The Impact of SARS-CoV-2 nsp14 Proofreading on Nucleoside Antiviral Activity: Insights from Genetic and Pharmacological Investigations

Abstract

Nucleoside analogues are a class of well-established antiviral agents that act by being directly incorporated into the viral genome during the replication process, resulting in chain termination or the induction of lethal mutations. While many nucleoside analogues have exhibited broad-spectrum activity against a wide range of viruses, their effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 is limited. The lack of activity is hypothesized to be attributed to the proofreading function of viral nsp14 exonuclease. In this study, the role of the nsp14 proofreading in modulating nucleoside antiviral activity was investigated using genetic and pharmacological approaches. Introduction of exonuclease attenuation or disabling mutations to nsp14 led to either severe replication defect or increased sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV replicons to specific nucleoside analogues. In contrast, repurposing of HCV NS5A inhibitors to suppress nsp14 exonuclease activity is insufficient to enhance the potency of nucleoside analogues. These findings provided further support for nsp14 as a target for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral development and highlighted the complex interplay between nsp14 proofreading and RNA replication.