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Matsuda A, Plewka J, Rawski M, Mourão A, Zajko W, Siebenmorgen T, Kresik L, Lis K, Jones A, Pachota M, Karim A, Hartman K, Nirwal S, Sonani R, Chykunova Y, Minia I, Mak P, Landthaler M, Nowotny M, Dubin G, Sattler M, Suder P, Popowicz G, Pyrć K, Czarna A. Despite the odds: formation of the SARS-CoV-2 methylation complex. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6441-6458. [PMID: 38499483 PMCID: PMC11194070 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses modify their single-stranded RNA genome with a methylated cap during replication to mimic the eukaryotic mRNAs. The capping process is initiated by several nonstructural proteins (nsp) encoded in the viral genome. The methylation is performed by two methyltransferases, nsp14 and nsp16, while nsp10 acts as a co-factor to both. Additionally, nsp14 carries an exonuclease domain which operates in the proofreading system during RNA replication of the viral genome. Both nsp14 and nsp16 were reported to independently bind nsp10, but the available structural information suggests that the concomitant interaction between these three proteins would be impossible due to steric clashes. Here, we show that nsp14, nsp10, and nsp16 can form a heterotrimer complex upon significant allosteric change. This interaction is expected to encourage the formation of mature capped viral mRNA, modulating nsp14's exonuclease activity, and protecting the viral RNA. Our findings show that nsp14 is amenable to allosteric regulation and may serve as a novel target for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Matsuda
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Jacek Plewka
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Rawski
- SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre, Jagiellonian University, 30-392 Kraków, Poland
| | - André Mourão
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Weronika Zajko
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Leanid Kresik
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Lis
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Kraków University of Technology, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
| | - Alisha N Jones
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Magdalena Pachota
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Abdulkarim Karim
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, 44002 Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
- Department of Community Health, College of Health Technology, Cihan University-Erbil, 44001 Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Kinga Hartman
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Shivlee Nirwal
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ravi Sonani
- Protein Crystallography Research Group, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Yuliya Chykunova
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Igor Minia
- Laboratory for RNA Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paweł Mak
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Markus Landthaler
- Laboratory for RNA Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcin Nowotny
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Dubin
- Protein Crystallography Research Group, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michael Sattler
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Piotr Suder
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz M Popowicz
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Krzysztof Pyrć
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Czarna
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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Palazzotti D, Sguilla M, Manfroni G, Cecchetti V, Astolfi A, Barreca ML. Small Molecule Drugs Targeting Viral Polymerases. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:661. [PMID: 38794231 PMCID: PMC11124969 DOI: 10.3390/ph17050661] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecules that specifically target viral polymerases-crucial enzymes governing viral genome transcription and replication-play a pivotal role in combating viral infections. Presently, approved polymerase inhibitors cover nine human viruses, spanning both DNA and RNA viruses. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of these licensed drugs, encompassing nucleoside/nucleotide inhibitors (NIs), non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs), and mutagenic agents. For each compound, we describe the specific targeted virus and related polymerase enzyme, the mechanism of action, and the relevant bioactivity data. This wealth of information serves as a valuable resource for researchers actively engaged in antiviral drug discovery efforts, offering a complete overview of established strategies as well as insights for shaping the development of next-generation antiviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (D.P.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (V.C.); (A.A.)
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Podadera A, Campo L, Rehman F, Kolobaric N, Zutic A, Ng KKS. Optimized Recombinant Expression and Purification of the SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase Complex. Curr Protoc 2024; 4:e1007. [PMID: 38511495 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.1007] [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] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
An optimized protocol has been developed to express and purify the core RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) complex from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The expression and purification of active core SARS-CoV-2 RdRp complex is challenging due to the complex multidomain fold of nsp12, and the assembly of the multimeric complex involving nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12. Our approach adapts a previously published method to express the core SARS-CoV-2 RdRP complex in Escherichia coli and combines it with a procedure to express the nsp12 fusion with maltose-binding protein in insect cells to promote the efficient assembly and purification of an enzymatically active core polymerase complex. The resulting method provides a reliable platform to produce milligram amounts of the polymerase complex with the expected 1:2:1 stoichiometry for nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12, respectively, following the removal of all affinity tags. This approach addresses some of the limitations of previously reported methods to provide a reliable source of the active polymerase complex for structure, function, and inhibition studies of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRP complex using recombinant plasmid constructs that have been deposited in the widely accessible Addgene repository. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Expression and production of SARS-CoV-2 nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12 in E. coli cells Support Protocol: Establishment and maintenance of insect cell cultures Basic Protocol 2: Generation of recombinant baculovirus in Sf9 cells and production of nsp12 fusion protein in T. ni cells Basic Protocol 3: Purification of the SARS-CoV-2 core polymerase complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Podadera
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lucas Campo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fasih Rehman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nikola Kolobaric
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adriana Zutic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kenneth K-S Ng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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Ravi V, Shamim U, Khan MA, Swaminathan A, Mishra P, Singh R, Bharali P, Chauhan NS, Pandey R. Unraveling the genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Recombinants using mutational dynamics across the different lineages. Front Med (Lausanne) 2024; 10:1294699. [PMID: 38288302 PMCID: PMC10823376 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1294699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Recombination serves as a common strategy employed by RNA viruses for their genetic evolution. Extensive genomic surveillance during the COVID-19 pandemic has reported SARS-CoV-2 Recombinant strains indicating recombination events during the viral evolution. This study introspects the phenomenon of genome recombination by tracing the footprint of prominent lineages of SARS-CoV-2 at different time points in the context of on-going evolution and emergence of Recombinants. Method Whole genome sequencing was carried out for 2,516 SARS-CoV-2 (discovery cohort) and 1,126 (validation cohort) using nasopharyngeal samples collected between the time period of March 2020 to August 2022, as part of the genomic surveillance program. The sequences were classified according to the different lineages of SARS-CoV-2 prevailing in India at respective time points. Results Mutational diversity and abundance evaluation across the 12 lineages identified 58 Recombinant sequences as harboring the least number of mutations (n = 111), with 14 low-frequency unique mutations with major chunk of mutations coming from the BA.2. The spontaneously/dynamically increasing and decreasing trends of mutations highlight the loss of mutations in the Recombinants that were associated with the SARS-CoV-2 replication efficiency, infectivity, and disease severity, rendering them functionally with low infectivity and pathogenicity. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis revealed that mutations comprising the LD blocks of BA.1, BA.2, and Recombinants were found as minor alleles or as low-frequency alleles in the LD blocks from the previous SARS-CoV-2 variant samples, especially Pre-VOC. Moreover, a dissipation in the size of LD blocks as well as LD decay along with a high negative regression coefficient (R squared) value was demonstrated in the Omicron and BA.1 and BA.2 lineages, which corroborated with the breakpoint analysis. Conclusion Together, the findings help to understand the evolution and emergence of Recombinants after the Omicron lineages, for sustenance and adaptability, to maintain the epidemic spread of SARS-CoV-2 in the host population already high in immunity levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varsha Ravi
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Uzma Shamim
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Md Abuzar Khan
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Aparna Swaminathan
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Pallavi Mishra
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
| | - Rajender Singh
- CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Pankaj Bharali
- CSIR-North East Institute of Science and Technology (CSIR-NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, India
| | - Nar Singh Chauhan
- Department of Biochemistry, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, India
| | - Rajesh Pandey
- Division of Immunology and Infectious Disease Biology, INtegrative GENomics of HOst-PathogEn (INGEN-HOPE) Laboratory, CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (CSIR-IGIB), Delhi, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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Khalifa HO, Al Ramahi YM. After the Hurricane: Anti-COVID-19 Drugs Development, Molecular Mechanisms of Action and Future Perspectives. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:739. [PMID: 38255813 PMCID: PMC10815681 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new coronavirus in the Coronaviridae family. The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has undoubtedly been the largest crisis of the twenty-first century, resulting in over 6.8 million deaths and 686 million confirmed cases, creating a global public health issue. Hundreds of notable articles have been published since the onset of this pandemic to justify the cause of viral spread, viable preventive measures, and future therapeutic approaches. As a result, this review was developed to provide a summary of the current anti-COVID-19 drugs, as well as their timeline, molecular mode of action, and efficacy. It also sheds light on potential future treatment options. Several medications, notably hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir, were initially claimed to be effective in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 but eventually demonstrated inadequate activity, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) withdrew hydroxychloroquine. Clinical trials and investigations, on the other hand, have demonstrated the efficacy of remdesivir, convalescent plasma, and monoclonal antibodies, 6-Thioguanine, hepatitis C protease inhibitors, and molnupiravir. Other therapeutics, including inhaled medicines, flavonoids, and aptamers, could pave the way for the creation of novel anti-COVID-19 therapies. As future pandemics are unavoidable, this article urges immediate action and extensive research efforts to develop potent specialized anti-COVID-19 medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazim O. Khalifa
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 1555, United Arab Emirates;
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
| | - Yousef M. Al Ramahi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain P.O. Box 1555, United Arab Emirates;
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Bharadwaj A, Kaur R, Gupta S. Emerging Treatment Approaches for COVID-19 Infection: A Critical Review. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:435-448. [PMID: 37070448 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666230417112543] [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: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/19/2023]
Abstract
In the present scenario, the SARS-CoV-2 virus has imposed enormous damage on human survival and the global financial system. It has been estimated that around 111 million people all around the world have been infected, and about 2.47 million people died due to this pandemic. The major symptoms were sneezing, coughing, cold, difficulty breathing, pneumonia, and multi-organ failure associated 1with SARS-CoV-2. Currently, two key problems, namely insufficient attempts to develop drugs against SARSCoV-2 and the lack of any biological regulating process, are mostly responsible for the havoc caused by this virus. Henceforth, developing a few novel drugs is urgently required to cure this pandemic. It has been noticed that the pathogenesis of COVID-19 is caused by two main events: infection and immune deficiency, that occur during the pathological process. Antiviral medication can treat both the virus and the host cells. Therefore, in the present review, the major approaches for the treatment have been divided into "target virus" and "target host" groups. These two mechanisms primarily rely on drug repositioning, novel approaches, and possible targets. Initially, we discussed the traditional drugs per the physicians' recommendations. Moreover, such therapeutics have no potential to fight against COVID-19. After that, detailed investigation and analysis were conducted to find some novel vaccines and monoclonal antibodies and conduct a few clinical trials to check their effectiveness against SARSCoV- 2 and mutant strains. Additionally, this study presents the most successful methods for its treatment, including combinatorial therapy. Nanotechnology was studied to build efficient nanocarriers to overcome the traditional constraints of antiviral and biological therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alok Bharadwaj
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, UP, India
| | - Rasanpreet Kaur
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, UP, India
| | - Saurabh Gupta
- Department of Biotechnology, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, UP, India
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Lan Q, Yan Y, Zhang G, Xia S, Zhou J, Lu L, Jiang S. Clinical development of antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. CURRENT RESEARCH IN MICROBIAL SCIENCES 2023; 6:100208. [PMID: 38149085 PMCID: PMC10750039 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmicr.2023.100208] [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] [Indexed: 12/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The unceasing global spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) calls for the development of novel therapeutics. Although many newly developed antivirals and repurposed antivirals have been applied to the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), antivirals showing satisfactory clinical efficacy are few in number. In addition, the loss of sensitivity to variants of concern (VOCs) and lack of oral bioavailability have also limited the clinical application of some antivirals. These facts remind us to develop more potent and broad-spectrum antivirals with better pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic properties to fight against infections from SARS-CoV-2, its variants, and other human coronaviruses (HCoVs). In this review, we summarize the latest advancements in the clinical development of antivirals against infections by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaoshuai Lan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guangxu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Zhou
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science and Technology Park, Hong Kong, China
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lu Lu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shibo Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microbes and Infection, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Pitsillou E, Beh RC, Liang JJ, Tang TS, Zhou X, Siow YY, Ma Y, Hu Z, Wu Z, Hung A, Karagiannis TC. EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection: Compound selection, ADMET analysis, and utilisation in the context of potential SARS-CoV-2 antivirals. J Mol Graph Model 2023; 125:108602. [PMID: 37597309 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2023.108602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Antiviral drugs are important for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) response, as vaccines and antibodies may have reduced efficacy against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants. Antiviral drugs that have been made available for use, albeit with questionable efficacy, include remdesivir (Veklury®), nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid™), and molnupiravir (Lagevrio®). To expand the options available for COVID-19 and prepare for future pandemics, there is a need to investigate new uses for existing drugs and design novel compounds. To support these efforts, we have created a comprehensive library of 750 molecules that have been sourced from in vitro, in vivo, and in silico studies. It is publicly available at our dedicated website (https://epimedlab.org/crl/). The EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection consists of compounds that have been divided into 10 main classes based on antiviral properties, as well as the potential to be used for the management, prevention, or treatment of COVID-19 related complications. A detailed description of each compound is provided, along with the molecular formula, canonical SMILES, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval status. The chemical structures have been obtained and are available for download. Moreover, the pharmacokinetic properties of the ligands have been characterised. To demonstrate an application of the EpiMed Coronabank Chemical Collection, molecular docking was used to evaluate the binding characteristics of ligands against SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural and accessory proteins. Overall, our database can be used to aid the drug repositioning process, and for gaining further insight into the molecular mechanisms of action of potential compounds of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleni Pitsillou
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Raymond C Beh
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Julia J Liang
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Thinh Sieu Tang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Xun Zhou
- Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Ya Yun Siow
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Yinghao Ma
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Zifang Hu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Zifei Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Andrew Hung
- School of Science, STEM College, RMIT University, VIC, 3001, Australia
| | - Tom C Karagiannis
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory at prospED, Carlton, VIC, 3053, Australia; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia; Department of Clinical Pathology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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Bennett RP, Yoluç Y, Salter JD, Ripp A, Jessen HJ, Kaiser SM, Smith HC. Sangivamycin is preferentially incorporated into viral RNA by the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase. Antiviral Res 2023; 218:105716. [PMID: 37690700 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Sangivamycin (S) is an adenosine (A) nucleoside analog with low nanomolar antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Previously, low nanomolar antiviral efficacy was revealed when tested against multiple viral variants in several cell types. SARS-CoV-2 RNA isolated from live virus infected cells and the virions released from these cells was analyzed by mass spectrometry (MS) for S incorporation. Dose-dependent incorporation occurred up to 1.8 S per 1,000 nucleotides (49 S per genome) throughout the viral genomes isolated from both infected cells and viral particles, but this incorporation did not change the viral mutation rate. In contrast, host mRNA, affinity purified from the same infected and treated cells, contained little or no S. Sangivamycin triphosphate (STP) was synthesized to evaluate its incorporation into RNA by recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) under defined in vitro conditions. SARS-CoV-2 RdRp showed that S was not a chain terminator and S containing oligonucleotides templated as A. Though the antiviral mechanism remains to be determined, the data suggests that SARS-CoV-2 RdRp incorporates STP into SARS-CoV-2 RNA, which does not significantly impair viral RNA synthesis or the mutation rate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yasemin Yoluç
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | | | - Alexander Ripp
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Henning J Jessen
- Institute of Organic Chemistry Albert-Ludwigs-University, Freiburg, Germany.
| | - Stefanie M Kaiser
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.
| | - Harold C Smith
- OyaGen, Inc., Rochester, NY, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Center for RNA Biology, Center for AIDS Research, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY, USA.
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10
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Awad AM, Hansen K, Del Rio D, Flores D, Barghash RF, Kakkola L, Julkunen I, Awad K. Insights into COVID-19: Perspectives on Drug Remedies and Host Cell Responses. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1452. [PMID: 37892134 PMCID: PMC10604481 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In light of the COVID-19 global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2, ongoing research has centered on minimizing viral spread either by stopping viral entry or inhibiting viral replication. Repurposing antiviral drugs, typically nucleoside analogs, has proven successful at inhibiting virus replication. This review summarizes current information regarding coronavirus classification and characterization and presents the broad clinical consequences of SARS-CoV-2 activation of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor expressed in different human cell types. It provides publicly available knowledge on the chemical nature of proposed therapeutics and their target biomolecules to assist in the identification of potentially new drugs for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M. Awad
- Department of Chemistry, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA
| | - Kamryn Hansen
- Department of Chemistry, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA
| | - Diana Del Rio
- Department of Chemistry, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA
| | - Derek Flores
- Department of Chemistry, California State University Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA 93012, USA
| | - Reham F. Barghash
- Institute of Chemical Industries Research, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
| | - Laura Kakkola
- Institute of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Ilkka Julkunen
- Institute of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
- Clinical Microbiology, Turku University Hospital, 20521 Turku, Finland
| | - Kareem Awad
- Institute of Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Turku, 20014 Turku, Finland
- Department of Therapeutic Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
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11
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Shehzadi K, Saba A, Yu M, Liang J. Structure-Based Drug Design of RdRp Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. Top Curr Chem (Cham) 2023; 381:22. [PMID: 37318607 DOI: 10.1007/s41061-023-00432-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a worldwide pandemic since 2019, spreading rapidly and posing a significant threat to human health and life. With over 6 billion confirmed cases of the virus, the need for effective therapeutic drugs has become more urgent than ever before. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is crucial in viral replication and transcription, catalysing viral RNA synthesis and serving as a promising therapeutic target for developing antiviral drugs. In this article, we explore the inhibition of RdRp as a potential treatment for viral diseases, analysing the structural information of RdRp in virus proliferation and summarizing the reported inhibitors' pharmacophore features and structure-activity relationship profiles. We hope that the information provided by this review will aid in structure-based drug design and aid in the global fight against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Shehzadi
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China
| | - Afsheen Saba
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China
| | - Mingjia Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China.
| | - Jianhua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, 10081, China.
- Yangtze Delta Region Academy of Beijing Institute of Technology, Jiaxing, 314019, China.
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12
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Huang T, Snell KC, Kalia N, Gardezi S, Guo L, Harris ME. Kinetic analysis of RNA cleavage by coronavirus Nsp15 endonuclease: Evidence for acid base catalysis and substrate dependent metal ion activation. J Biol Chem 2023:104787. [PMID: 37149147 PMCID: PMC10158045 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 05/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the functional properties of SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins is essential for defining their roles in the viral life cycle, developing improved therapeutics and diagnostics, and countering future variants. Coronavirus nonstructural protein Nsp15 is a hexameric U-specific endonuclease whose functions, substrate specificity, mechanism, and dynamics have not been fully defined. Previous studies report SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15 requires Mn2+ ions for optimal activity; however, the effects of divalent ions on Nsp15 reaction kinetics have not been investigated in detail. Here, we analyzed the single and multiple turnover kinetics for model single-stranded RNA substrates. Our data confirm that divalent ions are dispensable for catalysis and show that Mn2+ activates Nsp15 cleavage of two different ssRNA oligonucleotide substrates, but not a dinucleotide. Furthermore, biphasic kinetics of ssRNA substrates demonstrates that Mn2+ stabilizes alternative enzyme states that have faster substrate cleavage on the enzyme. However, we did not detect Mn2+-induced conformational changes using CD and fluorescence spectroscopy. The pH-rate profiles in the presence and absence of Mn2+ are consistent with active site ionizable groups with similar pKas of ca. 4.8-5.2. We found the Rp stereoisomer phosphorothioate modification at the scissile phosphate had minimal effect on catalysis, which supports a mechanism involving an anionic transition state. In contrast, the Sp stereoisomer is inactive due to weak binding, consistent with models that position the non-bridging phosphoryl oxygen deep in the active site. Together, these kinetic data demonstrate that Nsp15 employs a conventional acid-base catalytic mechanism passing through an anionic transition state, and that divalent ion activation is substrate-dependent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Kimberly C Snell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Nidhi Kalia
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Shahbaz Gardezi
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Lily Guo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611
| | - Michael E Harris
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
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13
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Miropolskaya N, Kozlov M, Petushkov I, Prostova M, Pupov D, Esyunina D, Kochetkov S, Kulbachinskiy A. Effects of natural polymorphisms in SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase on its activity and sensitivity to inhibitors in vitro. Biochimie 2023; 206:81-88. [PMID: 36252889 PMCID: PMC9568283 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2022.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is the key enzyme required for viral replication and mRNA synthesis. RdRp is one of the most conserved viral proteins and a promising target for antiviral drugs and inhibitors. At the same time, analysis of public databases reveals multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 genomes with substitutions in the catalytic RdRp subunit nsp12. Structural mapping of these mutations suggests that some of them may affect the interactions of nsp12 with its cofactors nsp7/nsp8 as well as with RNA substrates. We have obtained several mutations of these types and demonstrated that some of them decrease specific activity of RdRp in vitro, possibly by changing RdRp assembly and/or its interactions with RNA. Therefore, natural polymorphisms in RdRp may potentially affect viral replication. Furthermore, we have synthesized a series of polyphenol and diketoacid derivatives based on previously studied inhibitors of hepatitis C virus RdRp and found that several of them can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Tested mutations in RdRp do not have strong effects on the efficiency of inhibition. Further development of more efficient non-nucleoside inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp should take into account the existence of multiple polymorphic variants of RdRp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nataliya Miropolskaya
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Maxim Kozlov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ivan Petushkov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Maria Prostova
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Danil Pupov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”, Moscow, 123182, Russia
| | - Sergey Kochetkov
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey Kulbachinskiy
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center "Kurchatov Institute", Moscow, 123182, Russia.
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14
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González-Vázquez LD, Arenas M. Molecular Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:407. [PMID: 36833334 PMCID: PMC9956206 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produced diverse molecular variants during its recent expansion in humans that caused different transmissibility and severity of the associated disease as well as resistance to monoclonal antibodies and polyclonal sera, among other treatments. In order to understand the causes and consequences of the observed SARS-CoV-2 molecular diversity, a variety of recent studies investigated the molecular evolution of this virus during its expansion in humans. In general, this virus evolves with a moderate rate of evolution, in the order of 10-3-10-4 substitutions per site and per year, which presents continuous fluctuations over time. Despite its origin being frequently associated with recombination events between related coronaviruses, little evidence of recombination was detected, and it was mostly located in the spike coding region. Molecular adaptation is heterogeneous among SARS-CoV-2 genes. Although most of the genes evolved under purifying selection, several genes showed genetic signatures of diversifying selection, including a number of positively selected sites that affect proteins relevant for the virus replication. Here, we review current knowledge about the molecular evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, including the emergence and establishment of variants of concern. We also clarify relationships between the nomenclatures of SARS-CoV-2 lineages. We conclude that the molecular evolution of this virus should be monitored over time for predicting relevant phenotypic consequences and designing future efficient treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Daniel González-Vázquez
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
| | - Miguel Arenas
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Immunology, University of Vigo, 36310 Vigo, Spain
- Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), 36310 Vigo, Spain
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15
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Bello SO, Yunusa A, Adamu AA, Imam MU, Bello MB, Shuaibu A, Igumbor EU, Habib ZG, Popoola MA, Ochu CL, Bello AY, Deeni YY, Okoye I. Innovative, rapid, high-throughput method for drug repurposing in a pandemic-A case study of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1130828. [PMID: 36937851 PMCID: PMC10014809 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1130828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Several efforts to repurpose drugs for COVID-19 treatment have largely either failed to identify a suitable agent or agents identified did not translate to clinical use. Reasons that have been suggested to explain the failures include use of inappropriate doses, that are not clinically achievable, in the screening experiments, and the use of inappropriate pre-clinical laboratory surrogates to predict efficacy. In this study, we used an innovative algorithm, that incorporates dissemination and implementation considerations, to identify potential drugs for COVID-19 using iterative computational and wet laboratory methods. The drugs were screened at doses that are known to be achievable in humans. Furthermore, inhibition of viral induced cytopathic effect (CPE) was used as the laboratory surrogate to predict efficacy. Erythromycin, pyridoxine, folic acid and retapamulin were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 induced CPE in Vero cells at concentrations that are clinically achievable. Additional studies may be required to further characterize the inhibitions of CPE and the possible mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaibu Oricha Bello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- *Correspondence: Shaibu Oricha Bello,
| | - Abdulmajeed Yunusa
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Adamu Ahmed Adamu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha Umar Imam
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Muhammad Bashir Bello
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of veterinary Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Abdulmalik Shuaibu
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of veterinary Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Ehimario Uche Igumbor
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Zaiyad Garba Habib
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha Ayodele Popoola
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Chinwe Lucia Ochu
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Aishatu Yahaya Bello
- Department of Clinical pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Yusuf Yahaya Deeni
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Federal University of Dutse, Dutse, Nigeria
- Centre for Environmental and Public Health Research and Development, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Ifeoma Okoye
- University of Nigeria Centre for Clinical Trials, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Ituku Ozalla, Nigeria
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16
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Yadav R, Courouble VV, Dey SK, Harrison JJE, Timm J, Hopkins JB, Slack RL, Sarafianos SG, Ruiz FX, Griffin PR, Arnold E. Biochemical and structural insights into SARS-CoV-2 polyprotein processing by Mpro. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eadd2191. [PMID: 36490335 PMCID: PMC9733933 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add2191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, a human coronavirus, is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its genome is translated into two large polyproteins subsequently cleaved by viral papain-like protease and main protease (Mpro). Polyprotein processing is essential yet incompletely understood. We studied Mpro-mediated processing of the nsp7-11 polyprotein, whose mature products include cofactors of the viral replicase, and identified the order of cleavages. Integrative modeling based on mass spectrometry (including hydrogen-deuterium exchange and cross-linking) and x-ray scattering yielded a nsp7-11 structural ensemble, demonstrating shared secondary structural elements with individual nsps. The pattern of cross-links and HDX footprint of the C145A Mpro and nsp7-11 complex demonstrate preferential binding of the enzyme active site to the polyprotein junction sites and additional transient contacts to help orient the enzyme on its substrate for cleavage. Last, proteolysis assays were used to characterize the effect of inhibitors/binders on Mpro processing/inhibition using the nsp7-11 polyprotein as substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruchi Yadav
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Valentine V. Courouble
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Sanjay K. Dey
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Timm
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Jesse B. Hopkins
- BioCAT, Department of Physics, Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Ryan L. Slack
- Division of Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Stefan G. Sarafianos
- Division of Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology and Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Francesc X. Ruiz
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Patrick R. Griffin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Skaggs Graduate School of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, FL, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, UF Scripps Biomedical Research, University of Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Eddy Arnold
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine (CABM), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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17
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Peng S, Wang H, Wang Z, Wang Q. Progression of Antiviral Agents Targeting Viral Polymerases. Molecules 2022; 27:7370. [PMID: 36364196 PMCID: PMC9654062 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27217370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 08/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral DNA and RNA polymerases are two kinds of very important enzymes that synthesize the genetic materials of the virus itself, and they have become extremely favorable targets for the development of antiviral drugs because of their relatively conserved characteristics. There are many similarities in the structure and function of different viral polymerases, so inhibitors designed for a certain viral polymerase have acted as effective universal inhibitors on other types of viruses. The present review describes the development of classical antiviral drugs targeting polymerases, summarizes a variety of viral polymerase inhibitors from the perspective of chemically synthesized drugs and natural product drugs, describes novel approaches, and proposes promising development strategies for antiviral drugs.
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18
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Yuyukina SK, Zharkov DO. Mechanisms of Coronavirus Genome Stability As Potential Targets for Antiviral Drugs. HERALD OF THE RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 2022; 92:470-478. [PMID: 36091852 PMCID: PMC9447942 DOI: 10.1134/s1019331622040256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it necessary to create antivirals active against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. One of the widely used strategies to fight off viral infections is the use of modified nucleoside analogues that inhibit viral replication by incorporating DNA or RNA into the growing chain, thus stopping its synthesis. The difficulty of using this method of treatment in the case of SARS-CoV-2 is that coronaviruses have an effective mechanism for maintaining genome stability. Its central element is the nsp14 protein, which is characterized by exonuclease activity, due to which incorrectly included and noncanonical nucleotides are removed from the 3' end of the growing RNA chain. Inhibitors of nsp14 exonuclease and nucleoside analogues resistant to its action are viewed as potential targets for anticoronavirus therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. K. Yuyukina
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
| | - D. O. Zharkov
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Russia
- Novosibirsk State University, Novosibirsk, Russia
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19
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Frazier MN, Riccio AA, Wilson IM, Copeland WC, Stanley RE. Recent insights into the structure and function of coronavirus ribonucleases. FEBS Open Bio 2022; 12:1567-1583. [PMID: 35445579 PMCID: PMC9110870 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses use approximately two-thirds of their 30-kb genomes to encode nonstructural proteins (nsps) with diverse functions that assist in viral replication and transcription, and evasion of the host immune response. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to renewed interest in the molecular mechanisms used by coronaviruses to infect cells and replicate. Among the 16 Nsps involved in replication and transcription, coronaviruses encode two ribonucleases that process the viral RNA-an exonuclease (Nsp14) and an endonuclease (Nsp15). In this review, we discuss recent structural and biochemical studies of these nucleases and the implications for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith N. Frazier
- Signal Transduction LaboratoryDepartment of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthResearch Triangle ParkNCUSA
| | - Amanda A. Riccio
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology LaboratoryDepartment of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthResearch Triangle ParkNCUSA
| | - Isha M. Wilson
- Signal Transduction LaboratoryDepartment of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthResearch Triangle ParkNCUSA
| | - William C. Copeland
- Genome Integrity and Structural Biology LaboratoryDepartment of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthResearch Triangle ParkNCUSA
| | - Robin E. Stanley
- Signal Transduction LaboratoryDepartment of Health and Human ServicesNational Institute of Environmental Health SciencesNational Institutes of HealthResearch Triangle ParkNCUSA
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20
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Campagnola G, Govindarajan V, Pelletier A, Canard B, Peersen OB. The SARS-CoV nsp12 Polymerase Active Site Is Tuned for Large-Genome Replication. J Virol 2022; 96:e0067122. [PMID: 35924919 PMCID: PMC9400494 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00671-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Positive-strand RNA viruses replicate their genomes using virally encoded RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRP) with a common active-site structure and closure mechanism upon which replication speed and fidelity can evolve to optimize virus fitness. Coronaviruses (CoV) form large multicomponent RNA replication-transcription complexes containing a core RNA synthesis machine made of the nsp12 RdRP protein with one nsp7 and two nsp8 proteins as essential subunits required for activity. We show that assembly of this complex can be accelerated 5-fold by preincubation of nsp12 with nsp8 and further optimized with the use of a novel nsp8L7 heterodimer fusion protein construct. Using rapid kinetics methods, we measure elongation rates of up to 260 nucleotides (nt)/s for the core replicase, a rate that is unusually fast for a viral polymerase. To address the origin of this fast rate, we examined the roles of two CoV-specific residues in the RdRP active site: Ala547, which replaces a conserved glutamate above the bound NTP, and Ser759, which mutates the palm domain GDD sequence to SDD. Our data show that Ala547 allows for a doubling of replication rate, but this comes at a fidelity cost that is mitigated by using a SDD sequence in the palm domain. Our biochemical data suggest that fixation of mutations in polymerase motifs F and C played a key role in nidovirus evolution by tuning replication rate and fidelity to accommodate their large genomes. IMPORTANCE Replicating large genomes represents a challenge for RNA viruses because fast RNA synthesis is needed to escape innate immunity defenses, but faster polymerases are inherently low-fidelity enzymes. Nonetheless, the coronaviruses replicate their ≈30-kb genomes using the core polymerase structure and mechanism common to all positive-strand RNA viruses. The classic explanation for their success is that the large-genome nidoviruses have acquired an exonuclease-based repair system that compensates for the high polymerase mutation rate. In this work, we establish that the nidoviral polymerases themselves also play a key role in maintaining genome integrity via mutations at two key active-site residues that enable very fast replication rates while maintaining typical mutation rates. Our findings further demonstrate the evolutionary plasticity of the core polymerase platform by showing how it has adapted during the expansion from short-genome picornaviruses to long-genome nidoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Campagnola
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Vishnu Govindarajan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Annelise Pelletier
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Bruno Canard
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Aix-Marseille Université CNRS UMR 7257, AFMB, Marseille, France
| | - Olve B. Peersen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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21
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Petushkov I, Esyunina D, Kulbachinskiy A. Effects of natural RNA modifications on the activity of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. FEBS J 2022; 290:80-92. [PMID: 35916766 PMCID: PMC9538676 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) plays a key role in the replication of RNA viruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Processive RNA synthesis by RdRp is crucial for successful genome replication and expression, especially in the case of very long coronaviral genomes. Here, we analysed the activity of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp (the nsp12-nsp7-nsp8 complex) on synthetic primer-templates of various structures, including substrates with mismatched primers or template RNA modifications. It has been shown that RdRp cannot efficiently extend RNA primers containing mismatches and has no intrinsic RNA cleavage activity to remove the primer 3'-end, thus necessitating the action of exoribonuclease for proofreading. Similar to DNA-dependent RNA polymerases, RdRp can perform processive pyrophosphorolysis of the nascent RNA product but this reaction is also blocked in the presence of mismatches. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that several natural post-transcriptional modifications in the RNA template, which do not prevent complementary interactions (N6-methyladenosine, 5-methylcytosine, inosine and pseudouridine), do not change RdRp processivity. At the same time, certain modifications of RNA bases and ribose residues strongly block RNA synthesis, either prior to nucleotide incorporation (3-methyluridine and 1-methylguanosine) or immediately after it (2'-O-methylation). The results demonstrate that the activity of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp can be strongly inhibited by common modifications of the RNA template suggesting a way to design novel antiviral compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Petushkov
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”MoscowRussia
| | - Daria Esyunina
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”MoscowRussia
| | - Andrey Kulbachinskiy
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, National Research Center “Kurchatov Institute”MoscowRussia
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22
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Saville JW, Berezuk AM, Srivastava SS, Subramaniam S. Three-Dimensional Visualization of Viral Structure, Entry, and Replication Underlying the Spread of SARS-CoV-2. Chem Rev 2022; 122:14066-14084. [PMID: 35863749 PMCID: PMC9344915 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c01062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
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The global spread
of SARS-CoV-2 has proceeded at an unprecedented
rate. Remarkably, characterization of the virus using modern tools
in structural biology has also progressed at exceptional speed. Advances
in electron-based imaging techniques, combined with decades of foundational
studies on related viruses, have enabled the research community to
rapidly investigate structural aspects of the novel coronavirus from
the level of individual viral proteins to imaging the whole virus
in a native context. Here, we provide a detailed review of the structural
biology and pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2 as it relates to all facets
of the viral life cycle, including cell entry, replication, and three-dimensional
(3D) packaging based on insights obtained from X-ray crystallography,
cryo-electron tomography, and single-particle cryo-electron microscopy.
The structural comparison between SARS-CoV-2 and the related earlier
viruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV is a common thread throughout this review.
We conclude by highlighting some of the outstanding unanswered structural
questions and underscore areas that are under rapid current development
such as the design of effective therapeutics that block viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- James W Saville
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z3
| | - Alison M Berezuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z3
| | - Shanti S Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z3
| | - Sriram Subramaniam
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V6T 1Z3.,Gandeeva Therapeutics Inc., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, V5C 6N5
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23
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Mohammed AO, Abo-Idrees MI, Makki AA, Ibraheem W, Alzain AA. Drug repurposing against main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2 using molecular docking, MM-GBSA calculations and molecular dynamics. Struct Chem 2022; 33:1553-1567. [PMID: 35789829 PMCID: PMC9243907 DOI: 10.1007/s11224-022-01999-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 10/30/2022]
Abstract
A virus called severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is the causing organism of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which has severely affected human life and threatened public health. The pandemic took millions of lives worldwide and caused serious negative effects on human society and the economy. SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) are interesting targets due to their crucial role in viral replication and growth. Since there is only one approved therapy for COVID-19, drug repurposing is a promising approach to finding molecules with potential activity against COVID-19 in a short time and at minimal cost. In this study, virtual screening was performed on the ChEMBL library containing 9923 FDA-approved drugs, using various docking filters with different accuracy. The best drugs with the highest docking scores were further examined for molecular dynamics (MD) studies and MM-GBSA calculations. The results of this study suggest that nadide, cangrelor and denufosol are promising potential candidates against COVID-19. Further in vitro, preclinical and clinical studies of these candidates would help to discover safe and effective anti-COVID-19 drugs.
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24
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Wang B, Svetlov D, Bartikofsky D, Wobus CE, Artsimovitch I. Going Retro, Going Viral: Experiences and Lessons in Drug Discovery from COVID-19. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27123815. [PMID: 35744940 PMCID: PMC9228142 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic and the pace of its global spread have motivated researchers to opt for repurposing existing drugs against SARS-CoV-2 rather than discover or develop novel ones. For reasons of speed, throughput, and cost-effectiveness, virtual screening campaigns, relying heavily on in silico docking, have dominated published reports. A particular focus as a drug target has been the principal active site (i.e., RNA synthesis) of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), despite the existence of a second, and also indispensable, active site in the same enzyme. Here we report the results of our experimental interrogation of several small-molecule inhibitors, including natural products proposed to be effective by in silico studies. Notably, we find that two antibiotics in clinical use, fidaxomicin and rifabutin, inhibit RNA synthesis by SARS-CoV-2 RdRp in vitro and inhibit viral replication in cell culture. However, our mutagenesis studies contradict the binding sites predicted computationally. We discuss the implications of these and other findings for computational studies predicting the binding of ligands to large and flexible protein complexes and therefore for drug discovery or repurposing efforts utilizing such studies. Finally, we suggest several improvements on such efforts ongoing against SARS-CoV-2 and future pathogens as they arise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Wang
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
| | | | - Dylan Bartikofsky
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (D.B.); (C.E.W.)
| | - Christiane E. Wobus
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA; (D.B.); (C.E.W.)
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA;
- Correspondence:
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25
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Martínez-González B, Soria ME, Vázquez-Sirvent L, Ferrer-Orta C, Lobo-Vega R, Mínguez P, de la Fuente L, Llorens C, Soriano B, Ramos-Ruíz R, Cortón M, López-Rodríguez R, García-Crespo C, Somovilla P, Durán-Pastor A, Gallego I, de Ávila AI, Delgado S, Morán F, López-Galíndez C, Gómez J, Enjuanes L, Salar-Vidal L, Esteban-Muñoz M, Esteban J, Fernández-Roblas R, Gadea I, Ayuso C, Ruíz-Hornillos J, Verdaguer N, Domingo E, Perales C. SARS-CoV-2 Mutant Spectra at Different Depth Levels Reveal an Overwhelming Abundance of Low Frequency Mutations. Pathogens 2022; 11:662. [PMID: 35745516 PMCID: PMC9227345 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060662] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations of RNA viruses are composed of complex and dynamic mixtures of variant genomes that are termed mutant spectra or mutant clouds. This applies also to SARS-CoV-2, and mutations that are detected at low frequency in an infected individual can be dominant (represented in the consensus sequence) in subsequent variants of interest or variants of concern. Here we briefly review the main conclusions of our work on mutant spectrum characterization of hepatitis C virus (HCV) and SARS-CoV-2 at the nucleotide and amino acid levels and address the following two new questions derived from previous results: (i) how is the SARS-CoV-2 mutant and deletion spectrum composition in diagnostic samples, when examined at progressively lower cut-off mutant frequency values in ultra-deep sequencing; (ii) how the frequency distribution of minority amino acid substitutions in SARS-CoV-2 compares with that of HCV sampled also from infected patients. The main conclusions are the following: (i) the number of different mutations found at low frequency in SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra increases dramatically (50- to 100-fold) as the cut-off frequency for mutation detection is lowered from 0.5% to 0.1%, and (ii) that, contrary to HCV, SARS-CoV-2 mutant spectra exhibit a deficit of intermediate frequency amino acid substitutions. The possible origin and implications of mutant spectrum differences among RNA viruses are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brenda Martínez-González
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - María Eugenia Soria
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Lucía Vázquez-Sirvent
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Cristina Ferrer-Orta
- Structural Biology Department, Institut de Biología Molecular de Barcelona CSIC, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.F.-O.); (N.V.)
| | - Rebeca Lobo-Vega
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Pablo Mínguez
- Department of Genetics & Genomics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.M.); (L.d.l.F.); (M.C.); (R.L.-R.); (C.A.)
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Bioinformatics Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Lorena de la Fuente
- Department of Genetics & Genomics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.M.); (L.d.l.F.); (M.C.); (R.L.-R.); (C.A.)
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Bioinformatics Unit, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Llorens
- Biotechvana, “Scientific Park”, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (C.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Beatriz Soriano
- Biotechvana, “Scientific Park”, Universidad de Valencia, 46980 Valencia, Spain; (C.L.); (B.S.)
| | - Ricardo Ramos-Ruíz
- Unidad de Genómica, “Scientific Park of Madrid”, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Marta Cortón
- Department of Genetics & Genomics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.M.); (L.d.l.F.); (M.C.); (R.L.-R.); (C.A.)
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosario López-Rodríguez
- Department of Genetics & Genomics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.M.); (L.d.l.F.); (M.C.); (R.L.-R.); (C.A.)
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Crespo
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Pilar Somovilla
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Antoni Durán-Pastor
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
| | - Isabel Gallego
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Ana Isabel de Ávila
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Soledad Delgado
- Departamento de Sistemas Informáticos, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Sistemas Informáticos (ETSISI), Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, 28031 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Federico Morán
- Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28005 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Cecilio López-Galíndez
- Unidad de Virología Molecular, Laboratorio de Referencia e Investigación en Retrovirus, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28222 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Jordi Gómez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina ‘López-Neyra’ (CSIC), Parque Tecnológico Ciencias de la Salud, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Luis Enjuanes
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Llanos Salar-Vidal
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Mario Esteban-Muñoz
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Jaime Esteban
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Ricardo Fernández-Roblas
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Ignacio Gadea
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Department of Genetics & Genomics, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (P.M.); (L.d.l.F.); (M.C.); (R.L.-R.); (C.A.)
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Javier Ruíz-Hornillos
- Allergy Unit, Hospital Infanta Elena, Valdemoro, 28342 Madrid, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nuria Verdaguer
- Structural Biology Department, Institut de Biología Molecular de Barcelona CSIC, 08028 Barcelona, Spain; (C.F.-O.); (N.V.)
| | - Esteban Domingo
- Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain; (C.G.-C.); (P.S.); (A.D.-P.); (I.G.); (A.I.d.Á.)
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Celia Perales
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Av. Reyes Católicos 2, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (B.M.-G.); (M.E.S.); (L.V.-S.); (R.L.-V.); (L.S.-V.); (M.E.-M.); (J.E.); (R.F.-R.); (I.G.)
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, Centro Nacional de Biotecnología (CNB-CSIC), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain;
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain;
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26
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Antiviral Drug Discovery for the Treatment of COVID-19 Infections. Viruses 2022; 14:v14050961. [PMID: 35632703 PMCID: PMC9143071 DOI: 10.3390/v14050961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a recently emerged human coronavirus. COVID-19 vaccines have proven to be successful in protecting the vaccinated from infection, reducing the severity of disease, and deterring the transmission of infection. However, COVID-19 vaccination faces many challenges, such as the decline in vaccine-induced immunity over time, and the decrease in potency against some SARS-CoV-2 variants including the recently emerged Omicron variant, resulting in breakthrough infections. The challenges that COVID-19 vaccination is facing highlight the importance of the discovery of antivirals to serve as another means to tackle the pandemic. To date, neutralizing antibodies that block viral entry by targeting the viral spike protein make up the largest class of antivirals that has received US FDA emergency use authorization (EUA) for COVID-19 treatment. In addition to the spike protein, other key targets for the discovery of direct-acting antivirals include viral enzymes that are essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication, such as RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and proteases, as judged by US FDA approval for remdesivir, and EUA for Paxlovid (nirmatrelvir + ritonavir) for treating COVID-19 infections. This review presents an overview of the current status and future direction of antiviral drug discovery for treating SARS-CoV-2 infections, covering important antiviral targets such as the viral spike protein, non-structural protein (nsp) 3 papain-like protease, nsp5 main protease, and the nsp12/nsp7/nsp8 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex.
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27
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Lethal Mutagenesis of RNA Viruses and Approved Drugs with Antiviral Mutagenic Activity. Viruses 2022; 14:v14040841. [PMID: 35458571 PMCID: PMC9024455 DOI: 10.3390/v14040841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In RNA viruses, a small increase in their mutation rates can be sufficient to exceed their threshold of viability. Lethal mutagenesis is a therapeutic strategy based on the use of mutagens, driving viral populations to extinction. Extinction catastrophe can be experimentally induced by promutagenic nucleosides in cell culture models. The loss of HIV infectivity has been observed after passage in 5-hydroxydeoxycytidine or 5,6-dihydro-5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine while producing a two-fold increase in the viral mutation frequency. Among approved nucleoside analogs, experiments with polioviruses and other RNA viruses suggested that ribavirin can be mutagenic, although its mechanism of action is not clear. Favipiravir and molnupiravir exert an antiviral effect through lethal mutagenesis. Both drugs are broad-spectrum antiviral agents active against RNA viruses. Favipiravir incorporates into viral RNA, affecting the G→A and C→U transition rates. Molnupiravir (a prodrug of β-d-N4-hydroxycytidine) has been recently approved for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Its triphosphate derivative can be incorporated into viral RNA and extended by the coronavirus RNA polymerase. Incorrect base pairing and inefficient extension by the polymerase promote mutagenesis by increasing the G→A and C→U transition frequencies. Despite having remarkable antiviral action and resilience to drug resistance, carcinogenic risks and genotoxicity are important concerns limiting their extended use in antiviral therapy.
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Wang J, Shi Y, Reiss K, Allen B, Maschietto F, Lolis E, Konigsberg WH, Lisi GP, Batista VS. Insights into Binding of Single-Stranded Viral RNA Template to the Replication-Transcription Complex of SARS-CoV-2 for the Priming Reaction from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Biochemistry 2022; 61:424-432. [PMID: 35199520 PMCID: PMC8887646 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
A minimal replication-transcription complex (RTC) of SARS-CoV-2 for synthesis of viral RNAs includes the nsp12 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and two nsp8 RNA primase subunits for de novo primer synthesis, one nsp8 in complex with its accessory nsp7 subunit and the other without it. The RTC is responsible for faithfully copying the entire (+) sense viral genome from its first 5'-end to the last 3'-end nucleotides through a replication-intermediate (RI) template. The single-stranded (ss) RNA template for the RI is its 33-nucleotide 3'-poly(A) tail adjacent to a well-characterized secondary structure. The ssRNA template for viral transcription is a 5'-UUUAU-3' next to stem-loop (SL) 1'. We analyze the electrostatic potential distribution of the nsp8 subunit within the RTC around the template strand of the primer/template (P/T) RNA duplex in recently published cryo-EM structures to address the priming reaction using the viral poly(A) template. We carried out molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a P/T RNA duplex, the viral poly(A) template, or a generic ssRNA template. We find evidence that the viral poly(A) template binds similarly to the template strand of the P/T RNA duplex within the RTC, mainly through electrostatic interactions, providing new insights into the priming reaction by the nsp8 subunit within the RTC, which differs significantly from the existing proposal of the nsp7/nsp8 oligomer formed outside the RTC. High-order oligomerization of nsp8 and nsp7 for SARS-CoV observed outside the RTC of SARS-CoV-2 is not found in the RTC and not likely to be relevant to the priming reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Wang
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry,
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8114,
United States
| | - Yuanjun Shi
- Department of Chemistry, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United
States
| | - Krystle Reiss
- Department of Chemistry, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United
States
| | - Brandon Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United
States
| | - Federica Maschietto
- Department of Chemistry, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United
States
| | - Elias Lolis
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8066, United
States
| | - William H. Konigsberg
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry,
Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8114,
United States
| | - George P. Lisi
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology and
Biochemistry, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912,
United States
| | - Victor S. Batista
- Department of Chemistry, Yale
University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United
States
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29
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Ensemble cryo-EM reveals conformational states of the nsp13 helicase in the SARS-CoV-2 helicase replication-transcription complex. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2022; 29:250-260. [PMID: 35260847 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-022-00734-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins coordinate genome replication and gene expression. Structural analyses revealed the basis for coupling of the essential nsp13 helicase with the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) where the holo-RdRp and RNA substrate (the replication-transcription complex or RTC) associated with two copies of nsp13 (nsp132-RTC). One copy of nsp13 interacts with the template-RNA in an opposing polarity to the RdRp and is envisaged to drive the RdRp backward on the RNA template (backtracking), prompting questions as to how the RdRp can efficiently synthesize RNA in the presence of nsp13. Here we use cryogenic-electron microscopy and molecular dynamics simulations to analyze the nsp132-RTC, revealing four distinct conformational states of the helicases. The results indicate a mechanism for the nsp132-RTC to turn backtracking on and off, using an allosteric mechanism to switch between RNA synthesis or backtracking in response to stimuli at the RdRp active site.
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30
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Celik I, Tallei TE. A computational comparative analysis of the binding mechanism of molnupiravir's active metabolite to RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of wild-type and Delta subvariant AY.4 of SARS-CoV-2. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:807-818. [PMID: 35132671 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The antiviral drug molnupiravir targets the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) enzyme. Early treatment with molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in at-risk, unvaccinated adults with COVID-19, according to phase 3 clinical trials. Many mutations have occurred within this virus as a result of its widespread distribution. The current study sought to determine whether mutations in the RdRP of Delta subvariant AY.4 (D-AY.4 RdRP) influence the interaction of the enzyme with molnupiravir triphosphate (MTP), the active metabolite of molnupiravir. The interactions between the wild-type (WT) RdRP and D-AY.4 RdRP with MTP were evaluated based on molecular docking and dynamic simulation (MD) studies. The results show that the MTP interaction is stronger and more stable with D-AY.4 RdRP than with WT RdRP. This study provides insight into the potential significance of administering MTP to patients infected with D-AY.4 RdRP, which may have a more favorable chance of alleviating the illness. According to the findings of this study, MTP has a high likelihood of becoming widely used as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent. The fact that MTP is not only cytotoxic but also mutagenic to mammalian cells, as well as the possibility that it may cause DNA damage in the host, have all been raised as potential concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Celik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Trina E Tallei
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Sam Ratulangi University, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
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31
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Pizzato M, Baraldi C, Boscato Sopetto G, Finozzi D, Gentile C, Gentile MD, Marconi R, Paladino D, Raoss A, Riedmiller I, Ur Rehman H, Santini A, Succetti V, Volpini L. SARS-CoV-2 and the Host Cell: A Tale of Interactions. FRONTIERS IN VIROLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fviro.2021.815388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The ability of a virus to spread between individuals, its replication capacity and the clinical course of the infection are macroscopic consequences of a multifaceted molecular interaction of viral components with the host cell. The heavy impact of COVID-19 on the world population, economics and sanitary systems calls for therapeutic and prophylactic solutions that require a deep characterization of the interactions occurring between virus and host cells. Unveiling how SARS-CoV-2 engages with host factors throughout its life cycle is therefore fundamental to understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying the viral infection and to design antiviral therapies and prophylactic strategies. Two years into the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, this review provides an overview of the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, with focus on the machinery and compartments pivotal for virus replication and the antiviral cellular response. Starting with the interaction with the cell surface, following the virus replicative cycle through the characterization of the entry pathways, the survival and replication in the cytoplasm, to the mechanisms of egress from the infected cell, this review unravels the complex network of interactions between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell, highlighting the knowledge that has the potential to set the basis for the development of innovative antiviral strategies.
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32
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Wu J, Chen Z, Han X, Chen Q, Wang Y, Feng T. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase as a target for high-throughput drug screening. Future Virol 2022:10.2217/fvl-2021-0335. [PMID: 36794167 PMCID: PMC9910510 DOI: 10.2217/fvl-2021-0335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 has necessitated rapid development of drug screening tools. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a promising target due to its essential functions in replication and transcription of viral genome. To date, through minimal RNA synthesizing machinery established from cryo-electron microscopy structural data, there has been development of high-throughput screening assays for directly screening inhibitors that target the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Here, we analyze and present verified techniques that could be used to discover potential anti-RdRp agents or repurposing of approved drugs to target the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. In addition, we highlight the characteristics and application value of cell-free or cell-based assays in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Wu
- 1Institute of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- 1Institute of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China,2Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xue Han
- 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Road, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong Province, China
| | - Qiaoqiao Chen
- 1Institute of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Yintao Wang
- 1Institute of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Tingting Feng
- 1Institute of Biology & Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu Province, China,Author for correspondence: Tel.: +86 512 6588 2429;
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33
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Review of Ribosome Interactions with SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine. LIFE (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:life12010057. [PMID: 35054450 PMCID: PMC8780073 DOI: 10.3390/life12010057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causing pathogen of the unprecedented global Coronavirus Disease 19 (COVID-19) pandemic. Upon infection, the virus manipulates host cellular machinery and ribosomes to synthesize its own proteins for successful replication and to facilitate further infection. SARS-CoV-2 executes a multi-faceted hijacking of the host mRNA translation and cellular protein synthesis. Viral nonstructural proteins (NSPs) interact with a range of different ribosomal states and interfere with mRNA translation. Concurrent mutations on NSPs and spike proteins contribute to the epidemiological success of variants of concern (VOCs). The interactions between ribosomes and SARS-CoV-2 represent attractive targets for the development of antiviral therapeutics and vaccines. Recently approved COVID-19 mRNA vaccines also utilize the cellular machinery, to produce antigens and trigger immune responses. The design features of the mRNA vaccines are critical to efficient mRNA translation in ribosomes, and are directly related to the vaccine's efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. This review describes recent knowledge of how the SARS-CoV-2 virus' genomic characteristics interfere with ribosomal function and mRNA translation. In addition, we discuss the current learning of the design features of mRNA vaccines and their impacts on translational activity in ribosomes. The understanding of ribosomal interactions with the virus and mRNA vaccines offers the foundation for antiviral therapeutic discovery and continuous mRNA vaccine optimization to lower the dose, to increase durability and/or to reduce adverse effects.
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34
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Editorial overview: Special issue on virus structure and expression in current opinion in virology. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 52:68-70. [PMID: 34875575 PMCID: PMC8642123 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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35
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Svetlov D, Artsimovitch I. Reductionism Ad Absurdum: The Misadventures of Structural Biology in the Time of Coronavirus. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2948-2952. [PMID: 34613689 PMCID: PMC8507565 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The tragic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic have led to admirable responses by the global scientific community, including a profound acceleration in the pace of research and exchange of findings. However, this has had considerable costs of its own, as erroneous conclusions have propagated faster than researchers have been able to detect and correct them. We illustrate the specific misunderstandings that have resulted from reductionist approaches to the study of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which are but one instance of a regrettably growing trend in structural biology. Far from merely being cautionary tales about the conduct of scientific research, these errors have had significant practical impact, by hampering a correct understanding of RdRp structure and mechanism, its inhibition by nucleoside analogues such as remdesivir, and the discovery and characterization of such analogues. After correcting these misunderstandings, we close with several recommendations for a broader correction of the course of scientific research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitri Svetlov
- Svetlov Scientific
Software, Pasadena, California 91106, United States
| | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology and The Center for RNA
Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210,
United States
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36
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Plavec Z, Pöhner I, Poso A, Butcher SJ. Virus structure and structure-based antivirals. Curr Opin Virol 2021; 51:16-24. [PMID: 34564030 PMCID: PMC8460353 DOI: 10.1016/j.coviro.2021.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Structure-based antiviral developments in the past two years have been dominated by the structure determination and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and new lead molecules for picornaviruses. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein has been targeted successfully with antibodies, nanobodies, and receptor protein mimics effectively blocking receptor binding or fusion. The two most promising non-structural proteins sharing strong structural and functional conservation across virus families are the main protease and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, for which design and reuse of broad range inhibitors already approved for use has been an attractive avenue. For picornaviruses, the increasing recognition of the transient expansion of the capsid as a critical transition towards RNA release has been targeted through a newly identified, apparently widely conserved, druggable, interprotomer pocket preventing viral entry. We summarize some of the key papers in these areas and ponder the practical uses and contributions of molecular modeling alongside empirical structure determination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zlatka Plavec
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Bioscience Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences-Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Ina Pöhner
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Antti Poso
- School of Pharmacy, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; University Hospital Tübingen, Department of Internal Medicine VII, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sarah J Butcher
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Molecular and Integrative Bioscience Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland; Helsinki Institute of Life Sciences-Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
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37
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Sonkar C, Doharey PK, Rathore AS, Singh V, Kashyap D, Sahoo AK, Mittal N, Sharma B, Jha HC. Repurposing of gastric cancer drugs against COVID-19. Comput Biol Med 2021; 137:104826. [PMID: 34537409 PMCID: PMC8420180 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a global pandemic. Additionally, the SARS-CoV-2 infection in the patients of Gastric Cancer (GC; the third leading cause of death in the world) pose a great challenge for the health management of the patients. Since there have been uncertainties to develop a new drug against COVID-19, there is an urgent need for repurposing drugs that can target key proteins of both SARS-CoV-2 and GC. The SARS-CoV-2-RdRp protein contains the NiRAN domain, which is known to have kinase-like folds. A docking study of the FDA approved drugs against GC was performed using AutoDock 4.2 and Glide Schrodinger suite 2019 against SARS-CoV-2-RdRp protein. MMGBSA and MD simulation studies were performed to investigate the binding and stability of the inhibitors with the target protein. In this study, we have found 12 kinase inhibitors with high binding energies namely Baricitinib, Brepocitinib, Decernotinib, Fasudil, Filgotinib, GSK2606414, Peficitinib, Ruxolitinib, Tofacitinib, Upadacitinib, Pamapimod and Ibrutinib. These FDA approved drugs against GC can play a key role in the treatment of COVID-19 patients along with GC as comorbidity. We also hypothesize that JAK, ITK, Rho-associated kinases, FGFR2, FYN, PERK, TYK2, p38-MAPK and SYK kinases can be considered as key therapeutic targets in COVID-19 treatment. Taken altogether, we have proposed the SARS-CoV-2-RdRp as a potential therapeutic target through in-silico studies. However, further in-vitro and in-vivo studies are required for the validation of the proposed targets and drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 patients already suffering from GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charu Sonkar
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering (BSBE), Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India
| | - Pawan Kumar Doharey
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, 211002, U.P., India
| | - Anuranjan Singh Rathore
- SASTRA Deemed to Be University, Trichy-Tanjore Road, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, 613401, India
| | - Vishal Singh
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, 211015, U.P., India
| | - Dharmendra Kashyap
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering (BSBE), Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India
| | - Amaresh Kumar Sahoo
- Department of Applied Sciences, Indian Institute of Information Technology Allahabad, Allahabad, 211015, U.P., India
| | - Nitish Mittal
- Computational and Systems Biology, Biozentrum, University of Basel, Klingelbergstrasse 50-70, 4056, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Bechan Sharma
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Allahabad, 211002, U.P., India
| | - Hem Chandra Jha
- Department of Biosciences and Biomedical Engineering (BSBE), Indian Institute of Technology Indore, Khandwa Road, Simrol, Indore, 453552, India.
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38
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Wang B, Svetlov D, Artsimovitch I. NMPylation and de-NMPylation of SARS-CoV-2 nsp9 by the NiRAN domain. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:8822-8835. [PMID: 34352100 PMCID: PMC8385902 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The catalytic subunit of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) contains two active sites that catalyze nucleotidyl-monophosphate transfer (NMPylation). Mechanistic studies and drug discovery have focused on RNA synthesis by the highly conserved RdRp. The second active site, which resides in a Nidovirus RdRp-Associated Nucleotidyl transferase (NiRAN) domain, is poorly characterized, but both catalytic reactions are essential for viral replication. One study showed that NiRAN transfers NMP to the first residue of RNA-binding protein nsp9; another reported a structure of nsp9 containing two additional N-terminal residues bound to the NiRAN active site but observed NMP transfer to RNA instead. We show that SARS-CoV-2 RdRp NMPylates the native but not the extended nsp9. Substitutions of the invariant NiRAN residues abolish NMPylation, whereas substitution of a catalytic RdRp Asp residue does not. NMPylation can utilize diverse nucleotide triphosphates, including remdesivir triphosphate, is reversible in the presence of pyrophosphate, and is inhibited by nucleotide analogs and bisphosphonates, suggesting a path for rational design of NiRAN inhibitors. We reconcile these and existing findings using a new model in which nsp9 remodels both active sites to alternately support initiation of RNA synthesis by RdRp or subsequent capping of the product RNA by the NiRAN domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing Wang
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | | | - Irina Artsimovitch
- Department of Microbiology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
- The Center for RNA Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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39
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Kabinger F, Stiller C, Schmitzová J, Dienemann C, Kokic G, Hillen HS, Höbartner C, Cramer P. Mechanism of molnupiravir-induced SARS-CoV-2 mutagenesis. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2021; 28:740-746. [PMID: 34381216 DOI: 10.1101/2021.05.11.443555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Molnupiravir is an orally available antiviral drug candidate currently in phase III trials for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Molnupiravir increases the frequency of viral RNA mutations and impairs SARS-CoV-2 replication in animal models and in humans. Here, we establish the molecular mechanisms underlying molnupiravir-induced RNA mutagenesis by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Biochemical assays show that the RdRp uses the active form of molnupiravir, β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC) triphosphate, as a substrate instead of cytidine triphosphate or uridine triphosphate. When the RdRp uses the resulting RNA as a template, NHC directs incorporation of either G or A, leading to mutated RNA products. Structural analysis of RdRp-RNA complexes that contain mutagenesis products shows that NHC can form stable base pairs with either G or A in the RdRp active center, explaining how the polymerase escapes proofreading and synthesizes mutated RNA. This two-step mutagenesis mechanism probably applies to various viral polymerases and can explain the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of molnupiravir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Kabinger
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Carina Stiller
- Universität Würzburg, Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie I, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jana Schmitzová
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Christian Dienemann
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Goran Kokic
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Hauke S Hillen
- University Medical Center Göttingen, Department of Cellular Biochemistry, Göttingen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Research Group Structure and Function of Molecular Machines, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Höbartner
- Universität Würzburg, Lehrstuhl für Organische Chemie I, Würzburg, Germany.
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biology, Göttingen, Germany.
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40
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Abdelnabi R, Foo CS, De Jonghe S, Maes P, Weynand B, Neyts J. Molnupiravir Inhibits Replication of the Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in a Hamster Infection Model. J Infect Dis 2021; 224:749-753. [PMID: 34244768 PMCID: PMC8408768 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiab361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VoCs) has exacerbated the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently available monoclonal antibodies and vaccines appear to have reduced efficacy against some of these VoCs. Antivirals targeting conserved proteins of SARS-CoV-2 are unlikely to be affected by mutations arising in VoCs and should therefore be effective against emerging variants. We here investigate the efficacy of molnupiravir, currently in phase 2 clinical trials, in hamsters infected with Wuhan strain or B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants. Molnupiravir proved to be effective against infections with each of the variants and therefore may have potential combating current and future emerging VoCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Abdelnabi
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Caroline S Foo
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Unit, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgit Weynand
- Department of Imaging and Pathology, Division of Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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41
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Ferrero DS, Falqui M, Verdaguer N. Snapshots of a Non-Canonical RdRP in Action. Viruses 2021; 13:v13071260. [PMID: 34203380 PMCID: PMC8310298 DOI: 10.3390/v13071260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA viruses typically encode their own RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) to ensure genome replication and transcription. The closed “right hand” architecture of RdRPs encircles seven conserved structural motifs (A to G) that regulate the polymerization activity. The four palm motifs, arranged in the sequential order A to D, are common to all known template dependent polynucleotide polymerases, with motifs A and C containing the catalytic aspartic acid residues. Exceptions to this design have been reported in members of the Permutotetraviridae and Birnaviridae families of positive single stranded (+ss) and double-stranded (ds) RNA viruses, respectively. In these enzymes, motif C is located upstream of motif A, displaying a permuted C–A–B–D connectivity. Here we study the details of the replication elongation process in the non-canonical RdRP of the Thosea asigna virus (TaV), an insect virus from the Permutatetraviridae family. We report the X-ray structures of three replicative complexes of the TaV polymerase obtained with an RNA template-primer in the absence and in the presence of incoming rNTPs. The structures captured different replication events and allowed to define the critical interactions involved in: (i) the positioning of the acceptor base of the template strand, (ii) the positioning of the 3’-OH group of the primer nucleotide during RNA replication and (iii) the recognition and positioning of the incoming nucleotide. Structural comparisons unveiled a closure of the active site on the RNA template-primer binding, before rNTP entry. This conformational rearrangement that also includes the repositioning of the motif A aspartate for the catalytic reaction to take place is maintained on rNTP and metal ion binding and after nucleotide incorporation, before translocation.
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Kyosei Y, Namba M, Yamura S, Watabe S, Yoshimura T, Sasaki T, Shioda T, Ito E. Improved Detection Sensitivity of an Antigen Test for SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Proteins with Thio-NAD Cycling. Biol Pharm Bull 2021; 44:1332-1336. [PMID: 34148926 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Antigen tests for infectious diseases are inexpensive and easy-to-use, but the limit of detection (LOD) is generally higher than that of PCR tests, which are considered the gold standard. In the present study, we combined a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with thionicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (thio-NAD) cycling to improve the LOD of antigen tests for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). For recombinant nucleocapsid proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the LOD of our ELISA with thio-NAD cycling was 2.95 × 10-17 moles/assay. When UV-irradiated inactive SARS-CoV-2 was used, the minimum detectable virions corresponding to 2.6 × 104 RNA copies/assay were obtained using our ELISA with thio-NAD cycling. The assay volume for each test was 100 µL. The minimum detectable value was smaller than that of the latest antigen test using a fluorescent immunoassay for SARS-CoV-2, indicating the validity of our detection system for COVID-19 diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sou Yamura
- Department of Biology, Waseda University
| | - Satoshi Watabe
- Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University
| | - Teruki Yoshimura
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido
| | - Tadahiro Sasaki
- Department of Viral Infections, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University
| | - Tatsuo Shioda
- Department of Viral Infections, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University.,Waseda Research Institute for Science and Engineering, Waseda University.,Graduate Institute of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University
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Abstract
Molnupiravir, a prodrug of the nucleoside derivative β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), is currently in clinical trials for COVID-19 therapy. However, the biochemical mechanisms involved in molnupiravir-induced mutagenesis had not been explored. In a recent study, Gordon et al. demonstrated that NHC can be incorporated into viral RNA and subsequently extended and used as template for RNA-dependent RNA synthesis, proposing a mutagenesis model consistent with available virological evidence. Their study uncovers molecular mechanisms by which molnupiravir drives SARS-CoV-2 into error catastrophe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Menéndez-Arias
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
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Abstract
Molnupiravir is an orally available antiviral drug candidate currently in phase III trials for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Molnupiravir increases the frequency of viral RNA mutations and impairs SARS-CoV-2 replication in animal models and in humans. Here, we establish the molecular mechanisms underlying molnupiravir-induced RNA mutagenesis by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Biochemical assays show that the RdRp uses the active form of molnupiravir, β-D-N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC) triphosphate, as a substrate instead of cytidine triphosphate or uridine triphosphate. When the RdRp uses the resulting RNA as a template, NHC directs incorporation of either G or A, leading to mutated RNA products. Structural analysis of RdRp-RNA complexes that contain mutagenesis products shows that NHC can form stable base pairs with either G or A in the RdRp active center, explaining how the polymerase escapes proofreading and synthesizes mutated RNA. This two-step mutagenesis mechanism probably applies to various viral polymerases and can explain the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of molnupiravir.
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