1
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Wang R, Lu S, Deng F, Wu L, Yang G, Chong S, Liu Y. Enhancing the understanding of SARS-CoV-2 protein with structure and detection methods: An integrative review. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132237. [PMID: 38734351 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132237] [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: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
As the rapid and accurate screening of infectious diseases can provide meaningful information for outbreak prevention and control, as well as owing to the existing limitations of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), it is imperative to have new and validated detection techniques for SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the rationale for outlining the techniques used to detect SARS-CoV-2 proteins and performing a comprehensive comparison to serve as a practical benchmark for future identification of similar viral proteins is clear. This review highlights the urgent need to strengthen pandemic preparedness by emphasizing the importance of integrated measures. These include improved tools for pathogen characterization, optimized societal precautions, the establishment of early warning systems, and the deployment of highly sensitive diagnostics for effective surveillance, triage, and resource management. Additionally, with an improved understanding of the virus' protein structure, considerable advances in targeted detection, treatment, and prevention strategies are expected to greatly improve our ability to respond to future outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqi Wang
- Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China; National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Song Lu
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Fanyu Deng
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China; North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
| | - Liqing Wu
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China
| | - Guowu Yang
- Shenzhen Academy of Metrology and Quality Inspection, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Siying Chong
- Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang 110142, China
| | - Yahui Liu
- National Institute of Metrology, Beijing 100029, China.
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2
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Cubisino SAM, Milenkovic S, Conti-Nibali S, Musso N, Bonacci P, De Pinto V, Ceccarelli M, Reina S. Electrophysiological properties and structural prediction of the SARS-CoV-2 viroprotein E. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1334819. [PMID: 38606285 PMCID: PMC11007222 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1334819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus SARS- CoV-2, has caused millions of sick people and thousands of deaths all over the world. The viral positive-sense single-stranded RNA encodes 31 proteins among which the spike (S) is undoubtedly the best known. Recently, protein E has been reputed as a potential pharmacological target as well. It is essential for the assembly and release of the virions in the cell. Literature describes protein E as a voltage-dependent channel with preference towards monovalent cations whose intracellular expression, though, alters Ca2+ homeostasis and promotes the activation of the proinflammatory cascades. Due to the extremely high sequence identity of SARS-CoV-2 protein E (E-2) with the previously characterized E-1 (i.e., protein E from SARS-CoV) many data obtained for E-1 were simply adapted to the other. Recent solid state NMR structure revealed that the transmembrane domain (TMD) of E-2 self-assembles into a homo-pentamer, albeit the oligomeric status has not been validated with the full-length protein. Prompted by the lack of a common agreement on the proper structural and functional features of E-2, we investigated the specific mechanism/s of pore-gating and the detailed molecular structure of the most cryptic protein of SARS-CoV-2 by means of MD simulations of the E-2 structure and by expressing, refolding and analyzing the electrophysiological activity of the transmembrane moiety of the protein E-2, in its full length. Our results show a clear agreement between experimental and predictive studies and foresee a mechanism of activity based on Ca2+ affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stefano Conti-Nibali
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Nicolò Musso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonacci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vito De Pinto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- We.MitoBiotech S.R.L, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Simona Reina
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- We.MitoBiotech S.R.L, Catania, Italy
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3
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Bekdash R, Yoshida K, Nair MS, Qiu L, Ahdout J, Tsai HY, Uryu K, Soni RK, Huang Y, Ho DD, Yazawa M. Developing inhibitory peptides against SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002522. [PMID: 38483887 PMCID: PMC10939250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected approximately 800 million people since the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Because of the high rate of mutagenesis in SARS-CoV-2, it is difficult to develop a sustainable approach for prevention and treatment. The Envelope (E) protein is highly conserved among human coronaviruses. Previous studies reported that SARS-CoV-1 E deficiency reduced viral propagation, suggesting that E inhibition might be an effective therapeutic strategy for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report inhibitory peptides against SARS-CoV-2 E protein named iPep-SARS2-E. Leveraging E-induced alterations in proton homeostasis and NFAT/AP-1 pathway in mammalian cells, we developed screening platforms to design and optimize the peptides that bind and inhibit E protein. Using Vero-E6 cells, human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived branching lung organoid and mouse models with SARS-CoV-2, we found that iPep-SARS2-E significantly inhibits virus egress and reduces viral cytotoxicity and propagation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the peptide can be customizable for E protein of other human coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The results indicate that E protein can be a potential therapeutic target for human coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramsey Bekdash
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kazushige Yoshida
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Manoj S. Nair
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lauren Qiu
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biological Science, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Johnathan Ahdout
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hsiang-Yi Tsai
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kunihiro Uryu
- EMSCOPIC, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Rajesh K. Soni
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Yaoxing Huang
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - David D. Ho
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Masayuki Yazawa
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
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4
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Wölk C, Shen C, Hause G, Surya W, Torres J, Harvey RD, Bello G. Membrane Condensation and Curvature Induced by SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein. LANGMUIR : THE ACS JOURNAL OF SURFACES AND COLLOIDS 2024; 40:2646-2655. [PMID: 38258382 PMCID: PMC10851660 DOI: 10.1021/acs.langmuir.3c03079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2 participates in virion encapsulation and budding at the membrane of the endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). The positively curved membrane topology required to fit an 80 nm viral particle is energetically unfavorable; therefore, viral proteins must facilitate ERGIC membrane curvature alteration. To study the possible role of the E protein in this mechanism, we examined the structural modification of the host lipid membrane by the SARS-CoV-2 E protein using synchrotron-based X-ray methods. Our reflectometry results on solid-supported planar bilayers show that E protein markedly condenses the surrounding lipid bilayer. For vesicles, this condensation effect differs between the two leaflets such that the membrane becomes asymmetric and increases its curvature. The formation of such a curved and condensed membrane is consistent with the requirements to stably encapsulate a viral core and supports a role for E protein in budding during SARS-CoV-2 virion assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Wölk
- Pharmaceutical
Technology, Medical Faculty, University
Leipzig, Eilenburger
Straße 15a, 04317 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Chen Shen
- Deutsches
Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22607 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Gerd Hause
- Biocenter, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Wahyu Surya
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jaume Torres
- School
of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological
University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Richard D. Harvey
- Division
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, UZA 2, Vienna 1090, Austria
| | - Gianluca Bello
- Division
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Vienna, Josef-Holaubek-Platz 2, UZA 2, Vienna 1090, Austria
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5
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Miura K, Suzuki Y, Ishida K, Arakawa M, Wu H, Fujioka Y, Emi A, Maeda K, Hamajima R, Nakano T, Tenno T, Hiroaki H, Morita E. Distinct motifs in the E protein are required for SARS-CoV-2 virus particle formation and lysosomal deacidification in host cells. J Virol 2023; 97:e0042623. [PMID: 37830820 PMCID: PMC10617393 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00426-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has caused a global public health crisis. The E protein, a structural protein found in this virus particle, is also known to be a viroporin. As such, it forms oligomeric ion channels or pores in the host cell membrane. However, the relationship between these two functions is poorly understood. In this study, we showed that the roles of E protein in virus particle and viroporin formation are distinct. This study contributes to the development of drugs that inhibit SARS-CoV-2 virus particle formation. Additionally, we designed a highly sensitive and high-throughput virus-like particle detection system using the HiBiT tag, which is a useful tool for studying the release of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koya Miura
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Youichi Suzuki
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Kotaro Ishida
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Masashi Arakawa
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Hong Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yoshihiko Fujioka
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Akino Emi
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Koki Maeda
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
| | - Ryusei Hamajima
- Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
| | - Takashi Nakano
- Department of Microbiology and Infection Control, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Takeshi Tenno
- Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
- BeCellBar LLC, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hidekazu Hiroaki
- Laboratory of Structural and Molecular Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nagoya University, Aichi, Japan
- BeCellBar LLC, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Eiji Morita
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Science, Hirosaki University, Aomori, Japan
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6
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Zheng H, Wang Z, Jia Q. Simultaneous Profiling of Palmitoylomics and Glycomics with Photo/pH Dual-Responsive Magnetic Nanocomposites. SMALL METHODS 2023; 7:e2300254. [PMID: 37231570 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202300254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Following an in-depth examination of a single type of protein posttranslational modification, the synergistic analysis of two or more modification types has gradually emerged as a focal point in proteomic research. Palmitoylation and glycosylation are both critical for protein, implicated in carcinogenesis and inflammation. In this study, novel dual-responsive magnetic nanocomposites that serve as an ideal platform for the sequential or simultaneous enrichment of palmitoyl and glycopeptides are reported. The nanocomposites denoted as magDVS-VBA are constructed by modifying magnetic nanoparticles with azobenzene and divinyl sulfone (DVS), and self-assembled with 4-vinylbenzeneboronic acid (VBA)-immobilized β-cyclodextrin, which responds to light. The incorporated DVS component possesses the ability to recognize palmitoyl or glycopeptides under different pH conditions, whereas the introduction of VBA enhances the affinity of the nanocomposite for glycopeptides. Notably, magDVS-VBA exhibits flexible photo-, pH-, and magnetic-responsive capabilities, enabling the simultaneous recognition of hydrophobic palmitoyl peptides and hydrophilic glycopeptides for the first time. The developed platform demonstrates high specificity for sensitive palmitoylomics and glycomics analysis of mouse liver tissue, providing an effective method for studying of their crosstalk, and potential implications in clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haijiao Zheng
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Zirui Wang
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
| | - Qiong Jia
- College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
- Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, 130012, China
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7
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Chen P, Wu M, He Y, Jiang B, He ML. Metabolic alterations upon SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential therapeutic targets against coronavirus infection. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:237. [PMID: 37286535 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection has become a global pandemic due to the high viral transmissibility and pathogenesis, bringing enormous burden to our society. Most patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Although only a small proportion of patients progressed to severe COVID-19 with symptoms including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated coagulopathy, and cardiovascular disorders, severe COVID-19 is accompanied by high mortality rates with near 7 million deaths. Nowadays, effective therapeutic patterns for severe COVID-19 are still lacking. It has been extensively reported that host metabolism plays essential roles in various physiological processes during virus infection. Many viruses manipulate host metabolism to avoid immunity, facilitate their own replication, or to initiate pathological response. Targeting the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host metabolism holds promise for developing therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent studies dedicated to uncovering the role of host metabolism during the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 in aspects of entry, replication, assembly, and pathogenesis with an emphasis on glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. Microbiota and long COVID-19 are also discussed. Ultimately, we recapitulate metabolism-modulating drugs repurposed for COVID-19 including statins, ASM inhibitors, NSAIDs, Montelukast, omega-3 fatty acids, 2-DG, and metformin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiran Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mandi Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yaqing He
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Binghua Jiang
- Cell Signaling and Proteomic Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ming-Liang He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China.
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8
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Giacon N, Lo Cascio E, Davidson DS, Polêto MD, Lemkul JA, Pennacchietti V, Pagano L, Zamparelli C, Toto A, Arcovito A. Monomeric and dimeric states of human ZO1-PDZ2 are functional partners of the SARS-CoV-2 E protein. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:3259-3271. [PMID: 37293240 PMCID: PMC10210826 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.05.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The Envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2 plays a key role in virus maturation, assembly, and virulence mechanisms. The E protein is characterized by the presence of a PDZ-binding motif (PBM) at its C-terminus that allows it to interact with several PDZ-containing proteins in the intracellular environment. One of the main binding partners of the SARS-CoV-2 E protein is the PDZ2 domain of ZO1, a protein with a crucial role in the formation of epithelial and endothelial tight junctions (TJs). In this work, through a combination of analytical ultracentrifugation analysis and equilibrium and kinetic folding experiments, we show that ZO1-PDZ2 domain is able to fold in a monomeric state, an alternative form to the dimeric conformation that is reported to be functional in the cell for TJs assembly. Importantly, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) data indicate that the PDZ2 monomer is fully functional and capable of binding the C-terminal portion of the E protein of SARS-CoV-2, with a measured affinity in the micromolar range. Moreover, we present a detailed computational analysis of the complex between the C-terminal portion of E protein with ZO1-PDZ2, both in its monomeric conformation (computed as a high confidence AlphaFold2 model) and dimeric conformation (obtained from the Protein Data Bank), by using both polarizable and nonpolarizable simulations. Together, our results indicate both the monomeric and dimeric states of PDZ2 to be functional partners of the E protein, with similar binding mechanisms, and provide mechanistic and structural information about a fundamental interaction required for the replication of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah Giacon
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Ettore Lo Cascio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
| | - Darcy S. Davidson
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Marcelo D. Polêto
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Justin A. Lemkul
- Department of Biochemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
- Center for Drug Discovery, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
| | - Valeria Pennacchietti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy – Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
| | - Livia Pagano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy – Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
| | - Carlotta Zamparelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy – Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
| | - Angelo Toto
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche “A. Rossi Fanelli”, Sapienza Università di Roma, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy – Laboratory affiliated to Istituto Pasteur Italia - Fondazione Cenci Bolognetti, Italy
| | - Alessandro Arcovito
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biotecnologiche di Base, Cliniche Intensivologiche e Perioperatorie, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Roma, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli", IRCCS, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Roma, Italy
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9
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Zhou S, Lv P, Li M, Chen Z, Xin H, Reilly S, Zhang X. SARS-CoV-2 E protein: Pathogenesis and potential therapeutic development. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 159:114242. [PMID: 36652729 PMCID: PMC9832061 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a devastating global pandemic, which has seriously affected human health worldwide. The discovery of therapeutic agents is extremely urgent, and the viral structural proteins are particularly important as potential drug targets. SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein is one of the main structural proteins of the virus, which is involved in multiple processes of the virus life cycle and is directly related to pathogenesis process. In this review, we present the amino acid sequence of the E protein and compare it with other two human coronaviruses. We then explored the role of E protein in the viral life cycle and discussed the pathogenic mechanisms that E protein may be involved in. Next, we summarize the potential drugs against E protein discovered in the current studies. Finally, we described the possible effects of E protein mutation on virus and host. This established a knowledge system of E protein to date, aiming to provide theoretical insights for mitigating the current COVID-19 pandemic and potential future coronavirus outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shilin Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Panpan Lv
- Clinical Laboratory, Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Mingxue Li
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zihui Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Hong Xin
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Svetlana Reilly
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
| | - Xuemei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
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10
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In Silico Screening of Drugs That Target Different Forms of E Protein for Potential Treatment of COVID-19. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/ph16020296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently the E protein of SARS-CoV-2 has become a very important target in the potential treatment of COVID-19 since it is known to regulate different stages of the viral cycle. There is biochemical evidence that E protein exists in two forms, as monomer and homopentamer. An in silico screening analysis was carried out employing 5852 ligands (from Zinc databases), and performing an ADMET analysis, remaining a set of 2155 compounds. Furthermore, docking analysis was performed on specific sites and different forms of the E protein. From this study we could identify that the following ligands showed the highest binding affinity: nilotinib, dutasteride, irinotecan, saquinavir and alectinib. We carried out some molecular dynamics simulations and free energy MM–PBSA calculations of the protein–ligand complexes (with the mentioned ligands). Of worthy interest is that saquinavir, nilotinib and alectinib are also considered as a promising multitarget ligand because it seems to inhibit three targets, which play an important role in the viral cycle. On the other side, saquinavir was shown to be able to bind to E protein both in its monomeric as well as pentameric forms. Finally, further experimental assays are needed to probe our hypothesis derived from in silico studies.
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11
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Focus on Marine Animal Safety and Marine Bioresources in Response to the SARS-CoV-2 Crisis. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232315136. [PMID: 36499463 PMCID: PMC9737530 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232315136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 as a zoonotic virus has significantly affected daily life and social behavior since its outbreak in late 2019. The concerns over its transmission through different media directly or indirectly have evoked great attention about the survival of SARS-CoV-2 virions in the environment and its potential infection of other animals. To evaluate the risk of infection by SARS-CoV-2 and to counteract the COVID-19 disease, extensive studies have been performed to understand SARS-CoV-2 biogenesis and its pathogenesis. This review mainly focuses on the molecular architecture of SARS-CoV-2, its potential for infecting marine animals, and the prospect of drug discovery using marine natural products to combat SARS-CoV-2. The main purposes of this review are to piece together progress in SARS-CoV-2 functional genomic studies and antiviral drug development, and to raise our awareness of marine animal safety on exposure to SARS-CoV-2.
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12
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Villalaín J. Interaction of Lassa virus fusion and membrane proximal peptides with late endosomal membranes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:184031. [PMID: 35964711 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.184031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mammarenaviruses include many significant worldwide-widespread human pathogens, among them Lassa virus (LASV), having a dramatic morbidity and mortality rate. They are a potential high-risk menace to the worldwide public health since there are no treatments and there is a high possibility of animal-to-human and human-to-human viral transmission. These viruses enter into the cells by endocytosis fusing its membrane envelope with the late endosomal membrane thanks to the glycoprotein GP2, a membrane fusion protein of class I. This protein contains different domains, among them the N-terminal fusion peptide (NFP), the internal fusion loop (IFL), the membrane proximal external region (MPER) and the transmembrane domain (TMD). All these domains are implicated in the membrane fusion process. In this work, we have used an all-atom molecular dynamics study to know the binding of these protein domains with a complex membrane mimicking the late endosome one. We show that the NFP/IFL domain is capable of spontaneously inserting into the membrane without a significant change of secondary structure, the MPER domain locates at the bilayer interface with an orientation parallel to the membrane surface and tends to interact with other MPER domains, and the TMD domain tilts inside the bilayer. Moreover, they predominantly interact with negatively charged phospholipids. Overall, these membrane-interacting domains would characterise a target that would make possible to find effective antiviral molecules against LASV in particular and Mammarenaviruses in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Villalaín
- Institute of Research, Development, and Innovation in Healthcare Biotechnology (IDiBE), Universitas "Miguel Hernández", E-03202 Elche-Alicante, Spain.
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13
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Surya W, Torres J. Oligomerization-Dependent Beta-Structure Formation in SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:13285. [PMID: 36362071 PMCID: PMC9658050 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232113285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. In SARS-CoV-2, the channel-forming envelope (E) protein is almost identical to the E protein in SARS-CoV, and both share an identical α-helical channel-forming domain. Structures for the latter are available in both detergent and lipid membranes. However, models of the extramembrane domains have only been obtained from solution NMR in detergents, and show no β-strands, in contrast to secondary-structure predictions. Herein, we have studied the conformation of purified SARS-CoV-2 E protein in lipid bilayers that mimic the composition of ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) membranes. The full-length E protein at high protein-to-lipid ratios produced a clear shoulder at 1635 cm-1, consistent with the β-structure, but this was absent when the E protein was diluted, which instead showed a band at around 1688 cm-1, usually assigned to β-turns. The results were similar with a mixture of POPC:POPG (2-oleoyl-1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine/3-glycerol) and also when using an E-truncated form (residues 8-65). However, the latter only showed β-structure formation at the highest concentration tested, while having a weaker oligomerization tendency in detergents than in full-length E protein. Therefore, we conclude that E monomer-monomer interaction triggers formation of the β-structure from an undefined structure (possibly β-turns) in at least about 15 residues located at the C-terminal extramembrane domain. Due to its proximity to the channel, this β-structure domain could modulate channel activity or modify membrane structure at the time of virion formation inside the cell.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jaume Torres
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore
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Yang R, Wu S, Wang S, Rubino G, Nickels JD, Cheng X. Refinement of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein structure in a native-like environment by molecular dynamics simulations. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1027223. [PMID: 36299297 PMCID: PMC9589232 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1027223] [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: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has become an unprecedented threat to human health. The SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein plays a critical role in the viral maturation process and pathogenesis. Despite intensive investigation, its structure in physiological conditions remains mysterious: no high-resolution full-length structure is available and only an NMR structure of the transmembrane (TM) region has been determined. Here, we present a refined E protein structure, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate its structure and dynamics in a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) bilayer system. Our initial homology model based upon the SARS-CoV E protein structure is shown to be unstable in the lipid bilayer, and the H3 helices tend to move away from the membrane center to the membrane-water interface. A more stable model was developed by replacing all H3 helices with the fully equilibrated H3 structure sampled in the MD simulations. This refined model exhibited more favorable contacts with lipids and water than the original homology model and induced local membrane curvature, decreasing local lipid order. Interestingly, the pore radius profiles showed that the channel in both homology and refined models remained in a closed state throughout the simulations. We also demonstrated the utility of this structure to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs by docking a library of FDA-approved, investigational, and experimental drugs to the refined E protein structure, identifying 20 potential channel blockers. This highlights the power of MD simulations to refine low-resolution structures of membrane proteins in a native-like membrane environment, shedding light on the structural features of the E protein and providing a platform for the development of novel antiviral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Sijin Wu
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
| | - Shen Wang
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Grace Rubino
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jonathan D. Nickels
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
| | - Xiaolin Cheng
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
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15
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Pipitò L, Rujan R, Reynolds CA, Deganutti G. Molecular dynamics studies reveal structural and functional features of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Bioessays 2022; 44:e2200060. [PMID: 35843871 PMCID: PMC9350306 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202200060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic the world experience since 2019. The protein responsible for the first steps of cell invasion, the spike protein, has probably received the most attention in light of its central role during infection. Computational approaches are among the tools employed by the scientific community in the enormous effort to study this new affliction. One of these methods, namely molecular dynamics (MD), has been used to characterize the function of the spike protein at the atomic level and unveil its structural features from a dynamic perspective. In this review, we focus on these main findings, including spike protein flexibility, rare S protein conformational changes, cryptic epitopes, the role of glycans, drug repurposing, and the effect of spike protein variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovico Pipitò
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Roxana‐Maria Rujan
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Christopher A. Reynolds
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
| | - Giuseppe Deganutti
- Centre for Sport, Exercise and Life Sciences (CSELS)Faculty of Health and Life SciencesCoventry UniversityCoventryUK
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Schoeman D, Cloete R, Fielding BC. The Flexible, Extended Coil of the PDZ-Binding Motif of the Three Deadly Human Coronavirus E Proteins Plays a Role in Pathogenicity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14081707. [PMID: 36016329 PMCID: PMC9416557 DOI: 10.3390/v14081707] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The less virulent human (h) coronaviruses (CoVs) 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 cause mild, self-limiting respiratory tract infections, while the more virulent SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 have caused severe outbreaks. The CoV envelope (E) protein, an important contributor to the pathogenesis of severe hCoV infections, may provide insight into this disparate severity of the disease. We, therefore, generated full-length E protein models for SARS-CoV-1 and -2, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63 and docked C-terminal peptides of each model to the PDZ domain of the human PALS1 protein. The PDZ-binding motif (PBM) of the SARS-CoV-1 and -2 and MERS-CoV models adopted a more flexible, extended coil, while the HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 models adopted a less flexible alpha helix. All the E peptides docked to PALS1 occupied the same binding site and the more virulent hCoV E peptides generally interacted more stably with PALS1 than the less virulent ones. We hypothesize that the increased flexibility of the PBM in the more virulent hCoVs facilitates more stable binding to various host proteins, thereby contributing to more severe disease. This is the first paper to model full-length 3D structures for both the more virulent and less virulent hCoV E proteins, providing novel insights for possible drug and/or vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dewald Schoeman
- Molecular Biology and Virology Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa;
| | - Ruben Cloete
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa;
| | - Burtram C. Fielding
- Molecular Biology and Virology Research Laboratory, Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa;
- Correspondence:
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Guérin P, Yahi N, Azzaz F, Chahinian H, Sabatier JM, Fantini J. Structural Dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein: A 2-Year Retrospective Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Variants (from Alpha to Omicron) Reveals an Early Divergence between Conserved and Variable Epitopes. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27123851. [PMID: 35744971 PMCID: PMC9230616 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
We analyzed the epitope evolution of the spike protein in 1,860,489 SARS-CoV-2 genomes. The structural dynamics of these epitopes was determined by molecular modeling approaches. The D614G mutation, selected in the first months of the pandemic, is still present in currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. This mutation facilitates the conformational change leading to the demasking of the ACE2 binding domain. D614G also abrogated the binding of facilitating antibodies to a linear epitope common to SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. The main neutralizing epitope of the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the spike protein showed extensive structural variability in SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially Delta and Omicron. This epitope is located on the flat surface of the NTD, a large electropositive area which binds to electronegatively charged lipid rafts of host cells. A facilitating epitope located on the lower part of the NTD appeared to be highly conserved among most SARS-CoV-2 variants, which may represent a risk of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE). Overall, this retrospective analysis revealed an early divergence between conserved (facilitating) and variable (neutralizing) epitopes of the spike protein. These data aid in the designing of new antiviral strategies that could help to control COVID-19 infection by mimicking neutralizing antibodies or by blocking facilitating antibodies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nouara Yahi
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix-Marseille University, CEDEX, 13015 Marseille, France; (N.Y.); (F.A.); (H.C.)
| | - Fodil Azzaz
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix-Marseille University, CEDEX, 13015 Marseille, France; (N.Y.); (F.A.); (H.C.)
| | - Henri Chahinian
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix-Marseille University, CEDEX, 13015 Marseille, France; (N.Y.); (F.A.); (H.C.)
| | - Jean-Marc Sabatier
- Inst Neurophysiopathol, Aix-Marseille University, CNRS, INP, CEDEX, 13005 Marseille, France;
| | - Jacques Fantini
- INSERM UMR_S 1072, Aix-Marseille University, CEDEX, 13015 Marseille, France; (N.Y.); (F.A.); (H.C.)
- Correspondence:
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