Tertiary structure prediction of SARS coronavirus helicase.
SARS coronavirus, SCV, has been recently responsible of a sudden and widespread infection which caused almost 800 victims. The limited amount of SCV protein structural information is partially responsible of the lack of specific drugs against the virus. Coronavirus helicases are very conserved and peculiar proteins which have been proposed as suitable targets for antiviral drugs, such as bananins, which have been recently shown to inhibit the SCV helicase in vitro. Here, the quaternary structure of SCV helicase has been predicted, which will provide a solid foundation for the rational design of other antiviral helicase inhibitors.
Bernini
Andrea
A
Biomolecular Structure Research Center, Department of Molecular Biology, University of Siena, I-53100 Siena, Italy.
Spiga
Ottavia
O
Venditti
Vincenzo
V
Prischi
Filippo
F
Bracci
Luisa
L
Huang
Jiandong
J
Tanner
Julian A
JA
Niccolai
Neri
N
D001665:Binding Sites; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004265:DNA Helicases / Q000737:chemistry*; D008958:Models, Molecular; D017434:Protein Structure, Tertiary; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000201:enzymology*; D020539:Sequence Analysis, Protein; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*
D014764:Viral Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases