Structure and dynamics of SARS coronavirus main proteinase (Mpro).

摘要

1. INTRODUCTION: A WORD ON NOMENCLATURE All protein functions required for SARS coronavirus replication are encoded by the replicase gene. This gene encodes two overlapping polyproteins (ppla and pplab), from which the functional proteins are released by extensive proteolytic processing. This is primarily achieved by the 34-kDa main proteinase (M~(pro)), which is frequently also called 3C-like proteinase (3CL~(pro)) to indicate a similarity in substrate specificity with the 3C proteinase of picornaviruses.While useful at the time of initial description of the coronaviral enzyme, there are in fact large differences between the structures and mechanisms of these enzymes, making the designation of the coronavirus main proteinase as 3CL~(pro) rather misleading. We will therefore use the term M~(pro) exclusively.