1
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Deng H, Cao H, Wang Y, Li J, Dai J, Li LF, Qiu HJ, Li S. Viral replication organelles: the highly complex and programmed replication machinery. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1450060. [PMID: 39144209 PMCID: PMC11322364 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1450060] [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: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Viral infections usually induce the rearrangement of cellular cytoskeletal proteins and organelle membrane structures, thus creating independent compartments [termed replication organelles (ROs)] to facilitate viral genome replication. Within the ROs, viral replicases, including polymerases, helicases, and ligases, play functional roles during viral replication. These viral replicases are pivotal in the virus life cycle, and numerous studies have demonstrated that the viral replicases could be the potential targets for drugs development. Here, we summarize primarily the key replicases within viral ROs and emphasize the advancements of antiviral drugs targeting crucial viral replicases, providing novel insights into the future development of antiviral strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Hua-Ji Qiu
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
| | - Su Li
- State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, National African Swine Fever Para-reference Laboratory, National High Containment Facilities for Animal Diseases Control and Prevention, Harbin Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Harbin, China
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2
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Fahim SA, ElZohairy YA, Moustafa RI. Favipiravir, an antiviral drug, in combination with tamoxifen exerts synergistic effect in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells via hTERT inhibition. Sci Rep 2024; 14:1844. [PMID: 38246945 PMCID: PMC10800350 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51977-w] [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: 05/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Tamoxifen (TAM) is one of the most successful treatments for breast cancer; however, TAM resistance continues to be a significant barrier. TAM resistance has been reported to be associated with increased expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT). This enzyme shares structural similarity with RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme of RNA viruses, suggesting that RdRp inhibitors may also inhibit hTERT. Favipiravir (FAV) is an antiviral drug that inhibits RdRp of RNA viruses. Thus, we propose that FAV may also elicit an antitumor effect by suppressing hTERT. This study aimed to investigate the effect of FAV and TAM on TAM-resistant breast cancer (TAMR-1). The cell viabilities were determined. The levels of CDK1/ hTERT, in addition to regulators of hTERT-targeted signaling pathways were measured. Apoptosis, migration, and cell cycle distribution were also determined. Our data revealed that the combination of TAM and FAV suppressed cell proliferation synergistically (CI < 1) and resulted in a significant change in cell migration and apoptosis. Indeed, this was associated with reduced levels of hTERT and CDK1 and shift in the cell cycle distribution. Our findings suggest that the TAM/FAV combination exhibits synergistic effects against TAMR-1 human breast cancer cells by targeting hTERT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally A Fahim
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, 6th of October, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Yehia A ElZohairy
- School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt
| | - Rehab I Moustafa
- Microbial Biotechnology Department, Biotechnology Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt
- Microbiology Department, School of Pharmacy, Newgiza University (NGU), Newgiza, Km 22 Cairo-Alexandria Desert Road, P.O. Box 12577, Giza, Egypt
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3
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Romero ME, McElhenney SJ, Yu J. Trapping a non-cognate nucleotide upon initial binding for replication fidelity control in SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:1792-1808. [PMID: 38168789 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04410f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in SARS-CoV-2 is a highly conserved enzyme responsible for viral genome replication/transcription. To understand how the viral RdRp achieves fidelity control during such processes, here we computationally investigate the natural non-cognate vs. cognate nucleotide addition and selectivity during viral RdRp elongation. We focus on the nucleotide substrate initial binding (RdRp active site open) to the prechemical insertion (active site closed) of the RdRp. The current studies were first carried out using microsecond ensemble equilibrium all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Due to the slow conformational changes (from open to closed) during nucleotide insertion and selection, enhanced or umbrella sampling methods have been further employed to calculate the free energy profiles of the nucleotide insertion. Our studies find notable stability of noncognate dATP and GTP upon initial binding in the active-site open state. The results indicate that while natural cognate ATP and Remdesivir drug analogue (RDV-TP) are biased toward stabilization in the closed state to facilitate insertion, the natural non-cognate dATP and GTP can be well trapped in off-path initial binding configurations and prevented from insertion so that to be further rejected. The current work thus presents the intrinsic nucleotide selectivity of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp for natural substrate fidelity control, which should be considered in antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moises E Romero
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | - Jin Yu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, NSF-Simmons Center for Multi-scale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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4
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Wang X, Xu T, Yao Y, Cheung PPH, Gao X, Zhang L. SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Follows Asynchronous Translocation Pathway for Viral Transcription and Replication. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:10119-10128. [PMID: 37922192 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c01249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
Translocation is one essential step for the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) to exert viral replication and transcription. Although cryo-EM structures of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp are available, the molecular mechanisms of dynamic translocation remain elusive. Herein, we constructed a Markov state model based on extensive molecular dynamics simulations to elucidate the translocation dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. We identified two intermediates that pinpoint the rate-limiting step of translocation and characterize the asynchronous movement of the template-primer duplex. The 3'-terminal nucleotide in the primer strand lags behind due to the uneven distribution of protein-RNA interactions, while the translocation of the template strand is delayed by the hurdle residue K500. Even so, the two strands share the same "ratchet" to stabilize the polymerase in the post-translocation state, suggesting a Brownian-ratchet model. Overall, our study provides intriguing insights into SARS-CoV-2 replication and transcription, which would open a new avenue for drug discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Kowloon, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Tiantian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Department of Mathematics, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Kowloon, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong
| | - Peter Pak-Hang Cheung
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, Department of Chemical Pathology, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 999077, Hong Kong
| | - Xin Gao
- Computational Bioscience Research Center, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
- Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Lu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou, Fujian 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Fuzhou, Fujian 361005, China
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5
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Leusciatti M, Macchi B, Marino-Merlo F, Mastino A, Morra G, Quadrelli P. Inhibition of the RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 by 6-Chloropurine Isoxazoline-Carbocyclic Monophosphate Nucleotides. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:36311-36320. [PMID: 37810686 PMCID: PMC10552509 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c04918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Isoxazoline-carbocyclic monophosphate nucleotides were designed and synthesized through the chemistry of nitrosocarbonyl intermediates and stable anthracenenitrile oxide. Docking and molecular dynamics studies were first conducted for determining the best candidate for polymerase SARS-CoV-2 inhibition. The setup phosphorylation protocol afforded the nucleotides available for the biological tests. Preliminary inhibition and cytotoxicity assays were then performed, and the results showed a moderate activity of the nucleotides accompanied by cytotoxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Leusciatti
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia,Italy
| | - Beatrice Macchi
- Department
of Chemical Science and Technology, University
of Rome Tor Vergata, Via della ricerca scientifica 1, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Francesca Marino-Merlo
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical, and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres, 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Antonio Mastino
- The
Institute of Translational Pharmacology, CNR, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 100, 00133 Roma, Italy
| | - Giulia Morra
- Biocomputing
Lab, SCITEC-Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie
Chimiche CNR, Via Mario
Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Paolo Quadrelli
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia,Italy
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6
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Peng Q, Yuan B, Cheng J, Wang M, Gao S, Bai S, Zhao X, Qi J, Gao GF, Shi Y. Molecular mechanism of de novo replication by the Ebola virus polymerase. Nature 2023; 622:603-610. [PMID: 37699521 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06608-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/14/2023]
Abstract
Non-segmented negative-strand RNA viruses, including Ebola virus (EBOV), rabies virus, human respiratory syncytial virus and pneumoviruses, can cause respiratory infections, haemorrhagic fever and encephalitis in humans and animals, and are considered a substantial health and economic burden worldwide1. Replication and transcription of the viral genome are executed by the large (L) polymerase, which is a promising target for the development of antiviral drugs. Here, using the L polymerase of EBOV as a representative, we show that de novo replication of L polymerase is controlled by the specific 3' leader sequence of the EBOV genome in an enzymatic assay, and that formation of at least three base pairs can effectively drive the elongation process of RNA synthesis independent of the specific RNA sequence. We present the high-resolution structures of the EBOV L-VP35-RNA complex and show that the 3' leader RNA binds in the template entry channel with a distinctive stable bend conformation. Using mutagenesis assays, we confirm that the bend conformation of the RNA is required for the de novo replication activity and reveal the key residues of the L protein that stabilize the RNA conformation. These findings provide a new mechanistic understanding of RNA synthesis for polymerases of non-segmented negative-strand RNA viruses, and reveal important targets for the development of antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Peng
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinlong Cheng
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Wang
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Siwei Gao
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Suran Bai
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuejin Zhao
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, China.
| | - George F Gao
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, China.
- Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Disease (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Research Unit of Adaptive Evolution and Control of Emerging Viruses, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yi Shi
- International Institute of Vaccine Research and Innovation (iVac), Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, China.
- Center for Influenza Research and Early-warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Disease (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- Research Unit of Adaptive Evolution and Control of Emerging Viruses, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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7
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Xu T, Zhang L. Current understanding of nucleoside analogs inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4385-4394. [PMID: 37711189 PMCID: PMC10498173 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) has become a main target for antiviral therapeutics due to its essential role in viral replication and transcription. Thus, nucleoside analogs structurally resemble the natural RdRp substrate and hold great potential as inhibitors. Until now, extensive experimental investigations have been performed to explore nucleoside analogs to inhibit the RdRp, and concerted efforts have been made to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms further. This review begins by discussing the nucleoside analogs that have demonstrated inhibition in the experiments. Second, we examine the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the action of nucleoside analogs on the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Recent findings in structural biology and computational research are presented through the classification of inhibitory mechanisms. This review summarizes previous experimental findings and mechanistic investigations of nucleoside analogs inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. It would guide the rational design of antiviral medications and research into viral transcriptional mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiantian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Lu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fuzhou 350002, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry, Fujian 361005, China
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8
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Sugiki T, Ito A, Hatanaka Y, Tsukamoto M, Murata T, Miyanishi K, Kagawa A, Fujiwara T, Kitagawa M, Morita Y, Negoro M. Real-time monitoring of enzyme-catalyzed phosphoribosylation of anti-influenza prodrug favipiravir by time-lapse nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. NMR IN BIOMEDICINE 2023; 36:e4888. [PMID: 36468685 DOI: 10.1002/nbm.4888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Favipiravir (brand name Avigan), a widely known anti-influenza prodrug, is metabolized by endogenous enzymes of host cells to generate the active form, which exerts inhibition of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity; first, favipiravir is converted to its phosphoribosylated form, favipiravir-ribofuranosyl-5'-monophosphate (favipiravir-RMP), by hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT). Because this phosphoribosylation reaction is the rate-determining step in the generation of the active metabolite, quantitative and real-time monitoring of the HGPRT-catalyzed reaction is essential to understanding the pharmacokinetics of favipiravir. However, assay methods enabling such monitoring have not been established. 19 F- or 31 P-based nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are powerful techniques for observation of intermolecular interactions, chemical reactions, and metabolism of molecules of interest, given that NMR signals of the heteronuclei sensitively reflect changes in the chemical environment of these moieties. Here, we demonstrated direct, sensitive, target-selective, nondestructive, and real-time observation of HGPRT-catalyzed conversion of favipiravir to favipiravir-RMP by performing time-lapse 19 F-NMR monitoring of the fluorine atom of favipiravir. In addition, we showed that 31 P-NMR can be used for real-time observation of the identical reaction by monitoring phosphorus atoms of the phosphoribosyl group of favipiravir-RMP and of the pyrophosphate product of that reaction. Furthermore, we demonstrated that NMR approaches permit the determination of general parameters of enzymatic activity such as Vmax and Km . This method not only can be widely employed in enzyme assays, but also may be of use in the screening and development of new favipiravir-analog antiviral prodrugs that can be phosphoribosylated more efficiently by HGPRT, which would increase the intracellular concentration of the drug's active form. The techniques demonstrated in this study would allow more detailed investigation of the pharmacokinetics of fluorinated drugs, and might significantly contribute to opening new avenues for widespread pharmaceutical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Akihiro Ito
- Analytical Instrument Facility, Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yuko Hatanaka
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masaki Tsukamoto
- Graduate School of Informatics, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Murata
- Faculty of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Yakusa, Toyota, Aichi, Japan
| | - Koichiro Miyanishi
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Akinori Kagawa
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toshimichi Fujiwara
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kitagawa
- Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Yasushi Morita
- Faculty of Engineering, Aichi Institute of Technology, Yakusa, Toyota, Aichi, Japan
| | - Makoto Negoro
- Center for Quantum Information and Quantum Biology (QIQB), Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Quantum Life Science, National Institute for Quantum and Radiological Science and Technology, Chiba, Japan
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9
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Szpotkowski K, Wójcik K, Kurzyńska-Kokorniak A. Structural studies of protein-nucleic acid complexes: A brief overview of the selected techniques. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:2858-2872. [PMID: 37216015 PMCID: PMC10195699 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.04.028] [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: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-nucleic acid complexes are involved in all vital processes, including replication, transcription, translation, regulation of gene expression and cell metabolism. Knowledge of the biological functions and molecular mechanisms beyond the activity of the macromolecular complexes can be determined from their tertiary structures. Undoubtably, performing structural studies of protein-nucleic acid complexes is challenging, mainly because these types of complexes are often unstable. In addition, their individual components may display extremely different surface charges, causing the complexes to precipitate at higher concentrations used in many structural studies. Due to the variety of protein-nucleic acid complexes and their different biophysical properties, no simple and universal guideline exists that helps scientists chose a method to successfully determine the structure of a specific protein-nucleic acid complex. In this review, we provide a summary of the following experimental methods, which can be applied to study the structures of protein-nucleic acid complexes: X-ray and neutron crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), small angle scattering (SAS) methods, circular dichroism (CD) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Each method is discussed regarding its historical context, advancements over the past decades and recent years, and weaknesses and strengths. When a single method does not provide satisfactory data on the selected protein-nucleic acid complex, a combination of several methods should be considered as a hybrid approach; thus, specific structural problems can be solved when studying protein-nucleic acid complexes.
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10
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COVID-19 therapeutics: Clinical application of repurposed drugs and futuristic strategies for target-based drug discovery. Genes Dis 2023; 10:1402-1428. [PMCID: PMC10079314 DOI: 10.1016/j.gendis.2022.12.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the complicated disease COVID-19. Clinicians are continuously facing huge problems in the treatment of patients, as COVID-19-specific drugs are not available hence the principle of drug repurposing serves as a one-and-only hope. Globally, the repurposing of many drugs is underway; few of them are already approved by the regulatory bodies for their clinical use and most of them are in different phases of clinical trials. Here in this review, our main aim is to discuss in detail the up-to-date information on the target-based pharmacological classification of repurposed drugs, the potential mechanism of actions, and the current clinical trial status of various drugs which are under repurposing since early 2020. At last, we briefly proposed the probable pharmacological and therapeutic drug targets that may be preferred as a futuristic drug discovery approach in the development of effective medicines.
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11
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Yang T, Wang SC, Ye L, Maimaitiyiming Y, Naranmandura H. Targeting viral proteins for restraining SARS-CoV-2: focusing lens on viral proteins beyond spike for discovering new drug targets. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:247-268. [PMID: 36723288 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2175812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emergence of highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants are reducing protection provided by current vaccines, requiring constant updates in antiviral approaches. The virus encodes four structural and sixteen nonstructural proteins which play important roles in viral genome replication and transcription, virion assembly, release , entry into cells, and compromising host cellular defenses. As alien proteins to host cells, many viral proteins represent potential targets for combating the SARS-CoV-2. AREAS COVERED Based on literature from PubMed and Web of Science databases, the authors summarize the typical characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 from the whole viral particle to the individual viral proteins and their corresponding functions in virus life cycle. The authors also discuss the potential and emerging targeted interventions to curb virus replication and spread in detail to provide unique insights into SARS-CoV-2 infection and countermeasures against it. EXPERT OPINION Our comprehensive analysis highlights the rationale to focus on non-spike viral proteins that are less mutated but have important functions. Examples of this include: structural proteins (e.g. nucleocapsid protein, envelope protein) and extensively-concerned nonstructural proteins (e.g. NSP3, NSP5, NSP12) along with the ones with relatively less attention (e.g. NSP1, NSP10, NSP14 and NSP16), for developing novel drugs to overcome resistance of SARS-CoV-2 variants to preexisting vaccines and antibody-based treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Yang
- Department of Hematology of First Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Si Chun Wang
- Department of Hematology of First Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Linyan Ye
- Department of Hematology of First Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yasen Maimaitiyiming
- Department of Hematology of First Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Haematology Oncology Diagnosis and Treatment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Department of Neurobiology, NHC and CAMS Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, School of Brain Science and Brain Medicine, and MOE Frontier Science Center for Brain Science and Brain-machine Integration, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Hua Naranmandura
- Department of Hematology of First Affiliated Hospital, and Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Haematology Oncology Diagnosis and Treatment, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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12
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Shannon A, Canard B. Kill or corrupt: Mechanisms of action and drug-resistance of nucleotide analogues against SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2023; 210:105501. [PMID: 36567022 PMCID: PMC9773703 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Nucleoside/tide analogues (NAs) have long been used in the fight against viral diseases, and now present a promising option for the treatment of COVID-19. Once activated to the 5'-triphosphate state, NAs act by targeting the viral RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase for incorporation into the viral RNA genome. Incorporated analogues can either 'kill' (terminate) synthesis, or 'corrupt' (genetically or chemically) the RNA. Against coronaviruses, the use of NAs has been further complicated by the presence of a virally encoded exonuclease domain (nsp14) with proofreading and repair capacities. Here, we describe the mechanism of action of four promising anti-COVID-19 NAs; remdesivir, molnupiravir, favipiravir and bemnifosbuvir. Their distinct mechanisms of action best exemplify the concept of 'killers' and 'corruptors'. We review available data regarding their ability to be incorporated and excised, and discuss the specific structural features that dictate their overall potency, toxicity, and mutagenic potential. This should guide the synthesis of novel analogues, lend insight into the potential for resistance mutations, and provide a rational basis for upcoming combinations therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh Shannon
- AFMB, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, UMR 7257, Case 925, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, Cedex 09, France
| | - Bruno Canard
- AFMB, CNRS, Aix-Marseille University, UMR 7257, Case 925, 163 Avenue de Luminy, 13288, Marseille, Cedex 09, France.
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13
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Figueiredo-Nunes I, Trigueiro-Louro J, Rebelo-de-Andrade H. Exploring new antiviral targets for influenza and COVID-19: Mapping promising hot spots in viral RNA polymerases. Virology 2023; 578:45-60. [PMID: 36463618 PMCID: PMC9674405 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2022.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Influenza and COVID-19 are infectious respiratory diseases that represent a major concern to public health with social and economic impact worldwide, for which the available therapeutic options are not satisfactory. The RdRp has a central role in viral replication and thus represents a major target for the development of antiviral approaches. In this study, we focused on Influenza A virus PB1 polymerase protein and the betacoronaviruses nsp12 polymerase protein, considering their functional and structural similarities. We have performed conservation and druggability analysis to map conserved druggable regions, that may have functional or structural importance in these proteins. We disclosed the most promising and new targeting regions for the discovery of new potential polymerase inhibitors. Conserved druggable regions of putative interaction with favipiravir and molnupiravir were also mapped. We have also compared and integrated the current findings with previous research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Figueiredo-Nunes
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Unit, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Trigueiro-Louro
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Unit, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal; Antiviral Resistance Lab, Research & Development Unit, Infectious Diseases Department, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, IP, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Helena Rebelo-de-Andrade
- Host-Pathogen Interaction Unit, Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Professor Gama Pinto, 1649-003, Lisbon, Portugal; Antiviral Resistance Lab, Research & Development Unit, Infectious Diseases Department, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, IP, Av. Padre Cruz, 1649-016, Lisbon, Portugal.
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14
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Lei S, Chen X, Wu J, Duan X, Men K. Small molecules in the treatment of COVID-19. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:387. [PMID: 36464706 PMCID: PMC9719906 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01249-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The outbreak of COVID-19 has become a global crisis, and brought severe disruptions to societies and economies. Until now, effective therapeutics against COVID-19 are in high demand. Along with our improved understanding of the structure, function, and pathogenic process of SARS-CoV-2, many small molecules with potential anti-COVID-19 effects have been developed. So far, several antiviral strategies were explored. Besides directly inhibition of viral proteins such as RdRp and Mpro, interference of host enzymes including ACE2 and proteases, and blocking relevant immunoregulatory pathways represented by JAK/STAT, BTK, NF-κB, and NLRP3 pathways, are regarded feasible in drug development. The development of small molecules to treat COVID-19 has been achieved by several strategies, including computer-aided lead compound design and screening, natural product discovery, drug repurposing, and combination therapy. Several small molecules representative by remdesivir and paxlovid have been proved or authorized emergency use in many countries. And many candidates have entered clinical-trial stage. Nevertheless, due to the epidemiological features and variability issues of SARS-CoV-2, it is necessary to continue exploring novel strategies against COVID-19. This review discusses the current findings in the development of small molecules for COVID-19 treatment. Moreover, their detailed mechanism of action, chemical structures, and preclinical and clinical efficacies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sibei Lei
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaohua Chen
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072 China
| | - Jieping Wu
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Xingmei Duan
- grid.54549.390000 0004 0369 4060Department of Pharmacy, Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province Sichuan Academy of Medical Sciences & Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072 China
| | - Ke Men
- grid.412901.f0000 0004 1770 1022State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041 People’s Republic of China
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15
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Progress on COVID-19 Chemotherapeutics Discovery and Novel Technology. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238257. [PMID: 36500347 PMCID: PMC9736643 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel highly contagious and pathogenic coronavirus that emerged in late 2019. SARS-CoV-2 spreads primarily through virus-containing droplets and small particles of air pollution, which greatly increases the risk of inhaling these virus particles when people are in close proximity. COVID-19 is spreading across the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic poses a threat to human health and public safety. To date, there are no specific vaccines or effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2. In this review, we focus on the enzyme targets of the virus and host that may be critical for the discovery of chemical compounds and natural products as antiviral drugs, and describe the development of potential antiviral drugs in the preclinical and clinical stages. At the same time, we summarize novel emerging technologies applied to the research on new drug development and the pathological mechanisms of COVID-19.
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16
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Xu X, Chen Y, Lu X, Zhang W, Fang W, Yuan L, Wang X. An update on inhibitors targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase for COVID-19 treatment: Promises and challenges. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 205:115279. [PMID: 36209840 PMCID: PMC9535928 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The highly transmissible variants of SARS-CoV-2, the causative pathogen of the COVID-19 pandemic, bring new waves of infection worldwide. Identification of effective therapeutic drugs to combat the COVID-19 pandemic is an urgent global need. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), an essential enzyme for viral RNA replication, is the most promising target for antiviral drug research since it has no counterpart in human cells and shows the highest conservation across coronaviruses. This review summarizes recent progress in studies of RdRp inhibitors, focusing on interactions between these inhibitors and the enzyme complex, based on structural analysis, and their effectiveness. In addition, we propose new possible strategies to address the shortcomings of current inhibitors, which may guide the development of novel efficient inhibitors to combat COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Xu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
| | - Yuheng Chen
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Xinyu Lu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China
| | - Wanlin Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China
| | - Wenxiu Fang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China
| | - Luping Yuan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China
| | - Xiaoyan Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 311402, China.
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17
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Mostafavi E, Iravani S, Varma RS. Nanosponges: An overlooked promising strategy to combat SARS-CoV-2. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:103330. [PMID: 35908684 PMCID: PMC9330373 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Among explored nanomaterials, nanosponge-based systems have exhibited inhibitory effects for the biological neutralization of, and antiviral delivery against, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). More studies could pave the path for clarification of their biological neutralization mechanisms as well as the assessment of their long-term biocompatibility and biosafety issues before clinical translational studies. In this review, we discuss recent advances pertaining to antiviral delivery and inhibitory effects of nanosponges against SARS-CoV-2, focusing on important challenges and opportunities. Finally, as promising approaches for recapitulating the complex structure of different organs/tissues of the body, we discuss the use of 3D in vitro models to investigate the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 infection and to find therapeutic targets to better manage and eradicate coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebrahim Mostafavi
- Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
| | - Siavash Iravani
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
| | - Rajender S Varma
- Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Czech Advanced Technology and Research Institute, Palacky University in Olomouc, Slechtitelu 27, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
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18
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Cao X, Du X, Jiao H, An Q, Chen R, Fang P, Wang J, Yu B. Carbohydrate-based drugs launched during 2000 -2021. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:3783-3821. [PMID: 36213536 PMCID: PMC9532563 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Carbohydrates are fundamental molecules involved in nearly all aspects of lives, such as being involved in formating the genetic and energy materials, supporting the structure of organisms, constituting invasion and host defense systems, and forming antibiotics secondary metabolites. The naturally occurring carbohydrates and their derivatives have been extensively studied as therapeutic agents for the treatment of various diseases. During 2000 to 2021, totally 54 carbohydrate-based drugs which contain carbohydrate moities as the major structural units have been approved as drugs or diagnostic agents. Here we provide a comprehensive review on the chemical structures, activities, and clinical trial results of these carbohydrate-based drugs, which are categorized by their indications into antiviral drugs, antibacterial/antiparasitic drugs, anticancer drugs, antidiabetics drugs, cardiovascular drugs, nervous system drugs, and other agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Cao
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Xiaojing Du
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Heng Jiao
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Quanlin An
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Ruoxue Chen
- Zhongshan Hospital Institute of Clinical Science, Fudan University Shanghai Medical College, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Pengfei Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Jing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Biao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Bio-organic and Natural Products Chemistry, Center for Excellence in Molecular Synthesis, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200032, China
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19
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Yuan B, Peng Q, Cheng J, Wang M, Zhong J, Qi J, Gao GF, Shi Y. Structure of the Ebola virus polymerase complex. Nature 2022; 610:394-401. [PMID: 36171293 PMCID: PMC9517992 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05271-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Filoviruses, including Ebola virus, pose an increasing threat to the public health. Although two therapeutic monoclonal antibodies have been approved to treat the Ebola virus disease1,2, there are no approved broadly reactive drugs to control diverse filovirus infection. Filovirus has a large polymerase (L) protein and the cofactor viral protein 35 (VP35), which constitute the basic functional unit responsible for virus genome RNA synthesis3. Owing to its conservation, the L–VP35 polymerase complex is a promising target for broadly reactive antiviral drugs. Here we determined the structure of Ebola virus L protein in complex with tetrameric VP35 using cryo-electron microscopy (state 1). Structural analysis revealed that Ebola virus L possesses a filovirus-specific insertion element that is essential for RNA synthesis, and that VP35 interacts extensively with the N-terminal region of L by three protomers of the VP35 tetramer. Notably, we captured the complex structure in a second conformation with the unambiguous priming loop and supporting helix away from polymerase active site (state 2). Moreover, we demonstrated that the century-old drug suramin could inhibit the activity of the Ebola virus polymerase in an enzymatic assay. The structure of the L–VP35–suramin complex reveals that suramin can bind at the highly conserved NTP entry channel to prevent substrates from entering the active site. These findings reveal the mechanism of Ebola virus replication and may guide the development of more powerful anti-filovirus drugs. Structural studies of the Ebola virus polymerase complex provide insights into its function and demonstrate the structural basis of its inhibition by suramin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qi Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jinlong Cheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Min Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Zhong
- Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Molecular Virology and Immunology, Institut Pasteur of Shanghai, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Center for Influenza Research and Early-Warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Disease (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Research Unit of Adaptive Evolution and Control of Emerging Viruses, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Yi Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Savaid Medical School, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Center for Influenza Research and Early-Warning (CASCIRE), CAS-TWAS Center of Excellence for Emerging Infectious Disease (CEEID), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. .,Research Unit of Adaptive Evolution and Control of Emerging Viruses, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China.
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20
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Tsuji M. Virtual Screening and Quantum Chemistry Analysis for SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Using the ChEMBL Database: Reproduction of the Remdesivir-RTP and Favipiravir-RTP Binding Modes Obtained from Cryo-EM Experiments with High Binding Affinity. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911009. [PMID: 36232311 PMCID: PMC9570209 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the pathogenic cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2 is a potential target for the treatment of COVID-19. An RdRp complex:dsRNA structure suitable for docking simulations was prepared using a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure (PDB ID: 7AAP; resolution, 2.60 Å) that was reported recently. Structural refinement was performed using energy calculations. Structure-based virtual screening was performed using the ChEMBL database. Through 1,838,257 screenings, 249 drugs (37 approved, 93 clinical, and 119 preclinical drugs) were predicted to exhibit a high binding affinity for the RdRp complex:dsRNA. Nine nucleoside triphosphate analogs with anti-viral activity were included among these hit drugs, and among them, remdesivir-ribonucleoside triphosphate and favipiravir-ribonucleoside triphosphate adopted a similar docking mode as that observed in the cryo-EM structure. Additional docking simulations for the predicted compounds with high binding affinity for the RdRp complex:dsRNA suggested that 184 bioactive compounds could be anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug candidates. The hit bioactive compounds mainly consisted of a typical noncovalent major groove binder for dsRNA. Three-layer ONIOM (MP2/6-31G:AM1:AMBER) geometry optimization calculations and frequency analyses (MP2/6-31G:AMBER) were performed to estimate the binding free energy of a representative bioactive compound obtained from the docking simulation, and the fragment molecular orbital calculation at the MP2/6-31G level of theory was subsequently performed for analyzing the detailed interactions. The procedure used in this study represents a possible strategy for discovering anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs from drug libraries that could significantly shorten the clinical development period for drug repositioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motonori Tsuji
- Institute of Molecular Function, 2-105-14 Takasu, Misato-shi, Saitama 341-0037, Japan
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21
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Tanimoto S, Itoh SG, Okumura H. State-of-the-Art Molecular Dynamics Simulation Studies of RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase of SARS-CoV-2. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810358. [PMID: 36142270 PMCID: PMC9499461 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/26/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are powerful theoretical methods that can reveal biomolecular properties, such as structure, fluctuations, and ligand binding, at the level of atomic detail. In this review article, recent MD simulation studies on these biomolecular properties of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is a multidomain protein, of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are presented. Although the tertiary structures of RdRps in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV are almost identical, the RNA synthesis activity of RdRp of SARS-CoV is higher than SARS-CoV-2. Recent MD simulations observed a difference in the dynamic properties of the two RdRps, which may cause activity differences. RdRp is also a drug target for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nucleotide analogs, such as remdesivir and favipiravir, are considered to be taken up by RdRp and inhibit RNA replication. Recent MD simulations revealed the recognition mechanism of RdRp for these drug molecules and adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The ligand-recognition ability of RdRp decreases in the order of remdesivir, favipiravir, and ATP. As a typical recognition process, it was found that several lysine residues of RdRp transfer these ligand molecules to the binding site such as a “bucket brigade.” This finding will contribute to understanding the mechanism of the efficient ligand recognition by RdRp. In addition, various simulation studies on the complexes of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp with several nucleotide analogs are reviewed, and the molecular mechanisms by which these compounds inhibit the function of RdRp are discussed. The simulation studies presented in this review will provide useful insights into how nucleotide analogs are recognized by RdRp and inhibit the RNA replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoichi Tanimoto
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
| | - Satoru G. Itoh
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Structural Molecular Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hisashi Okumura
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Structural Molecular Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki 444-8787, Aichi, Japan
- Correspondence:
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22
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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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23
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Aranda J, Wieczór M, Terrazas M, Brun-Heath I, Orozco M. Mechanism of reaction of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2. CHEM CATALYSIS 2022; 2:1084-1099. [PMID: 35465139 PMCID: PMC9016896 DOI: 10.1016/j.checat.2022.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
We combine molecular dynamics, statistical mechanics, and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations to describe mechanistically the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Our study analyzes the binding mode of both natural triphosphate substrates as well as remdesivir triphosphate (the active form of drug), which is bound preferentially over ATP by RdRp while being poorly recognized by human RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). A comparison of incorporation rates between natural and antiviral nucleotides shows that remdesivir is incorporated more slowly into the nascent RNA compared with ATP, leading to an RNA duplex that is structurally very similar to an unmodified one, arguing against the hypothesis that remdesivir is a competitive inhibitor of ATP. We characterize the entire mechanism of reaction, finding that viral RdRp is highly processive and displays a higher catalytic rate of incorporation than human RNA Pol II. Overall, our study provides the first detailed explanation of the replication mechanism of RdRp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Aranda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Milosz Wieczór
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Gdansk University of Technology, Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Montserrat Terrazas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Inorganic and Organic Chemistry, Section of Organic Chemistry, IBUB, University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1-11, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Brun-Heath
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicine, Universitat de Barcelona, Universitat de Barcelona, Avinguda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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24
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Borrego B, Moreno S, López-Valiñas Á, de la Losa N, Weber F, Núñez JI, Brun A. Identification of Single Amino Acid Changes in the Rift Valley Fever Virus Polymerase Core Domain Contributing to Virus Attenuation In Vivo. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:875539. [PMID: 35573791 PMCID: PMC9096444 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.875539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rift Valley fever (RVF) is an arboviral zoonotic disease affecting many African countries with the potential to spread to other geographical areas. RVF affects sheep, goats, cattle and camels, causing a high rate of abortions and death of newborn lambs. Also, humans can be infected, developing a usually self-limiting disease that can turn into a more severe illness in a low percentage of cases. Although different veterinary vaccines are available in endemic areas in Africa, to date no human vaccine has been licensed. In previous works, we described the selection and characterization of a favipiravir-mutagenized RVFV variant, termed 40Fp8, with potential as a RVF vaccine candidate due to the strong attenuation shown in immunocompromised animal models. Compared to the parental South African 56/74 viral strain, 40Fp8 displayed 7 amino acid substitutions in the L-protein, three of them located in the central region corresponding to the catalytic core of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). In this work, by means of a reverse genetics system, we have analyzed the effect on virulence of these amino acid changes, alone or combined, both in vitro and in vivo. We found that the simultaneous introduction of two changes (G924S and A1303T) in the heterologous ZH548-RVFV Egyptian strain conferred attenuated phenotypes to the rescued viruses as shown in infected mice without affecting virus immunogenicity. Our results suggest that both changes induce resistance to favipiravir likely associated to some fitness cost that could be the basis for the observed attenuation in vivo. Conversely, the third change, I1050V, appears to be a compensatory mutation increasing viral fitness. Altogether, these results provide relevant information for the safety improvement of novel live attenuated RVFV vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Borrego
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (INIA/CSIC)), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Belén Borrego, ; Alejandro Brun,
| | - Sandra Moreno
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (INIA/CSIC)), Madrid, Spain
| | - Álvaro López-Valiñas
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) Institut de Recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nuria de la Losa
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (INIA/CSIC)), Madrid, Spain
| | - Friedemann Weber
- Institut für Virologie, FB10-Veterinary Medicine, Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - José Ignacio Núñez
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal, Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA) Institut de Recerca en Tecnologies Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alejandro Brun
- Centro de Investigación en Sanidad Animal, CISA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria/Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (INIA/CSIC)), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Belén Borrego, ; Alejandro Brun,
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25
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Mallick Gupta A, Mandal S, Mandal S, Chakrabarti J. Immune escape facilitation by mutations of epitope residues in RdRp of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 41:3542-3552. [PMID: 35293850 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2051746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Mutations drive viral evolution and genome variability that causes viruses to escape host immunity and to develop drug resistance. SARS-CoV-2 has considerably higher mutation rate. SARS-CoV-2 possesses a RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) which helps to replicate its genome. The mutation P323L in RdRp is associated with the loss of a particular epitope (321-327) from this protein. We consider the effects of mutations in some of the epitope region including the naturally occurring mutation P323L on the structure of the epitope and their interface with paratope using all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies. We observe that the mutations cause conformational changes in the epitope region by opening up the region associated with increase in the radius of gyration and intramolecular hydrogen bonds, making the region less accessible. Moreover, we study the conformational stability of the epitope region and epitope:paratope interface under the mutation from the fluctuations in the dihedral angles. We observe that the mutation renders the epitope and the epitope:paratope interface unstable compared to the corresponding wild type ones. Thus, the mutations may help in escaping antibody mediated immunity of the hostCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aayatti Mallick Gupta
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
| | - SasthiCharan Mandal
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
| | - Sukhendu Mandal
- Laboratory of Molecular Bacteriology, Department of Microbiology, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, India
| | - Jaydeb Chakrabarti
- Department of Chemical, Biological & Macro-Molecular Sciences, S. N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
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26
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Zhao L, Li S, Zhong W. Mechanism of Action of Small-Molecule Agents in Ongoing Clinical Trials for SARS-CoV-2: A Review. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:840639. [PMID: 35281901 PMCID: PMC8916227 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.840639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Since the first reports from December 2019, COVID-19 caused an overwhelming global pandemic that has affected 223 countries, seriously endangering public health and creating an urgent need for effective drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Currently, there is a lack of safe, effective, and specific therapeutic drugs for COVID-19, with mainly supportive and symptomatic treatments being administered to patients. The preferred option for responding to an outbreak of acute infectious disease is through drug repurposing, saving valuable time that would otherwise be lost in preclinical and clinical research, hastening clinical introduction, and lowering treatment costs. Alternatively, researchers seek to design and discover novel small-molecule candidate drugs targeting the key proteins in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 through an in-depth study of the infection mechanism, thus obtaining a number of candidate compounds with favorable antiviral effects in preclinical and clinical settings. There is an urgent need to further elucidate the efficacy and mechanism of action of potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 small-molecule drugs. Herein, we review the candidate small-molecule anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs in ongoing clinical trials, with a major focus on their mechanisms of action in an attempt to provide useful insight for further research and development of small-molecule compounds against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Beijing Sunho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Song Li
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Wu Zhong
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
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27
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Detailed Analyses of Molecular Interactions between Favipiravir and RNA Viruses In Silico. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020338. [PMID: 35215932 PMCID: PMC8879546 DOI: 10.3390/v14020338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 02/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
There are currently no antiviral agents for human metapneumovirus (HMPV), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), mumps virus (MuV), or measles virus (MeV). Favipiravir has been developed as an anti-influenza agent, and this agent may be effective against these viruses in vitro. However, the molecular mechanisms through which the agent affects virus replication remain to be fully elucidated. Thus, to clarify the detailed molecular interactions between favipiravir and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of HMPV, RSV, MuV, MeV, and influenza virus, we performed in silico studies using authentic bioinformatics technologies. As a result, we found that the active form of favipiravir (favipiravir ribofuranosyl-5′-triphosphate [F-RTP]) can bind to the RdRp active sites of HMPV, RSV, MuV, and MeV. The aspartic acid residue of RdRp active sites was involved in the interaction. Moreover, F-RTP was incorporated into the growing viral RNA chain in the presence of nucleotide triphosphate and magnesium ions. The results suggested that favipiravir shows two distinct mechanisms in various viruses: RdRp active site inhibition and/or genome replication inhibition.
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28
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Enhancing the Antiviral Potency of Nucleobases for Potential Broad-Spectrum Antiviral Therapies. Viruses 2021; 13:v13122508. [PMID: 34960780 PMCID: PMC8705664 DOI: 10.3390/v13122508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Revised: 11/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Broad-spectrum antiviral therapies hold promise as a first-line defense against emerging viruses by blunting illness severity and spread until vaccines and virus-specific antivirals are developed. The nucleobase favipiravir, often discussed as a broad-spectrum inhibitor, was not effective in recent clinical trials involving patients infected with Ebola virus or SARS-CoV-2. A drawback of favipiravir use is its rapid clearance before conversion to its active nucleoside-5′-triphosphate form. In this work, we report a synergistic reduction of flavivirus (dengue, Zika), orthomyxovirus (influenza A), and coronavirus (HCoV-OC43 and SARS-CoV-2) replication when the nucleobases favipiravir or T-1105 were combined with the antimetabolite 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside (6MMPr). The 6MMPr/T-1105 combination increased the C-U and G-A mutation frequency compared to treatment with T-1105 or 6MMPr alone. A further analysis revealed that the 6MMPr/T-1105 co-treatment reduced cellular purine nucleotide triphosphate synthesis and increased conversion of the antiviral nucleobase to its nucleoside-5′-monophosphate, -diphosphate, and -triphosphate forms. The 6MMPr co-treatment specifically increased production of the active antiviral form of the nucleobases (but not corresponding nucleosides) while also reducing levels of competing cellular NTPs to produce the synergistic effect. This in-depth work establishes a foundation for development of small molecules as possible co-treatments with nucleobases like favipiravir in response to emerging RNA virus infections.
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29
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Finberg RW, Ashraf M, Julg B, Ayoade F, Marathe JG, Issa NC, Wang JP, Jaijakul S, Baden LR, Epstein C. US201 Study: A Phase 2, Randomized Proof-of-Concept Trial of Favipiravir for the Treatment of COVID-19. Open Forum Infect Dis 2021; 8:ofab563. [PMID: 34888401 PMCID: PMC8651156 DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofab563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Favipiravir is used to treat influenza, and studies demonstrate that it has antiviral activity against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS We performed a randomized, open-label, multicenter, phase 2 proof-of-concept trial of favipiravir in hospitalized adult patients with polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Patients were randomized to standard of care (SOC) or favipiravir treatment (1800mg per os twice a day [b.i.d.] on day 1, followed by 1000mg b.i.d. for 13 days). The primary end point was time to viral clearance on day 29. RESULTS Fifty patients were enrolled and stratified by disease severity (critical disease, severe disease, or mild to moderate disease). Nineteen patients were censored from the event of viral clearance based on being SARS-CoV-2 PCR-negative at the study outset, being PCR-positive at day 29, or because of loss to follow-up. Data from the 31 remaining patients who achieved viral clearance show enhanced viral clearance in the favipiravir group compared with the SOC group by day 29, with 72% of the favipiravir group and 52% of the SOC group being evaluable for viral clearance through day 29. The median time to viral clearance was 16.0 days (90% CI, 12.0 to 29.0) in the favipiravir group and 30.0 days (90% CI, 12.0 to 31.0) in the SOC group. A post hoc analysis revealed an effect in the subgroup of patients who were neutralizing antibody-negative at randomization. Treatment-emergent adverse events were equally distributed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that favipiravir can be safely administered to hospitalized adults with COVID-19 and believe that further studies are warranted. CLINICALTRIALSGOV REGISTRATION NCT04358549.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Finberg
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Madiha Ashraf
- Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Boris Julg
- Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Folusakin Ayoade
- University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jai G Marathe
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nicolas C Issa
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jennifer P Wang
- University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Lindsey R Baden
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Carol Epstein
- FUJIFILM Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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30
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Zhao L, Zhong W. Mechanism of action of favipiravir against SARS-CoV-2: Mutagenesis or chain termination? Innovation (N Y) 2021; 2:100165. [PMID: 34518821 PMCID: PMC8425668 DOI: 10.1016/j.xinn.2021.100165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Zhao
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Wu Zhong
- National Engineering Research Center for the Emergency Drug, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China
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31
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Abstract
The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has spurred research in the biology of the nidovirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Much focus has been on the viral RNA synthesis machinery due to its fundamental role in viral propagation. The central and essential enzyme of the RNA synthesis process, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), functions in conjunction with a coterie of viral-encoded enzymes that mediate crucial nucleic acid transactions. Some of these enzymes share common features with other RNA viruses, while others play roles unique to nidoviruses or CoVs. The RdRps are proven targets for viral pathogens, and many of the other nucleic acid processing enzymes are promising targets. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms of RNA synthesis in CoVs. By reflecting on these studies, we hope to emphasize the remaining gaps in our knowledge. The recent onslaught of structural information related to SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis, in combination with previous structural, genetic and biochemical studies, have vastly improved our understanding of how CoVs replicate and process their genomic RNA. Structural biology not only provides a blueprint for understanding the function of the enzymes and cofactors in molecular detail, but also provides a basis for drug design and optimization. The concerted efforts of researchers around the world, in combination with the renewed urgency toward understanding this deadly family of viruses, may eventually yield new and improved antivirals that provide relief to the current global devastation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Malone
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States
| | | | - Seth A Darst
- The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, United States.
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32
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Tanimoto S, Itoh SG, Okumura H. "Bucket brigade" using lysine residues in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2. Biophys J 2021; 120:3615-3627. [PMID: 34339634 PMCID: PMC8324383 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a promising drug target for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because it plays the most important role in the replication of the RNA genome. Nucleotide analogs such as remdesivir and favipiravir are thought to interfere with the RNA replication by RdRp. More specifically, they are expected to compete with nucleoside triphosphates, such as ATP. However, the process in which these drug molecules and nucleoside triphosphates are taken up by RdRp remains unknown. In this study, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to clarify the recognition mechanism of RdRp for these drug molecules and ATP that were at a distance. The ligand recognition ability of RdRp decreased in the order of remdesivir, favipiravir, and ATP. We also identified six recognition paths. Three of them were commonly found in all ligands, and the remaining three paths were ligand-dependent ones. In the common two paths, it was observed that the multiple lysine residues of RdRp carried the ligands to the binding site like a "bucket brigade." In the remaining common path, the ligands directly reached the binding site. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the efficient ligand recognition by RdRp at the atomic level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shoichi Tanimoto
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Satoru G Itoh
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; Department of Structural Molecular Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Hisashi Okumura
- Institute for Molecular Science, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; Exploratory Research Center on Life and Living Systems, National Institutes of Natural Sciences, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan; Department of Structural Molecular Science, SOKENDAI (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies), Okazaki, Aichi, Japan.
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33
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Kim YS, Chung HS, Noh SG, Lee B, Chung HY, Choi JG. Geraniin Inhibits the Entry of SARS-CoV-2 by Blocking the Interaction between Spike Protein RBD and Human ACE2 Receptor. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168604. [PMID: 34445310 PMCID: PMC8395245 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Despite the development of vaccines, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the absence of effective therapeutics demand the continual investigation of COVID-19. Natural products containing active ingredients may be good therapeutic candidates. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of geraniin, the main ingredient in medical plants Elaeocarpus sylvestris var. ellipticus and Nephelium lappaceum, for treating COVID-19. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor to initiate virus entry into cells; viral entry may be an important target of COVID-19 therapeutics. Geraniin was found to effectively block the binding between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and hACE2 receptor in competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, suggesting that geraniin might inhibit the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into human epithelial cells. Geraniin also demonstrated a high affinity to both proteins despite a relatively lower equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) for the spike protein (0.63 μM) than hACE2 receptor (1.12 μM), according to biolayer interferometry-based analysis. In silico analysis indicated geraniin’s interaction with the residues functionally important in the binding between the two proteins. Thus, geraniin is a promising therapeutic agent for COVID-19 by blocking SARS-CoV-2’s entry into human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young Soo Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (H.-S.C.)
| | - Hwan-Suck Chung
- Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (H.-S.C.)
| | - Sang Gyun Noh
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.G.N.); (H.Y.C.)
| | - Bonggi Lee
- Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Nam-gu, Daeyeon Dong, Busan 608737, Korea;
| | - Hae Young Chung
- College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea; (S.G.N.); (H.Y.C.)
| | - Jang-Gi Choi
- Korean Medicine (KM) Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (Y.S.K.); (H.-S.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-940-3865
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34
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Wang X, Sacramento CQ, Jockusch S, Chaves OA, Tao C, Fintelman-Rodrigues N, Chien M, Temerozo JR, Li X, Kumar S, Xie W, Patel DJ, Meyer C, Garzia A, Tuschl T, Bozza PT, Russo JJ, Souza TML, Ju J. Combination of Antiviral Drugs to Inhibit SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase and Exonuclease as Potential COVID-19 Therapeutics. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.07.21.453274. [PMID: 34312622 PMCID: PMC8312893 DOI: 10.1101/2021.07.21.453274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has an exonuclease-based proofreader, which removes nucleotide inhibitors such as Remdesivir that are incorporated into the viral RNA during replication, reducing the efficacy of these drugs for treating COVID-19. Combinations of inhibitors of both the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and the exonuclease could overcome this deficiency. Here we report the identification of hepatitis C virus NS5A inhibitors Pibrentasvir and Ombitasvir as SARS-CoV-2 exonuclease inhibitors. In the presence of Pibrentasvir, RNAs terminated with the active forms of the prodrugs Sofosbuvir, Remdesivir, Favipiravir, Molnupiravir and AT-527 were largely protected from excision by the exonuclease, while in the absence of Pibrentasvir, there was rapid excision. Due to its unique structure, Tenofovir-terminated RNA was highly resistant to exonuclease excision even in the absence of Pibrentasvir. Viral cell culture studies also demonstrate significant synergy using this combination strategy. This study supports the use of combination drugs that inhibit both the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase and exonuclease for effective COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanting Wang
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Carolina Q. Sacramento
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Steffen Jockusch
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Otávio Augusto Chaves
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Chuanjuan Tao
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Natalia Fintelman-Rodrigues
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Minchen Chien
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Jairo R. Temerozo
- Laboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation (INCT/NIM), Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Xiaoxu Li
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Shiv Kumar
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Wei Xie
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065
| | - Dinshaw J. Patel
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065
| | - Cindy Meyer
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Aitor Garzia
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Thomas Tuschl
- Laboratory of RNA Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065
| | - Patrícia T. Bozza
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - James J. Russo
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
| | - Thiago Moreno L. Souza
- Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology for Innovation on Neglected Diseases (INCT/IDN), Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS), Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jingyue Ju
- Center for Genome Technology and Biomolecular Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032
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35
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Palko N, Grishina M, Potemkin V. Electron Density Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Complexes. Molecules 2021; 26:3960. [PMID: 34203564 PMCID: PMC8272208 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26133960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The work is devoted to the study of the complementarity of the electronic structures of the ligands and SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The research methodology was based on determining of 3D maps of electron densities of complexes using an original quantum free-orbital AlteQ approach. We observed a positive relationship between the parameters of the electronic structure of the enzyme and ligands. A complementarity factor of the enzyme-ligand complexes has been proposed. The console applications of the AlteQ complementarity assessment for Windows and Linux (alteq_map_enzyme_ligand_4_win.exe and alteq_map_enzyme_ligand_4_linux) are available for free at the ChemoSophia webpage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezhda Palko
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Maria Grishina
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir Potemkin
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
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36
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Wang J, Reiss K, Shi Y, Lolis E, Lisi GP, Batista VS. Mechanism of Inhibition of the Reproduction of SARS-CoV-2 and Ebola Viruses by Remdesivir. Biochemistry 2021; 60:1869-1875. [PMID: 34110129 PMCID: PMC8204756 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [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: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Remdesivir is an antiviral drug initially designed against the Ebola virus. The results obtained with it both in biochemical studies in vitro and in cell line assays in vivo were very promising, but it proved to be ineffective in clinical trials. Remdesivir exhibited far better efficacy when repurposed against SARS-CoV-2. The chemistry that accounts for this difference is the subject of this study. Here, we examine the hypothesis that remdesivir monophosphate (RMP)-containing RNA functions as a template at the polymerase site for the second run of RNA synthesis, and as mRNA at the decoding center for protein synthesis. Our hypothesis is supported by the observation that RMP can be incorporated into RNA by the RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) of both viruses, although some of the incorporated RMPs are subsequently removed by exoribonucleases. Furthermore, our hypothesis is consistent with the fact that RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 selects RMP for incorporation over AMP by 3-fold in vitro, and that RMP-added RNA can be rapidly extended, even though primer extension is often paused when the added RMP is translocated at the i + 3 position (with i the nascent base pair at an initial insertion site of RMP) or when the concentrations of the subsequent nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) are below their physiological concentrations. These observations have led to the hypothesis that remdesivir might be a delayed chain terminator. However, that hypothesis is challenged under physiological concentrations of NTPs by the observation that approximately three-quarters of RNA products efficiently overrun the pause.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimin Wang
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8114, United States
| | - Krystle Reiss
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511-8499, United States
| | - Yuanjun Shi
- 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
| | - 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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37
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Wu Y, Peng Z, Yan Y, Hu J, Wang Y, Wang X, Peng R, Watterson D, Shi Y. Current knowledge of COVID-19: Advances, challenges and future perspectives. BIOSAFETY AND HEALTH 2021; 3:202-209. [PMID: 34104880 PMCID: PMC8176881 DOI: 10.1016/j.bsheal.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2020] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has already evoked massive influence. The global pandemic has been ravaging the whole world for a year, with the number of confirmed human infection cases over 150 million and a death toll exceeding 3 million. Although the genomic sequence of the cognate pathogen SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has been quickly determined, there are still many unknown aspects, including the virus origin and evolution trend, and the effectiveness of current vaccines and drugs against the mutating virus. This review summarizes current knowledge and advances about COVID-19, including virus origin, transmission and infection, with the aim to improve the understanding of COVID-19 and provide a new perspective for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhan Wu
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,MGI, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518083, China
| | - Zhuobing Peng
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yongxue Yan
- Huitong Experimental Station of Forest Ecology, CAS Key Laboratory of Forest Ecology and Management, Institute of Applied Ecology, Shenyang 110164, China
| | - Jintao Hu
- Melbourne School of Engineering, the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia
| | - Yalong Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Science, School of Life Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystem Homeostasis and Protection, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Ruchao Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Daniel Watterson
- Australian Infectious Diseases Research Centre, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Yi Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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38
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Naydenova K, Muir KW, Wu LF, Zhang Z, Coscia F, Peet MJ, Castro-Hartmann P, Qian P, Sader K, Dent K, Kimanius D, Sutherland JD, Löwe J, Barford D, Russo CJ. Structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in the presence of favipiravir-RTP. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:e2021946118. [PMID: 33526596 PMCID: PMC7896311 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2021946118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA polymerase inhibitor favipiravir is currently in clinical trials as a treatment for infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), despite limited information about the molecular basis for its activity. Here we report the structure of favipiravir ribonucleoside triphosphate (favipiravir-RTP) in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) bound to a template:primer RNA duplex, determined by electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) to a resolution of 2.5 Å. The structure shows clear evidence for the inhibitor at the catalytic site of the enzyme, and resolves the conformation of key side chains and ions surrounding the binding pocket. Polymerase activity assays indicate that the inhibitor is weakly incorporated into the RNA primer strand, and suppresses RNA replication in the presence of natural nucleotides. The structure reveals an unusual, nonproductive binding mode of favipiravir-RTP at the catalytic site of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, which explains its low rate of incorporation into the RNA primer strand. Together, these findings inform current and future efforts to develop polymerase inhibitors for SARS coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Naydenova
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Kyle W Muir
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Long-Fei Wu
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Ziguo Zhang
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Coscia
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Mathew J Peet
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Pablo Castro-Hartmann
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Pu Qian
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Kasim Sader
- Materials and Structural Analysis, Thermo Fisher Scientific, 5651 GG Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Kyle Dent
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Dari Kimanius
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - John D Sutherland
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom;
| | - Jan Löwe
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom;
| | - David Barford
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom;
| | - Christopher J Russo
- Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge CB2 0QH, United Kingdom;
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39
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Maheden K, Todd B, Gordon CJ, Tchesnokov EP, Götte M. Inhibition of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases with clinically relevant nucleotide analogs. Enzymes 2021; 49:315-354. [PMID: 34696837 PMCID: PMC8517576 DOI: 10.1016/bs.enz.2021.07.002] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The treatment of viral infections remains challenging, in particular in the face of emerging pathogens. Broad-spectrum antiviral drugs could potentially be used as a first line of defense. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of RNA viruses serves as a logical target for drug discovery and development efforts. Herein we discuss compounds that target RdRp of poliovirus, hepatitis C virus, influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, and the growing data on coronaviruses. We focus on nucleotide analogs and mechanisms of action and resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kieran Maheden
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; School of Biomedical Engineering, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Brendan Todd
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Calvin J Gordon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Egor P Tchesnokov
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Matthias Götte
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada; Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology at University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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