Multi-Alignment Comparison of Coronavirus Non-Structural Proteins Nsp13-16 with Ribosomal proteins and other DNA/RNA modifying Enzymes Suggested Their Roles in the Regulation of Host Protein Synthesis
Recently we proposed that Coronavirus Nsp2 protein is a RNA topoisomerase and Nsp16 is a 2'-O-Ribose Uridine Methyltransferase. BLAST search found that Nsp13 non-structural protein was a 2'-O-Ribose Guanosine Capping Methyltransferase although it has been implicated as RNA helicase. Search with 200 RNA/DNA binding-modifying proteins confirmed Nsp13 protein homology to ribosomal L6 and L9 proteins and Nsp2 protein to L1 protein and Nsp15 protein to S1 and S22 ribosomal proteins. Further, Nsp13 has some homology with Cfr 23S rRNA methyltransferase and RNaseT whereas Nsp15 had close relation to RecA recombinase and Dcm DNA methyltransferase. Similarly, Nsp14 had homology with Cfr 23S rRNA methyltransferase and Nsp16 2’-O-Ribose MTase had some similarity to UvrC exinuclease and RNase. These suggested that Nsp2, Nsp13, Nsp14, Nsp15 and nsp16 non-structural proteins may be recruited easily to mitoribosome making chimera ribosome to methylate the rRNA or change its topology favouring viral protein synthesis and inhibiting host protein synthesis. Such change in host protein synthesis in the mitochondria may cause a inhibition in oxidative phosphorylation and ATP synthesis causing quick coma or heart failure as seen in many Corona-infected patients. Thus, targeting those viral proteins with drugs, antisense, ribozyme and CRISPR-Cas6 may cure Corona-infected patients.