51
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Hou Y, Zhao S, Liu Q, Zhang X, Sha T, Su Y, Zhao W, Bao Y, Xue Y, Chen H. Ongoing Positive Selection Drives the Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Genomes. GENOMICS, PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS 2022; 20:1214-1223. [PMID: 35760317 PMCID: PMC9233880 DOI: 10.1016/j.gpb.2022.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 05/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a new RNA virus affecting humans and spreads extensively through world populations since its first outbreak in December, 2019. Whether the transmissibility and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 in humans after zoonotic transfer are actively evolving, and driven by adaptation to the new host and environments is still under debate. Understanding the evolutionary mechanism underlying epidemiological and pathological characteristics of COVID-19 is essential for predicting the epidemic trend, and providing guidance for disease control and treatments. Interrogating novel strategies for identifying natural selection using within-species polymorphisms and 3,674,076 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences of 169 countries as of December 30, 2021, we demonstrate with population genetic evidence that during the course of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in humans, 1) SARS-CoV-2 genomes are overall conserved under purifying selection, especially for the 14 genes related to viral RNA replication, transcription, and assembly; 2) ongoing positive selection is actively driving the evolution of 6 genes (e.g., S, ORF3a, and N) that play critical roles in molecular processes involving pathogen-host interactions, including viral invasion into and egress from host cells, and viral inhibition and evasion of host immune response, possibly leading to high transmissibility and mild symptom in SARS-CoV-2 evolution. According to an established haplotype phylogenetic relationship of 138 viral clusters, a spatial and temporal landscape of 556 critical mutations is constructed based on their divergence among viral haplotype clusters or repeatedly increase in frequency within at least 2 clusters, of which multiple mutations potentially conferring alterations in viral transmissibility, pathogenicity, and virulence of SARS-CoV-2 are highlighted, warranting attentions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Hou
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shilei Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qi Liu
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaolong Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Tong Sha
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yankai Su
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wenming Zhao
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yiming Bao
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongbiao Xue
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Hua Chen
- Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China.
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52
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Lou Z, Rao Z. The Life of SARS-CoV-2 Inside Cells: Replication-Transcription Complex Assembly and Function. Annu Rev Biochem 2022; 91:381-401. [PMID: 35729072 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-biochem-052521-115653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The persistence of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in increasingly disruptive impacts, and it has become the most devastating challenge to global health in a century. The rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants challenges the currently available therapeutics for clinical application. Nonstructural proteins (also known as replicase proteins) with versatile biological functions play central roles in viral replication and transcription inside the host cells, and they are the most conserved target proteins among the SARS-CoV-2 variants. Specifically, they constitute the replication-transcription complexes (RTCs) dominating the synthesis of viral RNA. Knowledge of themolecular mechanisms of nonstructural proteins and their assembly into RTCs will benefit the development of antivirals targeting them against existing or potentially emerging variants. In this review, we summarize current knowledge of the structures and functions of coronavirus nonstructural proteins as well as the assembly and functions of RTCs in the life cycle of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyong Lou
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Protein Science, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China; ,
| | - Zihe Rao
- Ministry of Education 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.,School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.,State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.,National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, China
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53
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Targeting SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 13 via helicase-inhibitor-repurposing and non-structural protein 16 through pharmacophore-based screening. Mol Divers 2022:10.1007/s11030-022-10468-8. [PMID: 35690957 PMCID: PMC9188638 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10468-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Novel drug compound hunting was carried out for SARS-CoV-2 proteins with low mutation susceptibility. The probability of escape mutation and drug resistance is lower if conserved microbial proteins are targeted by therapeutic drugs. Mutation rate of all SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analyzed via multiple sequence alignment Non-Structural Protein 13 and Non-Structural Protein 16 were selected for the current study due to low mutation rate among viral strains and significant functionality. Cross-species mutation rate analysis for NSP13 and NSP16 showed these are well-conserved proteins among four coronaviral species. Viral helicase inhibitors, identified using literature-mining, were docked against NSP13. Pharmacophore-based screening of 11,375 natural compounds was conducted for NSP16. Stabilities of top compounds inside human body were confirmed via molecular dynamic simulation. ADME properties and LD50 values of the helicase inhibitors and Ambinter natural compounds were analyzed. Compounds against NSP13 showed binding affinities between −10 and −5.9 kcal/mol whereby ivermectin and scutellarein showed highest binding energies of −10 and −9.9 kcal/mol. Docking of 18 hit compounds against NSP16 yielded binding affinities between −8.9 and −4.1 kcal/mol. Hamamelitannin and deacyltunicamycin were the top compounds with binding affinities of −8.9 kcal/mol and −8.4 kcal/mol. The top compounds showed stable ligand–protein interactions in molecular dynamics simulation. The analyses revealed two hit compounds against each targeted protein displaying stable behavior, high binding affinity and molecular interactions. Conversion of these compounds into drugs after in vitro experimentation can become better treatment options to elevate COVID management.
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54
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Troyano-Hernáez P, Reinosa R, Holguín Á. Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain during the First Two Years of the Pandemic: Circulating Variants, Amino Acid Conservation, and Genetic Variability in Structural, Non-Structural, and Accessory Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126394. [PMID: 35742840 PMCID: PMC9223475 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Monitoring SARS-CoV-2’s genetic diversity and emerging mutations in this ongoing pandemic is crucial to understanding its evolution and ensuring the performance of COVID-19 diagnostic tests, vaccines, and therapies. Spain has been one of the main epicenters of COVID-19, reaching the highest number of cases and deaths per 100,000 population in Europe at the beginning of the pandemic. This study aims to investigate the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Spain and its 18 Autonomous Communities across the six epidemic waves established from February 2020 to January 2022. We report on the circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants in each epidemic wave and Spanish region and analyze the mutation frequency, amino acid (aa) conservation, and most frequent aa changes across each structural/non-structural/accessory viral protein among the Spanish sequences deposited in the GISAID database during the study period. The overall SARS-CoV-2 mutation frequency was 1.24 × 10−5. The aa conservation was >99% in the three types of protein, being non-structural the most conserved. Accessory proteins had more variable positions, while structural proteins presented more aa changes per sequence. Six main lineages spread successfully in Spain from 2020 to 2022. The presented data provide an insight into the SARS-CoV-2 circulation and genetic variability in Spain during the first two years of the pandemic.
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55
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Urvashi, Senthil Kumar JB, Das P, Tandon V. Development of Azaindole-Based Frameworks as Potential Antiviral Agents and Their Future Perspectives. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6454-6495. [PMID: 35477274 PMCID: PMC9063994 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The azaindole (AI) framework continues to play a significant role in the design of new antiviral agents. Modulating the position and isosteric replacement of the nitrogen atom of AI analogs notably influences the intrinsic physicochemical properties of lead compounds. The intra- and intermolecular interactions of AI derivatives with host receptors or viral proteins can also be fine tuned by carefully placing the nitrogen atom in the heterocyclic core. This wide-ranging perspective article focuses on AIs that have considerable utility in drug discovery programs against RNA viruses. The inhibition of influenza A, human immunodeficiency, respiratory syncytial, neurotropic alpha, dengue, ebola, and hepatitis C viruses by AI analogs is extensively reviewed to assess their plausible future potential in antiviral drug discovery. The binding interaction of AIs with the target protein is examined to derive a structural basis for designing new antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urvashi
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Special Centre for
Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110
067, India
- Department of Chemistry, University of
Delhi, New Delhi 110007, India
| | - J. B. Senthil Kumar
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Special Centre for
Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110
067, India
| | - Parthasarathi Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute
of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad 826004, India
| | - Vibha Tandon
- Drug Discovery Laboratory, Special Centre for
Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110
067, India
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56
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Zhang S, Wang L, Cheng G. The battle between host and SARS-CoV-2: Innate immunity and viral evasion strategies. Mol Ther 2022; 30:1869-1884. [PMID: 35176485 PMCID: PMC8842579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, the pathogen causing COVID-19, has caused more than 200 million confirmed cases, resulting in more than 4.5 million deaths worldwide by the end of August, 2021. Upon detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), multiple signaling cascades are activated, which ultimately leads to innate immune response such as induction of type I and III interferons, as well as other antiviral genes that together restrict viral spread by suppressing different steps of the viral life cycle. Our understanding of the contribution of the innate immune system in recognizing and subsequently initiating a host response to an invasion of SARS-CoV-2 has been rapidly expanding from 2020. Simultaneously, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved multiple immune evasion strategies to escape from host immune surveillance for successful replication. In this review, we will address the current knowledge of innate immunity in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and highlight recent advances in the understanding of the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 evades a host's innate defense system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilei Zhang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Lulan Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Genhong Cheng
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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57
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Izadpanah A, Rappaport J, Datta PK. Epitranscriptomics of SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:849298. [PMID: 35465335 PMCID: PMC9032796 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.849298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies on the epitranscriptomic code of SARS-CoV-2 infection have discovered various RNA modifications, such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), pseudouridine (Ψ), and 2′-O-methylation (Nm). The effects of RNA methylation on SARS-CoV-2 replication and the enzymes involved in this mechanism are emerging. In this review, we summarize the advances in this emerging field and discuss the role of various players such as readers, writers, and erasers in m6A RNA methylation, the role of pseudouridine synthase one and seven in epitranscriptomic modification Ψ, an isomer of uridine, and role of nsp16/nsp10 heterodimer in 2′-O-methylation of the ribose sugar of the first nucleotide of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA. We also discuss RNA expression levels of various enzymes involved in RNA modifications in blood cells of SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals and their impact on host mRNA modification. In conclusion, these observations will facilitate the development of novel strategies and therapeutics for targeting RNA modification of SARS-CoV-2 RNA to control SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amin Izadpanah
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Center, Covington, LA, United States
| | - Jay Rappaport
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Center, Covington, LA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
| | - Prasun K. Datta
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Center, Covington, LA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, United States
- *Correspondence: Prasun K. Datta,
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58
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Beyer DK, Forero A. Mechanisms of Antiviral Immune Evasion of SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167265. [PMID: 34562466 PMCID: PMC8457632 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and is characterized by a delayed interferon (IFN) response and high levels of proinflammatory cytokine expression. Type I and III IFNs serve as a first line of defense during acute viral infections and are readily antagonized by viruses to establish productive infection. A rapidly growing body of work has interrogated the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 antagonizes both IFN induction and IFN signaling to establish productive infection. Here, we summarize these findings and discuss the molecular interactions that prevent viral RNA recognition, inhibit the induction of IFN gene expression, and block the response to IFN treatment. We also describe the mechanisms by which SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins promote host shutoff. A detailed understanding of the host-pathogen interactions that unbalance the IFN response is critical for the design and deployment of host-targeted therapeutics to manage COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K. Beyer
- Molecular Genetics, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Adriana Forero
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA,Corresponding author
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59
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Zhao X, Chen D, Li X, Griffith L, Chang J, An P, Guo JT. Interferon Control of Human Coronavirus Infection and Viral Evasion: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for Antiviral Drug and Vaccine Development. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167438. [PMID: 34990653 PMCID: PMC8721920 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Recognition of viral infections by various pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) activates an inflammatory cytokine response that inhibits viral replication and orchestrates the activation of adaptive immune responses to control the viral infection. The broadly active innate immune response puts a strong selective pressure on viruses and drives the selection of variants with increased capabilities to subvert the induction and function of antiviral cytokines. This revolutionary process dynamically shapes the host ranges, cell tropism and pathogenesis of viruses. Recent studies on the innate immune responses to the infection of human coronaviruses (HCoV), particularly SARS-CoV-2, revealed that HCoV infections can be sensed by endosomal toll-like receptors and/or cytoplasmic RIG-I-like receptors in various cell types. However, the profiles of inflammatory cytokines and transcriptome response induced by a specific HCoV are usually cell type specific and determined by the virus-specific mechanisms of subverting the induction and function of interferons and inflammatory cytokines as well as the genetic trait of the host genes of innate immune pathways. We review herein the recent literatures on the innate immune responses and their roles in the pathogenesis of HCoV infections with emphasis on the pathobiological roles and therapeutic effects of type I interferons in HCoV infections and their antiviral mechanisms. The knowledge on the mechanism of innate immune control of HCoV infections and viral evasions should facilitate the development of therapeutics for induction of immune resolution of HCoV infections and vaccines for efficient control of COVID-19 pandemics and other HCoV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesen Zhao
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China; Beijing Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 100015, China; National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China.
| | - Danying Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China; Beijing Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 100015, China; National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
| | - Xinglin Li
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China; Beijing Institute of Infectious Diseases, Beijing 100015, China; National Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing Ditan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100015, China
| | - Lauren Griffith
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902, USA
| | - Jinhong Chang
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902, USA
| | - Ping An
- Basic Research Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Ju-Tao Guo
- Baruch S. Blumberg Institute, Hepatitis B Foundation, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, PA 18902, USA.
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60
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Zhang D, Zhu L, Wang Y, Li P, Gao Y. Translational Control of COVID-19 and Its Therapeutic Implication. Front Immunol 2022; 13:857490. [PMID: 35422818 PMCID: PMC9002053 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.857490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19, which has broken out worldwide for more than two years. However, due to limited treatment, new cases of infection are still rising. Therefore, there is an urgent need to understand the basic molecular biology of SARS-CoV-2 to control this virus. SARS-CoV-2 replication and spread depend on the recruitment of host ribosomes to translate viral messenger RNA (mRNA). To ensure the translation of their own mRNAs, the SARS-CoV-2 has developed multiple strategies to globally inhibit the translation of host mRNAs and block the cellular innate immune response. This review provides a comprehensive picture of recent advancements in our understanding of the molecular basis and complexity of SARS-CoV-2 protein translation. Specifically, we summarize how this viral infection inhibits host mRNA translation to better utilize translation elements for translation of its own mRNA. Finally, we discuss the potential of translational components as targets for therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejiu Zhang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Lei Zhu
- College of Basic Medical, Qingdao Binhai University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yin Wang
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Peifeng Li
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanyan Gao
- Institute for Translational Medicine, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, College of Medicine, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
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61
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Oxidative Stress-Related Mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2 Infections. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2022; 2022:5589089. [PMID: 35281470 PMCID: PMC8906126 DOI: 10.1155/2022/5589089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused relatively high mortality in patients, especially in those with concomitant diseases (i.e., diabetes, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)). In most of aforementioned comorbidities, the oxidative stress appears to be an important player in their pathogenesis. The direct cause of death in critically ill patients with COVID-19 is still far from being elucidated. Although some preliminary data suggests that the lung vasculature injury and the loss of the functioning part of pulmonary alveolar population are crucial, the precise mechanism is still unclear. On the other hand, at least two classes of medications used with some clinical benefits in COVID-19 treatment seem to have a major influence on ROS (reactive oxygen species) and RNS (reactive nitrogen species) production. However, oxidative stress is one of the important mechanisms in the antiviral immune response and innate immunity. Therefore, it would be of interest to summarize the data regarding the oxidative stress in severe COVID-19. In this review, we discuss the role of oxidative and antioxidant mechanisms in severe COVID-19 based on available studies. We also present the role of ROS and RNS in other viral infections in humans and in animal models. Although reactive oxygen and nitrogen species play an important role in the innate antiviral immune response, in some situations, they might have a deleterious effect, e.g., in some coronaviral infections. The understanding of the redox mechanisms in severe COVID-19 disease may have an impact on its treatment.
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62
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Moll T, Odon V, Harvey C, Collins MO, Peden A, Franklin J, Graves E, Marshall JN, Souza CDS, Zhang S, Azzouz M, Gordon D, Krogan N, Ferraiuolo L, Snyder MP, Shaw PJ, Rehwinkel J, Cooper-Knock J. Low expression of EXOSC2 protects against clinical COVID-19 and impedes SARS-CoV-2 replication. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.03.06.483172. [PMID: 35291294 PMCID: PMC8923113 DOI: 10.1101/2022.03.06.483172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
New therapeutic targets are a valuable resource in the struggle to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified risk loci, but some loci are associated with co-morbidities and are not specific to host-virus interactions. Here, we identify and experimentally validate a link between reduced expression of EXOSC2 and reduced SARS-CoV-2 replication. EXOSC2 was one of 332 host proteins examined, all of which interact directly with SARS-CoV-2 proteins; EXOSC2 interacts with Nsp8 which forms part of the viral RNA polymerase. Lung-specific eQTLs were identified from GTEx (v7) for each of the 332 host proteins. Aggregating COVID-19 GWAS statistics for gene-specific eQTLs revealed an association between increased expression of EXOSC2 and higher risk of clinical COVID-19 which survived stringent multiple testing correction. EXOSC2 is a component of the RNA exosome and indeed, LC-MS/MS analysis of protein pulldowns demonstrated an interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase and the majority of human RNA exosome components. CRISPR/Cas9 introduction of nonsense mutations within EXOSC2 in Calu-3 cells reduced EXOSC2 protein expression, impeded SARS-CoV-2 replication and upregulated oligoadenylate synthase ( OAS) genes, which have been linked to a successful immune response against SARS-CoV-2. Reduced EXOSC2 expression did not reduce cellular viability. OAS gene expression changes occurred independent of infection and in the absence of significant upregulation of other interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs). Targeted depletion or functional inhibition of EXOSC2 may be a safe and effective strategy to protect at-risk individuals against clinical COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Moll
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Valerie Odon
- Medical Research Council Human Immunology Unit, Medical Research Council Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Calum Harvey
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Mark O Collins
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Peden
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - John Franklin
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Emily Graves
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jack N.G. Marshall
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Sai Zhang
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Mimoun Azzouz
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David Gordon
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Nevan Krogan
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Laura Ferraiuolo
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Michael P Snyder
- Department of Genetics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
- Center for Genomics and Personalized Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Pamela J Shaw
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jan Rehwinkel
- Medical Research Council Human Immunology Unit, Medical Research Council Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Johnathan Cooper-Knock
- Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
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Ramdhan P, Li C. Targeting Viral Methyltransferases: An Approach to Antiviral Treatment for ssRNA Viruses. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020379. [PMID: 35215972 PMCID: PMC8880702 DOI: 10.3390/v14020379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Methyltransferase enzymes have been associated with different processes within cells and viruses. Specifically, within viruses, methyltransferases are used to form the 5′cap-0 structure for optimal evasion of the host innate immune system. In this paper, we seek to discuss the various methyltransferases that exist within single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) viruses along with their respective inhibitors. Additionally, the importance of motifs such as the KDKE tetrad and glycine-rich motif in the catalytic activity of methyltransferases is discussed.
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Gusev E, Sarapultsev A, Solomatina L, Chereshnev V. SARS-CoV-2-Specific Immune Response and the Pathogenesis of COVID-19. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:1716. [PMID: 35163638 PMCID: PMC8835786 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The review aims to consolidate research findings on the molecular mechanisms and virulence and pathogenicity characteristics of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and their relevance to four typical stages in the development of acute viral infection. These four stages are invasion; primary blockade of antiviral innate immunity; engagement of the virus's protection mechanisms against the factors of adaptive immunity; and acute, long-term complications of COVID-19. The invasion stage entails the recognition of the spike protein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 target cell receptors, namely, the main receptor (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, ACE2), its coreceptors, and potential alternative receptors. The presence of a diverse repertoire of receptors allows SARS-CoV-2 to infect various types of cells, including those not expressing ACE2. During the second stage, the majority of the polyfunctional structural, non-structural, and extra proteins SARS-CoV-2 synthesizes in infected cells are involved in the primary blockage of antiviral innate immunity. A high degree of redundancy and systemic action characterizing these pathogenic factors allows SARS-CoV-2 to overcome antiviral mechanisms at the initial stages of invasion. The third stage includes passive and active protection of the virus from factors of adaptive immunity, overcoming of the barrier function at the focus of inflammation, and generalization of SARS-CoV-2 in the body. The fourth stage is associated with the deployment of variants of acute and long-term complications of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2's ability to induce autoimmune and autoinflammatory pathways of tissue invasion and development of both immunosuppressive and hyperergic mechanisms of systemic inflammation is critical at this stage of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenii Gusev
- Laboratory of Immunology of Inflammation, Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 620049 Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Alexey Sarapultsev
- Laboratory of Immunology of Inflammation, Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 620049 Ekaterinburg, Russia
- Russian-Chinese Education and Research Center of System Pathology, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Liliya Solomatina
- Laboratory of Immunology of Inflammation, Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 620049 Ekaterinburg, Russia
| | - Valeriy Chereshnev
- Laboratory of Immunology of Inflammation, Institute of Immunology and Physiology, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Science, 620049 Ekaterinburg, Russia
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The nsp15 Nuclease as a Good Target to Combat SARS-CoV-2: Mechanism of Action and Its Inactivation with FDA-Approved Drugs. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10020342. [PMID: 35208797 PMCID: PMC8880170 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10020342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is not over yet, despite all the efforts from the scientific community. Vaccination is a crucial weapon to fight this virus; however, we still urge the development of antivirals to reduce the severity and progression of the COVID-19 disease. For that, a deep understanding of the mechanisms involved in viral replication is necessary. nsp15 is an endoribonuclease critical for the degradation of viral polyuridine sequences that activate host immune sensors. This enzyme is known as one of the major interferon antagonists from SARS-CoV-2. In this work, a biochemical characterization of SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 was performed. We saw that nsp15 is active as a hexamer, and zinc can block its activity. The role of conserved residues from SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 was investigated, and N164 was found to be important for protein hexamerization and to contribute to the specificity to degrade uridines. Several chemical groups that impact the activity of this ribonuclease were also identified. Additionally, FDA-approved drugs with the capacity to inhibit the in vitro activity of nsp15 are reported in this work. This study is of utmost importance by adding highly valuable information that can be used for the development and rational design of therapeutic strategies.
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Jiang Y, Liu L, Manning M, Bonahoom M, Lotvola A, Yang Z, Yang ZQ. Structural analysis, virtual screening and molecular simulation to identify potential inhibitors targeting 2'-O-ribose methyltransferase of SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:1331-1346. [PMID: 33016237 PMCID: PMC7544923 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1828172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, an emerging coronavirus, has spread rapidly around the world, resulting in over ten million cases and more than half a million deaths as of July 1, 2020. Effective treatments and vaccines for SARS-CoV-2 infection do not currently exist. Previous studies demonstrated that nonstructural protein 16 (nsp16) of coronavirus is an S-adenosyl methionine (SAM)-dependent 2'-O-methyltransferase (2'-O-MTase) that has an important role in viral replication and prevents recognition by the host innate immune system. In the present study, we employed structural analysis, virtual screening, and molecular simulation approaches to identify clinically investigated and approved drugs which can act as promising inhibitors against nsp16 2'-O-MTase of SARS-CoV-2. Comparative analysis of primary amino acid sequences and crystal structures of seven human CoVs defined the key residues for nsp16 2-O'-MTase functions. Virtual screening and docking analysis ranked the potential inhibitors of nsp16 from more than 4,500 clinically investigated and approved drugs. Furthermore, molecular dynamics simulations were carried out on eight top candidates, including Hesperidin, Rimegepant, Gs-9667, and Sonedenoson, to calculate various structural parameters and understand the dynamic behavior of the drug-protein complexes. Our studies provided the foundation to further test and repurpose these candidate drugs experimentally and/or clinically for COVID-19 treatment.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanyuan Jiang
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Lanxin Liu
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Morenci Manning
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Madison Bonahoom
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Aaron Lotvola
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Zhe Yang
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Zeng-Quan Yang
- Department of Oncology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI, USA
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Yan W, Zheng Y, Zeng X, He B, Cheng W. Structural biology of SARS-CoV-2: open the door for novel therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:26. [PMID: 35087058 PMCID: PMC8793099 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00884-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 61.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 01/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the pandemic disease COVID-19, which is so far without efficacious treatment. The discovery of therapy reagents for treating COVID-19 are urgently needed, and the structures of the potential drug-target proteins in the viral life cycle are particularly important. SARS-CoV-2, a member of the Orthocoronavirinae subfamily containing the largest RNA genome, encodes 29 proteins including nonstructural, structural and accessory proteins which are involved in viral adsorption, entry and uncoating, nucleic acid replication and transcription, assembly and release, etc. These proteins individually act as a partner of the replication machinery or involved in forming the complexes with host cellular factors to participate in the essential physiological activities. This review summarizes the representative structures and typically potential therapy agents that target SARS-CoV-2 or some critical proteins for viral pathogenesis, providing insights into the mechanisms underlying viral infection, prevention of infection, and treatment. Indeed, these studies open the door for COVID therapies, leading to ways to prevent and treat COVID-19, especially, treatment of the disease caused by the viral variants are imperative.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weizhu Yan
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Yanhui Zheng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Xiaotao Zeng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Bin He
- Department of Emergency Medicine, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China.
- The First People's Hospital of Longquanyi District Chengdu, 610100, Chengdu, China.
| | - Wei Cheng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, China.
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Nencka R, Silhan J, Klima M, Otava T, Kocek H, Krafcikova P, Boura E. Coronaviral RNA-methyltransferases: function, structure and inhibition. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:635-650. [PMID: 35018474 PMCID: PMC8789044 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab1279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviral methyltransferases (MTases), nsp10/16 and nsp14, catalyze the last two steps of viral RNA-cap creation that takes place in cytoplasm. This cap is essential for the stability of viral RNA and, most importantly, for the evasion of innate immune system. Non-capped RNA is recognized by innate immunity which leads to its degradation and the activation of antiviral immunity. As a result, both coronaviral MTases are in the center of scientific scrutiny. Recently, X-ray and cryo-EM structures of both enzymes were solved even in complex with other parts of the viral replication complex. High-throughput screening as well as structure-guided inhibitor design have led to the discovery of their potent inhibitors. Here, we critically summarize the tremendous advancement of the coronaviral MTase field since the beginning of COVID pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Radim Nencka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Silhan
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Klima
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Otava
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Hugo Kocek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Krafcikova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Evzen Boura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Qi S, Mota J, Chan SH, Villarreal J, Dai N, Arya S, Hromas RA, Rao MK, Corrêa IR, Gupta YK. RNA binding to human METTL3-METTL14 restricts N6-deoxyadenosine methylation of DNA in vitro. eLife 2022; 11:67150. [PMID: 35060905 PMCID: PMC8828048 DOI: 10.7554/elife.67150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyltransferase like-3 (METTL3) and METTL14 complex transfers a methyl group from S-adenosyl-L-methionine to N6 amino group of adenosine bases in RNA (m6A) and DNA (m6dA). Emerging evidence highlights a role of METTL3-METTL14 in the chromatin context, especially in processes where DNA and RNA are held in close proximity. However, a mechanistic framework about specificity for substrate RNA/DNA and their interrelationship remain unclear. By systematically studying methylation activity and binding affinity to a number of DNA and RNA oligos with different propensities to form inter- or intra-molecular duplexes or single-stranded molecules in vitro, we uncover an inverse relationship for substrate binding and methylation and show that METTL3-METTL14 preferentially catalyzes the formation of m6dA in single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), despite weaker binding affinity to DNA. In contrast, it binds structured RNAs with high affinity, but methylates the target adenosine in RNA (m6A) much less efficiently than it does in ssDNA. We also show that METTL3-METTL14-mediated methylation of DNA is largely restricted by structured RNA elements prevalent in long noncoding and other cellular RNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Qi
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | - Javier Mota
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | | | - Johanna Villarreal
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | - Nan Dai
- RNA Biology, New England Biolabs
| | - Shailee Arya
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | - Robert A Hromas
- Department of Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | - Manjeet K Rao
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
| | | | - Yogesh K Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
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Pizzato M, Baraldi C, Boscato Sopetto G, Finozzi D, Gentile C, Gentile MD, Marconi R, Paladino D, Raoss A, Riedmiller I, Ur Rehman H, Santini A, Succetti V, Volpini L. SARS-CoV-2 and the Host Cell: A Tale of Interactions. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2021.815388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The ability of a virus to spread between individuals, its replication capacity and the clinical course of the infection are macroscopic consequences of a multifaceted molecular interaction of viral components with the host cell. The heavy impact of COVID-19 on the world population, economics and sanitary systems calls for therapeutic and prophylactic solutions that require a deep characterization of the interactions occurring between virus and host cells. Unveiling how SARS-CoV-2 engages with host factors throughout its life cycle is therefore fundamental to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the viral infection and to design antiviral therapies and prophylactic strategies. Two years into the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, this review provides an overview of the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, with focus on the machinery and compartments pivotal for virus replication and the antiviral cellular response. Starting with the interaction with the cell surface, following the virus replicative cycle through the characterization of the entry pathways, the survival and replication in the cytoplasm, to the mechanisms of egress from the infected cell, this review unravels the complex network of interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, highlighting the knowledge that has the potential to set the basis for the development of innovative antiviral strategies.
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Ramoji A, Pahlow S, Pistiki A, Rueger J, Shaik TA, Shen H, Wichmann C, Krafft C, Popp J. Understanding Viruses and Viral Infections by Biophotonic Methods. TRANSLATIONAL BIOPHOTONICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/tbio.202100008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Anuradha Ramoji
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena Germany
| | - Susanne Pahlow
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Aikaterini Pistiki
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
| | - Jan Rueger
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
| | - Tanveer Ahmed Shaik
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
| | - Haodong Shen
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Christina Wichmann
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena Germany
| | - Christoph Krafft
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
| | - Juergen Popp
- Institute of Physical Chemistry and Abbe Center of Photonics, Friedrich Schiller University, Helmholtzweg 4 Jena Germany
- Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology Jena (a member of Leibniz Health Technologies) , Albert‐Einstein Str. 9 Jena Germany
- Center for Sepsis Control and Care Jena University Hospital, Am Klinikum 1, 07747 Jena Germany
- InfectoGnostics Research Campus Jena, Philosophenweg 7, 07743 Jena Germany
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72
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Kozielski F, Sele C, Talibov VO, Lou J, Dong D, Wang Q, Shi X, Nyblom M, Rogstam A, Krojer T, Fisher Z, Knecht W. Identification of fragments binding to SARS-CoV-2 nsp10 reveals ligand-binding sites in conserved interfaces between nsp10 and nsp14/nsp16. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:44-55. [PMID: 35128408 PMCID: PMC8729259 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00135c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019, Covid-19 has developed into a serious threat to our health, social and economic systems. Although vaccines have been developed in a tour-de-force and are now increasingly available, repurposing of existing drugs has been less successful. There is a clear need to develop new drugs against SARS-CoV-2 that can also be used against future coronavirus infections. Non-structural protein 10 (nsp10) is a conserved stimulator of two enzymes crucial for viral replication, nsp14 and nsp16, exhibiting exoribonuclease and methyltransferase activities. Interfering with RNA proofreading or RNA cap formation represents intervention strategies to inhibit replication. We applied fragment-based screening using nano differential scanning fluorometry and X-ray crystallography to identify ligands targeting SARS-CoV-2 nsp10. We identified four fragments located in two distinct sites: one can be modelled to where it would be located in the nsp14-nsp10 complex interface and the other in the nsp16-nsp10 complex interface. Microscale thermophoresis (MST) experiments were used to quantify fragment affinities for nsp10. Additionally, we showed by MST that the interaction by nsp14 and 10 is weak and thereby that complex formation could be disrupted by small molecules. The fragments will serve as starting points for the development of more potent analogues using fragment growing techniques and structure-based drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Kozielski
- School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Céleste Sele
- Department of Biology & Lund Protein Production Platform, Lund University Sölvegatan 35 22362 Lund Sweden +46 46 2227785
| | | | - Jiaqi Lou
- School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Danni Dong
- School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Qian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Xinyue Shi
- School of Pharmacy, University College London 29-39 Brunswick Square London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Maria Nyblom
- Department of Biology & Lund Protein Production Platform, Lund University Sölvegatan 35 22362 Lund Sweden +46 46 2227785
| | - Annika Rogstam
- Department of Biology & Lund Protein Production Platform, Lund University Sölvegatan 35 22362 Lund Sweden +46 46 2227785
| | - Tobias Krojer
- BioMAX beamline, MAX IV Laboratory Fotongatan 2 22484 Lund Sweden
| | - Zoë Fisher
- Department of Biology & Lund Protein Production Platform, Lund University Sölvegatan 35 22362 Lund Sweden +46 46 2227785
- European Spallation Source ERIC P.O. Box 176 22100 Lund Sweden +46 721792250
| | - Wolfgang Knecht
- Department of Biology & Lund Protein Production Platform, Lund University Sölvegatan 35 22362 Lund Sweden +46 46 2227785
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Abstract
Viruses are essentially, obligate intracellular parasites. They require a host to replicate their genetic material, spread to other cells, and eventually to other hosts. For humans, most viral infections are not considered lethal, regardless if at the cellular level, the virus can obliterate individual cells. Constant genomic mutations, (which can alter the antigenic content of viruses such as influenza or coronaviruses), zoonosis or immunosuppression/immunocompromisation, is when viruses achieve higher host mortality. Frequent examples of the severe consequenses of viral infection can be seen in children and the elderly. In most instances, the immune system will take a multifaceted approach in defending the host against viruses. Depending on the virus, the individual, and the point of entry, the immune system will initiate a robust response which involves multiple components. In this chapter, we expand on the total immune system, breaking it down to the two principal types: Innate and Adaptive Immunity, their different roles in viral recognition and clearance. Finally, how different viruses activate and evade different arms of the immune system.
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Wade H, Duan Q, Su Q. Interaction between Sars-CoV-2 structural proteins and host cellular receptors: From basic mechanisms to clinical perspectives. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2022; 132:243-277. [PMID: 36088078 PMCID: PMC9182089 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (Sars-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic that has affected the lives of billions of individuals. Sars-CoV-2 primarily infects human cells by binding of the viral spike protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In addition, novel means of viral entry are currently being investigated, including Neuropillin 1, toll-like receptors (TLRs), cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147), and integrin α5β1. Enriched expression of these proteins across metabolic regulatory organs/tissues, including the circulatory system, liver, pancreas, and intestine contributes to major clinical complications among COVID-19 patients, particularly the development of hypertension, myocardial injury, arrhythmia, acute coronary syndrome and increased coagulation in the circulatory system during and post-infection. Pre-existing metabolic disease, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, is associated with increased risk of hospitalization, persistent post-infection complications and worse outcomes in patients with COVID-19. This review overviews the biological features of Sars-CoV-2, highlights recent findings that delineate the pathological mechanisms of COVID-19 and the consequent clinical diseases.
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Exploring the Catalytic Mechanism of the RNA Cap Modification by nsp16-nsp10 Complex of SARS-CoV-2 through a QM/MM Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:ijms23010300. [PMID: 35008724 PMCID: PMC8745711 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of key enzymes that may contain the viral replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have assumed central importance in drug discovery projects. Nonstructural proteins (nsps) are essential for RNA capping and coronavirus replication since it protects the virus from host innate immune restriction. In particular, nonstructural protein 16 (nsp16) in complex with nsp10 is a Cap-0 binding enzyme. The heterodimer formed by nsp16-nsp10 methylates the 5′-end of virally encoded mRNAs to mimic cellular mRNAs and thus it is one of the enzymes that is a potential target for antiviral therapy. In this study, we have evaluated the mechanism of the 2′-O methylation of the viral mRNA cap using hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) approach. It was found that the calculated free energy barriers obtained at M062X/6-31+G(d,p) is in agreement with experimental observations. Overall, we provide a detailed molecular analysis of the catalytic mechanism involving the 2′-O methylation of the viral mRNA cap and, as expected, the results demonstrate that the TS stabilization is critical for the catalysis.
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Emrani J, Ahmed M, Jeffers-Francis L, Teleha JC, Mowa N, Newman RH, Thomas MD. SARS-COV-2, infection, transmission, transcription, translation, proteins, and treatment: A review. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 193:1249-1273. [PMID: 34756970 PMCID: PMC8552795 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.10.172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In this review, we describe the key molecular entities involved in the process of infection by SARS-CoV-2, while also detailing how those key entities influence the spread of the disease. We further introduce the molecular mechanisms of preventive and treatment strategies including drugs, antibodies, and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahangir Emrani
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, United States of America.
| | - Maryam Ahmed
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, United States of America
| | - Liesl Jeffers-Francis
- Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, United States of America
| | - John C Teleha
- Department of Reference and Instruction, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, United States of America
| | - Nathan Mowa
- Department of Biology, Appalachian State University, Boone, NC 28608, United States of America
| | - Robert H Newman
- Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, United States of America
| | - Misty D Thomas
- Department of Biology, North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, United States of America
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77
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Jia L, Chen Z, Zhang Y, Ma L, Wang L, Hu X, Liu H, Chen J, Liu D, Guan W. Suppression and Activation of Intracellular Immune Response in Initial Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:768740. [PMID: 34899651 PMCID: PMC8661415 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.768740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is currently the most important emerging pathogen worldwide, but its early transcriptional dynamics and host immune response remain unclear. Herein, the expression profiles of viral interactions with different types of hosts were comprehensively dissected to shed light on the early infection strategy of SARS-CoV-2 and the host immune response against infection. SARS-CoV-2 was found to exhibit a two-stage transcriptional strategy within the first 24 h of infection, comprising a lag phase that ends with the virus being paused and a log phase that starts when the viral load increases rapidly. Interestingly, the host innate immune response was found not to be activated (latent period) until the virus entered the log stage. Noteworthy, when intracellular immunity is suppressed, SARS-CoV-2 shows a correlation with dysregulation of metal ion homeostasis. Herein, the inhibitory activity of copper ions against SARS-CoV-2 was further validated in in vitro experiments. Coronavirus disease 2019-related genes (including CD38, PTX3, and TCN1) were also identified, which may serve as candidate host-restricted factors for interventional therapy. Collectively, these results confirm that the two-stage strategy of SARS-CoV-2 effectively aids its survival in early infection by regulating the host intracellular immunity, highlighting the key role of interferon in viral infection and potential therapeutic candidates for further investigations on antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijia Jia
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Chen
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Yecheng Zhang
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Li Ma
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Liying Wang
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Haizhou Liu
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Di Liu
- Center for Bacteria and Viruses Resources and Bioinformation, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wuxiang Guan
- Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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78
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Akula SM, Bolin P, Cook PP. Cellular miR-150-5p may have a crucial role to play in the biology of SARS-CoV-2 infection by regulating nsp10 gene. RNA Biol 2021; 19:1-11. [PMID: 34904915 PMCID: PMC8786335 DOI: 10.1080/15476286.2021.2010959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The role for circulating miRNAs as biomarkers of the COVID-19 disease remains uncertain. We analysed the circulating miRNA profile in twelve COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. This analysis was conducted by performing next generation sequencing (NGS) followed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Compared with healthy controls, we detected significant changes in the circulating miRNA profile of COVID-19 patients. The miRNAs that were significantly altered in all the COVID-19 patients were miR-150-5p, miR-375, miR-122-5p, miR-494-3p, miR-3197, miR-4690-5p, miR-1915-3p, and miR-3652. Infection assays performed using miRNA mimics in HEK-293 T cells determined miR-150-5p to have a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 infection and this was based on the following data: (i) miR-150-5p mimic lowered in vitro SARS-CoV-2 infection; (ii) miR-150-5p inhibitor reversed the effects of miR-150-5p mimic on SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells; and (iii) a novel miRNA recognition element (MRE) was identified in the coding strand of SARS-CoV-2 nsp10, the expression of which could be inhibited by miR-150-5p mimic. Our findings identified crucial miRNA footprints in COVID-19 patients with moderate-severe disease. A combination of co-transfection and Western blotting experiments also determined the ability of miR-150-5p to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection via directly interacting with MRE in the coding strand of nsp10. Our investigation showed that a sharp decline in the miR-150-5p plasma levels in COVID-19 patients may support enhanced SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, this study provides insight into one possible mechanism by which COVID-19-induced changes to miR-150-5p levels may promote SARS-CoV-2 infection via modulating nsp10 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaw M Akula
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology (S.m. Akula), Department of Internal Medicine (P. Bolin, P.P.Cook), Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Paul Bolin
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology (S.m. Akula), Department of Internal Medicine (P. Bolin, P.P.Cook), Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
| | - Paul P Cook
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology (S.m. Akula), Department of Internal Medicine (P. Bolin, P.P.Cook), Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, USA
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79
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Host Manipulation Mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. Acta Biotheor 2021; 70:4. [PMID: 34902063 PMCID: PMC8667538 DOI: 10.1007/s10441-021-09425-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Viruses are the simplest of pathogens, but possess sophisticated molecular mechanisms to manipulate host behavior, frequently utilizing molecular mimicry. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been shown to bind to the host receptor neuropilin-1 in order to gain entry into the cell. To do this, the virus utilizes its spike protein polybasic cleavage site (PCS), which mimics the CendR motif of neuropilin-1's endogenous ligands. In addition to facilitating cell entry, binding to neuropilin-1 has analgesic effects. We discuss the potential impact of neuropilin-1 binding by SARS-CoV-2 in ameliorating sickness behavior of the host, and identify a convergent evolutionary strategy of PCS cleavage and subsequent neuropilin binding in other human viruses. In addition, we discuss the evolutionary leap of the ancestor of SARS-COV-2, which involved acquisition of the PCS thus faciliting binding to the neuropilin-1 receptor. Acquisition of the PCS by the ancestor of SARS-CoV-2 appears to have led to pleiotropic beneficial effects including enhancement of cell entry via binding to ACE2, facilitation of cell entry via binding to neuropilin-1, promotion of analgesia, and potentially the formation of decoy epitopes via enhanced shedding of the S1 subunit. Lastly, other potential neuromanipulation strategies employed by SARS-CoV-2 are discussed, including interferon suppression and the resulting reduction in sickness behavior, enhanced transmission through neurally mediated cough induction, and reduction in sense of smell.
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80
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Hardenbrook NJ, Zhang P. A structural view of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its assembly. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:123-134. [PMID: 34915287 PMCID: PMC8642146 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Structural biology plays a vital role in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and treatment. High-resolution structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and complexes have been obtained. In situ structures of SARS-CoV-2 virus and its assembly are visualized by cryoET.
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic that struck in 2019 has left the world crippled with hundreds of millions of cases and millions of people dead. During this time, we have seen unprecedented support and collaboration amongst scientists to respond to this deadly disease. Advances in the field of structural biology, in particular cryoEM and cryo-electron tomography, have allowed unprecedented structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we review the structural work on the SARS-CoV-2 virus and viral components, as well as its cellular assembly process, highlighting some important structural findings that have made significant impact on the protection from and treatment of emerging viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Hardenbrook
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK
| | - Peijun Zhang
- Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK; Electron Bio-Imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0DE, UK; Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Oxford Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7BN, UK.
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81
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Kumar A, Narayan RK, Prasoon P, Kumari C, Kaur G, Kumar S, Kulandhasamy M, Sesham K, Pareek V, Faiq MA, Pandey SN, Singh HN, Kant K, Shekhawat PS, Raza K, Kumar S. COVID-19 Mechanisms in the Human Body-What We Know So Far. Front Immunol 2021; 12:693938. [PMID: 34790191 PMCID: PMC8592035 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.693938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
More than one and a half years have elapsed since the commencement of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, and the world is struggling to contain it. Being caused by a previously unknown virus, in the initial period, there had been an extreme paucity of knowledge about the disease mechanisms, which hampered preventive and therapeutic measures against COVID-19. In an endeavor to understand the pathogenic mechanisms, extensive experimental studies have been conducted across the globe involving cell culture-based experiments, human tissue organoids, and animal models, targeted to various aspects of the disease, viz., viral properties, tissue tropism and organ-specific pathogenesis, involvement of physiological systems, and the human immune response against the infection. The vastly accumulated scientific knowledge on all aspects of COVID-19 has currently changed the scenario from great despair to hope. Even though spectacular progress has been made in all of these aspects, multiple knowledge gaps are remaining that need to be addressed in future studies. Moreover, multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have emerged across the globe since the onset of the first COVID-19 wave, with seemingly greater transmissibility/virulence and immune escape capabilities than the wild-type strain. In this review, we narrate the progress made since the commencement of the pandemic regarding the knowledge on COVID-19 mechanisms in the human body, including virus-host interactions, pulmonary and other systemic manifestations, immunological dysregulations, complications, host-specific vulnerability, and long-term health consequences in the survivors. Additionally, we provide a brief review of the current evidence explaining molecular mechanisms imparting greater transmissibility and virulence and immune escape capabilities to the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashutosh Kumar
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Patna, India
| | - Ravi K. Narayan
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anatomy, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Institute of Medical Sciences, Port Blair, India
| | - Pranav Prasoon
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Pittsburgh Center for Pain Research, School of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Chiman Kumari
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anatomy, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, India
| | - Gurjot Kaur
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University, Solan, India
| | - Santosh Kumar
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Maheswari Kulandhasamy
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Biochemistry, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), New Delhi, India
| | - Kishore Sesham
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Mangalagiri, Vijayawada, India
| | - Vikas Pareek
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Center for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Muneeb A. Faiq
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- New York University (NYU) Langone Health Center, NYU Robert I. Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Sada N. Pandey
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Zoology, Banaras Hindu University (BHU), Varanasi, India
| | - Himanshu N. Singh
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Systems Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Kamla Kant
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Microbiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, India
| | - Prakash S. Shekhawat
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Medical Sciences, Jaipur, India
| | - Khursheed Raza
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Deoghar, India
| | - Sujeet Kumar
- Etiologically Elusive Disorders Research Network (EEDRN), New Delhi, India
- Center for Proteomics and Drug Discovery, Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Maharashtra, India
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82
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Rajeev R, Dwivedi AP, Sinha A, Agarwaal V, Dev RR, Kar A, Khosla S. Epigenetic interaction of microbes with their mammalian hosts. J Biosci 2021. [PMID: 34728591 PMCID: PMC8550911 DOI: 10.1007/s12038-021-00215-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of microbiota with its host has the ability to alter the cellular functions of both, through several mechanisms. Recent work, from many laboratories including our own, has shown that epigenetic mechanisms play an important role in the alteration of these cellular functions. Epigenetics broadly refers to change in the phenotype without a corresponding change in the DNA sequence. This change is usually brought by epigenetic modifications of the DNA itself, the histone proteins associated with the DNA in the chromatin, non-coding RNA or the modifications of the transcribed RNA. These modifications, also known as epigenetic code, do not change the DNA sequence but alter the expression level of specific genes. Microorganisms seem to have learned how to modify the host epigenetic code and modulate the host transcriptome in their favour. In this review, we explore the literature that describes the epigenetic interaction of bacteria, fungi and viruses, with their mammalian hosts.
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83
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Abstract
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has spurred research in the biology of the nidovirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Much focus has been on the viral RNA synthesis machinery due to its fundamental role in viral propagation. The central and essential enzyme of the RNA synthesis process, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), functions in conjunction with a coterie of viral-encoded enzymes that mediate crucial nucleic acid transactions. Some of these enzymes share common features with other RNA viruses, while others play roles unique to nidoviruses or CoVs. The RdRps are proven targets for viral pathogens, and many of the other nucleic acid processing enzymes are promising targets. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of RNA synthesis in CoVs. By reflecting on these studies, we hope to emphasize the remaining gaps in our knowledge. The recent onslaught of structural information related to SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis, in combination with previous structural, genetic and biochemical studies, have vastly improved our understanding of how CoVs replicate and process their genomic RNA. Structural biology not only provides a blueprint for understanding the function of the enzymes and cofactors in molecular detail, but also provides a basis for drug design and optimization. The concerted efforts of researchers around the world, in combination with the renewed urgency toward understanding this deadly family of viruses, may eventually yield new and improved antivirals that provide relief to the current global devastation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Malone
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States
| | | | - Seth A Darst
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States.
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84
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Hijikata A, Shionyu C, Nakae S, Shionyu M, Ota M, Kanaya S, Shirai T. Current status of structure-based drug repurposing against COVID-19 by targeting SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Biophys Physicobiol 2021; 18:226-240. [PMID: 34745807 PMCID: PMC8550875 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.bppb-v18.025] [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: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
More than one and half years have passed, as of August 2021, since the COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 emerged in 2019. While the recent success of vaccine developments likely reduces the severe cases, there is still a strong requirement of safety and effective therapeutic drugs for overcoming the unprecedented situation. Here we review the recent progress and the status of the drug discovery against COVID-19 with emphasizing a structure-based perspective. Structural data regarding the SARS-CoV-2 proteome has been rapidly accumulated in the Protein Data Bank, and up to 68% of the total amino acid residues encoded in the genome were covered by the structural data. Despite a global effort of in silico and in vitro screenings for drug repurposing, there is only a limited number of drugs had been successfully authorized by drug regulation organizations. Although many approved drugs and natural compounds, which exhibited antiviral activity in vitro, were considered potential drugs against COVID-19, a further multidisciplinary investigation is required for understanding the mechanisms underlying the antiviral effects of the drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi Hijikata
- Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan
| | - Clara Shionyu
- Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan
| | - Setsu Nakae
- Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan
| | - Masafumi Shionyu
- Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan
| | - Motonori Ota
- Department of Complex Systems Science, Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8601, Japan
| | - Shigehiko Kanaya
- Computational Biology Lab. Division of Information Science, Graduate School of Science and Technology, Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST), Ikoma, Nara 630-0192, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Shirai
- Faculty of Bioscience, Nagahama Institute of Bio-Science and Technology, Nagahama, Shiga 526-0829, Japan
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85
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Hargadon KM. A call for discovery: Re-envisioning The Cancer Genome Atlas as a blueprint for a TCGA2.0-The COVID-19 Genome Atlas. CLINICAL AND TRANSLATIONAL DISCOVERY 2021; 1:e7. [PMID: 34901953 PMCID: PMC8653019 DOI: 10.1002/ctd2.7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The COVID‐19 pandemic has impacted the health of millions and had a myriad of devastating consequences for global societies since its emergence in 2019. Noting parallels between the impact of COVID‐19 and cancer as diseases of global health significance, and as a way of building off the successes of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) as a comprehensive, multiomics approach to understand and combat cancer, this Call For Discovery provides a vision for creating a new TCGA2.0 (The COVID‐19 Genome Atlas) as a tool that will benefit researchers, clinicians, and patients alike as the scientific community works to better understand not only the various determinants of COVID‐19 disease outcome but also the most effective ways to manage and treat COVID‐19 disease complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristian M Hargadon
- Hargadon Laboratory Department of Biology Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney Virginia USA
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86
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Vuai SAH, Onoka I, Sahini MG, Swai HS, Shadrack DM. Abrogating the nsp10–nsp16 switching mechanisms in SARS-CoV-2 by phytochemicals from Withania somnifera: a molecular dynamics study. MOLECULAR SIMULATION 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/08927022.2021.1974432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Said A. H. Vuai
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Isaac Onoka
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Mtabazi G. Sahini
- Department of Chemistry, College of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, University of Dodoma, Dodoma, Tanzania
| | - Hulda S. Swai
- School of Life Sciences and Bioengeering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Daniel M. Shadrack
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, St. John's University of Tanzania, Dodoma, Tanzania
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87
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Selvaraj C, Dinesh DC, Krafcikova P, Boura E, Aarthy M, Pravin MA, Singh SK. Structural Understanding of SARS-CoV-2 Drug Targets, Active Site Contour Map Analysis and COVID-19 Therapeutics. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:418-433. [PMID: 34488601 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210906125959] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The most iconic word of the year 2020 is 'COVID-19', the shortened name for coronavirus disease 2019. The pandemic, caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is responsible for multiple worldwide lockdowns, an economic crisis, and a substantial increase in hospitalizations for viral pneumonia along with respiratory failure and multiorgan dysfunctions. Recently, the first few vaccines were approved by World Health Organization (WHO) and can eventually save millions of lives. Even though, few emergency use drugs like Remdesivir and several other repurposed drugs, still there is no approved drug for COVID-19. The coronaviral encoded proteins involved in host-cell entry, replication, and host-cell invading mechanism are potentially therapeutic targets. This perspective review provides the molecular overview of SARS-CoV-2 life cycle for summarizing potential drug targets, structural insights, active site contour map analyses of those selected SARS-CoV-2 protein targets for drug discovery, immunology, and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandrabose Selvaraj
- Computer Aided Drug Design and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Science Block, Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630004, Tamil Nadu. India
| | | | - Petra Krafcikova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6. Czech Republic
| | - Evzen Boura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry AS CR, v.v.i., Flemingovo nam. 2, 166 10 Prague 6. Czech Republic
| | - Murali Aarthy
- Computer Aided Drug Design and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Science Block, Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630004, Tamil Nadu. India
| | - Muthuraja Arun Pravin
- Computer Aided Drug Design and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Science Block, Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630004, Tamil Nadu. India
| | - Sanjeev Kumar Singh
- Computer Aided Drug Design and Molecular Modeling Lab, Department of Bioinformatics, Science Block, Alagappa University, Karaikudi-630004, Tamil Nadu. India
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88
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Benoni R, Krafcikova P, Baranowski MR, Kowalska J, Boura E, Cahová H. Substrate Specificity of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp10-Nsp16 Methyltransferase. Viruses 2021; 13:v13091722. [PMID: 34578302 PMCID: PMC8472550 DOI: 10.3390/v13091722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic exemplifies the general need to better understand viral infections. The positive single-strand RNA genome of its causative agent, the SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), encodes all viral enzymes. In this work, we focused on one particular methyltransferase (MTase), nsp16, which, in complex with nsp10, is capable of methylating the first nucleotide of a capped RNA strand at the 2′-O position. This process is part of a viral capping system and is crucial for viral evasion of the innate immune reaction. In light of recently discovered non-canonical RNA caps, we tested various dinucleoside polyphosphate-capped RNAs as substrates for nsp10-nsp16 MTase. We developed an LC-MS-based method and discovered four types of capped RNA (m7Gp3A(G)- and Gp3A(G)-RNA) that are substrates of the nsp10-nsp16 MTase. Our technique is an alternative to the classical isotope labelling approach for the measurement of 2′-O-MTase activity. Further, we determined the IC50 value of sinefungin to illustrate the use of our approach for inhibitor screening. In the future, this approach may be an alternative technique to the radioactive labelling method for screening inhibitors of any type of 2′-O-MTase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Benoni
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (P.K.)
| | - Petra Krafcikova
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (P.K.)
| | - Marek R. Baranowski
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Ludwika Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.R.B.); (J.K.)
| | - Joanna Kowalska
- Division of Biophysics, Institute of Experimental Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Warsaw, Ludwika Pasteura 5, 02-093 Warsaw, Poland; (M.R.B.); (J.K.)
| | - Evzen Boura
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (P.K.)
- Correspondence: (E.B.); (H.C.)
| | - Hana Cahová
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic; (R.B.); (P.K.)
- Correspondence: (E.B.); (H.C.)
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89
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Muratov EN, Amaro R, Andrade CH, Brown N, Ekins S, Fourches D, Isayev O, Kozakov D, Medina-Franco JL, Merz KM, Oprea TI, Poroikov V, Schneider G, Todd MH, Varnek A, Winkler DA, Zakharov AV, Cherkasov A, Tropsha A. A critical overview of computational approaches employed for COVID-19 drug discovery. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 50:9121-9151. [PMID: 34212944 PMCID: PMC8371861 DOI: 10.1039/d0cs01065k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 102] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 has resulted in huge numbers of infections and deaths worldwide and brought the most severe disruptions to societies and economies since the Great Depression. Massive experimental and computational research effort to understand and characterize the disease and rapidly develop diagnostics, vaccines, and drugs has emerged in response to this devastating pandemic and more than 130 000 COVID-19-related research papers have been published in peer-reviewed journals or deposited in preprint servers. Much of the research effort has focused on the discovery of novel drug candidates or repurposing of existing drugs against COVID-19, and many such projects have been either exclusively computational or computer-aided experimental studies. Herein, we provide an expert overview of the key computational methods and their applications for the discovery of COVID-19 small-molecule therapeutics that have been reported in the research literature. We further outline that, after the first year the COVID-19 pandemic, it appears that drug repurposing has not produced rapid and global solutions. However, several known drugs have been used in the clinic to cure COVID-19 patients, and a few repurposed drugs continue to be considered in clinical trials, along with several novel clinical candidates. We posit that truly impactful computational tools must deliver actionable, experimentally testable hypotheses enabling the discovery of novel drugs and drug combinations, and that open science and rapid sharing of research results are critical to accelerate the development of novel, much needed therapeutics for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eugene N. Muratov
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North CarolinaChapel HillNCUSA
| | - Rommie Amaro
- University of California in San DiegoSan DiegoCAUSA
| | | | | | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations PharmaceuticalsRaleighNCUSA
| | - Denis Fourches
- Department of Chemistry, North Carolina State UniversityRaleighNCUSA
| | - Olexandr Isayev
- Department of Chemistry, Carnegie Melon UniversityPittsburghPAUSA
| | - Dima Kozakov
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Statistics, Stony Brook UniversityStony BrookNYUSA
| | | | - Kenneth M. Merz
- Department of Chemistry, Michigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Tudor I. Oprea
- Department of Internal Medicine and UNM Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico, AlbuquerqueNMUSA
- Department of Rheumatology and Inflammation Research, Gothenburg UniversitySweden
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of CopenhagenDenmark
| | | | - Gisbert Schneider
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Swiss Federal Institute of TechnologyZurichSwitzerland
| | | | - Alexandre Varnek
- Department of Chemistry, University of StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
- Institute for Chemical Reaction Design and Discovery (WPI-ICReDD), Hokkaido UniversitySapporoJapan
| | - David A. Winkler
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityMelbourneVICAustralia
- School of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe UniversityBundooraAustralia
- School of Pharmacy, University of NottinghamNottinghamUK
| | | | - Artem Cherkasov
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British ColumbiaVancouverBCCanada
| | - Alexander Tropsha
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North CarolinaChapel HillNCUSA
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90
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Wang Z, Yang L, Zhao XE. Co-crystallization and structure determination: An effective direction for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4684-4701. [PMID: 34426762 PMCID: PMC8373586 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.08.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Safer and more-effective drugs are urgently needed to counter infections with the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2, cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Identification of efficient inhibitors to treat and prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection is a predominant focus. Encouragingly, using X-ray crystal structures of therapeutically relevant drug targets (PLpro, Mpro, RdRp, and S glycoprotein) offers a valuable direction for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery and lead optimization through direct visualization of interactions. Computational analyses based primarily on MMPBSA calculations have also been proposed for assessing the binding stability of biomolecular structures involving the ligand and receptor. In this study, we focused on state-of-the-art X-ray co-crystal structures of the abovementioned targets complexed with newly identified small-molecule inhibitors (natural products, FDA-approved drugs, candidate drugs, and their analogues) with the assistance of computational analyses to support the precision design and screening of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.
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Key Words
- 3CLpro, 3C-Like protease
- ACE2, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2
- COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019
- Candidate drugs
- Co-crystal structures
- DyKAT, dynamic kinetic asymmetric transformation
- EBOV, Ebola virus
- EC50, half maximal effective concentration
- EMD, Electron Microscopy Data
- FDA, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- FDA-approved drugs
- HCoV-229E, human coronavirus 229E
- HPLC, high-performance liquid chromatography
- IC50, half maximal inhibitory concentration
- MD, molecular dynamics
- MERS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- MMPBSA, molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area
- MTase, methyltransferase
- Mpro, main protease
- Natural products
- Nsp, nonstructural protein
- PDB, Protein Data Bank
- PLpro, papain-like protease
- RTP, ribonucleoside triphosphate
- RdRp, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase
- SAM, S-adenosylmethionine
- SARS-CoV, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus
- SARS-CoV-2
- SARS-CoV-2, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
- SI, selectivity index
- Ugi-4CR, Ugi four-component reaction
- cryo-EM, cryo-electron microscopy
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhonglei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China
| | - Liyan Yang
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China
| | - Xian-En Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Green Natural Products and Pharmaceutical Intermediates in Colleges and Universities of Shandong Province, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, PR China
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91
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Bhavaniramya S, Ramar V, Vishnupriya S, Palaniappan R, Sibiya A, Baskaralingam V. Comprehensive analysis of SARS-COV-2 drug targets and pharmacological aspects in treating the COVID-19. Curr Mol Pharmacol 2021; 15:393-417. [PMID: 34382513 DOI: 10.2174/1874467214666210811120635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Corona viruses are enveloped, single-stranded RNA (Ribonucleic acid) viruses and they cause pandemic diseases having a devastating effect on both human healthcare and the global economy. To date, six corona viruses have been identified as pathogenic organisms which are significantly responsible for the infection and also cause severe respiratory diseases. Among them, the novel SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) caused a major outbreak of corona virus diseases 2019 (COVID-19). Coronaviridae family members can affects both humans and animals. In human, corona viruses cause severe acute respiratory syndrome with mild to severe outcomes. Several structural and genomics have been investigated, and the genome encodes about 28 proteins most of them with unknown function though it shares remarkable sequence identity with other proteins. There is no potent and licensed vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 and several trials are underway to investigate the possible therapeutic agents against viral infection. However, some of the antiviral drugs that have been investigated against SARS-CoV-2 are under clinical trials. In the current review we comparatively emphasize the emergence and pathogenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 and their infection and discuss the various putative drug targets of both viral and host receptors for developing effective vaccines and therapeutic combinations to overcome the viral outbreak.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sundaresan Bhavaniramya
- Biomaterials and Biotechnology in Animal Health Lab, Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu. India
| | - Vanajothi Ramar
- Department of Biomedical Science, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, 620024. India
| | - Selvaraju Vishnupriya
- College of Food and Dairy Technology, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai 600052. India
| | - Ramasamy Palaniappan
- Research and Development Wing, Sree Balaji Medical College and Hospital, Bharath Institute of Higher Education (BIHER), Chennai-600044, Tamilnadu. India
| | - Ashokkumar Sibiya
- Biomaterials and Biotechnology in Animal Health Lab, Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu. India
| | - Vaseeharan Baskaralingam
- Biomaterials and Biotechnology in Animal Health Lab, Department of Animal Health and Management, Alagappa University, Karaikudi 630004, Tamil Nadu. India
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92
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Bai C, Zhong Q, Gao GF. Overview of SARS-CoV-2 genome-encoded proteins. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 65:280-294. [PMID: 34387838 PMCID: PMC8362648 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-021-1964-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly throughout the world. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped, plus-stranded RNA virus with a single-stranded RNA genome of approximately 30,000 nucleotides. The SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes 29 proteins, including 16 nonstructural, 4 structural and 9 accessory proteins. To date, over 1,228 experimental structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), including 16 protein structures, two functional domain structures of nucleocapsid (N) protein, and scores of complexes. Overall, they exhibit high similarity to SARS-CoV proteins. Here, we summarize the progress of structural and functional research on SARS-CoV-2 proteins. These studies provide structural and functional insights into proteins of SARS-CoV-2, and further elucidate the daedal relationship between different components at the atomic level in the viral life cycle, including attachment to the host cell, viral genome replication and transcription, genome packaging and assembly, and virus release. It is important to understand the structural and functional properties of SARS-CoV-2 proteins as it will facilitate the development of anti-CoV drugs and vaccines to prevent and control the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chongzhi Bai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.,Central Laboratory, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030012, China.,Shanxi Academy of Advanced Research and Innovation, Taiyuan, 030032, China
| | - Qiming Zhong
- Central Laboratory, Shanxi Province Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - George Fu Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China. .,Shanxi Academy of Advanced Research and Innovation, Taiyuan, 030032, China.
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93
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Salvi V, Nguyen HO, Sozio F, Schioppa T, Gaudenzi C, Laffranchi M, Scapini P, Passari M, Barbazza I, Tiberio L, Tamassia N, Garlanda C, Del Prete A, Cassatella MA, Mantovani A, Sozzani S, Bosisio D. SARS-CoV-2-associated ssRNAs activate inflammation and immunity via TLR7/8. JCI Insight 2021; 6:e150542. [PMID: 34375313 PMCID: PMC8492321 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.150542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The inflammatory and IFN pathways of innate immunity play a key role in the resistance and pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Innate sensors and SARS-CoV-2–associated molecular patterns (SAMPs) remain to be completely defined. Here, we identified single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) fragments from the SARS-CoV-2 genome as direct activators of endosomal TLR7/8 and MyD88 pathway. The same sequences induced human DC activation in terms of phenotype and function, such as IFN and cytokine production and Th1 polarization. A bioinformatic scan of the viral genome identified several hundreds of fragments potentially activating TLR7/8, suggesting that products of virus endosomal processing potently activate the IFN and inflammatory responses downstream of these receptors. In vivo, SAMPs induced MyD88-dependent lung inflammation characterized by accumulation of proinflammatory and cytotoxic mediators and immune cell infiltration, as well as splenic DC phenotypical maturation. These results identified TLR7/8 as a crucial cellular sensor of ssRNAs encoded by SARS-CoV-2 involved in host resistance and the disease pathogenesis of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Salvi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Hoang Oanh Nguyen
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Francesca Sozio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Tiziana Schioppa
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Carolina Gaudenzi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Mattia Laffranchi
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Mauro Passari
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Ilaria Barbazza
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Laura Tiberio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Cecilia Garlanda
- Research in Immunology and Infectious Disease, IRCCS Humanities Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Annalisa Del Prete
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | | | - Alberto Mantovani
- Research in Immunology and Infectious Disease, IRCCS Humanities Research Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvano Sozzani
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniela Bosisio
- Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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94
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Exploring peptide studies related to SARS-CoV to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic solutions against COVID-19. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:1106-1119. [PMID: 34280732 PMCID: PMC8253661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in peptide research revolutionized therapeutic discoveries for various infectious diseases. In view of the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to develop potential therapeutic options. Intense and accomplishing research is being carried out to develop broad-spectrum vaccines and treatment options for corona viruses, due to the risk of recurrent infection by the existing strains or pandemic outbreaks by new mutant strains. Developing a novel medicine is costly and time consuming, which increases the value of repurposing existing therapies. Since, SARS-CoV-2 shares significant genomic homology with SARS-CoV, we have summarized various peptides identified against SARS-CoV using in silico and molecular studies and also the peptides effective against SARS-CoV-2. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infection could yield fundamental insights in the discovery of new antiviral agents, targeting viral proteins or host factors. We postulate that these peptides can serve as effective components for therapeutic options against SARS-CoV-2, supporting clinical scientists globally in selectively identifying and testing the therapeutic and prophylactic agents for COVID-19 treatment. In addition, we also summarized the latest updates on peptide therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2.
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95
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Localization of SARS-CoV-2 Capping Enzymes Revealed by an Antibody against the nsp10 Subunit. Viruses 2021; 13:v13081487. [PMID: 34452352 PMCID: PMC8402843 DOI: 10.3390/v13081487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease-19 pandemic. One of the key components of the coronavirus replication complex are the RNA methyltransferases (MTases), RNA-modifying enzymes crucial for RNA cap formation. Recently, the structure of the 2’-O MTase has become available; however, its biological characterization within the infected cells remains largely elusive. Here, we report a novel monoclonal antibody directed against the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein nsp10, a subunit of both the 2’-O RNA and N7 MTase protein complexes. Using this antibody, we investigated the subcellular localization of the SARS-CoV-2 MTases in cells infected with the SARS-CoV-2.
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96
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Min YQ, Huang M, Sun X, Deng F, Wang H, Ning YJ. Immune evasion of SARS-CoV-2 from interferon antiviral system. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:4217-4225. [PMID: 34336145 PMCID: PMC8310780 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.07.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The on-going pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to unprecedented medical and socioeconomic crises. Although the viral pathogenesis remains elusive, deficiency of effective antiviral interferon (IFN) responses upon SARS-CoV-2 infection has been recognized as a hallmark of COVID-19 contributing to the disease pathology and progress. Recently, multiple proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2 have been shown to act as potential IFN antagonists with diverse possible mechanisms. Here, we summarize and discuss the strategies of SARS-CoV-2 for evasion of innate immunity (particularly the antiviral IFN responses), understanding of which will facilitate not only the elucidation of SARS-CoV-2 infection and pathogenesis but also the development of antiviral intervention therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Qin Min
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
| | - Mengzhuo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Xiulian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
| | - Fei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
| | - Hualin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
| | - Yun-Jia Ning
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430071/430207, China
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97
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In-Silico analysis reveals lower transcription efficiency of C241T variant of SARS-CoV-2 with host replication factors MADP1 and hnRNP-1. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2021; 25:100670. [PMID: 34307830 PMCID: PMC8294647 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has claimed more than 3.3 million lives worldwide and still counting. As per the GISAID database, the genomics of SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively studied, with more than 500 genome submissions per day. Out of several hotspot mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 genome, recent research has focused mainly on the missense variants. Moreover, significantly less attention has been accorded to delineate the role of the untranslated regions (UTRs) of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in the disease progression and etiology. One of the most frequent 5' UTR variants in the SARS-CoV-2 genome is the C241T, with a global frequency of more than 95 %. In the present study, the effect of the C241T mutation has been studied with respect to the changes in RNA structure and its interaction with the host replication factors MADP1 Zinc finger CCHC-type and RNA-binding motif 1 (hnRNP1). The results obtained from molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation indicated weaker interaction of C241T mutant stem-loops with the host transcription factor MADP1, indicating a reduced replication efficiency. The results are also correlated with increased recovery rates and decreased death rates of global SARS-CoV-2 cases.
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98
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Vithani N, Ward MD, Zimmerman MI, Novak B, Borowsky JH, Singh S, Bowman GR. SARS-CoV-2 Nsp16 activation mechanism and a cryptic pocket with pan-coronavirus antiviral potential. Biophys J 2021; 120:2880-2889. [PMID: 33794150 PMCID: PMC8007187 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.03.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses have caused multiple epidemics in the past two decades, in addition to the current COVID-19 pandemic that is severely damaging global health and the economy. Coronaviruses employ between 20 and 30 proteins to carry out their viral replication cycle, including infection, immune evasion, and replication. Among these, nonstructural protein 16 (Nsp16), a 2'-O-methyltransferase, plays an essential role in immune evasion. Nsp16 achieves this by mimicking its human homolog, CMTr1, which methylates mRNA to enhance translation efficiency and distinguish self from other. Unlike human CMTr1, Nsp16 requires a binding partner, Nsp10, to activate its enzymatic activity. The requirement of this binding partner presents two questions that we investigate in this manuscript. First, how does Nsp10 activate Nsp16? Although experimentally derived structures of the active Nsp16/Nsp10 complex exist, structures of inactive, monomeric Nsp16 have yet to be solved. Therefore, it is unclear how Nsp10 activates Nsp16. Using over 1 ms of molecular dynamics simulations of both Nsp16 and its complex with Nsp10, we investigate how the presence of Nsp10 shifts Nsp16's conformational ensemble to activate it. Second, guided by this activation mechanism and Markov state models, we investigate whether Nsp16 adopts inactive structures with cryptic pockets that, if targeted with a small molecule, could inhibit Nsp16 by stabilizing its inactive state. After identifying such a pocket in SARS-CoV2 Nsp16, we show that this cryptic pocket also opens in SARS-CoV1 and MERS but not in human CMTr1. Therefore, it may be possible to develop pan-coronavirus antivirals that target this cryptic pocket.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Vithani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Michael D Ward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Maxwell I Zimmerman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri; Medical Scientist Training Program, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Jonathan H Borowsky
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Sukrit Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Gregory R Bowman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri; Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri.
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Brant AC, Tian W, Majerciak V, Yang W, Zheng ZM. SARS-CoV-2: from its discovery to genome structure, transcription, and replication. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:136. [PMID: 34281608 PMCID: PMC8287290 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00643-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is an extremely contagious respiratory virus causing adult atypical pneumonia COVID-19 with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA (+RNA) genome of ~ 29.9 kb and exhibits significant genetic shift from different isolates. After entering the susceptible cells expressing both ACE2 and TMPRSS2, the SARS-CoV-2 genome directly functions as an mRNA to translate two polyproteins from the ORF1a and ORF1b region, which are cleaved by two viral proteases into sixteen non-structural proteins (nsp1-16) to initiate viral genome replication and transcription. The SARS-CoV-2 genome also encodes four structural (S, E, M and N) and up to six accessory (3a, 6, 7a, 7b, 8, and 9b) proteins, but their translation requires newly synthesized individual subgenomic RNAs (sgRNA) in the infected cells. Synthesis of the full-length viral genomic RNA (gRNA) and sgRNAs are conducted inside double-membrane vesicles (DMVs) by the viral replication and transcription complex (RTC), which comprises nsp7, nsp8, nsp9, nsp12, nsp13 and a short RNA primer. To produce sgRNAs, RTC starts RNA synthesis from the highly structured gRNA 3' end and switches template at various transcription regulatory sequence (TRSB) sites along the gRNA body probably mediated by a long-distance RNA-RNA interaction. The TRS motif in the gRNA 5' leader (TRSL) is responsible for the RNA-RNA interaction with the TRSB upstream of each ORF and skipping of the viral genome in between them to produce individual sgRNAs. Abundance of individual sgRNAs and viral gRNA synthesized in the infected cells depend on the location and read-through efficiency of each TRSB. Although more studies are needed, the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic has taught the world a painful lesson that is to invest and proactively prepare future emergence of other types of coronaviruses and any other possible biological horrors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayslan Castro Brant
- Tumor Virus RNA Biology Section, HIV DRP, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Wei Tian
- Mechanism of DNA Repair, Replication, and Recombination Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, NIDDK, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Vladimir Majerciak
- Tumor Virus RNA Biology Section, HIV DRP, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Wei Yang
- Mechanism of DNA Repair, Replication, and Recombination Section, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, NIDDK, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Zhi-Ming Zheng
- Tumor Virus RNA Biology Section, HIV DRP, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA.
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Abstract
The OC43 coronavirus is a human pathogen that usually causes only the common cold. One of its key enzymes, similar to other coronaviruses, is the 2'-O-RNA methyltransferase (MTase), which is essential for viral RNA stability and expression. Here, we report the crystal structure of the 2'-O-RNA MTase in a complex with the pan-methyltransferase inhibitor sinefungin solved at 2.2-Å resolution. The structure reveals an overall fold consistent with the fold observed in other coronaviral MTases. The major differences are in the conformation of the C terminus of the nsp16 subunit and an additional helix in the N terminus of the nsp10 subunits. The structural analysis also revealed very high conservation of the S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) binding pocket, suggesting that the SAM pocket is a suitable spot for the design of antivirals effective against all human coronaviruses. IMPORTANCE Some coronaviruses are dangerous pathogens, while some cause only common colds. The reasons are not understood, although the spike proteins probably play an important role. However, to understand the coronaviral biology in sufficient detail, we need to compare the key enzymes from different coronaviruses. We solved the crystal structure of 2'-O-RNA methyltransferase of the OC43 coronavirus, a virus that usually causes mild colds. The structure revealed some differences in the overall fold but also revealed that the SAM binding site is conserved, suggesting that development of antivirals against multiple coronaviruses is feasible.
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