Potential 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease cleavage sites in the coronavirus polyproteins pp1a and pp1ab and their possible relevance to COVID-19 vaccine and drug development.

ABSTRACT: Coronavirus (CoV) 3-chymotrypsin (C)-like cysteine protease (3CL^pro ) is a target for anti-CoV drug development and drug repurposing because along with papain-like protease, it cleaves CoV-encoded polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab) into nonstructural proteins (nsps) for viral replication. However, the cleavage sites of 3CL^pro and their relevant nsps remain unclear, which is the subject of this perspective. Here, we address the subject from three standpoints. First, we explore the inconsistency in the cleavage sites and relevant nsps across CoVs, and investigate the function of nsp11. Second, we consider the nsp16 mRNA overlapping of the spike protein mRNA, and analyze the effect of this overlapping on mRNA vaccines. Finally, we study nsp12, whose existence depends on ribos

SUBMITTER: Yan S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8206714 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature