SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5 Demonstrates Two Distinct Mechanisms Targeting RIG-I and MAVS To Evade the Innate Immune Response
Yongzhen Liu, Chao Qin, Youliang Rao, Chau Ngo, Joshua Feng, Jun Zhao, Shu Zhang, Tingyu Wang, Jessica Carrière, Ali Can Savas, Mehrnaz Zarinfar, Stephanie Rice, Hanging Yang, Weiming Yuan, Julio A. Camarero, Jianhua Yu, Xiaojiang S. Chen, Chao Zhang, Pinghui Feng
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is rapidly evolving with better transmissibility. Understanding the molecular basis of the SARS-CoV-2 interaction with host cells is of paramount significance, and development of antiviral agents provides new avenues to prevent and treat COVID-19 diseases. This study describes a molecular characterization of innate immune evasion mediated by the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp5 main protease and subsequent development of a small-molecule inhibitor.