Identification of the interaction between Angiotensin-converting Enzyme Residues and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2.

Kadil, Youness; Mouhcine, Mohammed; Rahmoune, Imane; Filali, Houda

INTRODUCTION Coronaviruses are an enveloped virus with a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome. It has been shown that the viral spike S glycoprotein binds to the cell membrane protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as an invasive process of the virus. The aim of this research is the application of a computational approach in the identification of the interaction residues ACE2 with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2. A methodological study to understand the interactions between SARS CoV2 and ACE2, which is essential for the development of a vaccine and an antiviral. METHODS The S protein is cleaved into two subunits, S1 and S2. S1 contains the receptor-binding domain (RBD) which allows the virus to bind directly to the peptidase domain of ACE2. RESULTS Our results present the overall differences in contact residues between the different chains, and an alignment between the two SARS Viruses, along with a presentation of similarity between them.Then S2 likely plays a role in membrane fusion. CONCLUSION The synthesis of our results appears to provide potentially a rational set of objectives that can help in the development of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.