Download MendeleyStructural stabilization of the intrinsically disordered SARS-CoV-2 N by binding to RNA sequences engineered from the viral genome fragment.
Landeras-Bueno, S., Hariharan, C., Avalos, R.D., Norris, A.S., Snyder, D.T., Hastie, K.M., Harkins, S., Zandonatti, M., Rajamanickam, R.R., Olmedillas, E., Miller, R., Shresta, S., Wysocki, V.H., Saphire, E.O.(2025) Nat Commun 16: 6521-6521
- PubMed: 40664703 Search on PubMedSearch on PubMed Central
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61861-4
- Primary Citation Related Structures:
9C2H - PubMed Abstract:
The nucleocapsid N is one of four structural proteins of the coronaviruses. Its essential role in genome encapsidation makes it a critical therapeutic target for COVID-19 and related diseases. However, the inherent disorder of full-length N hampers its structural analysis. Here, we describe a stepwise method using viral-derived RNAs to stabilize SARS-CoV-2 N for EM analysis. We identify pieces of RNA from the SARS-CoV-2 genome that promote the formation of structurally homogeneous N dimers, intermediates of assembly, and filamentous capsid-like structures. Building on these results, we engineer a symmetric RNA to stabilize N protein dimers, the building block of high-order assemblies, for EM studies. We combine domain-specific monoclonal antibodies against N with chemical cross-linking mass spectrometry to validate the spatial arrangement of the N domains within the dimer. Additionally, our cryo-EM analysis reveals novel antigenic sites on the N protein. Our findings provide insights into N protein´s architectural and antigenic principles, which can guide design of pan-coronavirus therapeutics.
- La Jolla Institute for Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA. sara.landeras@uchceu.es.
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