Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40018651›Full record

ArticleChemical & biomedical imaging2025

Duplex Unwinding Mechanism of Coronavirus MERS-CoV nsp13 Helicase.

Wei Hao, Xiao Hu, Qixin Chen, Bo Qin, Zhiqi Tian, Ziheng Li, Pengjiao Hou, Rong Zhao, Hamza Balci, Sheng Cui and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Chemical & biomedical imaging, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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.

Wei HaoNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Xiao HuDepartment of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States.
Qixin ChenDepartment of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States.
Bo QinNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Zhiqi TianDepartment of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States.
Ziheng LiNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Pengjiao HouNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Rong ZhaoNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Hamza BalciDepartment of Physics, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0273-4871
Sheng CuiNHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6329-3582
Jiajie DiaoDepartment of Cancer Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, United States.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4288-3203

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the importance of in-depth research into the proteins encoded by coronaviruses (CoV), particularly the highly conserved nonstructural CoV proteins (nsp). Among these, the nsp13 helicase of severe pathogenic MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and SARS-CoV is one of the most preserved CoV nsp. Utilizing single-molecule FRET, we discovered that MERS-CoV nsp13 unwinds DNA in distinct steps of about 9 bp when ATP is employed. If a different nucleotide is introduced, these steps diminish to 3-4 bp. Dwell-time analysis revealed 3-4 concealed steps within each unwinding process, which suggests the hydrolysis of 3-4 dTTP. Combining our observations with previous studies, we propose an unwinding model of CoV nsp13 helicase. This model suggests that the elongated and adaptable 1B-stalk of nsp13 may enable the 1B remnants to engage with the unwound single-stranded DNA, even as the helicase core domain has advanced over 3-4 bp, thereby inducing accumulated strain on the nsp13-DNA complex. Our findings provide a foundational framework for determining the unwinding mechanism of this unique helicase family.

Identifiers

PMID40018651
PMCPMC11863148

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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.