Phase separation by the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein: Consensus and open questions.

Abstract

In response to the recent SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, a number of labs across the world have reallocated their time and resources to better our understanding of the virus. For some viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, viral proteins can undergo phase separation: a biophysical process often related to the partitioning of protein and RNA into membraneless organelles in vivo. In this review, we discuss emerging observations of phase separation by the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein-an essential viral protein required for viral replication-and the possible in vivo functions that have been proposed for N-protein phase separation, including viral replication, viral genomic RNA packaging, and modulation of host-cell response to infection. Additionally, since a relatively large number of studies examining SARS-CoV-2 N-protein phase separation have been published in a short span of time, we take advantage of this situation to compare results from similar experiments across studies. Our evaluation highlights potential strengths and pitfalls of drawing conclusions from a single set of experiments, as well as the value of publishing overlapping scientific observations performed simultaneously by multiple labs.

• Authors: Sean M Cascarina, Eric D Ross
• Journal: The Journal of biological chemistry (J Biol Chem) Vol. 298 Issue 3 Pg. 101677 (03 2022) ISSN: 1083-351X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 35131265 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Nucleocapsid Proteins
• RNA, Viral
• Viral Proteins

Topics

• COVID-19 (virology)
• Consensus
• Humans
• Nucleocapsid (genetics, metabolism)
• Nucleocapsid Proteins (isolation & purification, metabolism)
• RNA, Viral (metabolism)
• SARS-CoV-2 (chemistry, metabolism)
• Viral Proteins (metabolism)