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Singh R, Singh PK, Kumar R, Kabir MT, Kamal MA, Rauf A, Albadrani GM, Sayed AA, Mousa SA, Abdel-Daim MM, Uddin MS. Multi-Omics Approach in the Identification of Potential Therapeutic Biomolecule for COVID-19. Front Pharmacol 2021. [PMID: 34054532 DOI: 10.3389/fphar2021652335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It has a disastrous effect on mankind due to the contagious and rapid nature of its spread. Although vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 have been successfully developed, the proven, effective, and specific therapeutic molecules are yet to be identified for the treatment. The repurposing of existing drugs and recognition of new medicines are continuously in progress. Efforts are being made to single out plant-based novel therapeutic compounds. As a result, some of these biomolecules are in their testing phase. During these efforts, the whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 has given the direction to explore the omics systems and approaches to overcome this unprecedented health challenge globally. Genome, proteome, and metagenome sequence analyses have helped identify virus nature, thereby assisting in understanding the molecular mechanism, structural understanding, and disease propagation. The multi-omics approaches offer various tools and strategies for identifying potential therapeutic biomolecules for COVID-19 and exploring the plants producing biomolecules that can be used as biopharmaceutical products. This review explores the available multi-omics approaches and their scope to investigate the therapeutic promises of plant-based biomolecules in treating SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachana Singh
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, India
| | - Pradhyumna Kumar Singh
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- National Botanical Research Institute (CSIR-NBRI), Lucknow, India
| | - Rajnish Kumar
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow Campus, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Mohammad Amjad Kamal
- West China School of Nursing/Institutes for Systems Genetics, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Enzymoics, Novel Global Community Educational Foundation, Hebersham, NSW, Australia
| | - Abdur Rauf
- Department of Chemistry, University of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Ghadeer M Albadrani
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amany A Sayed
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Shaker A Mousa
- Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Rensselaer, NY, United States
| | - Mohamed M Abdel-Daim
- Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Md Sahab Uddin
- Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
- Pharmakon Neuroscience Research Network, Dhaka, Bangladesh
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452
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Srinivasan K, Rao M. Understanding the clinical utility of favipiravir (T-705) in coronavirus disease of 2019: a review. Ther Adv Infect Dis 2021; 8:20499361211063016. [PMID: 34881025 PMCID: PMC8646822 DOI: 10.1177/20499361211063016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has caused significant morbidity and mortality among infected individuals across the world. High transmissibility rate of the causative virus - Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) - has led to immense strain and bottlenecking of the health care system. While noteworthy advances in vaccine development have been made amid the current global pandemic, most therapeutic agents are repurposed from use in other viral infections and are being evaluated for efficacy in COVID-19. Favipiravir, an orally administered drug originally developed in Japan against emerging influenza viral strains, has been shown to have widespread application and safety across multiple ribonucleic acid (RNA) viral infections. With a strong affinity toward the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), favipiravir could be a promising therapy against SARS-CoV-2, by targeting downstream viral RNA replication. Initial trials for usage in COVID-19 have suggested that favipiravir administration during initial infection stages, in individuals with mild to moderate infection, has a strong potential to improve clinical outcomes. However, additional well-designed clinical trials are required to closely examine ideal timing of drug administration, dosage, and duration, to assess the role of favipiravir in COVID-19 therapy. This review provides evidence-based insights and throws light on the current clinical trials examining the efficacy of favipiravir in tackling COVID-19, including its mechanism, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kritika Srinivasan
- Department of Biomaterials and Pathology, Vilcek Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mana Rao
- Essen Medical Associates, 2015 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY 10453, USA
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453
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Cusinato J, Cau Y, Calvani AM, Mori M. Repurposing drugs for the management of COVID-19. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 31:295-307. [PMID: 33283567 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1861248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 represents a serious health issue worldwide, with more than 61 million cases and more than 1.4 million deaths since the beginning of the epidemic near the end of 2019. The scientific community strongly responded to this emergency situation with massive research efforts, mostly focused on diagnosis and clinical investigation of therapeutic solutions. In this scenario, drug repurposing played a crucial role in accelerating advanced clinical testing and shortening the time to access the regulatory review.Areas covered: This review covers the main and most successful drug repurposing approaches from a design, clinical, and regulatory standpoint. Available patents on repurposed drugs are also discussed.Expert opinion: Drug repurposing proved highly successful in response to the current pandemic, with remdesivir becoming the first specific antiviral drug approved for the treatment of COVID-19. In parallel, a number of drugs such as corticosteroids and low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) are used to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients, while clinical testing of additional therapeutic options is ongoing. It is reasonably expected that these research efforts will deliver optimized and specific therapeutic tools that will increase the preparedness of health systems to possible future epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacopo Cusinato
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Neuroscience, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Ylenia Cau
- Department of Neurosciences, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health (NEUROFARBA), University of Florence, Hospital Pharmacy School, Florence, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Calvani
- AOU Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, Hospital Pharmacy, AOU Anna Meyer Children's University Hospital, Florence, Italy
| | - Mattia Mori
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
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454
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Shahid M, Shahzad-Ul-Hussan S. Structural insights of key enzymes into therapeutic intervention against SARS-CoV-2. J Struct Biol 2020; 213:107690. [PMID: 33383190 PMCID: PMC7769706 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2020.107690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has drastically affected human health all over the world. After the emergence of the pandemic the major focus of efforts to attenuate the infection has been on repurposing the already approved drugs to treat COVID-19 adopting a fast-track strategy. However, to date a specific regimen to treat COVID-19 is not available. Over the last few months a substantial amount of data about the structures of various key proteins and their recognition partners involved in the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis has emerged. These studies have not only provided the molecular level descriptions ofthe viral pathogenesis but also laid the foundation for rational drug design and discovery. In this review, we have recapitulated the structural details of four key viral enzymes, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, 3-chymotrypsin like protease, papain-like protease and helicase, and two host factors including angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and transmembrane serine protease involved in the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, and described the potential hotspots present on these structures which could be explored for therapeutic intervention. We have also discussed the significance of endoplasmic reticulum α-glucosidases as potential targets for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munazza Shahid
- Department of Biology, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shahzad-Ul-Hussan
- Department of Biology, SBA School of Science and Engineering, Lahore University of Management Sciences, Lahore 54792, Pakistan.
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455
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Croll T, Diederichs K, Fischer F, Fyfe C, Gao Y, Horrell S, Joseph AP, Kandler L, Kippes O, Kirsten F, Müller K, Nolte K, Payne A, Reeves MG, Richardson J, Santoni G, Stäb S, Tronrud D, von Soosten L, Williams C, Thorn A. Making the invisible enemy visible. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.10.07.307546. [PMID: 33052340 PMCID: PMC7553165 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.07.307546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, structural biologists rushed to solve the structures of the 28 proteins encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome in order to understand the viral life cycle and enable structure-based drug design. In addition to the 204 previously solved structures from SARS-CoV-1, 548 structures covering 16 of the SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins have been released in a span of only 6 months. These structural models serve as the basis for research to understand how the virus hijacks human cells, for structure-based drug design, and to aid in the development of vaccines. However, errors often occur in even the most careful structure determination - and may be even more common among these structures, which were solved quickly and under immense pressure. The Coronavirus Structural Task Force has responded to this challenge by rapidly categorizing, evaluating and reviewing all of these experimental protein structures in order to help downstream users and original authors. In addition, the Task Force provided improved models for key structures online, which have been used by Folding@Home, OpenPandemics, the EU JEDI COVID-19 challenge and others.
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456
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Garvin MR, T Prates E, Pavicic M, Jones P, Amos BK, Geiger A, Shah MB, Streich J, Felipe Machado Gazolla JG, Kainer D, Cliff A, Romero J, Keith N, Brown JB, Jacobson D. Potentially adaptive SARS-CoV-2 mutations discovered with novel spatiotemporal and explainable AI models. Genome Biol 2020; 21:304. [PMID: 33357233 PMCID: PMC7756312 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02191-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A mechanistic understanding of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and diligent tracking of ongoing mutagenesis are of key importance to plan robust strategies for confining its transmission. Large numbers of available sequences and their dates of transmission provide an unprecedented opportunity to analyze evolutionary adaptation in novel ways. Addition of high-resolution structural information can reveal the functional basis of these processes at the molecular level. Integrated systems biology-directed analyses of these data layers afford valuable insights to build a global understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Here we identify globally distributed haplotypes from 15,789 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and model their success based on their duration, dispersal, and frequency in the host population. Our models identify mutations that are likely compensatory adaptive changes that allowed for rapid expansion of the virus. Functional predictions from structural analyses indicate that, contrary to previous reports, the Asp614Gly mutation in the spike glycoprotein (S) likely reduced transmission and the subsequent Pro323Leu mutation in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase led to the precipitous spread of the virus. Our model also suggests that two mutations in the nsp13 helicase allowed for the adaptation of the virus to the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Finally, our explainable artificial intelligence algorithm identified a mutational hotspot in the sequence of S that also displays a signature of positive selection and may have implications for tissue or cell-specific expression of the virus. CONCLUSIONS These results provide valuable insights for the development of drugs and surveillance strategies to combat the current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Garvin
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Erica T Prates
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Mirko Pavicic
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Piet Jones
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - B Kirtley Amos
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- Department of Horticulture, N-318 Ag Sciences Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Armin Geiger
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Manesh B Shah
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Jared Streich
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | | | - David Kainer
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Ashley Cliff
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Jonathon Romero
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Nathan Keith
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - James B Brown
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Jacobson
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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457
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Gu W, Martinez S, Nguyen H, Xu H, Herdewijn P, De Jonghe S, Das K. Tenofovir-Amino Acid Conjugates Act as Polymerase Substrates-Implications for Avoiding Cellular Phosphorylation in the Discovery of Nucleotide Analogues. J Med Chem 2020; 64:782-796. [PMID: 33356231 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Nucleotide analogues are used for treating viral infections such as HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, influenza, and SARS-CoV-2. To become polymerase substrates, a nucleotide analogue must be phosphorylated by cellular kinases which is rate-limiting. The goal of this study is to develop dNTP/NTP analogues directly from nucleotides. Tenofovir (TFV) analogues were synthesized by conjugating with amino acids. We demonstrate that some conjugates act as dNTP analogues and HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) catalytically incorporates the TFV part as the chain terminator. X-ray structures in complex with HIV-1 RT/dsDNA showed binding of the conjugates at the polymerase active site, however, in different modes in the presence of Mg2+ versus Mn2+ ions. The adaptability of the compounds is seemingly essential for catalytic incorporation of TFV by RT. 4d with a carboxyl sidechain demonstrated the highest incorporation. 4e showed weak incorporation and rather behaved as a dNTP-competitive inhibitor. This result advocates the feasibility of designing NTP/dNTP analogues by chemical substitutions to nucleotide analogues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijie Gu
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.,KU Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sergio Martinez
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hoai Nguyen
- KU Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hongtao Xu
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- KU Leuven, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kalyan Das
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Herestraat 49, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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458
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Cardon T, Fournier I, Salzet M. SARS-Cov-2 Interactome with Human Ghost Proteome: A Neglected World Encompassing a Wealth of Biological Data. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E2036. [PMID: 33352703 PMCID: PMC7766365 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8122036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventionally, eukaryotic mRNAs were thought to be monocistronic, leading to the translation of a single protein. However, large-scale proteomics have led to a massive identification of proteins translated from mRNAs of alternative ORF (AltORFs), in addition to the predicted proteins issued from the reference ORF or from ncRNAs. These alternative proteins (AltProts) are not represented in the conventional protein databases and this "ghost proteome" was not considered until recently. Some of these proteins are functional and there is growing evidence that they are involved in central functions in physiological and physiopathological context. Based on our experience with AltProts, we were interested in finding out their interaction with the viral protein coming from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, responsible for the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak. Thus, we have scrutinized the recently published data by Krogan and coworkers (2020) on the SARS-CoV-2 interactome with host cells by affinity purification in co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) in the perspective of drug repurposing. The initial work revealed the interaction between 332 human cellular reference proteins (RefProts) with the 27 viral proteins. Re-interrogation of this data using 23 viral targets and including AltProts, followed by enrichment of the interaction networks, leads to identify 218 RefProts (in common to initial study), plus 56 AltProts involved in 93 interactions. This demonstrates the necessity to take into account the ghost proteome for discovering new therapeutic targets, and establish new therapeutic strategies. Missing the ghost proteome in the drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) drug development pipeline will certainly be a major limitation to the establishment of efficient therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Cardon
- Inserm U1192, University Lille, CHU Lille, Laboratory Protéomique Réponse Inflammatoire Spectrométrie de Masse (PRISM), F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Isabelle Fournier
- Inserm U1192, University Lille, CHU Lille, Laboratory Protéomique Réponse Inflammatoire Spectrométrie de Masse (PRISM), F-59000 Lille, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75000 Paris, France
| | - Michel Salzet
- Inserm U1192, University Lille, CHU Lille, Laboratory Protéomique Réponse Inflammatoire Spectrométrie de Masse (PRISM), F-59000 Lille, France
- Institut Universitaire de France, 75000 Paris, France
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459
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Suryawanshi RK, Koganti R, Agelidis A, Patil CD, Shukla D. Dysregulation of Cell Signaling by SARS-CoV-2. Trends Microbiol 2020; 29:224-237. [PMID: 33451855 PMCID: PMC7836829 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 12/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pathogens usurp host pathways to generate a permissive environment for their propagation. The current spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection presents the urgent need to understand the complex pathogen–host interplay for effective control of the virus. SARS-CoV-2 reorganizes the host cytoskeleton for efficient cell entry and controls host transcriptional processes to support viral protein translation. The virus also dysregulates innate cellular defenses using various structural and nonstructural proteins. This results in substantial but delayed hyperinflammation alongside a weakened interferon (IFN) response. We provide an overview of SARS-CoV-2 and its uniquely aggressive life cycle and discuss the interactions of various viral proteins with host signaling pathways. We also address the functional changes in SARS-CoV-2 proteins, relative to SARS-CoV. Our comprehensive assessment of host signaling in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis provides some complex yet important strategic clues for the development of novel therapeutics against this rapidly emerging worldwide crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul K Suryawanshi
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Raghuram Koganti
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Alex Agelidis
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Chandrashekhar D Patil
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Deepak Shukla
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
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460
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Mariano G, Farthing RJ, Lale-Farjat SLM, Bergeron JRC. Structural Characterization of SARS-CoV-2: Where We Are, and Where We Need to Be. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:605236. [PMID: 33392262 PMCID: PMC7773825 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.605236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread in humans in almost every country, causing the disease COVID-19. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, research efforts have been strongly directed towards obtaining a full understanding of the biology of the viral infection, in order to develop a vaccine and therapeutic approaches. In particular, structural studies have allowed to comprehend the molecular basis underlying the role of many of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins, and to make rapid progress towards treatment and preventive therapeutics. Despite the great advances that have been provided by these studies, many knowledge gaps on the biology and molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 infection still remain. Filling these gaps will be the key to tackle this pandemic, through development of effective treatments and specific vaccination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Mariano
- Microbes in Health and Disease Theme, Newcastle University Biosciences Institute, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom
| | - Rebecca J. Farthing
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Julien R. C. Bergeron
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, King’s College London, London, United Kingdom
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461
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Capasso C, Nocentini A, Supuran CT. Protease inhibitors targeting the main protease and papain-like protease of coronaviruses. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2020; 31:309-324. [PMID: 33246378 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2021.1857726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The two cysteine proteases from the coronaviruses, which produced deadly outbreaks in the last two decades, SARS CoV-1/2, and MERS, the main protease (Mpro) and the papain-like protease (PLP) are conserved among the three pathogens and started to be considered as exciting drug targets for developing antivirals. AREAS COVERED We review the drug design landscape in the scientific and patent literature to design peptidomimetic and non-peptidomimetic protease inhibitors (PIs) targeting these proteins. EXPERT OPINION The X-ray crystal structures of some of these proteases, alone and in complex with various inhibitors, were crucial for the discovery of effective such compounds, some of which also showed considerable antiviral activity and are considered preclinical candidates to fight these emerging infections, which in the case of Covid-19 already provoked an unprecedented worldwide pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemente Capasso
- Department of Biology, Agriculture and Food Sciences, CNR, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Napoli, Italy
| | - Alessio Nocentini
- Dipartimento Neurofarba, Sezione di Scienze Farmaceutiche e Nutraceutiche, Università Degli Studi di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy
| | - Claudiu T Supuran
- Dipartimento Neurofarba, Sezione di Scienze Farmaceutiche e Nutraceutiche, Università Degli Studi di Firenze, Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy
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462
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Sanyal S. How SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) spreads within infected hosts - what we know so far. Emerg Top Life Sci 2020; 4:371-378. [PMID: 33269805 PMCID: PMC7733667 DOI: 10.1042/etls20200165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), belongs to the betacoronavirus genus and shares high homology to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) that emerged in 2003. These are highly transmissible and pathogenic viruses which very likely originated in bats. SARS-CoV-2 uses the same receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as SARS-CoV, and spreads primarily through the respiratory tract. Although several trials for vaccine development are currently underway, investigations into the virology of SARS-CoV-2 to understand the fundamental biology of the infectious cycle and the associated immunopathology underlying the clinical manifestations of COVID-19 are crucial for identification and rational design of effective therapies. This review provides an overview of how SARS-CoV-2 infects and spreads within human hosts with specific emphasis on key aspects of its lifecycle, tropism and immunopathological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumana Sanyal
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3RE, U.K
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463
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Narayanan N, Nair DT. Ritonavir may inhibit exoribonuclease activity of nsp14 from the SARS-CoV-2 virus and potentiate the activity of chain terminating drugs. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 168:272-278. [PMID: 33309661 PMCID: PMC7724963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.12.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2is the causative agent for the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, and this virus belongs to the Coronaviridae family. The nsp14 protein of SARS-CoV-2 houses a 3' to 5' exoribonuclease activity responsible for removing mismatches that arise during genome duplication. A homology model of nsp10-nsp14 complex was used to carry out in silico screening to identify molecules among natural products, or FDA approved drugs that can potentially inhibit the activity of nsp14. This exercise showed that ritonavir might bind to the exoribonuclease active site of the nsp14 protein. A model of the SARS-CoV-2-nsp10-nsp14 complex bound to substrate RNA showed that the ritonavir binding site overlaps with that of the 3' nucleotide of substrate RNA. A comparison of the calculated energies of binding for RNA and ritonavir suggested that the drug may bind to the active site of nsp14 with significant affinity. It is, therefore, possible that ritonavir may prevent association with substrate RNA and thus inhibit the exoribonuclease activity of nsp14. Overall, our computational studies suggest that ritonavir may serve as an effective inhibitor of the nsp14 protein. nsp14 is known to attenuate the inhibitory effect of drugs that function through premature termination of viral genome replication. Hence, ritonavir may potentiate the therapeutic properties of drugs such as remdesivir, favipiravir and ribavirin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naveen Narayanan
- Laboratory of Genomic Integrity and Evolution, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India; Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Deepak T Nair
- Laboratory of Genomic Integrity and Evolution, Regional Centre for Biotechnology, NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, Faridabad 121001, Haryana, India.
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Alexandrova R, Beykov P, Vassilev D, Jukić M, Podlipnik Č. The virus that shook the world: questions and answers about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. BIOTECHNOL BIOTEC EQ 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/13102818.2020.1847683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Radostina Alexandrova
- Department of Pathology Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Pencho Beykov
- Department of Pathology Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with Museum, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria
- Faculty of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”, Sofa, Bulgaria
| | - Dobrin Vassilev
- “Alexandrovska” University Hospital, Medical University of Sofia, Sofia, Bulgaria
| | - Marko Jukić
- Laboratory of Physical Chemistry and Chemical Thermodynamics, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Maribor, Maribor, Slovenia
- Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Faculty of Mathematics, University of Primorska, Koper, Slovenia
| | - Črtomir Podlipnik
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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465
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Lubin JH, Zardecki C, Dolan EM, Lu C, Shen Z, Dutta S, Westbrook JD, Hudson BP, Goodsell DS, Williams JK, Voigt M, Sarma V, Xie L, Venkatachalam T, Arnold S, Alvarado LHA, Catalfano K, Khan A, McCarthy E, Staggers S, Tinsley B, Trudeau A, Singh J, Whitmore L, Zheng H, Benedek M, Currier J, Dresel M, Duvvuru A, Dyszel B, Fingar E, Hennen EM, Kirsch M, Khan AA, Labrie-Cleary C, Laporte S, Lenkeit E, Martin K, Orellana M, de la Campa MOA, Paredes I, Wheeler B, Rupert A, Sam A, See K, Zapata SS, Craig PA, Hall BL, Jiang J, Koeppe JR, Mills SA, Pikaart MJ, Roberts R, Bromberg Y, Hoyer JS, Duffy S, Tischfield J, Ruiz FX, Arnold E, Baum J, Sandberg J, Brannigan G, Khare SD, Burley SK. Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 proteome in three dimensions (3D) during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 33299989 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.01.406637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Three-dimensional structures of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviral proteins archived in the Protein Data Bank were used to analyze viral proteome evolution during the first six months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Analyses of spatial locations, chemical properties, and structural and energetic impacts of the observed amino acid changes in >48,000 viral proteome sequences showed how each one of the 29 viral study proteins have undergone amino acid changes. Structural models computed for every unique sequence variant revealed that most substitutions map to protein surfaces and boundary layers with a minority affecting hydrophobic cores. Conservative changes were observed more frequently in cores versus boundary layers/surfaces. Active sites and protein-protein interfaces showed modest numbers of substitutions. Energetics calculations showed that the impact of substitutions on the thermodynamic stability of the proteome follows a universal bi-Gaussian distribution. Detailed results are presented for six drug discovery targets and four structural proteins comprising the virion, highlighting substitutions with the potential to impact protein structure, enzyme activity, and functional interfaces. Characterizing the evolution of the virus in three dimensions provides testable insights into viral protein function and should aid in structure-based drug discovery efforts as well as the prospective identification of amino acid substitutions with potential for drug resistance.
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466
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De Wijngaert B, Sultana S, Singh A, Dharia C, Vanbuel H, Shen J, Vasilchuk D, Martinez SE, Kandiah E, Patel SS, Das K. Cryo-EM Structures Reveal Transcription Initiation Steps by Yeast Mitochondrial RNA Polymerase. Mol Cell 2020; 81:268-280.e5. [PMID: 33278362 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mitochondrial RNA polymerase (mtRNAP) is crucial in cellular energy production, yet understanding of mitochondrial DNA transcription initiation lags that of bacterial and nuclear DNA transcription. We report structures of two transcription initiation intermediate states of yeast mtRNAP that explain promoter melting, template alignment, DNA scrunching, abortive synthesis, and transition into elongation. In the partially melted initiation complex (PmIC), transcription factor MTF1 makes base-specific interactions with flipped non-template (NT) nucleotides "AAGT" at -4 to -1 positions of the DNA promoter. In the initiation complex (IC), the template in the expanded 7-mer bubble positions the RNA and NTP analog UTPαS, while NT scrunches into an NT loop. The scrunched NT loop is stabilized by the centrally positioned MTF1 C-tail. The IC and PmIC states coexist in solution, revealing a dynamic equilibrium between two functional states. Frequent scrunching/unscruching transitions and the imminent steric clashes of the inflating NT loop and growing RNA:DNA with the C-tail explain abortive synthesis and transition into elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent De Wijngaert
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Shemaila Sultana
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Anupam Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Chhaya Dharia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Hans Vanbuel
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jiayu Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Daniel Vasilchuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Sergio E Martinez
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eaazhisai Kandiah
- European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, 71 Avenue des Martyrs, 38043 Grenoble, France
| | - Smita S Patel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA.
| | - Kalyan Das
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium.
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467
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Artese A, Svicher V, Costa G, Salpini R, Di Maio VC, Alkhatib M, Ambrosio FA, Santoro MM, Assaraf YG, Alcaro S, Ceccherini-Silberstein F. Current status of antivirals and druggable targets of SARS CoV-2 and other human pathogenic coronaviruses. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 53:100721. [PMID: 33132205 PMCID: PMC7448791 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Coronaviridae is a peculiar viral family, with a very large RNA genome and characteristic appearance, endowed with remarkable tendency to transfer from animals to humans. Since the beginning of the 21st century, three highly transmissible and pathogenic coronaviruses have crossed the species barrier and caused deadly pneumonia, inflicting severe outbreaks and causing human health emergencies of inconceivable magnitude. Indeed, in the past two decades, two human coronaviruses emerged causing serious respiratory illness: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), causing more than 10,000 cumulative cases, with mortality rates of 10 % for SARS-CoV-1 and 34.4 % for MERS-CoV. More recently, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged in China and has been identified as the etiological agent of the recent COVID-19 pandemic outbreak. It has rapidly spread throughout the world, causing nearly 22 million cases and ∼ 770,000 deaths worldwide, with an estimated mortality rate of ∼3.6 %, hence posing serious challenges for adequate and effective prevention and treatment. Currently, with the exception of the nucleotide analogue prodrug remdesivir, and despite several efforts, there is no known specific, proven, pharmacological treatment capable of efficiently and rapidly inducing viral containment and clearance of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as no broad-spectrum drug for other human pathogenic coronaviruses. Another confounding factor is the paucity of molecular information regarding the tendency of coronaviruses to acquire drug resistance, a gap that should be filled in order to optimize the efficacy of antiviral drugs. In this light, the present review provides a systematic update on the current knowledge of the marked global efforts towards the development of antiviral strategies aimed at coping with the infection sustained by SARS-CoV-2 and other human pathogenic coronaviruses, displaying drug resistance profiles. The attention has been focused on antiviral drugs mainly targeting viral protease, RNA polymerase and spike glycoprotein, that have been tested in vitro and/or in clinical trials as well as on promising compounds proven to be active against coronaviruses by an in silico drug repurposing approach. In this respect, novel insights on compounds, identified by structure-based virtual screening on the DrugBank database endowed by multi-targeting profile, are also reported. We specifically identified 14 promising compounds characterized by a good in silico binding affinity towards, at least, two of the four studied targets (viral and host proteins). Among which, ceftolozane and NADH showed the best multi-targeting profile, thus potentially reducing the emergence of resistant virus strains. We also focused on potentially novel pharmacological targets for the development of compounds with anti-pan coronavirus activity. Through the analysis of a large set of viral genomic sequences, the current review provides a comprehensive and specific map of conserved regions across human coronavirus proteins which are essential for virus replication and thus with no or very limited tendency to mutate. Hence, these represent key druggable targets for novel compounds against this virus family. In this respect, the identification of highly effective and innovative pharmacological strategies is of paramount importance for the treatment and/or prophylaxis of the current pandemic but potentially also for future and unavoidable outbreaks of human pathogenic coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Artese
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy,Net4Science Academic Spin-Off, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Valentina Svicher
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Giosuè Costa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy,Net4Science Academic Spin-Off, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Romina Salpini
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Velia Chiara Di Maio
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | - Mohammad Alkhatib
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy
| | | | | | - Yehuda G. Assaraf
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Lab, Faculty of Biology, Technion, Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Stefano Alcaro
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Salute, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy,Net4Science Academic Spin-Off, Università “Magna Græcia” di Catanzaro, Campus “S. Venuta”, Catanzaro, Italy
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468
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Abstract
Many research teams all over the world focus their research on the SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes the so-called COVID-19 disease. Most of the studies identify the main protease or 3C-like protease (Mpro/3CLpro) as a valid target for large-spectrum inhibitors. Also, the interaction of the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with the viral surface glycoprotein (S) is studied in depth. Structural studies tried to identify the residues responsible for enhancement/weaken virus-ACE2 interactions or the cross-reactivity of the neutralizing antibodies. Although the understanding of the immune system and the hyper-inflammatory process in COVID-19 are crucial for managing the immediate and the long-term consequences of the disease, not many X-ray/NMR/cryo-EM crystals are available. In addition to 3CLpro, the crystal structures of other nonstructural proteins offer valuable information for elucidating some aspects of the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, the structural analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 is currently mainly focused on three directions-finding Mpro/3CLpro inhibitors, the virus-host cell invasion, and the virus-neutralizing antibody interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela Ileana Ionescu
- Department of Microbiology, Iuliu Hațieganu University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 6 Louis Pasteur, 400349, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
- Department of Microbiology, County Emergency Clinical Hospital, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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469
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Ju J, Li X, Kumar S, Jockusch S, Chien M, Tao C, Morozova I, Kalachikov S, Kirchdoerfer RN, Russo JJ. Nucleotide analogues as inhibitors of SARS-CoV Polymerase. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2020; 8:e00674. [PMID: 33124786 PMCID: PMC7596664 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a member of the coronavirus family, has caused a global public health emergency. Based on our analysis of hepatitis C virus and coronavirus replication, and the molecular structures and activities of viral inhibitors, we previously reasoned that the FDA-approved hepatitis C drug EPCLUSA (Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir) should inhibit coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Here, using model polymerase extension experiments, we demonstrate that the active triphosphate form of Sofosbuvir is incorporated by low-fidelity polymerases and SARS-CoV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and blocks further incorporation by these polymerases; the active triphosphate form of Sofosbuvir is not incorporated by a host-like high-fidelity DNA polymerase. Using the same molecular insight, we selected 3'-fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate and 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine triphosphate, which are the active forms of two other anti-viral agents, Alovudine and AZT (an FDA-approved HIV/AIDS drug) for evaluation as inhibitors of SARS-CoV RdRp. We demonstrate the ability of two of these HIV reverse transcriptase inhibitors to be incorporated by SARS-CoV RdRp where they also terminate further polymerase extension. Given the 98% amino acid similarity of the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 RdRps, we expect these nucleotide analogues would also inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase. These results offer guidance to further modify these nucleotide analogues to generate more potent broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyue Ju
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and TherapeuticsColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Xiaoxu Li
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Shiv Kumar
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Steffen Jockusch
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of ChemistryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Minchen Chien
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Chuanjuan Tao
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Irina Morozova
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Sergey Kalachikov
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
| | - Robert N. Kirchdoerfer
- Department of BiochemistryUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
- Institute of Molecular VirologyUniversity of Wisconsin‐MadisonMadisonWisconsinUSA
| | - James J. Russo
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
- Department of Chemical EngineeringColumbia UniversityNew YorkNYUSA
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470
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Dangerfield TL, Huang NZ, Johnson KA. Remdesivir Is Effective in Combating COVID-19 because It Is a Better Substrate than ATP for the Viral RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase. iScience 2020; 23:101849. [PMID: 33283177 PMCID: PMC7695572 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is currently being treated using Remdesivir, a nucleoside analog that inhibits the RNA-dependent-RNA polymerase (RdRp). However, the enzymatic mechanism and efficiency of Remdesivir have not been determined, and reliable screens for new inhibitors are urgently needed. Here we present our work to optimize expression in E. coli, followed by purification and kinetic analysis of an untagged NSP12/7/8 RdRp complex. Pre-steady-state kinetic analysis shows that our reconstituted RdRp catalyzes fast (kcat = 240–680 s−1) and processive (koff = 0.013 s−1) RNA polymerization. The specificity constant (kcat/Km) for Remdesivir triphosphate (RTP) incorporation (1.29 μM−1s−1) is higher than that for the competing ATP (0.74 μM−1 s−1). This work provides the first robust analysis of RNA polymerization and RTP incorporation by the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and sets the standard for development of informative enzyme assays to screen for new inhibitors. Co-expression of NSP12/7/8 with chaperones in E. coli gives soluble SARS CoV2 RdRp Tag-free RdRp complex catalyzes fast and processive RNA polymerization Polymerization rates are sufficient to replicate the 30 kb genome in 2 min Remdesivir is incorporated with a specificity constant twice that observed for ATP
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler L Dangerfield
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 100 W. 24th Street, Stop 5000, MBB 3.122, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Nathan Z Huang
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 100 W. 24th Street, Stop 5000, MBB 3.122, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Kenneth A Johnson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, 100 W. 24th Street, Stop 5000, MBB 3.122, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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471
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Savastano A, Ibáñez de Opakua A, Rankovic M, Zweckstetter M. Nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 phase separates into RNA-rich polymerase-containing condensates. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6041. [PMID: 33247108 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.18.160648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiologic agent of the Covid-19 pandemic is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The viral membrane of SARS-CoV-2 surrounds a helical nucleocapsid in which the viral genome is encapsulated by the nucleocapsid protein. The nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 is produced at high levels within infected cells, enhances the efficiency of viral RNA transcription, and is essential for viral replication. Here, we show that RNA induces cooperative liquid-liquid phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. In agreement with its ability to phase separate in vitro, we show that the protein associates in cells with stress granules, cytoplasmic RNA/protein granules that form through liquid-liquid phase separation and are modulated by viruses to maximize replication efficiency. Liquid-liquid phase separation generates high-density protein/RNA condensates that recruit the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex of SARS-CoV-2 providing a mechanism for efficient transcription of viral RNA. Inhibition of RNA-induced phase separation of the nucleocapsid protein by small molecules or biologics thus can interfere with a key step in the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Savastano
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alain Ibáñez de Opakua
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marija Rankovic
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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472
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Savastano A, Ibáñez de Opakua A, Rankovic M, Zweckstetter M. Nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 phase separates into RNA-rich polymerase-containing condensates. Nat Commun 2020; 11:6041. [PMID: 33247108 PMCID: PMC7699647 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19843-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 232] [Impact Index Per Article: 58.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiologic agent of the Covid-19 pandemic is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The viral membrane of SARS-CoV-2 surrounds a helical nucleocapsid in which the viral genome is encapsulated by the nucleocapsid protein. The nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 is produced at high levels within infected cells, enhances the efficiency of viral RNA transcription, and is essential for viral replication. Here, we show that RNA induces cooperative liquid-liquid phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. In agreement with its ability to phase separate in vitro, we show that the protein associates in cells with stress granules, cytoplasmic RNA/protein granules that form through liquid-liquid phase separation and are modulated by viruses to maximize replication efficiency. Liquid-liquid phase separation generates high-density protein/RNA condensates that recruit the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex of SARS-CoV-2 providing a mechanism for efficient transcription of viral RNA. Inhibition of RNA-induced phase separation of the nucleocapsid protein by small molecules or biologics thus can interfere with a key step in the SARS-CoV-2 replication cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Savastano
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Alain Ibáñez de Opakua
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marija Rankovic
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Zweckstetter
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Von-Siebold-Str. 3a, 37075, Göttingen, Germany.
- Department for NMR-based Structural Biology, Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Faßberg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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473
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Wang MY, Zhao R, Gao LJ, Gao XF, Wang DP, Cao JM. SARS-CoV-2: Structure, Biology, and Structure-Based Therapeutics Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:587269. [PMID: 33324574 PMCID: PMC7723891 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.587269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 447] [Impact Index Per Article: 111.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been posing great threats to the world in many aspects. Effective therapeutic and preventive approaches including drugs and vaccines are still unavailable although they are in development. Comprehensive understandings on the life logic of SARS-CoV-2 and the interaction of the virus with hosts are fundamentally important in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we briefly summarized the current advances in SARS-CoV-2 research, including the epidemic situation and epidemiological characteristics of the caused disease COVID-19. We further discussed the biology of SARS-CoV-2, including the origin, evolution, and receptor recognition mechanism of SARS-CoV-2. And particularly, we introduced the protein structures of SARS-CoV-2 and structure-based therapeutics development including antibodies, antiviral compounds, and vaccines, and indicated the limitations and perspectives of SARS-CoV-2 research. We wish the information provided by this review may be helpful to the global battle against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - De-Ping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology of Shanxi Province, and the Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
| | - Ji-Min Cao
- Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology at Shanxi Medical University, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Cellular Physiology of Shanxi Province, and the Department of Physiology, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, China
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474
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Olinares PDB, Kang JY, Llewellyn E, Chiu C, Chen J, Malone B, Saecker RM, Campbell EA, Darst SA, Chait BT. Native Mass Spectrometry-Based Screening for Optimal Sample Preparation in Single-Particle Cryo-EM. Structure 2020; 29:186-195.e6. [PMID: 33217329 PMCID: PMC7867593 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2020] [Revised: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Recent advances in single-particle cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have enabled the structural determination of numerous protein assemblies at high resolution, yielding unprecedented insights into their function. However, despite its extraordinary capabilities, cryo-EM remains time-consuming and resource-intensive. It is therefore beneficial to have a means for rapidly assessing and optimizing the quality of samples prior to lengthy cryo-EM analyses. To do this, we have developed a native mass spectrometry (nMS) platform that provides rapid feedback on sample quality and highly streamlined biochemical screening. Because nMS enables accurate mass analysis of protein complexes, it is well suited to routine evaluation of the composition, integrity, and homogeneity of samples prior to their plunge-freezing on EM grids. We demonstrate the utility of our nMS-based platform for facilitating cryo-EM studies using structural characterizations of exemplar bacterial transcription complexes as well as the replication-transcription assembly from the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Dominic B Olinares
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Jin Young Kang
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eliza Llewellyn
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Courtney Chiu
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - James Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brandon Malone
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ruth M Saecker
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Campbell
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Seth A Darst
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brian T Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
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475
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Yan L, Zhang Y, Ge J, Zheng L, Gao Y, Wang T, Jia Z, Wang H, Huang Y, Li M, Wang Q, Rao Z, Lou Z. Architecture of a SARS-CoV-2 mini replication and transcription complex. Nat Commun 2020; 11:5874. [PMID: 33208736 PMCID: PMC7675986 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-19770-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 133] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-structural proteins (nsp) constitute the SARS-CoV-2 replication and transcription complex (RTC) to play a pivotal role in the virus life cycle. Here we determine the atomic structure of a SARS-CoV-2 mini RTC, assembled by viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp, nsp12) with a template-primer RNA, nsp7 and nsp8, and two helicase molecules (nsp13-1 and nsp13-2), by cryo-electron microscopy. Two groups of mini RTCs with different conformations of nsp13-1 are identified. In both of them, nsp13-1 stabilizes overall architecture of the mini RTC by contacting with nsp13-2, which anchors the 5'-extension of RNA template, as well as interacting with nsp7-nsp8-nsp12-RNA. Orientation shifts of nsp13-1 results in its variable interactions with other components in two forms of mini RTC. The mutations on nsp13-1:nsp12 and nsp13-1:nsp13-2 interfaces prohibit the enhancement of helicase activity achieved by mini RTCs. These results provide an insight into how helicase couples with polymerase to facilitate its function in virus replication and transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Ge
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Litao Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhihui Jia
- Research Centre of Microbiome, Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Haofeng Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yucen Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyu Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Quan Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihe Rao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhiyong Lou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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476
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Liu XH, Zhang X, Lu ZH, Zhu YS, Wang T. Potential molecular targets of nonstructural proteins for the development of antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 133:111035. [PMID: 33254013 PMCID: PMC7671653 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 has posed significant threats to public health worldwide. Target-based drug development is a promising approach against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nonstructural proteins may play critical roles from drug design perspectives. Insights into NSPs of different viruses could streamline novel drug development.
Outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2 have produced high pathogenicity and mortality rates in human populations. However, to meet the increasing demand for treatment of these pathogenic coronaviruses, accelerating novel antiviral drug development as much as possible has become a public concern. Target-based drug development may be a promising approach to achieve this goal. In this review, the relevant features of potential molecular targets in human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are highlighted, including the viral protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and methyltransferases. Additionally, recent advances in the development of antivirals based on these targets are summarized. This review is expected to provide new insights and potential strategies for the development of novel antiviral drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Huan Liu
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Lu
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - You-Shuang Zhu
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
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477
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Pierce JB, Simion V, Icli B, Pérez-Cremades D, Cheng HS, Feinberg MW. Computational Analysis of Targeting SARS-CoV-2, Viral Entry Proteins ACE2 and TMPRSS2, and Interferon Genes by Host MicroRNAs. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1354. [PMID: 33207533 PMCID: PMC7696723 DOI: 10.3390/genes11111354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has led to a global pandemic, failures of local health care systems, and global economic recession. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have recently emerged as important regulators of viral pathogenesis, particularly among RNA viruses, but the impact of host miRNAs on SARS-CoV-2 infectivity remains unknown. In this study, we utilize the combination of powerful bioinformatic prediction algorithms and miRNA profiling to predict endogenous host miRNAs that may play important roles in regulating SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. We provide a collection of high-probability miRNA binding sites within the SARS-CoV-2 genome as well as within mRNA transcripts of critical viral entry proteins ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and their upstream modulators, the interferons (IFN). By utilizing miRNA profiling datasets of SARS-CoV-2-resistant and -susceptible cell lines, we verify the biological plausibility of the predicted miRNA-target RNA interactions. Finally, we utilize miRNA profiling of SARS-CoV-2-infected cells to identify predicted miRNAs that are differentially regulated in infected cells. In particular, we identify predicted miRNA binders to SARS-CoV-2 ORFs (miR-23a (1ab), miR-29a, -29c (1ab, N), miR-151a, -151b (S), miR-4707-3p (S), miR-298 (5'-UTR), miR-7851-3p (5'-UTR), miR-8075 (5'-UTR)), ACE2 3'-UTR (miR-9-5p, miR-218-5p), TMPRSS2 3'-UTR (let-7d-5p, -7e-5p, miR-494-3p, miR-382-3p, miR-181c-5p), and IFN-α 3'-UTR (miR-361-5p, miR-410-3p). Overall, this study provides insight into potential novel regulatory mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 by host miRNAs and lays the foundation for future investigation of these miRNAs as potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob B. Pierce
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
- Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Viorel Simion
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
| | - Basak Icli
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
| | - Daniel Pérez-Cremades
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
| | - Henry S. Cheng
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
| | - Mark W. Feinberg
- Department of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; (J.B.P.); (V.S.); (B.I.); (D.P.-C.); (H.S.C.)
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478
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Wakchaure PD, Ghosh S, Ganguly B. Revealing the Inhibition Mechanism of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2 by Remdesivir and Nucleotide Analogues: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study. J Phys Chem B 2020; 124:10641-10652. [PMID: 33190493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.0c06747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Antiviral drug therapy against SARS-CoV-2 is not yet established and posing a serious global health issue. Remdesivir is the first antiviral compound approved by the US FDA for the SARS-CoV-2 treatment for emergency use, targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme. In this work, we have examined the action of remdesivir and other two ligands screened from the library of nucleotide analogues using docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. The MD simulations have been performed for all the ligand-bound RdRp complexes for the 30 ns time scale. This is one of the earlier reports to perform the MD simulations studies using the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp crystal structure (PDB ID 7BTF). The MD trajectories were analyzed and Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) calculations were performed to calculate the binding free energy. The binding energy data reveal that compound-17 (-59.6 kcal/mol) binds more strongly as compared to compound-8 (-46.3 kcal/mol) and remdesivir (-29.7 kcal/mol) with RdRp. The detailed analysis of trajectories shows that the remdesivir binds in the catalytic site and forms a hydrogen bond with the catalytic residues from 0 to 0.46 ns. Compound-8 binds in the catalytic site but does not form direct hydrogen bonds with catalytic residues. Compound-17 showed the formation of hydrogen bonds with catalytic residues throughout the simulation process. The MD simulation results such as hydrogen bonding, the center of mass distance analysis, snapshots at a different time interval, and binding energy suggest that compound-17 binds strongly with RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 and has the potential to develop as a new antiviral against COVID-19. Further, the frontier molecular orbital analysis and molecular electrostatic potential (MESP) iso-surface analysis using DFT calculations shed light on the superior binding of compound-17 with RdRp compared to remdesivir and compound-8. The computed as well as the experimentally reported pharmacokinetics and toxicity parameters of compound-17 is encouraging and therefore can be one of the potential candidates for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Padmaja D Wakchaure
- Computation and Simulation Unit (Analytical and Environmental Science Division and Centralized Instrument Facility), CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364 002, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Shibaji Ghosh
- Computation and Simulation Unit (Analytical and Environmental Science Division and Centralized Instrument Facility), CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364 002, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Bishwajit Ganguly
- Computation and Simulation Unit (Analytical and Environmental Science Division and Centralized Instrument Facility), CSIR-Central Salt and Marine Chemicals Research Institute, Bhavnagar, Gujarat 364 002, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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479
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Yan L, Ge J, Zheng L, Zhang Y, Gao Y, Wang T, Huang Y, Yang Y, Gao S, Li M, Liu Z, Wang H, Li Y, Chen Y, Guddat LW, Wang Q, Rao Z, Lou Z. Cryo-EM Structure of an Extended SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Transcription Complex Reveals an Intermediate State in Cap Synthesis. Cell 2020; 184:184-193.e10. [PMID: 33232691 PMCID: PMC7666536 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 175] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Transcription of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA requires sequential reactions facilitated by the replication and transcription complex (RTC). Here, we present a structural snapshot of SARS-CoV-2 RTC as it transitions toward cap structure synthesis. We determine the atomic cryo-EM structure of an extended RTC assembled by nsp7-nsp82-nsp12-nsp132-RNA and a single RNA-binding protein, nsp9. Nsp9 binds tightly to nsp12 (RdRp) NiRAN, allowing nsp9 N terminus inserting into the catalytic center of nsp12 NiRAN, which then inhibits activity. We also show that nsp12 NiRAN possesses guanylyltransferase activity, catalyzing the formation of cap core structure (GpppA). The orientation of nsp13 that anchors the 5′ extension of template RNA shows a remarkable conformational shift, resulting in zinc finger 3 of its ZBD inserting into a minor groove of paired template-primer RNA. These results reason an intermediate state of RTC toward mRNA synthesis, pave a way to understand the RTC architecture, and provide a target for antiviral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liming Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ji Ge
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Litao Zheng
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yucen Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yunxiang Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingyu Li
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenyu Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Haofeng Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingjian Li
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Modern Virology Research Center, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Luke W Guddat
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Quan Wang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihe Rao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies and School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhiyong Lou
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
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480
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Chan SW. Current and Future Direct-Acting Antivirals Against COVID-19. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:587944. [PMID: 33262747 PMCID: PMC7688518 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.587944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has caused an unprecedented global crisis. The etiological agent is a new virus called the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). As of October, 2020 there have been 45.4 million confirmed cases with a mortality rate of 2.6% globally. With the lack of a vaccine and effective treatments, the race is on to find a cure for the virus infection using specific antivirals. The viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, proteases, spike protein-host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 binding and fusion have presented as attractive targets for pan-coronavirus and broad spectrum direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). This review presents a perspective on current re-purposing treatments and future DAAs.
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481
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Ogando NS, Zevenhoven-Dobbe JC, van der Meer Y, Bredenbeek PJ, Posthuma CC, Snijder EJ. The Enzymatic Activity of the nsp14 Exoribonuclease Is Critical for Replication of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. J Virol 2020; 94:e01246-20. [PMID: 32938769 PMCID: PMC7654266 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01246-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 155] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) stand out for their large RNA genome and complex RNA-synthesizing machinery comprising 16 nonstructural proteins (nsps). The bifunctional nsp14 contains 3'-to-5' exoribonuclease (ExoN) and guanine-N7-methyltransferase (N7-MTase) domains. While the latter presumably supports mRNA capping, ExoN is thought to mediate proofreading during genome replication. In line with such a role, ExoN knockout mutants of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) were previously reported to have crippled but viable hypermutation phenotypes. Remarkably, using reverse genetics, a large set of corresponding ExoN knockout mutations has now been found to be lethal for another betacoronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). For 13 mutants, viral progeny could not be recovered, unless-as happened occasionally-reversion had first occurred. Only a single mutant was viable, likely because its E191D substitution is highly conservative. Remarkably, a SARS-CoV-2 ExoN knockout mutant was found to be unable to replicate, resembling observations previously made for alpha- and gammacoronaviruses, but starkly contrasting with the documented phenotype of ExoN knockout mutants of the closely related SARS-CoV. Subsequently, we established in vitro assays with purified recombinant MERS-CoV nsp14 to monitor its ExoN and N7-MTase activities. All ExoN knockout mutations that proved lethal in reverse genetics were found to severely decrease ExoN activity while not affecting N7-MTase activity. Our study strongly suggests that CoV nsp14 ExoN has an additional function, which apparently is critical for primary viral RNA synthesis and thus differs from the proofreading function that, based on previous MHV and SARS-CoV studies, was proposed to boost longer-term replication fidelity.IMPORTANCE The bifunctional nsp14 subunit of the coronavirus replicase contains 3'-to-5' exoribonuclease (ExoN) and guanine-N7-methyltransferase domains. For the betacoronaviruses MHV and SARS-CoV, ExoN was reported to promote the fidelity of genome replication, presumably by mediating a form of proofreading. For these viruses, ExoN knockout mutants are viable while displaying an increased mutation frequency. Strikingly, we have now established that the equivalent ExoN knockout mutants of two other betacoronaviruses, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, are nonviable, suggesting an additional and critical ExoN function in their replication. This is remarkable in light of the very limited genetic distance between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which is highlighted, for example, by 95% amino acid sequence identity in their nsp14 sequences. For (recombinant) MERS-CoV nsp14, both its enzymatic activities were evaluated using newly developed in vitro assays that can be used to characterize these key replicative enzymes in more detail and explore their potential as target for antiviral drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natacha S Ogando
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jessika C Zevenhoven-Dobbe
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Yvonne van der Meer
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter J Bredenbeek
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Clara C Posthuma
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eric J Snijder
- Molecular Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Microbiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
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482
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A fluorescence-based high throughput-screening assay for the SARS-CoV RNA synthesis complex. J Virol Methods 2020; 288:114013. [PMID: 33166547 PMCID: PMC7833800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jviromet.2020.114013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emergence in 2003 introduced the first serious human coronavirus pathogen to an unprepared world. To control emerging viruses, existing successful anti(retro)viral therapies can inspire antiviral strategies, as conserved viral enzymes (eg., viral proteases and RNA-dependent RNA polymerases) represent targets of choice. Since 2003, much effort has been expended in the characterization of the SARS-CoV replication/transcription machinery. Until recently, a pure and highly active preparation of SARS-CoV recombinant RNA synthesis machinery was not available, impeding target-based high throughput screening of drug candidates against this viral family. The current Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic revealed a new pathogen whose RNA synthesis machinery is highly (>96 % aa identity) homologous to SARS-CoV. This phylogenetic relatedness highlights the potential use of conserved replication enzymes to discover inhibitors against this significant pathogen, which in turn, contributes to scientific preparedness against emerging viruses. Here, we report the use of a purified and highly active SARS-CoV replication/transcription complex (RTC) to set-up a high-throughput screening of Coronavirus RNA synthesis inhibitors. The screening of a small (1520 compounds) chemical library of FDA-approved drugs demonstrates the robustness of our assay and will allow to speed-up drug discovery against the SARS-CoV-2.
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483
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Francés-Monerris A, Hognon C, Miclot T, García-Iriepa C, Iriepa I, Terenzi A, Grandemange S, Barone G, Marazzi M, Monari A. Molecular Basis of SARS-CoV-2 Infection and Rational Design of Potential Antiviral Agents: Modeling and Simulation Approaches. J Proteome Res 2020; 19:4291-4315. [PMID: 33119313 PMCID: PMC7640986 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The emergence in late 2019 of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in the breakthrough of the COVID-19 pandemic that is presently affecting a growing number of countries. The development of the pandemic has also prompted an unprecedented effort of the scientific community to understand the molecular bases of the virus infection and to propose rational drug design strategies able to alleviate the serious COVID-19 morbidity. In this context, a strong synergy between the structural biophysics and molecular modeling and simulation communities has emerged, resolving at the atomistic level the crucial protein apparatus of the virus and revealing the dynamic aspects of key viral processes. In this Review, we focus on how in silico studies have contributed to the understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanism and the proposal of novel and original agents to inhibit the viral key functioning. This Review deals with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, including the mode of action that this structural protein uses to entry human cells, as well as with nonstructural viral proteins, focusing the attention on the most studied proteases and also proposing alternative mechanisms involving some of its domains, such as the SARS unique domain. We demonstrate that molecular modeling and simulation represent an effective approach to gather information on key biological processes and thus guide rational molecular design strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Francés-Monerris
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Departament
de Química Física, Universitat
de València, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Cécilia Hognon
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Tom Miclot
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
- Department
of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Cristina García-Iriepa
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Chemical
Research Institute “Andrés M. del Río”
(IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de
Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Iriepa
- Chemical
Research Institute “Andrés M. del Río”
(IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de
Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Department
of Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, Universidad
de Alcalá, Ctra.
Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alessio Terenzi
- Department
of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Giampaolo Barone
- Department
of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed. 17, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Marco Marazzi
- Department
of Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Chemical
Research Institute “Andrés M. del Río”
(IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de
Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, LPCT UMR 7019, F-54000 Nancy, France
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484
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Adhikari N, Amin SA, Jha T. Dissecting the Drug Development Strategies Against SARS-CoV-2 Through Diverse Computational Modeling Techniques. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/7653_2020_46] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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485
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Bresson S, Robertson N, Sani E, Turowski TW, Shchepachev V, Kompauerova M, Spanos C, Helwak A, Tollervey D. Integrative vectors for regulated expression of SARS-CoV-2 proteins implicated in RNA metabolism. Wellcome Open Res 2020; 5:261. [PMID: 33313418 PMCID: PMC7721065 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16322.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with SARS-CoV-2 is expected to result in substantial reorganization of host cell RNA metabolism. We identified 14 proteins that were predicted to interact with host RNAs or RNA binding proteins, based on published data for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Here, we describe a series of affinity-tagged and codon-optimized expression constructs for each of these 14 proteins. Each viral gene was separately tagged at the N-terminus with Flag-His 8, the C-terminus with His 8-Flag, or left untagged. The resulting constructs were stably integrated into the HEK293 Flp-In T-REx genome. Each viral gene was expressed under the control of an inducible Tet-On promoter, allowing expression levels to be tuned to match physiological conditions during infection. Expression time courses were successfully generated for most of the fusion proteins and quantified by western blot. A few fusion proteins were poorly expressed, whereas others, including Nsp1, Nsp12, and N protein, were toxic unless care was taken to minimize background expression. All plasmids can be obtained from Addgene and cell lines are available. We anticipate that availability of these resources will facilitate a more detailed understanding of coronavirus molecular biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bresson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Nic Robertson
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Emanuela Sani
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Tomasz W Turowski
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Vadim Shchepachev
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Michaela Kompauerova
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Christos Spanos
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - Aleksandra Helwak
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
| | - David Tollervey
- Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology, University of Edinburgh, Michael Swann Building, Kings Buildings, Mayfield Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3BF, UK
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486
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Machitani M, Yasukawa M, Nakashima J, Furuichi Y, Masutomi K. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, RdRP, a promising therapeutic target for cancer and potentially COVID-19. Cancer Sci 2020; 111:3976-3984. [PMID: 32805774 PMCID: PMC7461281 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has driven a global pandemic with catastrophic consequences. The rapid development of promising therapeutic strategies against COVID-19 is keenly anticipated. Family Coronaviridae comprises positive, single-stranded RNA viruses that use RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) for viral replication and transcription. As the RdRP of viruses in this family and others plays a pivotal role in infection, it is a promising therapeutic target for developing antiviral agents against them. A critical genetic driver for many cancers is the catalytic subunit of telomerase: human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), identified initially as an RNA-dependent DNA polymerase. However, even though hTERT is a DNA polymerase, it has phylogenetic and structural similarities to viral RdRPs. Researchers worldwide, including the authors of this review, are engaged in developing therapeutic strategies targeting hTERT. We have published a series of papers reporting that hTERT has RdRP activity and that this RdRP activity in hTERT is essential for tumor formation. Here, we review the enzymatic function of RdRP in virus proliferation and tumor development, reminding us of how the study of the novel coronavirus has brought us to the unexpected intersection of cancer research and RNA virus research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuhiro Machitani
- Division of Cancer Stem CellNational Cancer Center Research InstituteTokyoJapan
| | - Mami Yasukawa
- Division of Cancer Stem CellNational Cancer Center Research InstituteTokyoJapan
| | - Jotaro Nakashima
- Division of Cancer Stem CellNational Cancer Center Research InstituteTokyoJapan
| | | | - Kenkichi Masutomi
- Division of Cancer Stem CellNational Cancer Center Research InstituteTokyoJapan
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487
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Alnefaie A, Albogami S. Current approaches used in treating COVID-19 from a molecular mechanisms and immune response perspective. Saudi Pharm J 2020; 28:1333-1352. [PMID: 32905015 PMCID: PMC7462599 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.08.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. SARS-CoV-2 targets the respiratory system, resulting in symptoms such as fever, headache, dry cough, dyspnea, and dizziness. These symptoms vary from person to person, ranging from mild to hypoxia with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sometimes death. Although not confirmed, phylogenetic analysis suggests that SARS-CoV-2 may have originated from bats; the intermediary facilitating its transfer from bats to humans is unknown. Owing to the rapid spread of infection and high number of deaths caused by SARS-CoV-2, most countries have enacted strict curfews and the practice of social distancing while awaiting the availability of effective U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications and/or vaccines. This review offers an overview of the various types of coronaviruses (CoVs), their targeted hosts and cellular receptors, a timeline of their emergence, and the roles of key elements of the immune system in fighting pathogen attacks, while focusing on SARS-CoV-2 and its genomic structure and pathogenesis. Furthermore, we review drugs targeting COVID-19 that are under investigation and in clinical trials, in addition to progress using mesenchymal stem cells to treat COVID-19. We conclude by reviewing the latest updates on COVID-19 vaccine development. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how SARS-CoV-2 interacts with host cells and stimulates the immune response is extremely important, especially as scientists look for new strategies to guide their development of specific COVID-19 therapies and vaccines.
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Key Words
- ACE2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
- AHFS, American Hospital Formula Service
- ANGII, angiotensin II
- APCs, antigen presenting cells
- ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome
- COVID-19, coronavirus disease
- CoVs, coronaviruses
- Coronavirus
- GVHD, graft versus host disease
- HCoVs, human coronoaviruses
- IBV, infectious bronchitis coronavirus
- IFN-γ, interferon-gamma
- ILCs, innate lymphoid cells
- Investigational medications
- MERS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome
- NKs, natural killer cells
- ORFs, open reading frames
- PAMPs, pathogen-associated molecular patterns
- Pandemic
- Pathophysiology
- RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
- SARS-CoV-2
- SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
- SLE, systemic lupus erythematosus
- TMPRSS2, transmembrane serine protease 2
- Viral immune response
- WHO, World Health Organization
- nsps, nonstructural proteins
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Alnefaie
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah Albogami
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
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488
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Renn A, Fu Y, Hu X, Hall MD, Simeonov A. Fruitful Neutralizing Antibody Pipeline Brings Hope To Defeat SARS-Cov-2. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2020; 41:815-829. [PMID: 32829936 PMCID: PMC7572790 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2020.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
With the recent spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)_ infecting >16 million people worldwide as of 28 July 2020, causing >650 000 deaths, there is a desperate need for therapeutic agents and vaccines. Building on knowledge of previous outbreaks of SARS-CoV-1 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), the development of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is taking place at an unprecedented speed. Current efforts towards the development of neutralizing antibodies against COVID-19 are summarized. We also highlight the importance of a fruitful antibody development pipeline to combat the potential escape plans of SARS-CoV-2, including somatic mutations and antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Renn
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Ying Fu
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Xin Hu
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Matthew D Hall
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
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489
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Sada M, Saraya T, Ishii H, Okayama K, Hayashi Y, Tsugawa T, Nishina A, Murakami K, Kuroda M, Ryo A, Kimura H. Detailed Molecular Interactions of Favipiravir with SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and Influenza Virus Polymerases In Silico. Microorganisms 2020; 8:E1610. [PMID: 33092045 PMCID: PMC7589801 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8101610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Favipiravir was initially developed as an antiviral drug against influenza and is currently used in clinical trials against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection (COVID-19). This agent is presumably involved in RNA chain termination during influenza virus replication, although the molecular interactions underlying its potential impact on the coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) remain unclear. We performed in silico studies to elucidate detailed molecular interactions between favipiravir and the SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and influenza virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp). As a result, no interactions between favipiravir ribofuranosyl-5'-triphosphate (F-RTP), the active form of favipiravir, and the active sites of RdRps (PB1 proteins) from influenza A (H1N1)pdm09 virus were found, yet the agent bound to the tunnel of the replication genome of PB1 protein leading to the inhibition of replicated RNA passage. In contrast, F-RTP bound to the active sites of coronavirus RdRp in the presence of the agent and RdRp. Further, the agent bound to the replicated RNA terminus in the presence of agent, magnesium ions, nucleotide triphosphate, and RdRp proteins. These results suggest that favipiravir exhibits distinct mechanisms of action against influenza virus and various coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuru Sada
- Advanced Medical Science Research Center, Gunma Paz University, Shibukawa, Gunma 377-0008, Japan;
- Department of Respiratory medicine, Kyorin University Hospital of medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan; (T.S.); (H.I.)
| | - Takeshi Saraya
- Department of Respiratory medicine, Kyorin University Hospital of medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan; (T.S.); (H.I.)
| | - Haruyuki Ishii
- Department of Respiratory medicine, Kyorin University Hospital of medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8611, Japan; (T.S.); (H.I.)
| | - Kaori Okayama
- School of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Science, Gumma Paz University, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0006, Japan; (K.O.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yuriko Hayashi
- School of Medical Technology, Faculty of Health Science, Gumma Paz University, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0006, Japan; (K.O.); (Y.H.)
| | - Takeshi Tsugawa
- Department of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8543, Japan;
| | - Atsuyoshi Nishina
- College of Science and Technology, Nihon University, Tokyo 101-0062, Japan;
| | - Koichi Murakami
- Infectious Disease Surveillance Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan;
| | - Makoto Kuroda
- Pathogen Genomics Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo 208-0011, Japan;
| | - Akihide Ryo
- Department of Microbiology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan;
| | - Hirokazu Kimura
- Department of Microbiology, Yokohama City University School of Medicine, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-0004, Japan;
- Department of Health Science, Gunma Paz University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Takasaki, Gunma 370-0006, Japan
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490
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Berrio A, Gartner V, Wray GA. Positive selection within the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and other Coronaviruses independent of impact on protein function. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10234. [PMID: 33088633 PMCID: PMC7571416 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 10/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) associated with severe acute respiratory disease (COVID-19) has prompted efforts to understand the genetic basis for its unique characteristics and its jump from non-primate hosts to humans. Tests for positive selection can identify apparently nonrandom patterns of mutation accumulation within genomes, highlighting regions where molecular function may have changed during the origin of a species. Several recent studies of the SARS-CoV-2 genome have identified signals of conservation and positive selection within the gene encoding Spike protein based on the ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitution. Such tests cannot, however, detect changes in the function of RNA molecules. METHODS Here we apply a test for branch-specific oversubstitution of mutations within narrow windows of the genome without reference to the genetic code. RESULTS We recapitulate the finding that the gene encoding Spike protein has been a target of both purifying and positive selection. In addition, we find other likely targets of positive selection within the genome of SARS-CoV-2, specifically within the genes encoding Nsp4 and Nsp16. Homology-directed modeling indicates no change in either Nsp4 or Nsp16 protein structure relative to the most recent common ancestor. These SARS-CoV-2-specific mutations may affect molecular processes mediated by the positive or negative RNA molecules, including transcription, translation, RNA stability, and evasion of the host innate immune system. Our results highlight the importance of considering mutations in viral genomes not only from the perspective of their impact on protein structure, but also how they may impact other molecular processes critical to the viral life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valerie Gartner
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- University Program in Genetics and Genomics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Gregory A. Wray
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Genomic and Computational Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
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491
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McAuley AJ, Kuiper MJ, Durr PA, Bruce MP, Barr J, Todd S, Au GG, Blasdell K, Tachedjian M, Lowther S, Marsh GA, Edwards S, Poole T, Layton R, Riddell SJ, Drew TW, Druce JD, Smith TRF, Broderick KE, Vasan SS. Experimental and in silico evidence suggests vaccines are unlikely to be affected by D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. NPJ Vaccines 2020; 5:96. [PMID: 33083031 PMCID: PMC7546614 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-020-00246-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The 'D614G' mutation (Aspartate-to-Glycine change at position 614) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been speculated to adversely affect the efficacy of most vaccines and countermeasures that target this glycoprotein, necessitating frequent vaccine matching. Virus neutralisation assays were performed using sera from ferrets which received two doses of the INO-4800 COVID-19 vaccine, and Australian virus isolates (VIC01, SA01 and VIC31) which either possess or lack this mutation but are otherwise comparable. Through this approach, supported by biomolecular modelling of this mutation and the commonly-associated P314L mutation in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, we have shown that there is no experimental evidence to support this speculation. We additionally demonstrate that the putative elastase cleavage site introduced by the D614G mutation is unlikely to be accessible to proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander J McAuley
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Michael J Kuiper
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Data61, Docklands, VIC 3008 Australia
| | - Peter A Durr
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Matthew P Bruce
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Jennifer Barr
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Shawn Todd
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Gough G Au
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Kim Blasdell
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Mary Tachedjian
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Sue Lowther
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Glenn A Marsh
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Sarah Edwards
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Timothy Poole
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Rachel Layton
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Sarah-Jane Riddell
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Trevor W Drew
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia
| | - Julian D Druce
- Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory, The Royal Melbourne Hospital at The Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity, Melbourne, VIC 3000 Australia
| | - Trevor R F Smith
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, 10480 Wateridge Circle, San Diego, CA 92121 USA
| | - Kate E Broderick
- Inovio Pharmaceuticals, 10480 Wateridge Circle, San Diego, CA 92121 USA
| | - S S Vasan
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, Geelong, VIC 3219 Australia.,Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, YO10 5DD UK
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492
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Sedova M, Jaroszewski L, Alisoltani A, Godzik A. Coronavirus3D: 3D structural visualization of COVID-19 genomic divergence. Bioinformatics 2020; 36:4360-4362. [PMID: 32470119 PMCID: PMC7314196 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btaa550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2020] [Revised: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Motivation As the COVID-19 pandemic is spreading around the world, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is evolving with mutations that potentially change and fine-tune functions of the proteins coded in its genome. Results Coronavirus3D website integrates data on the SARS-CoV-2 virus mutations with information about 3D structures of its proteins, allowing users to visually analyze the mutations in their 3D context. Availability and implementation Coronavirus3D server is freely available at https://coronavirus3d.org.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayya Sedova
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Lukasz Jaroszewski
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Arghavan Alisoltani
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Adam Godzik
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, University of California Riverside School of Medicine, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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493
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Remdesivir targets a structurally analogous region of the Ebola virus and SARS-CoV-2 polymerases. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:26946-26954. [PMID: 33028676 PMCID: PMC7604432 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2012294117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Remdesivir is a nucleotide analog prodrug that has been evaluated in humans against acute Ebola virus disease; it also recently received emergency use authorization for treating COVID-19. For antiviral product development, the Food and Drug Administration recommends the characterization of in vitro selected resistant viruses to define the specific antiviral mechanism of action. This study identified a single amino acid residue in the Ebola virus polymerase that conferred low-level resistance to remdesivir. The significance of our study lies not only in characterizing this particular mutation, but also in relating it to a resistance mutation observed in a similar structural motif of coronaviruses. Our findings thereby indicate a consistent mechanism of action by remdesivir across genetically divergent RNA viruses causing diseases of high consequence in humans. Remdesivir is a broad-spectrum antiviral nucleotide prodrug that has been clinically evaluated in Ebola virus patients and recently received emergency use authorization (EUA) for treatment of COVID-19. With approvals from the Federal Select Agent Program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Institutional Biosecurity Board, we characterized the resistance profile of remdesivir by serially passaging Ebola virus under remdesivir selection; we generated lineages with low-level reduced susceptibility to remdesivir after 35 passages. We found that a single amino acid substitution, F548S, in the Ebola virus polymerase conferred low-level reduced susceptibility to remdesivir. The F548 residue is highly conserved in filoviruses but should be subject to specific surveillance among novel filoviruses, in newly emerging variants in ongoing outbreaks, and also in Ebola virus patients undergoing remdesivir therapy. Homology modeling suggests that the Ebola virus polymerase F548 residue lies in the F-motif of the polymerase active site, a region that was previously identified as susceptible to resistance mutations in coronaviruses. Our data suggest that molecular surveillance of this region of the polymerase in remdesivir-treated COVID-19 patients is also warranted.
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494
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Jockusch S, Tao C, Li X, Chien M, Kumar S, Morozova I, Kalachikov S, Russo JJ, Ju J. Sofosbuvir terminated RNA is more resistant to SARS-CoV-2 proofreader than RNA terminated by Remdesivir. Sci Rep 2020; 10:16577. [PMID: 33024223 PMCID: PMC7538426 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-73641-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for COVID-19, resulting in the largest pandemic in over a hundred years. After examining the molecular structures and activities of hepatitis C viral inhibitors and comparing hepatitis C virus and coronavirus replication, we previously postulated that the FDA-approved hepatitis C drug EPCLUSA (Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir) might inhibit SARS-CoV-2. We subsequently demonstrated that Sofosbuvir triphosphate is incorporated by the relatively low fidelity SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps), serving as an immediate polymerase reaction terminator, but not by a host-like high fidelity DNA polymerase. Other investigators have since demonstrated the ability of Sofosbuvir to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in lung and brain cells; additionally, COVID-19 clinical trials with EPCLUSA and with Sofosbuvir plus Daclatasvir have been initiated in several countries. SARS-CoV-2 has an exonuclease-based proofreader to maintain the viral genome integrity. Any effective antiviral targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp must display a certain level of resistance to this proofreading activity. We report here that Sofosbuvir terminated RNA resists removal by the exonuclease to a substantially higher extent than RNA terminated by Remdesivir, another drug being used as a COVID-19 therapeutic. These results offer a molecular basis supporting the current use of Sofosbuvir in combination with other drugs in COVID-19 clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Jockusch
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Chuanjuan Tao
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Xiaoxu Li
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Minchen Chien
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Shiv Kumar
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Irina Morozova
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Sergey Kalachikov
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - James J Russo
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA
| | - Jingyue Ju
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, USA.
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY, 10032, USA.
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495
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Yu A, Pak AJ, He P, Monje-Galvan V, Casalino L, Gaieb Z, Dommer AC, Amaro RE, Voth GA. A Multiscale Coarse-grained Model of the SARS-CoV-2 Virion. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020. [PMID: 33024966 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.02.323915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Computer simulations of complete viral particles can provide theoretical insights into large-scale viral processes including assembly, budding, egress, entry, and fusion. Detailed atomistic simulations, however, are constrained to shorter timescales and require billion-atom simulations for these processes. Here, we report the current status and on-going development of a largely "bottom-up" coarse-grained (CG) model of the SARS-CoV-2 virion. Structural data from a combination of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM), x-ray crystallography, and computational predictions were used to build molecular models of structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins, which were then assembled into a complete virion model. We describe how CG molecular interactions can be derived from all-atom simulations, how viral behavior difficult to capture in atomistic simulations can be incorporated into the CG models, and how the CG models can be iteratively improved as new data becomes publicly available. Our initial CG model and the detailed methods presented are intended to serve as a resource for researchers working on COVID-19 who are interested in performing multiscale simulations of the SARS-CoV-2 virion. Significance Statement This study reports the construction of a molecular model for the SARS-CoV-2 virion and details our multiscale approach towards model refinement. The resulting model and methods can be applied to and enable the simulation of SARS-CoV-2 virions.
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496
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Martinot M, Jary A, Fafi-Kremer S, Leducq V, Delagreverie H, Garnier M, Pacanowski J, Mékinian A, Pirenne F, Tiberghien P, Calvez V, Humbrecht C, Marcelin AG, Lacombe K. Remdesivir failure with SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase mutation in a B-cell immunodeficient patient with protracted Covid-19. Clin Infect Dis 2020; 73:e1762-e1765. [PMID: 32986807 PMCID: PMC7543308 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a new pandemic virus for which Remdesivir is the only antiviral available. We report the occurrence of a mutation in the RdRP (D484Y) following failure of remdesivir in a 76-year-old woman with a post-rituximab B-cell immunodeficiency and persistent SARS-CoV-2 viremia. Cure was reached after supplementation with convalescent plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Martinot
- Infectious diseases Department, Hôpitaux Civils de Colmar, Colmar, France
| | - Aude Jary
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (iPLESP), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Department of Virology, Paris, France
| | - Samira Fafi-Kremer
- Virology Laboratory, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France Strasbourg University, INSERM, IRM UMR-S, Strasbourg, France
| | - Valentin Leducq
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (iPLESP), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Department of Virology, Paris, France
| | - Heloise Delagreverie
- Virology Laboratory, Strasbourg University Hospital, Strasbourg, France Strasbourg University, INSERM, IRM UMR-S, Strasbourg, France
| | - Marc Garnier
- Sorbonne Université, GRC, APHP, DMU DREAM, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Department, Saint-Antoine Hospital - Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Pacanowski
- Infectious diseases Department, Saint-Antoine Hospital, APHP - Sorbonne Université, Paris - France
| | - Arsène Mékinian
- Sorbonne Université, Internal Medicine Department, Inflammation-Immunopathology-Biotherapy Department (DMU i3D), Saint-Antoine Hospital, AP-HP,Paris - France
| | - France Pirenne
- Etablissement Français du Sang, La Plaine St-Denis - France.,Institut Mondor de Recherche Biomédicale, Unité, Equipe: Transfusion et Maladies du Globule Rouge, INSERM, EFS, Université Paris-Est Créteil, Créteil - France
| | - Pierre Tiberghien
- Etablissement Français du Sang, La Plaine St-Denis - France.,UMR 1098 RIGHT Inserm Université de Franche-Comté Etablissement Français du Sang, Besançon
| | - Vincent Calvez
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (iPLESP), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Department of Virology, Paris, France
| | | | - Anne-Geneviève Marcelin
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d'Epidémiologie et de Santé Publique (iPLESP), AP-HP, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Department of Virology, Paris, France
| | - Karine Lacombe
- Sorbonne Université, Inserm IPLESP, Infectious Diseases Department, Saint-Antoine Hospital, APHP, Paris - France
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497
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Tchesnokov EP, Gordon CJ, Woolner E, Kocinkova D, Perry JK, Feng JY, Porter DP, Götte M. Template-dependent inhibition of coronavirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase by remdesivir reveals a second mechanism of action. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:16156-16165. [PMID: 32967965 PMCID: PMC7681019 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ac120.015720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Remdesivir (RDV) is a direct-acting antiviral agent that is used to treat patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RDV targets the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We have previously shown that incorporation of the active triphosphate form of RDV (RDV-TP) at position i causes delayed chain termination at position i + 3. Here we demonstrate that the S861G mutation in RdRp eliminates chain termination, which confirms the existence of a steric clash between Ser-861 and the incorporated RDV-TP. With WT RdRp, increasing concentrations of NTP pools cause a gradual decrease in termination and the resulting read-through increases full-length product formation. Hence, RDV residues could be embedded in copies of the first RNA strand that is later used as a template. We show that the efficiency of incorporation of the complementary UTP opposite template RDV is compromised, providing a second opportunity to inhibit replication. A structural model suggests that RDV, when serving as the template for the incoming UTP, is not properly positioned because of a significant clash with Ala-558. The adjacent Val-557 is in direct contact with the template base, and the V557L mutation is implicated in low-level resistance to RDV. We further show that the V557L mutation in RdRp lowers the nucleotide concentration required to bypass this template-dependent inhibition. The collective data provide strong evidence to show that template-dependent inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp by RDV is biologically relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Egor P Tchesnokov
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Calvin J Gordon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Emma Woolner
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Dana Kocinkova
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Joy Y Feng
- Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, California, USA
| | | | - Matthias Götte
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
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498
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Ribaudo G, Ongaro A, Oselladore E, Zagotto G, Memo M, Gianoncelli A. A computational approach to drug repurposing against SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). J Biomol Struct Dyn 2020; 40:1101-1108. [PMID: 32948103 PMCID: PMC7544925 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1822209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused a worldwide outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), which rapidly evolved as a global concern. The efforts of the scientific community are pointed towards the identification of promptly available therapeutic options. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a promising target for developing small molecules to contrast SARS-CoV-2 replication. Modern computational tools can boost identification and repurposing of known drugs targeting RdRp. We here report the results regarding the screening of a database containing more than 8800 molecules, including approved, experimental, nutraceutical, illicit, withdrawn and investigational compounds. The molecules were docked against the cryo-electron microscopy structure of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, optimized by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The adopted three-stage ensemble docking study underline that compounds formerly developed as kinase inhibitors may interact with RdRp. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanni Ribaudo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Ongaro
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Erika Oselladore
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Zagotto
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Maurizio Memo
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Gianoncelli
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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499
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Shannon A, Selisko B, Le NTT, Huchting J, Touret F, Piorkowski G, Fattorini V, Ferron F, Decroly E, Meier C, Coutard B, Peersen O, Canard B. Rapid incorporation of Favipiravir by the fast and permissive viral RNA polymerase complex results in SARS-CoV-2 lethal mutagenesis. Nat Commun 2020; 11:4682. [PMID: 32943628 PMCID: PMC7499305 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18463-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 168] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has emphasized the urgent need for antiviral therapeutics. The viral RNA-dependent-RNA-polymerase (RdRp) is a promising target with polymerase inhibitors successfully used for the treatment of several viral diseases. We demonstrate here that Favipiravir predominantly exerts an antiviral effect through lethal mutagenesis. The SARS-CoV RdRp complex is at least 10-fold more active than any other viral RdRp known. It possesses both unusually high nucleotide incorporation rates and high-error rates allowing facile insertion of Favipiravir into viral RNA, provoking C-to-U and G-to-A transitions in the already low cytosine content SARS-CoV-2 genome. The coronavirus RdRp complex represents an Achilles heel for SARS-CoV, supporting nucleoside analogues as promising candidates for the treatment of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Shannon
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Barbara Selisko
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Nhung-Thi-Tuyet Le
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Johanna Huchting
- Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Franck Touret
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France
| | - Géraldine Piorkowski
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France
| | - Véronique Fattorini
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - François Ferron
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Etienne Decroly
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France
| | - Chris Meier
- Faculty of Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, University of Hamburg, Martin-Luther-King-Platz 6, D-20146, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Bruno Coutard
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE: Aix-Marseille Univ - IRD 190 - Inserm 1207 - IHU Méditerranée Infection), Marseille, France
| | - Olve Peersen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523-1870, USA.
| | - Bruno Canard
- Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS and Aix-Marseille Université, UMR 7257, 13009, Marseille, France.
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500
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Chen J, Malone B, Llewellyn E, Grasso M, Shelton PM, Olinares PDB, Maruthi K, Eng ET, Vatandaslar H, Chait BT, Kapoor TM, Darst SA, Campbell EA. Structural Basis for Helicase-Polymerase Coupling in the SARS-CoV-2 Replication-Transcription Complex. Cell 2020; 182:1560-1573.e13. [PMID: 32783916 PMCID: PMC7386476 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 299] [Impact Index Per Article: 74.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the 2019-2020 pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 genome is replicated and transcribed by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase holoenzyme (subunits nsp7/nsp82/nsp12) along with a cast of accessory factors. One of these factors is the nsp13 helicase. Both the holo-RdRp and nsp13 are essential for viral replication and are targets for treating the disease COVID-19. Here we present cryoelectron microscopic structures of the SARS-CoV-2 holo-RdRp with an RNA template product in complex with two molecules of the nsp13 helicase. The Nidovirales order-specific N-terminal domains of each nsp13 interact with the N-terminal extension of each copy of nsp8. One nsp13 also contacts the nsp12 thumb. The structure places the nucleic acid-binding ATPase domains of the helicase directly in front of the replicating-transcribing holo-RdRp, constraining models for nsp13 function. We also observe ADP-Mg2+ bound in the nsp12 N-terminal nidovirus RdRp-associated nucleotidyltransferase domain, detailing a new pocket for anti-viral therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brandon Malone
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Eliza Llewellyn
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michael Grasso
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Patrick M.M. Shelton
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Paul Dominic B. Olinares
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Kashyap Maruthi
- The National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Edward T. Eng
- The National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy, Simons Electron Microscopy Center, New York Structural Biology Center, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Hasan Vatandaslar
- Institute of Molecular Health Sciences, ETH Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Brian T. Chait
- Laboratory of Mass Spectrometry and Gaseous Ion Chemistry, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Tarun M. Kapoor
- Laboratory of Chemistry and Cell Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Seth A. Darst
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
| | - Elizabeth A. Campbell
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA,Corresponding author
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