Potential host range of multiple SARS-like coronaviruses and an improved ACE2-Fc variant that is potent against both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1

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Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a currently uncontrolled pandemic and the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is important to study the host range of SARS-CoV-2 because some domestic species might harbor the virus and transmit it back to humans. In addition, insight into the ability of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-like viruses to utilize animal orthologs of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 might provide structural insight into improving ACE2-based viral entry inhibitors. Here we show that ACE2 orthologs of a wide range of domestic and wild animals support entry of SARS-CoV-2, as well as that of SARS-CoV-1, bat coronavirus RaTG13, and a coronavirus isolated from pangolins. Some of these species, including camels, cattle, horses, goats, sheep, pigs, cats, and rabbits may serve as potential intermediate hosts for new human transmission, and rabbits in particular may serve as a useful experimental model of COVID-19. We show that SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 entry could be potently blocked by recombinant IgG Fc-fusion proteins of viral spike protein receptor-binding domains (RBD-Fc) and soluble ACE2 (ACE2-Fc). Moreover, an ACE2-Fc variant, which carries a D30E mutation and has ACE2 truncated at its residue 740 but not 615, outperforms all the other ACE2-Fc variants on blocking entry of both viruses. Our data suggest that RBD-Fc and ACE2-Fc could be used to treat and prevent infection of SARS-CoV-2 and any new viral variants that emerge over the course of the pandemic.

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  1. SciScore for 10.1101/2020.04.10.032342: (What is this?)

    Please note, not all rigor criteria are appropriate for all manuscripts.

    Table 1: Rigor

    Institutional Review Board Statementnot detected.
    Randomizationnot detected.
    Blindingnot detected.
    Power Analysisnot detected.
    Sex as a biological variablenot detected.
    Cell Line Authenticationnot detected.

    Table 2: Resources

    Antibodies
    SentencesResources
    Cells were then stained with 5 μg/mL RBD-Fc proteins at 37 °C for 10 min, washed three times, and then stained with 2 μg/mL Alexa488 conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG secondary antibody (Invitrogen, Cat. No. A-11001) at room temperature for 20 min.
    anti-mouse IgG
    suggested: (Thermo Fisher Scientific Cat# A-11001, RRID:AB_2534069)
    ACE2-S-tag expression was detected by using 6.2, a mouse anti-S-tag monoclonoal antibody (Invitrogen, Cat. No. MA1-981), and an HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG Fc secondary antibody (Invitrogen, Cat. No. 31437).
    anti-S-tag
    suggested: (Thermo Fisher Scientific Cat# MA1-981, RRID:AB_347008)
    Spike-C9-tag expression was then detected by using 1D4, a mouse anti-C9-tag monoclonal antibody (Invitrogen, Cat. No. MA1-722), and the HRP-conjugated goat anti-mouse IgG Fc secondary antibody (Invitrogen, Cat. No. 31437).
    anti-C9-tag
    suggested: None
    Experimental Models: Cell Lines
    SentencesResources
    293T-based stable cells expressing human ACE2 were maintained under the same culture condition as 293T, except that 3 μg/mL of puromycin was added to the growth medium.
    293T-based
    suggested: None
    293F cells for recombinant protein production was generously provided by Dr. Yu J.
    293F
    suggested: RRID:CVCL_D615)
    Production of reporter retroviruses pseudotyped with coronavirus spike proteins or VSV-G: 293T cells were seeded at 30% density in 150 mm dish at 12-15 hours before transfection.
    293T
    suggested: None
    Software and Algorithms
    SentencesResources
    Statistical analyses were performed using two-sided two-sample Student’s t-test using GraphPad Prism 6.0 software when applicable.
    GraphPad Prism
    suggested: (GraphPad Prism, RRID:SCR_002798)

    Results from OddPub: We did not detect open data. We also did not detect open code. Researchers are encouraged to share open data when possible (see Nature blog).


    Results from LimitationRecognizer: An explicit section about the limitations of the techniques employed in this study was not found. We encourage authors to address study limitations.

    Results from TrialIdentifier: No clinical trial numbers were referenced.


    Results from Barzooka: We found bar graphs of continuous data. We recommend replacing bar graphs with more informative graphics, as many different datasets can lead to the same bar graph. The actual data may suggest different conclusions from the summary statistics. For more information, please see Weissgerber et al (2015).


    Results from JetFighter: Please consider improving the rainbow (“jet”) colormap(s) used on page 12. At least one figure is not accessible to readers with colorblindness and/or is not true to the data, i.e. not perceptually uniform.


    Results from rtransparent:
    • Thank you for including a conflict of interest statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • Thank you for including a funding statement. Authors are encouraged to include this statement when submitting to a journal.
    • No protocol registration statement was detected.

    About SciScore

    SciScore is an automated tool that is designed to assist expert reviewers by finding and presenting formulaic information scattered throughout a paper in a standard, easy to digest format. SciScore checks for the presence and correctness of RRIDs (research resource identifiers), and for rigor criteria such as sex and investigator blinding. For details on the theoretical underpinning of rigor criteria and the tools shown here, including references cited, please follow this link.