SARS-CoV-1 targets PDZ proteins in cell-cell junction

SARS-CoV-1 targets PDZ proteins in cell-cell junction PDZ domains are protein‑protein recognition sequences, consisting of 80–90 amino acids that bind to a PDZ‑binding motif (PBM), usually located at the carboxy‑terminus of a target protein (Hung AY & Sheng M 2002; Gerek ZN et al. 2009; Munz M et al. 2012). Proteins containing PDZ domains are typically found in the cell cytoplasm or in association with the plasma membrane and play a role in cell‑cell junction formation, establishment of cellular polarity, and signal transduction pathways. The multidomain structure of PDZ-containing proteins enables them to interact with multiple binding partners simultaneously, thereby assembling larger protein complexes (Harris BZ & Lim WA 2001). Viruses also encode PBM-containing proteins that bind to cellular PDZ proteins. Viral PBMs target cellular PDZ-containing proteins involved in tight junction formation, cell polarity establishment, and apoptosis (Javier RT & Rice AP 2011).