title: Synthetic peptide studies on the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus spike glycoprotein: perspective for SARS vaccine development.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The S (spike) protein of the etiologic coronavirus (CoV) agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) plays a central role in mediating viral infection via receptor binding and membrane fusion between the virion and the host cell. We focused on using synthetic peptides for developing antibodies against SARS-CoV, which aimed to block viral invasion by eliciting an immune response specific to the native SARS-CoV S protein.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six peptide sequences corresponding to the surface regions of SARS-CoV S protein were designed and investigated by use of combined bioinformatics and structural analysis. These synthetic peptides were used to immunize both rabbits and monkeys. Antisera collected 1 week after the second immunization were analyzed by ELISA and tested for antibody specificity against SARS-CoV by immunofluorescent confocal microscopy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four of our six synthetic peptides (S2, S3, S5, and S6) elicited SARS-CoV-specific antibodies, of which S5 (residues 788-820) and S6 (residues 1002-1030) exhibited immunogenic responses similar to those found in a parallel investigation using truncated recombinant protein analogs of the SARS-CoV S protein. This suggested that our S5 and S6 peptides may represent two minimum biologically active sequences of the immunogenic regions of the SARS-CoV S protein.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Synthetic peptides can elicit specific antibodies to SARS-CoV. The study provides insights for the future development of SARS vaccine via the synthetic-peptide-based approach.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Biotechnology Program, Department of Biology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wai-Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Choy
authors.forename: Shu-Guang
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Paul Kay-Sheung
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: John Siu-Lun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.forename: Y M Dennis
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.forename: Ida Miu-Ting
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Sau-Na
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Ming-Qi
authors.initials: MQ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Kwok-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Mary Miu-Yee
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Waye
authors.forename: Stephen Kwok-Wing
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Tsui
authors.forename: Kai-On
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Zhi-Xin
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yi-Long
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Zhan-Yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Sai-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ngai
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D000882:Haplorhini; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D011817:Rabbits; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014611:Vaccination; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D014765:Viral Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D010455:Peptides; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014765:Viral Vaccines; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV; C578553:spike protein, mouse hepatitis virus