The SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 13 (NSP13) has been identified as a target for anti-viral therapeutics due to its highly conserved sequence and is essential for viral replication.  NSP13 is part of the helicase superfamily 1B. As an NTPase and RNA helicase, NSP13 binds to RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and acts in concert with the replication-transcription complex to stimulate backtracking and further activate NSP13 helicase activity. These factors make NSP13 a good target for developing new antiviral drugs. In addition, the identification of epitopes within the NSP13 sequence can help design more effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Models have predicted epitopes exhibiting antigenicity, stability and interactions with MHC class-I and class-II molecules. NSP13 (566-580) is an epitope candidate with various HLA restrictions. This epitope can be used to better vaccine design for more durable CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses for long-lasting immunity.

We have a large collection of SARS-CoV-2 epitopes for you to choose from to complement your research. Explore our antiviral peptides, COVID-19 peptides, and epitope families here for the full list.