Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Virus particles include the RNA genetic material and structural proteins needed for invasion of host cells. Once inside the cell the infecting RNA is used to encode structural proteins that make up virus particles, nonstructural proteins that direct virus assembly, transcription, replication and host control and accessory proteins whose function has not been determined.~ The structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 include the envelope protein (E), spike or surface glycoprotein (S), membrane protein (M) and the nucleocapsid protein (N). The nucleocapsid phosphoprotein is a structural protein that binds to, protects the viral RNA genome and is involved in packaging the RNA into virus particles. The N protein has been suggested as an antiviral drug target.
