As in other coronaviruses, nucleocapsid (N) is one of the most crucial structural components of the 2019nCoV, or COVID/NCP. Hence major attention has been focused on characterization of this protein. Independent studies conducted by several laboratories have elucidated significant insight into the primary function of this protein, which is to encapsidate the viral genome. The COVID N protein share high homology with the SARS-Cov’s N protein. Therefore, is has very similar function and can have similar applications in the aspect of diagnostic and vaccination.

In infected cells, N protein is mainly located in cytoplasm. Its main function is to package the genomic RNA in a protective covering. In order to achieve this structure, the N-protein must be equipped with two different characteristic properties such as: (i) being able to recognize the genomic RNA and associate with it; (ii) self-associate into an oligomer to form the capsid.

N-protein, being one of the predominantly expressed proteins at the early stage of SARS-CoV infection, against which a strong antibody response is initiated by the host; has been proposed to be an attractive diagnostic tool.In serum of SARS-CoV patients, the N-protein has been detected as early as day 1 of infection by ELISA using monoclonal antibodies against it. Furthermore, a comparative study to detect SARS-CoV specific IgG, SARS-CoV RNA, and the N-protein during early stages of infection has demonstrated that detection efficiency of the N-protein is significantly higher than the other two markers. N-protein has been one of the top target for development of IgM ELISA for diagnostic purpose.

N-protein has also been tested in its use as a protective vaccine against SARS-CoV infection. So it could be a potential vaccine candidate in the effort to develop an efficient vaccine against 2019-nCov/COVID.         

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