1
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Hassan SS, Bhattacharya T, Nawn D, Jha I, Basu P, Redwan EM, Lundstrom K, Barh D, Andrade BS, Tambuwala MM, Aljabali AA, Hromić-Jahjefendić A, Baetas-da-Cruz W, Serrano-Aroca Á, Uversky VN. SARS-CoV-2 NSP14 governs mutational instability and assists in making new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Comput Biol Med 2024; 170:107899. [PMID: 38232455 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107899] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the rapidly evolving RNA virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic, has spawned numerous variants since its 2019 emergence. The multifunctional Nonstructural protein 14 (NSP14) enzyme, possessing exonuclease and messenger RNA (mRNA) capping capabilities, serves as a key player. Notably, single and co-occurring mutations within NSP14 significantly influence replication fidelity and drive variant diversification. This study comprehensively examines 120 co-mutations, 68 unique mutations, and 160 conserved residues across NSP14 homologs, shedding light on their implications for phylogenetic patterns, pathogenicity, and residue interactions. Quantitative physicochemical analysis categorizes 3953 NSP14 variants into three clusters, revealing genetic diversity. This research underscoresthe dynamic nature of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, primarily governed by NSP14 mutations. Understanding these genetic dynamics provides valuable insights for therapeutic and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sk Sarif Hassan
- Department of Mathematics, Pingla Thana Mahavidyalaya, Maligram, Paschim Medinipur, 721140, West Bengal, India.
| | - Tanishta Bhattacharya
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Berhampur, IISER Berhampur Transit campus (Govt. ITI Building), Engg. School Junction, Berhampur, 760010, Odisha, India.
| | - Debaleena Nawn
- Indian Research Institute for Integrated Medicine (IRIIM), Unsani, Howrah, 711302, West Bengal, India.
| | - Ishana Jha
- Department of Bioinformatics, Pondicherry University, Chinna Kalapet, Kalapet, Puducherry 605014, India.
| | - Pallab Basu
- School of Physics, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Braamfontein 2000, 721140, South Africa; Adjunct Faculty, Woxsen School of Sciences, Woxsen University, Telangana, 500 033, India.
| | - Elrashdy M Redwan
- Biological Science Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Therapeutic and Protective Proteins Laboratory, Protein Research Department, Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg EL-Arab, 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | | | - Debmalya Barh
- Institute of Integrative Omics and Applied Biotechnology (IIOAB), Nonakuri, Purba Medinipur, 721172, India; Department of Genetics, Ecology and Evolution, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
| | - Bruno Silva Andrade
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Southwest of Bahia (UESB), Jequié 45083-900, Brazil.
| | - Murtaza M Tambuwala
- Lincoln Medical School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Pool Campus, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK; College of Pharmacy, Ras Al Khaimah Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates.
| | - Alaa A Aljabali
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Yarmouk University, Irbid 21163, Jordan.
| | - Altijana Hromić-Jahjefendić
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, International University of Sarajevo, Hrasnicka cesta 15, 71000 Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| | - Wagner Baetas-da-Cruz
- Centre for Experimental Surgery, Translational Laboratory in Molecular Physiology, College of Medicine, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Ángel Serrano-Aroca
- Biomaterials and Bioengineering Lab, Centro de Investigación Traslacional San Alberto Magno, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, c/Guillem de Castro 94, 46001 Valencia, Spain.
| | - Vladimir N Uversky
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
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2
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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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3
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Zeng Z, Geng X, Wen X, Chen Y, Zhu Y, Dong Z, Hao L, Wang T, Yang J, Zhang R, Zheng K, Sun Z, Zhang Y. Novel receptor, mutation, vaccine, and establishment of coping mode for SARS-CoV-2: current status and future. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1232453. [PMID: 37645223 PMCID: PMC10461067 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1232453] [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: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its resultant pneumonia in December 2019, the cumulative number of infected people worldwide has exceeded 670 million, with over 6.8 million deaths. Despite the marketing of multiple series of vaccines and the implementation of strict prevention and control measures in many countries, the spread and prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 have not been completely and effectively controlled. The latest research shows that in addition to angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2), dozens of protein molecules, including AXL, can act as host receptors for SARS-CoV-2 infecting human cells, and virus mutation and immune evasion never seem to stop. To sum up, this review summarizes and organizes the latest relevant literature, comprehensively reviews the genome characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 as well as receptor-based pathogenesis (including ACE2 and other new receptors), mutation and immune evasion, vaccine development and other aspects, and proposes a series of prevention and treatment opinions. It is expected to provide a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the pathogenic mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 along with a research basis and new ideas for the diagnosis and classification, of COVID-19-related disease and for drug and vaccine research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaomu Zeng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Jiangxi Provincial People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang Medical College, Nanchang, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Xiangya Hospital Jiangxi Hospital of Central South University, National Regional Medical Center for Nervous System Diseases, Nanchang, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Xiuchao Geng
- Department of Nursing, School of Medicine, Taizhou University, Taizhou, China
| | - Xichao Wen
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Yueyue Chen
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yixi Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Zishu Dong
- Department of Zoology, Advanced Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanchang, China
| | - Liangchao Hao
- Department of Plastic Surgery, Shaoxing People’s Hospital, Shaoxing, China
| | - Tingting Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Jifeng Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Ruobing Zhang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Kebin Zheng
- Department of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University, Baoding, China
| | - Zhiwei Sun
- Department of Toxicology and Sanitary Chemistry, School of Public Health, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuhao Zhang
- Cancer Center, Department of Neurosurgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital (Affiliated People’s Hospital), Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
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4
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Varela K, Arman HD, Berger MS, Sponsel VM, Lin CHA, Yoshimoto FK. Inhibition of Cysteine Proteases via Thiol-Michael Addition Explains the Anti-SARS-CoV-2 and Bioactive Properties of Arteannuin B. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2023; 86:1654-1666. [PMID: 37458412 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.2c01146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Artemisia annua is the plant that produces artemisinin, an endoperoxide-containing sesquiterpenoid used for the treatment of malaria. A. annua extracts, which contain other bioactive compounds, have been used to treat other diseases, including cancer and COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. In this study, a methyl ester derivative of arteannuin B was isolated when A. annua leaves were extracted with a 1:1 mixture of methanol and dichloromethane. This methyl ester was thought to be formed from the reaction between arteannuin B and the extracting solvent, which was supported by the fact that arteannuin B underwent 1,2-addition when it was dissolved in deuteromethanol. In contrast, in the presence of N-acetylcysteine methyl ester, a 1,4-addition (thiol-Michael reaction) occurred. Arteannuin B hindered the activity of the SARS CoV-2 main protease (nonstructural protein 5, NSP5), a cysteine protease, through time-dependent inhibition. The active site cysteine residue of NSP5 (cysteine-145) formed a covalent bond with arteannuin B as determined by mass spectrometry. In order to determine whether cysteine adduction by arteannuin B can inhibit the development of cancer cells, similar experiments were performed with caspase-8, the cysteine protease enzyme overexpressed in glioblastoma. Time-dependent inhibition and cysteine adduction assays suggested arteannuin B inhibits caspase-8 and adducts to the active site cysteine residue (cysteine-360), respectively. Overall, these results enhance our understanding of how A. annua possesses antiviral and cytotoxic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn Varela
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Hadi D Arman
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Mitchel S Berger
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94122, United States
| | - Valerie M Sponsel
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Chin-Hsing Annie Lin
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Francis K Yoshimoto
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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5
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Alam MM, Hannan SB, Saikat TA, Limon MBH, Topu MR, Rana MJ, Salauddin A, Bosu S, Rahman MZ. Beta, Delta, and Omicron, Deadliest Among SARS-CoV-2 Variants: A Computational Repurposing Approach. Evol Bioinform Online 2023; 19:11769343231182258. [PMID: 37457042 PMCID: PMC10338667 DOI: 10.1177/11769343231182258] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has been highly susceptible to mutations since its emergence in Wuhan, China, and its subsequent propagation due to containing an RNA as its genome. The emergence of variants with improved transmissibility still poses a grave threat to global health. The spike protein mutation is mainly responsible for higher transmissibility and risk severity. This study retrieved SARS-CoV-2 variants structural and nonstructural proteins (NSPs) sequences from several geographic locations, including Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and North and South America. First, multiple sequence alignments with BioEdit and protein homology modeling were performed using the SWISS Model. Then the structure visualization and structural analysis were performed by superimposing against the Wuhan sequence by Pymol to retrieve the RMSD values. Sequence alignment revealed familiar, uncommon regional among variants and, interestingly, a few unique mutations in Beta, Delta, and Omicron. Structural analysis of such unique mutations revealed that they caused structural deviations in Beta, Delta, and Omicron spike proteins. In addition, these variants were more severe in terms of hospitalization, sickness, and higher mortality, which have a substantial relationship with the structural deviations because of those unique mutations. Such evidence provides insight into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein vulnerability toward mutation and their structural and functional deviations, particularly in Beta, Delta, and Omicron, which might be the cause of their broader coverage. This knowledge can help us with regional vaccine strain selection, virus pathogenicity testing, diagnosis, and treatment with more specific vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Mamun Alam
- Mohammad Mamun Alam, International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, 68, Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Mohakhali, Dhaka 1212, Bangladesh.
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6
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Sipala F, Cavallaro G, Forte G, Satriano C, Giuffrida A, Fraix A, Spadaro A, Petralia S, Bonaccorso C, Fortuna CG, Ronsisvalle S. Different In Silico Approaches Using Heterocyclic Derivatives against the Binding between Different Lineages of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093908. [PMID: 37175318 PMCID: PMC10180195 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093908] [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: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last few years, the study of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its mutations has become essential in understanding how it interacts with human host receptors. Since the crystallized structure of the spike protein bound to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor was released (PDB code 6M0J), in silico studies have been performed to understand the interactions between these two proteins. Specifically, in this study, heterocyclic compounds with different chemical characteristics were examined to highlight the possibility of interaction with the spike protein and the disruption of the interaction between ACE2 and the spike protein. Our results showed that these compounds interacted with the spike protein and interposed in the interaction zone with ACE2. Although further studies are needed, this work points to these heterocyclic push-pull compounds as possible agents capable of interacting with the spike protein, with the potential for the inhibition of spike protein-ACE2 binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica Sipala
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Cavallaro
- Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Forte
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Cristina Satriano
- Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandro Giuffrida
- Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Aurore Fraix
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Angelo Spadaro
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Salvatore Petralia
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Carmela Bonaccorso
- Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Cosimo Gianluca Fortuna
- Department of Chemical Science, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Simone Ronsisvalle
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
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7
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He Y, Yu H, Huffman A, Lin AY, Natale DA, Beverley J, Zheng L, Perl Y, Wang Z, Liu Y, Ong E, Wang Y, Huang P, Tran L, Du J, Shah Z, Shah E, Desai R, Huang HH, Tian Y, Merrell E, Duncan WD, Arabandi S, Schriml LM, Zheng J, Masci AM, Wang L, Liu H, Smaili FZ, Hoehndorf R, Pendlington ZM, Roncaglia P, Ye X, Xie J, Tang YW, Yang X, Peng S, Zhang L, Chen L, Hur J, Omenn GS, Athey B, Smith B. A comprehensive update on CIDO: the community-based coronavirus infectious disease ontology. J Biomed Semantics 2022; 13:25. [PMID: 36271389 PMCID: PMC9585694 DOI: 10.1186/s13326-022-00279-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The current COVID-19 pandemic and the previous SARS/MERS outbreaks of 2003 and 2012 have resulted in a series of major global public health crises. We argue that in the interest of developing effective and safe vaccines and drugs and to better understand coronaviruses and associated disease mechenisms it is necessary to integrate the large and exponentially growing body of heterogeneous coronavirus data. Ontologies play an important role in standard-based knowledge and data representation, integration, sharing, and analysis. Accordingly, we initiated the development of the community-based Coronavirus Infectious Disease Ontology (CIDO) in early 2020. Results As an Open Biomedical Ontology (OBO) library ontology, CIDO is open source and interoperable with other existing OBO ontologies. CIDO is aligned with the Basic Formal Ontology and Viral Infectious Disease Ontology. CIDO has imported terms from over 30 OBO ontologies. For example, CIDO imports all SARS-CoV-2 protein terms from the Protein Ontology, COVID-19-related phenotype terms from the Human Phenotype Ontology, and over 100 COVID-19 terms for vaccines (both authorized and in clinical trial) from the Vaccine Ontology. CIDO systematically represents variants of SARS-CoV-2 viruses and over 300 amino acid substitutions therein, along with over 300 diagnostic kits and methods. CIDO also describes hundreds of host-coronavirus protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and the drugs that target proteins in these PPIs. CIDO has been used to model COVID-19 related phenomena in areas such as epidemiology. The scope of CIDO was evaluated by visual analysis supported by a summarization network method. CIDO has been used in various applications such as term standardization, inference, natural language processing (NLP) and clinical data integration. We have applied the amino acid variant knowledge present in CIDO to analyze differences between SARS-CoV-2 Delta and Omicron variants. CIDO's integrative host-coronavirus PPIs and drug-target knowledge has also been used to support drug repurposing for COVID-19 treatment. Conclusion CIDO represents entities and relations in the domain of coronavirus diseases with a special focus on COVID-19. It supports shared knowledge representation, data and metadata standardization and integration, and has been used in a range of applications. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13326-022-00279-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongqun He
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
| | - Hong Yu
- People's Hospital of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, Guizhou, China.
| | | | - Asiyah Yu Lin
- National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.,National Center for Ontological Research, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | | | - John Beverley
- National Center for Ontological Research, Buffalo, NY, USA.,The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Ling Zheng
- Computer Science and Software Engineering Department, Monmouth University, West Long Branch, NJ, USA
| | - Yehoshua Perl
- Department of Computer Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, USA
| | - Zhigang Wang
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yingtong Liu
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Edison Ong
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yang Wang
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,People's Hospital of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Philip Huang
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Long Tran
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jinyang Du
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zalan Shah
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Easheta Shah
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Roshan Desai
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Hsin-Hui Huang
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.,National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yujia Tian
- Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Lynn M Schriml
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Anna Maria Masci
- Office of Data Science, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | | | | | | | - Robert Hoehndorf
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Zoë May Pendlington
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Paola Roncaglia
- European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Xianwei Ye
- People's Hospital of Guizhou Province, Guiyang, Guizhou, China
| | - Jiangan Xie
- School of Bioinformatics, Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Chongqing, China
| | - Yi-Wei Tang
- Cepheid, Danaher Diagnostic Platform, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaolin Yang
- Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Suyuan Peng
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luxia Zhang
- National Institute of Health Data Science, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Luonan Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Junguk Hur
- University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Grand Forks, ND, USA
| | | | - Brian Athey
- University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Barry Smith
- National Center for Ontological Research, Buffalo, NY, USA.,University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA
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8
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Li Y, Yang J, Shen S, Wang W, Liu N, Guo H, Wei W. SARS-CoV-2-encoded inhibitors of human LINE-1 retrotransposition. J Med Virol 2022; 95:e28135. [PMID: 36085352 PMCID: PMC9538743 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic of severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing a devastating impact on public health worldwide. However, details concerning the profound impact of SARS-CoV-2 on host cells remain elusive. Here, we investigated the effects of SARS-CoV-2-encoded viral proteins on the intracellular activity of long interspersed element 1 (L1) retrotransposons using well-established reporter systems. Several nonstructural or accessory proteins (Nsps) of SARS-CoV-2 (i.e., Nsp1, Nsp3, Nsp5, and Nsp14) significantly suppress human L1 mobility, and these viral L1 inhibitors generate a complex network that modulates L1 transposition. Specifically, Nsp1 and Nsp14 inhibit the intracellular accumulation of L1 open reading frame proteins (ORF1p), whereas Nsp3, Nsp5, and Nsp14 repress the reverse transcriptase activity of L1 ORF2p. Given recent findings concerning the roles of L1 in antiviral immune activation and host genome instability, the anti-L1 activities mediated by SARS-CoV-2-encoded inhibitors suggest that SARS-CoV-2 employs different strategies to optimize the host genetic environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Li
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Jiaxin Yang
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Siyu Shen
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Wei Wang
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Nian Liu
- School of Life SciencesTsinghua UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Haoran Guo
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina,Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Institute of Translational Medicine, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Wei Wei
- Institute of Virology and AIDS Research, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina,Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of Ministry of Education, Institute of Translational Medicine, First HospitalJilin UniversityChangchunJilinChina
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9
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Manan A, Pirzada RH, Haseeb M, Choi S. Toll-like Receptor Mediation in SARS-CoV-2: A Therapeutic Approach. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810716. [PMID: 36142620 PMCID: PMC9502216 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system facilitates defense mechanisms against pathogen invasion and cell damage. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) assist in the activation of the innate immune system by binding to pathogenic ligands. This leads to the generation of intracellular signaling cascades including the biosynthesis of molecular mediators. TLRs on cell membranes are adept at recognizing viral components. Viruses can modulate the innate immune response with the help of proteins and RNAs that downregulate or upregulate the expression of various TLRs. In the case of COVID-19, molecular modulators such as type 1 interferons interfere with signaling pathways in the host cells, leading to an inflammatory response. Coronaviruses are responsible for an enhanced immune signature of inflammatory chemokines and cytokines. TLRs have been employed as therapeutic agents in viral infections as numerous antiviral Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs are TLR agonists. This review highlights the therapeutic approaches associated with SARS-CoV-2 and the TLRs involved in COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Manan
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
| | | | - Muhammad Haseeb
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
- S&K Therapeutics, Ajou University Campus Plaza 418, 199 Worldcup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16502, Korea
| | - Sangdun Choi
- Department of Molecular Science and Technology, Ajou University, Suwon 16499, Korea
- S&K Therapeutics, Ajou University Campus Plaza 418, 199 Worldcup-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon 16502, Korea
- Correspondence:
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10
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Low ZY, Zabidi NZ, Yip AJW, Puniyamurti A, Chow VTK, Lal SK. SARS-CoV-2 Non-Structural Proteins and Their Roles in Host Immune Evasion. Viruses 2022; 14:v14091991. [PMID: 36146796 PMCID: PMC9506350 DOI: 10.3390/v14091991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused an unprecedented global crisis and continues to threaten public health. The etiological agent of this devastating pandemic outbreak is the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is characterized by delayed immune responses, followed by exaggerated inflammatory responses. It is well-established that the interferon (IFN) and JAK/STAT signaling pathways constitute the first line of defense against viral and bacterial infections. To achieve viral replication, numerous viruses are able to antagonize or hijack these signaling pathways to attain productive infection, including SARS-CoV-2. Multiple studies document the roles of several non-structural proteins (NSPs) of SARS-CoV-2 that facilitate the establishment of viral replication in host cells via immune escape. In this review, we summarize and highlight the functions and characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 NSPs that confer host immune evasion. The molecular mechanisms mediating immune evasion and the related potential therapeutic strategies for controlling the COVID-19 pandemic are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Yao Low
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Nur Zawanah Zabidi
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Ashley Jia Wen Yip
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Ashwini Puniyamurti
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Vincent T. K. Chow
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore 117545, Singapore
- Correspondence: (V.T.K.C.); (S.K.L.)
| | - Sunil K. Lal
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Tropical Medicine & Biology Platform, Monash University, Subang Jaya 47500, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (V.T.K.C.); (S.K.L.)
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11
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Maurya SK, Baghel MS, Gaurav, Chaudhary V, Kaushik A, Gautam A. Putative role of mitochondria in SARS-CoV-2 mediated brain dysfunctions: a prospect. Biotechnol Genet Eng Rev 2022:1-26. [PMID: 35934991 DOI: 10.1080/02648725.2022.2108998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the virus primarily damages the respiratory and cardiovascular systems after binding to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors, it has the potential to affect all major organ systems, including the human nervous system. There are multiple clinical reports of anosmia, dizziness, headache, nausea, ageusia, encephalitis, demyelination, neuropathy, memory loss, and neurological complications in SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. Though the molecular mechanism of these brain dysfunctions during SARS-CoV-2 infection is elusive, the mitochondria seem to be an integral part of this pathogenesis. Emerging research findings suggest that the dysfunctional mitochondria and associated altered bioenergetics in the infected host cells lead to altered energy metabolism in the brain of Covid-19 patients. The interactome between viral proteins and mitochondrial proteins during Covid-19 pathogenesis also provides evidence for the involvement of mitochondria in SARS-CoV-2-induced brain dysfunctions. The present review discusses the possible role of mitochondria in disturbing the SARS-CoV-2 mediated brain functions, with the potential to use this information to prevent and treat these impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Meghraj S Baghel
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Gaurav
- Department of Botany, Ramjas College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Vishal Chaudhary
- Research Cell and Department of Physics, Bhagini Nivedita College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Ajeet Kaushik
- NanoBioTech Laboratory, Health System Engineering, Department ofEnvironmental Engineering, Florida Polytechnic University, Lakeland, FL, USA
| | - Akash Gautam
- Centre for Neural and Cognitive Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India
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12
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Targeting SARS-CoV-2 endoribonuclease: a structure-based virtual screening supported by in vitro analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:13337. [PMID: 35922447 PMCID: PMC9349323 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-17573-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Researchers are focused on discovering compounds that can interfere with the COVID-19 life cycle. One of the important non-structural proteins is endoribonuclease since it is responsible for processing viral RNA to evade detection of the host defense system. This work investigates a hierarchical structure-based virtual screening approach targeting NSP15. Different filtering approaches to predict the interactions of the compounds have been included in this study. Using a deep learning technique, we screened 823,821 compounds from five different databases (ZINC15, NCI, Drug Bank, Maybridge, and NCI Diversity set III). Subsequently, two docking protocols (extra precision and induced fit) were used to assess the binding affinity of the compounds, followed by molecular dynamic simulation supported by the MM-GBSA free binding energy. Interestingly, one compound (ZINC000104379474) from the ZINC15 database has been found to have a good binding affinity of − 7.68 kcal/Mol. The VERO-E6 cell line was used to investigate its therapeutic effect in vitro. Half-maximal cytotoxic concentration and Inhibitory concentration 50 were determined to be 0.9 mg/ml and 0.01 mg/ml, respectively; therefore, the selectivity index is 90. In conclusion, ZINC000104379474 was shown to be a good hit for targeting the virus that needs further investigations in vivo to be a drug candidate.
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13
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Gupta Y, Kumar S, Zak SE, Jones KA, Upadhyay C, Sharma N, Azizi SA, Kathayat RS, Poonam, Herbert AS, Durvasula R, Dickinson BC, Dye JM, Rathi B, Kempaiah P. Antiviral evaluation of hydroxyethylamine analogs: Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro), a virtual screening and simulation approach. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 47:116393. [PMID: 34509862 PMCID: PMC8416325 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The continued toll of COVID-19 has halted the smooth functioning of civilization on a global scale. With a limited understanding of all the essential components of viral machinery and the lack of structural information of this new virus, initial drug discovery efforts had limited success. The availability of high-resolution crystal structures of functionally essential SARS-CoV-2 proteins, including 3CLpro, supports the development of target-specific therapeutics. 3CLpro, the main protease responsible for the processing of viral polypeptide, plays a vital role in SARS-CoV-2 viral replication and translation and is an important target in other coronaviruses. Additionally, 3CLpro is the target of repurposed drugs, such as lopinavir and ritonavir. In this study, target proteins were retrieved from the protein data bank (PDB IDs: 6 M03, 6LU7, 2GZ7, 6 W63, 6SQS, 6YB7, and 6YVF) representing different open states of the main protease to accommodate macromolecular substrate. A hydroxyethylamine (HEA) library was constructed from harvested chemical structures from all the series being used in our laboratories for screening against malaria and Leishmania parasites. The database consisted of ∼1000 structure entries, of which 70% were new to ChemSpider at the time of screening. This in-house library was subjected to high throughput virtual screening (HTVS), followed by standard precision (SP) and then extra precision (XP) docking (Schrodinger LLC 2021). The ligand strain and complex energy of top hits were calculated by Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) method. Promising hit compounds (n = 40) specifically binding to 3CLpro with high energy and average MM/GBSA scores were then subjected to (100-ns) MD simulations. Using this sequential selection followed by an in-silico validation approach, we found a promising HEA-based compound (N,N'-((3S,3'S)-piperazine-1,4-diylbis(3-hydroxy-1-phenylbutane-4,2-diyl))bis(2-(5-methyl-1,3-dioxoisoindolin-2-yl)-3-phenylpropanamide)), which showed high in vitro antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Further to reduce the size of the otherwise larger ligand, a pharmacophore-based predicted library of ∼42 derivatives was constructed, which were added to the previous compound library and rescreened virtually. Out of several hits from the predicted library, two compounds were synthesized, tested against SARS-CoV-2 culture, and found to have markedly improved antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Samantha E Zak
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA
| | - Krysten A Jones
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Charu Upadhyay
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Neha Sharma
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, India
| | - Saara-Anne Azizi
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rahul S Kathayat
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Poonam
- Department of Chemistry, Miranda House, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Andrew S Herbert
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Bryan C Dickinson
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5801 South Ellis Avenue, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - John M Dye
- United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD, USA; The Geneva Foundation, 917 Pacific Avenue, Tacoma, WA, USA.
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Laboratory for Translational Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College, University of Delhi, India.
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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Autophagy and Mitophagy-Related Pathways at the Crossroads of Genetic Pathways Involved in Familial Sarcoidosis and Host-Pathogen Interactions Induced by Coronaviruses. Cells 2021; 10:cells10081995. [PMID: 34440765 PMCID: PMC8393644 DOI: 10.3390/cells10081995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/16/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sarcoidosis is a multisystem disease characterized by the development and accumulation of granulomas, the hallmark of an inflammatory process induced by environmental and/or infectious and or genetic factors. This auto-inflammatory disease mainly affects the lungs, the gateway to environmental aggressions and viral infections. We have shown previously that genetic predisposition to sarcoidosis occurring in familial cases is related to a large spectrum of pathogenic variants with, however, a clustering around mTOR (mammalian Target Of Rapamycin)-related pathways and autophagy regulation. The context of the COVID-19 pandemic led us to evaluate whether such genetic defects may increase the risk of a severe course of SARS-CoV2 infection in patients with sarcoidosis. We extended a whole exome screening to 13 families predisposed to sarcoidosis and crossed the genes sharing mutations with the list of genes involved in the SARS-CoV2 host-pathogen protein-protein interactome. A similar analysis protocol was applied to a series of 100 healthy individuals. Using ENRICH.R, a comprehensive gene set enrichment web server, we identified the functional pathways represented in the set of genes carrying deleterious mutations and confirmed the overrepresentation of autophagy- and mitophagy-related functions in familial cases of sarcoidosis. The same protocol was applied to the set of genes common to sarcoidosis and the SARS-CoV2-host interactome and found a significant enrichment of genes related to mitochondrial factors involved in autophagy, mitophagy, and RIG-I-like (Retinoic Acid Inducible Gene 1) Receptor antiviral response signaling. From these results, we discuss the hypothesis according to which sarcoidosis is a model for studying genetic abnormalities associated with host response to viral infections as a consequence of defects in autophagy and mitophagy processes.
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Salleh MZ, Derrick JP, Deris ZZ. Structural Evaluation of the Spike Glycoprotein Variants on SARS-CoV-2 Transmission and Immune Evasion. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7425. [PMID: 34299045 PMCID: PMC8306177 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents significant social, economic and political challenges worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 has caused over 3.5 million deaths since late 2019. Mutations in the spike (S) glycoprotein are of particular concern because it harbours the domain which recognises the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and is the target for neutralising antibodies. Mutations in the S protein may induce alterations in the surface spike structures, changing the conformational B-cell epitopes and leading to a potential reduction in vaccine efficacy. Here, we summarise how the more important variants of SARS-CoV-2, which include cluster 5, lineages B.1.1.7 (Alpha variant), B.1.351 (Beta), P.1 (B.1.1.28/Gamma), B.1.427/B.1.429 (Epsilon), B.1.526 (Iota) and B.1.617.2 (Delta) confer mutations in their respective spike proteins which enhance viral fitness by improving binding affinity to the ACE2 receptor and lead to an increase in infectivity and transmission. We further discuss how these spike protein mutations provide resistance against immune responses, either acquired naturally or induced by vaccination. This information will be valuable in guiding the development of vaccines and other therapeutics for protection against the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd Zulkifli Salleh
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
| | - Jeremy P. Derrick
- Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK;
| | - Zakuan Zainy Deris
- Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia Health Campus, Kubang Kerian 16150, Malaysia;
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De novo ssRNA Aptamers against the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: In Silico Design and Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22136874. [PMID: 34206794 PMCID: PMC8267631 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22136874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein, we have generated ssRNA aptamers to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, a protease necessary for the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus replication. Because there is no aptamer 3D structure currently available in the databanks for this protein, first, we modeled an ssRNA aptamer using an entropic fragment-based strategy. We refined the initial sequence and 3D structure by using two sequential approaches, consisting of an elitist genetic algorithm and an RNA inverse process. We identified three specific aptamers against SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, called MAptapro, MAptapro-IR1, and MAptapro-IR2, with similar 3D conformations and that fall in the dimerization region of the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro necessary for the enzymatic activity. Through the molecular dynamic simulation and binding free energy calculation, the interaction between the MAptapro-IR1 aptamer and the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro enzyme resulted in the strongest and the highest stable complex; therefore, the ssRNA MAptapro-IR1 aptamer was selected as the best potential candidate for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and a perspective therapeutic drug for the COVID-19 disease.
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