title: Prediction of quaternary assembly of SARS coronavirus peplomer.
abstract: The tertiary structures of the S1 and S2 domains of the spike protein of the coronavirus which is responsible of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have been recently predicted. Here a molecular assembly of SARS coronavirus peplomer which accounts for the available functional data is suggested. The interaction between S1 and S2 appears to be stabilised by a large hydrophobic network of aromatic side chains present in both domains. This feature results to be common to all coronaviruses, suggesting potential targeting for drugs preventing coronavirus-related infections.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Biomolecular Structure Research Center, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernini
authors.forename: Ottavia
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Spiga
authors.forename: Arianna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciutti
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chiellini
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bracci
authors.forename: Xiyun
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Bojian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Jiandong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ming-Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Huai-Dong
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Pei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Guoping
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Neri
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Niccolai
mesh_terms: D019943:Amino Acid Substitution; D001665:Binding Sites; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011485:Protein Binding; D011487:Protein Conformation; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein / Q000379:methods*; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D064370:Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; D014759:Viral Envelope Proteins; C578557:spike glycoprotein, SARS-CoV