Identification and Characterization of a Novel Protein–Protein Interaction Among SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid, Host SFPQ, and hnRNP U and Its Potential Role in Virus Replication
Ashish Agrahari, Km. Archana, Nittu Singh, Akshay Joshi, Budai S. Vivek Vinod, Sourav Haldar, Krishan Gopal Thakur, Raj Kamal Tripathi
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has led to significant global health and economic challenges and caused the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability of the virus to replicate adeptly within host cells is critical for its pathogenicity. The structural nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 packages newly synthesized viral RNA with the association of various host proteins that may contribute to different functions in maintaining a productive viral life cycle. In this study, we report the identification and characterization of host proteins SFPQ and hnRNP U interacting with SARS-CoV-2 N protein in both N-transfected cells and virus-infected cells, forming a hetero-trimeric protein complex. Using carefully designed peptides that span the length of N protein and competitive inhibition, we identified the interacting domains at N protein that interact with SFPQ and hnRNP U. Our results constitute the first report that the characterized N protein and host SFPQ and hnRNP U form a hetero-trimeric protein complex in both N transfected cells and virus-infected cells. Utilizing competitive peptides, we were able to disrupt the hetero-trimeric protein complex in virus-infected cells, leading to reduction in viral replication. These results clearly demonstrate that N-SFPQ-hnRNP U hetero-trimeric protein complex formation is found in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells that regulate viral replication. Our findings suggest that the protein–protein interaction (PPI) between N-SFPQ-hnRNP U hetero-trimeric protein complexes could be a novel drug target for developing therapeutics against COVID-19.
期刊介绍:
The journal publishes original research articles and reviews on all aspects of cellular, molecular and structural biology, developmental biology, cell physiology and evolution. It will publish articles or reviews contributing to the understanding of the elementary biochemical and biophysical principles of live matter organization from the molecular, cellular and tissues scales and organisms.
This includes contributions directed towards understanding biochemical and biophysical mechanisms, structure-function relationships with respect to basic cell and tissue functions, development, development/evolution relationship, morphogenesis, stem cell biology, cell biology of disease, plant cell biology, as well as contributions directed toward understanding integrated processes at the organelles, cell and tissue levels. Contributions using approaches such as high resolution imaging, live imaging, quantitative cell biology and integrated biology; as well as those using innovative genetic and epigenetic technologies, ex-vivo tissue engineering, cellular, tissue and integrated functional analysis, and quantitative biology and modeling to demonstrate original biological principles are encouraged.