CV1001: SARS-CoV 3CLPro

Specifications

Background

Within the last two decades, SARS and MERS coronaviruses emerged as global health concerns causing severe acute respiratory syndromes. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in Wuhan, Hubei province in China. The SARS-CoV genome encodes several proteases including chymotrypsin-like protease (CLPro; 3CLp); this key enzyme along with PLPro and PLP2 (PLPro2) drives the early stage of infection by processing a large viral polypeptide into functional enzymes. This process is essential for the replication of the virus. SARS-CoV 3CLPro shares a 96% identity in protein sequence with 3CLPro from SARS-CoV-2. The 3CLPro represents an antiviral drug target for counteracting SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections.

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