March 3, 2026Open Access

Development of a stable replicon system of a pangolin merbecovirus for antiviral screening

Key Points

The replicon system enables the screening of antiviral drugs targeting the coronavirus.
A stable BHK21 cell line has been established to support this replicon system.
Utilizing a nanoluciferase reporter gene allows effective measurement of antiviral activity.
This setup provides a safe and efficient method to screen antivirals against MjHKU4r-CoV-1.

Abstract

• A replicon of the pangolin HKU4-related coronavirus (MjHKU4r-CoV-1) containing a nanoluciferase reporter gene was constructed. • A stable BHK21 cell line carrying the replicon has been generated. • This replicon system has been effectively employed in testing the antiviral activity of replication-targeting coronavirus drugs. • It offers a safe, efficient and convenient tool for screening antivirals against MjHKU4r-CoV-1 and other coronaviruses.

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Cite This Study

Wu et al. (Sun,) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69a76739badf0bb9e87e0148 https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2026.02.004

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