Why are ACE2 binding coronavirus strains SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 wild and NL63 mild?

ABSTRACT: Coronaviruses are responsible for several epidemics, including the 2002 SARS, 2012 MERS, and COVID-19. The emergence of recent COVID-19 pandemic due to SARS-CoV-2 virus in December 2019 has resulted in considerable research efforts to design antiviral drugs and other therapeutics against coronaviruses. In this context, it is crucial to understand the biophysical and structural features of the major proteins that are involved in virus-host interactions. In the current study, we have compared spike proteins from three strains of coronaviruses NL63, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV, known to bind human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), in terms of sequence/structure conservation, hydrophobic cluster formation and importance of binding site residues. The study reveals that the severity of coronavi

SUBMITTER: Rawat P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7753379 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature