Coronavirus Replication Mechanism Discovered

(ETH Zurich, September 14, 2020)

Researchers at ETH Zürich and the University of Bern recently discovered a mechanism by which SARS-​CoV-2 manipulates human cells to ensure its own replication. Using cryo-​electron microscopy, the researchers were able to demonstrate that the viral protein NSP1 inhibits the production of the cell's own proteins by binding to a channel on the ribosome – the cellular machines that produce proteins – thereby interfering with ribosomal function. Based on this detailed picture of the binding mode of NSP1, the researchers were subsequently able to produce modified NSP1 variants that lack the aforementioned inhibitory effect. This is significant because SARS-​CoV-2 viruses with such inactive variants of the NSP1 protein will likely be attenuated that they can no longer cause severe disease and can potentially be used as a vaccine.