Enja Kipfer

Abstract Vaccines have played a central role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, but newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants are increasingly evading first-generation vaccine protection. To address this challenge, we designed “single-cycle infection SARS-CoV-2 viruses” (SCVs) that lack essential viral genes, possess distinctive immune-modulatory features, and exhibit an excellent safety profile in the Syrian hamster model.

eLife assessment This study describes CLEVER, an improved method for fast and efficient rescue and mutagenesis of SARS-CoV-2. While the principle of this method is not new, this work significantly improves upon existing protocols, providing an important advancement in the field of viral infectious clones. Convincing proof-of-concept experiments were performed that demonstrate the utility and efficiency of the method.

Licensing interleukin-9 production Whereas the biological roles of T helper 1 (TH1), TH2, and TH17 cells are reasonably well established, the functions of interleukin-9 (IL-9)–secreting TH9 cells remains elusive. Several studies have documented the presence of TH9 cells in both humans and mice. Here, by studying human TH cells ex vivo, Micossé et al.