Biology

Since 1980 two international symposia on coronaviruses have been held bringing together scientists interested in molecular biology and pathogenesis of this large group of viruses. Progress made during this period has revealed many features of these viruses which are unique. Studies on the structure and mechanisms of viral RNA synthesis as well as on the virus-cell interactions in infected tissue were main research topics during the past three years and the considerable advances made were discussed at this third symposium. In the area of viral pathogenesis the majority of studies were concerned with murine coronavirus infections in mice and rats. In these hosts coronaviruses induce a variety of diseases which allow the analysis of virus-cell and virus-host interac tions including those viral and host factors contributing to the different disease processes. Interest was focussed on the pathogenetic role of the E2 peplomer protein, virus-target cell interactions, the immune modulatory role of coronaviruses as well as immunopathological reactions of the host.