Atomic structure of the open SARS-CoV-2 E viroporin.
Medeiros-Silva, J., Dregni, A.J., Somberg, N.H., Duan, P., Hong, M.(2023) Sci Adv 9: eadi9007-eadi9007
- PubMed: 37831764 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adi9007
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
8SUZ - PubMed Abstract: 
The envelope (E) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus forms cation-conducting channels in the endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) of infected cells. The calcium channel activity of E is associated with the inflammatory responses of COVID-19. Using solid-state NMR (ssNMR) spectroscopy, we have determined the open-state structure of E's transmembrane domain (ETM) in lipid bilayers. Compared to the closed state, open ETM has an expansive water-filled amino-terminal chamber capped by key glutamate and threonine residues, a loose phenylalanine aromatic belt in the middle, and a constricted polar carboxyl-terminal pore filled with an arginine and a threonine residue. This structure gives insights into how protons and calcium ions are selected by ETM and how they permeate across the hydrophobic gate of this viroporin.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.