N-terminal domain of alpha- and beta-coronavirus Nonstructural protein 15 (Nsp15), and related proteins
Coronavirus (CoV) Nsp15 is a nidovirus endoribonuclease (NendoU). NendoUs are uridylate-specific endoribonucleases, which release a cleavage product containing a 2',3'-cyclic phosphate at the 3' terminal end. NendoUs include CoV Nsp15 and arterivirus Nsp11, both of which may participate in the viral replication process and in the evasion of the host immune system. This small NTD structure, present in coronavirus Nsp15, is missing in Nsp11. CoV Nsp15 has an N-terminal domain, a middle (M) domain, and a C-terminal catalytic (NendoU) domain. Nsp15 from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-CoV, human CoV229E (HCoV229E), and Murine Hepatitis Virus (MHV) form a functional hexamer. Residues in this N-terminal domain are important for hexamer (dimer of trimers) formation.