Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 protein targets (SARS-CoV-2 protein targets)

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protein targets encompass the structural and non-structural proteins essential for the viral life cycle and the pathogenesis of COVID-19. The three primary therapeutic targets are the Spike (S) protein, the Main protease (Mpro or 3CLpro), and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The Spike protein mediates viral entry by binding to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, making it the primary target for neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and vaccines. Mpro and the Papain-like protease (PLpro) are responsible for cleaving the large viral polyproteins into functional units necessary for replication, with drugs like Nirmatrelvir effectively inhibiting Mpro. RdRp is the enzymatic engine for replicating the viral RNA genome and is the target of nucleoside analogs such as Remdesivir and Molnupiravir. Other targets include the Nucleocapsid (N) protein, which is vital for viral assembly and serves as a key diagnostic biomarker. Developing therapeutics against these targets is complicated by the virus's rapid mutation rate, which leads to the emergence of escape variants that can reduce the efficacy of established treatments.

Other names

SARS-CoV-2 viral proteinsCOVID-19 protein targets2019-nCoV proteinsSARS-CoV-2 proteome

Inhibition of viral polyprotein cleavage by blocking Main protease (Mpro) or Papain-like protease (PLpro); inhibition of viral genome replication via RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) chain termination or lethal mutagenesis; and neutralization of viral entry by blocking Spike protein-ACE2 receptor interactions.