title: The 3a protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus induces apoptosis in Vero E6 cells.
abstract: An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred in China and the first case emerged in mid-November 2002. The aetiological agent of this disease was found to be a previously unknown coronavirus, SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The detailed pathology of SARS-CoV infection and the host response to the viral infection are still not known. The 3a gene encodes a non-structural viral protein, which is predicted to be a transmembrane protein. In this study, it was shown that the 3a protein was expressed in the lungs and intestinal tissues of SARS patients and that the protein localized to the endoplasmic reticulum in 3a-transfected monkey kidney Vero E6 cells. In vitro experiments of chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation suggested that the 3a protein may trigger apoptosis. These data showed that overexpression of a single SARS-CoV protein can induce apoptosis in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Patrick T W
authors.initials: PTW
authors.lastname: Law
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Chi-Hang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Thomas C C
authors.initials: TCC
authors.lastname: Au
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Chi-Pang
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chuck
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Siu-Kai
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Paul K S
authors.initials: PKS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Ka-Fai
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: To
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Anthony W I
authors.initials: AWI
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Judy Y W
authors.initials: JYW
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Yick-Keung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Suen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: H Y Edwin
authors.initials: HYE
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Kwok-Pui
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.affiliation: The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Mary M Y
authors.initials: MMY
authors.lastname: Waye
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Joseph J Y
authors.initials: JJY
authors.lastname: Sung
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Y M Dennis
authors.initials: YMD
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: The Croucher Laboratory for Human Genomics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Department of Biochemistry, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.|Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Stephen K W
authors.initials: SKW
authors.lastname: Tsui
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D004721:Endoplasmic Reticulum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000821:virology; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism / Q000821:virology; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000378:metabolism / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000821:virology; D014709:Vero Cells; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins
chemical_list: C487105:3a protein, SARS-CoV; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; D014764:Viral Proteins; D000086082:Viroporin Proteins