Title:Insights into Coronavirus Papain-like Protease Structure, Function and
Inhibitors
Volume: 29
Issue: 7
Author(s): Shujuan Jin*Mengjiao Zhang
Affiliation:
- Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China
Keywords:
Coronavirus, papain-like protease, structure, deubiquitination, inhibitor, pathogens.
Abstract: The coronavirus family consists of pathogens that seriously affect human and animal
health. They mostly cause respiratory or enteric diseases, which can be severe and life-threatening,
such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in humans. The conserved coronaviral papain-like
protease is an attractive antiviral drug target because it is essential for coronaviral replication, and it
also inhibits host innate immune responses. This review focuses on the latest research progress
relating to the mechanism of coronavirus infection, the structural and functional characteristics of
coronavirus papain-like protease, and the potent inhibitors of the protease.