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Published on: December 23, 2020
Differences in Interactions Within Viral Replication Complexes of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) and SARS-CoV Coronaviruses
H M Nasrullah Faisal1, Kalpana S Katti1,2, Dinesh R Katti1,2
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND 58105 USA.
Abstract:
COVID-19 has become a global pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. SARS-CoV-2 shares many similarities with SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). A viral replication complex containing non-structural proteins (nsps) is the toolbox for RNA replication and transcription of both coronaviruses. In both cases, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) domain of the coronaviral replication complex dictates the primary polymerase activity by cooperating with cofactors. The higher transmissibility and mortality due to SARS-CoV-2 are related to its higher RNA replication activity compared to SARS-CoV. The discrepancy between the RNA replication efficiency of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 can be understood by exploring interactions within their viral replication complexes. Our modeling of molecular interactions within the viral replication complexes of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 using molecular dynamics simulations suggests that in contrast to SARS-CoVnsp12, SARS-CoV2nsp12 prefers helices as the dominant interacting secondary motifs. The relative differences in nonbonded interactions between nsps could suggest viral RNA replication ability in coronaviruses.
Supplementary Information:
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11837-021-04662-6.
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