Recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus nucleocapsid protein forms a dimer through its c-terminal domain

The causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is the SARS-associated coronavirus, SARS-CoV. The viral nucleocapsid (N) protein plays an essential role in viral RNA packaging. In this study, recombinant SARS-CoV N protein was shown to be dimeric by analytical ultracentrifugation, size exclusion chromatography coupled with light scattering, and chemical cross-linking. Dimeric N proteins self-associate into tetramers and higher molecular weight oligomers at high concentrations. The dimerization domain of N was mapped through studies of the oligomeric states of several truncated mutants. Although mutants consisting of residues 1-210 and 1-284 fold as monomers, constructs consisting of residues 211-422 and 285-422 efficiently form dimers. When in excess, the truncated construct 285-422 inhibits the homodimerization of full-length N protein by forming a heterodimer with the full-length N protein. These results suggest that the N protein oligomerization involves the C-terminal residues 285-422, and this region is a good target for mutagenic studies to disrupt N protein self-association and virion assembly.