Recent insights into the development of therapeutics against coronavirus diseases by targeting N protein

• Coronavirus nucleocapsid proteins are appealing drug targets against coronavirus-induced diseases.
• A variety of compounds targeting the coronavirus nucleocapsid protein have been developed.
• Many of these compounds show potential antiviral activity.

The advent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in the 21st century and the recent outbreak of Middle-East respiratory syndrome (MERS) highlight the importance of coronaviruses (CoVs) as human pathogens, emphasizing the need for development of novel antiviral strategies to combat acute respiratory infections caused by CoVs. Recent studies suggest that nucleocapsid (N) proteins from coronaviruses and other viruses can be useful antiviral drug targets against viral infections. This review aims to provide readers with a concise survey of the structural features of coronavirus N proteins and how these features provide insights into structure-based development of therapeutics against coronaviruses. We will also present our latest results on MERS-CoV N protein and its potential as an antiviral drug target.