Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Proteases and Polymerase for COVID-19 Treatment: State of the Art and Future Opportunities.

ABSTRACT: The newly emerged coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, is the causing pathogen of pandemic COVID-19. The identification of drugs to treat COVID-19 and other coronavirus diseases is an urgent global need, thus different strategies targeting either virus or host cell are still under investigation. Direct-acting agents, targeting protease and polymerase functionalities, represent a milestone in antiviral therapy. The 3C-like (or Main) protease (3CL^pro) and the nsp12 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp) are the best characterized SARS-CoV-2 targets and show the highest degree of conservation across coronaviruses fostering the identification of broad-spectrum inhibitors. Coronaviruses also possess a papain-like protease, another essential enzyme, still poorly characterized and not equally

SUBMITTER: Cannalire R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7688049 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature