Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39941049›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of molecular sciences2025

Subgenomic RNA Detection in SARS-CoV-2 Assessing Replication and Inactivation Through Serial Passages, RT-qPCR, and Electron Microscopy.

Talita da Silva França, Juliana Fernandes Amorim da Silva, Gabriella Christine Neves da Silva, Barbara Oliveira Dos Santos, Stephanie Almeida Silva, José Henrique Resende Linhares, Marcos Alexandre Nunes da Silva, Debora Ferreira Barreto-Vieira, Vanessa Salete de Paula, Liliane Monteiro de Morais and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of molecular sciences, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Talita da Silva FrançaVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0009-0001-4445-7737
Juliana Fernandes Amorim da SilvaImmunomolecular Analysis Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-0673-6583
Gabriella Christine Neves da SilvaImmunomolecular Analysis Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
Barbara Oliveira Dos SantosVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
Stephanie Almeida SilvaVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
José Henrique Resende LinharesVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-4878-0133
Marcos Alexandre Nunes da SilvaViral Morphology and Morphogenesis Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
Debora Ferreira Barreto-VieiraViral Morphology and Morphogenesis Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0003-1014-0755
Vanessa Salete de PaulaMolecular Virology and Parasitology Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-6314-754X
Liliane Monteiro de MoraisVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.ORCID 0000-0002-3873-9156
Renata Tourinho SantosVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.
Gisela Freitas TrindadeVirological Technology Laboratory, Bio-Manguinhos/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil.

Funding

Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz BIO-003-FIO20
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs) are potential markers of active SARS-CoV-2 replication, serving as templates for the synthesis of structural and accessory proteins in infectious viral particles. This study aimed to use RT-qPCR to quantify sgRNA and negative RNA intermediates, assessing viral replication in virus samples inactivated by β-propiolactone (βPL). Inactivated viruses subjected to five blind serial passages (BSs) were amplified by RT-qPCR using primers to target the envelope (ENV) and nucleoproteins (N1 and N2) of genomic genes, subgenomic envelope RNA (sgENV), and intermediate envelope RNA (ENV-). All positive controls showed consistent viral titers across passages (10 log10 copies/mL in N1/N2 and 11 log10 copies/mL in ENV) during BSs. Inactivated viral samples for ENV and ENV- targets ranged from 11.34 log10 copies/mL in BS1 to 11.20 log10 copies/mL in BS5. The sgENV was no longer detected in the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 samples after the second passage, suggesting successful inactivation. Replication kinetics showed consistent profiles for N1/N2, ENV, and ENV- targets in the first three post-infection hours (pih) and maintained approximately 5 log10 copies/mL at 1 pih, 2 pih, and 3 pih. A sharp exponential increase in the viral titer was observed from 24 pih onwards, peaking at 11.64 log10 copies/mL at 48 pih. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed viral particles only in cells infected with active SARS-CoV-2. These results support the use of sgRNA as a reliable marker for SARS-CoV-2 replication, especially in distinguishing between active replication and non-viable particles and in the development of diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Indexed as

COVID-19RNA, ViralSARS-CoV-2Virus ReplicationAnimalsChlorocebus aethiopsGenome, ViralHumansReal-Time Polymerase Chain ReactionSubgenomic RNAVero CellsVirus InactivationRNA, ViralSubgenomic RNART-qPCRSARS-CoV-2sgRNA

Identifiers

PMID39941049
PMCPMC11818844

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.