Download MendeleyC-terminal domain of SARS-CoV main protease can form a 3D domain-swapped dimer
Zhong, N., Zhang, S., Xue, F., Kang, X., Zou, P., Chen, J., Liang, C., Rao, Z., Jin, C., Lou, Z., Xia, B.(2009) Protein Sci 18: 839-844
- PubMed: 19319935
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/pro.76
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:
2K7X, 3EBN - PubMed Abstract:
SARS coronavirus main protease (M(pro)) plays an essential role in the extensive proteolytic processing of the viral polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), and it is an important target for anti-SARS drug development. We have reported that both the M(pro) C-terminal domain alone (M(pro)-C) and the N-finger deletion mutant of M(pro) (M(pro)-Delta7) exist as a stable dimer and a stable monomer (Zhong et al., J Virol 2008; 82:4227-4234). Here, we report structures of both M(pro)-C monomer and dimer. The structure of the M(pro)-C monomer is almost identical to that of the C-terminal domain in the crystal structure of M(pro). Interestingly, the M(pro)-C dimer structure is characterized by 3D domain-swapping, in which the first helices of the two protomers are interchanged and each is enwrapped by four other helices from the other protomer. Each folding subunit of the M(pro)-C domain-swapped dimer still has the same general fold as that of the M(pro)-C monomer. This special dimerization elucidates the structural basis for the observation that there is no exchange between monomeric and dimeric forms of M(pro)-C and M(pro)-Delta7.
Organizational Affiliation:
Beijing Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Center, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People' Republic of China.
