S-acylation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: Mechanistic dissection, in vitro reconstitution and role in viral infectivity

S-acylation, also known as palmitoylation, is the most widely prevalent form of protein lipidation, whereby long-chain fatty acids get attached to cysteine residues facing the cytosol. In humans, 23 members of the zDHHC family of integral membrane enzymes catalyze this modification. S-acylation is critical for the life cycle of many enveloped viruses. The Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, has the most cysteine-rich...