1
|
Wang D, Huot M, Mohanty V, Shakhnovich EI. Biophysical principles predict fitness of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2314518121. [PMID: 38820002 PMCID: PMC11161772 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314518121] [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: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 employs its spike protein's receptor binding domain (RBD) to enter host cells. The RBD is constantly subjected to immune responses, while requiring efficient binding to host cell receptors for successful infection. However, our understanding of how RBD's biophysical properties contribute to SARS-CoV-2's epidemiological fitness remains largely incomplete. Through a comprehensive approach, comprising large-scale sequence analysis of SARS-CoV-2 variants and the identification of a fitness function based on binding thermodynamics, we unravel the relationship between the biophysical properties of RBD variants and their contribution to viral fitness. We developed a biophysical model that uses statistical mechanics to map the molecular phenotype space, characterized by dissociation constants of RBD to ACE2, LY-CoV016, LY-CoV555, REGN10987, and S309, onto an epistatic fitness landscape. We validate our findings through experimentally measured and machine learning (ML) estimated binding affinities, coupled with infectivity data derived from population-level sequencing. Our analysis reveals that this model effectively predicts the fitness of novel RBD variants and can account for the epistatic interactions among mutations, including explaining the later reversal of Q493R. Our study sheds light on the impact of specific mutations on viral fitness and delivers a tool for predicting the future epidemiological trajectory of previously unseen or emerging low-frequency variants. These insights offer not only greater understanding of viral evolution but also potentially aid in guiding public health decisions in the battle against COVID-19 and future pandemics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dianzhuo Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| | - Marian Huot
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- École Polytechnique, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau91128, France
| | - Vaibhav Mohanty
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
- Harvard/MIT MD-PhD Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA02115
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA02139
| | - Eugene I. Shakhnovich
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA02138
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Nguyen HL, Nguyen TQ, Li MS. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants Do Not Differ Much in Binding Affinity to Human ACE2: A Molecular Dynamics Study. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:3340-3349. [PMID: 38564480 PMCID: PMC11017248 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c06270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of the variant of concern Omicron (B.1.1.529) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) exacerbates the COVID-19 pandemic due to its high contagious ability. Studies have shown that the Omicron binds human ACE2 more strongly than the wild type. The prevalence of Omicron in new cases of COVID-19 promotes novel lineages with improved receptor binding affinity and immune evasion. To shed light on this open problem, in this work, we investigated the binding free energy of the receptor binding domain of the Omicron lineages BA.2, BA.2.3.20, BA.3, BA4/BA5, BA.2.75, BA.2.75.2, BA.4.6, XBB.1, XBB.1.5, BJ.1, BN.1, BQ.1.1, and CH.1.1 to human ACE2 using all-atom molecular dynamics simulation and the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area method. The results show that these lineages have increased binding affinity compared to the BA.1 lineage, and BA.2.75 and BA.2.75.2 subvariants bind ACE2 more strongly than others. However, in general, the binding affinities of the Omicron lineages do not differ significantly from each other. The electrostatic force dominates over the van der Waals force in the interaction between Omicron lineages and human cells. Based on our results, we argue that viral evolution does not further improve the affinity of SARS-CoV-2 for ACE2 but may increase immune evasion.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hoang Linh Nguyen
- Institute
of Fundamental and Applied Sciences, Duy
Tan University, Ho Chi Minh City 700000, Vietnam
- Faculty
of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Duy
Tan University, Da Nang 550000, Vietnam
| | - Thai Quoc Nguyen
- Faculty
of Physics, VNU University of Science, Vietnam
National University, 334 Nguyen Trai, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam
- Dong
Thap University, 783 Pham Huu Lau Street, Ward 6, Cao Lanh
City, Dong Thap 81000, Vietnam
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute
of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, Warsaw 02-668, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Maity S, Acharya A. Many Roles of Carbohydrates: A Computational Spotlight on the Coronavirus S Protein Binding. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:646-656. [PMID: 36947738 PMCID: PMC10880061 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.2c01064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Glycosylation is one of the post-translational modifications with more than 50% of human proteins being glycosylated. The exact nature and chemical composition of glycans are inaccessible to X-ray or cryo-electron microscopy imaging techniques. Therefore, computational modeling studies and molecular dynamics must be used as a "computational microscope". The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is heavily glycosylated, and a few glycans play a more functional role "beyond shielding". In this mini-review, we discuss computational investigations of the roles of specific S-protein and ACE2 glycans in the overall ACE2-S protein binding. We highlight different functions of specific glycans demonstrated in myriad computational models and simulations in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding to the receptor. We also discuss interactions between glycocalyx and the S protein, which may be utilized to design prophylactic polysaccharide-based therapeutics targeting the S protein. In addition, we underline the recent emergence of coronavirus variants and their impact on the S protein and its glycans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Suman Maity
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| | - Atanu Acharya
- Department
of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
- BioInspired
Syracuse, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, United States
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lan PD, Nissley DA, O’Brien EP, Nguyen TT, Li MS. Deciphering the free energy landscapes of SARS-CoV-2 wild type and Omicron variant interacting with human ACE2. J Chem Phys 2024; 160:055101. [PMID: 38310477 PMCID: PMC11223169 DOI: 10.1063/5.0188053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the first step in human viral infection. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of interaction between RBD and ACE2 at the molecular level is critical for the prevention of COVID-19, as more variants of concern, such as Omicron, appear. Recently, atomic force microscopy has been applied to characterize the free energy landscape of the RBD-ACE2 complex, including estimation of the distance between the transition state and the bound state, xu. Here, using a coarse-grained model and replica-exchange umbrella sampling, we studied the free energy landscape of both the wild type and Omicron subvariants BA.1 and XBB.1.5 interacting with ACE2. In agreement with experiment, we find that the wild type and Omicron subvariants have similar xu values, but Omicron binds ACE2 more strongly than the wild type, having a lower dissociation constant KD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel A. Nissley
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford Protein Bioinformatics Group, Oxford OX1 2JD, United Kingdom
| | | | - Toan T. Nguyen
- Key Laboratory for Multiscale Simulation of Complex Systems and Department of Theoretical Physics, Faculty of Physics, University of Science, Vietnam National University - Hanoi, 334 Nguyen Trai Street, Thanh Xuan District, Hanoi 11400, Vietnam
| | - Mai Suan Li
- Institute of Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, al. Lotnikow 32/46, 02-668 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Blazhynska M, Gumbart JC, Chen H, Tajkhorshid E, Roux B, Chipot C. A Rigorous Framework for Calculating Protein-Protein Binding Affinities in Membranes. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:9077-9092. [PMID: 38091976 PMCID: PMC11145395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Calculating the binding free energy of integral transmembrane (TM) proteins is crucial for understanding the mechanisms by which they recognize one another and reversibly associate. The glycophorin A (GpA) homodimer, composed of two α-helical segments, has long served as a model system for studying TM protein reversible association. The present work establishes a methodological framework for calculating the binding affinity of the GpA homodimer in the heterogeneous environment of a membrane. Our investigation carefully considered a variety of protocols, including the appropriate choice of the force field, rigorous standardization reflecting the experimental conditions, sampling algorithm, anisotropic environment, and collective variables, to accurately describe GpA dimerization via molecular dynamics-based approaches. Specifically, two strategies were explored: (i) an unrestrained potential mean force (PMF) calculation, which merely enhances sampling along the separation of the two binding partners without any restraint, and (ii) a so-called "geometrical route", whereby the α-helices are progressively separated with imposed restraints on their orientational, positional, and conformational degrees of freedom to accelerate convergence. Our simulations reveal that the simplified, unrestrained PMF approach is inadequate for the description of GpA dimerization. Instead, the geometrical route, tailored specifically to GpA in a membrane environment, yields excellent agreement with experimental data within a reasonable computational time. A dimerization free energy of -10.7 kcal/mol is obtained, in fairly good agreement with available experimental data. The geometrical route further helps elucidate how environmental forces drive association before helical interactions stabilize it. Our simulations also brought to light a distinct, long-lived spatial arrangement that potentially serves as an intermediate state during dimer formation. The methodological advances in the generalized geometrical route provide a powerful tool for accurate and efficient binding-affinity calculations of intricate TM protein complexes in inhomogeneous environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marharyta Blazhynska
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
| | - James C Gumbart
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 837 State Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, United States
| | - Haochuan Chen
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
| | - Emad Tajkhorshid
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 S. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Benoît Roux
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, 5735 S. Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex 54506, France
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, NIH Center for Macromolecular Modeling and Visualization, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 405 N. Mathews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hawai'i at Ma̅noa, 2545 McCarthy Mall, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Saar A, Ghahremanpour MM, Tirado-Rives J, Jorgensen WL. Assessing Metadynamics and Docking for Absolute Binding Free Energy Calculations Using Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Main Protease Inhibitors. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7210-7218. [PMID: 37934762 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01453] [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: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
Absolute binding free energy (ABFE) calculations can be an important part of the drug discovery process by identifying molecules that have the potential to be strong binders for a biomolecular target. Recent work has used free energy perturbation (FEP) theory for these calculations, focusing on a set of 16 inhibitors of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 main protease (Mpro). Herein, the same data set is evaluated by metadynamics (MetaD), four different docking programs, and molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface area solvation. MetaD yields a Kendall τ distance of 0.28 and Pearson r2 of 0.49, which reflect somewhat less accuracy than that from the ABFE FEP results. Notably, it is demonstrated that an ensemble docking protocol by which each ligand is docked into the 13 crystal structures in this data set provides improved performance, particularly when docking is carried out with Glide XP (Kendall τ distance = 0.20, Pearson r2 = 0.71), Glide SP (Kendall τ distance = 0.19, Pearson r2 = 0.66), or AutoDock 4 (Kendall τ distance = 0.21, Pearson r2 = 0.55). The best results are obtained with "superconsensus" docking by averaging the 52 results for each compound using the 4 docking protocols and all 13 crystal structures (Kendall τ distance = 0.18, Pearson r2 = 0.73).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Saar
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | | | - Julian Tirado-Rives
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| | - William L Jorgensen
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8107, United States
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Spinello A, D'Anna L, Bignon E, Miclot T, Grandemange S, Terenzi A, Barone G, Barbault F, Monari A. Mechanism of the Covalent Inhibition of Human Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 as an Original Antiviral Strategy. J Phys Chem B 2023. [PMID: 37428676 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c02910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
The Transmembrane Protease Serine 2 (TMPRSS2) is a human enzyme which is involved in the maturation and post-translation of different proteins. In addition to being overexpressed in cancer cells, TMPRSS2 plays a further fundamental role in favoring viral infections by allowing the fusion of the virus envelope with the cellular membrane, notably in SARS-CoV-2. In this contribution, we resort to multiscale molecular modeling to unravel the structural and dynamical features of TMPRSS2 and its interaction with a model lipid bilayer. Furthermore, we shed light on the mechanism of action of a potential inhibitor (nafamostat), determining the free-energy profile associated with the inhibition reaction and showing the facile poisoning of the enzyme. Our study, while providing the first atomistically resolved mechanism of TMPRSS2 inhibition, is also fundamental in furnishing a solid framework for further rational design targeting transmembrane proteases in a host-directed antiviral strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Spinello
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, 90126 Palermo, Italy
| | - Luisa D'Anna
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, 90126 Palermo, Italy
| | - Emmanuelle Bignon
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | - Tom Miclot
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, 90126 Palermo, Italy
- Université de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | | | - Alessio Terenzi
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, 90126 Palermo, Italy
| | - Giampaolo Barone
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Palermo, 90126 Palermo, Italy
| | | | - Antonio Monari
- Université Paris Cité and CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Abduljalil JM, Elghareib AM, Samir A, Ezat AA, Elfiky AA. How helpful were molecular dynamics simulations in shaping our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein dynamics? Int J Biol Macromol 2023:125153. [PMID: 37268078 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) represents an important viral component that is required for successful viral infection in humans owing to its essential role in recognition of and entry to host cells. The spike is also an appealing target for drug designers who develop vaccines and antivirals. This article is important as it summarizes how molecular simulations successfully shaped our understanding of spike conformational behavior and its role in viral infection. MD simulations found that the higher affinity of SARS-CoV-2-S to ACE2 is linked to its unique residues that add extra electrostatic and van der Waal interactions in comparison to the SARS-CoV S. This illustrates the spread potential of the pandemic SARS-CoV-2 relative to the epidemic SARS-CoV. Different mutations at the S-ACE2 interface, which is believed to increase the transmission of the new variants, affected the behavior and binding interactions in different simulations. The contributions of glycans to the opening of S were revealed via simulations. The immune evasion of S was linked to the spatial distribution of glycans. This help the virus to escape the immune system recognition. This article is important as it summarizes how molecular simulations successfully shaped our understanding of spike conformational behavior and its role in viral infection. This will pave the way to us preparing for the next pandemic as the computational tools are tailored to help fight new challenges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jameel M Abduljalil
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Thamar University, Dhamar, Yemen; Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed M Elghareib
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Samir
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Ezat
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Abdo A Elfiky
- Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Blazhynska M, Goulard Coderc de Lacam E, Chen H, Chipot C. Improving Speed and Affordability without Compromising Accuracy: Standard Binding Free-Energy Calculations Using an Enhanced Sampling Algorithm, Multiple-Time Stepping, and Hydrogen Mass Repartitioning. J Chem Theory Comput 2023. [PMID: 37196198 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Accurate evaluation of protein-ligand binding free energies in silico is of paramount importance for understanding the mechanisms of biological regulation and providing a theoretical basis for drug design and discovery. Based on a series of atomistic molecular dynamics simulations in an explicit solvent, using well-tempered metadynamics extended adaptive biasing force (WTM-eABF) as an enhanced sampling algorithm, the so-called "geometrical route" offers a rigorous theoretical framework for binding affinity calculations that match experimental values. However, although robust, this strategy remains expensive, requiring substantial computational time to achieve convergence of the simulations. Improving the efficiency of the geometrical route, while preserving its reliability through improved ergodic sampling, is, therefore, highly desirable. In this contribution, having identified the computational bottleneck of the geometrical route, to accelerate the calculations we combine (i) a longer time step for the integration of the equations of motion with hydrogen-mass repartitioning (HMR), and (ii) multiple time-stepping (MTS) for collective-variable and biasing-force evaluation. Altogether, we performed 50 independent WTM-eABF simulations in triplicate for the "physical" separation of the Abl kinase-SH3 domain:p41 complex, following different HMR and MTS schemes, while tuning, in distinct protocols, the parameters of the enhanced-sampling algorithm. To demonstrate the consistency and reliability of the results obtained with the best-performing setups, we carried out quintuple simulations. Furthermore, we demonstrated the transferability of our method to other complexes by triplicating a 200 ns separation simulation of nine chosen protocols for the MDM2-p53:NVP-CGM097 complex. [Holzer et al. J. Med. Chem. 2015, 58, 6348-6358.] Our results, based on an aggregate simulation time of 14.4 μs, allowed an optimal set of parameters to be identified, able to accelerate convergence by a factor of three without any noticeable loss of accuracy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marharyta Blazhynska
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex, France
| | - Emma Goulard Coderc de Lacam
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex, France
| | - Haochuan Chen
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex, France
| | - Christophe Chipot
- Laboratoire International Associé Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Unité Mixte de Recherche n°7019, Université de Lorraine, B.P. 70239, 54506 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy cedex, France
- Theoretical and Computational Biophysics Group, Beckman Institute, and Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, 929 E. 57th Street W225, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Havranek B, Lindsey GW, Higuchi Y, Itoh Y, Suzuki T, Okamoto T, Hoshino A, Procko E, Islam SM. A computationally designed ACE2 decoy has broad efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 omicron variants and related viruses in vitro and in vivo. Commun Biol 2023; 6:513. [PMID: 37173421 PMCID: PMC10177734 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04860-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2, especially B.1.1.529/omicron and its sublineages, continues to mutate to evade monoclonal antibodies and antibodies elicited by vaccination. Affinity-enhanced soluble ACE2 (sACE2) is an alternative strategy that works by binding the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, acting as a 'decoy' to block the interaction between the S and human ACE2. Using a computational design strategy, we designed an affinity-enhanced ACE2 decoy, FLIF, that exhibited tight binding to SARS-CoV-2 delta and omicron variants. Our computationally calculated absolute binding free energies (ABFE) between sACE2:SARS-CoV-2 S proteins and their variants showed excellent agreement to binding experiments. FLIF displayed robust therapeutic utility against a broad range of SARS-CoV-2 variants and sarbecoviruses, and neutralized omicron BA.5 in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we directly compared the in vivo therapeutic efficacy of wild-type ACE2 (non-affinity enhanced ACE2) against FLIF. A few wild-type sACE2 decoys have shown to be effective against early circulating variants such as Wuhan in vivo. Our data suggest that moving forward, affinity-enhanced ACE2 decoys like FLIF may be required to combat evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants. The approach described herein emphasizes how computational methods have become sufficiently accurate for the design of therapeutics against viral protein targets. Affinity-enhanced ACE2 decoys remain highly effective at neutralizing omicron subvariants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Havranek
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
- Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, 19107, USA
- ComputePharma, LLC., Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Yusuke Higuchi
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Yumi Itoh
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Tatsuya Suzuki
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Toru Okamoto
- Institute for Advanced Co-Creation Studies, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Atsushi Hoshino
- Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
- Cyrus Biotechnology, Inc., Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shahidul M Islam
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
- ComputePharma, LLC., Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Delaware State University, Dover, DE, 19901, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Bignon E, Grandemange S, Dumont E, Monari A. How SARS-CoV-2 Alters the Regulation of Gene Expression in Infected Cells. J Phys Chem Lett 2023; 14:3199-3207. [PMID: 36971439 PMCID: PMC10068877 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.3c00582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Nonstructural accessory proteins in viruses play a key role in hijacking the basic cellular mechanisms, which is essential to promote the virus survival and evasion of the immune system. The immonuglobulin-like open reading frame 8 (ORF8) protein expressed by SARS-CoV-2 accumulates in the nucleus and may influence the regulation of the gene expression in infected cells. In this contribution, by using microsecond time-scale all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, we unravel the structural bases behind the epigenetic action of ORF8. In particular, we highlight how the protein is able to form stable aggregates with DNA through a histone tail-like motif, and how this interaction is influenced by post-translational modifications, such as acetylation and methylation, which are known epigenetic markers in histones. Our work not only clarifies the molecular mechanisms behind the perturbation of the epigenetic regulation caused by the viral infection but also offers an unusual perspective which may foster the development of original antivirals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuelle Bignon
- Université
de Lorraine and CNRS, UMR 7019 LPCT, F-54000 Nancy, France
| | | | - Elise Dumont
- Université
Côte d’Azur, Institut de Chimie de Nice, UMR 7272, Parc Valrose, 28 avenue Valrose, F-06108 Nice, France
- Institut
Universitaire de France, 5 rue Descartes, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- Université
Paris Cité and CNRS, ITODYS, F-75006 Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Hognon C, Bignon E, Monari A, Marazzi M, Garcia-Iriepa C. Revealing the Molecular Interactions between Human ACE2 and the Receptor Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Wild-Type, Alpha and Delta Variants. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032517. [PMID: 36768842 PMCID: PMC9916449 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032517] [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: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
After a sudden and first spread of the pandemic caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2) wild-type strain, mutants have emerged which have been associated with increased infectivity, inducing surges in the contagions. The first of the so-called variants of concerns, was firstly isolated in the United Kingdom and later renamed Alpha variant. Afterwards, in the middle of 2021, a new variant appeared called Delta. The latter is characterized by the presence of point mutations in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, especially in the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD). When in its active conformation, the RBD can interact with the human receptor Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) to allow the entry of the virions into cells. In this contribution, by using extended all-atom molecular dynamic simulations, complemented with machine learning post-processing, we analyze the changes in the molecular interaction network induced by these different strains in comparison with the wild-type. On one hand, although relevant variations are evidenced, only limited changes in the global stability indicators and in the flexibility profiles have been observed. On the other hand, key differences were obtained by tracking hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecular interactions, concerning both positioning at the ACE2/RBD interface and formation/disruption dynamic behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cécilia Hognon
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Emmanuelle Bignon
- UMR 7019 LPCT, Université de Lorraine and CNRS, F-5400 Nancy, France
| | - Antonio Monari
- ITODYS, Université Paris Cité and CNRS, F-75006 Paris, France
| | - Marco Marazzi
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (C.G.-I.)
| | - Cristina Garcia-Iriepa
- Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Universidad de Alcalá, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona, Km 33,600, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Instituto de Investigación Química “Andrés M. del Río” (IQAR), Universidad de Alcalá, 28871 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (C.G.-I.)
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Govind Kumar V, Polasa A, Agrawal S, Kumar TKS, Moradi M. Binding affinity estimation from restrained umbrella sampling simulations. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2023; 3:59-70. [PMID: 38177953 PMCID: PMC10766565 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-022-00389-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The protein-ligand binding affinity quantifies the binding strength between a protein and its ligand. Computer modeling and simulations can be used to estimate the binding affinity or binding free energy using data- or physics-driven methods or a combination thereof. Here we discuss a purely physics-based sampling approach based on biased molecular dynamics simulations. Our proposed method generalizes and simplifies previously suggested stratification strategies that use umbrella sampling or other enhanced sampling simulations with additional collective-variable-based restraints. The approach presented here uses a flexible scheme that can be easily tailored for any system of interest. We estimate the binding affinity of human fibroblast growth factor 1 to heparin hexasaccharide based on the available crystal structure of the complex as the initial model and four different variations of the proposed method to compare against the experimentally determined binding affinity obtained from isothermal titration calorimetry experiments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vivek Govind Kumar
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Adithya Polasa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | - Shilpi Agrawal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA
| | | | - Mahmoud Moradi
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA.
| |
Collapse
|