SARS-CoV-2 (N-Protein) Peptide Pool

Protein Function: Packages the positive strand viral genome RNA into a helical ribonucleocapsid (RNP) and plays a fundamental role during virion assembly through its interactions with the viral genome and membrane protein M (PubMed:33264373). Plays an important role in enhancing the efficiency of subgenomic viral RNA transcription as well as viral replication. Attenuates the stress granules formation by reducing host G3BP1 access to host mRNAs under stress conditions (PubMed:34901782, PubMed:36534661) , May block host chemokine function in vivo, facilitating viral replication and transmission (PubMed:35921414). Acts by being secreted into the extracellular space where it competes to host chemokines for binding to host glycosaminoglycans (GAG) (PubMed:35921414) , May induce inflammasome responses in cultured cells and mice. Acts by interacting with host NLRP3 to facilitate inflammasome assembly, which induces cytokine release that may play a role in COVID lung injury. Disrupts the association betwen NLRP3 and ABHD8, enhancing NLRP3 stability and leading to increased inflammasome activation (PubMed:39225180) [The Uniprot Consortium]