ORF10–Cullin-2–ZYG11B complex is not required for SARS-CoV-2 infection

Significance Understanding the functions of the genes encoded in the SARS-CoV-2 genome is imperative to understanding its pathogenesis. One unique feature of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is ORF10, a small putative protein that was hypothesized to promote infection by hijacking a cellular E3 ubiquitin ligase, CRL2 ZYG11B . Here, we investigate whether ORF10 hijacks CRL2 ZYG11B or functions in other ways, such as to inhibit CRL2 ZYG11B or be degraded by it. We do not find evidence that ORF10 regulates or is regulated by CRL2 ZYG11B , and, furthermore, we find that ZYG11B and its paralog are dispensable for SARS-CoV-2 infection in cultured cells.