1
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Kapingidza AB, Marston DJ, Harris C, Wrapp D, Winters K, Mielke D, Xiaozhi L, Yin Q, Foulger A, Parks R, Barr M, Newman A, Schäfer A, Eaton A, Flores JM, Harner A, Catanzaro NJ, Mallory ML, Mattocks MD, Beverly C, Rhodes B, Mansouri K, Van Itallie E, Vure P, Dunn B, Keyes T, Stanfield-Oakley S, Woods CW, Petzold EA, Walter EB, Wiehe K, Edwards RJ, Montefiori DC, Ferrari G, Baric R, Cain DW, Saunders KO, Haynes BF, Azoitei ML. Engineered immunogens to elicit antibodies against conserved coronavirus epitopes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7897. [PMID: 38036525 PMCID: PMC10689493 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43638-9] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 primarily target the receptor binding domain of the spike protein, which continually mutates to escape acquired immunity. Other regions in the spike S2 subunit, such as the stem helix and the segment encompassing residues 815-823 adjacent to the fusion peptide, are highly conserved across sarbecoviruses and are recognized by broadly reactive antibodies, providing hope that vaccines targeting these epitopes could offer protection against both current and emergent viruses. Here we employ computational modeling to design scaffolded immunogens that display the spike 815-823 peptide and the stem helix epitopes without the distracting and immunodominant receptor binding domain. These engineered proteins bind with high affinity and specificity to the mature and germline versions of previously identified broadly protective human antibodies. Epitope scaffolds interact with both sera and isolated monoclonal antibodies with broadly reactivity from individuals with pre-existing SARS-CoV-2 immunity. When used as immunogens, epitope scaffolds elicit sera with broad betacoronavirus reactivity and protect as "boosts" against live virus challenge in mice, illustrating their potential as components of a future pancoronavirus vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Brenda Kapingidza
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel J Marston
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Caitlin Harris
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Daniel Wrapp
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Winters
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Dieter Mielke
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Lu Xiaozhi
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Qi Yin
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Andrew Foulger
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Rob Parks
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Maggie Barr
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Amanda Newman
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Alexandra Schäfer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amanda Eaton
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Justine Mae Flores
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Austin Harner
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Nicholas J Catanzaro
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Michael L Mallory
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Melissa D Mattocks
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christopher Beverly
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Brianna Rhodes
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Van Itallie
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Pranay Vure
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Brooke Dunn
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Taylor Keyes
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Christopher W Woods
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Diagnostic Innovation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Petzold
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Diagnostic Innovation, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Emmanuel B Walter
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kevin Wiehe
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Robert J Edwards
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Guido Ferrari
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Center for Human Systems Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ralph Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Derek W Cain
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Kevin O Saunders
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Barton F Haynes
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
- Department of Immunology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Mihai L Azoitei
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
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2
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Castro KM, Scheck A, Xiao S, Correia BE. Computational design of vaccine immunogens. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 78:102821. [PMID: 36279815 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Revised: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Computational protein engineering has enabled the rational design of customized proteins, which has propelled both sequence-based and structure-based immunogen engineering and delivery. By discerning antigenic determinants of viral pathogens, computational methods have been implemented to successfully engineer representative viral strains able to elicit broadly neutralizing responses or present antigenic sites of viruses for focused immune responses. Combined with improvements in customizable nanoparticle design, immunogens are multivalently displayed to enhance immune responses. These rationally designed immunogens offer unique and powerful approaches to engineer vaccines for pathogens, which have eluded traditional approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla M Castro
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Scheck
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Shuhao Xiao
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Bruno E Correia
- Institute of Bioengineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne, Switzerland.
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3
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Qu L, Qiao X, Qi F, Nishida N, Hoshino T. Analysis of Binding Modes of Antigen-Antibody Complexes by Molecular Mechanics Calculation. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:2396-2406. [PMID: 33934602 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Antibodies are one of the most important protein molecules in biopharmaceutics. Due to the recent advance in technology for producing monoclonal antibodies, many structural data are available on the antigen-antibody complexes. To characterize the molecular interaction in antigen-antibody recognition, we computationally analyzed 500 complex structures by molecular mechanics calculations. The presence of Ser and Tyr is markedly large in the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs). Although Ser is abundant in CDRs, its contribution to the binding score is not large. Instead, Tyr, Asp, Glu, and Arg significantly contribute to the molecular interaction from the viewpoint of the binding score. The decomposition of the binding score suggests that the hydrophilic interaction is predominant in all CDRs compared with the hydrophobic one. The contribution of the heavy chain is larger than that of the light chain. In particular, H2 and H3 largely contribute to the binding interaction. Tyr is a main contributing residue both in H2 and H3. The positively charged residue Arg also significantly contributes to the binding score in H3, while the contribution of Lys is small. The appearance of Ser is remarkable in H2, and Asp is abundant in H3. The non-charged polar residues, Thr, Asn, and Gln, appear much in H2, compared to appearing in H3. The negatively charged residues Asp and Glu significantly contribute to the binding score in H3. The contributions of Phe and Trp are not large in spite that the aromatic residues are capable of making the π-π or CH-π interaction. Gly is commonly abundant both in H2 and H3. The average distance of the shortest direct hydrogen bond between the antigen and antibody is longer than that of the hydrogen bonds observed in the complexes between compounds and their target proteins. Therefore, the antigen-antibody interface is not so tight as the compound-target protein interface. The calculation of shape complementarity is consistent with the result of the hydrogen bonds in that the fitness of the antigen-antibody contact is not so high as that of the compound-target protein contact. There exist many water molecules at the antigen-antibody interface. These findings suggest that Tyr, Asp, Glu, and Arg are rich in H3 and work as major contributors for the interaction with the antigen. Ser, Thr, Asn, and Gln are rich in H2 and support the interaction with enhancing molecular fitness. Gly is helpful in increasing flexibility and geometrical diversity. Because the antigen-antibody binding is fundamentally hydrophilic-driven, the non-polar residues are unfavorable for mediating the contact even for the aromatic residues such as Phe and Trp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Qu
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba UniversityRINGGOLD, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Xinyue Qiao
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba UniversityRINGGOLD, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Fei Qi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba UniversityRINGGOLD, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Noritaka Nishida
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba UniversityRINGGOLD, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
| | - Tyuji Hoshino
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chiba UniversityRINGGOLD, Inohana 1-8-1, Chuo-ku, Chiba 260-8675, Japan
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4
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Sunita, Sajid A, Singh Y, Shukla P. Computational tools for modern vaccine development. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2020; 16:723-735. [PMID: 31545127 PMCID: PMC7227725 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2019.1670035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccines play an essential role in controlling the rates of fatality and morbidity. Vaccines not only arrest the beginning of different diseases but also assign a gateway for its elimination and reduce toxicity. This review gives an overview of the possible uses of computational tools for vaccine design. Moreover, we have described the initiatives of utilizing the diverse computational resources by exploring the immunological databases for developing epitope-based vaccines, peptide-based drugs, and other resources of immunotherapeutics. Finally, the applications of multi-graft and multivalent scaffolding, codon optimization and antibodyomics tools in identifying and designing in silico vaccine candidates are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunita
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
- Bacterial Pathogenesis Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yogendra Singh
- Bacterial Pathogenesis Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
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5
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Zhu Y, Du S, Zhang Y, Liu J, Guo Y, Liu C, Bai J, Wang M, Zhao F, Cao T, Xu W, Bai B, Zhang K, Ma Y, Li C, Jin N. SIV-Specific Antibodies are Elicited by a Recombinant Fowlpox Virus Co-expressing SIV Gag and envT. Indian J Microbiol 2018; 58:345-352. [PMID: 30013279 DOI: 10.1007/s12088-018-0728-y] [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: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the failures of past HIV-1 vaccine clinical trials, potential HIV-1 vaccine candidates should be rigorously screened in preclinical models including simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) primate models and small animal models. In this study, we tested the immunogenicity of a recombinant fowlpox virus (rFPV) expressing the SIV gag and SIV envT (rFPVsg-se) proteins in BALB/c mice, to establish a foundation for further development. rFPVsg-se was constructed through homologous recombination techniques and purified through plaque screening assays using enhanced green fluorescent protein as the reporter gene. The integration, transcription, and translation of the SIV genes were measured by PCR (genomic DNA), RT-PCR (RNA), Western-blot, respectively. The levels of SIV-specific antibodies were assessed by ELISA following a single immunization (n = 18/group) or a prime-boost strategy (n = 24/group) with rFPVsg-se and compared to FPV and PBS controls. Residual virus was measured in distant organs following immunization using PCR. SIV-specific IgG titers against gag and gp120 were detected following single vaccination and the prime-boost. As expected the titers were higher following the prime-boost approach. The levels of Gag- and gp120-specific antibodies were significantly higher than controls (p < 0.01) 14 days after the booster immunization. Residual rFPVSg-Se was detected in the muscle at the site of injection, but not in distant organs, from day 1-7 post immunization. In summary, rFPVsg-se induced high levels of SIV-specific antibodies suggesting it may be a viable candidate for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilong Zhu
- 1Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117 People's Republic of China.,3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Shouwen Du
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhang
- 4Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 People's Republic of China
| | - Jingwei Liu
- 4Department of Neurosurgery, First Hospital, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021 People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Guo
- 1Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117 People's Republic of China
| | - Cunxia Liu
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Jieying Bai
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Maopeng Wang
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Fei Zhao
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Cao
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Wang Xu
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Bing Bai
- 1Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117 People's Republic of China.,3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Kelong Zhang
- 3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Yizhen Ma
- 1Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117 People's Republic of China
| | - Chang Li
- Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
| | - Ningyi Jin
- 1Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, 130117 People's Republic of China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, 225009 People's Republic of China.,3Key Laboratory of Jilin Province for Zoonosis Prevention and Control, Institute of Military Veterinary, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Changchun, 130122 People's Republic of China
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6
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Yagi S, Akanuma S, Yamagishi A. Creation of artificial protein-protein interactions using α-helices as interfaces. Biophys Rev 2018; 10:411-420. [PMID: 29214605 PMCID: PMC5899712 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-017-0352-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2017] [Accepted: 11/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Designing novel protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with high affinity is a challenging task. Directed evolution, a combination of randomization of the gene for the protein of interest and selection using a display technique, is one of the most powerful tools for producing a protein binder. However, the selected proteins often bind to the target protein at an undesired surface. More problematically, some selected proteins bind to their targets even though they are unfolded. Current state-of-the-art computational design methods have successfully created novel protein binders. These computational methods have optimized the non-covalent interactions at interfaces and thus produced artificial protein complexes. However, to date there are only a limited number of successful examples of computationally designed de novo PPIs. De novo design of coiled-coil proteins has been extensively performed and, therefore, a large amount of knowledge of the sequence-structure relationship of coiled-coil proteins has been accumulated. Taking advantage of this knowledge, de novo design of inter-helical interactions has been used to produce artificial PPIs. Here, we review recent progress in the in silico design and rational design of de novo PPIs and the use of α-helices as interfaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sota Yagi
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan
| | - Satoshi Akanuma
- Faculty of Human Sciences, Waseda University, 2-579-15 Mikajima, Tokorozawa, Saitama, 359-1192, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yamagishi
- Department of Applied Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan.
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7
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In silico methods for design of biological therapeutics. Methods 2017; 131:33-65. [PMID: 28958951 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 09/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been twenty years since the first rationally designed small molecule drug was introduced into the market. Since then, we have progressed from designing small molecules to designing biotherapeutics. This class of therapeutics includes designed proteins, peptides and nucleic acids that could more effectively combat drug resistance and even act in cases where the disease is caused because of a molecular deficiency. Computational methods are crucial in this design exercise and this review discusses the various elements of designing biotherapeutic proteins and peptides. Many of the techniques discussed here, such as the deterministic and stochastic design methods, are generally used in protein design. We have devoted special attention to the design of antibodies and vaccines. In addition to the methods for designing these molecules, we have included a comprehensive list of all biotherapeutics approved for clinical use. Also included is an overview of methods that predict the binding affinity, cell penetration ability, half-life, solubility, immunogenicity and toxicity of the designed therapeutics. Biotherapeutics are only going to grow in clinical importance and are set to herald a new generation of disease management and cure.
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8
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The design of target specific antibodies (scFv) by applying de novo workflow: Case study on BmR1 antigen from Brugia malayi. J Mol Graph Model 2017; 76:543-550. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2017.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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9
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Entzminger KC, Hyun JM, Pantazes RJ, Patterson-Orazem AC, Qerqez AN, Frye ZP, Hughes RA, Ellington AD, Lieberman RL, Maranas CD, Maynard JA. De novo design of antibody complementarity determining regions binding a FLAG tetra-peptide. Sci Rep 2017; 7:10295. [PMID: 28860479 PMCID: PMC5579192 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10737-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 08/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Computational antibody engineering efforts to date have focused on improving binding affinities or biophysical characteristics. De novo design of antibodies binding specific epitopes could greatly accelerate discovery of therapeutics as compared to conventional immunization or synthetic library selection strategies. Here, we employed de novo complementarity determining region (CDR) design to engineer targeted antibody-antigen interactions using previously described in silico methods. CDRs predicted to bind the minimal FLAG peptide (Asp-Tyr-Lys-Asp) were grafted onto a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) acceptor framework. Fifty scFvs comprised of designed heavy and light or just heavy chain CDRs were synthesized and screened for peptide binding by phage ELISA. Roughly half of the designs resulted in detectable scFv expression. Four antibodies, designed entirely in silico, bound the minimal FLAG sequence with high specificity and sensitivity. When reformatted as soluble antigen-binding fragments (Fab), these clones expressed well, were predominantly monomeric and retained peptide specificity. In both formats, the antibodies bind the peptide only when present at the amino-terminus of a carrier protein and even conservative peptide amino acid substitutions resulted in a complete loss of binding. These results support in silico CDR design of antibody specificity as an emerging antibody engineering strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin C Entzminger
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Jeong-Min Hyun
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Robert J Pantazes
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, 36849, USA
| | | | - Ahlam N Qerqez
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Zach P Frye
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Randall A Hughes
- Applied Research Laboratories, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Andrew D Ellington
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Raquel L Lieberman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Costas D Maranas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, PA, 16802, USA
| | - Jennifer A Maynard
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA. .,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA.
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10
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Paladino A, Marchetti F, Rinaldi S, Colombo G. Protein design: from computer models to artificial intelligence. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Paladino
- Biomolecular Simulations & Computational Chemistry Group; Istituto Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR; Milano Italy
| | - Filippo Marchetti
- Biomolecular Simulations & Computational Chemistry Group; Istituto Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR; Milano Italy
| | - Silvia Rinaldi
- Biomolecular Simulations & Computational Chemistry Group; Istituto Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR; Milano Italy
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- Biomolecular Simulations & Computational Chemistry Group; Istituto Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR; Milano Italy
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11
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Pancera M, Changela A, Kwong PD. How HIV-1 entry mechanism and broadly neutralizing antibodies guide structure-based vaccine design. Curr Opin HIV AIDS 2017; 12:229-240. [PMID: 28422787 PMCID: PMC5557343 DOI: 10.1097/coh.0000000000000360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW An HIV-1 vaccine that elicits broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) remains to be developed. Here, we review how knowledge of bNAbs and HIV-1 entry mechanism is guiding the structure-based design of vaccine immunogens and immunization regimens. RECENT FINDINGS Isolation of bNAbs from HIV-1-infected donors has led to an unprecedented understanding of the sites of vulnerability that these antibodies target on the HIV-1 envelope (Env) as well as of the immunological pathways that these antibody lineages follow to develop broad and potent neutralization. Sites of vulnerability, however, reside in the context of diverse Env conformations required for HIV-1 entry, including a prefusion-closed state, a single-CD4-bound intermediate, a three-CD4-bound intermediate, a prehairpin intermediate and postfusion states, and it is not always clear which structural state optimally presents a particular site of vulnerability in the vaccine context. Furthermore, detailed knowledge of immunological pathways has led to debate among vaccine developers as to how much of the natural antibody-developmental pathway immunogens should mimic, ranging from only the recognized epitope to multiple antigens from the antibody-virus coevolution process. SUMMARY A plethora of information on bNAbs is guiding HIV-1-vaccine development. We highlight consideration of the appropriate structural context from the HIV-1-entry mechanism and extraordinary progress with replicating template B-cell ontogenies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Pancera
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Anita Changela
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Peter D. Kwong
- Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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Aronica P, Verma C, Popovic B, Leatherbarrow R, Gould IR. The Parasol Protocol for computational mutagenesis. Protein Eng Des Sel 2016; 29:253-61. [DOI: 10.1093/protein/gzw009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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13
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Rosenfeld L, Heyne M, Shifman JM, Papo N. Protein Engineering by Combined Computational and In Vitro Evolution Approaches. Trends Biochem Sci 2016; 41:421-433. [PMID: 27061494 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 02/29/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Two alternative strategies are commonly used to study protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and to engineer protein-based inhibitors. In one approach, binders are selected experimentally from combinatorial libraries of protein mutants that are displayed on a cell surface. In the other approach, computational modeling is used to explore an astronomically large number of protein sequences to select a small number of sequences for experimental testing. While both approaches have some limitations, their combination produces superior results in various protein engineering applications. Such applications include the design of novel binders and inhibitors, the enhancement of affinity and specificity, and the mapping of binding epitopes. The combination of these approaches also aids in the understanding of the specificity profiles of various PPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lior Rosenfeld
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
| | - Michael Heyne
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel; Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Julia M Shifman
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - Niv Papo
- Department of Biotechnology Engineering and the National Institute of Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
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14
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Liu CC, Zheng XJ, Ye XS. Broadly Neutralizing Antibody-Guided Carbohydrate-Based HIV Vaccine Design: Challenges and Opportunities. ChemMedChem 2016; 11:357-62. [PMID: 26762799 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201500498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The HIV envelope (Env) is heavily glycosylated, facilitating the spread and survival of HIV in many ways. Some potent broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs) such as 2G12, PG9, PG16, and PGTs can recognize the conserved glycan residues on Env. The bnAbs, which often emerge after many years of chronic infection, provide insight into the vulnerability of HIV and can therefore guide the design of vaccines. Many carbohydrate-conjugated vaccines have been designed to induce bnAb-like antibodies, but none have yet been successful. The low antigenicity of these vaccines is one possible explanation. New strategies have been applied to obtain high-affinity antigens of glycan-dependent and other bnAbs. However, when used as immunogens in vivo, high-affinity antigens are still insufficient in eliciting bnAb-like antibodies. bnAbs generally possess some unusual features and may therefore be suppressed by the host immune system. In view of this situation, some immunization regimens based on the affinity maturation of antibodies have been tested. Herein we summarize recent studies into the design of carbohydrate-based HIV vaccines and some valuable experiences gained in work with other bnAb-based HIV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Cheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xiu-Jing Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China
| | - Xin-Shan Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100191, China.
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Porter JR, Weitzner BD, Lange OF. A Framework to Simplify Combined Sampling Strategies in Rosetta. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138220. [PMID: 26381271 PMCID: PMC4575156 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2015] [Accepted: 08/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
A core task in computational structural biology is the search of conformational space for low energy configurations of a biological macromolecule. Because conformational space has a very high dimensionality, the most successful search methods integrate some form of prior knowledge into a general sampling algorithm to reduce the effective dimensionality. However, integrating multiple types of constraints can be challenging. To streamline the incorporation of diverse constraints, we developed the Broker: an extension of the Rosetta macromolecular modeling suite that can express a wide range of protocols using constraints by combining small, independent modules, each of which implements a different set of constraints. We demonstrate expressiveness of the Broker through several code vignettes. The framework enables rapid protocol development in both biomolecular design and structural modeling tasks and thus is an important step towards exposing the rich functionality of Rosetta's core libraries to a growing community of users addressing a diverse set of tasks in computational biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin R. Porter
- School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, Washington, United States of America
| | - Brian D. Weitzner
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Oliver F. Lange
- Lehrstuhl für Biomolekulare NMR-Spektroskopie, Fakultät Chemie, Techniche Universität München, Munich, Germany
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Loomis RJ, Johnson PR. Emerging Vaccine Technologies. Vaccines (Basel) 2015; 3:429-47. [PMID: 26343196 PMCID: PMC4494353 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines3020429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2014] [Revised: 05/05/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vaccination has proven to be an invaluable means of preventing infectious diseases by reducing both incidence of disease and mortality. However, vaccines have not been effectively developed for many diseases including HIV-1, hepatitis C virus (HCV), tuberculosis and malaria, among others. The emergence of new technologies with a growing understanding of host-pathogen interactions and immunity may lead to efficacious vaccines against pathogens, previously thought impossible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Loomis
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Philip R Johnson
- The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
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