Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 9, 2025

A Fluorogenic Peptide Cleavage Assay to Screen for Proteolytic Activity: Applications for coronavirus spike protein activation
Published on: January 9, 2019
Structural dynamics of COVID-19 main protease
Ashkan Shekaari1, Mahmoud Jafari1
1Department of Physics, K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran 15875-4416, Iran.
Abstract:
Based on the importance of protease enzymes in functioning some viruses particularly coronaviridae, we have carried out an in silico investigation on the biologically important, yet unmapped phenomenon of activity and internal dynamics of COVID-19 main protease (Mpro) via applying finite-temperature all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. Temperature quench echoes generated by applying two successive cooling signals have therefore been analyzed in terms of the temperature-temperature correlation function of the protease within the harmonic approximation. An exponentially decaying brand of behavior has been found for the calculated echo depth values with increasing time, which has accordingly led to a much small dephasing time of about 150 fs, revealing a significant anharmonicity and therefore an overall structural stiffness for the COVID-19 main protease.
Related Concept Videos
The Proteasome Structure
The proteasome is an...
Structural Protein Function
Structural Protein Function
Collagen, the most abundant protein in mammals, is found throughout the body. In connective tissue, such as skin, ligaments, and tendons, it provides tensile strength and elasticity. In bones and teeth, it mineralizes to...
Mechanical Protein Function
Protein Dynamics in Living Cells
Fluorescent recovery after photobleaching (FRAP) is a fluorescent-protein-based detection technique used to quantify protein movement rates within the cell. This method exposes a small portion of the cell to an intense laser beam. The laser beam causes permanent photobleaching of the fluorophore-tagged proteins in the exposed region. As the bleached...
Viral Structure

