SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 disrupts bidirectional nucleocytoplasmic transport through interactions with Rae1 and Nup98

In the SARS-CoV-2 infected cells, an accumulation of newly transcribed host mRNAs in the nucleus is observed. ORF6 was found to be responsible for this nuclear imprisonment of host mRNA, which is caused by the interaction between ORF6 and Rae1/Nup98, which are host mRNA export factors. Although SARS-CoV-1 ORF6 also interacts with Rae1 and Nup98, the interaction is stronger in that of SARS-CoV-2. Both SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 ORF6 block nuclear import of a broad range of host proteins.