Identification of an ATPase activity associated with a 71-kilodalton polypeptide encoded in gene 1 of the human coronavirus 229E

Human coronavirus 229E gene expression involves proteolytic processing of the gene 1-encoded polyproteins pp1a and pp1ab. In this study, we have detected a 71-kDa polypeptide in virus-infected cells that is released from pp1ab by the virus-encoded 3C-like proteinase and that has been predicted to contain both metal-binding and helicase domains. The polypeptide encompasses amino acids Ala-4996 to Gln-5592 of pp1ab and exhibits nucleic acid-stimulated ATPase activity when expressed as a fusion protein with the Escherichia coli maltose-binding protein. These data provide the first identification of a coronavirus open reading frame 1b-encoded enzymatic activity.