title: Structure of the N-terminal RNA-binding domain of the SARS CoV nucleocapsid protein.
abstract: The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus belongs to the Coronaviridea family of viruses. Its virion encodes several proteins including a replicase and four structural proteins. Here we describe the three-dimensional structure of the N-terminal domain of the SARS coronavirus (CoV) nucleocapsid protein. The protein consists of a five-stranded beta sheet with a folding topology distinct from other RNA-binding proteins. Single-stranded RNAs bind to the protein surface at the junction between a flexible, positively charged beta hairpin and the core structure. NMR-based screening was used to identify low molecular weight compounds that bind to this site.
authors.affiliation: Global Pharmaceutical Discovery Division, Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Illinois 60064-6098, USA.
authors.forename: Qiulong
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Liping
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Petros
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gunasekera
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hajduk
authors.forename: Jamey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mack
authors.forename: Stephen W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Fesik
authors.forename: Edward T
authors.initials: ET
authors.lastname: Olejniczak
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008958:Models, Molecular; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D017510:Protein Folding; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008024:Ligands; D019590:Nucleocapsid Proteins; D012313:RNA