1
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Maiti AK. Progressive Evolutionary Dynamics of Gene-Specific ω Led to the Emergence of Novel SARS-CoV-2 Strains Having Super-Infectivity and Virulence with Vaccine Neutralization. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6306. [PMID: 38928018 PMCID: PMC11204377 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
An estimation of the proportion of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutation (dn/ds, ω) of the SARS-CoV-2 genome would indicate the evolutionary dynamics necessary to evolve into novel strains with increased infection, virulence, and vaccine neutralization. A temporal estimation of ω of the whole genome, and all twenty-nine SARS-CoV-2 genes of major virulent strains of alpha, delta and omicron demonstrates that the SARS-CoV-2 genome originally emerged (ω ~ 0.04) with a strong purifying selection (ω < 1) and reached (ω ~ 0.85) in omicron towards diversifying selection (ω > 1). A marked increase in the ω occurred in the spike gene from alpha (ω = 0.2) to omicron (ω = 1.97). The ω of the replication machinery genes including RDRP, NSP3, NSP4, NSP7, NSP8, NSP10, NSP13, NSP14, and ORF9 are markedly increased, indicating that these genes/proteins are yet to be evolutionary stabilized and are contributing to the evolution of novel virulent strains. The delta-specific maximum increase in ω in the immunomodulatory genes of NSP8, NSP10, NSP16, ORF4, ORF5, ORF6, ORF7A, and ORF8 compared to alpha or omicron indicates delta-specific vulnerabilities for severe COVID-19 related hospitalization and death. The maximum values of ω are observed for spike (S), NSP4, ORF8 and NSP15, which indicates that the gene-specific temporal estimation of ω identifies specific genes for its super-infectivity and virulency that could be targeted for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit K Maiti
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Mydnavar, 28475 Greenfield Rd, Southfield, MI 48076, USA
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2
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Martins M, Nooruzzaman M, Cunningham JL, Ye C, Caserta LC, Jackson N, Martinez-Sobrido L, Fang Y, Diel DG. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike is a virulence determinant and plays a major role on the attenuated phenotype of Omicron virus in a feline model of infection. J Virol 2024; 98:e0190223. [PMID: 38421180 PMCID: PMC10949471 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01902-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The role of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron BA.1 Spike (S) on disease pathogenesis was investigated. For this, we generated recombinant viruses harboring the S D614G mutation (rWA1-D614G) and the Omicron BA.1 S gene (rWA1-Omi-S) in the backbone of the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 WA1 strain genome. The recombinant viruses were characterized in vitro and in vivo. Viral entry, cell-cell fusion, plaque size, and the replication kinetics of the rWA1-Omi-S virus were markedly impaired when compared to the rWA1-D614G virus, demonstrating a lower fusogenicity and ability to spread cell-to-cell of rWA1-Omi-S. To assess the contribution of the Omicron BA.1 S protein to SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis, the pathogenicity of rWA1-D614G and rWA1-Omi-S viruses was compared in a feline model. While the rWA1-D614G-inoculated cats were lethargic and showed increased body temperatures on days 2 and 3 post-infection (pi), rWA1-Omi-S-inoculated cats remained subclinical and gained weight throughout the 14-day experimental period. Animals inoculated with rWA1-D614G presented higher infectious virus shedding in nasal secretions, when compared to rWA1-Omi-S-inoculated animals. In addition, tissue replication of the rWA1-Omi-S was markedly reduced compared to the rWA1-D614G, as evidenced by lower viral load in tissues on days 3 and 5 pi. Histologic examination of the nasal turbinate and lungs revealed intense inflammatory infiltration in rWA1-D614G-inoculated animals, whereas rWA1-Omi-S-inoculated cats presented only mild to modest inflammation. Together, these results demonstrate that the S protein is a major virulence determinant for SARS-CoV-2 playing a major role for the attenuated phenotype of the Omicron virus. IMPORTANCE We have demonstrated that the Omicron BA.1.1 variant presents lower pathogenicity when compared to D614G (B.1) lineage in a feline model of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. There are over 50 mutations across the Omicron genome, of which more than two-thirds are present in the Spike (S) protein. To assess the role of the Omicron BA.1 S on virus pathogenesis, recombinant viruses harboring the S D614G mutation (rWA1-D614G) and the Omicron BA.1 Spike gene (rWA1-Omi-S) in the backbone of the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 WA1 were generated. While the Omicron BA.1 S promoted early entry into cells, it led to impaired fusogenic activity and cell-cell spread. Infection studies with the recombinant viruses in a relevant naturally susceptible feline model of SARS-CoV-2 infection here revealed an attenuated phenotype of rWA1-Omi-S, demonstrating that the Omi-S is a major determinant of the attenuated disease phenotype of Omicron strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathias Martins
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Mohammed Nooruzzaman
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Jessie Lee Cunningham
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | - Chengjin Ye
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Leonardo Cardia Caserta
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
| | | | | | - Ying Fang
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Diego G. Diel
- Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USA
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3
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Amblard F, LeCher JC, De R, Zhou S, Liu P, Goh SL, Tao S, Patel D, Downs-Bowen J, Zandi K, Zhang H, Chaudhry G, McBrayer T, Muczynski M, Al-Homoudi A, Engel J, Lan S, Sarafianos SG, Kovari LC, Schinazi RF. Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel peptidomimetic inhibitors of the coronavirus 3C-like protease. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116263. [PMID: 38432056 PMCID: PMC11188152 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and related variants, are responsible for the devastating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) plays a central role in the replication of the virus and represents an attractive drug target. Herein, we report the discovery of novel SARS-CoV-2 Mpro covalent inhibitors, including highly effective compound NIP-22c which displays high potency against several key variants and clinically relevant nirmatrelvir Mpro E166V mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franck Amblard
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Julia C LeCher
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Ramyani De
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Shaoman Zhou
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Peng Liu
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Shu Ling Goh
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Sijia Tao
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Dharmeshkumar Patel
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Jessica Downs-Bowen
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Keivan Zandi
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Huanchun Zhang
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Gitika Chaudhry
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Tamara McBrayer
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Michael Muczynski
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Abdullah Al-Homoudi
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Joseph Engel
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Shuiyun Lan
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Stefan G Sarafianos
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA
| | - Ladislau C Kovari
- Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Immunology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Raymond F Schinazi
- Center for ViroScience and Cure, Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
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4
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Dey M, Sharma A, Dhanawat G, Gupta D, Harshan KH, Parveen N. Synergistic Binding of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 and Gangliosides in Native Lipid Membranes. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:907-916. [PMID: 38412250 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Viruses utilize cell surface glycans and plasma membrane receptors to attain an adequate attachment strength for initiating cellular entry. We show that SARS-CoV-2 particles bind to endogenous ACE2 receptors and added sialylated gangliosides in near-native membranes. This was explored using supported membrane bilayers (SMBs) that were formed using plasma membrane vesicles having endogenous ACE2 and GD1a gangliosides reconstituted in lipid vesicles. The virus binding rate to the SMBs is influenced by GD1a and inhibition of the ganglioside reduces the extent of virus binding to the membrane receptors. Using combinations of inhibition assays, we confirm that added GD1a in lipid membranes increases the availability of the endogenous ACE2 receptor and results in the synergistic binding of SARS-CoV-2 to the membrane receptors in SMBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manorama Dey
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Anurag Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Garvita Dhanawat
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
| | - Divya Gupta
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India
| | - Krishnan H Harshan
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad 500007, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Nagma Parveen
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, Kanpur 208016, India
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5
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Sussman F, Villaverde DS. The Diverse Nature of the Molecular Interactions That Govern the COV-2 Variants' Cell Receptor Affinity Ranking and Its Experimental Variability. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2585. [PMID: 38473831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25052585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
A critical determinant of infectivity and virulence of the most infectious and or lethal variants of concern (VOCs): Wild Type, Delta and Omicron is related to the binding interactions between the receptor-binding domain of the spike and its host receptor, the initial step in cell infection. It is of the utmost importance to understand how mutations of a viral strain, especially those that are in the viral spike, affect the resulting infectivity of the emerging VOC, knowledge that could help us understand the variant virulence and inform the therapies applied or the vaccines developed. For this sake, we have applied a battery of computational protocols of increasing complexity to the calculation of the spike binding affinity for three variants of concern to the ACE2 cell receptor. The results clearly illustrate that the attachment of the spikes of the Delta and Omicron variants to the receptor originates through different molecular interaction mechanisms. All our protocols unanimously predict that the Delta variant has the highest receptor-binding affinity, while the Omicron variant displays a substantial variability in the binding affinity of the spike that relates to the structural plasticity of the Omicron spike-receptor complex. We suggest that the latter result could explain (at least in part) the variability of the in vitro binding results for this VOC and has led us to suggest a reason for the lower virulence of the Omicron variant as compared to earlier strains. Several hypotheses have been developed around this subject.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredy Sussman
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15784 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Daniel S Villaverde
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15784 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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6
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Maity S, Acharya A. Many Roles of Carbohydrates: A Computational Spotlight on the Coronavirus S Protein Binding. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:646-656. [PMID: 36947738 PMCID: PMC10880061 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c01064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation is one of the post-translational modifications with more than 50% of human proteins being glycosylated. The exact nature and chemical composition of glycans are inaccessible to X-ray or cryo-electron microscopy imaging techniques. Therefore, computational modeling studies and molecular dynamics must be used as a "computational microscope". The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is heavily glycosylated, and a few glycans play a more functional role "beyond shielding". In this mini-review, we discuss computational investigations of the roles of specific S-protein and ACE2 glycans in the overall ACE2-S protein binding. We highlight different functions of specific glycans demonstrated in myriad computational models and simulations in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding to the receptor. We also discuss interactions between glycocalyx and the S protein, which may be utilized to design prophylactic polysaccharide-based therapeutics targeting the S protein. In addition, we underline the recent emergence of coronavirus variants and their impact on the S protein and its glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Maity
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Atanu Acharya
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- BioInspired
Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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7
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Lan PD, Nissley DA, O’Brien EP, Nguyen TT, Li MS. Deciphering the free energy landscapes of SARS-CoV-2 wild type and Omicron variant interacting with human ACE2. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:055101. [PMID: 38310477 PMCID: PMC11223169 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the first step in human viral infection. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of interaction between RBD and ACE2 at the molecular level is critical for the prevention of COVID-19, as more variants of concern, such as Omicron, appear. Recently, atomic force microscopy has been applied to characterize the free energy landscape of the RBD-ACE2 complex, including estimation of the distance between the transition state and the bound state, xu. Here, using a coarse-grained model and replica-exchange umbrella sampling, we studied the free energy landscape of both the wild type and Omicron subvariants BA.1 and XBB.1.5 interacting with ACE2. In agreement with experiment, we find that the wild type and Omicron subvariants have similar xu values, but Omicron binds ACE2 more strongly than the wild type, having a lower dissociation constant KD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel A. Nissley
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford Protein Bioinformatics Group, Oxford OX1 2JD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Toan T. Nguyen
- Key Laboratory for Multiscale Simulation of Complex Systems and Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi 11400, Vietnam
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
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8
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Li K, Verma A, Li P, Ortiz ME, Hawkins GM, Schnicker NJ, Szachowicz PJ, Pezzulo AA, Wohlford-Lenane CL, Kicmal T, Meyerholz DK, Gallagher T, Perlman S, McCray PB. Adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 H353K mice reveals new spike residues that drive mouse infection. J Virol 2024; 98:e0151023. [PMID: 38168680 PMCID: PMC10804960 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01510-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to cause extraordinary loss of life and economic damage. Animal models of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection are needed to better understand disease pathogenesis and evaluate preventive measures and therapies. While mice are widely used to model human disease, mouse angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) does not bind the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to mediate viral entry. To overcome this limitation, we "humanized" mouse Ace2 using CRISPR gene editing to introduce a single amino acid substitution, H353K, predicted to facilitate S protein binding. While H353K knockin Ace2 (mACE2H353K) mice supported SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication, they exhibited minimal disease manifestations. Following 30 serial passages of ancestral SARS-CoV-2 in mACE2H353K mice, we generated and cloned a more virulent virus. A single isolate (SARS2MA-H353K) was prepared for detailed studies. In 7-11-month-old mACE2H353K mice, a 104 PFU inocula resulted in diffuse alveolar disease manifested as edema, hyaline membrane formation, and interstitial cellular infiltration/thickening. Unexpectedly, the mouse-adapted virus also infected standard BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and caused severe disease. The mouse-adapted virus acquired five new missense mutations including two in spike (K417E, Q493K), one each in nsp4, nsp9, and M and a single nucleotide change in the 5' untranslated region. The Q493K spike mutation arose early in serial passage and is predicted to provide affinity-enhancing molecular interactions with mACE2 and further increase the stability and affinity to the receptor. This new model and mouse-adapted virus will be useful to evaluate COVID-19 disease and prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.IMPORTANCEWe developed a new mouse model with a humanized angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) locus that preserves native regulatory elements. A single point mutation in mouse ACE2 (H353K) was sufficient to confer in vivo infection with ancestral severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 virus. Through in vivo serial passage, a virulent mouse-adapted strain was obtained. In aged mACE2H353K mice, the mouse-adapted strain caused diffuse alveolar disease. The mouse-adapted virus also infected standard BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice, causing severe disease. The mouse-adapted virus acquired five new missense mutations including two in spike (K417E, Q493K), one each in nsp4, nsp9, and M and a single nucleotide change in the 5' untranslated region. The Q493K spike mutation arose early in serial passage and is predicted to provide affinity-enhancing molecular interactions with mACE2 and further increase the stability and affinity to the receptor. This new model and mouse-adapted virus will be useful to evaluate COVID-19 disease and prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Abhishek Verma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Pengfei Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Miguel E. Ortiz
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Grant M. Hawkins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Peter J. Szachowicz
- Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | | | | | - Tom Kicmal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Tom Gallagher
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois, USA
| | - Stanley Perlman
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
| | - Paul B. McCray
- Department of Pediatrics, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
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9
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Li D, Sun C, Zhuang P, Mei X. Revolutionizing SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant detection: Towards faster and more reliable methods. Talanta 2024; 266:124937. [PMID: 37481886 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2023.124937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of the highly contagious Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has inflicted significant damage during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This new variant's significant sequence changes and mutations in both proteins and RNA have rendered many existing rapid detection methods ineffective in identifying it accurately. As the world races to control the spread of the virus, researchers are urgently exploring new diagnostic strategies to specifically detect Omicron variants with high accuracy and sensitivity. In response to this challenge, we have compiled a comprehensive overview of the latest reported rapid detection techniques. These techniques include strategies for the simultaneous detection of multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants and methods for selectively distinguishing Omicron variants. By categorizing these diagnostic techniques based on their targets, which encompass protein antigens and nucleic acids, we aim to offer a comprehensive understanding of the utilization of various recognition elements in identifying these targets. We also highlight the advantages and limitations of each approach. Our work is crucial in providing a more nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities in detecting Omicron variants and emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- College of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China.
| | - Cai Sun
- AECC Shenyang Liming Aero-Engine Co., Ltd., Shenyang, China
| | - Pengfei Zhuang
- College of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, 121000, China
| | - Xifan Mei
- Key Laboratory of Medical Tissue Engineering of Liaoning Province, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning, China.
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10
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Parsons RJ, Acharya P. Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113444. [PMID: 37979169 PMCID: PMC10782855 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant of concern, first identified in November 2021, rapidly spread worldwide and diversified into several subvariants. The Omicron spike (S) protein accumulated an unprecedented number of sequence changes relative to previous variants. In this review, we discuss how Omicron S protein structural features modulate host cell receptor binding, virus entry, and immune evasion and highlight how these structural features differentiate Omicron from previous variants. We also examine how key structural properties track across the still-evolving Omicron subvariants and the importance of continuing surveillance of the S protein sequence evolution over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth J Parsons
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke University, Department of Biochemistry, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
| | - Priyamvada Acharya
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke University, Department of Biochemistry, Durham, NC 27710, USA; Duke University, Department of Surgery, Durham, NC 27710, USA.
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11
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Yagüe Relimpio A, Fink A, Bui DT, Fabritz S, Schröter M, Ruggieri A, Platzman I, Spatz JP. Bottom-up Assembled Synthetic SARS-CoV-2 Miniviruses Reveal Lipid Membrane Affinity of Omicron Variant Spike Glycoprotein. ACS NANO 2023; 17:23913-23923. [PMID: 37976416 PMCID: PMC10722588 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c08323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been brought on by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The spike glycoprotein (S), which decorates the viral envelope forming a corona, is responsible for the binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and initiating the infection. In comparison to previous variants, Omicron S presents additional binding sites as well as a more positive surface charge. These changes hint at additional molecular targets for interactions between virus and cell, such as the cell membrane or proteoglycans on the cell surface. Herein, bottom-up assembled synthetic SARS-CoV-2 miniviruses (MiniVs), with a lipid composition similar to that of infectious particles, are implemented to study and compare the binding properties of Omicron and Alpha variants. Toward this end, a systematic functional screening is performed to study the binding ability of Omicron and Alpha S proteins to ACE2-functionalized and nonfunctionalized planar supported lipid bilayers. Moreover, giant unilamellar vesicles are used as a cell membrane model to perform competitive interaction assays of the two variants. Finally, two cell lines with and without presentation of the ACE2 receptor are used to confirm the binding properties of the Omicron and Alpha MiniVs to the cellular membrane. Altogether, the results reveal a significantly higher affinity of Omicron S toward both the lipid membrane and ACE2 receptor. The research presented here highlights the advantages of creating and using bottom-up assembled SARS-CoV-2 viruses to understand the impact of changes in the affinity of S for ACE2 in infection studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Yagüe Relimpio
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas Fink
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Duc Thien Bui
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Fabritz
- Department
for Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Schröter
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Alessia Ruggieri
- Heidelberg
University, Medical Faculty, Centre for Integrative Infectious Disease Research (CIID), Department
of Infectious Diseases, Molecular Virology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 344, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ilia Platzman
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck-Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, 1 Tankard’s Close, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
| | - Joachim P. Spatz
- Department
for Cellular Biophysics, Max Planck Institute
for Medical Research, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Institute
for Molecular Systems Engineering and Advanced Materials (IMSEAM), Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 225, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
- Max
Planck-Bristol Center for Minimal Biology, University of Bristol, 1 Tankard’s Close, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
- Max Planck
School Matter to Life, Jahnstrasse 29, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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12
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Balupuri A, Kim JM, Choi KE, No JS, Kim IH, Rhee JE, Kim EJ, Kang NS. Comparative Computational Analysis of Spike Protein Structural Stability in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16069. [PMID: 38003257 PMCID: PMC10671153 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The continuous emergence of new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants with multiple spike (S) protein mutations pose serious threats to current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) therapies. A comprehensive understanding of the structural stability of SARS-CoV-2 variants is vital for the development of effective therapeutic strategies as it can offer valuable insights into their potential impact on viral infectivity. S protein mediates a virus' attachment to host cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) through its receptor-binding domain (RBD), and mutations in this protein can affect its stability and binding affinity. We analyzed S protein structural stability in various Omicron subvariants computationally. Notably, the S protein sequences analyzed in this work were obtained directly from our own sample collection. We evaluated the binding free energy between S protein and ACE2 in several complex forms. Additionally, we measured distances between the RBD of each chain in S protein to analyze conformational changes. Unlike most of the prior studies, we analyzed full-length S protein-ACE2 complexes instead of only RBD-ACE2 complexes. Omicron subvariants including BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4/BA.5, BA.2.75, BA.2.75_K147E, BA.4.6 and BA.4.6_N658S showed enhanced stability compared to wild type, potentially due to distinct S protein mutations. Among them, BA.2.75 and BA.4.6_N658S exhibited the highest and lowest level of stability, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anand Balupuri
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea; (A.B.); (K.-E.C.)
| | - Jeong-Min Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease, Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.S.N.); (I.-H.K.); (J.E.R.)
| | - Kwang-Eun Choi
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea; (A.B.); (K.-E.C.)
| | - Jin Sun No
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease, Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.S.N.); (I.-H.K.); (J.E.R.)
| | - Il-Hwan Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease, Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.S.N.); (I.-H.K.); (J.E.R.)
| | - Jee Eun Rhee
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease, Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.S.N.); (I.-H.K.); (J.E.R.)
| | - Eun-Jin Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease, Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Republic of Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.S.N.); (I.-H.K.); (J.E.R.)
| | - Nam Sook Kang
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea; (A.B.); (K.-E.C.)
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13
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Khan MS, Kim E, Le Hingrat Q, Kleinman A, Ferrari A, Sammartino JC, Percivalle E, Xu C, Huang S, Kenniston TW, Cassaniti I, Baldanti F, Pandrea I, Gambotto A, Apetrei C. Tetravalent SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit protein vaccination elicits robust humoral and cellular immune responses in SIV-infected rhesus macaque controllers. mBio 2023; 14:e0207023. [PMID: 37830800 PMCID: PMC10653869 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02070-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE The study provides important insights into the immunogenicity and efficacy of a tetravalent protein subunit vaccine candidate against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The vaccine induced both humoral and cellular immune responses in nonhuman primates with controlled SIVagm infection and was able to generate Omicron variant-specific antibodies without specifically vaccinating with Omicron. These findings suggest that the tetravalent composition of the vaccine candidate could provide broad protection against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants while minimizing the risk of immune escape and the emergence of new variants. Additionally, the use of rhesus macaques with controlled SIVsab infection may better represent vaccine immunogenicity in humans with chronic viral diseases, highlighting the importance of preclinical animal models in vaccine development. Overall, the study provides valuable information for the development and implementation of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines, particularly for achieving global vaccine equity and addressing emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S. Khan
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Eun Kim
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Quentin Le Hingrat
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Adam Kleinman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Alessandro Ferrari
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Jose C. Sammartino
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Percivalle
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Cuiling Xu
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Shaohua Huang
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Thomas W. Kenniston
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Irene Cassaniti
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
| | - Fausto Baldanti
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Ivona Pandrea
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Andrea Gambotto
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Cristian Apetrei
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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14
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Rucker G, Qin H, Zhang L. Structure, dynamics and free energy studies on the effect of point mutations on SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding with ACE2 receptor. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289432. [PMID: 37796794 PMCID: PMC10553274 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to infect people worldwide, and the virus continues to evolve in significant ways which can pose challenges to the efficiency of available vaccines and therapeutic drugs and cause future pandemic. Therefore, it is important to investigate the binding and interaction of ACE2 with different RBD variants. A comparative study using all-atom MD simulations was conducted on ACE2 binding with 8 different RBD variants, including N501Y, E484K, P479S, T478I, S477N, N439K, K417N and N501Y-E484K-K417N on RBD. Based on the RMSD, RMSF, and DSSP results, overall the binding of RBD variants with ACE2 is stable, and the secondary structure of RBD and ACE2 are consistent after the point mutation. Besides that, a similar buried surface area, a consistent binding interface and a similar amount of hydrogen bonds formed between RBD and ACE2 although the exact residue pairs on the binding interface were modified. The change of binding free energy from point mutation was predicted using the free energy perturbation (FEP) method. It is found that N501Y, N439K, and K417N can strengthen the binding of RBD with ACE2, while E484K and P479S weaken the binding, and S477N and T478I have negligible effect on the binding. Point mutations modified the dynamic correlation of residues in RBD based on the dihedral angle covariance matrix calculation. Doing dynamic network analysis, a common intrinsic network community extending from the tail of RBD to central, then to the binding interface region was found, which could communicate the dynamics in the binding interface region to the tail thus to the other sections of S protein. The result can supply unique methodology and molecular insight on studying the molecular structure and dynamics of possible future pandemics and design novel drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- George Rucker
- Chemical Engineering Department, Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, TN, United States of America
| | - Hong Qin
- Computer Science Department, University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN, United States of America
| | - Liqun Zhang
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States of America
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15
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Hou D, Cao W, Kim S, Cui X, Ziarnik M, Im W, Zhang XF. Biophysical investigation of interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and neuropilin-1. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4773. [PMID: 37656811 PMCID: PMC10510470 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 08/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that neuropilin-1 (NRP1) may serve as a potential receptor in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, the biophysical characteristics of interactions between NRP1 and SARS-CoV-2 remain unclear. In this study, we examined the interactions between NRP1 and various SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) fragments, including the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the S protein trimer in a soluble form or expressed on pseudovirions, using atomic force microscopy and structural modeling. Our measurements shows that NRP1 interacts with the RBD and trimer at a higher binding frequency (BF) compared to ACE2. This NRP1-RBD interaction has also been predicted and simulated via AlphaFold2 and molecular dynamics simulations, and the results indicate that their binding patterns are very similar to RBD-ACE2 interactions. Additionally, under similar loading rates, the most probable unbinding forces between NRP1 and S trimer (both soluble form and on pseudovirions) are larger than the forces between NRP1 and RBD and between trimer and ACE2. Further analysis indicates that NRP1 has a stronger binding affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 S trimer with a dissociation rate of 0.87 s-1 , four times lower than the dissociation rate of 3.65 s-1 between NRP1 and RBD. Moreover, additional experiments show that RBD-neutralizing antibodies can significantly reduce the BF for both ACE2 and NRP1. Together, the study suggests that NRP1 can be an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2 attachment to human cells, and the neutralizing antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 RBD can reduce the binding between SARS-CoV-2 and NRP1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Decheng Hou
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Wenpeng Cao
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Seonghan Kim
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Xinyu Cui
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstMassachusettsUSA
| | - Matthew Ziarnik
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Wonpil Im
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
- Departments of Biological Sciences, Chemistry, and Computer Science and EngineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemUSA
| | - X. Frank Zhang
- Department of BioengineeringLehigh UniversityBethlehemPennsylvaniaUSA
- Department of Biomedical EngineeringUniversity of Massachusetts AmherstAmherstMassachusettsUSA
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16
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Kim SH, Kearns FL, Rosenfeld MA, Votapka L, Casalino L, Papanikolas M, Amaro RE, Freeman R. SARS-CoV-2 evolved variants optimize binding to cellular glycocalyx. CELL REPORTS. PHYSICAL SCIENCE 2023; 4:101346. [PMID: 37077408 PMCID: PMC10080732 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2023.101346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Viral variants of concern continue to arise for SARS-CoV-2, potentially impacting both methods for detection and mechanisms of action. Here, we investigate the effect of an evolving spike positive charge in SARS-CoV-2 variants and subsequent interactions with heparan sulfate and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) in the glycocalyx. We show that the positively charged Omicron variant evolved enhanced binding rates to the negatively charged glycocalyx. Moreover, we discover that while the Omicron spike-ACE2 affinity is comparable to that of the Delta variant, the Omicron spike interactions with heparan sulfate are significantly enhanced, giving rise to a ternary complex of spike-heparan sulfate-ACE2 with a large proportion of double-bound and triple-bound ACE2. Our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 variants evolve to be more dependent on heparan sulfate in viral attachment and infection. This discovery enables us to engineer a second-generation lateral-flow test strip that harnesses both heparin and ACE2 to reliably detect all variants of concern, including Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang Hoon Kim
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
| | - Fiona L Kearns
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Mia A Rosenfeld
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Lane Votapka
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Lorenzo Casalino
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Micah Papanikolas
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
| | - Rommie E Amaro
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, 4238 Urey Hall, MC-0340, La Jolla, CA 92093-0340, USA
| | - Ronit Freeman
- Department of Applied Physical Sciences, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, 1112 Murray Hall, CB#3050, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-2100, USA
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17
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Feng S, Park S, Choi YK, Im W. CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder: Past, Current, and Future Developments and Applications. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:2161-2185. [PMID: 37014931 PMCID: PMC10174225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/06/2023]
Abstract
Molecular dynamics simulations of membranes and membrane proteins serve as computational microscopes, revealing coordinated events at the membrane interface. As G protein-coupled receptors, ion channels, transporters, and membrane-bound enzymes are important drug targets, understanding their drug binding and action mechanisms in a realistic membrane becomes critical. Advances in materials science and physical chemistry further demand an atomistic understanding of lipid domains and interactions between materials and membranes. Despite a wide range of membrane simulation studies, generating a complex membrane assembly remains challenging. Here, we review the capability of CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder in the context of emerging research demands, as well as the application examples from the CHARMM-GUI user community, including membrane biophysics, membrane protein drug-binding and dynamics, protein-lipid interactions, and nano-bio interface. We also provide our perspective on future Membrane Builder development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Feng
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Soohyung Park
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Yeol Kyo Choi
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
| | - Wonpil Im
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18015, United States
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18
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Khan MS, Kim E, Hingrat QL, Kleinman A, Ferrari A, Sammartino JC, Percivalle E, Xu C, Huang S, Kenniston TW, Cassaniti I, Baldanti F, Pandrea I, Gambotto A, Apetrei C. Tetravalent SARS-CoV-2 S1 Subunit Protein Vaccination Elicits Robust Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in SIV-Infected Rhesus Macaque Controllers. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.15.532808. [PMID: 36993692 PMCID: PMC10055053 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.15.532808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for safe and effective vaccines to be rapidly developed and distributed worldwide, especially considering the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Protein subunit vaccines have emerged as a promising approach due to their proven safety record and ability to elicit robust immune responses. In this study, we evaluated the immunogenicity and efficacy of an adjuvanted tetravalent S1 subunit protein COVID-19 vaccine candidate composed of the Wuhan, B.1.1.7 variant, B.1.351 variant, and P.1 variant spike proteins in a nonhuman primate model with controlled SIVsab infection. The vaccine candidate induced both humoral and cellular immune responses, with T- and B cell responses mainly peaking post-boost immunization. The vaccine also elicited neutralizing and cross-reactive antibodies, ACE2 blocking antibodies, and T-cell responses, including spike specific CD4+ T cells. Importantly, the vaccine candidate was able to generate Omicron variant spike binding and ACE2 blocking antibodies without specifically vaccinating with Omicron, suggesting potential broad protection against emerging variants. The tetravalent composition of the vaccine candidate has significant implications for COVID-19 vaccine development and implementation, providing broad antibody responses against numerous SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S. Khan
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Eun Kim
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PA 15213, USA
| | - Quentin Le Hingrat
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Adam Kleinman
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Alessandro Ferrari
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Jose C Sammartino
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Percivalle
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Cuiling Xu
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Shaohua Huang
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PA 15213, USA
| | - Thomas W. Kenniston
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PA 15213, USA
| | - Irene Cassaniti
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Fausto Baldanti
- Molecular Virology Unit, Microbiology and Virology Department, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Via Taramelli 5, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Department of Clinical, Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Ivona Pandrea
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
| | - Andrea Gambotto
- Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, PA 15213, USA
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15232, USA
| | - Cristian Apetrei
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA
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19
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Chen X, Li H, Song H, Wang J, Zhang X, Han P, Wang X. Meet changes with constancy: Defence, antagonism, recovery, and immunity roles of extracellular vesicles in confronting SARS-CoV-2. J Extracell Vesicles 2022; 11:e12288. [PMID: 36450704 PMCID: PMC9712136 DOI: 10.1002/jev2.12288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has wrought havoc on the world economy and people's daily lives. The inability to comprehensively control COVID-19 is due to the difficulty of early and timely diagnosis, the lack of effective therapeutic drugs, and the limited effectiveness of vaccines. The body contains billions of extracellular vesicles (EVs), which have shown remarkable potential in disease diagnosis, drug development, and vaccine carriers. Recently, increasing evidence has indicated that EVs may participate or assist the body in defence, antagonism, recovery and acquired immunity against SARS-CoV-2. On the one hand, intercepting and decrypting the general intelligence carried in circulating EVs from COVID-19 patients will provide an important hint for diagnosis and treatment; on the other hand, engineered EVs modified by gene editing in the laboratory will amplify the effectiveness of inhibiting infection, replication and destruction of ever-mutating SARS-CoV-2, facilitating tissue repair and making a better vaccine. To comprehensively understand the interaction between EVs and SARS-CoV-2, providing new insights to overcome some difficulties in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of COVID-19, we conducted a rounded review in this area. We also explain numerous critical challenges that these tactics face before they enter the clinic, and this work will provide previous 'meet change with constancy' lessons for responding to future similar public health disasters. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide a 'meet changes with constancy' strategy to combat SARS-CoV-2 that spans defence, antagonism, recovery, and acquired immunity. Targets for COVID-19 diagnosis, therapy, and prevention of progression may be found by capture of the message decoding in circulating EVs. Engineered and biomimetic EVs can boost effects of the natural EVs, especially anti-SARS-CoV-2, targeted repair of damaged tissue, and improvement of vaccine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohang Chen
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, School and Hospital of StomatologyFujian Medical UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Huifei Li
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
| | - Haoyue Song
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
| | - Jie Wang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
| | - Xiaoxuan Zhang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
| | - Pengcheng Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and ImmunologyInstitute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
- School of MedicineZhongda Hospital, Southeast UniversityNanjingChina
| | - Xing Wang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of StomatologyTaiyuanChina
- Shanxi Province Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases Prevention and New MaterialsTaiyuanChina
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