Analysis
of the SARS-CoV-2 sequence revealed a multibasic furin
cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary of the spike protein distinguishing
this virus from SARS-CoV. Furin, the best-characterized member of
the mammalian proprotein convertases, is an ubiquitously expressed
single pass type 1 transmembrane protein. Cleavage of SARS-CoV-2 spike
protein by furin promotes viral entry into lung cells. While furin
knockout is embryonically lethal, its knockout in differentiated somatic
cells is not, thus furin provides an exciting therapeutic target for
viral pathogens including SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial infections. Several
peptide-based and small-molecule inhibitors of furin have been recently
reported, and select cocrystal structures have been solved, paving
the way for further optimization and selection of clinical candidates.
This perspective highlights furin structure, substrates, recent inhibitors,
and crystal structures with emphasis on furin’s role in SARS-CoV-2
infection, where the current data strongly suggest its inhibition
as a promising therapeutic intervention for SARS-CoV-2.