Structural basis for translational shutdown and immune evasion by the Nsp1 protein of SARS-CoV-2

A viral block on host protein synthesis As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to cause devastation, scientists race to increase their understanding of the disease-causing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Once inside host cells, not only does the virus hijack the cells' translational machinery to make viral proteins, but the virulence factor nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) also shuts down translation of host messenger RNA. Thoms et al. determined a 2.6-angstrom resolution cryo–electron microscopy structure of a reconstituted complex of Nsp1 bound to the human 40 S ribosomal subunit and showed that Nsp1 blocks the messenger RNA entry tunnel. A structural inventory of native…

• BI
  Boehringer Ingelheim Fonds
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: CRC-1279, BE1814/15-1, SPP-1923, BE1814/1-1, SFB/TRR-174, SP1600/4-1
• BF
  Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung

  Award: RestrictSARS-CoV2