Towards our understanding of SARS-CoV, an emerging and devastating but quickly conquered virus

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV), which has overwhelmed more than 30 countries claiming nearly 8400 cases with over 800 fatalities. Thanks to the unprecedented international collaboration, the whole-genomes of SARS-CoVs were successfully deciphered shortly after the identification of the causative pathogen for outbreak of SARS in southern China, in 2003. Hitherto, the SARS-CoV, as a viral paradigm of emerging infectious entities, has been extensively studied that has ranged from epidemiology, molecular virology/immunology to structural genomics. Also, several lines of breakthroughs have been record-brokenly obtained, that included the finding of ACE2, a functional receptor for the SARS-CoV, solution of the 3CL(pro) structure, a first crystal structure of SARS-related macromolecules, revealing of bats as natural reservoirs for SARS-like viruses and the possible involvement of civet cats in the SARS emergence. This review intends to outline the major progress in the journey of SARS-related exploration, by emphasizing those inaugurated studies with milestone-like significance contributed by Chinese research groups.