1
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Jhanwar A, Sharma D, Das U. Unraveling the structural and functional dimensions of SARS-CoV2 proteins in the context of COVID-19 pathogenesis and therapeutics. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 278:134850. [PMID: 39168210 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.134850] [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: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 08/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) has emerged as the causative agent behind the global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the scientific community strives to comprehend the intricate workings of this virus, a fundamental aspect lies in deciphering the myriad proteins it expresses. This knowledge is pivotal in unraveling the complexities of the viral machinery and devising targeted therapeutic interventions. The proteomic landscape of SARS-CoV2 encompasses structural, non-structural, and open-reading frame proteins, each playing crucial roles in viral replication, host interactions, and the pathogenesis of COVID-19. This comprehensive review aims to provide an updated and detailed examination of the structural and functional attributes of SARS-CoV2 proteins. By exploring the intricate molecular architecture, we have highlighted the significance of these proteins in viral biology. Insights into their roles and interplay contribute to a deeper understanding of the virus's mechanisms, thereby paving the way for the development of effective therapeutic strategies. As the global scientific community strives to combat the ongoing pandemic, this synthesis of knowledge on SARS-CoV2 proteins serves as a valuable resource, fostering informed approaches toward mitigating the impact of COVID-19 and advancing the frontier of antiviral research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniruddh Jhanwar
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Dipika Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
| | - Uddipan Das
- Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
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2
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Rampias T, Antoniou T, Stevaert A, Kravariti L, Van Loy B, Vandeput J, Sgrignani J, Filippidou N, Locatelli P, Samiotaki M, Tzakos EP, Cavalli A, Naesens L, Sideris DC, Tzakos AG. Exploration of isatin-based inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 endoribonuclease. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 279:116886. [PMID: 39312834 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/25/2024]
Abstract
The global health crisis caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) urges the development of new antiviral agents with broad coronavirus coverage. Due to its key role in viral evasion from the host innate immune response, the coronavirus Nsp15 uridine-specific endoribonuclease (EndoU) is of high interest as a drug target. Considering that the isatin scaffold is well-known for its versatile pharmacological properties, we synthesized and evaluated a series of compounds carrying an isatin core. The initial compounds were selected on the basis of in silico predictions. After biochemical assays showed moderate inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 EndoU-mediated RNA cleavage, structural analogues were rationally designed to enhance the interaction with the target. This included the incorporation of a nitrile group since this dipole can improve ADME and facilitate polar interactions with proteins and can operate as hydroxy or carboxy surrogate. A straightforward solvent free and green, microwave-assisted synthetic process was established to achieve the development of the different target compounds. The best compound exhibited inhibitory activity in enzymatic EndoU assays, and reduced the SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA load by almost 68,000-fold in the low micromolar range similarly to the established antiviral agent GS-441524.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodoros Rampias
- Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Thomas Antoniou
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece
| | - Annelies Stevaert
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lara Kravariti
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Panepistimiopolis, 15701, Athens, Greece
| | - Benjamin Van Loy
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Julie Vandeput
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jacopo Sgrignani
- Institute for Research In Biochemistry (IRB), Universita' della Svizzera Italiana, Via Chiesa 5, Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Filippidou
- Biomedical Research Foundation Academy of Athens, 4 Soranou Efesiou, 115 27, Athens, Greece
| | - Patrizia Locatelli
- Institute for Research In Biochemistry (IRB), Universita' della Svizzera Italiana, Via Chiesa 5, Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
| | - Martina Samiotaki
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming, 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Eleftherios Paraskevas Tzakos
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Panepistimiopolis, 15701, Athens, Greece
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Institute for Research In Biochemistry (IRB), Universita' della Svizzera Italiana, Via Chiesa 5, Bellinzona, 6500, Switzerland
| | - Lieve Naesens
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Diamantis C Sideris
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Department of Biology, Panepistimiopolis, 15701, Athens, Greece.
| | - Andreas G Tzakos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ioannina, GR-45110, Greece.
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3
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Volek M, Kurfürst J, Drexler M, Svoboda M, Srb P, Veverka V, Curtis E. Aurora: a fluorescent deoxyribozyme for high-throughput screening. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:9049-9061. [PMID: 38860424 PMCID: PMC11347150 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae467] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence facilitates the detection, visualization, and tracking of molecules with high sensitivity and specificity. A functional DNA molecule that generates a robust fluorescent signal would offer significant advantages for many applications compared to intrinsically fluorescent proteins, which are expensive and labor intensive to synthesize, and fluorescent RNA aptamers, which are unstable under most conditions. Here, we describe a novel deoxyriboyzme that rapidly and efficiently generates a stable fluorescent product using a readily available coumarin substrate. An engineered version can detect picomolar concentrations of ribonucleases in a simple homogenous assay, and was used to rapidly identify novel inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 ribonuclease Nsp15 in a high-throughput screen. Our work adds an important new component to the toolkit of functional DNA parts, and also demonstrates how catalytic DNA motifs can be used to solve real-world problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Volek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslav Kurfürst
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Informatics and Chemistry, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague 166 28, Czech Republic
| | - Matúš Drexler
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Svoboda
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Srb
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
| | - Václav Veverka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague 128 44, Czech Republic
| | - Edward A Curtis
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague 166 10, Czech Republic
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4
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Van Loy B, Stevaert A, Naesens L. The coronavirus nsp15 endoribonuclease: A puzzling protein and pertinent antiviral drug target. Antiviral Res 2024; 228:105921. [PMID: 38825019 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105921] [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: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has bolstered unprecedented research efforts to better understand the pathogenesis of coronavirus (CoV) infections and develop effective therapeutics. We here focus on non-structural protein nsp15, a hexameric component of the viral replication-transcription complex (RTC). Nsp15 possesses uridine-specific endoribonuclease (EndoU) activity for which some specific cleavage sites were recently identified in viral RNA. By preventing accumulation of viral dsRNA, EndoU helps the virus to evade RNA sensors of the innate immune response. The immune-evading property of nsp15 was firmly established in several CoV animal models and makes it a pertinent target for antiviral therapy. The search for nsp15 inhibitors typically proceeds via compound screenings and is aided by the rapidly evolving insight in the protein structure of nsp15. In this overview, we broadly cover this fascinating protein, starting with its structure, biochemical properties and functions in CoV immune evasion. Next, we summarize the reported studies in which compound screening or a more rational method was used to identify suitable leads for nsp15 inhibitor development. In this way, we hope to raise awareness on the relevance and druggability of this unique CoV protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Van Loy
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Annelies Stevaert
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lieve Naesens
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
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5
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Ito F, Yang H, Zhou ZH, Chen XS. Structural basis for polyuridine tract recognition by SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15. Protein Cell 2024; 15:547-552. [PMID: 38613382 PMCID: PMC11214832 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwae009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Ito
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, United States
| | - Hanjing Yang
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
| | - Z Hong Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, United States
| | - Xiaojiang S Chen
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
- Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
- Center of Excellence in NanoBiophysics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, United States
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6
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Wang X, Zhu B. SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 preferentially degrades AU-rich dsRNA via its dsRNA nickase activity. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:5257-5272. [PMID: 38634805 PMCID: PMC11109939 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae290] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
It has been proposed that coronavirus nsp15 mediates evasion of host cell double-stranded (ds) RNA sensors via its uracil-specific endoribonuclease activity. However, how nsp15 processes viral dsRNA, commonly considered as a genome replication intermediate, remains elusive. Previous research has mainly focused on short single-stranded RNA as substrates, and whether nsp15 prefers single-stranded or double-stranded RNA for cleavage is controversial. In the present work, we prepared numerous RNA substrates, including both long substrates mimicking the viral genome and short defined RNA, to clarify the substrate preference and cleavage pattern of SARS-CoV-2 nsp15. We demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 preferentially cleaved pyrimidine nucleotides located in less thermodynamically stable areas in dsRNA, such as AU-rich areas and mismatch-containing areas, in a nicking manner. Because coronavirus genomes generally have a high AU content, our work supported the mechanism that coronaviruses evade the antiviral response mediated by host cell dsRNA sensors by using nsp15 dsRNA nickase to directly cleave dsRNA intermediates formed during genome replication and transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xionglue Wang
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, the Ministry of Education, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei 430074, China
- Shenzhen Huazhong University of Science and Technology Research Institute, Shenzhen 518063, China
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7
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Quddusi DM, Hiremath SA, Bajcinca N. Mutation prediction in the SARS-CoV-2 genome using attention-based neural machine translation. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2024; 21:5996-6018. [PMID: 38872567 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2024264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) has been evolving rapidly after causing havoc worldwide in 2020. Since then, it has been very hard to contain the virus owing to its frequently mutating nature. Changes in its genome lead to viral evolution, rendering it more resistant to existing vaccines and drugs. Predicting viral mutations beforehand will help in gearing up against more infectious and virulent versions of the virus in turn decreasing the damage caused by them. In this paper, we have proposed different NMT (neural machine translation) architectures based on RNNs (recurrent neural networks) to predict mutations in the SARS-CoV-2-selected non-structural proteins (NSP), i.e., NSP1, NSP3, NSP5, NSP8, NSP9, NSP13, and NSP15. First, we created and pre-processed the pairs of sequences from two languages using k-means clustering and nearest neighbors for training a neural translation machine. We also provided insights for training NMTs on long biological sequences. In addition, we evaluated and benchmarked our models to demonstrate their efficiency and reliability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darrak Moin Quddusi
- Chair of Mechatronics in the Faculty of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Rheinland-Pfalz Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern 67663, Germany
| | - Sandesh Athni Hiremath
- Chair of Mechatronics in the Faculty of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Rheinland-Pfalz Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern 67663, Germany
| | - Naim Bajcinca
- Chair of Mechatronics in the Faculty of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Rheinland-Pfalz Technical University of Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern 67663, Germany
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8
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Thibert S, Reid DJ, Wilson JW, Varikoti R, Maltseva N, Schultz KJ, Kruel A, Babnigg G, Joachimiak A, Kumar N, Zhou M. Native Mass Spectrometry Dissects the Structural Dynamics of an Allosteric Heterodimer of SARS-CoV-2 Nonstructural Proteins. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2024; 35:912-921. [PMID: 38535992 PMCID: PMC11066969 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.3c00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Structure-based drug design, which relies on precise understanding of the target protein and its interaction with the drug candidate, is dramatically expedited by advances in computational methods for candidate prediction. Yet, the accuracy needs to be improved with more structural data from high throughput experiments, which are challenging to generate, especially for dynamic and weak associations. Herein, we applied native mass spectrometry (native MS) to rapidly characterize ligand binding of an allosteric heterodimeric complex of SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins (nsp) nsp10 and nsp16 (nsp10/16), a complex essential for virus survival in the host and thus a desirable drug target. Native MS showed that the dimer is in equilibrium with monomeric states in solution. Consistent with the literature, well characterized small cosubstrate, RNA substrate, and product bind with high specificity and affinity to the dimer but not the free monomers. Unsuccessfully designed ligands bind indiscriminately to all forms. Using neutral gas collision, the nsp16 monomer with bound cosubstrate can be released from the holo dimer complex, confirming the binding to nsp16 as revealed by the crystal structure. However, we observed an unusual migration of the endogenous zinc ions bound to nsp10 to nsp16 after collisional dissociation. The metal migration can be suppressed by using surface collision with reduced precursor charge states, which presumably resulted in minimal gas-phase structural rearrangement and highlighted the importance of complementary techniques. With minimal sample input (∼μg), native MS can rapidly detect ligand binding affinities and locations in dynamic multisubunit protein complexes, demonstrating the potential of an "all-in-one" native MS assay for rapid structural profiling of protein-to-AI-based compound systems to expedite drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie
M. Thibert
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Deseree J. Reid
- Chemical
and Biological Signature Sciences, Pacific
Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Jesse W. Wilson
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Rohith Varikoti
- Biological
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Natalia Maltseva
- Center
for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced
Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Structural
Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Katherine J. Schultz
- Biological
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Agustin Kruel
- Biological
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Gyorgy Babnigg
- Center
for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced
Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Biosciences
Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Center
for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced
Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Structural
Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, United States
| | - Neeraj Kumar
- Biological
Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
| | - Mowei Zhou
- Environmental
Molecular Sciences Laboratory, Pacific Northwest
National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99354, United States
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9
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Ikizawa S, Hori T, Wijaya TN, Kono H, Bai Z, Kimizono T, Lu W, Tran DP, Kitao A. PaCS-Toolkit: Optimized Software Utilities for Parallel Cascade Selection Molecular Dynamics (PaCS-MD) Simulations and Subsequent Analyses. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3631-3642. [PMID: 38578072 PMCID: PMC11033871 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c01271] [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: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Parallel cascade selection molecular dynamics (PaCS-MD) is an enhanced conformational sampling method conducted as a "repetition of time leaps in parallel worlds", comprising cycles of multiple molecular dynamics (MD) simulations performed in parallel and selection of the initial structures of MDs for the next cycle. We developed PaCS-Toolkit, an optimized software utility enabling the use of different MD software and trajectory analysis tools to facilitate the execution of the PaCS-MD simulation and analyze the obtained trajectories, including the preparation for the subsequent construction of the Markov state model. PaCS-Toolkit is coded with Python, is compatible with various computing environments, and allows for easy customization by editing the configuration file and specifying the MD software and analysis tools to be used. We present the software design of PaCS-Toolkit and demonstrate applications of PaCS-MD variations: original targeted PaCS-MD to peptide folding; rmsdPaCS-MD to protein domain motion; and dissociation PaCS-MD to ligand dissociation from adenosine A2A receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinji Ikizawa
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Tatsuki Hori
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Tegar Nurwahyu Wijaya
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
- Department
of Chemistry, Universitas Pertamina, Jl. Teuku Nyak Arief, Simprug, Jakarta 12220, Indonesia
| | - Hiroshi Kono
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Zhen Bai
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Tatsuhiro Kimizono
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Wenbo Lu
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Duy Phuoc Tran
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
| | - Akio Kitao
- School
of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute
of Technology, 2-12-2 Ookayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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10
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Roney M, Singh G, Huq AKMM, Forid MS, Ishak WMBW, Rullah K, Aluwi MFFM, Tajuddin SN. Identification of Pyrazole Derivatives of Usnic Acid as Novel Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Through Virtual Screening Approaches. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:696-706. [PMID: 36752937 PMCID: PMC9907211 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-023-00667-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The infection produced by the SARS-CoV-2 virus remains a significant health crisis worldwide. The lack of specific medications for COVID-19 necessitates a concerted effort to find the much-desired therapies for this condition. The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is a promising target, vital for virus replication and transcription. In this study, fifty pyrazole derivatives were tested for their pharmacokinetics and drugability, resulting in eight hit compounds. Subsequent molecular docking simulations on SARS-CoV-2 main protease afforded two lead compounds with strong affinity at the active site. Additionally, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of lead compounds (17 and 39), along with binding free energy calculations, were accomplished to validate the stability of the docked complexes and the binding poses achieved in docking experiments. Based on these findings, compound 17 and 39, with their favorable projected pharmacokinetics and pharmacological characteristics, are the proposed potential antiviral candidates which require further investigation to be used as anti-SARS-CoV-2 medication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miah Roney
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Bio Aromatic Research Centre, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | - Gagandeep Singh
- Section of Microbiology, Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh, India
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India
| | - A K M Moyeenul Huq
- Bio Aromatic Research Centre, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia.
- School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacy, University of Asia Pacific, 74/A, Green Road, Dhaka, 1205, Bangladesh.
| | - Md Shaekh Forid
- Faculty of Chemical and Processing Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | - Wan Maznah Binti Wan Ishak
- Faculty of Chemical and Processing Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
| | - Kamal Rullah
- Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM), Jalan Sultan Ahmad Shah, 25200, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia
| | - Mohd Fadhlizil Fasihi Mohd Aluwi
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia.
- Bio Aromatic Research Centre, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia.
| | - Saiful Nizam Tajuddin
- Faculty of Industrial Sciences and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
- Bio Aromatic Research Centre, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Lebuhraya Tun Razak, 26300, Gambang, Kuantan, Pahang Darul Makmur, Malaysia
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11
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Hussein HAM, Thabet AA, Wardany AA, El-Adly AM, Ali M, Hassan MEA, Abdeldayem MAB, Mohamed ARMA, Sobhy A, El-Mokhtar MA, Afifi MM, Fathy SM, Sultan S. SARS-CoV-2 outbreak: role of viral proteins and genomic diversity in virus infection and COVID-19 progression. Virol J 2024; 21:75. [PMID: 38539202 PMCID: PMC10967059 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02342-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); a severe respiratory distress that has emerged from the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China during December 2019. COVID-19 is currently the major global health problem and the disease has now spread to most countries in the world. COVID-19 has profoundly impacted human health and activities worldwide. Genetic mutation is one of the essential characteristics of viruses. They do so to adapt to their host or to move to another one. Viral genetic mutations have a high potentiality to impact human health as these mutations grant viruses unique unpredicted characteristics. The difficulty in predicting viral genetic mutations is a significant obstacle in the field. Evidence indicates that SARS-CoV-2 has a variety of genetic mutations and genomic diversity with obvious clinical consequences and implications. In this review, we comprehensively summarized and discussed the currently available knowledge regarding SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks with a fundamental focus on the role of the viral proteins and their mutations in viral infection and COVID-19 progression. We also summarized the clinical implications of SARS-CoV-2 variants and how they affect the disease severity and hinder vaccine development. Finally, we provided a massive phylogenetic analysis of the spike gene of 214 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from different geographical regions all over the world and their associated clinical implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosni A M Hussein
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt.
| | - Ali A Thabet
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Wardany
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M El-Adly
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Ali
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mohamed E A Hassan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A B Abdeldayem
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | | | - Ali Sobhy
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, 71524, Assiut, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A El-Mokhtar
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt
- Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine, Lebanese American University, Byblos Campus, Lebanon
| | - Magdy M Afifi
- Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City 11884, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Samah M Fathy
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
| | - Serageldeen Sultan
- Department of Microbiology, Virology Division, Faculty of Veterinary medicine, South Valley University, 83523, Qena, Egypt.
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12
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Kim Y, Maltseva N, Tesar C, Jedrzejczak R, Endres M, Ma H, Dugan HL, Stamper CT, Chang C, Li L, Changrob S, Zheng NY, Huang M, Ramanathan A, Wilson P, Michalska K, Joachimiak A. Epitopes recognition of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid RNA binding domain by human monoclonal antibodies. iScience 2024; 27:108976. [PMID: 38327783 PMCID: PMC10847736 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.108976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus nucleocapsid protein (NP) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a central role in many functions important for virus proliferation including packaging and protecting genomic RNA. The protein shares sequence, structure, and architecture with nucleocapsid proteins from betacoronaviruses. The N-terminal domain (NPRBD) binds RNA and the C-terminal domain is responsible for dimerization. After infection, NP is highly expressed and triggers robust host immune response. The anti-NP antibodies are not protective and not neutralizing but can effectively detect viral proliferation soon after infection. Two structures of SARS-CoV-2 NPRBD were determined providing a continuous model from residue 48 to 173, including RNA binding region and key epitopes. Five structures of NPRBD complexes with human mAbs were isolated using an antigen-bait sorting. Complexes revealed a distinct complement-determining regions and unique sets of epitope recognition. This may assist in the early detection of pathogens and designing peptide-based vaccines. Mutations that significantly increase viral load were mapped on developed, full length NP model, likely impacting interactions with host proteins and viral RNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youngchang Kim
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Natalia Maltseva
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Christine Tesar
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Robert Jedrzejczak
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Michael Endres
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Heng Ma
- Data Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Haley L. Dugan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Christopher T. Stamper
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Changsoo Chang
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Siriruk Changrob
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Nai-Ying Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Min Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Arvind Ramanathan
- Data Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Patrick Wilson
- Gale and Ira Drukier Institute for Children’s Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10021, USA
| | - Karolina Michalska
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Center for Structural Biology of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, IL 60439, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
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13
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Rani JMS, Akkarshana P, Neelaveni V, Mohan S, Rekha PD, Rao RM, Muthulakshmi L. Evaluation of the inhibitory potential of bioactive compounds against SARS-CoV-2 by in silico approach. J Mol Model 2024; 30:60. [PMID: 38321299 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-024-05858-8] [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: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 19) pandemic brought on by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has stimulated the exploration of various available chemical compounds that could be used to treat the infection. This has driven numerous researchers to investigate the antiviral potential of several bioactive compounds from medicinal plants due to their reduced adverse effects compared to chemicals. Some of the bioactive compounds used in folklore treatment strategies are reported as effective inhibitors against the proliferative and infective cycles of SARS-CoV-2. The secondary metabolites from plants are generally used to treat various diseases due to their intact medicinal properties. The present study analyzes the inhibitory potential of phytochemicals from medicinal plants like Sphaeranthus indicus, Lantana camara, and Nelumbo nucifera against SARS-CoV-2 by molecular docking. METHODS Ten druggable protein targets from SARS-CoV-2 are docked against the phytochemicals from the selected medicinal plants. The phytocompounds astragalin, isoquercetin, and 5-hydroxy-7-methoxy-6-c-glycosy flavone were found to have lower binding energy depicting their inhibitive potential compared with the reported inhibitors that are used in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. The phytocompounds found to have the least binding energy were selected for further analyses. To assess the compounds' potential as drugs, their ADMET characteristics were also examined. Sphaeranthus indicus, Lantana camara, and Nelumbo nucifera six possible compounds were separately screened for ADME and toxicity characteristics; then, the results were analyzed. To assess the impact of the phytocompound binding on the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 ribonuclease protein NSP15, microsecond-level all atomistic molecular dynamics simulations were performed, and their dynamics were analyzed. Microsecond-level molecular dynamics simulations of both the ligands complexed with NSP15 revealed that the ligand induces allosteric effects on NSP15, which could lead to destabilization of NSP15 hexameric interface and loss of RNA binding. The low binding energy exhibited by the phytochemicals from Lantana camera, Sphaeranthus indicus, and Nelumbo nucifera against the protein targets of SARS-CoV-2 showed inhibitory potential by the selected molecules. Their predicted interference of the enzymes involved in the molecular mechanisms aiding the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 indicated the inhibitive ability of the phytochemicals.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Mariya Sneha Rani
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Product Development Laboratory, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, India
| | - P Akkarshana
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Product Development Laboratory, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, India
| | - V Neelaveni
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Product Development Laboratory, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, India
| | - Shalini Mohan
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Product Development Laboratory, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, India
| | - P D Rekha
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangaluru, 575018, India
| | - Rajas M Rao
- Yenepoya Research Centre, Yenepoya (Deemed to Be University), Mangaluru, 575018, India.
| | - Lakshmanan Muthulakshmi
- Department of Biotechnology, Biomaterials and Product Development Laboratory, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, 626126, India.
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14
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Leone M. Virtual Screening of Peptide Libraries: The Search for Peptide-Based Therapeutics Using Computational Tools. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1798. [PMID: 38339078 PMCID: PMC10855943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031798] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed growing interest from both academic and industrial laboratories in peptides as possible therapeutics. Bioactive peptides have a high potential to treat various diseases with specificity and biological safety. Compared to small molecules, peptides represent better candidates as inhibitors (or general modulators) of key protein-protein interactions. In fact, undruggable proteins containing large and smooth surfaces can be more easily targeted with the conformational plasticity of peptides. The discovery of bioactive peptides, working against disease-relevant protein targets, generally requires the high-throughput screening of large libraries, and in silico approaches are highly exploited for their low-cost incidence and efficiency. The present review reports on the potential challenges linked to the employment of peptides as therapeutics and describes computational approaches, mainly structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), to support the identification of novel peptides for therapeutic implementations. Cutting-edge SBVS strategies are reviewed along with examples of applications focused on diverse classes of bioactive peptides (i.e., anticancer, antimicrobial/antiviral peptides, peptides blocking amyloid fiber formation).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.V.); (F.A.M.)
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15
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Zargari F, Mohammadi M, Nowroozi A, Morowvat MH, Nakhaei E, Rezagholi F. The Inhibitory Effects of the Herbals Secondary Metabolites (7α-acetoxyroyleanone, Curzerene, Incensole, Harmaline, and Cannabidiol) on COVID-19: A Molecular Docking Study. Recent Pat Biotechnol 2024; 18:316-331. [PMID: 38817009 DOI: 10.2174/0118722083246773231108045238] [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: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020, researchers and studies are continuing to find drugs and/or vaccines against the disease. As shown before, medicinal plants can be very good sources against viruses because of their secondary compounds which may cure diseases and help in survival of patients. There is a growing trend in the filed patents in this field. AIMS In the present study, we test and suggest the inhibitory potential of five herbal based extracts including 7α-acetoxyroyleanone, Curzerene, Incensole, Harmaline, and Cannabidiol with antivirus activity on the models of the significant antiviral targets for COVID-19 like spike glycoprotein, Papain-like protease (PLpro), non-structural protein 15 (NSP15), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and core protease by molecular docking study. METHODS The Salvia rythida root was extracted, dried, and pulverized by a milling machine. The aqueous phase and the dichloromethane phase of the root extractive were separated by two-phase extraction using a separatory funnel. The separation was performed using the column chromatography method. The model of the important antivirus drug target of COVID-19 was obtained from the Protein Data Bank (PDB) and modified. TO study the binding difference between the studied molecules, the docking study was performed. RESULTS These herbal compounds are extracted from Salvia rhytidea, Curcuma zeodaria, Frankincense, Peganum harmala, and Cannabis herbs, respectively. The binding energies of all compounds on COVID-19 main targets are located in the limited area of 2.22-5.30 kcal/mol. This range of binding energies can support our hypothesis for the presence of the inhibitory effects of the secondary metabolites of mentioned structures on COVID-19. Generally, among the investigated herbal structures, Cannabidiol and 7α- acetoxyroyleanone compounds with the highest binding energy have the most inhibitory potential. The least inhibitory effects are related to the Curzerene and Incensole structures by the lowest binding affinity. CONCLUSION The general arrangement of the basis of the potential barrier of binding energies is in the order below: Cannabidiol > 7α-acetoxyroyleanone > Harmaline> Incensole > Curzerene. Finally, the range of docking scores for investigated herbal compounds on the mentioned targets indicates that the probably inhibitory effects on these targets obey the following order: main protease> RNA-dependent RNA polymerase> PLpro> NSP15> spike glycoprotein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farshid Zargari
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Sistan and Baluchestan (USB), P.O.Box 98135- 674, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohammadi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Alireza Nowroozi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Sistan and Baluchestan (USB), P.O.Box 98135- 674, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Morowvat
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Ebrahim Nakhaei
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Sistan and Baluchestan (USB), P.O.Box 98135- 674, Zahedan, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Rezagholi
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Box 71468-64685, Shiraz, Iran
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16
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Alshahrani MM. Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 NSP-15 by Uridine-5'-Monophosphate Analogues Using QSAR Modelling, Molecular Dynamics Simulations, and Free Energy Landscape. Saudi Pharm J 2024; 32:101914. [PMID: 38111672 PMCID: PMC10727945 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2023.101914] [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: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is accountable for severe social and economic disruption around the world causing COVID-19. Non-structural protein-15 (NSP15) possesses a domain that is vital to the viral life cycle and is known as uridylate-specific endoribonuclease (EndoU). This domain binds to the uridine 5'-monophosphate (U5P) so that the protein may carry out its native activity. It is considered a vital drug target to inhibit the growth of the virus. Thus, in this current study, ML-based QSAR and virtual screening of U5P analogues targeting Nsp15 were performed to identify potential molecules against SARS-CoV-2. Screening of 816 unique U5P analogues using ML-based QSAR identified 397 compounds ranked on their predicted bioactivity (pIC50). Further, molecular docking and hydrogen bond interaction analysis resulted in the selection of the top three compounds (53309102, 57398422, and 76314921). Molecular dynamics simulation of the most promising compounds showed that two molecules 53309102 and 57398422 acted as potential binders of Nsp15. The compound was able to inhibit nsp15 activity as it was successfully bound to the active site of the nsp15 protein. This was achieved by the formation of relevant contacts with enzymatically critical amino acid residues (His235, His250, and Lys290). Principal component analysis and free energy landscape studies showed stable complex formation while MM/GBSA calculation showed lower binding energies for 53309102 (ΔGTOTAL = -29.4 kcal/mol) and 57398422 (ΔGTOTAL = -39.4 kcal/mol) compared to the control U5P (ΔGTOTAL = -18.8 kcal/mol). This study aimed to identify analogues of U5P inhibiting the NSP15 function that potentially could be used for treating COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Merae Alshahrani
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, 1988, Najran 61441, Saudi Arabia
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17
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Cai HL, Huang YW. Reverse genetics systems for SARS-CoV-2: Development and applications. Virol Sin 2023; 38:837-850. [PMID: 37832720 PMCID: PMC10786661 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.10.001] [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: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused serious harm to human health and struck a blow to global economic development. Research on SARS-CoV-2 has greatly benefited from the use of reverse genetics systems, which have been established to artificially manipulate the viral genome, generating recombinant and reporter infectious viruses or biosafety level 2 (BSL-2)-adapted non-infectious replicons with desired modifications. These tools have been instrumental in studying the molecular biological characteristics of the virus, investigating antiviral therapeutics, and facilitating the development of attenuated vaccine candidates. Here, we review the construction strategies, development, and applications of reverse genetics systems for SARS-CoV-2, which may be applied to other CoVs as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hou-Li Cai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yao-Wei Huang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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18
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Dhanabalan AK, Raghavan SS, Rajendran S, Ramasamy V, Abdul SAA, Narayanasamy N, Krishnasamy G. Evaluation of action of steroid molecules on SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting NSP-15, an endoribonuclease. Mol Divers 2023; 27:2715-2728. [PMID: 36456773 PMCID: PMC9715282 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10576-5] [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: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Many countries in the world have recently experienced an outbreak of COVID-19, turned out to be a pandemic which significantly affected the world economy. Among many attempts to treat/control infection or to modulate host immunity, many small molecules including steroids were prescribed based on their use against other viral infection or inflammatory conditions. A recent report established the possibility of usage of a corticosteroid against the virus through inhibiting NSP-15; an mRNA endonuclease of SARS-CoV-2 and thereby viral replication. This study aimed to identify potential anti-viral agents for the virus through computational approaches and to validate binding properties with the protein target through molecular dynamics simulation. Unlike the conventional approaches, dedicated data base of steroid like compounds was used for initial screening along with dexamethasone and cortisone, which are used in the treatment of COVID-19 affected population in some countries. Molecular docking was performed for three compounds filtered from data base in addition to dexamethasone and Cortisone followed by molecular dynamics simulation analysis to validate the dynamics of binding at the active site. In addition, analysis of ADME properties established that these compounds have favorable drug-like properties. Based on docking, molecular dynamics simulation studies and various other trajectory analyses, compounds that are identified could be suggested as therapeutics or precursors towards designing new anti-viral agents against SARS-CoV-2, to combat COVID-19. Also, this is an attempt to study the impact of steroid compounds on NSP-15 of SARS-CoV-2, since many steroid like compounds are used during the treatment of COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anantha Krishnan Dhanabalan
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India
| | - Sriram Srinivasa Raghavan
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India
| | - Selvakumar Rajendran
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India
| | - Velavan Ramasamy
- Department of Physics, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, 600 073, India
| | - Shaik Abdul Azeez Abdul
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India
| | - Nandhagopal Narayanasamy
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India.
| | - Gunasekaran Krishnasamy
- Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India.
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19
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Pitsillou E, Beh RC, Liang JJ, Tang TS, Zhou X, Siow YY, Ma Y, Hu Z, Wu Z, Hung A, Karagiannis TC. EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection: Compound selection, ADMET analysis, and utilisation in the context of potential SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 125:108602. [PMID: 37597309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108602] [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: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Antiviral drugs are important for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, as vaccines and antibodies may have reduced efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. Antiviral drugs that have been made available for use, albeit with questionable efficacy, include remdesivir (Veklury®), nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid™), and molnupiravir (Lagevrio®). To expand the options available for COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics, there is a need to investigate new uses for existing drugs and design novel compounds. To support these efforts, we have created a comprehensive library of 750 molecules that have been sourced from in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies. It is publicly available at our dedicated website (https://epimedlab.org/crl/). The EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection consists of compounds that have been divided into 10 main classes based on antiviral properties, as well as the potential to be used for the management, prevention, or treatment of COVID-19 related complications. A detailed description of each compound is provided, along with the molecular formula, canonical SMILES, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval status. The chemical structures have been obtained and are available for download. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic properties of the ligands have been characterised. To demonstrate an application of the EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection, molecular docking was used to evaluate the binding characteristics of ligands against SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural and accessory proteins. Overall, our database can be used to aid the drug repositioning process, and for gaining further insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of potential compounds of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Pitsillou
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Raymond C Beh
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Julia J Liang
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Thinh Sieu Tang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Xun Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ya Yun Siow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Yinghao Ma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Zifang Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Zifei Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew Hung
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Tom C Karagiannis
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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20
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Ito F, Yang H, Zhou ZH, Chen XS. Structural basis for polyuridine tract recognition by SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.17.567629. [PMID: 38045375 PMCID: PMC10690159 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.17.567629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 15 (Nsp15) is critical for productive viral replication and evasion of host immunity. The uridine-specific endoribonuclease activity of Nsp15 mediates the cleavage of the polyuridine [poly(U)] tract of the negative-strand coronavirus genome to minimize the formation of dsRNA that activates the host antiviral interferon signaling. However, the molecular basis for the recognition and cleavage of the poly(U) tract by Nsp15 is incompletely understood. Here, we present cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) structures of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 bound to viral replication intermediate dsRNA containing poly(U) tract at 2.7-3.3 Å resolution. The structures reveal one copy of dsRNA binds to the sidewall of an Nsp15 homohexamer, spanning three subunits in two distinct binding states. The target uracil is dislodged from the base-pairing of the dsRNA by amino acid residues W332 and M330 of Nsp15, and the dislodged base is entrapped at the endonuclease active site center. Up to 20 A/U base pairs are anchored on the Nsp15 hexamer, which explains the basis for a substantially shortened poly(U) sequence in the negative strand coronavirus genome compared to the long poly(A) tail in its positive strand. Our results provide mechanistic insights into the unique immune evasion strategy employed by coronavirus Nsp15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumiaki Ito
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
| | - Hanjing Yang
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Z. Hong Zhou
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
- California NanoSystems Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095, USA
| | - Xiaojiang S. Chen
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Genetic, Molecular and Cellular Biology Program, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089, USA
- Center of Excellence in NanoBiophysics, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA90089, USA
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21
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Chen J, Farraj RA, Limonta D, Tabatabaei Dakhili SA, Kerek EM, Bhattacharya A, Reformat FM, Mabrouk OM, Brigant B, Pfeifer TA, McDermott MT, Ussher JR, Hobman TC, Glover JNM, Hubbard BP. Reversible and irreversible inhibitors of coronavirus Nsp15 endoribonuclease. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105341. [PMID: 37832873 PMCID: PMC10656235 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105341] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019, has resulted in the largest pandemic in recent history. Current therapeutic strategies to mitigate this disease have focused on the development of vaccines and on drugs that inhibit the viral 3CL protease or RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzymes. A less-explored and potentially complementary drug target is Nsp15, a uracil-specific RNA endonuclease that shields coronaviruses and other nidoviruses from mammalian innate immune defenses. Here, we perform a high-throughput screen of over 100,000 small molecules to identify Nsp15 inhibitors. We characterize the potency, mechanism, selectivity, and predicted binding mode of five lead compounds. We show that one of these, IPA-3, is an irreversible inhibitor that might act via covalent modification of Cys residues within Nsp15. Moreover, we demonstrate that three of these inhibitors (hexachlorophene, IPA-3, and CID5675221) block severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 replication in cells at subtoxic doses. This study provides a pipeline for the identification of Nsp15 inhibitors and pinpoints lead compounds for further development against coronavirus disease 2019 and related coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rabih Abou Farraj
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniel Limonta
- Department of Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Evan M Kerek
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ashim Bhattacharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Filip M Reformat
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ola M Mabrouk
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Benjamin Brigant
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tom A Pfeifer
- High Throughput Biology Facility, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mark T McDermott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - John R Ussher
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tom C Hobman
- Department of Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - J N Mark Glover
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Basil P Hubbard
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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22
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Rafeeq MM, Nahhas AF, Binothman N, Habib AH, Aljadani M, Sain ZM, Tuwaijri AA, Alshehri MA, Alzahrani OR. PheroxyPyrabenz and Carbopyrropyridin against major proteins of SARS CoV-2: a comprehensive in-silico molecular docking and dynamics simulation studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:9121-9133. [PMID: 36318617 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2140202] [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: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic that started in 2020 left us with so much information about viruses and respiratory diseases, and the cause behind it was severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2). The world is still recovering, which costs so many economic and other indirect disasters; despite that, no medications are available on the market. Although the WHO approved a few vaccines on an emergency basis, the remarks and the reinfection chances are still under investigation, and a few pharmaceutical companies are also claiming that a few medications can be effective. However, there is no situation in control. SARS CoV-2 mutates and comes in different forms, making the situation unpredictable. In this study, we have screened the complete Asinex's BioDesign library, which contains 170,269 compounds, and shorted the data against the docking score that helps in the identification of 4-[5-(3-Ethoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]-1, 2-benzenediol (PheroxyPyrabenz) and 1-[(3R,4R)-1-(5-Aminopentanoyl)-4-hydroxy-3-pyrrolidinyl]-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-4-carboxamide (Carbopyrropyridin) as a significant drug candidate that can work against the multiple proteins of the SARS CoV-2 resulting in seizing the complete biological process of the virus. Further, the study extended to Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of both the compounds with their complexity. The complete workflow of the study has shown satisfactory results, and both drug candidates can potentially stop the hunt for drugs against this virus after its experimental validation. Further, we checked both compounds' absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties, showing case-proof validatory results.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Misbahuddin M Rafeeq
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa F Nahhas
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Najat Binothman
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences & Arts, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa Hamed Habib
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Majidah Aljadani
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences & Arts, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ziaullah M Sain
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Rabigh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Abeer Al Tuwaijri
- Medical Genomics Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGH), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Clinical Laboratory Sciences Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Ali Alshehri
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Othman R Alzahrani
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Genome and Biotechnology Unit, Faculty of Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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23
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Justo Arevalo S, Castillo-Chávez A, Uribe Calampa CS, Zapata Sifuentes D, Huallpa CJ, Landa Bianchi G, Garavito-Salini Casas R, Quiñones Aguilar M, Pineda Chavarría R. What do we know about the function of SARS-CoV-2 proteins? Front Immunol 2023; 14:1249607. [PMID: 37790934 PMCID: PMC10544941 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1249607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance in the understanding of the biology of SARS-CoV-2. After more than two years since the first report of COVID-19, it remains crucial to continue studying how SARS-CoV-2 proteins interact with the host metabolism to cause COVID-19. In this review, we summarize the findings regarding the functions of the 16 non-structural, 6 accessory and 4 structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins. We place less emphasis on the spike protein, which has been the subject of several recent reviews. Furthermore, comprehensive reviews about COVID-19 therapeutic have been also published. Therefore, we do not delve into details on these topics; instead we direct the readers to those other reviews. To avoid confusions with what we know about proteins from other coronaviruses, we exclusively report findings that have been experimentally confirmed in SARS-CoV-2. We have identified host mechanisms that appear to be the primary targets of SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including gene expression and immune response pathways such as ribosome translation, JAK/STAT, RIG-1/MDA5 and NF-kβ pathways. Additionally, we emphasize the multiple functions exhibited by SARS-CoV-2 proteins, along with the limited information available for some of these proteins. Our aim with this review is to assist researchers and contribute to the ongoing comprehension of SARS-CoV-2's pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Justo Arevalo
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru
- Departmento de Bioquimica, Instituto de Quimica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Daniela Zapata Sifuentes
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru
- Departmento de Bioquimica, Instituto de Quimica, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - César J. Huallpa
- Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Lima, Peru
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24
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Zhang D, Ji L, Chen X, He Y, Sun Y, Ji L, Zhang T, Shen Q, Wang X, Wang Y, Yang S, Zhang W, Zhou C. SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 suppresses type I interferon production by inhibiting IRF3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation. iScience 2023; 26:107705. [PMID: 37680466 PMCID: PMC10480782 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), poses a significant threat to global public health security. Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 has developed various strategies to inhibit the production of interferon (IFN). Here, we have discovered that SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 obviously reduces the expression of IFN-β and IFN-stimulated genes (ISG56, CXCL10), and also inhibits IRF3 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation by antagonizing the RLR-mediated antiviral signaling pathway. Mechanically, we found that the poly-U-specific endonuclease domain (EndoU) of Nsp15 directly associates with the kinase domain (KD) of TBK1 to interfere TBK1 interacting with IRF3 and the flowing TBK1-mediated IRF3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, Nsp15 also prevented nuclear translocation of phosphorylated IRF3 via binding to the nuclear import adaptor karyopherin α1 (KPNA1) and promoting it autophagy-dependent degradation. These findings collectively reveal a novel mechanism by which Nsp15 antagonizes host's innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dianqi Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory Center, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Yixing Hospital of Jiangsu University, Yixing, Jiangsu 214221, China
| | - Likai Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xu Chen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Jiangsu Provincial Corps Hospital of Chinese People’s Armed Police Force, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225003, China
| | - Yumin He
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
- Medical Research Center, Northern Jiangsu People’s Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu 225001, China
| | - Yijie Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Li Ji
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Tiancheng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Quan Shen
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Xiaochun Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Yan Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Shixing Yang
- Clinical Laboratory Center, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- Clinical Laboratory Center, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Science and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu 212013, China
| | - Chenglin Zhou
- Clinical Laboratory Center, The Affiliated Taizhou People’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Taizhou 225300, China
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25
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Mihalič F, Benz C, Kassa E, Lindqvist R, Simonetti L, Inturi R, Aronsson H, Andersson E, Chi CN, Davey NE, Överby AK, Jemth P, Ivarsson Y. Identification of motif-based interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein domains and human peptide ligands pinpoint antiviral targets. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5636. [PMID: 37704626 PMCID: PMC10499821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41312-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The virus life cycle depends on host-virus protein-protein interactions, which often involve a disordered protein region binding to a folded protein domain. Here, we used proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD) to identify peptides from the intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome that bind to folded protein domains encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Eleven folded domains of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were found to bind 281 peptides from human proteins, and affinities of 31 interactions involving eight SARS-CoV-2 protein domains were determined (KD ∼ 7-300 μM). Key specificity residues of the peptides were established for six of the interactions. Two of the peptides, binding Nsp9 and Nsp16, respectively, inhibited viral replication. Our findings demonstrate how high-throughput peptide binding screens simultaneously identify potential host-virus interactions and peptides with antiviral properties. Furthermore, the high number of low-affinity interactions suggest that overexpression of viral proteins during infection may perturb multiple cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Mihalič
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Benz
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eszter Kassa
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Leandro Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Raviteja Inturi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Aronsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Celestine N Chi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Norman E Davey
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Jemth
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
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26
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Sharma A, Kaur M, Yadav P, Singh G, Barnwal RP. Expediting the drug discovery for ideal leads against SARS-CoV-2 via molecular docking of repurposed drugs. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:7949-7965. [PMID: 36165445 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2127903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus spreading worldwide urges the need to repurpose drugs that can quickly enter clinical trials to combat the on-going global pandemic. A cluster of proteins are encoded for by the viral genome, each assuming a critical role in pathogen endurance inside the host. To handle the adverse circumstances, robust virtual strategies such as repurposing are coming to the fore due to being economical, efficient and rapid. Five FDA approved repurposed drugs proposed to act as inhibitors by targeting SARS-CoV-2 were used for initial evaluation via molecular docking. Moreover, a comparative analysis of the selected SARS-CoV-2 proteins against five ligands (Clemizole hydrochloride, Exemestane, Nafamostat, Pregnenolone and Umifenovir) was designed. In this regard, non-structural proteins (nsp3, nsp5, nsp10, nsp12 and nsp15), structural proteins (Spike, Nucleocapsid protein) and accessory proteins (ORF 3a, ORF 7a and ORF 9 b) were selected. Here, we aim to expedite the search for a potential drug from the five FDA approved repurposing drugs already in use for treatment of multiple diseases. Based on docking analysis, Umifenovir and Pregnenolone are suggested to show potential inhibitory effects against most of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins. These drugs are noteworthy since they exhibit high binding towards target proteins and should be used as lead compounds towards in vitro and in vivo studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akanksha Sharma
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
- University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Mandeep Kaur
- Department of Biophysics, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Priya Yadav
- Transcription Regulation Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), New Delhi, India
| | - Gurpal Singh
- University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
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27
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Salukhe I, Choi R, Van Voorhis W, Barrett L, Hyde J. Regulation of coronavirus nsp15 cleavage specificity by RNA structure. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0290675. [PMID: 37616296 PMCID: PMC10449227 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290675] [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: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, the etiologic agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, has had an enduring impact on global public health. However, SARS-CoV-2 is only one of multiple pathogenic human coronaviruses (CoVs) to have emerged since the turn of the century. CoVs encode for several nonstructural proteins (nsps) that are essential for viral replication and pathogenesis. Among them is nsp15, a uridine-specific viral endonuclease that is important in evading the host immune response and promoting viral replication. Despite the established endonuclease function of nsp15, little is known about other determinants of its cleavage specificity. In this study we investigate the role of RNA secondary structure in SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 endonuclease activity. Using a series of in vitro endonuclease assays, we observed that thermodynamically stable RNA structures were protected from nsp15 cleavage relative to RNAs lacking stable structure. We leveraged the s2m RNA from the SARS-CoV-1 3'UTR as a model for our structural studies as it adopts a well-defined structure with several uridines, two of which are unpaired and thus highly probable targets for nsp15 cleavage. We found that SARS-CoV-2 nsp15 specifically cleaves s2m at the unpaired uridine within the GNRNA pentaloop of the RNA. Further investigation revealed that the position of uridine within the pentaloop also impacted nsp15 cleavage efficiency suggesting that positioning within the pentaloop is necessary for optimal presentation of the scissile uridine and alignment within the nsp15 catalytic pocket. Our findings indicate that RNA secondary structure is an important determinant of nsp15 cleavage and provides insight into the molecular mechanisms of RNA recognition by nsp15.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indraneel Salukhe
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Ryan Choi
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Wesley Van Voorhis
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Lynn Barrett
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Diseases (CERID), University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | - Jennifer Hyde
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States of America
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28
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Tam D, Lorenzo-Leal AC, Hernández LR, Bach H. Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Non-Structural Proteins. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13002. [PMID: 37629182 PMCID: PMC10455537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241613002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped respiratory β coronavirus that causes coronavirus disease (COVID-19), leading to a deadly pandemic that has claimed millions of lives worldwide. Like other coronaviruses, the SARS-CoV-2 genome also codes for non-structural proteins (NSPs). These NSPs are found within open reading frame 1a (ORF1a) and open reading frame 1ab (ORF1ab) of the SARS-CoV-2 genome and encode NSP1 to NSP11 and NSP12 to NSP16, respectively. This study aimed to collect the available literature regarding NSP inhibitors. In addition, we searched the natural product database looking for similar structures. The results showed that similar structures could be tested as potential inhibitors of the NSPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald Tam
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada; (D.T.); (A.C.L.-L.)
| | - Ana C. Lorenzo-Leal
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada; (D.T.); (A.C.L.-L.)
| | - Luis Ricardo Hernández
- Laboratorio de Investigación Fitoquímica, Departamento de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad de las Américas Puebla, Ex Hacienda Sta. Catarina Mártir S/N, San Andrés Cholula 72810, Mexico;
| | - Horacio Bach
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 2660 Oak Street, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada; (D.T.); (A.C.L.-L.)
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29
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von Delft A, Hall MD, Kwong AD, Purcell LA, Saikatendu KS, Schmitz U, Tallarico JA, Lee AA. Accelerating antiviral drug discovery: lessons from COVID-19. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:585-603. [PMID: 37173515 PMCID: PMC10176316 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00692-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, a wave of rapid and collaborative drug discovery efforts took place in academia and industry, culminating in several therapeutics being discovered, approved and deployed in a 2-year time frame. This article summarizes the collective experience of several pharmaceutical companies and academic collaborations that were active in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antiviral discovery. We outline our opinions and experiences on key stages in the small-molecule drug discovery process: target selection, medicinal chemistry, antiviral assays, animal efficacy and attempts to pre-empt resistance. We propose strategies that could accelerate future efforts and argue that a key bottleneck is the lack of quality chemical probes around understudied viral targets, which would serve as a starting point for drug discovery. Considering the small size of the viral proteome, comprehensively building an arsenal of probes for proteins in viruses of pandemic concern is a worthwhile and tractable challenge for the community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annette von Delft
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
- Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
| | - Matthew D Hall
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Alpha A Lee
- PostEra, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
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30
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Senthilazhagan K, Sakthimani S, Kallanja D, Venkataraman S. SARS-CoV-2: analysis of the effects of mutations in non-structural proteins. Arch Virol 2023; 168:186. [PMID: 37344726 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-023-05818-2] [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: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
A worldwide pandemic that started in China in late 2019 was caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the family Coronaviridae. Due to its structural variability and mutability, this virus continues to evolve and pose a major health threat around the world. Its characteristics, such as transmissibility, antigenicity, and resistance to drugs and vaccines, are continually altered through mutations. Examining mutational hotspots and their structural repercussions can thus aid in the development of more-effective vaccinations and treatment plans. In this study, we used full genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 variants to predict structural changes in viral proteins. These sequences were obtained from the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID), and a set of significant mutations were identified in each of the non-structural proteins (NSP1-16) and structural proteins, including the envelope, nucleocapsid, membrane, and spike proteins. The mutations were characterized as stabilizing or destabilizing based on their effect on protein dynamics and stability, and their impact on structure and function was evaluated. Among all of the proteins, NSP6 stands out as especially variable. The results of this study augment our understanding of how mutational events influence virus pathogenicity and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavya Senthilazhagan
- Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, 600025, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nādu, India
| | - Seshagiri Sakthimani
- Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, 600025, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nādu, India
| | - Deepthi Kallanja
- Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, 600025, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nādu, India
| | - Sangita Venkataraman
- Department of Biotechnology, Anna University, 600025, Guindy, Chennai, Tamil Nādu, India.
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31
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Godoy AS, Nakamura AM, Douangamath A, Song Y, Noske GD, Gawriljuk VO, Fernandes RS, Pereira H, Oliveira K, Fearon D, Dias A, Krojer T, Fairhead M, Powell A, Dunnet L, Brandao-Neto J, Skyner R, Chalk R, Bajusz D, Bege M, Borbás A, Keserű GM, von Delft F, Oliva G. Allosteric regulation and crystallographic fragment screening of SARS-CoV-2 NSP15 endoribonuclease. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:5255-5270. [PMID: 37115000 PMCID: PMC10250223 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The NSP15 endoribonuclease enzyme, known as NendoU, is highly conserved and plays a critical role in the ability of the virus to evade the immune system. NendoU is a promising target for the development of new antiviral drugs. However, the complexity of the enzyme's structure and kinetics, along with the broad range of recognition sequences and lack of structural complexes, hampers the development of inhibitors. Here, we performed enzymatic characterization of NendoU in its monomeric and hexameric form, showing that hexamers are allosteric enzymes with a positive cooperative index, and with no influence of manganese on enzymatic activity. Through combining cryo-electron microscopy at different pHs, X-ray crystallography and biochemical and structural analysis, we showed that NendoU can shift between open and closed forms, which probably correspond to active and inactive states, respectively. We also explored the possibility of NendoU assembling into larger supramolecular structures and proposed a mechanism for allosteric regulation. In addition, we conducted a large fragment screening campaign against NendoU and identified several new allosteric sites that could be targeted for the development of new inhibitors. Overall, our findings provide insights into the complex structure and function of NendoU and offer new opportunities for the development of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andre Schutzer Godoy
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Aline Minalli Nakamura
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Alice Douangamath
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Yun Song
- Electron Bio-imaging Centre, Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
| | - Gabriela Dias Noske
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Victor Oliveira Gawriljuk
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Sachetto Fernandes
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Humberto D Muniz Pereira
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Ketllyn Irene Zagato Oliveira
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Daren Fearon
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Alexandre Dias
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Tobias Krojer
- BioMAX, MAX IV Laboratory, Fotongatan 2, Lund 224 84, Sweden
| | - Michael Fairhead
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Alisa Powell
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Louise Dunnet
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Jose Brandao-Neto
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Rachael Skyner
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
| | - Rod Chalk
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Dávid Bajusz
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Miklós Bege
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- MTA-DE Molecular Recognition and Interaction Research Group, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Anikó Borbás
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Debrecen, Egyetem tér 1, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary
- National Laboratory of Virology, University of Pécs, Ifjúság útja 20, H-7624 Pécs, Hungary
| | - György Miklós Keserű
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, 1117 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Frank von Delft
- Diamond Light Source Ltd, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, UK
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, UK
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, PO Box 524, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Glaucius Oliva
- Sao Carlos Institute of Physics, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Joao Dagnone, 1100 - Jardim Santa Angelina, Sao Carlos, 13563-120, Brazil
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Li G, Hilgenfeld R, Whitley R, De Clercq E. Therapeutic strategies for COVID-19: progress and lessons learned. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:449-475. [PMID: 37076602 PMCID: PMC10113999 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00672-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 183] [Impact Index Per Article: 183.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has stimulated tremendous efforts to develop therapeutic strategies that target severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and/or human proteins to control viral infection, encompassing hundreds of potential drugs and thousands of patients in clinical trials. So far, a few small-molecule antiviral drugs (nirmatrelvir-ritonavir, remdesivir and molnupiravir) and 11 monoclonal antibodies have been marketed for the treatment of COVID-19, mostly requiring administration within 10 days of symptom onset. In addition, hospitalized patients with severe or critical COVID-19 may benefit from treatment with previously approved immunomodulatory drugs, including glucocorticoids such as dexamethasone, cytokine antagonists such as tocilizumab and Janus kinase inhibitors such as baricitinib. Here, we summarize progress with COVID-19 drug discovery, based on accumulated findings since the pandemic began and a comprehensive list of clinical and preclinical inhibitors with anti-coronavirus activities. We also discuss the lessons learned from COVID-19 and other infectious diseases with regard to drug repurposing strategies, pan-coronavirus drug targets, in vitro assays and animal models, and platform trial design for the development of therapeutics to tackle COVID-19, long COVID and pathogenic coronaviruses in future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangdi Li
- Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University; Hunan Children's Hospital, Changsha, China.
| | - Rolf Hilgenfeld
- Institute of Molecular Medicine & German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany.
| | - Richard Whitley
- Department of Paediatrics, Microbiology, Medicine and Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| | - Erik De Clercq
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
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Fan S, Wang H, Wu D, Liu L. Pharmaceutical approaches for COVID-19: An update on current therapeutic opportunities. ACTA PHARMACEUTICA (ZAGREB, CROATIA) 2023; 73:157-173. [PMID: 37307372 DOI: 10.2478/acph-2023-0014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a newly discovered coronavirus, has been linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently an important public health issue. Despite all the work done to date around the world, there is still no viable treatment for COVID-19. This study examined the most recent evidence on the efficacy and safety of several therapeutic options available including natural substances, synthetic drugs and vaccines in the treatment of COVID-19. Various natural compounds such as sarsapogenin, lycorine, biscoclaurine, vitamin B12, glycyrrhizic acid, riboflavin, resveratrol and kaempferol, various vaccines and drugs such as AZD1222, mRNA-1273, BNT162b2, Sputnik V, and remdesivir, lopinavir, favipiravir, darunavir, oseltamivir, and umifenovir, resp., have been discussed comprehensively. We attempted to provide exhaustive information regarding the various prospective therapeutic approaches available in order to assist researchers and physicians in treating COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sijia Fan
- 1Department of Intensive Care Unit, South China Hospital, Health Science Center Shenzhen University Guangdong, Shenzhen 518116, P. R. China
| | - Hongling Wang
- 2Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery 940th Hospital of Joint Logistic Support Force of PLA, Lanzhou, Gansu, 730050, P. R. China
| | - Dean Wu
- 3Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Third People's Hospital of Gansu Province Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730050, P. R. China
| | - Lu Liu
- 4The First Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang Liaoning, 110032, P. R. China
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Kakavandi S, Zare I, VaezJalali M, Dadashi M, Azarian M, Akbari A, Ramezani Farani M, Zalpoor H, Hajikhani B. Structural and non-structural proteins in SARS-CoV-2: potential aspects to COVID-19 treatment or prevention of progression of related diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:110. [PMID: 37189112 PMCID: PMC10183699 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01104-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by a new member of the Coronaviridae family known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There are structural and non-structural proteins (NSPs) in the genome of this virus. S, M, H, and E proteins are structural proteins, and NSPs include accessory and replicase proteins. The structural and NSP components of SARS-CoV-2 play an important role in its infectivity, and some of them may be important in the pathogenesis of chronic diseases, including cancer, coagulation disorders, neurodegenerative disorders, and cardiovascular diseases. The SARS-CoV-2 proteins interact with targets such as angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. In addition, SARS-CoV-2 can stimulate pathological intracellular signaling pathways by triggering transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), neuropilin-1 (NRP-1), CD147, and Eph receptors, which play important roles in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis, and multiple cancers such as glioblastoma, lung malignancies, and leukemias. Several compounds such as polyphenols, doxazosin, baricitinib, and ruxolitinib could inhibit these interactions. It has been demonstrated that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has a stronger affinity for human ACE2 than the spike protein of SARS-CoV, leading the current study to hypothesize that the newly produced variant Omicron receptor-binding domain (RBD) binds to human ACE2 more strongly than the primary strain. SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) viruses against structural and NSPs have become resistant to previous vaccines. Therefore, the review of recent studies and the performance of current vaccines and their effects on COVID-19 and related diseases has become a vital need to deal with the current conditions. This review examines the potential role of these SARS-CoV-2 proteins in the initiation of chronic diseases, and it is anticipated that these proteins could serve as components of an effective vaccine or treatment for COVID-19 and related diseases. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sareh Kakavandi
- Department of Bacteriology and Virology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
| | - Iman Zare
- Research and Development Department, Sina Medical Biochemistry Technologies Co. Ltd., Shiraz, 7178795844, Iran
| | - Maryam VaezJalali
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Masoud Dadashi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
- Non-Communicable Diseases Research Center, Alborz University of Medical Sciences, Karaj, Iran
| | - Maryam Azarian
- Department of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Abdullatif Akbari
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
| | - Marzieh Ramezani Farani
- Department of Biological Sciences and Bioengineering, Nano Bio High-Tech Materials Research Center, Inha University, Incheon, 22212, Republic of Korea
| | - Hamidreza Zalpoor
- Shiraz Neuroscience Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran.
- Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran.
| | - Bahareh Hajikhani
- Department of Microbiology, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Patel S, Hasan H, Umraliya D, Sanapalli BKR, Yele V. Marine drugs as putative inhibitors against non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2: an in silico study. J Mol Model 2023; 29:176. [PMID: 37171714 PMCID: PMC10176293 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05574-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an unprecedented pandemic, threatening human health worldwide. The need to produce novel small-molecule inhibitors against the ongoing pandemic has resulted in the use of drugs such as chloroquine, azithromycin, dexamethasone, favipiravir, ribavirin, remdesivir and azithromycin. Moreover, the reports of the clinical trials of these drugs proved to produce detrimental effects on patients with side effects like nephrotoxicity, retinopathy, cardiotoxicity and cardiomyopathy. Recognizing the need for effective and non-harmful therapeutic candidates to combat COVID-19, we aimed to develop promising drugs against SARS-COV-2. DISCUSSION In the current investigation, high-throughput virtual screening was performed using the Comprehensive Marine Natural Products Database against five non-structural proteins: Nsp3, Nsp5, Nsp12, Nsp13 and Nsp15. Furthermore, standard precision (SP) docking, extra precision (XP) docking, binding free energy calculation and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity studies were performed using the Schrӧdinger suite. The top-ranked 5 hits obtained by computational studies exhibited to possess a greater binding affinity with the selected non-structural proteins. Amongst the five hits, CMNPD5804, CMNPD20924 and CMNPD1598 hits were utilized to design a novel molecule (D) that has the capability of interacting with all the key residues in the pocket of the selected non-structural proteins. Furthermore, 200 ns of molecular dynamics simulation studies provided insight into the binding modes of D within the catalytic pocket of selected proteins. CONCLUSION Hence, it is concluded that compound D could be a promising inhibitor against these non-structural proteins. Nevertheless, there is still a need to conduct in vitro and in vivo studies to support our findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simran Patel
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India
| | - Haydara Hasan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India
| | - Divyesh Umraliya
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India
| | - Bharat Kumar Reddy Sanapalli
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India.
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MB University, Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, 517102, India.
| | - Vidyasrilekha Yele
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Marwadi University, Rajkot, Gujarat, 360003, India.
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Huang T, Snell KC, Kalia N, Gardezi S, Guo L, Harris ME. Kinetic analysis of RNA cleavage by coronavirus Nsp15 endonuclease: Evidence for acid base catalysis and substrate dependent metal ion activation. J Biol Chem 2023:104787. [PMID: 37149147 PMCID: PMC10158045 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104787] [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: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the functional properties of SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins is essential for defining their roles in the viral life cycle, developing improved therapeutics and diagnostics, and countering future variants. Coronavirus nonstructural protein Nsp15 is a hexameric U-specific endonuclease whose functions, substrate specificity, mechanism, and dynamics have not been fully defined. Previous studies report SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 requires Mn2+ ions for optimal activity; however, the effects of divalent ions on Nsp15 reaction kinetics have not been investigated in detail. Here, we analyzed the single and multiple turnover kinetics for model single-stranded RNA substrates. Our data confirm that divalent ions are dispensable for catalysis and show that Mn2+ activates Nsp15 cleavage of two different ssRNA oligonucleotide substrates, but not a dinucleotide. Furthermore, biphasic kinetics of ssRNA substrates demonstrates that Mn2+ stabilizes alternative enzyme states that have faster substrate cleavage on the enzyme. However, we did not detect Mn2+-induced conformational changes using CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. The pH-rate profiles in the presence and absence of Mn2+ are consistent with active site ionizable groups with similar pKas of ca. 4.8-5.2. We found the Rp stereoisomer phosphorothioate modification at the scissile phosphate had minimal effect on catalysis, which supports a mechanism involving an anionic transition state. In contrast, the Sp stereoisomer is inactive due to weak binding, consistent with models that position the non-bridging phosphoryl oxygen deep in the active site. Together, these kinetic data demonstrate that Nsp15 employs a conventional acid-base catalytic mechanism passing through an anionic transition state, and that divalent ion activation is substrate-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Kimberly C Snell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Nidhi Kalia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Shahbaz Gardezi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Lily Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Michael E Harris
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
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Rogers DM, Agarwal R, Vermaas JV, Smith MD, Rajeshwar RT, Cooper C, Sedova A, Boehm S, Baker M, Glaser J, Smith JC. SARS-CoV2 billion-compound docking. Sci Data 2023; 10:173. [PMID: 36977690 PMCID: PMC10044124 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-01984-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
This dataset contains ligand conformations and docking scores for 1.4 billion molecules docked against 6 structural targets from SARS-CoV2, representing 5 unique proteins: MPro, NSP15, PLPro, RDRP, and the Spike protein. Docking was carried out using the AutoDock-GPU platform on the Summit supercomputer and Google Cloud. The docking procedure employed the Solis Wets search method to generate 20 independent ligand binding poses per compound. Each compound geometry was scored using the AutoDock free energy estimate, and rescored using RFScore v3 and DUD-E machine-learned rescoring models. Input protein structures are included, suitable for use by AutoDock-GPU and other docking programs. As the result of an exceptionally large docking campaign, this dataset represents a valuable resource for discovering trends across small molecule and protein binding sites, training AI models, and comparing to inhibitor compounds targeting SARS-CoV-2. The work also gives an example of how to organize and process data from ultra-large docking screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Rogers
- Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - Rupesh Agarwal
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Josh V Vermaas
- Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Micholas Dean Smith
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Rajitha T Rajeshwar
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
| | - Connor Cooper
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- Biological Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Ada Sedova
- Biological Sciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Swen Boehm
- Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Matthew Baker
- Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Jens Glaser
- Computing and Computational Sciences Directorate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Jeremy C Smith
- UT/ORNL Center for Molecular Biophysics, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA.
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Kandwal S, Fayne D. Genetic conservation across SARS-CoV-2 non-structural proteins - Insights into possible targets for treatment of future viral outbreaks. Virology 2023; 581:97-115. [PMID: 36940641 PMCID: PMC9999249 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2023.02.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
The majority of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic development work has focussed on targeting the spike protein, viral polymerase and proteases. As the pandemic progressed, many studies reported that these proteins are prone to high levels of mutation and can become drug resistant. Thus, it is necessary to not only target other viral proteins such as the non-structural proteins (NSPs) but to also target the most conserved residues of these proteins. In order to understand the level of conservation among these viruses, in this review, we have focussed on the conservation across RNA viruses, conservation across the coronaviruses and then narrowed our focus to conservation of NSPs across coronaviruses. We have also discussed the various treatment options for SARS-CoV-2 infection. A synergistic melding of bioinformatics, computer-aided drug-design and in vitro/vivo studies can feed into better understanding of the virus and therefore help in the development of small molecule inhibitors against the viral proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shubhangi Kandwal
- Molecular Design Group, School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, 2, Ireland
| | - Darren Fayne
- Molecular Design Group, School of Biochemistry & Immunology, Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Pearse Street, Dublin, 2, Ireland.
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Gao Y, Thorn V, Thorn A. Errors in structural biology are not the exception. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2023; 79:206-211. [PMID: 36876430 PMCID: PMC9986796 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322011901] [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: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the structural biology community swung into action quickly and efficiently, and many urgent questions were solved by macromolecular structure determination. The Coronavirus Structural Task Force evaluated all structures from SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, but errors in measurement, data processing and modelling are present beyond these structures and throughout the structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Identifying them is only the first step; in order to minimize the impact that errors have in structural biology, error culture needs to change. It should be emphasized that the atomic model which is published is an interpretation of the measurement. Furthermore, risks should be minimized by addressing issues early and by investigating the source of a given problem, so that it may be avoided in the future. If we as a community can do this, it will greatly benefit experimental structural biologists as well as downstream users who are using structural models to deduce new biological and medical answers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunyun Gao
- Insitut für Nanostruktur und Festkörperphysik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
| | | | - Andrea Thorn
- Insitut für Nanostruktur und Festkörperphysik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, 22761 Hamburg, Germany
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40
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Lessons Learnt from COVID-19: Computational Strategies for Facing Present and Future Pandemics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054401. [PMID: 36901832 PMCID: PMC10003049 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054401] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its outbreak in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the death of more than 6.5 million people around the world. The high transmissibility of its causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, coupled with its potentially lethal outcome, provoked a profound global economic and social crisis. The urgency of finding suitable pharmacological tools to tame the pandemic shed light on the ever-increasing importance of computer simulations in rationalizing and speeding up the design of new drugs, further stressing the need for developing quick and reliable methods to identify novel active molecules and characterize their mechanism of action. In the present work, we aim at providing the reader with a general overview of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing the hallmarks in its management, from the initial attempts at drug repurposing to the commercialization of Paxlovid, the first orally available COVID-19 drug. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the role of computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) techniques, especially those that fall in the structure-based drug design (SBDD) category, in facing present and future pandemics, by showcasing several successful examples of drug discovery campaigns where commonly used methods such as docking and molecular dynamics have been employed in the rational design of effective therapeutic entities against COVID-19.
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41
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Gurjar V, Iqra Kamil S, Chandra A, Qamar I, Singh N. Drugs swapping in coronavirus strains: a structural biology view. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:13488-13495. [PMID: 36744537 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2175037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus belongs to the coronaviridae family, having a single-stranded RNA as genetic material of 26-42 kb in size. The first coronavirus infection emerged in 2002, caused by SARS-CoV1. Since then, genome sequences and three-dimensional structures of crucial proteins and enzymes of the virus have been studied in detail. The novel coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak has caused the COVID19 pandemic, which is responsible for the deaths of millions of people worldwide. The nCoV was later renamed as SARS-CoV2. The details of most of the COV proteins are available at the atomic and molecular levels. The entire genome is made up of 12 open reading frames that code for 27 different proteins. The spike surface glycoprotein, the envelope protein, the nucleocapsid protein, and the membrane protein are the four structural proteins which are required for virus attachment, entrance, assembly, and pathogenicity. The remaining proteins encoded are called non-structural (NSPs) and support the survival of the virus. Several non-structural proteins are also validated targets for drug development against coronavirus and are being used for drug design purposes. To perform a comparative study, sequences and three-dimensional structures of four crucial viral enzymes, Mpro, PLpro, RdRp, and EndoU from SARS-CoV1 and SARS-CoV2 variants were analyzed. The key structural elements and ligands recognizing amino acid residues were found to be similar in enzymes from both strains. The significant sequences and structural resemblance also suggest that a drug developed either for SARS-CoV1 or SARS-CoV2 using these enzymes may also have the potential to cross-react.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaishali Gurjar
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Saiyada Iqra Kamil
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Anshuman Chandra
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Imteyaz Qamar
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Nagendra Singh
- School of Biotechnology, Gautam Buddha University, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, India
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42
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Jernigan RJ, Logeswaran D, Doppler D, Nagaratnam N, Sonker M, Yang JH, Ketawala G, Martin-Garcia JM, Shelby ML, Grant TD, Mariani V, Tolstikova A, Sheikh MZ, Yung MC, Coleman MA, Zaare S, Kaschner EK, Rabbani MT, Nazari R, Zacks MA, Hayes B, Sierra RG, Hunter MS, Lisova S, Batyuk A, Kupitz C, Boutet S, Hansen DT, Kirian RA, Schmidt M, Fromme R, Frank M, Ros A, Chen JJL, Botha S, Fromme P. Room-temperature structural studies of SARS-CoV-2 protein NendoU with an X-ray free-electron laser. Structure 2023; 31:138-151.e5. [PMID: 36630960 PMCID: PMC9830665 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2022.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
NendoU from SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the virus's ability to evade the innate immune system by cleaving the polyuridine leader sequence of antisense viral RNA. Here we report the room-temperature structure of NendoU, solved by serial femtosecond crystallography at an X-ray free-electron laser to 2.6 Å resolution. The room-temperature structure provides insight into the flexibility, dynamics, and other intrinsic properties of NendoU, with indications that the enzyme functions as an allosteric switch. Functional studies examining cleavage specificity in solution and in crystals support the uridine-purine cleavage preference, and we demonstrate that enzyme activity is fully maintained in crystal form. Optimizing the purification of NendoU and identifying suitable crystallization conditions set the benchmark for future time-resolved serial femtosecond crystallography studies. This could advance the design of antivirals with higher efficacy in treating coronaviral infections, since drugs that block allosteric conformational changes are less prone to drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Jernigan
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Dhenugen Logeswaran
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Diandra Doppler
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Nirupa Nagaratnam
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Mukul Sonker
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Jay-How Yang
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Gihan Ketawala
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Jose M Martin-Garcia
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Megan L Shelby
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Thomas D Grant
- Department of Structural Biology, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, SUNY University at Buffalo, 955 Main Street, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
| | - Valerio Mariani
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | | | - Michelle Z Sheikh
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Mimi Cho Yung
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Matthew A Coleman
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Sahba Zaare
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; Fulton School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504, USA
| | - Emily K Kaschner
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Mohammad Towshif Rabbani
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Reza Nazari
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Michele A Zacks
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Brandon Hayes
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Raymond G Sierra
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Mark S Hunter
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Stella Lisova
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Alexander Batyuk
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Christopher Kupitz
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Sebastien Boutet
- Linac Coherent Light Source, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
| | - Debra T Hansen
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA
| | - Richard A Kirian
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504, USA
| | - Marius Schmidt
- Department of Physics, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 3135 N. Maryland Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Raimund Fromme
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Matthias Frank
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, 7000 East Avenue, Livermore, CA 94550, USA
| | - Alexandra Ros
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Julian J-L Chen
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA
| | - Sabine Botha
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504, USA.
| | - Petra Fromme
- Biodesign Center for Applied Structural Discovery, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-5001, USA; School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1604, USA.
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Panda SK, Gupta PSS, Rana MK. Potential targets of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 of clinical drug fluvoxamine: Docking and molecular dynamics studies to elucidate viral action. Cell Biochem Funct 2023; 41:98-111. [PMID: 36478589 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3766] [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: 09/27/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has continued evolving for survival and adaptation by mutating itself into different variants of concern, including omicron. Several studies and clinical trials found fluvoxamine, an Food and Drug Administration-approved antidepressant drug, to be effective at preventing mild coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) from progressing to severe diseases. However, the mechanism of fluvoxamine's direct antiviral action against COVID-19 is still unknown. Fluvoxamine was docked with 11 SARS-CoV-2 targets and subjected to stability, conformational changes, and binding free energy analyses to explore its mode of action. Of the targets, nonstructural protein 14 (NSP14), main protease (Mpro), and papain-like protease (PLpro) had the best docking scores with fluvoxamine. Consistent with the docking results, it was confirmed by molecular dynamics simulations that the NSP14 N7-MTase ((N7-guanine)-methyltransferase)-fluvoxamine, Mpro-fluvoxamine, and PLpro-fluvoxamine complexes are stable, with the lowest binding free energies of -105.1, -82.7, and - 38.5 kJ/mol, respectively. A number of hotspot residues involved in the interaction were also identified. These include Glu166, Asp187, His41, and Cys145 in Mpro, Gly163 and Arg166 in PLpro, and Glu302, Gly333, and Phe426 in NSP14, which could aid in the development of better antivirals against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saroj Kumar Panda
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Odisha, India
| | - Parth Sarthi Sen Gupta
- School of Biosciences and Bioengineering, D. Y. Patil International University (DYPIU), Akurdi, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Malay Kumar Rana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Berhampur, Odisha, India
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Snoussi M, Redissi A, Mosbah A, De Feo V, Adnan M, Aouadi K, Alreshidi M, Patel M, Kadri A, Noumi E. Emetine, a potent alkaloid for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 targeting papain-like protease and non-structural proteins: pharmacokinetics, molecular docking and dynamic studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10122-10135. [PMID: 34254564 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1946715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The main objective of this study is to find out the anti-SARS-CoV-2 potential of emetine by using molecular docking and dynamic simulation approaches. Interestingly, molecular docking studies suggest that Emetine showed significant binding affinity toward Nsp15 (-10.8 kcal/mol) followed by Nsp12 (-9.5 kcal/mol), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, RdRp (-9.5 kcal/mol), Nsp16 (-9.4 kcal/mol), Nsp10 (-9.2 kcal/mol), Papain-like protein (-9.0 kcal/mol), Nsp13 (-9.0 kcal/mol), Nsp14 (-8.9 kcal/mol) and Spike Protein Receptor Domain (-8.8 kcal/mol) and chymotrypsin-like protease, 3CLpro (-8.5 kcal/mol), respectively, which are essential for viral infection and replication. In addition, molecular dynamic simulation (MD) was also performed for 140 ns to explore the stability behavior of the main targets and inhibitor complexes as well as the binding mechanics of the ligand to the target proteins. The obtained MD results followed by absolute binding energy calculation confirm that the binding of emetine at the level of the various receptors is more stable. The complex EmetineNSP15, mechanistically was stabilized as follows: Emetine first binds to the monomer, after, binds to the second inducing the formation of a dimer which in turn leading to the formation of complex that simulation stabilizes it at a value less than 5 Å. Overall, supported by the powerful and good pharmacokinetic data of Emetine, our findings with clinical trials may be helpful to confirm that Emetine could be promoted in the prevention and eradication of COVID-19 by reducing the severity in the infected persons and therefore can open possible new strategies for drug repositioning. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mejdi Snoussi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia.,Laboratory of Genetics, Biodiversity and Valorization of Bio-resources, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Alaeddine Redissi
- ISBST, BVBGR-LR11ES31, Biotechpole Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Amor Mosbah
- ISBST, BVBGR-LR11ES31, Biotechpole Sidi Thabet, University of Manouba, Ariana, Tunisia
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Mohd Adnan
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kaïss Aouadi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia.,Faculty of Science of Monastir, Laboratory of Hetrocyclic Chemistry, Natural Products and Reactivity, University of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
| | - Mousa Alreshidi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mitesh Patel
- Bapalal Vaidya Botanical Research Centre, Department of Biosciences, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Surat, India
| | - Adel Kadri
- Faculty of Science of Sfax, Department of Chemistry, University of Sfax, Sfax, Tunisia.,Faculty of Science and Arts in Baljurashi, Albaha University, Al Bahah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Emira Noumi
- Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Hail, Ha'il, Saudi Arabia.,Laboratory of Bioresources: Integrative Biology and Valorization, (LR14-ES06), University of Monastir, Higher Institute of Biotechnology of Monastir, Monastir, Tunisia
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45
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Arumugam GS, Damodharan K, Doble M, Thennarasu S. Significant perspectives on various viral infections targeted antiviral drugs and vaccines including COVID-19 pandemicity. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2022; 3:21. [PMID: 35838929 PMCID: PMC9283561 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-022-00078-z] [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] [Received: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
A virus enters a living organism and recruits host metabolism to reproduce its own genome and proteins. The viral infections are intricate and cannot be completely removed through existing antiviral drugs. For example, the herpes, influenza, hepatitis and human immunodeficiency viruses are a few dreadful ones amongst them. Significant studies are needed to understand the viral entry and their growth in host cells to design effective antivirals. This review emphasizes the range of therapeutical antiviral drugs, inhibitors along with vaccines to fight against viral pathogens, especially for combating COVID-19. Moreover, we have provided the basic and in depth information about viral targets, drugs availability, their mechanisms of action, method of prevention of viral diseases and highlighted the significances of anticoagulants, convalescent plasma for COVID-19 treatment, scientific details of airborne transmission, characteristics of antiviral drug delivery using nanoparticles/carriers, nanoemulsions, nanogels, metal based nanoparticles, alike the future nanosystems through nanobubbles, nanofibers, nanodiamonds, nanotraps, nanorobots and eventually, the therapeutic applications of micro- and nanoparticulates, current status for clinical development against COVID-19 together with environmental implications of antivirals, gene therapy etc., which may be useful for repurposing and designing of novel antiviral drugs against various dreadful diseases, especially the SARS-CoV-2 and other associated variants.
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46
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Rani R, Long S, Pareek A, Dhaka P, Singh A, Kumar P, McInerney G, Tomar S. Multi-target direct-acting SARS-CoV-2 antivirals against the nucleotide-binding pockets of virus-specific proteins. Virology 2022; 577:1-15. [PMID: 36244310 PMCID: PMC9539459 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.08.008] [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: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The nucleotide-binding pockets (NBPs) in virus-specific proteins have proven to be the most successful antiviral targets for several viral diseases. Functionally important NBPs are found in various structural and non-structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, the first successful multi-targeting attempt to identify effective antivirals has been made against NBPs in nsp12, nsp13, nsp14, nsp15, nsp16, and nucleocapsid (N) proteins of SARS-CoV-2. A structure-based drug repurposing in silico screening approach with ADME analysis identified small molecules targeting NBPs in SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Further, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments validated the binding of top hit molecules to the purified N-protein. Importantly, cell-based antiviral assays revealed antiviral potency for INCB28060, darglitazone, and columbianadin with EC50 values 15.71 μM, 5.36 μM, and 22.52 μM, respectively. These effective antivirals targeting multiple proteins are envisioned to direct the development of antiviral therapy against SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Rani
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Siwen Long
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Akshay Pareek
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Preeti Dhaka
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ankur Singh
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Pravindra Kumar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Gerald McInerney
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, SE-17177 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shailly Tomar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, Uttarakhand, India.
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Singh R, Bhardwaj VK, Purohit R. Inhibition of nonstructural protein 15 of SARS-CoV-2 by golden spice: A computational insight. Cell Biochem Funct 2022; 40:926-934. [PMID: 36203381 PMCID: PMC9874790 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The quick widespread of the coronavirus and speedy upsurge in the tally of cases demand the fast development of effective drugs. The uridine-directed endoribonuclease activity of nonstructural protein 15 (Nsp15) of the coronavirus is responsible for the invasion of the host immune system. Therefore, developing potential inhibitors against Nsp15 is a promising strategy. In this concern, the in silico approach can play a significant role, as it is fast and cost-effective in comparison to the trial and error approaches of experimental investigations. In this study, six turmeric derivatives (curcuminoids) were chosen for in silico analysis. The molecular interactions, pharmacokinetics, and drug-likeness of all the curcuminoids were measured. Further, the stability of Nsp15-curcuminoids complexes was appraised by employing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and MM-PBSA approaches. All the molecules were affirmed to have strong interactions and pharmacokinetic profile. The MD simulations data stated that the Nsp15-curcuminoids complexes were stable during simulations. All the curcuminoids showed stable and high binding affinity, and these curcuminoids could be admitted as potential modulators for Nsp15 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Singh
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR‐Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR‐IHBT)The Himalayan Centre for High‐throughput Computational Biology (HiCHiCoB, A BIC Supported by DBT)PalampurIndia,Biotechnology divisionCSIR‐IHBTPalampurIndia,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR)GhaziabadIndia
| | - Vijay K. Bhardwaj
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR‐Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR‐IHBT)The Himalayan Centre for High‐throughput Computational Biology (HiCHiCoB, A BIC Supported by DBT)PalampurIndia,Biotechnology divisionCSIR‐IHBTPalampurIndia,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR)GhaziabadIndia
| | - Rituraj Purohit
- Structural Bioinformatics Lab, CSIR‐Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (CSIR‐IHBT)The Himalayan Centre for High‐throughput Computational Biology (HiCHiCoB, A BIC Supported by DBT)PalampurIndia,Biotechnology divisionCSIR‐IHBTPalampurIndia,Academy of Scientific & Innovative Research (AcSIR)GhaziabadIndia
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Portilla-Martínez A, Ortiz-Flores M, Hidalgo I, Gonzalez-Ruiz C, Meaney E, Ceballos G, Nájera N. In silico evaluation of flavonoids as potential inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main nonstructural proteins (Nsps)—amentoflavone as a multitarget candidate. J Mol Model 2022; 28:404. [PMCID: PMC9707096 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05391-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Portilla-Martínez
- Sección de Posgrado, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis Y Diaz Mirón S/N, Col Santo Tomás, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Miguel Ortiz-Flores
- Sección de Posgrado, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis Y Diaz Mirón S/N, Col Santo Tomás, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Isabel Hidalgo
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Inmunología Y Salud Pública, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Unidad de Investigación Multidisciplinaria Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Estado de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Cristian Gonzalez-Ruiz
- Facultad de Estudios Superiores Iztacala, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Eduardo Meaney
- Sección de Posgrado, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis Y Diaz Mirón S/N, Col Santo Tomás, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Guillermo Ceballos
- Sección de Posgrado, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis Y Diaz Mirón S/N, Col Santo Tomás, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Nayelli Nájera
- Sección de Posgrado, Escuela Superior de Medicina, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis Y Diaz Mirón S/N, Col Santo Tomás, 11340 Mexico City, Mexico
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49
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Chauhan S, Saini D, Madan K. Screening of Phytoconstituents from Traditional Plants against SARSCoV-
2 using Molecular Docking Approach. LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180819666220307163058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
The emergence of COVID-19 as a fatal viral disease encourages researchers to
develop effective and efficient therapeutic agents. The intervention of in silico studies has led to revolutionary
changes in the conventional method of testing the bioactivity of plant constituents.
Objective:
The current study deals with the investigation of some traditional immunomodulators of plant
origin to combat this ailment.
Materials and Methods:
A total of 151 phytomolecules of 12 immunomodulatory plants were evaluated
for their inhibitory action against the main protease (PDB ID: 7D1M) and NSP15 endoribonuclease (PDB
ID: 6WLC) by structure-based virtual screening. In addition, the promising molecules with ligand efficiency
of more than -0.3(kcal/mol)/heavy atoms were further predicted for pharmacokinetic properties
and druggability using the SwissADME web server, and their toxicity was also evaluated using Protox-II.
Result:
Myricetin-3-O-arabinofuranoside of cranberry plant was found to be the most potential candidate
against both enzymes: main protease (–14.2 kcal/mol) and NSP15 endoribonuclease (–12.2 kcal/mol).
Conclusion:
The promising outcomes of the current study may be implemented in future drug development
against coronavirus. The findings also help in the development of lead candidates of plant origin
with a better ADMET profile in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilpi Chauhan
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
| | - Deepika Saini
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
| | - Kumud Madan
- Department of Pharmacy, Lloyd Institute of Management and Technology, Plot No.-11, Knowledge Park-I1, Greater
Noida, Uttar Pradesh 201306, India
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50
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Wilson IM, Frazier MN, Li JL, Randall TA, Stanley RE. Biochemical Characterization of Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 Endoribonuclease Variants. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167796. [PMID: 35995266 PMCID: PMC9389836 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Global sequencing efforts from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, continue to provide insight into the evolution of the viral genome. Coronaviruses encode 16 nonstructural proteins, within the first two-thirds of their genome, that facilitate viral replication and transcription as well as evasion of the host immune response. However, many of these viral proteins remain understudied. Nsp15 is a uridine-specific endoribonuclease conserved across all coronaviruses. The nuclease activity of Nsp15 helps the virus evade triggering an innate immune response. Understanding how Nsp15 has changed over the course of the pandemic, and how mutations affect its RNA processing function, will provide insight into the evolution of an oligomerization-dependent endoribonuclease and inform drug design. In combination with previous structural data, bioinformatics analyses of 1.9 + million SARS-CoV-2 sequences revealed mutations across Nsp15's three structured domains (N-terminal, Middle, EndoU). Selected Nsp15 variants were characterized biochemically and compared to wild type Nsp15. We found that mutations to important catalytic residues decreased cleavage activity but increased the hexamer/monomer ratio of the recombinant protein. Many of the highly prevalent variants we analyzed led to decreased nuclease activity as well as an increase in the inactive, monomeric form. Overall, our work establishes how Nsp15 variants seen in patient samples affect nuclease activity and oligomerization, providing insight into the effect of these variants in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isha M Wilson
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA. https://twitter.com/@ishamyana
| | - Meredith N Frazier
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, SC, 29424, USA(†). https://twitter.com/@MNFrazier5
| | - Jian-Liang Li
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Thomas A Randall
- Integrative Bioinformatics Support Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA
| | - Robin E Stanley
- Signal Transduction Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 111 T. W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709, USA.
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