Comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) M protein with its counterparts of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV species

Sultan Nafea Alharbi; Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei

doi:10.1016/j.jksus.2020.101335

Comparison of the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) M protein with its counterparts of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV species

J King Saud Univ Sci. 2021 Mar;33(2):101335. doi: 10.1016/j.jksus.2020.101335. Epub 2021 Jan 7.

Authors

Sultan Nafea Alharbi¹, Abdulwahed Fahad Alrefaei²

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Biotechnology, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh 11442, Saudi Arabia.
² Department of Zoology, King Saud University, College of Science, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Coronaviruses M proteins are well-represented in the major protein component of the viral envelope. During the viral assembly, they play an important role by association with all other viral structural proteins. Despite their crucial functions, very little information regarding the structures and functions of M proteins is available. Here we utilize bioinformatic tools from available sequences and 3D structures of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV2, and MERS-CoV M proteins in order to predict potential B-cell epitopes and assessing antibody binding affinity. Such study aims to aid finding more effective vaccines and recognize neutralizing antibodies. we found some rather exciting differences between SARS-COV-2, SARS-Cov and MERS-CoV M proteins. Two SARS-CoV-2 peptides with significant antigen presentation scores for human cell surface proteins have been identified. The results reveal that N-terminal domains of M proteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV2 are translocated (outside) whereas it is inside (cytoplasmic side) in MERS-CoV.

Keywords: B-cell epitopes; M protein; MERS-CoV; SARS-CoV; SARS-CoV-2; Structural proteins.