The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein: its role in the viral life cycle, structure and functions, and use as a potential target in the development of vaccines and diagnostics

Wenbing Wu; Ying Cheng; Hong Zhou; Changzhen Sun; Shujun Zhang

doi:10.1186/s12985-023-01968-6

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein: its role in the viral life cycle, structure and functions, and use as a potential target in the development of vaccines and diagnostics

Virol J. 2023 Jan 10;20(1):6. doi: 10.1186/s12985-023-01968-6.

Authors

Wenbing Wu¹, Ying Cheng¹, Hong Zhou¹, Changzhen Sun², Shujun Zhang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
² Drug Research Center of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, The Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China.
³ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, 646000, China. zhangshujun@swmu.edu.cn.

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) continues to take a heavy toll on personal health, healthcare systems, and economies around the globe. Scientists are expending tremendous effort to develop diagnostic technologies for detecting positive infections within the shortest possible time, and vaccines and drugs specifically for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 disease. At the same time, emerging novel variants have raised serious concerns about vaccine efficacy. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein plays an important role in the coronavirus life cycle, and participates in various vital activities after virus invasion. It has attracted a large amount of attention for vaccine and drug development. Here, we summarize the latest research of the N protein, including its role in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, structure and function, and post-translational modifications in addition to its involvement in liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and use as a basis for the development of vaccines and diagnostic techniques.

Keywords: COVID-19; Diagnostics; Liquid–liquid phase separation; Nucleocapsid protein; Post-translational modifications; SARS-CoV-2; Vaccines.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 / diagnosis
COVID-19 / prevention & control
COVID-19 Testing
COVID-19 Vaccines*
Humans
Nucleocapsid Proteins*
SARS-CoV-2*

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines
Nucleocapsid Proteins