title: Immunological characterization of the spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus.
abstract: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a novel infectious disease caused by the SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). There are four major structural proteins in the SARS-CoV, including the nucleocapsid, spike, membrane, and small envelope proteins. In this study, two sets of truncated fragments of spike protein were generated, the first were approximately 210-bp nonoverlapping fragments and the second were overlapping segments of 750 to 900 bp. From these 23 fragments, we identified a fragment of 259 amino acids (amino acids 441 to 700) that is a major immunodominant epitope. This fragment was highly expressed, and the purified fragment C could detect all 33 SARS patient serum samples tested, collected from 7 to 60 days after the onset of fever, but had no reactivity with all 66 healthy human serum samples tested. Thus, fragment C of spike protein was identified as an immunodominant antigen and could be used for serological detection of SARS-CoV infection.
authors.affiliation: Animal Health Biotechnology Unit, Temasek Life Science Laboratory, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: Liqun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ivanus
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Manopo
authors.forename: Bernard P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Hiok Hee
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Chng
authors.forename: Ai Ee
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Li Lian
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chee
authors.forename: Eng Eong
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ooi
authors.forename: Shzu-Wei
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Jimmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kwang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000097:blood*; D000956:Antigens, Viral / Q000276:immunology; D016367:Baculoviridae / Q000235:genetics; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology* / Q000821:virology; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D018411:Spodoptera; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D016056:Immunodominant Epitopes; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins