Cell Research, 9 September, 2020, DOI：https://doi.org/10.1038/s41422-020-00408-2

Liquid–liquid phase separation by SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and RNA

Hui Chen, Yang Cui, Xuling Han, Wei Hu, Min Sun, Yong Zhang, Pei-Hui Wang, Guangtao Song, Wei Chen & Jizhong Lou

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic worldwide is caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). After viral invasion into the host cells, the ~30?kb viral genome RNA injected is translated into structural and non-structural proteins to replicate viral genome and assemble more viral particles. Many copies of nucleocapsid (N) protein can bind to viral genome RNA and pack it into ~100?nm particles, assisting membrane (M) and envelope (E) proteins to efficiently assemble the viral envelope. The exact molecular mechanism by which N protein packs up the viral genome still remains elusive.

Article link：https://www.nature.com/articles/s41422-020-00408-2