Structure of the main protease from a global infectious human coronavirus, HCoV-HKU1.

ABSTRACT: The newly emergent human coronavirus HKU1 (HCoV-HKU1) was first identified in Hong Kong in 2005. Infection by HCoV-HKU1 occurs worldwide and causes syndromes such as the common cold, bronchitis, and pneumonia. The CoV main protease (M(pro)), which is a key enzyme in viral replication via the proteolytic processing of the replicase polyproteins, has been recognized as an attractive target for rational drug design. In this study, we report the structure of HCoV-HKU1 M(pro) in complex with a Michael acceptor, inhibitor N3. The structure of HCoV-HKU1 provides a high-quality model for group 2A CoVs, which are distinct from group 2B CoVs such as severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV. The structure, together with activity assays, supports the relative conservation at the P1 position that was disc

SUBMITTER: Zhao Q 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2519634 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature