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Basharat Z, Meshal A. Pan-genome mediated therapeutic target mining in Kingella kingae and inhibition assessment using traditional Chinese medicinal compounds: an informatics approach. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:2872-2885. [PMID: 37144759 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2208221] [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: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Kingella kingae causes bacteremia, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, meningitis, spondylodiscitis, and lower respiratory tract infections in pediatric patients. Usually it demonstrates disease after inflammation of mouth, lips or infections of the upper respiratory tract. To date, therapeutic targets in this bacterium remain unexplored. We have utilized a battery of bioinformatics tools to mine these targets in this study. Core genes were initially inferred from 55 genomes of K. kingae and 39 therapeutic targets were mined using an in-house pipeline. We selected aroG product (KDPG aldolase) involved in chorismate pathway, for inhibition analysis of this bacterium using lead-like metabolites from traditional Chinese medicinal plants. Pharmacophore generation was done using control ZINC36444158 (1,16-bis[(dihydroxyphosphinyl)oxy]hexadecane), followed by molecular docking of top hits from a library of 36,000 compounds. Top prioritized compounds were ZINC95914016, ZINC33833283 and ZINC95914219. ADME profiling and simulation of compound dosing (100 mg tablet) was done to infer compartmental pharmacokinetics in a population of 300 individuals in fasting state. PkCSM based toxicity analysis revealed the compounds ZINC95914016 and ZINC95914219 as safe and with almost similar bioavailability. However, ZINC95914016 takes less time to reach maximum concentration in the plasma and shows several optimal parameters compared to other leads. In light of obtained data, we recommend this compound for further testing and induction in experimental drug design pipeline.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alotaibi Meshal
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Hafr Albatin, Saudi Arabia
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2
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Alzamami A, Alturki NA, Khan K, Basharat Z, Mashraqi MM. Screening inhibitors against the Ef-Tu of Fusobacterium nucleatum: a docking, ADMET and PBPK assessment study. Mol Divers 2024:10.1007/s11030-024-10815-x. [PMID: 38457020 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-024-10815-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
The oral pathogen Fusobacterium nucleatum has recently been associated with an elevated risk of colorectal cancer (CRC), endometrial metastasis, chemoresistance, inflammation, metastasis, and DNA damage, along with several other diseases. This study aimed to explore the disruption of protein machinery of F. nucleatum via inhibition of elongation factor thermo unstable (Ef-Tu) protein, through natural products. No study on Ef-Tu inhibition by natural products or in Fusobacterium spp. exists till todate. Ef-Tu is an abundant specialized drug target in bacteria that varies from human Ef-Tu. Elfamycins target Ef-Tu and hence, Enacyloxin IIa was used to generate pharmacophore for virtual screening of three natural product libraries, Natural Product Activity and Species Source (NPASS) (n = 30000 molecules), Tibetan medicinal plant database (n = 54 molecules) and African medicinal plant database (n > 6000 molecules). Peptaibol Septocylindrin B (NPC141050), Hirtusneanoside, and ZINC95486259 were prioritized from these libraries as potential therapeutic candidates. ADMET profiling was done for safety assessment, physiological-based pharmacokinetic modeling in human and mouse for getting insight into drug interaction with body tissues and molecular dynamics was used to assess stability of the best hit NPC141050 (Septocylindrin B). Based on the promising results, we propose further in vitro, in vivo and pharmacokinetic testing on the lead Septocylindrin B, for possible translation into therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Alzamami
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, 11961, Al-Quwayiyah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norah A Alturki
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, 11433, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Zarrin Basharat
- Alpha Genomics (Private) Limited, Islamabad, 45710, Pakistan.
| | - Mutaib M Mashraqi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, 61441, Najran, Saudi Arabia.
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3
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Chen X, Leyendecker S, van den Bedem H. SARS-CoV-2 main protease mutation analysis via a kinematic method. Proteins 2023; 91:1496-1509. [PMID: 37408369 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoronaVirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 continues to cause millions of deaths globally in part due to immune-evading mutations. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is an important enzyme for viral replication and potentially an effective drug target. Mutations affect the dynamics of enzymes and thereby their activity and ability to bind ligands. Here, we use kinematic flexibility analysis (KFA) to identify how mutations and ligand binding changes the conformational flexibility of Mpro. KFA decomposes macromolecules into regions of different flexibility near-instantly from a static structure, allowing conformational dynamics analysis at scale. Altogether, we analyzed 47 mutation sites across 69 Mpro-ligand complexes resulting in more than 3300 different structures which includes 69 mutated structures with all 47 sites mutated simultaneously and 3243 single residue mutated structures. We found that mutations generally increased the conformational flexibility of the protein. Understanding the impact of mutations on the flexibility of Mpro is essential for identifying potential drug targets in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. Further studies in this area can offer valuable insights into the mechanisms of molecular recognition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiyu Chen
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Dynamics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sigrid Leyendecker
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Institute of Applied Dynamics, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Henry van den Bedem
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
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4
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Rafiq A, Jabeen T, Aslam S, Ahmad M, Ashfaq UA, Mohsin NUA, Zaki MEA, Al-Hussain SA. A Comprehensive Update of Various Attempts by Medicinal Chemists to Combat COVID-19 through Natural Products. Molecules 2023; 28:4860. [PMID: 37375415 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28124860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a global panic because of its continual evolution and recurring spikes. This serious malignancy is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Since the outbreak, millions of people have been affected from December 2019 till now, which has led to a great surge in finding treatments. Despite trying to handle the pandemic with the repurposing of some drugs, such as chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, lopinavir, ivermectin, etc., against COVID-19, the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues its out-of-control spread. There is a dire need to identify a new regimen of natural products to combat the deadly viral disease. This article deals with the literature reports to date of natural products showing inhibitory activity towards SARS-CoV-2 through different approaches, such as in vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies. Natural compounds targeting the proteins of SARS-CoV-2-the main protease (Mpro), papain-like protease (PLpro), spike proteins, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), endoribonuclease, exoribonuclease, helicase, nucleocapsid, methyltransferase, adeno diphosphate (ADP) phosphatase, other nonstructural proteins, and envelope proteins-were extracted mainly from plants, and some were isolated from bacteria, algae, fungi, and a few marine organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Rafiq
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Tooba Jabeen
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Matloob Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Usman Ali Ashfaq
- Department of Bioinformatics and Biotechnology, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Noor Ul Amin Mohsin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Government College University, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh 11623, Saudi Arabia
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Halder SK, Sultana I, Shuvo MN, Shil A, Himel MK, Hasan MA, Shawan MMAK. In Silico Identification and Analysis of Potentially Bioactive Antiviral Phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2: A Molecular Docking and Dynamics Simulation Approach. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:5469258. [PMID: 37214084 PMCID: PMC10195178 DOI: 10.1155/2023/5469258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a deadly coronavirus sparked COVID-19 pandemic around the globe. With an increased mutation rate, this infectious agent is highly transmissible inducing an escalated rate of infections and death everywhere. Hence, the discovery of a viable antiviral therapy option is urgent. Computational approaches have offered a revolutionary framework to identify novel antimicrobial treatment regimens and allow a quicker, cost-effective, and productive conversion into the health center by evaluating preliminary and safety investigations. The primary purpose of this research was to find plausible plant-derived antiviral small molecules to halt the viral entrance into individuals by clogging the adherence of Spike protein with human ACE2 receptor and to suppress their genome replication by obstructing the activity of Nsp3 (Nonstructural protein 3) and 3CLpro (main protease). An in-house library of 1163 phytochemicals were selected from the NPASS and PubChem databases for downstream analysis. Preliminary analysis with SwissADME and pkCSM revealed 149 finest small molecules from the large dataset. Virtual screening using the molecular docking scoring and the MM-GBSA data analysis revealed that three candidate ligands CHEMBL503 (Lovastatin), CHEMBL490355 (Sulfuretin), and CHEMBL4216332 (Grayanoside A) successfully formed docked complex within the active site of human ACE2 receptor, Nsp3, and 3CLpro, respectively. Dual method molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and post-MD MM-GBSA further confirmed efficient binding and stable interaction between the ligands and target proteins. Furthermore, biological activity spectra and molecular target analysis revealed that all three preselected phytochemicals were biologically active and safe for human use. Throughout the adopted methodology, all three therapeutic candidates significantly outperformed the control drugs (Molnupiravir and Paxlovid). Finally, our research implies that these SARS-CoV-2 protein antagonists might be viable therapeutic options. At the same time, enough wet lab evaluations would be needed to ensure the therapeutic potency of the recommended drug candidates for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajal Kumar Halder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Ive Sultana
- Department of Microbiology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | | | - Aparna Shil
- Department of Botany, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | | | - Md. Ashraful Hasan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
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6
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Singh MB, Sharma R, Kumar D, Khanna P, Mansi, Khanna L, Kumar V, Kumari K, Gupta A, Chaudhary P, Kaushik N, Choi EH, Kaushik NK, Singh P. An understanding of coronavirus and exploring the molecular dynamics simulations to find promising candidates against the Mpro of nCoV to combat the COVID-19: A systematic review. J Infect Public Health 2022; 15:1326-1349. [PMID: 36288640 PMCID: PMC9579205 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2022.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 10/08/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The first infection case of new coronavirus was reported at the end of 2019 and after then, the cases are reported in all nations across the world in a very short period. Further, the regular news of mutations in the virus has made life restricted with appropriate behavior. To date, a new strain (Omicron and its new subvariant Omicron XE) has brought fear amongst us due to a higher trajectory of increase in the number of cases. The researchers thus started giving attention to this viral infection and discovering drug-like candidates to cure the infections. Finding a drug for any viral infection is not an easy task and takes plenty of time. Therefore, computational chemistry/bioinformatics is followed to get promising molecules against viral infection. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are being explored to get drug candidates in a short period. The molecules are screened via molecular docking, which provides preliminary information which can be further verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. To understand the change in structure, MD simulations generated several trajectories such as root mean square deviation (RMSD), root mean square fluctuation (RMSF), hydrogen bonding, and radius of gyration for the main protease (Mpro) of the new coronavirus (nCoV) in the presence of small molecules. Additionally, change in free energy for the formation of complex of Mpro of nCoV with the small molecule can be determined by applying molecular mechanics with generalized born and surface area solvation (MM-GBSA). Thus, the promising molecules can be further explored for clinical trials to combat coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).
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Affiliation(s)
- Madhur Babu Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Ritika Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Durgesh Kumar
- Department of Chemistry, Maitreyi College, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Pankaj Khanna
- Department of Chemistry, Acharya Narendra Dev College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Mansi
- University School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | - Leena Khanna
- University School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Special Centre for Nanoscience (SCNS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India
| | - Kamlesh Kumari
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Akanksha Gupta
- Department of Chemistry, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Preeti Chaudhary
- Department of Chemistry, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India
| | - Neha Kaushik
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, The University of Suwon, Hwaseong-si 18323, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eun Ha Choi
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea
| | - Nagendra Kumar Kaushik
- Plasma Bioscience Research Center, Department of Electrical and Biological Physics, Kwangwoon University, Seoul 01897, Republic of Korea.
| | - Prashant Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma College, University of Delhi, New Delhi, India.
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7
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Gao K, Wang R, Chen J, Cheng L, Frishcosy J, Huzumi Y, Qiu Y, Schluckbier T, Wei X, Wei GW. Methodology-Centered Review of Molecular Modeling, Simulation, and Prediction of SARS-CoV-2. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11287-11368. [PMID: 35594413 PMCID: PMC9159519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts in the past two years, our understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), virus-host interactions, immune response, virulence, transmission, and evolution is still very limited. This limitation calls for further in-depth investigation. Computational studies have become an indispensable component in combating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their low cost, their efficiency, and the fact that they are free from safety and ethical constraints. Additionally, the mechanism that governs the global evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 cannot be revealed from individual experiments and was discovered by integrating genotyping of massive viral sequences, biophysical modeling of protein-protein interactions, deep mutational data, deep learning, and advanced mathematics. There exists a tsunami of literature on the molecular modeling, simulations, and predictions of SARS-CoV-2 and related developments of drugs, vaccines, antibodies, and diagnostics. To provide readers with a quick update about this literature, we present a comprehensive and systematic methodology-centered review. Aspects such as molecular biophysics, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, machine learning, and mathematics are discussed. This review will be beneficial to researchers who are looking for ways to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 studies and those who are interested in the status of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifu Gao
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Rui Wang
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Limei Cheng
- Clinical
Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Bristol
Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, United States
| | - Jaclyn Frishcosy
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuta Huzumi
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuchi Qiu
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Tom Schluckbier
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Xiaoqi Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Guo-Wei Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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Jalal K, Khan K, Hayat A, Ahmad D, Alotaibi G, Uddin R, Mashraqi MM, Alzamami A, Aurongzeb M, Basharat Z. Mining therapeutic targets from the antibiotic-resistant Campylobacter coli and virtual screening of natural product inhibitors against its riboflavin synthase. Mol Divers 2022; 27:793-810. [PMID: 35699868 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-022-10455-z] [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: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Campylobacter coli resides in the intestine of several commonly consumed animals, as well as water and soil. It leads to campylobacteriosis when humans eat raw/undercooked meat or come into contact with infected animals. A common manifestation of the infection is fever, nausea, headache, and diarrhea. Increasing antibiotic resistance is being observed in this pathogen. The increased incidence of C. coli infection, and post-infection complications like Guillain-Barré syndrome, make it an important pathogen. It is essential to find novel therapeutic targets and drugs against it, especially with the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains. In the current study, genomes of 89 antibiotic-resistant strains of C. coli were downloaded from the PATRIC database. Potent drug targets (n = 36) were prioritized from the core genome (n = 1,337 genes) of this species. Riboflavin synthase was selected as a drug target and pharmacophore-based virtual screening was performed to predict its inhibitors from the NPASS (n = ~ 30,000 compounds) natural product library. The top three docked compounds (NPC115144, NPC307895, and NPC470462) were selected for dynamics simulation (for 50 ns) and ADMET profiling. These identified compounds appear safe for targeting this pathogen and can be further validated by experimental analysis before clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ajmal Hayat
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, 23200, Pakistan
| | - Diyar Ahmad
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Ghallab Alotaibi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al-Dawadmi Campus, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Reaz Uddin
- Computational Biology Unit, Lab 103 PCMD ext. Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Mutaib M Mashraqi
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Najran University, Najran, 61441, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmad Alzamami
- Clinical Laboratory Science Department, College of Applied Medical Science, Shaqra University, AlQuwayiyah, 11961, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Aurongzeb
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Zarrin Basharat
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
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Antonopoulou I, Sapountzaki E, Rova U, Christakopoulos P. Inhibition of the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (M pro) by repurposing/designing drug-like substances and utilizing nature's toolbox of bioactive compounds. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:1306-1344. [PMID: 35308802 PMCID: PMC8920478 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a long pandemic, with numerous cases and victims worldwide and enormous consequences on social and economic life. Although vaccinations have proceeded and provide a valuable shield against the virus, the approved drugs are limited and it is crucial that further ways to combat infection are developed, that can also act against potential mutations. The main protease (Mpro) of the virus is an appealing target for the development of inhibitors, due to its importance in the viral life cycle and its high conservation among different coronaviruses. Several compounds have shown inhibitory potential against Mpro, both in silico and in vitro, with few of them also having entered clinical trials. These candidates include: known drugs that have been repurposed, molecules specifically designed based on the natural substrate of the protease or on structural moieties that have shown high binding affinity to the protease active site, as well as naturally derived compounds, either isolated or in plant extracts. The aim of this work is to collectively present the results of research regarding Mpro inhibitors to date, focusing on the function of the compounds founded by in silico simulations and further explored by in vitro and in vivo assays. Creating an extended portfolio of promising compounds that may block viral replication by inhibiting Mpro and by understanding involved structure-activity relationships, could provide a basis for the development of effective solutions against SARS-CoV-2 and future related outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ulrika Rova
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Paul Christakopoulos
- Biochemical Process Engineering, Division of Chemical Engineering, Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources Engineering, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
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Basharat Z, Akhtar U, Khan K, Alotaibi G, Jalal K, Abbas MN, Hayat A, Ahmad D, Hassan SS. Differential analysis of Orientia tsutsugamushi genomes for therapeutic target identification and possible intervention through natural product inhibitor screening. Comput Biol Med 2022; 141:105165. [PMID: 34973586 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.105165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Orientia tsutsugamushi (Ott) is a causative agent of scrub typhus, and one of the emerging pathogens that could affect a large human population. It is one of the misdiagnosed and under-reported, febrile illnesses that infects various body organs (skin, heart, lung, kidney, and brain). The control of this infection is hampered due to the lack of drugs or vaccine against it. This study was undertaken to identify potential drug targets from the core genome of Ott and investigate novel natural product inhibitors against them. Hence, the available genomes for 22 strains of Ott were downloaded from the PATRIC database, and pan-genomic analysis was performed. Only 202 genes were present in the core region. Among these, 94 were identified as essential, 32 non-homologous to humans, nine non-homologous to useful gut flora and a single gene dapD as a drug target. Product of this gene (2,3,4,5-tetrahydropyridine-2-carboxylate N-succinyltransferase) was modeled and docked against traditional Indian (Ayurvedic) and Chinese phytochemical libraries, with best hits selected for docking, based on multiple target-drug/s interactions and minimum energy scores. ADMET profiling and molecular dynamics simulation was performed for top three compounds from each library to assess the toxicity and stability, respectively. We presume that these compounds (ZINC8214635, ZINC32793028, ZINC08101133, ZINC85625167, ZINC06018678, and ZINC13377938) could be successful inhibitors of Ott. However, in-depth experimental and clinical research is needed for further validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarrin Basharat
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Umaima Akhtar
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Science, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Ghallab Alotaibi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Al-Dawadmi Campus, Shaqra University, Shaqra, 15571, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry International Center for Chemical and Biological Science University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Naseer Abbas
- Department of Pharmacy, Kohat University of Science and Technology, Kohat, 26000, Pakistan
| | - Ajmal Hayat
- Department of Pharmacy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Diyar Ahmad
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry International Center for Chemical and Biological Science University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shah Hassan
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
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Al-Karmalawy AA, Farid MM, Mostafa A, Ragheb AY, H. Mahmoud S, Shehata M, Shama NMA, GabAllah M, Mostafa-Hedeab G, Marzouk MM. Naturally Available Flavonoid Aglycones as Potential Antiviral Drug Candidates against SARS-CoV-2. Molecules 2021; 26:6559. [PMID: 34770969 PMCID: PMC8587465 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Flavonoids are important secondary plant metabolites that have been studied for a long time for their therapeutic potential in inflammatory diseases because of their cytokine-modulatory effects. Five flavonoid aglycones were isolated and identified from the hydrolyzed aqueous methanol extracts of Anastatica hierochuntica L., Citrus reticulata Blanco, and Kickxia aegyptiaca (L.) Nabelek. They were identified as taxifolin (1), pectolinarigenin (2), tangeretin (3), gardenin B (4), and hispidulin (5). These structures were elucidated based on chromatographic and spectral analysis. In this study, molecular docking studies were carried out for the isolated and identified compounds against SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) compared to the co-crystallized inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (α-ketoamide inhibitor (KI), IC50 = 66.72 µg/mL) as a reference standard. Moreover, in vitro screening against SARS-CoV-2 was evaluated. Compounds 2 and 3 showed the highest virus inhibition with IC50 12.4 and 2.5 µg/mL, respectively. Our findings recommend further advanced in vitro and in vivo studies of the examined isolated flavonoids, especially pectolinarigenin (2), tangeretin (3), and gardenin B (4), either alone or in combination with each other to identify a promising lead to target SARS-CoV-2 effectively. This is the first report of the activity of these compounds against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed A. Al-Karmalawy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta 34518, Egypt
| | - Mai M. Farid
- Department of Phytochemistry and Plant Systematics, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (M.M.F.); (A.Y.R.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Ahmed Mostafa
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (A.M.); (S.H.M.); (M.S.); (N.M.A.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Alia Y. Ragheb
- Department of Phytochemistry and Plant Systematics, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (M.M.F.); (A.Y.R.); (M.M.M.)
| | - Sara H. Mahmoud
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (A.M.); (S.H.M.); (M.S.); (N.M.A.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Mahmoud Shehata
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (A.M.); (S.H.M.); (M.S.); (N.M.A.S.); (M.G.)
- Institute of Medical Virology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Noura M. Abo Shama
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (A.M.); (S.H.M.); (M.S.); (N.M.A.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Mohamed GabAllah
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Virus, Environmental Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (A.M.); (S.H.M.); (M.S.); (N.M.A.S.); (M.G.)
| | - Gomaa Mostafa-Hedeab
- Pharmacology Department & Health Research Unit, Medical College, Jouf University, Skaka 11564, Saudi Arabia;
- Pharmacology Department, Medical College, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62521, Egypt
| | - Mona M. Marzouk
- Department of Phytochemistry and Plant Systematics, National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth St., Dokki, Giza 12622, Egypt; (M.M.F.); (A.Y.R.); (M.M.M.)
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Basharat Z, Jahanzaib M, Rahman N. Therapeutic target identification via differential genome analysis of antibiotic resistant Shigella sonnei and inhibitor evaluation against a selected drug target. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2021; 94:105004. [PMID: 34280580 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2021.105004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Shigella sonnei has been implicated in bloody diarrhea (accompanied by abdominal pain and fever) and is an emerging pathogen of concern, especially in developing countries. The major means of transmission is the fecal-oral route while sexual transmission has also been reported. In children, the impact might be stunted growth due to life-threatening illness. Resistance has been reported in this species for several types of antibiotics. In this study, we retrieved the antibiotic-resistant labeled whole genome sequences of the species from the PATRIC database and performed a pan-genome analysis to filter out core genes. Antibiotic resistance was studied in the core, accessory and unique genome. Core genes were utilized as seed substance for essentiality analysis and drug candidate assignment. Product of the gene aroG, i.e. chorismate biosynthetic process 3-deoxy-7-phosphoheptulonate synthase enzyme, responsible for aromatic amino acid family biosynthetic process, was taken for further downstream processing. Natural product libraries of flavonoids (n = 178), ZINC database derived inhibitor compounds of the 3-deoxy-7-phosphoheptulonate synthase enzyme (n = 112), and streptomycin compounds (n = 737) were docked to find out potent inhibitors, followed by dynamics simulation of 50 ns each for top compounds.. Physicochemical and ADMET profiling of the top compounds was done to analyze their safety for consumption. We propose that the top compounds: Phytoene from Streptomycin library and ZINC000036444158 (synonym:1,16-bis[(dihydroxyphosphinyl)oxy]hexadecane) from 3-deoxy-7-phosphoheptulonate synthase inhibitor library of ZINC database (and used as a control in this study) should be tested in vitro against Shigella sonnei, to fully determine their efficacy. This could add to the drying pipeline of potent drug molecules against emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zarrin Basharat
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, 75270 Karachi, Pakistan.
| | - Muhammad Jahanzaib
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Centre for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, 75270 Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Noor Rahman
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, 75270 Karachi, Pakistan
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