mBio (Oct 2021)

SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5 Demonstrates Two Distinct Mechanisms Targeting RIG-I and MAVS To Evade the Innate Immune Response

  • Yongzhen Liu,
  • Chao Qin,
  • Youliang Rao,
  • Chau Ngo,
  • Joshua J. Feng,
  • Jun Zhao,
  • Shu Zhang,
  • Ting-Yu Wang,
  • Jessica Carriere,
  • Ali Can Savas,
  • Mehrnaz Zarinfar,
  • Stephanie Rice,
  • Hanging Yang,
  • Weiming Yuan,
  • Julio A. Camarero,
  • Jianhua Yu,
  • Xiaojiang S. Chen,
  • Chao Zhang,
  • Pinghui Feng

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1128/mBio.02335-21
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 5

Abstract

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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is rapidly evolving with better transmissibility. Understanding the molecular basis of the SARS-CoV-2 interaction with host cells is of paramount significance, and development of antiviral agents provides new avenues to prevent and treat COVID-19 diseases. This study describes a molecular characterization of innate immune evasion mediated by the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5 main protease and subsequent development of a small-molecule inhibitor.