Abstract
SARS-CoV is a newly identified coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Currently, there is no effective method available for prophylaxis and treatment of SARS-CoV infections. In the present study, the influence of small interfering RNA (siRNA) on SARS-CoV nucleocapsid (N) protein expression was detected in cultured cells and mouse muscles. Four siRNA expression cassettes driven by mouse U6 promoter targeting SARS-CoV N gene were prepared, and their inhibitory effects on expression of N and enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) fusion protein were observed. A candidate siRNA was proved to down-regulate N and EGFP expression actively in a sequence-specific manner. The expression vector of this siRNA was constructed and confirmed to reduce N and EGFP expression efficiently in both cultured cells and adult mouse muscles. Our findings suggest that the siRNA should provide the basis for prophylaxis and therapy of SARS-CoV infection in human.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 2404-2410 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | FEBS Letters |
Volume | 579 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Apr 25 2005 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Nucleocapsid protein
- RNA interference
- Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus
- Small interfering RNA
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Biophysics
- Structural Biology
- Biochemistry
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Cell Biology