ArticleMolecular cell2020
Phosphoregulation of Phase Separation by the SARS-CoV-2 N Protein Suggests a Biophysical Basis for its Dual Functions.
Article in Molecular cell, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 250 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
250 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 389 citations in OpenAlex.
- A systematic review of protein post-translational modifications in sepsis.Molecular biology reports · 2025Pooled it
- SARS-CoV-2 variants with reduced infectivity and varied sensitivity to the BNT162b2 vaccine are developed during the course of infection.PLoS pathogens · 2022Trial
- Sarbecoviruses Suppress Innate Immunity by Recruiting PPM1A to Modulate STAT2 and ORF9b Phosphorylation.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Nsp3 Ubl1-orchestrated dephosphorylation of N protein promotes coronaviral subgenomic RNA synthesis.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- An ATP-Driven N Protein-DDX21 Molecular Switch Dynamically Controls SARS-CoV-2 RNA G-Quadruplex Heterogeneity.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Beyond the Capsid: How Can Post-Translational Modifications Modulate the Multifunctionality of the Orthoflavivirus Capsid Protein?Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Deltacoronavirus Modulates circRNA cGLIS3 Metabolism to Evade Host Antiviral Response.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2026Article
- Diabetic retinopathy: shaped by the "hidden hand" of post-translational modifications.Molecular neurodegeneration · 2026Review
- Ultrasensitive Detection of Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infections Using Multivalent DNA Nanostructure-Enabled Lateral Flow Assay.Advanced healthcare materials · 2026Article
- SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein recruits PP2A to dephosphorylate the nucleocapsid and promote virion production.Journal of biomedical science · 2026Article
- Direct interaction between human DDX1 and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein is regulated by phosphorylation.The Journal of biological chemistry · 2026Article
- SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein variants have differential RNA chaperone activity.The FEBS journal · 2026Article
- CSDE1 promotes viral immune evasion through RNA-dependent and phosphorylation-modulated liquid-liquid phase separation.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Identification of a novel N-terminal linear B-cell epitope on the FIPV nucleocapsid protein by a monoclonal antibody.BMC veterinary research · 2026Article
- Article
- Evolution of a truncated nucleocapsid protein enhances SARS-CoV-2 fitness by suppressing antiviral responses.PLoS biology · 2026Article
- SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein-specific monoclonal antibodies as tools for studying its antigenic structure and interaction with host cells.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Key residues in SARS-CoV-2 NSP3 hypervariable region are necessary to modulate early stress granule activity.Journal of virology · 2026Article
- Endosomal maturation leads to nucleocapsid conformation change in seasonal coronaviruses.Nagoya journal of medical science · 2026Article
- Mapping SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Function with Nanobodies.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
190 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
- Update of
Authors and funding
8 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of coronaviruses serves two major functions: compaction of the RNA genome in the virion and regulation of viral gene transcription. It is not clear how the N protein mediates such distinct functions. The N protein contains two RNA-binding domains surrounded by regions of intrinsic disorder. Phosphorylation of the central disordered region promotes the protein's transcriptional function, but the underlying mechanism is not known. Here, we show that the N protein of SARS-CoV-2, together with viral RNA, forms biomolecular condensates. Unmodified N protein forms partially ordered gel-like condensates and discrete 15-nm particles based on multivalent RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. Phosphorylation reduces these interactions, generating a more liquid-like droplet. We propose that distinct oligomeric states support the two functions of the N protein: unmodified protein forms a structured oligomer that is suited for nucleocapsid assembly, and phosphorylated protein forms a liquid-like compartment for viral genome processing.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.