Comprehensive Insights into the Catalytic Mechanism of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome 3C-Like Protease and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 3C-Like Protease

from SARS and MERS, conduct mutational studies to improve the catalytic activity by 8-fold, optimize existing inhibitors to improve the potency by 4-fold, and identify a potential allosteric site for inhibitor design. All such results reinforce each other to support the overall catalytic mechanism proposed herein.