1
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Wang D, Zhang Z, Baudys J, Haynes C, Osman SH, Zhou B, Barr JR, Gumbart JC. Enhanced Surface Accessibility of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein Due to an Altered Glycosylation Profile. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2032-2046. [PMID: 38728322 PMCID: PMC11184558 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) proteins undergo extensive glycosylation, aiding in proper folding, enhancing stability, and evading host immune surveillance. In this study, we used mass spectrometric analysis to elucidate the N-glycosylation characteristics and disulfide bonding of recombinant spike proteins derived from the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) in comparison with the D614G spike variant. Furthermore, we conducted microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations on spike proteins to resolve how the different N-glycans impact spike conformational sampling in the two variants. Our findings reveal that the Omicron spike protein maintains an overall resemblance to the D614G spike variant in terms of site-specific glycan processing and disulfide bond formation. Nonetheless, alterations in glycans were observed at certain N-glycosylation sites. These changes, in synergy with mutations within the Omicron spike protein, result in increased surface accessibility of the macromolecule, including the ectodomain, receptor-binding domain, and N-terminal domain. Additionally, mutagenesis and pull-down assays reveal the role of glycosylation of a specific sequon (N149); furthermore, the correlation of MD simulation and HDX-MS identified several high-dynamic areas of the spike proteins. These insights contribute to our understanding of the interplay between structure and function, thereby advancing effective vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Zijian Zhang
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
| | - Jakub Baudys
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Christopher Haynes
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Sarah H. Osman
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Bin Zhou
- National
Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - John R. Barr
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - James C. Gumbart
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
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2
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Ives CM, Nguyen L, Fogarty CA, Harbison AM, Durocher Y, Klassen J, Fadda E. Role of N343 glycosylation on the SARS-CoV-2 S RBD structure and co-receptor binding across variants of concern. eLife 2024; 13:RP95708. [PMID: 38864493 PMCID: PMC11168744 DOI: 10.7554/elife.95708] [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] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein represents a key target for viral evolution because it affects both viral evasion and fitness. Successful variations in the glycan shield are difficult to achieve though, as protein glycosylation is also critical to folding and structural stability. Within this framework, the identification of glycosylation sites that are structurally dispensable can provide insight into the evolutionary mechanisms of the shield and inform immune surveillance. In this work, we show through over 45 μs of cumulative sampling from conventional and enhanced molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, how the structure of the immunodominant S receptor binding domain (RBD) is regulated by N-glycosylation at N343 and how this glycan's structural role changes from WHu-1, alpha (B.1.1.7), and beta (B.1.351), to the delta (B.1.617.2), and omicron (BA.1 and BA.2.86) variants. More specifically, we find that the amphipathic nature of the N-glycan is instrumental to preserve the structural integrity of the RBD hydrophobic core and that loss of glycosylation at N343 triggers a specific and consistent conformational change. We show how this change allosterically regulates the conformation of the receptor binding motif (RBM) in the WHu-1, alpha, and beta RBDs, but not in the delta and omicron variants, due to mutations that reinforce the RBD architecture. In support of these findings, we show that the binding of the RBD to monosialylated ganglioside co-receptors is highly dependent on N343 glycosylation in the WHu-1, but not in the delta RBD, and that affinity changes significantly across VoCs. Ultimately, the molecular and functional insight we provide in this work reinforces our understanding of the role of glycosylation in protein structure and function and it also allows us to identify the structural constraints within which the glycosylation site at N343 can become a hotspot for mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 S glycan shield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Callum M Ives
- Department of Chemistry, Maynooth UniversityMaynoothIreland
| | - Linh Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, University of AlbertaEdmontonCanada
| | - Carl A Fogarty
- Department of Chemistry, Maynooth UniversityMaynoothIreland
| | | | - Yves Durocher
- Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre, Life Sciences Division, National Research Council CanadaQuébecCanada
- Département de Biochimie et Médecine Moléculaire, Université de MontréalQuébecCanada
| | - John Klassen
- Department of Chemistry, University of AlbertaEdmontonCanada
| | - Elisa Fadda
- School of Biological Sciences, University of SouthamptonSouthamptonUnited Kingdom
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3
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Girgis M, Petruncio G, Russo P, Peyton S, Paige M, Campos D, Sanda M. Analysis of N- and O-linked site-specific glycosylation by ion mobility mass spectrometry: State of the art and future directions. Proteomics 2024; 24:e2300281. [PMID: 38171879 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300281] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Glycosylation, the major post-translational modification of proteins, significantly increases the diversity of proteoforms. Glycans are involved in a variety of pivotal structural and functional roles of proteins, and changes in glycosylation are profoundly connected to the progression of numerous diseases. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as the gold standard for glycan and glycopeptide analysis because of its high sensitivity and the wealth of fragmentation information that can be obtained. Various separation techniques have been employed to resolve glycan and glycopeptide isomers at the front end of the MS. However, differentiating structures of isobaric and isomeric glycopeptides constitutes a challenge in MS-based characterization. Many reports described the use of various ion mobility-mass spectrometry (IM-MS) techniques for glycomic analyses. Nevertheless, very few studies have focused on N- and O-linked site-specific glycopeptidomic analysis. Unlike glycomics, glycoproteomics presents a multitude of inherent challenges in microheterogeneity, which are further exacerbated by the lack of dedicated bioinformatics tools. In this review, we cover recent advances made towards the growing field of site-specific glycosylation analysis using IM-MS with a specific emphasis on the MS techniques and capabilities in resolving isomeric peptidoglycan structures. Furthermore, we discuss commonly used software that supports IM-MS data analysis of glycopeptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Girgis
- Department of Bioengineering, College of Engineering & Computing, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
- Center for Molecular Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA
| | - Gregory Petruncio
- Center for Molecular Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Paul Russo
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA
| | - Steven Peyton
- Center for Molecular Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA
| | - Mikell Paige
- Center for Molecular Engineering, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, USA
| | - Diana Campos
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Herz- und Lungenforschung, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Miloslav Sanda
- Max-Planck-Institut fuer Herz- und Lungenforschung, Bad Nauheim, Germany
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4
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Hiono T, Sakaue H, Tomioka A, Kaji H, Sasaki M, Orba Y, Sawa H, Kuno A. Combinatorial Approach with Mass Spectrometry and Lectin Microarray Dissected Site-Specific Glycostem and Glycoleaf Features of the Virion-Derived Spike Protein of Ancestral and γ Variant SARS-CoV-2 Strains. J Proteome Res 2024; 23:1408-1419. [PMID: 38536229 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00874] [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: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has impacted public health globally. As the glycosylation of viral envelope glycoproteins is strongly associated with their immunogenicity, intensive studies have been conducted on the glycans of the glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2, the spike (S) protein. Here, we conducted intensive glycoproteomic analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein of ancestral and γ-variant strains using a combinatorial approach with two different technologies: mass spectrometry (MS) and lectin microarrays (LMA). Our unique MS1-based glycoproteomic technique, Glyco-RIDGE, in addition to MS2-based Byonic search, identified 1448 (ancestral strain) and 1785 (γ-variant strain) site-specific glycan compositions, respectively. Asparagine at amino acid position 20 (N20) is mainly glycosylated within two successive potential glycosylation sites, N17 and N20, of the γ-variant S protein; however, we found low-frequency glycosylation at N17. Our novel approaches, glycostem mapping and glycoleaf scoring, also illustrate the moderately branched/extended, highly fucosylated, and less sialylated natures of the glycoforms of S proteins. Subsequent LMA analysis emphasized the intensive end-capping of glycans by Lewis fucoses, which complemented the glycoproteomic features. These results illustrate the high-resolution glycoproteomic features of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, contributing to vaccine design and understanding of viral protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takahiro Hiono
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Sakaue
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Azusa Tomioka
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kaji
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
| | - Michihito Sasaki
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Yasuko Orba
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Hirofumi Sawa
- One Health Research Center, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0818, Japan
- International Collaboration Unit, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
- Institute for Vaccine Research and Development (HU-IVReD), Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0021, Japan
- Division of Molecular Pathobiology, International Institute for Zoonosis Control, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 001-0020, Japan
| | - Atsushi Kuno
- Molecular and Cellular Glycoproteomics Research Group, Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research Institute, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science & Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8565, Japan
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5
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SureshKumar H, Appadurai R, Srivastava A. Glycans modulate lipid binding in Lili-Mip lipocalin protein: insights from molecular simulations and protein network analyses. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwad094. [PMID: 38015986 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad094] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The unique viviparous Pacific Beetle cockroaches provide nutrition to their embryo by secreting milk proteins Lili-Mip, a lipid-binding glycoprotein that crystallises in-vivo. The resolved in-vivo crystal structure of variably glycosylated Lili-Mip shows a classical Lipocalin fold with an eight-stranded antiparallel beta-barrel enclosing a fatty acid. The availability of physiologically unaltered glycoprotein structure makes Lili-Mip a very attractive model system to investigate the role of glycans on protein structure, dynamics, and function. Towards that end, we have employed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations on various glycosylated stages of a bound and free Lili-Mip protein and characterised the impact of glycans and the bound lipid on the dynamics of this glycoconjugate. Our work provides important molecular-level mechanistic insights into the role of glycans in the nutrient storage function of the Lili-Mip protein. Our analyses show that the glycans stabilise spatially proximal residues and regulate the low amplitude opening motions of the residues at the entrance of the binding pocket. Glycans also preserve the native orientation and conformational flexibility of the ligand. However, we find that either deglycosylation or glycosylation with high-mannose and paucimannose on the core glycans, which better mimic the natural insect glycosylation state, significantly affects the conformation and dynamics. A simple but effective distance- and correlation-based network analysis of the protein also reveals the key residues regulating the barrel's architecture and ligand binding characteristics in response to glycosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harini SureshKumar
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, KA 560012, India
| | - Rajeswari Appadurai
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, KA 560012, India
| | - Anand Srivastava
- Molecular Biophysics Unit, Indian Institute of Science, C. V. Raman Road, Bangalore, KA 560012, India
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6
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Pegg CL, Modhiran N, Parry RH, Liang B, Amarilla AA, Khromykh AA, Burr L, Young PR, Chappell K, Schulz BL, Watterson D. The role of N-glycosylation in spike antigenicity for the SARS-CoV-2 gamma variant. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwad097. [PMID: 38048640 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad097] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants alters the efficacy of existing immunity towards the viral spike protein, whether acquired from infection or vaccination. Mutations that impact N-glycosylation of spike may be particularly important in influencing antigenicity, but their consequences are difficult to predict. Here, we compare the glycosylation profiles and antigenicity of recombinant viral spike of ancestral Wu-1 and the Gamma strain, which has two additional N-glycosylation sites due to amino acid substitutions in the N-terminal domain (NTD). We found that a mutation at residue 20 from threonine to asparagine within the NTD caused the loss of NTD-specific antibody COVA2-17 binding. Glycan site-occupancy analyses revealed that the mutation resulted in N-glycosylation switching to the new sequon at N20 from the native N17 site. Site-specific glycosylation profiles demonstrated distinct glycoform differences between Wu-1, Gamma, and selected NTD variant spike proteins, but these did not affect antibody binding. Finally, we evaluated the specificity of spike proteins against convalescent COVID-19 sera and found reduced cross-reactivity against some mutants, but not Gamma spike compared to Wuhan spike. Our results illustrate the impact of viral divergence on spike glycosylation and SARS-CoV-2 antibody binding profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Pegg
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Naphak Modhiran
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rhys H Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Benjamin Liang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alberto A Amarilla
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander A Khromykh
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Lucy Burr
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Paul R Young
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Keith Chappell
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Daniel Watterson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
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7
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Haynes CA, Keppel TR, Mekonnen B, Osman SH, Zhou Y, Woolfitt AR, Baudys J, Barr JR, Wang D. Inclusion of deuterated glycopeptides provides increased sequence coverage in hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2024; 38:e9690. [PMID: 38355883 PMCID: PMC10871554 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.9690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
RATIONALE Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) can provide precise analysis of a protein's conformational dynamics across varied states, such as heat-denatured versus native protein structures, localizing regions that are specifically affected by such conditional changes. Maximizing protein sequence coverage provides high confidence that regions of interest were located by HDX-MS, but one challenge for complete sequence coverage is N-glycosylation sites. The deuteration of peptides post-translationally modified by asparagine-bound glycans (glycopeptides) has not always been identified in previous reports of HDX-MS analyses, causing significant sequence coverage gaps in heavily glycosylated proteins and uncertainty in structural dynamics in many regions throughout a glycoprotein. METHODS We detected deuterated glycopeptides with a Tribrid Orbitrap Eclipse mass spectrometer performing data-dependent acquisition. An MS scan was used to identify precursor ions; if high-energy collision-induced dissociation MS/MS of the precursor indicated oxonium ions diagnostic for complex glycans, then electron transfer low-energy collision-induced dissociation MS/MS scans of the precursor identified the modified asparagine residue and the glycan's mass. As in traditional HDX-MS, the identified glycopeptides were then analyzed at the MS level in samples labeled with D2 O. RESULTS We report HDX-MS analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein ectodomain in its trimeric prefusion form, which has 22 predicted N-glycosylation sites per monomer, with and without heat treatment. We identified glycopeptides and calculated their average isotopic mass shifts from deuteration. Inclusion of the deuterated glycopeptides increased sequence coverage of spike ectodomain from 76% to 84%, demonstrated that glycopeptides had been deuterated, and improved confidence in results localizing structural rearrangements. CONCLUSION Inclusion of deuterated glycopeptides improves the analysis of the conformational dynamics of glycoproteins such as viral surface antigens and cellular receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Haynes
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Theodore R Keppel
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Betlehem Mekonnen
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Sarah H Osman
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Yu Zhou
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Adrian R Woolfitt
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Jakub Baudys
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - John R Barr
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Dongxia Wang
- Structure Laboratory, Clinical Chemistry Branch, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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8
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Tsai YX, Chang NE, Reuter K, Chang HT, Yang TJ, von Bülow S, Sehrawat V, Zerrouki N, Tuffery M, Gecht M, Grothaus IL, Colombi Ciacchi L, Wang YS, Hsu MF, Khoo KH, Hummer G, Hsu STD, Hanus C, Sikora M. Rapid simulation of glycoprotein structures by grafting and steric exclusion of glycan conformer libraries. Cell 2024; 187:1296-1311.e26. [PMID: 38428397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.034] [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: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Most membrane proteins are modified by covalent addition of complex sugars through N- and O-glycosylation. Unlike proteins, glycans do not typically adopt specific secondary structures and remain very mobile, shielding potentially large fractions of protein surface. High glycan conformational freedom hinders complete structural elucidation of glycoproteins. Computer simulations may be used to model glycosylated proteins but require hundreds of thousands of computing hours on supercomputers, thus limiting routine use. Here, we describe GlycoSHIELD, a reductionist method that can be implemented on personal computers to graft realistic ensembles of glycan conformers onto static protein structures in minutes. Using molecular dynamics simulation, small-angle X-ray scattering, cryoelectron microscopy, and mass spectrometry, we show that this open-access toolkit provides enhanced models of glycoprotein structures. Focusing on N-cadherin, human coronavirus spike proteins, and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, we show that GlycoSHIELD can shed light on the impact of glycans on the conformation and activity of complex glycoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xi Tsai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ning-En Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Klaus Reuter
- Max Planck Computing and Data Facility, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Hao-Ting Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Jing Yang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Sören von Bülow
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Vidhi Sehrawat
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
| | - Noémie Zerrouki
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Tuffery
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Michael Gecht
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Isabell Louise Grothaus
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, Faculty of Production Engineering, Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science and MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Lucio Colombi Ciacchi
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, Faculty of Production Engineering, Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science and MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Yong-Sheng Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Min-Feng Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kay-Hooi Khoo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM(2)), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan.
| | - Cyril Hanus
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France; GHU Psychiatrie et Neurosciences de Paris, 75014 Paris, France.
| | - Mateusz Sikora
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland.
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9
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Maity S, Acharya A. Many Roles of Carbohydrates: A Computational Spotlight on the Coronavirus S Protein Binding. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:646-656. [PMID: 36947738 PMCID: PMC10880061 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c01064] [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: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation is one of the post-translational modifications with more than 50% of human proteins being glycosylated. The exact nature and chemical composition of glycans are inaccessible to X-ray or cryo-electron microscopy imaging techniques. Therefore, computational modeling studies and molecular dynamics must be used as a "computational microscope". The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is heavily glycosylated, and a few glycans play a more functional role "beyond shielding". In this mini-review, we discuss computational investigations of the roles of specific S-protein and ACE2 glycans in the overall ACE2-S protein binding. We highlight different functions of specific glycans demonstrated in myriad computational models and simulations in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding to the receptor. We also discuss interactions between glycocalyx and the S protein, which may be utilized to design prophylactic polysaccharide-based therapeutics targeting the S protein. In addition, we underline the recent emergence of coronavirus variants and their impact on the S protein and its glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suman Maity
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Atanu Acharya
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- BioInspired
Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
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10
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Samsudin F, Zuzic L, Marzinek JK, Bond PJ. Mechanisms of allostery at the viral surface through the eyes of molecular simulation. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102761. [PMID: 38142635 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The outermost surface layer of any virus is formed by either a capsid shell or envelope. Such layers have traditionally been thought of as immovable structures, but it is becoming apparent that they cannot be viewed exclusively as static architectures protecting the viral genome. A limited number of proteins on the virion surface must perform a multitude of functions in order to orchestrate the viral life cycle, and allostery can regulate their structures at multiple levels of organization, spanning individual molecules, protomers, large oligomeric assemblies, or entire viral surfaces. Here, we review recent contributions from the molecular simulation field to viral surface allostery, with a particular focus on the trimeric spike glycoprotein emerging from the coronavirus surface, and the icosahedral flaviviral envelope complex. As emerging viral pathogens continue to pose a global threat, an improved understanding of viral dynamics and allosteric regulation will prove crucial in developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | - Lorena Zuzic
- Department of Chemistry, Langelandsgade 140, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, 16 Science Drive 4, National University of Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
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11
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Zan F, Zhou Y, Chen T, Chen Y, Mu Z, Qian Z, Ou X. Stabilization of the Metastable Pre-Fusion Conformation of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein through N-Linked Glycosylation of the S2 Subunit. Viruses 2024; 16:223. [PMID: 38399999 PMCID: PMC10891965 DOI: 10.3390/v16020223] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus responsible for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, represents a serious threat to public health. The spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 mediates viral entry into host cells and is heavily glycosylated. In this study, we systemically analyzed the roles of 22 putative N-linked glycans in SARS-CoV-2 S protein expression, membrane fusion, viral entry, and stability. Using the α-glycosidase inhibitors castanospermine and NB-DNJ, we confirmed that disruption of N-linked glycosylation blocked the maturation of the S protein, leading to the impairment of S protein-mediated membrane fusion. Single-amino-acid substitution of each of the 22 N-linked glycosylation sites with glutamine revealed that 9 out of the 22 N-linked glycosylation sites were critical for S protein folding and maturation. Thus, substitution at these sites resulted in reduced S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and viral entry. Notably, the N1074Q mutation markedly affected S protein stability and induced significant receptor-independent syncytium (RIS) formation in HEK293T/hACE2-KO cells. Additionally, the removal of the furin cleavage site partially compensated for the instability induced by the N1074Q mutation. Although the corresponding mutation in the SARS-CoV S protein (N1056Q) did not induce RIS in HEK293T cells, the N669Q and N1080Q mutants exhibited increased fusogenic activity and did induce syncytium formation in HEK293T cells. Therefore, N-glycans on the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 S2 subunits are highly important for maintaining the pre-fusion state of the S protein. This study revealed the critical roles of N-glycans in S protein maturation and stability, information that has implications for the design of vaccines and antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuwen Zan
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Yao Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Ting Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Yahan Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Zhixia Mu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Zhaohui Qian
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
| | - Xiuyuan Ou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Systems Biology of Pathogens, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China (Y.Z.)
- Key Laboratory of Pathogen Infection Prevention and Control (Ministry of Education), National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Health and Multimorbidity, National Institute of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 102629, China
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12
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Newby ML, Allen JD, Crispin M. Influence of glycosylation on the immunogenicity and antigenicity of viral immunogens. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 70:108283. [PMID: 37972669 PMCID: PMC10867814 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108283] [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: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
A key aspect of successful viral vaccine design is the elicitation of neutralizing antibodies targeting viral attachment and fusion glycoproteins that embellish viral particles. This observation has catalyzed the development of numerous viral glycoprotein mimetics as vaccines. Glycans can dominate the surface of viral glycoproteins and as such, the viral glycome can influence the antigenicity and immunogenicity of a candidate vaccine. In one extreme, glycans can form an integral part of epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies and are therefore considered to be an important feature of key immunogens within an immunization regimen. In the other extreme, the existence of peptide and bacterially expressed protein vaccines shows that viral glycosylation can be dispensable in some cases. However, native-like glycosylation can indicate native-like protein folding and the presence of conformational epitopes. Furthermore, going beyond native glycan mimicry, in either occupancy of glycosylation sites or the glycan processing state, may offer opportunities for enhancing the immunogenicity and associated protection elicited by an immunogen. Here, we review key determinants of viral glycosylation and how recombinant immunogens can recapitulate these signatures across a range of enveloped viruses, including HIV-1, Ebola virus, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Lassa virus. The emerging understanding of immunogen glycosylation and its control will help guide the development of future vaccines in both recombinant protein- and nucleic acid-based vaccine technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddy L Newby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Joel D Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
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13
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Baboo S, Diedrich JK, Torres JL, Copps J, Singh B, Garrett PT, Ward AB, Paulson JC, Yates JR. Evolving spike-protein N-glycosylation in SARS-CoV-2 variants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.08.539897. [PMID: 37214937 PMCID: PMC10197516 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.08.539897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Since >3 years, SARS-CoV-2 has plunged humans into a colossal pandemic. Henceforth, multiple waves of infection have swept through the human population, led by variants that were able to partially evade acquired immunity. The co-evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants with human immunity provides an excellent opportunity to study the interaction between viral pathogens and their human hosts. The heavily N-glycosylated spike-protein of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role in initiating infection and is the target for host immune-response, both of which are impacted by host-installed N-glycans. Using highly-sensitive DeGlyPHER approach, we compared the N-glycan landscape on spikes of the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1 strain to seven WHO-defined variants of concern/interest, using recombinantly expressed, soluble spike-protein trimers, sharing same stabilizing-mutations. We found that N-glycan processing is conserved at most sites. However, in multiple variants, processing of N-glycans from high mannose- to complex-type is reduced at sites N165, N343 and N616, implicated in spike-protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabyasachi Baboo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jolene K. Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jeffrey Copps
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Bhavya Singh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Patrick T. Garrett
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - James C. Paulson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - John R. Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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14
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Yánez Arcos DL, Thirumuruganandham SP. Structural and pKa Estimation of the Amphipathic HR1 in SARS-CoV-2: Insights from Constant pH MD, Linear vs. Nonlinear Normal Mode Analysis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16190. [PMID: 38003380 PMCID: PMC10671649 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216190] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive understanding of molecular interactions and functions is imperative for unraveling the intricacies of viral protein behavior and conformational dynamics during cellular entry. Focusing on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-CoV-2 sp), a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) on a subset comprising 131 A-chain structures in presence of various inhibitors was conducted. Our analyses unveiled a compelling correlation between PCA modes and Anisotropic Network Model (ANM) modes, underscoring the reliability and functional significance of low-frequency modes in adapting to diverse inhibitor binding scenarios. The role of HR1 in viral processing, both linear Normal Mode Analysis (NMA) and Nonlinear NMA were implemented. Linear NMA exhibited substantial inter-structure variability, as evident from a higher Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) range (7.30 Å), nonlinear NMA show stability throughout the simulations (RMSD 4.85 Å). Frequency analysis further emphasized that the energy requirements for conformational changes in nonlinear modes are notably lower compared to their linear counterparts. Using simulations of molecular dynamics at constant pH (cpH-MD), we successfully predicted the pKa order of the interconnected residues within the HR1 mutations at lower pH values, suggesting a transition to a post-fusion structure. The pKa determination study illustrates the profound effects of pH variations on protein structure. Key results include pKa values of 9.5179 for lys-921 in the D936H mutant, 9.50 for the D950N mutant, and a slightly higher value of 10.49 for the D936Y variant. To further understand the behavior and physicochemical characteristics of the protein in a biologically relevant setting, we also examine hydrophobic regions in the prefused states of the HR1 protein mutants D950N, D936Y, and D936H in our study. This analysis was conducted to ascertain the hydrophobic moment of the protein within a lipid environment, shedding light on its behavior and physicochemical properties in a biologically relevant context.
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15
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Williams DO, Fadda E. Can ChatGPT pass Glycobiology? Glycobiology 2023; 33:606-614. [PMID: 37531256 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad064] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The release of text-generating applications based on interactive Large Language Models (LLMs) in late 2022 triggered an unprecedented and ever-growing interest worldwide. The almost instantaneous success of LLMs stimulated lively discussions in public media and in academic fora alike not only on the value and potentials of such tools in all areas of knowledge and information acquisition and distribution but also on the dangers posed by their uncontrolled and indiscriminate use. This conversation is now particularly active in the higher education sector, where LLMs are seen as a potential threat to academic integrity at all levels, from facilitating cheating by students in assignments to plagiarizing academic writing in the case of researchers and administrators. Within this framework, we are interested in testing the boundaries of the LLM ChatGPT (www.openai.com) in areas of our scientific interest and expertise and in analyzing the results from different perspectives, i.e. of a final year BSc student, of a research scientist, and of a lecturer in higher education. To this end, in this paper, we present and discuss a systematic evaluation on how ChatGPT addresses progressively complex scientific writing tasks and exam-type questions in Carbohydrate Chemistry and Glycobiology. The results of this project allowed us to gain insight on: (i) the strengths and limitations of the ChatGPT model to provide relevant and (most importantly) correct scientific information, (ii) the format(s) and complexity of the query required to obtain the desired output, and (iii) strategies to integrate LLMs in teaching and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elisa Fadda
- Department of Chemistry
- Hamilton Institute, Maynooth University, Maynooth, co. Kildare, Ireland
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16
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Ruocco V, Vavra U, König-Beihammer J, Bolaños−Martínez OC, Kallolimath S, Maresch D, Grünwald-Gruber C, Strasser R. Impact of mutations on the plant-based production of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBDs. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 14:1275228. [PMID: 37868317 PMCID: PMC10588190 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1275228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Subunit vaccines based on recombinant viral antigens are valuable interventions to fight existing and evolving viruses and can be produced at large-scale in plant-based expression systems. The recombinant viral antigens are often derived from glycosylated envelope proteins of the virus and glycosylation plays an important role for the immunogenicity by shielding protein epitopes. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike is a principal target for vaccine development and has been produced in plants, but the yields of recombinant RBD variants were low and the role of the N-glycosylation in RBD from different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern is less studied. Here, we investigated the expression and glycosylation of six different RBD variants transiently expressed in leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. All of the purified RBD variants were functional in terms of receptor binding and displayed almost full N-glycan occupancy at both glycosylation sites with predominately complex N-glycans. Despite the high structural sequence conservation of the RBD variants, we detected a variation in yield which can be attributed to lower expression and differences in unintentional proteolytic processing of the C-terminal polyhistidine tag used for purification. Glycoengineering towards a human-type complex N-glycan profile with core α1,6-fucose, showed that the reactivity of the neutralizing antibody S309 differs depending on the N-glycan profile and the RBD variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Ruocco
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrike Vavra
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Julia König-Beihammer
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Omayra C. Bolaños−Martínez
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Somanath Kallolimath
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Maresch
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clemens Grünwald-Gruber
- Core Facility Mass Spectrometry, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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17
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Kuo CW, Chang NE, Yu PY, Yang TJ, Hsu STD, Khoo KH. An N-glycopeptide MS/MS data analysis workflow leveraging two complementary glycoproteomic software tools for more confident identification and assignments. Proteomics 2023; 23:e2300143. [PMID: 37271932 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300143] [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: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Complete coverage of all N-glycosylation sites on the SARS-CoV2 spike protein would require the use of multiple proteases in addition to trypsin. Subsequent identification of the resulting glycopeptides by searching against database often introduces assignment errors due to similar mass differences between different permutations of amino acids and glycosyl residues. By manually interpreting the individual MS2 spectra, we report here the common sources of errors in assignment, especially those introduced by the use of chymotrypsin. We show that by applying a stringent threshold of acceptance, erroneous assignment by the commonly used Byonic software can be controlled within 15%, which can be reduced further if only those also confidently identified by a different search engine, pGlyco3, were considered. A representative site-specific N-glycosylation pattern could be constructed based on quantifying only the overlapping subset of N-glycopeptides identified at higher confidence. Applying the two complimentary glycoproteomic software in a concerted data analysis workflow, we found and confirmed that glycosylation at several sites of an unstable Omicron spike protein differed significantly from those of the stable trimeric product of the parental D614G variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Wei Kuo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ning-En Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Yu Yu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Jing Yang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Kay-Hooi Khoo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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18
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Bains A, Guan W, LiWang PJ. The Effect of Select SARS-CoV-2 N-Linked Glycan and Variant of Concern Spike Protein Mutations on C-Type Lectin-Receptor-Mediated Infection. Viruses 2023; 15:1901. [PMID: 37766307 PMCID: PMC10535197 DOI: 10.3390/v15091901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virion has shown remarkable resilience, capable of mutating to escape immune detection and re-establishing infectious capabilities despite new vaccine rollouts. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify relatively immutable epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 virion that are resistant to future mutations the virus may accumulate. While hACE2 has been identified as the receptor that mediates SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, it is only modestly expressed in lung tissue. C-type lectin receptors like DC-SIGN can act as attachment sites to enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells with moderate or low hACE2 expression. We developed an easy-to-implement assay system that allows for the testing of SARS-CoV-2 trans-infection. Using our assay, we assessed how SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1-domain glycans and spike proteins from different strains affected the ability of pseudotyped lentivirions to undergo DC-SIGN-mediated trans-infection. Through our experiments with seven glycan point mutants, two glycan cluster mutants and four strains of SARS-CoV-2 spike, we found that glycans N17 and N122 appear to have significant roles in maintaining COVID-19's infectious capabilities. We further found that the virus cannot retain infectivity upon the loss of multiple glycosylation sites, and that Omicron BA.2 pseudovirions may have an increased ability to bind to other non-lectin receptor proteins on the surface of cells. Taken together, our work opens the door to the development of new therapeutics that can target overlooked epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 virion to prevent C-type lectin-receptor-mediated trans-infection in lung tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan Bains
- Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Wenyan Guan
- Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Patricia J. LiWang
- Molecular Cell Biology, Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
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19
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Wang D, Baudys J, Osman SH, Barr JR. Analysis of the N-glycosylation profiles of the spike proteins from the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023:10.1007/s00216-023-04771-y. [PMID: 37354227 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04771-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
N-Glycosylation plays an important role in the structure and function of membrane and secreted proteins. Viral proteins used in cell entry are often extensively glycosylated to assist in protein folding, provide stability, and shield the virus from immune recognition by its host (described as a "glycan shield"). The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) is a prime example, having 22 potential sites of N-glycosylation per protein protomer, as predicted from the primary sequence. In this report, we conducted mass spectrometric analysis of the N-glycosylation profiles of recombinant spike proteins derived from four common SARS-CoV-2 variants classified as Variant of Concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta along with D614G variant spike as a control. Our data reveal that the amino acid substitutions and deletions between variants impact the abundance and type of glycans on glycosylation sites of the spike protein. Some of the N-glycosylation sequons in S show differences between SARS-CoV-2 variants in the distribution of glycan forms. In comparison with our previously reported site-specific glycan analysis on the S-D614G and its ancestral protein, glycan types on later variants showed high similarity on the site-specific glycan content to S-D614G. Additionally, we applied multiple digestion methods on each sample, and confirmed the results for individual glycosylation sites from different experiment conditions to improve the identification and quantification of glycopeptides. Detailed site-specific glycan analysis of a wide variety of SARS-CoV-2 variants provides useful information toward the understanding of the role of protein glycosylation on viral protein structure and function and development of effective vaccines and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Jakub Baudys
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah H Osman
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John R Barr
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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Shajahan A, Pepi LE, Kumar B, Murray NB, Azadi P. Site specific N- and O-glycosylation mapping of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10053. [PMID: 37344512 PMCID: PMC10284906 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33088-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The glycosylation on the spike (S) protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, modulates the viral infection by altering conformational dynamics, receptor interaction and host immune responses. Several variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 have evolved during the pandemic, and crucial mutations on the S protein of the virus have led to increased transmissibility and immune escape. In this study, we compare the site-specific glycosylation and overall glycomic profiles of the wild type Wuhan-Hu-1 strain (WT) S protein and five VOCs of SARS-CoV-2: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron. Interestingly, both N- and O-glycosylation sites on the S protein are highly conserved among the spike mutant variants, particularly at the sites on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The conservation of glycosylation sites is noteworthy, as over 2 million SARS-CoV-2 S protein sequences have been reported with various amino acid mutations. Our detailed profiling of the glycosylation at each of the individual sites of the S protein across the variants revealed intriguing possible association of glycosylation pattern on the variants and their previously reported infectivity. While the sites are conserved, we observed changes in the N- and O-glycosylation profile across the variants. The newly emerged variants, which showed higher resistance to neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, displayed a decrease in the overall abundance of complex-type glycans with both fucosylation and sialylation and an increase in the oligomannose-type glycans across the sites. Among the variants, the glycosylation sites with significant changes in glycan profile were observed at both the N-terminal domain and RBD of S protein, with Omicron showing the highest deviation. The increase in oligomannose-type happens sequentially from Alpha through Delta. Interestingly, Omicron does not contain more oligomannose-type glycans compared to Delta but does contain more compared to the WT and other VOCs. O-glycosylation at the RBD showed lower occupancy in the VOCs in comparison to the WT. Our study on the sites and pattern of glycosylation on the SARS-CoV-2 S proteins across the VOCs may help to understand how the virus evolved to trick the host immune system. Our study also highlights how the SARS-CoV-2 virus has conserved both N- and O- glycosylation sites on the S protein of the most successful variants even after undergoing extensive mutations, suggesting a correlation between infectivity/ transmissibility and glycosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif Shajahan
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, 9 W Watkins Mill Rd, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, USA.
| | - Lauren E Pepi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Bhoj Kumar
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Nathan B Murray
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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Kuhaudomlarp S, Imberty A. Involvement of sialoglycans in SARS-COV-2 infection: Opportunities and challenges for glyco-based inhibitors. IUBMB Life 2022; 74:1253-1263. [PMID: 36349722 PMCID: PMC9877878 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2692] [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: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Viral infections have been the causes of global pandemics, including the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019, which prompted the investigation into the infection mechanisms to find treatment and aid the vaccine design. Betacoronaviruses use spike glycoprotein on their surface to bind to host receptors, aiding their host attachment and cell fusion. Protein-glycan interaction has been implicated in the viral entry mechanism of many viruses and has recently been shown in SARS-CoV-2. Here, we reviewed the current knowledge on protein-glycan interactions that facilitate SARS-CoV-2 host entry, with special interest in sialoglycans present on both the virions and host cell surfaces. We also analyze how such information provides opportunities and challenges in glyco-based inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakonwan Kuhaudomlarp
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand,Center for Excellence in Protein and Enzyme Technology, Faculty of ScienceMahidol UniversityBangkokThailand
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