Coronaviruses have a positive-sense RNA genome with a nucleocapsid of helical symmetry. Coronavirus nucleoproteins localize to the cytoplasm and the nucleolus, a subnuclear structure, in both virus-infected primary cells and in cells transfected with plasmids that express Nucleocapsid (N) protein.
The N protein is a structural protein that binds to the coronavirus RNA genome, thus creating a shell (or capsid) around the enclosed nucleic acid. Besides
1. interacts with the viral membrane protein during viral assembly
2. assists in RNA synthesis and folding
3. plays a role in virus budding
4. affects host cell responses, including cell cycle and translation.
Coronavirus N protein is required for coronavirus RNA synthesis, and has RNA chaperone activity that may be involved in template switch. N protein is the most abundant protein of coronavirus. During virion assembly, N protein binds to viral RNA and leads to formation of the helical nucleocapsid. It is a highly immunogenic phosphoprotein, also implicated in viral genome replication, and in modulating cell signalling pathways. It is chosen as a diagnostic tool, due to the conservation of N protein sequence and its strong immunogenicity.
