally, the study presents data that antibodies generated to SARS-CoV S protein may have some protective activity against SARS-CoV-2. Together, this work expands our knowledge of key factors involved in SARS-CoV-2’s entry into cells and reveals some promising avenues for SARS-CoV-2-directed therapies.

GeneTex is proud to offer an extensive line of research antibodies and proteins to support the study of SARS-CoV-2, several of which were validated using virus-infected cell lysates. Please see the highlighted products below or click the button to see more product information.

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