Viral Nucleases

Dear Colleagues,

We are organizing a Special Issue in Viruses to stimulate interest in and reporting of research targeting viral nucleases. Nucleases are ubiquitous hydrolytic enzymes that cleave the phosphodiester bond between nucleotides, within the strand (endonucleases) or from the end (as in exonucleases). With diverse active site structures and catalytic mechanisms, nucleases play a wide range of essential roles in viral replication and virus–host interactions. Key nuclease functions include genome replication (HIV and HBV RNase H), cap-snatching (influenza virus PA endonuclease), genome packaging (herpesvirus terminase endonuclease), proof-reading (SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 ExoN), and innate immune evasion (SARS-CoV-2 NSP15 EndoU). Although the successful development of the endonuclease-targeting baloxavir as an influenza drug provides a clinical validation for viral nucleases as potential antiviral targets, many of these nuclease functions remain underexplored in antiviral research.

We welcome manuscripts describing the virology, structural biology, biochemistry, medicinal chemistry, and pharmacology of any viral nucleases and inhibitors thereof, including but not limited to the abovementioned RNA and DNA, endo- and exonucleases, via metal-dependent or metal-independent catalytic mechanisms. Manuscripts of both original research and reviews are encouraged. The intention to contribute review articles must be communicated to the guest editors for preliminary topic consideration. 

Prof. Dr. Zhengqiang Wang
Prof. Dr. Robert J. Geraghty
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Viruses is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.