The United States of America, As Represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services

Raymond Campagnoli

Cara Carthel Burns

Olen M Kew

Jacqueline Quay

Jing Shaw

Larry J Anderson

Thomas G Ksiazek

Anthony Sanchez

Pierre E Rollin

M Steven Oberste

William Allan Nix

Paul A Rota

Mark A Pallansch

Dean D Erdman

Suxiang Tong

James A Comer

Stephan S Monroe

Cynthia Goldsmith

William J Bellini

Teresa C T Peret

Sherif R Zaki

Joseph P Icenogle

Charles D Humphrey

Shannon L Emery

Qi Chen

Richard F Meyer

Jeanette Guarner

Christopher D Paddock

Byron T Cook

Wun-Ju Shieh

Michael D Bowen

Methods of producing a pathogen with reduced replicative fitness are disclosed, as are attenuated pathogens produced using the methods. In particular examples, the method includes deoptimizing one or more codons in a coding sequence, thereby reducing the replicative fitness of the pathogen. Methods of using the attenuated pathogens as immunogenic compositions are also disclosed.

Modulation of replicative fitness by deoptimization of synonymous codons

Disclosed herein is a newly isolated human coronavirus (SARS-CoV), the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Also provided are the nucleic acid sequence of the SARS-CoV genome and the amino acid sequences of the SARS-CoV open reading frames, as well as methods of using these molecules to detect a SARS-CoV and detect infections therewith. Immune stimulatory compositions are also provided, along with methods of their use.

Coronavirus isolated from humans

Growing community of inventors

Decatur, GA, United States of America

Raymond Campagnoli