Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39831305›Full record

ArticleNucleic acids research2025

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein interferes with the full enzymatic activation of UPF1 and its interaction with UPF2.

Veronica Nuccetelli, Makram Mghezzi-Habellah, Séverine Deymier, Armelle Roisin, Francine Gérard-Baraggia, Cecilia Rocchi, Pierre-Damien Coureux, Patrice Gouet, Andrea Cimarelli, Vincent Mocquet and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nucleic acids research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Nonsense-mediated decay controls a negative feedback loop in innate immune sensing.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026
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  4. Review
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Veronica NuccetelliMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.
Makram Mghezzi-HabellahLaboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69364 Lyon, France.
Séverine DeymierCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, F-69364 Lyon, France.
Armelle RoisinLaboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69364 Lyon, France.
Francine Gérard-BaraggiaMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.
Cecilia RocchiMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.
Pierre-Damien CoureuxMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.
Patrice GouetMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.
Andrea CimarelliCentre International de Recherche en Infectiologie (CIRI), Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Inserm, U1111, CNRS, UMR5308, F-69364 Lyon, France.
Vincent MocquetLaboratoire de Biologie et Modélisation de la Cellule, Ecole Normale Supérieure de Lyon, CNRS UMR 5239, Inserm U1293, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69364 Lyon, France.ORCID 0000-0003-4337-5278
Francesca FioriniMolecular Microbiology and Structural Biochemistry, MMSB-IBCP, CNRS UMR 5086 , Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, F-69367 Lyon, France.ORCID 0000-0001-8388-1576

Funding

ANRS- Emerging infectious diseases ECTZ245897Fondation Innovations en Infectiologie FINOVI 247 479French National Research Agency ANR-24-CE15-2986-03National Center for Scientific Research - CNRS
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) pathway triggers the degradation of defective mRNAs and governs the expression of mRNAs with specific characteristics. Current understanding indicates that NMD is often significantly suppressed during viral infections to protect the viral genome. In numerous viruses, this inhibition is achieved through direct or indirect interference with the RNA helicase UPF1, thereby promoting viral replication and enhancing pathogenesis. In this study, we employed biochemical, biophysical assays and cellular investigations to explore the interplay between UPF1 and the nucleocapsid (Np) protein of SARS-CoV-2. We evaluated their direct interaction and its impact on inhibiting cellular NMD. Furthermore, we characterized how this interaction affects UPF1's enzymatic function. Our findings demonstrate that Np inhibits the unwinding activity of UPF1 by physically obstructing its access to structured nucleic acid substrates. Additionally, we showed that Np binds directly to UPF2, disrupting the formation of the UPF1/UPF2 complex essential for NMD progression. Intriguingly, our research also uncovered a surprising pro-viral role of UPF1 and an antiviral function of UPF2. These results unveil a novel, multi-faceted mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 evades the host's defenses and manipulates cellular components. This underscores the potential therapeutic strategy of targeting Np-UPF1/UPF2 interactions to treat COVID-19.

Indexed as

Coronavirus Nucleocapsid ProteinsMolecular ChaperonesRNA HelicasesSARS-CoV-2Trans-ActivatorsTranscription FactorsCOVID-19HEK293 CellsHumansNonsense Mediated mRNA DecayPhosphoproteinsProtein BindingRNA-Binding ProteinsVirus ReplicationCoronavirus Nucleocapsid ProteinsMolecular Chaperonesnucleocapsid phosphoprotein, SARS-CoV-2PhosphoproteinsRNA-Binding ProteinsRNA HelicasesTrans-ActivatorsTranscription FactorsUPF1 protein, humanUPF2 protein, human

Identifiers

PMID39831305
PMCPMC11744187

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.