Unraveling the role of the nucleocapsid protein in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis: From viral life cycle to vaccine development

The nucleocapsid protein (N protein) is the most abundant protein in SARS-CoV-2. Viral RNA and this protein are bound by electrostatic forces, forming cytoplasmic helical structures known as nucleocapsids. Subsequently, these nucleocapsids interact with the membrane (M) protein, facilitating virus budding into early secretory compartments.