The corona-like spikes or peplomers on the surface of the virion under electronic microscope are the most striking features of coronaviruses. The S (spike) protein is the largest structural protein, with 1,255 amino acids, in the viral genome. Its structure can be divided into three regions: a long N-terminal region in the exterior, a characteristic transmembrane (TM) region, and a short C-terminus in the interior of a virion. We detected fifteen substitutions of nucleotides by comparisons with the seventeen published SARS-CoV genome sequences, eight (53.3%) of which are non-synonymous mutations leading to amino acid alternations with predicted physiochemical changes. The possible antigenic determinants of the S protein are predicted, and the result is confirmed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) with synthesized peptides. Another profound finding is that three disulfide bonds are defined at the C-terminus with the N-terminus of the E (envelope) protein, based on the typical sequence and positions, thus establishing the structural connection with these two important structural proteins, if confirmed. Phylogenetic analysis reveals several conserved regions that might be potent drug targets.

The porcine major histocompatibility complex (MHC, also named swine leukocyte antigen, SLA) is associated not only with immune responsibility and disease susceptibility, but also with some reproductive and productive traits such as growth rate and carcass composition. As yet systematical research on SLA expression profile is not reported. In order to illustrate SLA expression comprehensively and deepen our understanding of its function, we outlined the expression profile of SLA in 51 tissues of Landrace by analyzing a large amount of ESTs produced by "Sino-Danish Porcine Genome Project". In addition, we also compared the expression profile of SLA in several tissues from different development stages and from another breed (Erhualian). The result shows: (i) classical SLA genes are highly expressed in immune tissues and middle part of intestine; (ii) although SLA-3 is an SLA Ia gene, its expression abundance and pattern are quite different from those of the other two SLA Ia genes. The same phenomenon is seen in HLA-C expression, suggesting that the two genes may function similarly and undergo convergent evolution; (iii) except in jejunum, the antigen presenting genes are more highly expressed in breed Erhualian than in Landrace. The difference might associate with the higher resistance to bad conditions (including pathogens) of Erhualian and higher growth rates of Landrace.Keywords: swine leukocyte antigen (SLA), major histocompatibility complex (MHC), expression sequence tag (EST), expression profile, pig.

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