Characterization of the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Membrane Protein and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) as a Potential Therapeutic Target

In this dataset, we have validated and explored the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 M protein and the cellular protein PCNA, an interaction that was previously described by another proteomics study (Gordon et al., 2020). PCNA is an important nuclear protein involved in DNA replication and repair in the cell. The M-protein-PCNA interaction characterized here impacted the cell physiology, including increased localization of PCNA in the cytoplasm and associated DNA damage markers. These phenomena may have consequences for the fate of cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 and for the outcomes of COVID-19, such as persistent DNA damage after the infection. Finally, we show that inhibitors of PCNA and cell nuclear transport present effects in SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro. Similar results have been presented by other RNA viruses in the literature. In sum, this study sheds light on novel molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 replication.