'The role of host-cellular molecules in the coronavirus lifecycle'

Abstract

Coronaviruses are enveloped positive-stranded RNA viruses, which received worldwide attention in 2003 when a coronavirus appeared to be the etiological agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in Asia. Such epidemic outbreaks have a great influence on the global population in both a social and an economic perspective. Therefore, development of new intervention strategies in order to reduce the change of a new epidemic outbreak is important. Identification of host-cellular molecules involved in the coronaviral lifecycle could contribute to the development of new therapeutics since host cells are required for coronaviral replication and survival. In this thesis, host-cellular molecules recently found to be involved in the coronaviral lifecycle, are described.