Structural Biology of the SARS-CoV-2 Proteome: Experimental Context, Functional Interpretation, and Intervention Research
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Structural biology has defined key features of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteome, although structural coverage and functional support remain uneven. This review connects representative structures of structural, nonstructural, and accessory proteins with evidence from biochemical, cellular, computational, and intervention studies. We ask when structural observations support biological interpretations and what additional evidence connects those interpretations to intervention outcomes. Structural coverage, experimental context, and functional support are recorded as separate dimensions across selected proteins, complexes, virions, replication organelles, and variant studies. Selected cases show that resolved structures can coexist with disputed functions; where the evidence compared here allows, we state which interpretations we regard as adequately supported and which remain candidate explanations. Differences between studies can also reflect complementary observations at different scales. Antiviral, antibody, and vaccine studies show how structures contribute to design and mechanistic interpretation, whereas clinical outcomes concern specific products, populations, and endpoints. Major gaps concern native assemblies, the physiological relevance of some accessory-protein findings, and the translation of molecular recognition into antiviral efficacy or protective immunity.
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,499
OpenAlex ID: W7225825741