Nucleocapsid (N) protein is the most abundant protein found in coronavirus. CoV N protein is a highly immunogenic phosphoprotein important for viral genome replication and modulation of cell signaling pathways. It was first identified by a research team while they were screening for ADP-ribosylated proteins during coronavirus (CoV) infection (Grunewald M. E., et al. 2017, Virology; 517: 62-68). The array of diverse functional activities accommodated in N protein makes it more than a structural protein but also an interesting target in the development of antiviral therapeutics. Because of the conservation of N protein sequence and its strong immunogenicity, N protein of coronavirus is chosen as a diagnostic tool.
