title: The SARS-Coronavirus PLnc domain of nsp3 as a replication/transcription scaffolding protein.
abstract: Many genetic and mechanistic features distinguish the coronavirus replication machinery from that encoded by most other RNA viruses. The coronavirus replication/transcription complex is an assembly of viral and, most probably, cellular proteins that mediate the synthesis of both the unusually large (approximately 30 kb) RNA genome and an extensive set of subgenomic mRNAs. The viral components of the complex are encoded by the giant replicase gene, which is expressed in the form of two polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab) that are processed into 16 cleavage products (nonstructural proteins 1-16). Using the combination of yeast two-hybrid screening and GST pull-down assays, we have now analyzed all potential interactions between SARS-Coronavirus nonstructural proteins, which may contribute to the structure and/or function of the viral replication/transcription complex. We demonstrate the existence of a complex network of interactions involving all 16 nonstructural proteins. Our results both confirmed previously described associations and identified novel heterodimerizations. The interaction map thus provides a sum of the interactions that may occur at some point during coronavirus RNA synthesis and provides a framework for future research.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique and Universités d'Aix-Marseille I et II, UMR 6098, Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, Ecole Supérieure d'Ingénieurs de Luminy-Case 925, Marseille Cedex 9, France.
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Imbert
authors.forename: Eric J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Snijder
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dimitrova
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Guillemot
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lécine
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Canard
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002522:Chlorocebus aethiops; D019281:Dimerization; D006801:Humans; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D020798:Two-Hybrid System Techniques; D014709:Vero Cells; D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014779:Virus Replication
chemical_list: D017361:Viral Nonstructural Proteins; C510959:Nsp3 protein, SARS-CoV; D012324:RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase