1
|
Hamdy ME, El Deeb AH, Hagag NM, Shahein MA, Alaidi O, Hussein HA. Interspecies transmission of SARS CoV-2 with special emphasis on viral mutations and ACE-2 receptor homology roles. Int J Vet Sci Med 2023; 11:55-86. [PMID: 37441062 PMCID: PMC10334861 DOI: 10.1080/23144599.2023.2222981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 outbreak was first reported in 2019, Wuhan, China. The spillover of the disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), to a wide range of pet, zoo, wild, and farm animals has emphasized potential zoonotic and reverse zoonotic viral transmission. Furthermore, it has evoked inquiries about susceptibility of different animal species to SARS-CoV-2 infection and role of these animals as viral reservoirs. Therefore, studying susceptible and non-susceptible hosts for SARS-CoV-2 infection could give a better understanding for the virus and will help in preventing further outbreaks. Here, we review structural aspects of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, the effect of the different mutations observed in the spike protein, and the impact of ACE2 receptor variations in different animal hosts on inter-species transmission. Moreover, the SARS-CoV-2 spillover chain was reviewed. Combination of SARS-CoV-2 high mutation rate and homology of cellular ACE2 receptors enable the virus to transcend species barriers and facilitate its transmission between humans and animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mervat E. Hamdy
- Genome Research Unit, Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ayman H. El Deeb
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, King Salman International University, South Sinai, Egypt
| | - Naglaa M. Hagag
- Genome Research Unit, Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Momtaz A. Shahein
- Department of Virology, Animal Health Research Institute, Agriculture Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Osama Alaidi
- Biocomplexity for Research and Consulting Co., Cairo, Egypt
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Hussein A. Hussein
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Sathyaseelan C, Magateshvaren
Saras MA, Prasad Patro LP, Uttamrao PP, Rathinavelan T. CoVe-Tracker: An Interactive SARS-CoV-2 Pan Proteome Evolution Tracker. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:1984-1996. [PMID: 37036263 PMCID: PMC10108739 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has significantly mutated its genome during the past 3 years, leading to the periodic emergence of several variants. Some of the variants possess enhanced fitness advantage, transmissibility, and pathogenicity and can also reduce vaccine efficacy. Thus, it is important to track the viral evolution to prevent and protect the mankind from SARS-CoV-2 infection. To this end, an interactive web-GUI platform, namely, CoVe-tracker (SARS-CoV-2 evolution tracker), is developed to track its pan proteome evolutionary dynamics (https://project.iith.ac.in/cove-tracker/). CoVe-tracker provides an opportunity for the user to fetch the country-wise and protein-wise amino acid mutations (currently, 44139) of SARS-CoV-2 and their month-wise distribution. It also provides position-wise evolution observed in the SARS-CoV-2 proteome. Importantly, CoVe-tracker provides month- and country-wise distributions of 2065 phylogenetic assignment of named global outbreak (PANGO) lineages and their 177564 variants. It further provides periodic updates on SARS-CoV-2 variant(s) evolution. CoVe-tracker provides the results in a user-friendly interactive fashion by projecting the results onto the world map (for country-wise distribution) and protein 3D structure (for protein-wise mutation). The application of CoVe-tracker in tracking the closest cousin(s) of a variant is demonstrated by considering BA.4 and BA.5 PANGO lineages as test cases. Thus, CoVe-tracker would be useful in the quick surveillance of newly emerging mutations/variants/lineages to facilitate the understanding of viral evolution, transmission, and disease epidemiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chakkarai Sathyaseelan
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute
of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana State 502285,
India
| | | | - L. Ponoop Prasad Patro
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute
of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana State 502285,
India
| | - Patil Pranita Uttamrao
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute
of Technology Hyderabad, Kandi, Telangana State 502285,
India
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Chothe SK, Jakka P, Boorla VS, Ramasamy S, Gontu A, Nissly RH, Brown J, Turner G, Sewall BJ, Reeder DM, Field KA, Engiles JB, Amirthalingam S, Ravichandran A, LaBella L, Nair MS, Maranas CD, Kuchipudi SV. Little Brown Bats ( Myotis lucifugus) Support the Binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Are Likely Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Viruses 2023; 15:v15051103. [PMID: 37243189 DOI: 10.3390/v15051103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), believed to have originated from a bat species, can infect a wide range of non-human hosts. Bats are known to harbor hundreds of coronaviruses capable of spillover into human populations. Recent studies have shown a significant variation in the susceptibility among bat species to SARS-CoV-2 infection. We show that little brown bats (LBB) express angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor and the transmembrane serine protease 2, which are accessible to and support SARS-CoV-2 binding. All-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that LBB ACE2 formed strong electrostatic interactions with the RBD similar to human and cat ACE2 proteins. In summary, LBBs, a widely distributed North American bat species, could be at risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and potentially serve as a natural reservoir. Finally, our framework, combining in vitro and in silico methods, is a useful tool to assess the SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility of bats and other animal species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shubhada K Chothe
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Padmaja Jakka
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Veda Sheersh Boorla
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Santhamani Ramasamy
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Abhinay Gontu
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Ruth H Nissly
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Justin Brown
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - Gregory Turner
- Pennsylvania Game Commission, 2001 Elmerton Ave, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA
| | - Brent J Sewall
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - DeeAnn M Reeder
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Kenneth A Field
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Julie B Engiles
- Departments of Pathobiology and Clinical Studies, New Bolton Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, PA 19348, USA
| | - Saranya Amirthalingam
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Abirami Ravichandran
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Lindsey LaBella
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Meera Surendran Nair
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Costas D Maranas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Suresh V Kuchipudi
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, Huck Institutes of the Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lopes LR. Cervids ACE2 Residues that Bind the Spike Protein can Provide Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. ECOHEALTH 2023; 20:9-17. [PMID: 37106170 PMCID: PMC10139662 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-023-01632-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The susceptibility of the white-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has highlighted cervids as coronavirus reservoirs. This study aimed to evaluate the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) residues which bind the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 from 16 cervids to predict their potential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Eleven out of 16 species presented identical ACE2 key residues to WTD ACE2. Four cervids presented K31N, a variant associated with low SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility. Large herding of cervids with ACE2 key residues identical to that of the WTD can result in extensive reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2. Cervids as potential reservoirs could favor SARS-CoV-2 adaptation and the emergence of new coronavirus strains.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luciano Rodrigo Lopes
- Bioinformatics and Bio-Data Science Division, Health Informatics Department, Universidade Federal de São Paulo - UNIFESP, Rua Botucatu 862 - Prédio Leal Prado (térreo), São Paulo, SP, 04023-062, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lessons Learnt from COVID-19: Computational Strategies for Facing Present and Future Pandemics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054401. [PMID: 36901832 PMCID: PMC10003049 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Since its outbreak in December 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused the death of more than 6.5 million people around the world. The high transmissibility of its causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, coupled with its potentially lethal outcome, provoked a profound global economic and social crisis. The urgency of finding suitable pharmacological tools to tame the pandemic shed light on the ever-increasing importance of computer simulations in rationalizing and speeding up the design of new drugs, further stressing the need for developing quick and reliable methods to identify novel active molecules and characterize their mechanism of action. In the present work, we aim at providing the reader with a general overview of the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing the hallmarks in its management, from the initial attempts at drug repurposing to the commercialization of Paxlovid, the first orally available COVID-19 drug. Furthermore, we analyze and discuss the role of computer-aided drug discovery (CADD) techniques, especially those that fall in the structure-based drug design (SBDD) category, in facing present and future pandemics, by showcasing several successful examples of drug discovery campaigns where commonly used methods such as docking and molecular dynamics have been employed in the rational design of effective therapeutic entities against COVID-19.
Collapse
|
6
|
Firouzi R, Ashouri M. Identification of Potential Anti‐COVID‐19 Drug Leads from Medicinal Plants through Virtual High‐Throughput Screening. ChemistrySelect 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202203865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rohoullah Firouzi
- Department of Physical Chemistry Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Research Center of Iran Tehran Iran
| | - Mitra Ashouri
- Department of Physical Chemistry School of Chemistry College of Science University of Tehran Tehran Iran
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Mollentze N, Keen D, Munkhbayar U, Biek R, Streicker DG. Variation in the ACE2 receptor has limited utility for SARS-CoV-2 host prediction. eLife 2022; 11:80329. [DOI: 10.7554/elife.80329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to other species threatens wildlife conservation and may create novel sources of viral diversity for future zoonotic transmission. A variety of computational heuristics have been developed to pre-emptively identify susceptible host species based on variation in the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor used for viral entry. However, the predictive performance of these heuristics remains unknown. Using a newly compiled database of 96 species, we show that, while variation in ACE2 can be used by machine learning models to accurately predict animal susceptibility to sarbecoviruses (accuracy = 80.2%, binomial confidence interval [CI]: 70.8–87.6%), the sites informing predictions have no known involvement in virus binding and instead recapitulate host phylogeny. Models trained on host phylogeny alone performed equally well (accuracy = 84.4%, CI: 75.5–91.0%) and at a level equivalent to retrospective assessments of accuracy for previously published models. These results suggest that the predictive power of ACE2-based models derives from strong correlations with host phylogeny rather than processes which can be mechanistically linked to infection biology. Further, biased availability of ACE2 sequences misleads projections of the number and geographic distribution of at-risk species. Models based on host phylogeny reduce this bias, but identify a very large number of susceptible species, implying that model predictions must be combined with local knowledge of exposure risk to practically guide surveillance. Identifying barriers to viral infection or onward transmission beyond receptor binding and incorporating data which are independent of host phylogeny will be necessary to manage the ongoing risk of establishment of novel animal reservoirs of SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nardus Mollentze
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Medical Research Council – University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
| | - Deborah Keen
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
| | - Uuriintuya Munkhbayar
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
| | - Roman Biek
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
| | - Daniel G Streicker
- School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary, and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
- Medical Research Council – University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Koifman MO, Malyasova AS, Romanenko YV, Yurina ES, Lebedeva NS, Gubarev YA, Koifman OI. Spectral and theoretical study of SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 protein interaction with endogenous and exogenous macroheterocyclic compounds. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2022; 279:121403. [PMID: 35617836 PMCID: PMC9113648 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.121403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has spread rapidly around the world in a matter of weeks. Most of the current recommendations developed for the use of antivirals in COVID-19 were developed during the initial waves of the pandemic, when resources were limited and administrative or pragmatic criteria took precedence. The choice of drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 was carried out from drugs approved for medical use. COVID-19 is a serious public health problem and the search for drugs that can relieve the disease in infected patients at various stages is still necessary. Therefore, the search for effective drugs with inhibitory and/or virucidal activity is a paramount task. Accessory proteins of the virus play a significant role in the pathogenesis of the disease, as they modulate the host's immune response. This paper studied the interaction of one of the SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins ORF10 with macroheterocyclic compounds - protoporphyrin IX d.m.e., Fe(III)protoporphyrin d.m.e. and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(3'-pyridyl)chlorin tetraiodide, which are potential inhibitors and virucidal agents. The SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 protein shows the highest affinity for Chlorin, which binds hydrophobically to the alpha structured region of the protein. Protoporphyrin is able to form several complexes with ORF10 close in energy, with alpha- and beta-molecular recognition features, while Fe(III)protoporphyrin forms complexes with the orientation of the porphyrin macrocycle parallel to the ORF10 alpha-helix. Taking into account the nature of the interaction with ORF10, it has been suggested that Chlorin may have virucidal activity upon photoexposure. The SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli cells, macroheterocyclic compounds were synthesized, and the structure was confirmed. The interaction between macrocycles with ORF10 was studied by spectral methods. The results of in silico studies were confirmed by experimental data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M O Koifman
- Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, 153000 Ivanovo, Russia; G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - A S Malyasova
- Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, 153000 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - Yu V Romanenko
- Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, 153000 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - E S Yurina
- G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - N Sh Lebedeva
- G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| | - Yu A Gubarev
- G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia.
| | - O I Koifman
- Ivanovo State University of Chemistry and Technology, 153000 Ivanovo, Russia; G.A. Krestov Institute of Solution Chemistry of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 153045 Ivanovo, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Kazemi S, López-Muñoz AD, Hollý J, Jin L, Yewdell JW, Dolan BP. Variations in Cell Surface ACE2 Levels Alter Direct Binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Viral Infectivity: Implications for Measuring Spike Protein Interactions with Animal ACE2 Orthologs. J Virol 2022; 96:e0025622. [PMID: 36000847 PMCID: PMC9472623 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00256-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the most severe pandemic in a century. The virus gains access to host cells when the viral spike protein (S-protein) binds to the host cell surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Studies have attempted to understand SARS-CoV-2 S-protein interactions with vertebrate orthologs of ACE2 by expressing ACE2 orthologs in mammalian cells and measuring viral infection or S-protein binding. Often, these cells only transiently express ACE2 proteins, and the levels of ACE2 at the cell surface are not quantified. Here, we describe a cell-based assay that uses stably transfected cells expressing ACE2 proteins in a bicistronic vector with an easy-to-quantify reporter protein, Thy1.1. We found that both the binding of the S-protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and infection with a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus are proportional to the amount of human ACE2 expressed at the cell surface, which can be inferred by quantifying the level of Thy1.1. We also compared different ACE2 orthologs, which were expressed in stably transfected cells expressing equivalent levels of Thy1.1. When ranked for either viral infectivity or RBD binding, mouse ACE2 had a weak to undetectable affinity for S-protein, while human ACE2 had the highest level detected, and feline ACE2 had an intermediate phenotype. The generation of stably transfected cells whose ACE2 level can be normalized for cross-ortholog comparisons allows us to create a reusable cellular library useful for measuring emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants' abilities to potentially infect different animals. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus responsible for the worst global pandemic in a century. An understanding of how the virus can infect other vertebrate species is important for controlling viral spread and understanding the natural history of the virus. Here, we describe a method to generate cells stably expressing different orthologs of ACE2, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, on the surface of a human cell line. We find that both the binding of the viral spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and infection of cells with a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus are proportional to the ACE2 levels at the cell surface. This method will allow the creation of a library of stably transfected cells expressing similar levels of different vertebrate ACE2 orthologs, which can be used repeatedly for identifying vertebrate species that may be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and its many variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Kazemi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Alberto Domingo López-Muñoz
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Jaroslav Hollý
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Ling Jin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Jonathan W. Yewdell
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Brian P. Dolan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Jalal K, Khan K, Basharat Z, Abbas MN, Uddin R, Ali F, Khan SA, Hassan SSU. Reverse vaccinology approach for multi-epitope centered vaccine design against delta variant of the SARS-CoV-2. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:60035-60053. [PMID: 35414157 PMCID: PMC9005162 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19979-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, initially identified in Wuhan, China, has impacted people all over the globe and new variants of concern continue to threaten hundreds of thousands of people. The delta variant (first reported in India) is currently classified as one of the most contagious variants of SARS-CoV-2. It is estimated that the transmission rate of delta variant is 225% times faster than the alpha variant, and it is causing havoc worldwide (especially in the USA, UK, and South Asia). The mutations found in the spike protein of delta variant make it more infective than other variants in addition to ruining the global efficacy of available vaccines. In the current study, an in silico reverse vaccinology approach was applied for multi-epitope vaccine construction against the spike protein of delta variant, which could induce an immune response against COVID-19 infection. Non-toxic, highly conserved, non-allergenic and highly antigenic B-cell, HTL, and CTL epitopes were identified to minimize adverse effects and maximize the efficacy of chimeric vaccines that could be developed from these epitopes. Finally, V1 vaccine construct model was shortlisted and 3D modeling was performed by refinement, docking against HLAs and TLR4 protein, simulation and in silico expression. In silico evaluation showed that the designed chimeric vaccine could elicit an immune response (i.e., cell-mediated and humoral) identified through immune simulation. This study could add to the efforts of overcoming global burden of COVID-19 particularly the variants of concern.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khurshid Jalal
- International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Zarrin Basharat
- Jamil-ur-Rahman Center for Genome Research, Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, ICCBS University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Reaz Uddin
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
| | - Fawad Ali
- Department of Pharmacy, KUST, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kohat, 26000, Pakistan
| | - Saeed Ahmad Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, KUST, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kohat, 26000, Pakistan
| | - Syed Shams Ul Hassan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory for Molecular Engineering of Chiral Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China
- Department of Natural Product Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Sorokina M, Belapure J, Tüting C, Paschke R, Papasotiriou I, Rodrigues JP, Kastritis PL. An Electrostatically-steered Conformational Selection Mechanism Promotes SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Variation. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167637. [PMID: 35595165 PMCID: PMC9112565 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
After two years since the outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic remains a global public health emergency. SARS-CoV-2 variants with substitutions on the spike (S) protein emerge increasing the risk of immune evasion and cross-species transmission. Here, we analyzed the evolution of the S protein as recorded in 276,712 samples collected before the start of vaccination efforts. Our analysis shows that most variants destabilize the S protein trimer, increase its conformational heterogeneity and improve the odds of the recognition by the host cell receptor. Most frequent substitutions promote overall hydrophobicity by replacing charged amino acids, reducing stabilizing local interactions in the unbound S protein trimer. Moreover, our results identify "forbidden" regions that rarely show any sequence variation, and which are related to conformational changes occurring upon fusion. These results are significant for understanding the structure and function of SARS-CoV-2 related proteins which is a critical step in vaccine development and epidemiological surveillance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marija Sorokina
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany,RGCC International GmbH, Baarerstrasse 95, Zug 6300, Switzerland,BioSolutions GmbH, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Jaydeep Belapure
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3a, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Christian Tüting
- Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3a, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Reinhard Paschke
- BioSolutions GmbH, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany,Biozentrum, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | | | | | - Panagiotis L. Kastritis
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany,Interdisciplinary Research Center HALOmem, Charles Tanford Protein Center, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3a, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany,Biozentrum, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Weinbergweg 22, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany,Corresponding author at: Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Kurt-Mothes-Str. 3, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Rutherford C, Kafle P, Soos C, Epp T, Bradford L, Jenkins E. Investigating SARS-CoV-2 Susceptibility in Animal Species: A Scoping Review. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INSIGHTS 2022; 16:11786302221107786. [PMID: 35782319 PMCID: PMC9247998 DOI: 10.1177/11786302221107786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
In the early stages of response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, it was imperative for researchers to rapidly determine what animal species may be susceptible to the virus, under low knowledge and high uncertainty conditions. In this scoping review, the animal species being evaluated for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, the methods used to evaluate susceptibility, and comparing the evaluations between different studies were conducted. Using the PRISMA-ScR methodology, publications and reports from peer-reviewed and gray literature sources were collected from databases, Google Scholar, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), snowballing, and recommendations from experts. Inclusion and relevance criteria were applied, and information was subsequently extracted, categorized, summarized, and analyzed. Ninety seven sources (publications and reports) were identified which investigated 649 animal species from eight different classes: Mammalia, Aves, Actinopterygii, Reptilia, Amphibia, Insecta, Chondrichthyes, and Coelacanthimorpha. Sources used four different methods to evaluate susceptibility, in silico, in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological analysis. Along with the different methods, how each source described "susceptibility" and evaluated the susceptibility of different animal species to SARS-CoV-2 varied, with conflicting susceptibility evaluations evident between different sources. Early in the pandemic, in silico methods were used the most to predict animal species susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 and helped guide more costly and intensive studies using in vivo or epidemiological analyses. However, the limitations of all methods must be recognized, and evaluations made by in silico and in vitro should be re-evaluated when more information becomes available, such as demonstrated susceptibility through in vivo and epidemiological analysis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Connor Rutherford
- School of Public Health, University of
Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Pratap Kafle
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology,
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK,
Canada
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical
Sciences, Long Island University Post Campus, Brookville, NY, USA
| | - Catherine Soos
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health
Division, Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada,
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Pathology,
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK,
Canada
| | - Tasha Epp
- Department of Large Animal Clinical
Sciences, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan,
Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Lori Bradford
- Ron and Jane Graham School of
Professional Development, College of Engineering, and School of Environment and
Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Emily Jenkins
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology,
Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK,
Canada
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Gontu A, Marlin EA, Ramasamy S, Neerukonda S, Anil G, Morgan J, Quraishi M, Chen C, Boorla VS, Nissly RH, Jakka P, Chothe SK, Ravichandran A, Kodali N, Amirthalingam S, LaBella L, Kelly K, Natesan P, Minns AM, Rossi RM, Werner JR, Hovingh E, Lindner SE, Tewari D, Kapur V, Vandegrift KJ, Maranas CD, Surendran Nair M, Kuchipudi SV. Development and Validation of Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assays for Detecting Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in Cattle, Swine, and Chicken. Viruses 2022; 14:v14071358. [PMID: 35891340 PMCID: PMC9317974 DOI: 10.3390/v14071358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple domestic and wild animal species are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cattle and swine are susceptible to experimental SARS-CoV-2 infection. The unchecked transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in animal hosts could lead to virus adaptation and the emergence of novel variants. In addition, the spillover and subsequent adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 in livestock could significantly impact food security as well as animal and public health. Therefore, it is essential to monitor livestock species for SARS-CoV-2 spillover. We developed and optimized species-specific indirect ELISAs (iELISAs) to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in cattle, swine, and chickens using the spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) antigen. Serum samples collected prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were used to determine the cut-off threshold. RBD hyperimmunized sera from cattle (n = 3), swine (n = 6), and chicken (n = 3) were used as the positive controls. The iELISAs were evaluated compared to a live virus neutralization test using cattle (n = 150), swine (n = 150), and chicken (n = 150) serum samples collected during the COVID-19 pandemic. The iELISAs for cattle, swine, and chicken were found to have 100% sensitivity and specificity. These tools facilitate the surveillance that is necessary to quickly identify spillovers into the three most important agricultural species worldwide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abhinay Gontu
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
| | - Erika A. Marlin
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Clinical & Diagnostic Assay Development Group, Pfizer, Pearl River, NY 10965, USA
| | - Santhamani Ramasamy
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | | | - Gayatri Anil
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Jasmine Morgan
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Meysoon Quraishi
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (C.C.); (V.S.B.); (C.D.M.)
| | - Veda Sheersh Boorla
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (C.C.); (V.S.B.); (C.D.M.)
| | - Ruth H. Nissly
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
| | - Padmaja Jakka
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
| | - Shubhada K. Chothe
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Abirami Ravichandran
- Department of Integrative and Biomedical Physiology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Nishitha Kodali
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
| | - Saranya Amirthalingam
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
| | - Lindsey LaBella
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Kathleen Kelly
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
| | - Pazhanivel Natesan
- Madras Veterinary College, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai 600007, India;
| | - Allen M. Minns
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Randall M. Rossi
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
| | - Jacob R. Werner
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
| | - Ernest Hovingh
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
| | - Scott E. Lindner
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Deepanker Tewari
- Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory, Harrisburg, PA 17110, USA;
| | - Vivek Kapur
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
- Department of Animal Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA;
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Kurt J. Vandegrift
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Costas D. Maranas
- Department of Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (C.C.); (V.S.B.); (C.D.M.)
| | - Meera Surendran Nair
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
- Correspondence: (M.S.N.); (S.V.K.)
| | - Suresh V. Kuchipudi
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.G.); (E.A.M.); (S.R.); (G.A.); (J.M.); (M.Q.); (P.J.); (S.K.C.); (N.K.); (S.A.); (L.L.); (E.H.)
- Animal Diagnostic Laboratory, Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (R.H.N.); (K.K.)
- Huck Institute of Life Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA; (A.M.M.); (R.M.R.); (S.E.L.); (V.K.); (K.J.V.)
- Center for Infectious Disease Dynamics, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
- Correspondence: (M.S.N.); (S.V.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Clayton E, Ackerley J, Aelmans M, Ali N, Ashcroft Z, Ashton C, Barker R, Budryte V, Burrows C, Cai S, Callaghan A, Carberry J, Chatwin R, Davies I, Farlow C, Gamblin S, Iacobut A, Lambe A, Lynch F, Mihalache D, Mokbel A, Potamsetty S, Qadir Z, Soden J, Sun X, Vasile A, Wheeler O, Rohaim MA, Munir M. Structural Bases of Zoonotic and Zooanthroponotic Transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2022; 14:418. [PMID: 35216011 PMCID: PMC8875863 DOI: 10.3390/v14020418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of multiple variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) highlights the importance of possible animal-to-human (zoonotic) and human-to-animal (zooanthroponotic) transmission and potential spread within animal species. A range of animal species have been verified for SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, either in vitro or in vivo. However, the molecular bases of such a broad host spectrum for the SARS-CoV-2 remains elusive. Here, we structurally and genetically analysed the interaction between the spike protein, with a particular focus on receptor binding domains (RBDs), of SARS-CoV-2 and its receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for all conceivably susceptible groups of animals to gauge the structural bases of the SARS-CoV-2 host spectrum. We describe our findings in the context of existing animal infection-based models to provide a foundation on the possible virus persistence in animals and their implications in the future eradication of COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Muhammad Munir
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK; (E.C.); (J.A.); (M.A.); (N.A.); (Z.A.); (C.A.); (R.B.); (V.B.); (C.B.); (S.C.); (A.C.); (J.C.); (R.C.); (I.D.); (C.F.); (S.G.); (A.I.); (A.L.); (F.L.); (D.M.); (A.M.); (S.P.); (Z.Q.); (J.S.); (X.S.); (A.V.); (O.W.); (M.A.R.)
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Lohrasbi-Nejad A. Detection of homologous recombination events in SARS-CoV-2. Biotechnol Lett 2022; 44:399-414. [PMID: 35037234 PMCID: PMC8761517 DOI: 10.1007/s10529-021-03218-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The COVID-19 disease with acute respiratory symptoms emerged in 2019. The causal agent of the disease, the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is classified into the Betacoronaviruses family. Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a huge family of viruses. Therefore, homologous recombination studies can help recognize the phylogenetic relationships among these viruses. METHODS In order to detect possible recombination events in SASRS-CoV-2, the genome sequences of Betacoronaviruses were obtained from the GenBank. The nucleotide sequences with the identity ≥ 60% to SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence were selected and then analyzed using different algorithms. RESULTS The results showed two recombination events at the beginning and the end of the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2. Bat-SL-CoVZC21 (GenBank accession number MG772934) was specified as the minor parent for both events with p-values of 8.66 × 10-87 and 3.29 × 10-48, respectively. Furthermore, two recombination regions were detected at the beginning and the middle of the SARS-CoV-2 spike gene. Pangolin-CoV (PCoV_GX-P4L) and Rattus CoV (ChRCoV-HKU24) were determined as the potential parents with the GenBank accession number MT040333 and KM349742, respectively. Analysis of the spike gene revealed more similarity and less nucleotide diversity between SARS-CoV-2 and pangolin-CoVs. CONCLUSION Detection of the ancestors of SARS-CoV-2 in the coronaviruses family can help identify and define the phylogenetic relationships of the family Coronaviridae. Furthermore, constructing a phylogenetic tree based on the recombination regions made changes in the phylogenetic relationships of Betacoronaviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azadeh Lohrasbi-Nejad
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Fischhoff IR, Castellanos AA, Rodrigues JPGLM, Varsani A, Han BA. Predicting the zoonotic capacity of mammals to transmit SARS-CoV-2. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20211651. [PMID: 34784766 PMCID: PMC8596006 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.1651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Back and forth transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) between humans and animals will establish wild reservoirs of virus that endanger long-term efforts to control COVID-19 in people and to protect vulnerable animal populations. Better targeting surveillance and laboratory experiments to validate zoonotic potential requires predicting high-risk host species. A major bottleneck to this effort is the few species with available sequences for angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor, a key receptor required for viral cell entry. We overcome this bottleneck by combining species' ecological and biological traits with three-dimensional modelling of host-virus protein-protein interactions using machine learning. This approach enables predictions about the zoonotic capacity of SARS-CoV-2 for greater than 5000 mammals-an order of magnitude more species than previously possible. Our predictions are strongly corroborated by in vivo studies. The predicted zoonotic capacity and proximity to humans suggest enhanced transmission risk from several common mammals, and priority areas of geographic overlap between these species and global COVID-19 hotspots. With molecular data available for only a small fraction of potential animal hosts, linking data across biological scales offers a conceptual advance that may expand our predictive modelling capacity for zoonotic viruses with similarly unknown host ranges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilya R. Fischhoff
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | | | | | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, 7700 Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Barbara A. Han
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Box AB Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Kazemi S, López-Muñoz AD, Hollý J, Jin L, Yewdell JW, Dolan BP. Variations in cell-surface ACE2 levels alter direct binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and viral infectivity: Implications for measuring Spike protein interactions with animal ACE2 orthologs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.10.21.465386. [PMID: 34729559 PMCID: PMC8562541 DOI: 10.1101/2021.10.21.465386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of COVID-19, the most severe pandemic in a century. The virus gains access to host cells when the viral Spike protein (S-protein) binds to the host cell-surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Studies have attempted to understand SARS-CoV-2 S-protein interaction with vertebrate orthologs of ACE2 by expressing ACE2 orthologs in mammalian cells and measuring viral infection or S-protein binding. Often these cells only transiently express ACE2 proteins and levels of ACE2 at the cell surface are not quantified. Here, we describe a cell-based assay that uses stably transfected cells expressing ACE2 proteins in a bi-cistronic vector with an easy to quantify reporter protein to normalize ACE2 expression. We found that both binding of the S-protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and infection with a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus is proportional to the amount of human ACE2 expressed at the cell surface, which can be inferred by quantifying the level of reporter protein, Thy1.1. We also compared different ACE2 orthologs which were expressed in stably transfected cells expressing equivalent levels of Thy1.1. When ranked for either viral infectivity or RBD binding, mouse ACE2 had a weak to undetectable affinity for S-protein while human ACE2 was the highest level detected and feline ACE2 had an intermediate phenotype. The generation of stably transfected cells whose ACE2 level can be normalized for cross-ortholog comparisons allows us to create a reusable cellular library useful for measuring emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant's ability to potentially infect different animals. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus responsible for the worst global pandemic in a century. An understanding of how the virus can infect other vertebrate species is important for controlling viral spread and understanding the natural history of the virus. Here we describe a method to generate cells stably expressing equivalent levels of different ACE2 orthologs, the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, on the surface of a human cell line. We find that both binding of the viral Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and infection of cells with a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus are proportional to ACE2 levels at the cell surface. Adaptation of this method will allow for the creation of a library of stable transfected cells expressing equivalent levels of different vertebrate ACE2 orthologs which can be repeatedly used for identifying vertebrate species which may be susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 and its many variants.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soheila Kazemi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, OR. USA
| | - Alberto Domingo López-Muñoz
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD. USA
| | - Jaroslav Hollý
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD. USA
| | - Ling Jin
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, OR. USA
| | - Jonathan W Yewdell
- Laboratory of Viral Diseases, Cell Biology Section, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda MD. USA
| | - Brian P Dolan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, OR. USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Doody JS, Reid JA, Bilali K, Diaz J, Mattheus N. In the post-COVID-19 era, is the illegal wildlife trade the most serious form of trafficking? CRIME SCIENCE 2021; 10:19. [PMID: 34540528 PMCID: PMC8436868 DOI: 10.1186/s40163-021-00154-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Despite the immense impact of wildlife trafficking, comparisons of the profits, costs, and seriousness of crime consistently rank wildlife trafficking lower relative to human trafficking, drug trafficking and weapons trafficking. Using the published literature and current events, we make the case, when properly viewed within the context of COVID-19 and other zoonotic diseases transmitted from wildlife, that wildlife trafficking is the most costly and perhaps the most serious form of trafficking. Our synthesis should raise awareness of the seriousness of wildlife trafficking for humans, thereby inducing strategic policy decisions that boost criminal justice initiatives and resources to combat wildlife trafficking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J. Sean Doody
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Joan A. Reid
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Klejdis Bilali
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Jennifer Diaz
- Department of Criminology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| | - Nichole Mattheus
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida-St. Petersburg Campus, 140 7th Ave. South, St. Petersburg, FL 33705 USA
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Domingo JL. What we know and what we need to know about the origin of SARS-CoV-2. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111785. [PMID: 34329631 PMCID: PMC8316641 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Since the appearance of the first cases of COVID-19 in 2019, an unprecedented number of documents on that disease have been published in a short space of time. The current available information covers a large number of topics related with COVID-19 and/or the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) responsible of the disease. However, only a limited number of publications have been focused on a controversial issue: the origin of the SARS-CoV-2. In this paper, the scientific literature on the origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been reviewed. Documents published during 2020 and 2021 (January 1-July 19) in journals that are indexed in PubMed and/or Scopus has been considered. The revised studies were grouped according to these two potential origins: natural and unnatural. The analyses of the conclusions of the different documents here assessed show that even considering the zoonotic hypothesis as the most likely, with bats and pangolins being possibly in the origin of the coronavirus, today's date the intermediate source species of SARS-CoV-2 has not been confirmed yet. On the other hand, some researchers point to an unnatural origin of this coronavirus, but their conclusions are not strongly supported by a clear scientific evidence. Given the tremendous severity of the current pandemic, investigations to establish clearly and definitively the origin of SARS-CoV-2, are basic and essential in order to prevent potential future pandemics of similar nature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose L Domingo
- Laboratory of Toxicology and Environmental Health, School of Medicine, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201, Reus, Catalonia, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Fischhoff IR, Castellanos AA, Rodrigues JP, Varsani A, Han BA. Predicting the zoonotic capacity of mammals to transmit SARS-CoV-2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.02.18.431844. [PMID: 33619481 PMCID: PMC7899445 DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.18.431844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Back and forth transmission of SARS-CoV-2 between humans and animals may lead to wild reservoirs of virus that can endanger efforts toward long-term control of COVID-19 in people, and protecting vulnerable animal populations that are particularly susceptible to lethal disease. Predicting high risk host species is key to targeting field surveillance and lab experiments that validate host zoonotic potential. A major bottleneck to predicting animal hosts is the small number of species with available molecular information about the structure of ACE2, a key cellular receptor required for viral cell entry. We overcome this bottleneck by combining species' ecological and biological traits with 3D modeling of virus and host cell protein interactions using machine learning methods. This approach enables predictions about the zoonotic capacity of SARS-CoV-2 for over 5,000 mammals - an order of magnitude more species than previously possible. The high accuracy predictions achieved by this approach are strongly corroborated by in vivo empirical studies. We identify numerous common mammal species whose predicted zoonotic capacity and close proximity to humans may further enhance the risk of spillover and spillback transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Our results reveal high priority areas of geographic overlap between global COVID-19 hotspots and potential new mammal hosts of SARS-CoV-2. With molecular sequence data available for only a small fraction of potential host species, predictive modeling integrating data across multiple biological scales offers a conceptual advance that may expand our predictive capacity for zoonotic viruses with similarly unknown and potentially broad host ranges.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilya R. Fischhoff
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Box AB Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| | | | - João P.G.L.M. Rodrigues
- Department of Structural Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA
- Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Barbara A. Han
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Box AB Millbrook, NY 12545, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Goraichuk IV, Arefiev V, Stegniy BT, Gerilovych AP. Zoonotic and Reverse Zoonotic Transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. Virus Res 2021; 302:198473. [PMID: 34118360 PMCID: PMC8188804 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2021.198473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the first known pandemic caused by a coronavirus. Its causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), appears to be capable of infecting different mammalian species. Recent detections of this virus in pet, zoo, wild, and farm animals have compelled inquiry regarding the zoonotic (animal-to-human) and reverse zoonotic (human-to-animal) transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2 with the potential of COVID-19 pandemic evolving into a panzootic. It is important to monitor the global spread of disease and to assess the significance of genomic changes to support prevention and control efforts during a pandemic. An understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemiology provides opportunities to prevent the risk of repeated re-infection of humans and requires a robust One Health-based investigation. This review paper describes the known properties and the existing gaps in scientific knowledge about the zoonotic and reverse zoonotic transmissibility of the novel virus SARS-CoV-2 and the COVID-19 disease it causes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Iryna V Goraichuk
- National Scientific Center "Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine", 83 Pushkinska street, Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine.
| | - Vasiliy Arefiev
- National Scientific Center "Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine", 83 Pushkinska street, Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine.
| | - Borys T Stegniy
- National Scientific Center "Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine", 83 Pushkinska street, Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine.
| | - Anton P Gerilovych
- National Scientific Center "Institute of Experimental and Clinical Veterinary Medicine", 83 Pushkinska street, Kharkiv, 61023, Ukraine.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Aguiló-Gisbert J, Padilla-Blanco M, Lizana V, Maiques E, Muñoz-Baquero M, Chillida-Martínez E, Cardells J, Rubio-Guerri C. First Description of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Two Feral American Mink ( Neovison vison) Caught in the Wild. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1422. [PMID: 34065657 PMCID: PMC8156136 DOI: 10.3390/ani11051422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, is considered a pathogen of animal origin that is mainly transmitted from human to human. Several animal species can be naturally or experimentally infected by SARS-CoV-2, with compelling evidence that mink is highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human-to-mink infection cases have been reported and there are also suggestions that mink-to-human infection occurs. Mink infections have been reported to date only on fur farms, except for one infected free- ranging wild mink near a Utah (USA) fur farm, which suggests a transmission pathway from farms to wild mink. We now report the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in 2 of 13 feral dark brown American mink (Neovison vison) trapped in the Valencian Community (Eastern Spain), during an invasive species trapping campaign. They were trapped in riverbeds in sparsely inhabited rural areas known to harbor self-sustained feral mink populations. The closest fur farm is about 20 km away. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by two-step RT-PCR in these animals' mesenteric lymph nodes and was confirmed by sequencing a 397-nucleotide amplified region of the S gene, yielding identical sequences in both animals. A molecular phylogenetic analysis was run on this sequence, which was found to correspond to the consensus SARS-CoV-2 sequence from Wuhan. Our findings appear to represent the first example of SARS-CoV-2 acquired in the wild by feral mink in self-sustained populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Aguiló-Gisbert
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (J.A.-G.); (V.L.); (M.M.-B.); (E.C.-M.)
| | - Miguel Padilla-Blanco
- Department of Pharmacy, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Victor Lizana
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (J.A.-G.); (V.L.); (M.M.-B.); (E.C.-M.)
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Maiques
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Marta Muñoz-Baquero
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (J.A.-G.); (V.L.); (M.M.-B.); (E.C.-M.)
| | - Eva Chillida-Martínez
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (J.A.-G.); (V.L.); (M.M.-B.); (E.C.-M.)
| | - Jesús Cardells
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain; (J.A.-G.); (V.L.); (M.M.-B.); (E.C.-M.)
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Consuelo Rubio-Guerri
- Department of Pharmacy, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain;
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Aguiló-Gisbert J, Padilla-Blanco M, Lizana V, Maiques E, Muñoz-Baquero M, Chillida-Martínez E, Cardells J, Rubio-Guerri C. First Description of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Two Feral American Mink ( Neovison vison) Caught in the Wild. Animals (Basel) 2021. [PMID: 34065657 DOI: 10.20944/preprints202103.0647.v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causal agent of COVID-19, is considered a pathogen of animal origin that is mainly transmitted from human to human. Several animal species can be naturally or experimentally infected by SARS-CoV-2, with compelling evidence that mink is highly susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Human-to-mink infection cases have been reported and there are also suggestions that mink-to-human infection occurs. Mink infections have been reported to date only on fur farms, except for one infected free- ranging wild mink near a Utah (USA) fur farm, which suggests a transmission pathway from farms to wild mink. We now report the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in 2 of 13 feral dark brown American mink (Neovison vison) trapped in the Valencian Community (Eastern Spain), during an invasive species trapping campaign. They were trapped in riverbeds in sparsely inhabited rural areas known to harbor self-sustained feral mink populations. The closest fur farm is about 20 km away. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected by two-step RT-PCR in these animals' mesenteric lymph nodes and was confirmed by sequencing a 397-nucleotide amplified region of the S gene, yielding identical sequences in both animals. A molecular phylogenetic analysis was run on this sequence, which was found to correspond to the consensus SARS-CoV-2 sequence from Wuhan. Our findings appear to represent the first example of SARS-CoV-2 acquired in the wild by feral mink in self-sustained populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Aguiló-Gisbert
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Miguel Padilla-Blanco
- Department of Pharmacy, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Victor Lizana
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elisa Maiques
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Marta Muñoz-Baquero
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Eva Chillida-Martínez
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| | - Jesús Cardells
- Servicio de Análisis, Investigación, Gestión de Animales Silvestres (SAIGAS), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, CEU Universities, 46113 Valencia, Spain
- Wildlife Ecology & Health Group (WE&H), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Consuelo Rubio-Guerri
- Department of Pharmacy, Facultad de CC de la Salud, UCH-CEU University, C/Ramon y Cajal s/n, 46113 Valencia, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Ahsan MA, Liu Y, Feng C, Hofestädt R, Chen M. OverCOVID: an integrative web portal for SARS-CoV-2 bioinformatics resources. J Integr Bioinform 2021; 18:9-17. [PMID: 33735949 PMCID: PMC8035963 DOI: 10.1515/jib-2020-0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Outbreaks of COVID-19 caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is still a threat to global human health. In order to understand the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and developing drug against COVID-19, a vast amount of genomic, proteomic, interatomic, and clinical data is being generated, and the bioinformatics researchers produced databases, webservers and tools to gather those publicly available data and provide an opportunity of analyzing such data. However, these bioinformatics resources are scattered and researchers need to find them from different resources discretely. To facilitate researchers in finding the resources in one frame, we have developed an integrated web portal called OverCOVID (http://bis.zju.edu.cn/overcovid/). The publicly available webservers, databases and tools associated with SARS-CoV-2 have been incorporated in the resource page. In addition, a network view of the resources is provided to display the scope of the research. Other information like SARS-CoV-2 strains is visualized and various layers of interaction resources is listed in distinct pages of the web portal. As an integrative web portal, the OverCOVID will help the scientist to search the resources and accelerate the clinical research of SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Md Asif Ahsan
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yongjing Liu
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Cong Feng
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Ralf Hofestädt
- Bielefeld University, Faculty of Technology, Bioinformatics and Medical Informatics Department, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ming Chen
- Department of Bioinformatics, College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Segreto R, Deigin Y, McCairn K, Sousa A, Sirotkin D, Sirotkin K, Couey JJ, Jones A, Zhang D. Should we discount the laboratory origin of COVID-19? ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS 2021; 19:2743-2757. [PMID: 33786037 PMCID: PMC7993900 DOI: 10.1007/s10311-021-01211-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rossana Segreto
- Department of Microbiology, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | | | | | - Alejandro Sousa
- Regional Hospital of Monforte, Lugo, Spain
- University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago, Spain
| | | | | | | | - Adrian Jones
- Independent Bioinformatics Researcher, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Daoyu Zhang
- Independent Genetics Researcher, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Ong E, Huang X, Pearce R, Zhang Y, He Y. Computational design of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins to increase immunogenicity by T cell epitope engineering. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2020; 19:518-529. [PMID: 33398234 PMCID: PMC7773544 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The development of effective and safe vaccines is the ultimate way to efficiently stop the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Built on the fact that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the association of its Spike (S) protein with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to invade host cells, we computationally redesigned the S protein sequence to improve its immunogenicity and antigenicity. Toward this purpose, we extended an evolutionary protein design algorithm, EvoDesign, to create thousands of stable S protein variants that perturb the core protein sequence but keep the surface conformation and B cell epitopes. The T cell epitope content and similarity scores of the perturbed sequences were calculated and evaluated. Out of 22,914 designs with favorable stability energy, 301 candidates contained at least two pre-existing immunity-related epitopes and had promising immunogenic potential. The benchmark tests showed that, although the epitope restraints were not included in the scoring function of EvoDesign, the top S protein design successfully recovered 31 out of the 32 major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II T cell promiscuous epitopes in the native S protein, where two epitopes were present in all seven human coronaviruses. Moreover, the newly designed S protein introduced nine new MHC-II T cell promiscuous epitopes that do not exist in the wildtype SARS-CoV-2. These results demonstrated a new and effective avenue to enhance a target protein's immunogenicity using rational protein design, which could be applied for new vaccine design against COVID-19 and other pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edison Ong
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Xiaoqiang Huang
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Robin Pearce
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Yongqun He
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| |
Collapse
|