MADCOV2. Modern approaches for developing antivirals against SARS-CoV 2.

MADCOV2. Modern approaches for developing antivirals against SARS-CoV 2. ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme 2) is a protein found on the surface of the cells of our lungs and other organs. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, uses ACE2 to break into and infect our cells. The aim of the MAD-CoV 2 project is to build on and use this knowledge to develop innovative treatments for COVID-19. It will do this via a number of approaches, including engineering human tissue to test new treatments in the lab; studying how to exploit the role of ACE2; and mapping in detail the factors that are critical for virus replication. For the latter, the consortium will leverage forward genetic screening approaches. The team hopes to rapidly translate this knowledge into new, targeted drugs to fight COVID-19 as well as any future coronavirus outbreaks. The project has committed to making its data and unique tissue reagents available to the entire community for drug testing and development, supporting all other efforts.More specifically the submitted data in SRA are individual clones from forward genetic screens. Individual clones showed either resistance to viral infection (i.e. survival in an infection setting), or represent a control population of clones. Samples were exposed to different viral strains and different infection conditions as described in more detail elsewhere.