Overview:

Novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused the pandemic of the respiratory diseases (COVID-19) around the world in 2020 (1). Coronavirus RNA genome encodes a complex replication machinery consisting of 16 viral non-structural proteins (NSPs). NSP7 and NSP8 stabilize regions of NSP12 (RNA-dependent RNA polymerase; RdRp) involved in RNA binding and are essential for a highly active NSP12 polymerase complex. NSP7 has been suggested to confer RNA-binding properties to the trimeric polymerase complex (2). NSP8 has been shown to act as an oligo(U)-templated polyadenylyltransferase and a robust (mono/oligo) adenylate transferase (3). The NSP7/NSP8/NSP12 polymerase complex associates with NSP14 which is required to safeguard coronavirus replication fidelity (2).

Gene Aliases:

NSP8: Non-structural protein 8

Genbank Number:

QHD43415

References:

1. Zhou P, et al: A pneumonia outbreak associated with a new coronavirus of probable bat origin. Nature. 2020, 579:270-89.

2. Subissi L, et al: One severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus protein complex integrates processive RNA polymerase and exonuclease activities. PNAS. U.S.A. 2014, 111: E3900–E3909.

3. Tvarogova J, et al: Identification and characterization of a human coronavirus 229E nonstructural protein 8-associated RNA 3'-terminal adenylyltransferase activity. Virol. 2019, 368: 779-782.