Question

Describe the function and structure of the main SARS-2 COV protease.

Answer 1

The main protease (Mpro or 3CLpro)is an enzyme that is essential for replication of the virus. The papain-like protease enzyme is essential for polyproteins processing, that are translated from the viral RNA.

The structure is very similar to that of Mpro of the related SARS virus and this enzyme is a dimer that features six-stranded antiparallel β-barrels, with the substrate-binding site between them, and a cluster of five helices involved in dimerization of the enzyme.

The virus’s main protease Mpro, processes a polyprotein chain coded by the virus’s RNA, chopping up the chain into functional proteins that the virus then uses to assemble itself and multiply, and disrupting this key piece of the virus’s self-replication machinery could bring an infection screeching to a halt.