Structural Proteomics of Emerging Viruses: The Examples of SARS-CoV and Other Coronaviruses

The following sections are included:

• Summary

• Introduction

  • Coronaviruses: A Growing Family of Pathogens

• Organization of the Coronavirus Genome and Proteome

• Non-Structural Proteins

  • Coronavirus Main Protease: Work Prior to SARS and the Hectic Months After the Discovery of SARS-CoV

  • Nsp1: Divergent between Coronaviruses

  • Nsp2: Structure and Function Still Unknown

  • Nsp3: A Large Multi-Domain Protein

    • The Acidic Domain of Nsp3 ("Nsp3a")

    • The X Domain of Nsp3 ("Nsp3b"): Fold Suggests Possible Function

    • The SARS-unique Domain (SUD, "Nsp3c")

    • Papain-like Proteinases (PL^pro): Multifunctional Enzymes

    • Nsp7/Nsp8: A Hexadecamer Embracing the Viral RNA

  • Nsp9: A Single-stranded RNA-binding Protein

  • Nsp10: An RNA-binding Protein Containing Two Zinc Fingers

  • Nsp11: Is It Ever Made?

  • Nsp12: Structure Elusive so Far

  • Nsp13: Helicase with a Binuclear Zinc Finger

  • Nsp14: Part of a Proofreading System

  • Nsp15: Yet Another Viral Nuclease

  • Nsp16: A Methyltransferase Involved in Capping the Viral mRNA

• Structural Proteins

  • Spike Protein: Receptor Binding and Fusion Core

    • The RBD — ACE2 Complex

    • The Fusion Core

  • Nucleocapsid Protein: Another Multifunctional Player

  • Envelope Protein

  • Membrane Protein

• Accessory Proteins

  • Accessory Protein 7a: A Structural Protein

  • Accessory Protein 9b — Product of an Alternative ORF

• Structures of Viral RNA

  • 3'-Untranslated Region of the SARS-CoV RNA Genome

• Conclusions

• Acknowledgments

• References