Crystal structure of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) frameshifting pseudoknot
- ↵* Corresponding author; email: jones.cprice{at}gmail.com
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 produces two long viral protein precursors from one open reading frame using a highly conserved RNA pseudoknot that enhances programmed -1 ribosomal frameshifting. The 1.3 Å-resolution X-ray structure of the pseudoknot reveals three coaxially stacked helices buttressed by idiosyncratic base triples from loop residues. This structure represents a frameshift-stimulating state that must be deformed by the ribosome, and exhibits base-triple-adjacent pockets that could be targeted by future small-molecule therapeutics.
Keywords
- Received May 5, 2021.
- Accepted November 4, 2021.
- Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the RNA Society
This is a work of the US Government.
