Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is an enveloped positive-stranded RNA virus, a member of the Betacoronavirus genus, and the causative agent of MERS, an acute respiratory disease that often leads to pneumonia and renal failure.1,2 The MERS-CoV main protease (Mpro), also known as 3C-like protease (3CLpro), is encoded by non-structural protein 5 (nsp5), exists as a homodimer, and is composed of a chymotrypsin-like catalytic domain and helical domain.3,4 It is involved in processing polyprotein 1a (pp1a) at positions 4-16, which produces 13 nsps, and in inhibiting the host antiviral innate immune response.3,5,6 Inhibition of MERS-CoV Mpro activity reduces MERS-CoV replication in infected cells in vitro.7 MERS-CoV Mpro inhibition also increases survival and decreases lung viral titers and edema in MERS-CoV-infected transgenic mice expressing the gene encoding human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP-4), which is the functional receptor of MERS-CoV.7,8 Cayman’s MERS-CoV Mpro (recombinant) protein can be used for enzyme activity assays.WARNING This product is not for human or veterinary use.
