Structure of the common cold virus

Cavanagh, D. Strohmaier, K. Baxt, B. Erickson, J. Science , — Franssen, H. Haseloff, J. Chow, M. Wychowski, C. Evans, D. Minor, P. Bittle, J. Nature , 30—33 Robertson, B.

Virus Res. Download references. Present address: F. Michael G. Rossmann, Edward Arnold, John W. Erickson, Elizabeth A. Frankenberger, James P. Anne G. Mosser, Roland R. You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar. Reprints and Permissions.

Structure of a human common cold virus and functional relationship to other picornaviruses. Download citation. Received : 03 June Accepted : 30 July Issue Date : 12 September Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:.

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Abstract We report the first atomic resolution structure of an animal virus, human rhinovirus Access through your institution. Buy or subscribe. This is a preview of subscription content. Change institution. Buy article Get time limited or full article access on ReadCube. References 1 Rueckert, R. Google Scholar 2 Rueckert, R. Article Google Scholar 10 Stanway, G. Article Google Scholar 21 Bricogne, G.

Article Google Scholar 22 Jones, T. Article Google Scholar 43 Franssen, H. Article Google Scholar 48 Evans, D. Google Scholar Download references. Author information Author notes John W.

Rossmann View author publications. View author publications. Rights and permissions Reprints and Permissions. About this article Cite this article Rossmann, M. Copy to clipboard. Rowell Hana M. Comments By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines.

Scientists had previously identified 99 distinct rhinovirus types. Recently, however, a number of unknown types were detected in patients with severe flu-like illnesses. A research team led by Dr. Stephen B. Liggett at the University of Maryland School of Medicine reasoned that strategies for combating rhinoviruses will depend on a better understanding of rhinovirus diversity and evolution.

The team set out, using internal funds, to complete the genetic sequences of all known rhinovirus types. The results appeared in the journal Science on April 3, The scientists sequenced the complete genomes of 70 known human rhinoviruses and 10 others from nasal-wash samples of patients with rhinovirus upper respiratory tract infections.

The final collection, including the previously published sequences, consisted of full-length human rhinoviruses genomes. The researchers compared all the sequences to determine how they are related. Based on these relationships, they discovered that there may be up to 4 different species of rhinovirus.

The researchers found that all the virus RNA strands feature a cloverleaf-like shape at one end. Nearly every virus had a unique sequence in a section of this region. Analogous regions in related viruses have been shown to affect how pathogenic the viruses are.

The researchers believe this stretch of sequence might play a similar role in rhinoviruses. The scientists also found evidence for distantly related strains swapping sections of RNA. Exactly where and how the viruses exchange genetic material in the body is uncertain, but multiple rhinoviruses are known to infect people simultaneously.

These study results provide a framework for analyzing human rhinoviruses that may strike in the future.