Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40683863›Full record

ArticleNature communications2025

Cryo-EM structures of Nipah virus polymerases and high-throughput RdRp assay development enable anti-NiV drug discovery.

Zhenhang Chen, Jeanne Quirit Dudley, Colin Deniston, Cosmo Z Buffalo, Debjani Patra, Dongdong Cao, Julia Hunt, Ahmed Rohaim, Debapriya Sengupta, Lan Wen and 8 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing 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

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. 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

18 authors.

Zhenhang ChenDepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5803-9491
Jeanne Quirit DudleyBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Colin DenistonBiomedical Research, Novartis, San Diego, CA, USA.
Cosmo Z BuffaloBiomedical Research, Novartis, San Diego, CA, USA.
Debjani PatraBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4343-4645
Dongdong CaoDepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2031-9321
Julia HuntDepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Ahmed RohaimBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Debapriya SenguptaBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Lan WenDepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Tiffany TsangBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Lili XieBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7604-2037
Michael DiDonatoBiomedical Research, Novartis, San Diego, CA, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9074-7284
Glen SpraggonBiomedical Research, Novartis, San Diego, CA, USA.
Matthew C CliftonBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Nadine JarrousseBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA.
Judith StraimerBiomedical Research, Novartis, Emeryville, CA, USA. judith.straimer@novartis.com.
Bo LiangDepartment of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA. bo.liang@emory.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5617-9228

Funding

Virology CoreU19AI171413 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS MED BR GALVESTON · PI DIAGANA, THIERRY, MENACHERY, VINEET D · 2022 to 2023
$75.0M
NCCAT: National Center for CryoEM Access and Training- Supplement for Windows 10 and FFIU24GM129539 · NIGMS · NEW YORK STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY CENTER · PI DE MARCO, ALEX, KIEFT, JEFFREY S · 2018 to 2023
$53.9M
Midwest Consortium for High Resolution Cryoelectron MicroscopyU24GM116789 · NIGMS · PURDUE UNIVERSITY · PI BULLITT, ESTHER, DAI, WEI · 2017 to 2021
$3.5M
NIAID NIH HHS U19 AI171413NIGMS NIH HHS U24 GM116789NIGMS NIH HHS U24 GM129539U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) U19AI171413U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) U24GM116789U.S. Department of Health & Human Services | NIH | National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) U24GM129539
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Transcription and replication of the Nipah virus (NiV) are driven by the large protein (L) together with its essential co-factor phosphoprotein (P). L encodes all the viral enzymatic functions, including RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) activity, while the tetrameric P is multi-modular. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanism of the NiV polymerase and build tools for anti-NiV drug discovery. We analyze and compare multiple cryo-EM structures of both full-length and truncated NiV polymerases from the Malaysia and Bangladesh strains. We identify two conserved loops in the polyribonucleotidyltransferase (PRNTase) domain of L and the binding between RdRp-PRNTase and CD domains. To further assess the mechanism of NiV polymerase activity, we establish a highly sensitive radioactive-labeled RNA synthesis assay and identify a back-priming activity in the NiV polymerase as well as a fluorescence and luminescent-based non-radioactive polymerase assay to enable high-throughput screening for L protein inhibitors. The combination of structural analysis and the development of both high-sensitive and high-throughput biochemical assays will enable the identification of new direct-acting antiviral candidates for treating highly pathogenic henipaviruses.

Indexed as

Antiviral AgentsDrug DiscoveryNipah VirusRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseViral ProteinsCryoelectron MicroscopyHenipavirus InfectionsHigh-Throughput Screening AssaysHumansModels, MolecularVirus ReplicationAntiviral AgentsRNA-Dependent RNA PolymeraseViral Proteins

Identifiers

PMID40683863
PMCPMC12276323

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.