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Sarkar M, Madabhavi I. COVID-19 mutations: An overview. World J Methodol 2024; 14:89761. [DOI: 10.5662/wjm.v14.i3.89761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the genus Beta coronavirus and the family of Coronaviridae. It is a positive-sense, non-segmented single-strand RNA virus. Four common types of human coronaviruses circulate globally, particularly in the fall and winter seasons. They are responsible for 10%-30% of all mild upper respiratory tract infections in adults. These are 229E, NL63 of the Alfacoronaviridae family, OC43, and HKU1 of the Betacoronaviridae family. However, there are three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses: SARS-CoV-2, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, and the latest pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 infection. All viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, have the inherent tendency to evolve. SARS-CoV-2 is still evolving in humans. Additionally, due to the development of herd immunity, prior infection, use of medication, vaccination, and antibodies, the viruses are facing immune pressure. During the replication process and due to immune pressure, the virus may undergo mutations. Several SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the variants of concern (VOCs), such as B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.351 (Beta), B.1.617/B.1.617.2 (Delta), P.1 (Gamma), and B.1.1.529 (Omicron) have been reported from various parts of the world. These VOCs contain several important mutations; some of them are on the spike proteins. These mutations may lead to enhanced infectivity, transmissibility, and decreased neutralization efficacy by monoclonal antibodies, convalescent sera, or vaccines. Mutations may also lead to a failure of detection by molecular diagnostic tests, leading to a delayed diagnosis, increased community spread, and delayed treatment. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Covariant, the Stanford variant Database, and the CINAHL from December 2019 to February 2023 using the following search terms: VOC, SARS-CoV-2, Omicron, mutations in SARS-CoV-2, etc. This review discusses the various mutations and their impact on infectivity, transmissibility, and neutralization efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malay Sarkar
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla 171001, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Irappa Madabhavi
- Department of Medical and Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, J N Medical College, and KAHER, Belagavi, Karnataka 590010, India
- Department of Medical and Pediatric Oncology and Hematology, Kerudi Cancer Hospital, Bagalkot, Karnataka 587103, India
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2
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Tse AL, Acreman CM, Ricardo-Lax I, Berrigan J, Lasso G, Balogun T, Kearns FL, Casalino L, McClain GL, Chandran AM, Lemeunier C, Amaro RE, Rice CM, Jangra RK, McLellan JS, Chandran K, Miller EH. Distinct pathway for evolution of enhanced receptor binding and cell entry in SARS-like bat coronaviruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.24.600393. [PMID: 38979151 PMCID: PMC11230278 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.24.600393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the zoonotic risks posed by bat coronaviruses (CoVs) is critical for pandemic preparedness. Herein, we generated recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSVs) bearing spikes from divergent bat CoVs to investigate their cell entry mechanisms. Unexpectedly, the successful recovery of rVSVs bearing the spike from SHC014, a SARS-like bat CoV, was associated with the acquisition of a novel substitution in the S2 fusion peptide-proximal region (FPPR). This substitution enhanced viral entry in both VSV and coronavirus contexts by increasing the availability of the spike receptor-binding domain to recognize its cellular receptor, ACE2. A second substitution in the spike N-terminal domain, uncovered through forward-genetic selection, interacted epistatically with the FPPR substitution to synergistically enhance spike:ACE2 interaction and viral entry. Our findings identify genetic pathways for adaptation by bat CoVs during spillover and host-to-host transmission, fitness trade-offs inherent to these pathways, and potential Achilles' heels that could be targeted with countermeasures.
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Otazu K, Olivos-Ramirez GE, Fernández-Silva PD, Vilca-Quispe J, Vega-Chozo K, Jimenez-Avalos GM, Chenet-Zuta ME, Sosa-Amay FE, Cárdenas Cárdenas RG, Ropón-Palacios G, Dattani N, Camps I. The Malaria Box molecules: a source for targeting the RBD and NTD cryptic pocket of the spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Model 2024; 30:217. [PMID: 38888748 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-024-06006-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, has led to over 500 million infections and more than 6 million deaths globally. There have been limited effective treatments available. The study aims to find a drug that can prevent the virus from entering host cells by targeting specific sites on the virus's spike protein. METHOD We examined 13,397 compounds from the Malaria Box library against two specific sites on the spike protein: the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and a predicted cryptic pocket. Using virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MMPBSA techniques, they evaluated the stability of two compounds. TCMDC-124223 showed high stability and binding energy in the RBD, while TCMDC-133766 had better binding energy in the cryptic pocket. The study also identified that the interacting residues are conserved, which is crucial for addressing various virus variants. The findings provide insights into the potential of small molecules as drugs against the spike protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewin Otazu
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gustavo E Olivos-Ramirez
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Pablo D Fernández-Silva
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Julissa Vilca-Quispe
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Karolyn Vega-Chozo
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Frida E Sosa-Amay
- Laboratorio de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Perú
| | | | - Georcki Ropón-Palacios
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Nike Dattani
- HPQC College, Waterloo, Canada.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Ihosvany Camps
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
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Li P, Huang L, Han R, Tang M, Fei G, Zeng D, Wang R. Safety and efficacy of Paxlovid in the treatment of adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 during the omicron epidemic: a multicentre study from China. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2024; 22:469-477. [PMID: 38300126 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2024.2309998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Since December 2022, the Omicron variant has led to a widespread pandemic in China. The study was to explore the safety and effectiveness of Paxlovid for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We included patients at risk of developing severe COVID-19, all of whom exhibited mild to moderate symptoms and were admitted to three hospital centers. Patients were divided into two groups: one received Paxlovid alongside standard care, while the other was given only standard care. We compared clinical characteristics, hospital stay duration, and clinical outcomes between two groups. Multi-factor analysis determined the independent risk factors influencing the duration of hospitalization and disease progression. RESULTS In the study, those treated with Paxlovid shorter hospital stays than those in the control group (p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis indicated that the absence of Paxlovid treatment was a distinct risk factor for hospitalizations lasting over 7 days (OR: 4.983, 95% CI: 3.828-6.486, p < 0.001) and 14 days (OR: 2.940, 95% CI: 2.402-3.597, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION Amid the Omicron outbreak, Paxlovid has proven to be a safe and effective treatment for reducing hospitalization durations for patients with mild to moderate COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulin Li
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Ling Huang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Hefei Second People's Hospital, Hefei, China
| | - Rui Han
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Min Tang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Guanghe Fei
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Daxiong Zeng
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Dushu Lake Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University, Medical Center of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Ran Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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Xue S, Han Y, Wu F, Wang Q. Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain and their delicate balance between ACE2 affinity and antibody evasion. Protein Cell 2024; 15:403-418. [PMID: 38442025 PMCID: PMC11131022 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwae007] [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: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Intensive selection pressure constrains the evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 genomes and results in various novel variants with distinct mutation profiles. Point mutations, particularly those within the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, lead to the functional alteration in both receptor engagement and monoclonal antibody (mAb) recognition. Here, we review the data of the RBD point mutations possessed by major SARS-CoV-2 variants and discuss their individual effects on ACE2 affinity and immune evasion. Many single amino acid substitutions within RBD epitopes crucial for the antibody evasion capacity may conversely weaken ACE2 binding affinity. However, this weakened effect could be largely compensated by specific epistatic mutations, such as N501Y, thus maintaining the overall ACE2 affinity for the spike protein of all major variants. The predominant direction of SARS-CoV-2 evolution lies neither in promoting ACE2 affinity nor evading mAb neutralization but in maintaining a delicate balance between these two dimensions. Together, this review interprets how RBD mutations efficiently resist antibody neutralization and meanwhile how the affinity between ACE2 and spike protein is maintained, emphasizing the significance of comprehensive assessment of spike mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Xue
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuru Han
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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Lado S, Thannesberger J, Spettel K, Arpović J, Ferreira BI, Lavitrano M, Steininger C. Unveiling Inter- and Intra-Patient Sequence Variability with a Multi-Sample Coronavirus Target Enrichment Approach. Viruses 2024; 16:786. [PMID: 38793667 PMCID: PMC11125942 DOI: 10.3390/v16050786] [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: 03/12/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Amid the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, unraveling the genomic intricacies of SARS-CoV-2 became crucial. This study explores viral evolution using an innovative high-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) approach. By taking advantage of nasal swab and mouthwash samples from patients who tested positive for COVID-19 across different geographical regions during sequential infection waves, our study applied a targeted enrichment protocol and pooling strategy to increase detection sensitivity. The approach was extremely efficient, yielding a large number of reads and mutations distributed across 10 distinct viral gene regions. Notably, the genes Envelope, Nucleocapsid, and Open Reading Frame 8 had the highest number of unique mutations per 1000 nucleotides, with both spike and Nucleocapsid genes showing evidence for positive selection. Focusing on the spike protein gene, crucial in virus replication and immunogenicity, our findings show a dynamic SARS-CoV-2 evolution, emphasizing the virus-host interplay. Moreover, the pooling strategy facilitated subtle sequence variability detection. Our findings painted a dynamic portrait of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, emphasizing the intricate interplay between the virus and its host populations and accentuating the importance of continuous genomic surveillance to understand viral dynamics. As SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, this approach proves to be a powerful, versatile, fast, and cost-efficient screening tool for unraveling emerging variants, fostering understanding of the virus's genetic landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Lado
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine 1, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.L.); (J.T.)
| | - Jakob Thannesberger
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine 1, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.L.); (J.T.)
| | - Kathrin Spettel
- Division of Clinical Microbiology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
- Division of Biomedical Science, University of Applied Sciences, FH Campus Wien, 1100 Vienna, Austria
| | - Jurica Arpović
- Department of Medical Biology, School of Medicine, University of Mostar, Bijeli Brijeg b.b., 88000 Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
| | - Bibiana I. Ferreira
- Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Edf. 2, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal;
- Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Campus de Gambelas, Edf. 2, lab 3.67, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | | | - Christoph Steininger
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Medicine 1, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; (S.L.); (J.T.)
- Karl-Landsteiner Institute for Microbiome Research, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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Zhao Z, Bashiri S, Ziora ZM, Toth I, Skwarczynski M. COVID-19 Variants and Vaccine Development. Viruses 2024; 16:757. [PMID: 38793638 PMCID: PMC11125726 DOI: 10.3390/v16050757] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome 2 virus (SARS-CoV-2) infection, has caused millions of infections and fatalities worldwide. Extensive SARS-CoV-2 research has been conducted to develop therapeutic drugs and prophylactic vaccines, and even though some drugs have been approved to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment efficacy remains limited. Therefore, preventive vaccination has been implemented on a global scale and represents the primary approach to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Approved vaccines vary in composition, although vaccine design has been based on either the key viral structural (spike) protein or viral components carrying this protein. Therefore, mutations of the virus, particularly mutations in the S protein, severely compromise the effectiveness of current vaccines and the ability to control COVID-19 infection. This review begins by describing the SARS-CoV-2 viral composition, the mechanism of infection, the role of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, the host defence responses against infection and the most common vaccine designs. Next, this review summarizes the common mutations of SARS-CoV-2 and how these mutations change viral properties, confer immune escape and influence vaccine efficacy. Finally, this review discusses global strategies that have been employed to mitigate the decreases in vaccine efficacy encountered against new variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyao Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Z.Z.); (S.B.); (I.T.)
| | - Sahra Bashiri
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Z.Z.); (S.B.); (I.T.)
| | - Zyta M. Ziora
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Istvan Toth
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Z.Z.); (S.B.); (I.T.)
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Mariusz Skwarczynski
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (Z.Z.); (S.B.); (I.T.)
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Wang S, Li W, Wang L, Tiwari SK, Bray W, Wu L, Li N, Hui H, Clark AE, Zhang Q, Zhang L, Carlin AF, Rana TM. Interferon-Inducible Guanylate-Binding Protein 5 Inhibits Replication of Multiple Viruses by Binding to the Oligosaccharyltransferase Complex and Inhibiting Glycoprotein Maturation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.01.591800. [PMID: 38746287 PMCID: PMC11092618 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.01.591800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Viral infection induces production of type I interferons and expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) that play key roles in inhibiting viral infection. Here, we show that the ISG guanylate-binding protein 5 (GBP5) inhibits N-linked glycosylation of key proteins in multiple viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. GBP5 binds to accessory subunits of the host oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) complex and blocks its interaction with the spike protein, which results in misfolding and retention of spike protein in the endoplasmic reticulum likely due to decreased N-glycan transfer, and reduces the assembly and release of infectious virions. Consistent with these observations, pharmacological inhibition of the OST complex with NGI-1 potently inhibits glycosylation of other viral proteins, including MERS-CoV spike protein, HIV-1 gp160, and IAV hemagglutinin, and prevents the production of infectious virions. Our results identify a novel strategy by which ISGs restrict virus infection and provide a rationale for targeting glycosylation as a broad antiviral therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaobo Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Wanyu Li
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
- These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Lingling Wang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Shashi Kant Tiwari
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - William Bray
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Lujing Wu
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Na Li
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Hui Hui
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Alex E. Clark
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine; University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Qiong Zhang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Lingzhi Zhang
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Aaron F. Carlin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, Department of Medicine; University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Tariq M. Rana
- Division of Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Program in Immunology, Bioinformatics and Systems Biology Program, Institute for Genomic Medicine, UCSD Center for AIDS Research, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0762, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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Xiang Q, Wu J, Zhou Y, Li L, Tian M, Li G, Zhang Z, Fu Y. SARS-CoV-2 Membrane protein regulates the function of Spike by inhibiting its plasma membrane localization and enzymatic activity of Furin. Microbiol Res 2024; 282:127659. [PMID: 38430890 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2024.127659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The presence of a multibasic cleavage site in the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 makes it prone to be cleaved by Furin at the S1/S2 junction (aa. 685-686), which enhances the usage of TMPRSS2 to promote cell-cell fusion to form syncytia. Syncytia may contribute to pathology by facilitating viral dissemination, cytopathicity, immune evasion, and inflammation. However, the role of other SARS-CoV-2 encoding viral proteins in syncytia formation remains largely unknown. Here, we report that SARS-CoV-2 M protein effectively inhibits syncytia formation triggered by Spike or its variants (Alpha, Delta, Omicron, etc.) and prevents Spike cleavage into S1 and S2 based on a screen assay of 20 viral proteins. Mechanistically, M protein interacts with Furin and inhibits its enzymatic activity, preventing the cleavage of Spike. In addition, M interacts with Spike independent of its cytoplasmic tail, retaining it within the cytoplasm and reducing cell membrane localization. Our findings offer new insights into M protein's role in regulating Spike's function and underscore the importance of functional interplay among viral proteins, highlighting potential avenues for SARS-CoV-2 therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Xiang
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Jie Wu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518112, China
| | - Linhao Li
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Miao Tian
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China
| | - Guobao Li
- Department of Tuberculosis, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China.
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518112, China.
| | - Yang Fu
- School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province 518055, China.
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10
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Hills FR, Eruera AR, Hodgkinson-Bean J, Jorge F, Easingwood R, Brown SHJ, Bouwer JC, Li YP, Burga LN, Bostina M. Variation in structural motifs within SARS-related coronavirus spike proteins. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012158. [PMID: 38805567 PMCID: PMC11236199 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012158] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the third known coronavirus (CoV) that has crossed the animal-human barrier in the last two decades. However, little structural information exists related to the close genetic species within the SARS-related coronaviruses. Here, we present three novel SARS-related CoV spike protein structures solved by single particle cryo-electron microscopy analysis derived from bat (bat SL-CoV WIV1) and civet (cCoV-SZ3, cCoV-007) hosts. We report complex glycan trees that decorate the glycoproteins and density for water molecules which facilitated modeling of the water molecule coordination networks within structurally important regions. We note structural conservation of the fatty acid binding pocket and presence of a linoleic acid molecule which are associated with stabilization of the receptor binding domains in the "down" conformation. Additionally, the N-terminal biliverdin binding pocket is occupied by a density in all the structures. Finally, we analyzed structural differences in a loop of the receptor binding motif between coronaviruses known to infect humans and the animal coronaviruses described in this study, which regulate binding to the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor. This study offers a structural framework to evaluate the close relatives of SARS-CoV-2, the ability to inform pandemic prevention, and aid in the development of pan-neutralizing treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca R. Hills
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Alice-Roza Eruera
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - James Hodgkinson-Bean
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Fátima Jorge
- Otago Microscopy and Nano Imaging Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Richard Easingwood
- Otago Microscopy and Nano Imaging Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Simon H. J. Brown
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - James C. Bouwer
- ARC Centre for Cryo-electron Microscopy of Membrane Proteins, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yi-Ping Li
- Institute of Human Virology and Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Laura N. Burga
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Mihnea Bostina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Otago Microscopy and Nano Imaging Unit, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
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11
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Hsueh FC, Shi K, Mendoza A, Bu F, Zhang W, Aihara H, Li F. Structural basis for raccoon dog receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012204. [PMID: 38709834 PMCID: PMC11098500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012204] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the COVID-19 outbreak, raccoon dogs have been suggested as a potential intermediary in transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to humans. To understand their role in the COVID-19 pandemic and the species barrier for SARS-CoV-2 transmission to humans, we analyzed how their ACE2 protein interacts with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Biochemical data showed that raccoon dog ACE2 is an effective receptor for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, though not as effective as human ACE2. Structural comparisons highlighted differences in the virus-binding residues of raccoon dog ACE2 compared to human ACE2 (L24Q, Y34H, E38D, T82M, R353K), explaining their varied effectiveness as receptors for SARS-CoV-2. These variations contribute to the species barrier that exists between raccoon dogs and humans regarding SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Identifying these barriers can help assess the susceptibility of other mammals to SARS-CoV-2. Our research underscores the potential of raccoon dogs as SARS-CoV-2 carriers and identifies molecular barriers that affect the virus's ability to jump between species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fu-Chun Hsueh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Viruses, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Alise Mendoza
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Viruses, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Fan Bu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Viruses, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Viruses, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
- Center for Emerging Viruses, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
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12
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Carrascosa-Sàez M, Marqués MC, Geller R, Elena SF, Rahmeh A, Dufloo J, Sanjuán R. Cell type-specific adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae032. [PMID: 38779130 PMCID: PMC11110937 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect various human tissues and cell types, principally via interaction with its cognate receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). However, how the virus evolves in different cellular environments is poorly understood. Here, we used experimental evolution to study the adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike to four human cell lines expressing different levels of key entry factors. After twenty passages of a spike-expressing recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV), cell-type-specific phenotypic changes were observed and sequencing allowed the identification of sixteen adaptive spike mutations. We used VSV pseudotyping to measure the entry efficiency, ACE2 affinity, spike processing, TMPRSS2 usage, and entry pathway usage of all the mutants, alone or in combination. The fusogenicity of the mutant spikes was assessed with a cell-cell fusion assay. Finally, mutant recombinant VSVs were used to measure the fitness advantage associated with selected mutations. We found that the effects of these mutations varied across cell types, both in terms of viral entry and replicative fitness. Interestingly, two spike mutations (L48S and A372T) that emerged in cells expressing low ACE2 levels increased receptor affinity, syncytia induction, and entry efficiency under low-ACE2 conditions. Our results demonstrate specific adaptation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike to different cell types and have implications for understanding SARS-CoV-2 tissue tropism and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Carrascosa-Sàez
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - María-Carmen Marqués
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - Ron Geller
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
- Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia (IBV), CSIC and CIBER de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), Valencia 46010, Spain
| | - Santiago F Elena
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
- The Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA
| | - Amal Rahmeh
- Departament de Medicina i Ciències de La Vida (MELIS), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Jérémy Dufloo
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
| | - Rafael Sanjuán
- Institute for Integrative Systems Biology (I2SysBio). University of Valencia—CSIC, Paterna, 46980, Spain
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13
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Kumar A, Tripathi P, Kumar P, Shekhar R, Pathak R. From Detection to Protection: Antibodies and Their Crucial Role in Diagnosing and Combatting SARS-CoV-2. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:459. [PMID: 38793710 PMCID: PMC11125746 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12050459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Understanding the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is crucial to comprehending disease progression and the significance of vaccine and therapeutic development. The emergence of highly contagious variants poses a significant challenge to humoral immunity, underscoring the necessity of grasping the intricacies of specific antibodies. This review emphasizes the pivotal role of antibodies in shaping immune responses and their implications for diagnosing, preventing, and treating SARS-CoV-2 infection. It delves into the kinetics and characteristics of the antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 and explores current antibody-based diagnostics, discussing their strengths, clinical utility, and limitations. Furthermore, we underscore the therapeutic potential of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies, discussing various antibody-based therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, anti-cytokines, convalescent plasma, and hyperimmunoglobulin-based therapies. Moreover, we offer insights into antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, emphasizing the significance of neutralizing antibodies in order to confer immunity to SARS-CoV-2, along with emerging variants of concern (VOCs) and circulating Omicron subvariants. We also highlight challenges in the field, such as the risks of antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and shed light on the challenges associated with the original antigenic sin (OAS) effect and long COVID. Overall, this review intends to provide valuable insights, which are crucial to advancing sensitive diagnostic tools, identifying efficient antibody-based therapeutics, and developing effective vaccines to combat the evolving threat of SARS-CoV-2 variants on a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anoop Kumar
- Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, National Institute of Biologicals, Noida 201309, India
| | - Prajna Tripathi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA;
| | - Prashant Kumar
- R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - Ritu Shekhar
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rajiv Pathak
- Department of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, NY 10461, USA
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14
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Sultana N, Nagesha SN, Reddy CNL, Ramesh BN, Shyamalamma S, Shashidhara KS, Satish KM, Pradeep C, Vidyadhar GD. Computational analysis of affinity dynamics between the variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (RBD) and human ACE-2 receptor. Virol J 2024; 21:88. [PMID: 38641844 PMCID: PMC11031966 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02365-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a significant worldwide health emergency known as the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis has been marked by the widespread of various variants, with certain ones causing notable apprehension. In this study, we harnessed computational techniques to scrutinize these Variants of Concern (VOCs), including various Omicron subvariants. Our approach involved the use of protein structure prediction algorithms and molecular docking techniques, we have investigated the effects of mutations within the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 and how these mutations influence its interactions with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2) receptor. Further we have predicted the structural alterations in the RBD of naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variants using the tr-Rosetta algorithm. Subsequent docking and binding analysis employing HADDOCK and PRODIGY illuminated crucial interactions occurring at the Receptor-Binding Motif (RBM). Our findings revealed a hierarchy of increased binding affinity between the human ACE2 receptor and the various RBDs, in the order of wild type (Wuhan-strain) < Beta < Alpha < Gamma < Omicron-B.1.1.529 < Delta < Omicron-BA.2.12.1 < Omicron-BA.5.2.1 < Omicron-BA.1.1. Notably, Omicron-BA.1.1 demonstrated the highest binding affinity of -17.4 kcal mol-1 to the hACE2 receptor when compared to all the mutant complexes. Additionally, our examination indicated that mutations occurring in active residues of the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) consistently improved the binding affinity and intermolecular interactions in all mutant complexes. Analysis of the differences among variants has laid a foundation for the structure-based drug design targeting the RBD region of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nishad Sultana
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - S N Nagesha
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, College of Agriculture, Hassan, UAS, Bangalore, 573 225, India.
| | | | - B N Ramesh
- ICAR-PHT, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - S Shyamalamma
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - K S Shashidhara
- Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding, College of Agriculture, Hassan, UAS, Bangalore, 573 225, India
| | - K M Satish
- Department Biotechnology, KSNUAHS, Shivamogga, 577 412, India
| | - C Pradeep
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
| | - G D Vidyadhar
- Department of Plant Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK, Bangalore, 560 065, India
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15
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Yin Q, Liu W, Jiang Y, Feng Q, Wang X, Dou H, Liu Z, He F, Fan Y, Jiao B, Jiao B. Comprehensive genomic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant BA.2.76 in Jining City, China, 2022. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:378. [PMID: 38632523 PMCID: PMC11022347 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10246-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to analyze the molecular characteristics of the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant BA.2.76 in Jining City, China. METHODS Whole-genome sequencing was performed on 87 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Evolutionary trees were constructed using bioinformatics software to analyze sequence homology, variant sites, N-glycosylation sites, and phosphorylation sites. RESULTS All 87 SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences were classified under the evolutionary branch of the Omicron variant BA.2.76. Their similarity to the reference strain Wuhan-Hu-1 ranged from 99.72 to 99.74%. In comparison to the reference strain Wuhan-Hu-1, the 87 sequences exhibited 77-84 nucleotide differences and 27 nucleotide deletions. A total of 69 amino acid variant sites, 9 amino acid deletions, and 1 stop codon mutation were identified across 18 proteins. Among them, the spike (S) protein exhibited the highest number of variant sites, and the ORF8 protein showed a Q27 stop mutation. Multiple proteins displayed variations in glycosylation and phosphorylation sites. CONCLUSION SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, giving rise to new strains with enhanced transmission, stronger immune evasion capabilities, and reduced pathogenicity. The application of high-throughput sequencing technologies in the epidemic prevention and control of COVID-19 provides crucial insights into the evolutionary and variant characteristics of the virus at the genomic level, thereby holding significant implications for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Yin
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Wei Liu
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Yajuan Jiang
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Qiang Feng
- Department of Laboratory, Rencheng Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Huixin Dou
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Zanzan Liu
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China
| | - Feifei He
- Computer Information Technology, Northern Arizona University, Arizona, USA
| | - Yingying Fan
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China.
| | - Baihai Jiao
- Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT, USA.
| | - Boyan Jiao
- Department of Laboratory, Jining Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jining, China.
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16
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Purwono PB, Vacharathit V, Manopwisedjaroen S, Ludowyke N, Suksatu A, Thitithanyanont A. Infection kinetics, syncytia formation, and inflammatory biomarkers as predictive indicators for the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Calu-3 cells. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301330. [PMID: 38568894 PMCID: PMC10990222 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301330] [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: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has led to the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants as a result of continued host-virus interaction and viral genome mutations. These variants have been associated with varying levels of transmissibility and disease severity. We investigated the phenotypic profiles of six SARS-CoV-2 variants (WT, D614G, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron) in Calu-3 cells, a human lung epithelial cell line. In our model demonstrated that all variants, except for Omicron, had higher efficiency in virus entry compared to the wild-type. The Delta variant had the greatest phenotypic advantage in terms of early infection kinetics and marked syncytia formation, which could facilitate cell-to-cell spreading, while the Omicron variant displayed slower replication and fewer syncytia formation. We also identified the Delta variant as the strongest inducer of inflammatory biomarkers, including pro-inflammatory cytokines/chemokines (IP-10/CXCL10, TNF-α, and IL-6), anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1RA), and growth factors (FGF-2 and VEGF-A), while these inflammatory mediators were not significantly elevated with Omicron infection. These findings are consistent with the observations that there was a generally more pronounced inflammatory response and angiogenesis activity within the lungs of COVID-19 patients as well as more severe symptoms and higher mortality rate during the Delta wave, as compared to less severe symptoms and lower mortality observed during the current Omicron wave in Thailand. Our findings suggest that early infectivity kinetics, enhanced syncytia formation, and specific inflammatory mediator production may serve as predictive indicators for the virulence potential of future SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyo Budi Purwono
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Vimvara Vacharathit
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Faculty of Science, Systems Biology of Diseases Research Unit, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Natali Ludowyke
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ampa Suksatu
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arunee Thitithanyanont
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Faculty of Science, Department of Microbiology, Pornchai Matangkasombut Center for Microbial Genomics, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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17
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Liang Z, Tong J, Wu X, Liu S, Wu J, Yu Y, Zhang L, Zhao C, Lu Q, Nie J, Huang W, Wang Y. Development of a SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assay based on a pseudotyped virus using a HIV system. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e517. [PMID: 38525106 PMCID: PMC10959455 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Regarding the extensive global attention to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that constitutes an international public health emergency, pseudovirus neutralization assays have been widely applied due to their advantages of being able to be conducted in biosafety level 2 laboratories and having a high safety factor. In this study, by adding a blue fluorescent protein (AmCyan) gene to the HIV system pSG3-△env backbone plasmid HpaI and truncating the C-terminal 21 amino acids of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S), high-titer SARS-CoV-2-Sdel21-AmCyan fluorescent pseudovirus was successfully packaged. The fluorescent pseudovirus was used to establish a neutralization assay in a 96-well plate using 293T cells stably transfected with the AF cells. Then, parameters such as the ratio of backbone and membrane plasmid, sensitive cells, inoculation of cells and virus, as well as incubation and detection time were optimized. The pseudovirus neutralization assay demonstrated high accuracy, sensitivity, repeatability, and a strong correlation with the luminescent pseudovirus neutralization assay. Additionally, we scaled up the neutralizing antibody determination method by increasing the plate size from 96 wells to 384 wells. We have established a robust fluorescent pseudotyped virus neutralization assay for SARS-CoV-2 using the HIV system, providing a foundation for serum neutralization antibody detection, monoclonal antibody screening, and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziteng Liang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeDongcheng District, BeijingChina
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Jincheng Tong
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Xi Wu
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Shuo Liu
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
| | - Jiajing Wu
- Beijing Yunling Biotechnology Co., Ltd.BeijingChina
| | - Yuanling Yu
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
| | - Li Zhang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Chenyan Zhao
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Qiong Lu
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Jianhui Nie
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Weijin Huang
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
| | - Youchun Wang
- Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical CollegeDongcheng District, BeijingChina
- Division of HIV/AIDS and Sex‐transmitted Virus Vaccines, Institute for Biological Product Control, National Institutes for Food and Drug Control (NIFDC), WHO Collaborating Center for Standardization and Evaluation of BiologicalsNHC Key Laboratory of Research on Quality and Standardization of Biotech Products and NMPA Key Laboratory for Quality Research and Evaluation of Biological ProductsBeijingChina
- Changping LaboratoryChangping District, BeijingChina
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18
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Liu P, Cai J, Tian H, Li J, Lu L, Xu M, Zhu X, Fu X, Wang X, Zhong H, Jia R, Ge Y, Zhu Y, Zeng M, Xu J. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 variants in Shanghai after ending the zero-COVID policy in December 2022: a clinical and genomic analysis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1372078. [PMID: 38605705 PMCID: PMC11007228 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1372078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction An unprecedented surge of Omicron infections appeared nationwide in China in December 2022 after the adjustment of the COVID-19 response policy. Here, we report the clinical and genomic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children in Shanghai during this outbreak. Methods A total of 64 children with symptomatic COVID-19 were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences were obtained using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between variants. Phylogenetic tree, mutation spectrum, and the impact of unique mutations on SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analysed in silico. Results The genomic monitoring revealed that the emerging BA.5.2.48 and BF.7.14 were the dominant variants. The BA.5.2.48 infections were more frequently observed to experience vomiting/diarrhea and less frequently present cough compared to the BF.7.14 infections among patients without comorbidities in the study. The high-frequency unique non-synonymous mutations were present in BA.5.2.48 (N:Q241K) and BF.7.14 (nsp2:V94L, nsp12:L247F, S:C1243F, ORF7a:H47Y) with respect to their parental lineages. Of these mutations, S:C1243F, nsp12:L247F, and ORF7a:H47Y protein were predicted to have a deleterious effect on the protein function. Besides, nsp2:V94L and nsp12:L247F were predicted to destabilize the proteins. Discussion Further in vitro to in vivo studies are needed to verify the role of these specific mutations in viral fitness. In addition, continuous genomic monitoring and clinical manifestation assessments of the emerging variants will still be crucial for the effective responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiehao Cai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He Tian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijuan Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghua Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xunhua Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangshi Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaqing Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ran Jia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Ge
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfeng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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19
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Oktavianthi S, Lages AC, Kusuma R, Kurniasih TS, Trimarsanto H, Andriani F, Rustandi D, Meriyanti T, Yusuf I, Malik SG, Jo J, Suriapranata I. Whole-Genome Sequencing and Mutation Analyses of SARS-CoV-2 Isolates from Indonesia. Pathogens 2024; 13:279. [PMID: 38668234 PMCID: PMC11053823 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13040279] [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: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 infection that caused the COVID-19 pandemic has become a significant public health concern. New variants with distinct mutations have emerged, potentially impacting its infectivity, immune evasion capacity, and vaccine response. A whole-genome sequencing study of 292 SARS-CoV-2 isolates collected from selected regions of Indonesia between January and October 2021 was performed to identify the distribution of SARS-CoV-2 variants and common mutations in Indonesia. During January-April 2021, Indonesian lineages B.1.466.2 and B.1.470 dominated, but from May 2021, Delta's AY.23 lineage outcompeted them. An analysis of 7515 published sequences from January 2021 to June 2022 revealed a decline in Delta in November 2021, followed by the emergence of Omicron variants in December 2021. We identified C241T (5'UTR), P314L (NSP12b), F106F (NSP3), and D614G (Spike) mutations in all sequences. The other common substitutions included P681R (76.4%) and T478K (60%) in Spike, D377Y in Nucleocapsid (61%), and I82T in Membrane (60%) proteins. Breakthrough infection and prolonged viral shedding cases were associated with Delta variants carrying the Spike T19R, G142D, L452R, T478K, D614G, P681R, D950N, and V1264L mutations. The dynamic of SARS-CoV-2 variants in Indonesia highlights the importance of continuous genomic surveillance in monitoring and identifying potential strains leading to disease outbreaks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukma Oktavianthi
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia;
| | - Aksar Chair Lages
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
| | - Rinaldy Kusuma
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
| | - Tri Shinta Kurniasih
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
| | - Hidayat Trimarsanto
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia;
- Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0811, Australia
| | - Febi Andriani
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
| | - David Rustandi
- Siloam Hospital Lippo Village, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (D.R.); (T.M.)
| | - Tandry Meriyanti
- Siloam Hospital Lippo Village, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (D.R.); (T.M.)
| | - Irawan Yusuf
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
| | - Safarina G. Malik
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
- Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jakarta 10430, Indonesia;
| | - Juandy Jo
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Pelita Harapan, Tangerang 15811, Indonesia
| | - Ivet Suriapranata
- Mochtar Riady Institute for Nanotechnology, Tangerang 15810, Indonesia; (S.O.); (A.C.L.); (R.K.); (T.S.K.); (F.A.); (I.Y.); (S.G.M.); (J.J.)
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20
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Shorthouse D, Lister H, Freeman GS, Hall BA. Understanding large scale sequencing datasets through changes to protein folding. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elae007. [PMID: 38521964 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae007] [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: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The expansion of high-quality, low-cost sequencing has created an enormous opportunity to understand how genetic variants alter cellular behaviour in disease. The high diversity of mutations observed has however drawn a spotlight onto the need for predictive modelling of mutational effects on phenotype from variants of uncertain significance. This is particularly important in the clinic due to the potential value in guiding clinical diagnosis and patient treatment. Recent computational modelling has highlighted the importance of mutation induced protein misfolding as a common mechanism for loss of protein or domain function, aided by developments in methods that make large computational screens tractable. Here we review recent applications of this approach to different genes, and how they have enabled and supported subsequent studies. We further discuss developments in the approach and the role for the approach in light of increasingly high throughput experimental approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Shorthouse
- School of Pharmacy, University College London, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK
| | - Harris Lister
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Gemma S Freeman
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Benjamin A Hall
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Malet Place Engineering Building, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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21
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Park C, Hwang IY, Yan SLS, Vimonpatranon S, Wei D, Van Ryk D, Girard A, Cicala C, Arthos J, Kehrl JH. Murine alveolar macrophages rapidly accumulate intranasally administered SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein leading to neutrophil recruitment and damage. eLife 2024; 12:RP86764. [PMID: 38507462 PMCID: PMC10954308 DOI: 10.7554/elife.86764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein mediates viral attachment facilitating cell entry. Most COVID-19 vaccines direct mammalian cells to express the Spike protein or deliver it directly via inoculation to engender a protective immune response. The trafficking and cellular tropism of the Spike protein in vivo and its impact on immune cells remains incompletely elucidated. In this study, we inoculated mice intranasally, intravenously, and subcutaneously with fluorescently labeled recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Using flow cytometry and imaging techniques, we analyzed its localization, immune cell tropism, and acute functional impact. Intranasal administration led to rapid lung alveolar macrophage uptake, pulmonary vascular leakage, and neutrophil recruitment and damage. When injected near the inguinal lymph node medullary, but not subcapsular macrophages, captured the protein, while scrotal injection recruited and fragmented neutrophils. Widespread endothelial and liver Kupffer cell uptake followed intravenous administration. Human peripheral blood cells B cells, neutrophils, monocytes, and myeloid dendritic cells all efficiently bound Spike protein. Exposure to the Spike protein enhanced neutrophil NETosis and augmented human macrophage TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) and IL-6 production. Human and murine immune cells employed C-type lectin receptors and Siglecs to help capture the Spike protein. This study highlights the potential toxicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein for mammalian cells and illustrates the central role for alveolar macrophage in pathogenic protein uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Park
- B-Cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Il-Young Hwang
- B-Cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Serena Li-Sue Yan
- B-Cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
| | - Sinmanus Vimonpatranon
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
- Department of Retrovirology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences – United States ComponentBangkokThailand
| | - Danlan Wei
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
| | - Don Van Ryk
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
| | - Alexandre Girard
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
| | - Claudia Cicala
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
| | - James Arthos
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesBethesdaUnited States
| | - John H Kehrl
- B-Cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of HealthBethesdaUnited States
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22
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Lebedin M, Ratswohl C, Garg A, Schips M, García CV, Spatt L, Thibeault C, Obermayer B, Weiner J, Velásquez IM, Gerhard C, Stubbemann P, Hanitsch LG, Pischon T, Witzenrath M, Sander LE, Kurth F, Meyer-Hermann M, de la Rosa K. Soluble ACE2 correlates with severe COVID-19 and can impair antibody responses. iScience 2024; 27:109330. [PMID: 38496296 PMCID: PMC10940809 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying immune modulators that impact neutralizing antibody responses against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is of great relevance. We postulated that high serum concentrations of soluble angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (sACE2) might mask the spike and interfere with antibody maturation toward the SARS-CoV-2-receptor-binding motif (RBM). We tested 717 longitudinal samples from 295 COVID-19 patients and showed a 2- to 10-fold increase of enzymatically active sACE2 (a-sACE2), with up to 1 μg/mL total sACE2 in moderate and severe patients. Fifty percent of COVID-19 sera inhibited ACE2 activity, in contrast to 1.3% of healthy donors and 4% of non-COVID-19 pneumonia patients. A mild inverse correlation of a-sACE2 with RBM-directed serum antibodies was observed. In silico, we show that sACE2 concentrations measured in COVID-19 sera can disrupt germinal center formation and inhibit timely production of high-affinity antibodies. We suggest that sACE2 is a biomarker for COVID-19 and that soluble receptors may contribute to immune suppression informing vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Lebedin
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christoph Ratswohl
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Free University of Berlin, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, 14195 Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Amar Garg
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marta Schips
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Clara Vázquez García
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Spatt
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Thibeault
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Benedikt Obermayer
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - January Weiner
- Core Unit Bioinformatics, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilais Moreno Velásquez
- Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Cathrin Gerhard
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paula Stubbemann
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Leif-Gunnar Hanitsch
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Pischon
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Molecular Epidemiology Research Group, Max-Delbrück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Biobank Technology Platform, Max-Delbrueck-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martin Witzenrath
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35392 Gießen, Germany
- CAPNETZ STIFTUNG, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Leif Erik Sander
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35392 Gießen, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
| | - Florian Kurth
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research (DZL), 35392 Gießen, Germany
| | - Michael Meyer-Hermann
- Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI), Inhoffenstraße 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany
- Institute for Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Kathrin de la Rosa
- Max-Delbück-Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association (MDC), Robert-Rössle-Straße 10, 13125 Berlin, Germany
- Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10117 Berlin, Germany
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23
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Adamopoulos PG, Diamantopoulos MA, Boti MA, Zafeiriadou A, Galani A, Kostakis M, Markou A, Sideris DC, Avgeris M, Thomaidis NS, Scorilas A. Spike-Seq: An amplicon-based high-throughput sequencing approach for the sensitive detection and characterization of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variations in environmental samples. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 914:169747. [PMID: 38159750 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Ever since the outbreak of COVID-19 disease in Wuhan, China, different variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have been identified. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), an approach that has been successfully applied in numerous case studies worldwide, offers a cost-effective and rapid way for monitoring trends of SARS-Cov-2 in the community level without selection bias. Despite being a gold-standard procedure, WBE is a challenging approach due to the sample instability and the moderate efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 concentration in wastewater. In the present study, we introduce Spike-Seq, a custom amplicon-based approach for the S gene sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater samples, which enables not only the accurate identification of the existing Spike-related genetic markers, but also the estimation of their frequency in the investigated samples. The implementation of Spike-Seq involves the combination of nested PCR-based assays that efficiently amplify the entire nucleotide sequence of the S gene and next-generation sequencing, which enables the variant detection and the estimation of their frequency. In the framework of the current work, Spike-Seq was performed to investigate the mutational profile of SARS-CoV-2 in samples from the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Athens, Greece, which originated from multiple timepoints, ranging from March 2021 until July 2022. Our findings demonstrate that Spike-Seq efficiently detected major genetic markers of B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617.2 (Delta) as well as B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variants in wastewater samples and provided their frequency levels, showing similar variant distributions with the published clinical data from the National Public Health organization. The presented approach can prove to be a useful tool for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in challenging wastewater samples and the identification of the existing genetic variants of S gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis G Adamopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Marios A Diamantopoulos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Michaela A Boti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Anastasia Zafeiriadou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Aikaterini Galani
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Marios Kostakis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Athina Markou
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Diamantis C Sideris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Margaritis Avgeris
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece; Laboratory of Clinical Biochemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, Second Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Nikolaos S Thomaidis
- Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece
| | - Andreas Scorilas
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
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24
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Yao Z, Zhang L, Duan Y, Tang X, Lu J. Molecular insights into the adaptive evolution of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. J Infect 2024; 88:106121. [PMID: 38367704 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinf.2024.106121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has substantially damaged the global economy and human health. The spike (S) protein of coronaviruses plays a pivotal role in viral entry by binding to host cell receptors. Additionally, it acts as the primary target for neutralizing antibodies in those infected and is the central focus for currently utilized or researched vaccines. During the virus's adaptation to the human host, the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 has undergone significant evolution. As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, new mutations have arisen and vanished, giving rise to distinctive amino acid profiles within variant of concern strains of SARS-CoV-2. Notably, many of these changes in the S protein have been positively selected, leading to substantial alterations in viral characteristics, such as heightened transmissibility and immune evasion capabilities. This review aims to provide an overview of our current understanding of the structural implications associated with key amino acid changes in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2. These research findings shed light on the intricate and dynamic nature of viral evolution, underscoring the importance of continuous monitoring and analysis of viral genomes. Through these molecular-level investigations, we can attain deeper insights into the virus's adaptive evolution, offering valuable guidance for designing vaccines and developing antiviral drugs to combat the ever-evolving viral threats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuocheng Yao
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- College of Fishery, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China
| | - Yuange Duan
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xiaolu Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Jian Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, Center for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
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25
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Chan CWF, Wang B, Nan L, Huang X, Mao T, Chu HY, Luo C, Chu H, Choi GCG, Shum HC, Wong ASL. High-throughput screening of genetic and cellular drivers of syncytium formation induced by the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Biomed Eng 2024; 8:291-309. [PMID: 37996617 DOI: 10.1038/s41551-023-01140-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Mapping mutations and discovering cellular determinants that cause the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to induce infected cells to form syncytia would facilitate the development of strategies for blocking the formation of such cell-cell fusion. Here we describe high-throughput screening methods based on droplet microfluidics and the size-exclusion selection of syncytia, coupled with large-scale mutagenesis and genome-wide knockout screening via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), for the large-scale identification of determinants of cell-cell fusion. We used the methods to perform deep mutational scans in spike-presenting cells to pinpoint mutable syncytium-enhancing substitutions in two regions of the spike protein (the fusion peptide proximal region and the furin-cleavage site). We also used a genome-wide CRISPR screen in cells expressing the receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to identify inhibitors of clathrin-mediated endocytosis that impede syncytium formation, which we validated in hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2. Finding genetic and cellular determinants of the formation of syncytia may reveal insights into the physiological and pathological consequences of cell-cell fusion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles W F Chan
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bei Wang
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Lang Nan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiner Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tianjiao Mao
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hoi Yee Chu
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cuiting Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hin Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Department of Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Department of Infectious Disease and Microbiology, The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, People's Republic of China.
| | - Gigi C G Choi
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Ho Cheung Shum
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Advanced Biomedical Instrumentation Centre, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
| | - Alan S L Wong
- Laboratory of Combinatorial Genetics and Synthetic Biology, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China.
- Centre for Oncology and Immunology, Hong Kong Science Park, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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26
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Gerashchenko GV, Hryshchenko NV, Melnichuk NS, Marchyshak TV, Chernushyn SY, Demchyshina IV, Chernenko LM, Kuzin IV, Tkachuk ZY, Kashuba VI, Tukalo MA. Genetic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 virus variants observed upon three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine between February 2021-January 2022. Heliyon 2024; 10:e25618. [PMID: 38380034 PMCID: PMC10877268 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e25618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of our study was to identify and characterize the SARS-CoV-2 variants in COVID-19 patients' samples collected from different regions of Ukraine to determine the relationship between SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetics and COVID-19 epidemiology. Patients and methods Samples were collected from COVID-19 patients during 2021 and the beginning of 2022 (401 patients). The SARS-CoV-2 genotyping was performed by parallel whole genome sequencing. Results The obtained SARS-CoV-2 genotypes showed that three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukraine were represented by three main variants of concern (VOC), named Alpha, Delta and Omicron; each VOC successfully replaced the earlier variant. The VOC Alpha strain was presented by one B.1.1.7 lineage, while VOC Delta showed a spectrum of 25 lineages that had different prevalence in 19 investigated regions of Ukraine. The VOC Omicron in the first half of the pandemic was represented by 13 lines that belonged to two different clades representing B.1 and B.2 Omicron strains. Each of the three epidemic waves (VOC Alpha, Delta, and Omicron) demonstrated their own course of disease, associated with genetic changes in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. The observed epidemiological features are associated with the genetic characteristics of the different VOCs, such as point mutations, deletions and insertions in the viral genome. A phylogenetic and transmission analysis showed the different mutation rates; there were multiple virus sources with a limited distribution between regions. Conclusions The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus and high levels of morbidity due to COVID-19 are still registered in the world. Observed multiple virus sourses with the limited distribution between regions indicates the high efficiency of the anti-epidemic policy pursued by the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to prevent the spread of the epidemic, despite the low level of vaccination of the Ukrainian population.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zenovii Yu Tkachuk
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Vladimir I. Kashuba
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Mykhailo A. Tukalo
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics of NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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Dulin H, Barre RS, Xu D, Neal A, Vizcarra E, Chavez J, Ulu A, Yang MS, Khan SR, Wuang K, Bhakta N, Chea C, Wilson EH, Martinez-Sobrido L, Hai R. Harnessing preexisting influenza virus-specific immunity increases antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2. J Virol 2024; 98:e0157123. [PMID: 38206036 PMCID: PMC10878257 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01571-23] [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: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In pandemic scenarios involving novel human pathogenic viruses, it is highly desirable that vaccines induce strong neutralizing antibodies as quickly as possible. However, current vaccine strategies require multiple immunization doses to produce high titers of neutralizing antibodies and are poorly protective after a single vaccination. We therefore wished to design a vaccine candidate that would induce increased protective immune responses following the first vaccine dose. We hypothesized that antibodies against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein could be increased by drawing upon immunity to a previous infection. We generated a fusion protein containing the influenza H1N1 PR8 virus nucleoprotein (NP) and the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD. Mice with or without preexisting immunity to PR8 were then vaccinated with NP/RBD. We observed significantly increased SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in mice with PR8 immunity compared to mice without preexisting PR8 immunity. Vaccination with NP/RBD protected mice from SARS-CoV-2-induced morbidity and mortality after a single dose. Additionally, we compared SARS-CoV-2 virus titers in the lungs and nasal turbinates 4 days post-challenge of mice vaccinated with NP/RBD. SARS-CoV-2 virus was detectable in the lungs and nasal turbinate of mice without preexisting PR8 immunity, while SARS-CoV-2 virus was completely undetectable in mice with preexisting PR8 immunity. We also found that CD4-positive T cells in mice with preexisting immunity to PR8 play an essential role in producing the increased antibody response against RBD. This vaccine strategy potentially can be modified to target other pathogens of concern and offers extra value in future pandemic scenarios.IMPORTANCEIncreased globalization and changes in human interactions with wild animals has increased the likelihood of the emergence of novel viruses with pandemic potential. Vaccines can be effective in preventing severe disease caused by pandemic viruses. However, it takes time to develop protective immunity via prime-boost vaccination. More effective vaccine designs should quickly induce protective immunity. We propose leveraging preexisting immunity to a different pathogen to boost protection against emerging viruses. We targeted SARS-CoV-2 as a representative pandemic virus and generated a fusion protein vaccine that combines the nucleoprotein from influenza A virus and the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Our vaccine design significantly increased the production of RBD-specific antibodies in mice that had previously been exposed to influenza virus, compared to those without previous exposure. This enhanced immunity reduced SARS-CoV-2 replication in mice. Our results offer a vaccine design that could be valuable in a future pandemic setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Dulin
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Ramya S. Barre
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Duo Xu
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Arrmund Neal
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Edward Vizcarra
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Jerald Chavez
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Arzu Ulu
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Myeon-Sik Yang
- Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | | | - Keidy Wuang
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Nikhil Bhakta
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Chanvoraboth Chea
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | - Emma H. Wilson
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
| | | | - Rong Hai
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
- Cell, Molecular, and Developmental Biology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, California, USA
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28
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Nurrohman DT, Chiu NF. Unraveling the Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Mutations: Insights from Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensor Kinetics. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:99. [PMID: 38392018 PMCID: PMC10887047 DOI: 10.3390/bios14020099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) technology is known to be a powerful tool for studying biomolecular interactions because it offers real-time and label-free multiparameter analysis with high sensitivity. This article summarizes the results that have been obtained from the use of SPR technology in studying the dynamics of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutations. This paper will begin by introducing the working principle of SPR and the kinetic parameters of the sensorgram, which include the association rate constant (ka), dissociation rate constant (kd), equilibrium association constant (KA), and equilibrium dissociation constant (KD). At the end of the paper, we will summarize the kinetic data on the interaction between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and SARS-CoV-2 obtained from the results of SPR signal analysis. ACE2 is a material that mediates virus entry. Therefore, understanding the kinetic changes between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 caused by the mutation will provide beneficial information for drug discovery, vaccine development, and other therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Devi Taufiq Nurrohman
- Laboratory of Nano-Photonics and Biosensors, Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan;
| | - Nan-Fu Chiu
- Laboratory of Nano-Photonics and Biosensors, Institute of Electro-Optical Engineering, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan;
- Department of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan
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29
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Liu B, Demir B, Gultakti CA, Marrs J, Gong Y, Li R, Oren EE, Hihath J. Self-Aligning Nanojunctions for Integrated Single-Molecule Circuits. ACS NANO 2024; 18:4972-4980. [PMID: 38214957 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.3c10844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Robust, high-yield integration of nanoscale components such as graphene nanoribbons, nanoparticles, or single-molecules with conventional electronic circuits has proven to be challenging. This difficulty arises because the contacts to these nanoscale devices must be precisely fabricated with angstrom-level resolution to make reliable connections, and at manufacturing scales this cannot be achieved with even the highest-resolution lithographic tools. Here we introduce an approach that circumvents this issue by precisely creating nanometer-scale gaps between metallic carbon electrodes by using a self-aligning, solution-phase process, which allows facile integration with conventional electronic systems with yields approaching 50%. The electrode separation is controlled by covalently binding metallic single-walled carbon nanotube (mCNT) electrodes to individual DNA duplexes to create mCNT-DNA-mCNT nanojunctions, where the gap is precisely matched to the DNA length. These junctions are then integrated with top-down lithographic techniques to create single-molecule circuits that have electronic properties dominated by the DNA in the junction, have reproducible conductance values with low dispersion, and are stable and robust enough to be utilized as active, high-specificity electronic biosensors for dynamic single-molecule detection of specific oligonucleotides, such as those related to the SARS-CoV-2 genome. This scalable approach for high-yield integration of nanometer-scale devices will enable opportunities for manufacturing of hybrid electronic systems for a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Liu
- Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Busra Demir
- Bionanodesign Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Turkey
- Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Tureky
| | - Caglanaz Akin Gultakti
- Bionanodesign Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Turkey
- Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Tureky
| | - Jonathan Marrs
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Yichen Gong
- Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Ruihao Li
- Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
| | - Ersin Emre Oren
- Bionanodesign Laboratory, Department of Biomedical Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Turkey
- Department of Materials Science and Nanotechnology Engineering, TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Ankara 06560, Tureky
| | - Joshua Hihath
- Biodesign Center for Bioelectronics and Biosensors at Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
- School of Electrical, Computer, and Energy Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287, United States
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30
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Zaccaria M, Genovese L, Lawhorn BE, Dawson W, Joyal AS, Hu J, Autissier P, Nakajima T, Johnson WE, Fofana I, Farzan M, Momeni B. Predicting potential SARS-CoV-2 mutations of concern via full quantum mechanical modelling. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20230614. [PMID: 38320601 PMCID: PMC10846948 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Ab initio quantum mechanical models can characterize and predict intermolecular binding, but only recently have models including more than a few hundred atoms gained traction. Here, we simulate the electronic structure for approximately 13 000 atoms to predict and characterize binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike variants to the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor using the quantum mechanics complexity reduction (QM-CR) approach. We compare four spike variants in our analysis: Wuhan, Omicron, and two Omicron-based variants. To assess binding, we mechanistically characterize the energetic contribution of each amino acid involved, and predict the effect of select single amino acid mutations. We validate our computational predictions experimentally by comparing the efficacy of spike variants binding to cells expressing hACE2. At the time we performed our simulations (December 2021), the mutation A484K which our model predicted to be highly beneficial to ACE2 binding had not been identified in epidemiological surveys; only recently (August 2023) has it appeared in variant BA.2.86. We argue that our computational model, QM-CR, can identify mutations critical for intermolecular interactions and inform the engineering of high-specificity interactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Zaccaria
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Luigi Genovese
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CEA, INAC-MEM, L Sim, Grenoble, France
| | | | | | - Andrew S. Joyal
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Jingqing Hu
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Ismael Fofana
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
| | - Michael Farzan
- Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Center for Integrated Solutions for Infectious Diseases, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Division of Infectious Disease, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Babak Momeni
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, USA
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Zech F, Jung C, Jacob T, Kirchhoff F. Causes and Consequences of Coronavirus Spike Protein Variability. Viruses 2024; 16:177. [PMID: 38399953 PMCID: PMC10892391 DOI: 10.3390/v16020177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are a large family of enveloped RNA viruses found in numerous animal species. They are well known for their ability to cross species barriers and have been transmitted from bats or intermediate hosts to humans on several occasions. Four of the seven human coronaviruses (hCoVs) are responsible for approximately 20% of common colds (hCoV-229E, -NL63, -OC43, -HKU1). Two others (SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV) cause severe and frequently lethal respiratory syndromes but have only spread to very limited extents in the human population. In contrast the most recent human hCoV, SARS-CoV-2, while exhibiting intermediate pathogenicity, has a profound impact on public health due to its enormous spread. In this review, we discuss which initial features of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and subsequent adaptations to the new human host may have helped this pathogen to cause the COVID-19 pandemic. Our focus is on host forces driving changes in the Spike protein and their consequences for virus infectivity, pathogenicity, immune evasion and resistance to preventive or therapeutic agents. In addition, we briefly address the significance and perspectives of broad-spectrum therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Zech
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Jung
- Institute of Electrochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (C.J.); (T.J.)
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm (HIU) Electrochemical Energy Storage, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Timo Jacob
- Institute of Electrochemistry, Ulm University, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (C.J.); (T.J.)
- Helmholtz-Institute Ulm (HIU) Electrochemical Energy Storage, 89081 Ulm, Germany
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), 76021 Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Frank Kirchhoff
- Institute of Molecular Virology, Ulm University Medical Center, 89081 Ulm, Germany
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32
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Zhang L, Li J. Molecular Dynamics Simulations on Spike Protein Mutants Binding with Human β Defensin Type 2. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:415-428. [PMID: 38189674 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Human β defensin type 2 (hBD-2), a cationic cysteine-rich peptide secreted from the human innate immune system, can bind Spike-RBD at the same site as receptor ACE2, thus blocking viral entry into ACE2-expressing cells. In order to find out the impact of CoV-2 mutations on hBD-2's antiviral activity, it is important to investigate the binding and interaction of hBD-2 with RBD mutants. All-atom molecular dynamics simulations were conducted on typical RBD mutants, including N501Y, E484K, P479S, T478I, S477N, N439K, K417N, and N501Y-E484K-K417N, binding with hBD-2. Starting from the stable binding structure of hBD-2 and wt-RBD and ClusPro and HADDOCK docking-predicted initial structures, the RBD variants bound with hBD-2 simulations were set up, and NAMD simulations were conducted. Based on the structure and dynamics analysis, it was found that most RBD variants can still form a similar number of hydrogen bonds with hBD-2, in addition to having a similar-sized buried surface area (BSA) and a similar binding interface to the RBD wildtype. However, the RBD triple mutant formed a less stable binding structure with hBD-2 than other variants. Additionally, the free energy perturbation (FEP) method was applied to calculate the contribution of key mutant residues to the binding and the free energy change caused by the mutations. The result shows that N439K, K417N, and the trimutation increase the binding free energy of RBD with hBD-2; thus, RBD should bind less stably with hBD-2. E484K decreases the binding free energy, thus it should bind more stably with hBD-2, while N501Y, S477N, T478I, and P479S almost do not change the binding free energy with hBD-2. The MM-GBSA method predicted the binding interaction energy which shows that the trimutant should be able to escape the binding with hBD-2 but N501Y should not. The result can provide insight into understanding the functional mechanism of hBD-2 combating SARS-CoV-2 mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqun Zhang
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island 02881, United States
| | - Jadeson Li
- Newton North High School, 457 Walnut Street, Newton, Massachusetts 02460, United States
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33
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Feng Y, Yi J, Yang L, Wang Y, Wen J, Zhao W, Kim P, Zhou X. COV2Var, a function annotation database of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variation. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:D701-D713. [PMID: 37897356 PMCID: PMC10767816 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has resulted in the loss of millions of lives and severe global economic consequences. Every time SARS-CoV-2 replicates, the viruses acquire new mutations in their genomes. Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genomes led to increased transmissibility, severe disease outcomes, evasion of the immune response, changes in clinical manifestations and reducing the efficacy of vaccines or treatments. To date, the multiple resources provide lists of detected mutations without key functional annotations. There is a lack of research examining the relationship between mutations and various factors such as disease severity, pathogenicity, patient age, patient gender, cross-species transmission, viral immune escape, immune response level, viral transmission capability, viral evolution, host adaptability, viral protein structure, viral protein function, viral protein stability and concurrent mutations. Deep understanding the relationship between mutation sites and these factors is crucial for advancing our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 and for developing effective responses. To fill this gap, we built COV2Var, a function annotation database of SARS-CoV-2 genetic variation, available at http://biomedbdc.wchscu.cn/COV2Var/. COV2Var aims to identify common mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants and assess their effects, providing a valuable resource for intensive functional annotations of common mutations among SARS-CoV-2 variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuzhou Feng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and West China Biomedical Big Data Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Med-X Center for Informatics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jiahao Yi
- School of Big Health, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Lin Yang
- Department of Cardiology and Laboratory of Gene Therapy for Heart Diseases, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jianguo Wen
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Weiling Zhao
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pora Kim
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaobo Zhou
- Center for Computational Systems Medicine, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- School of Dentistry, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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34
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Chatterjee S, Zaia J. Proteomics-based mass spectrometry profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infection from human nasopharyngeal samples. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024; 43:193-229. [PMID: 36177493 PMCID: PMC9538640 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the on-going global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that continues to pose a significant threat to public health worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 encodes four structural proteins namely membrane, nucleocapsid, spike, and envelope proteins that play essential roles in viral entry, fusion, and attachment to the host cell. Extensively glycosylated spike protein efficiently binds to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 initiating viral entry and pathogenesis. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swab is the preferred method of sample collection and viral detection because it is a rapid, specific, and high-throughput technique. Alternate strategies such as proteomics and glycoproteomics-based mass spectrometry enable a more detailed and holistic view of the viral proteins and host-pathogen interactions and help in detection of potential disease markers. In this review, we highlight the use of mass spectrometry methods to profile the SARS-CoV-2 proteome from clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples. We also highlight the necessity for a comprehensive glycoproteomics mapping of SARS-CoV-2 from biological complex matrices to identify potential COVID-19 markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantani Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass SpectrometryBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Joseph Zaia
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass SpectrometryBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Bioinformatics ProgramBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
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35
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Maiti AK. Therapeutic Challenges in COVID-19. Curr Mol Med 2024; 24:14-25. [PMID: 36567277 DOI: 10.2174/1566524023666221222162641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV2 is a novel respiratory coronavirus and, understanding its molecular mechanism is a prerequisite to developing effective treatment for COVID-19. This RNA genome-carrying virus has a protein coat with spikes (S) that attaches to the ACE2 receptor at the cell surface of human cells. Several repurposed drugs are used to treat COVID-19 patients that are proven to be largely unsuccessful or have limited success in reducing mortalities. Several vaccines are in use to reduce the viral load to prevent developing symptoms. Major challenges to their efficacy include the inability of antibody molecules to enter cells but remain effective in the bloodstream to kill the virus. The efficacy of vaccines also depends on their neutralizing ability to constantly evolve new virus strains due to novel mutations and evolutionary survival dynamics. Taken together, SARS-CoV2 antibody vaccines may not be very effective and other approaches based on genetic, genomic, and protein interactome could be fruitful to identify therapeutic targets to reduce disease-related mortalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit K Maiti
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Mydnavar, 28475 Greenfield Rd, Southfield MI 48076, USA
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36
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Shi Y, Simpson S, Chen Y, Aull H, Benjamin J, Serra-Moreno R. Mutations accumulated in the Spike of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron allow for more efficient counteraction of the restriction factor BST2/Tetherin. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1011912. [PMID: 38190411 PMCID: PMC10798645 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011912] [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: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BST2/Tetherin is a restriction factor with broad antiviral activity against enveloped viruses, including coronaviruses. Specifically, BST2 traps nascent particles to membrane compartments, preventing their release and spread. In turn, viruses have evolved multiple mechanisms to counteract BST2. Here, we examined the interactions between BST2 and SARS-CoV-2. Our study shows that BST2 reduces SARS-CoV-2 virion release. However, the virus uses the Spike (S) protein to downregulate BST2. This requires a physical interaction between S and BST2, which routes BST2 for lysosomal degradation in a Clathtin- and ubiquitination-dependent manner. By surveying different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Alpha-Omicron), we found that Omicron is more efficient at counteracting BST2, and that mutations in S account for its enhanced anti-BST2 activity. Mapping analyses revealed that several surfaces in the extracellular region of BST2 are required for an interaction with the Spike, and that the Omicron variant has changed its patterns of association with BST2 to improve its counteraction. Therefore, our study suggests that, besides enhancing receptor binding and evasion of neutralizing antibodies, mutations accumulated in the Spike afford more efficient counteraction of BST2, which highlights that BST2 antagonism is important for SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuhang Shi
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Sydney Simpson
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Yuexuan Chen
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Haley Aull
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Jared Benjamin
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
| | - Ruth Serra-Moreno
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, United States of America
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He Y, Henley J, Sell P, Comai L. Differential Outcomes of Infection by Wild-Type SARS-CoV-2 and the B.1.617.2 and B.1.1.529 Variants of Concern in K18-hACE2 Transgenic Mice. Viruses 2023; 16:60. [PMID: 38257760 PMCID: PMC10820160 DOI: 10.3390/v16010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND SARS-CoV-2 is a respiratory virus with neurological complications including the loss of smell and taste, headache, and confusion that can persist for months or longer. Severe neuronal cell damage has also been reported in some cases. The objective of this study was to compare the infectivity of the wild-type virus, Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (B.1.1.529) variants in transgenic mice that express the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor under the control of the keratin 18 promoter (K18) and characterize the progression of infection and inflammatory response in the lungs, brain, medulla oblongata, and olfactory bulbs of these animals. We hypothesized that wild type, Delta and Omicron differentially infect K18-hACE2 mice, thereby inducing distinct cellular responses. METHODS K18-hACE2 female mice were intranasally infected with wild-type, Delta, or Omicron variants and euthanized either at 3 days post-infection (dpi) or at the humane endpoint. None of the animals infected with the Omicron variant reached the humane endpoint and were euthanized at day 8 dpi. Virological and immunological analyses were performed in the lungs, brains, medulla oblongata and olfactory bulbs isolated from infected mice. RESULTS At 3 dpi, mice infected with wild type and Delta displayed significantly higher levels of viral RNA in the lungs than mice infected with Omicron, while in the brain, Delta and Omicron resulted in higher levels of viral RNA than with the wild type. Viral RNA was also detected in the medulla oblongata of mice infected by all these virus strains. At this time point, the mice infected with wild type and Delta displayed a marked upregulation of many inflammatory markers in the lungs. On the other hand, the upregulation of inflammatory markers was observed only in the brains of mice infected with Delta and Omicron. At the humane endpoint, we observed a significant increase in the levels of viral RNA in the lungs and brains of mice infected with wild type and Delta, which was accompanied by the elevated expression of many inflammatory markers. In contrast, mice which survived infection with the Omicron variant showed high levels of viral RNA and the upregulation of cytokine and chemokine expression only in the lungs at 8 dpi, suggesting that infection and inflammatory response by this variant is attenuated in the brain. Reduced RNA levels and the downregulation of inflammatory markers was also observed in the medulla oblongata and olfactory bulbs of mice infected with Omicron at 8 dpi as compared with mice infected with wild-type and Delta at the humane end point. Collectively, these data demonstrate that wild-type, Delta, and Omicron SARS-CoV-2 induce distinct levels of infection and inflammatory responses in K18-hACE2 mice. Notably, sustained brain infection accompanied by the upregulation of inflammatory markers is a critical outcome in mice infected with wild type and Delta but not Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicheng He
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Jill Henley
- Hastings Foundation and Wright Foundation BSL3 Laboratory, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Philip Sell
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Hastings Foundation and Wright Foundation BSL3 Laboratory, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Lucio Comai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, 2011 Zonal Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
- Hastings Foundation and Wright Foundation BSL3 Laboratory, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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Baboo S, Diedrich JK, Torres JL, Copps J, Singh B, Garrett PT, Ward AB, Paulson JC, Yates JR. Evolving spike-protein N-glycosylation in SARS-CoV-2 variants. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.08.539897. [PMID: 37214937 PMCID: PMC10197516 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.08.539897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Since >3 years, SARS-CoV-2 has plunged humans into a colossal pandemic. Henceforth, multiple waves of infection have swept through the human population, led by variants that were able to partially evade acquired immunity. The co-evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants with human immunity provides an excellent opportunity to study the interaction between viral pathogens and their human hosts. The heavily N-glycosylated spike-protein of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role in initiating infection and is the target for host immune-response, both of which are impacted by host-installed N-glycans. Using highly-sensitive DeGlyPHER approach, we compared the N-glycan landscape on spikes of the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1 strain to seven WHO-defined variants of concern/interest, using recombinantly expressed, soluble spike-protein trimers, sharing same stabilizing-mutations. We found that N-glycan processing is conserved at most sites. However, in multiple variants, processing of N-glycans from high mannose- to complex-type is reduced at sites N165, N343 and N616, implicated in spike-protein function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabyasachi Baboo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jolene K. Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jonathan L. Torres
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jeffrey Copps
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Bhavya Singh
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Patrick T. Garrett
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Andrew B. Ward
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - James C. Paulson
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - John R. Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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Lipskij A, Arbeitman C, Rojas P, Ojeda-May P, Garcia ME. Dramatic Differences between the Structural Susceptibility of the S1 Pre- and S2 Postfusion States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to External Electric Fields Revealed by Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Viruses 2023; 15:2405. [PMID: 38140646 PMCID: PMC10748067 DOI: 10.3390/v15122405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In its prefusion state, the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (similarly to other class I viral fusion proteins) is metastable, which is considered to be an important feature for optimizing or regulating its functions. After the binding process of its S1 subunit (S1) with ACE2, the spike protein (S) undergoes a dramatic conformational change where S1 splits from the S2 subunit, which then penetrates the membrane of the host cell, promoting the fusion of the viral and cell membranes. This results in the infection of the host cell. In a previous work, we showed-using large-scale molecular dynamics simulations-that the application of external electric fields (EFs) induces drastic changes and damage in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the wild-type spike protein, as well of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma variants, leaving a structure which cannot be recognized anymore by ACE2. In this work, we first extend the study to the Delta and Omicron variants and confirm the high sensitivity and extreme vulnerability of the RBD of the prefusion state of S to moderate EF (as weak as 104 V/m), but, more importantly, we also show that, in contrast, the S2 subunit of the postfusion state of the spike protein does not suffer structural damage even if electric field intensities four orders of magnitude higher are applied. These results provide a solid scientific basis to confirm the connection between the prefusion-state metastability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its susceptibility to be damaged by EF. After the virus docks to the ACE2 receptor, the stable and robust postfusion conformation develops, which exhibits a similar resistance to EF (damage threshold higher than 108 V/m) like most globular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Lipskij
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Claudia Arbeitman
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
- CONICET Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQB, Argentina
- GIBIO-Universidad Tecnológica Nacional-Facultad Regional Buenos Aires, Medrano 951, Buenos Aires C1179AAQ, Argentina
| | - Pablo Rojas
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
| | - Pedro Ojeda-May
- High Performance Computing Center North (HPC2N), Umeå University, S-90187 Umeå, Sweden;
| | - Martin E. Garcia
- Theoretical Physics and Center of Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel, Heinrich-Plett-Str. 40, 34132 Kassel, Germany; (A.L.); (C.A.); (P.R.)
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Fan J, Li S, Zhang Y, Zheng J, Wang D, Liao Y, Cui Z, Zhao D, Barouch DH, Yu J. Early Emerging SARS-CoV-2 Spike Mutants Are Diversified in Virologic Properties but Elicit Compromised Antibody Responses. Viruses 2023; 15:2401. [PMID: 38140642 PMCID: PMC10747620 DOI: 10.3390/v15122401] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the effective antivirals and vaccines, COVID-19 remains a public health concern. The mutations that occurred during the early stage of the pandemic can be valuable in assessing the viral fitness and evolutionary trajectory. In this study, we analyzed a panel of 2969 spike sequences deposited in GISAID before April 2020 and characterized nine representative spike single-point mutants in detail. Compared with the WA01/2020, most (8 out of 9) mutants demonstrated an equivalent or diminished protein expression or processing, pseudovirus infectivity, and cell-cell fusion. Interestingly, most of the mutants in native form elicited minimum antibody responses in mice despite unaltered CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. The mutants remained sensitive to the antisera and the type I interferon. Taken together, these data suggest that the early emerging mutants are virologically divergent, and some of which showed transmission fitness. Our findings have important implications for the retrospective tracing of the early SARS-CoV-2 transmission and future pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China;
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Shixiong Li
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
- College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Jihao Zheng
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Dongfang Wang
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
| | - Yunxi Liao
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.L.); (D.Z.)
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Zhibo Cui
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
- College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Dongyu Zhao
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China; (Y.L.); (D.Z.)
- State Key Laboratory of Vascular Homeostasis and Remodeling, Peking University, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Dan H. Barouch
- Center for Virology and Vaccine Research, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jingyou Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510182, China;
- Guangzhou National Laboratory, Bio-Island, Guangzhou 510005, China; (S.L.); (Y.Z.); (J.Z.); (D.W.); (Z.C.)
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y Castro TR, Piccoli BC, Vieira AA, Casarin BC, Tessele LF, Salvato RS, Gregianini TS, Martins LG, Resende PC, Pereira EC, Moreira FRR, de Jesus JG, Seerig AP, Lobato MAO, de Campos MMA, Goularte JS, da Silva MS, Demoliner M, Filippi M, Pereira VMAG, Schwarzbold AV, Spilki FR, Trindade PA. Introduction, Dispersal, and Predominance of SARS-CoV-2 Delta Variant in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil: A Retrospective Analysis. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2938. [PMID: 38138081 PMCID: PMC10745878 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122938] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome can alter the virus' fitness, leading to the emergence of variants of concern (VOC). In Brazil, the Gamma variant dominated the pandemic in the first half of 2021, and from June onwards, the first cases of Delta infection were documented. Here, we investigate the introduction and dispersal of the Delta variant in the RS state by sequencing 1077 SARS-CoV-2-positive samples from June to October 2021. Of these samples, 34.7% were identified as Gamma and 65.3% as Delta. Notably, 99.2% of Delta sequences were clustered within the 21J lineage, forming a significant Brazilian clade. The estimated clock rate was 5.97 × 10-4 substitutions per site per year. The Delta variant was first reported on 17 June in the Vinhedos Basalto microregion and rapidly spread, accounting for over 70% of cases within nine weeks. Despite this, the number of cases and deaths remained stable, possibly due to vaccination, prior infections, and the continued mandatory mask use. In conclusion, our study provides insights into the Delta variant circulating in the RS state, highlighting the importance of genomic surveillance for monitoring viral evolution, even when the impact of new variants may be less severe in a given region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Regina y Castro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna C. Piccoli
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Andressa A. Vieira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Bruna C. Casarin
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Luíza F. Tessele
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Richard S. Salvato
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Tatiana S. Gregianini
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Leticia G. Martins
- Centro Estadual de Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Estadual da Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CEVS/SES-RS), Porto Alegre 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Paola Cristina Resende
- Laboratório de Vírus Respiratórios e Sarampo, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Elisa C. Pereira
- Laboratório de Vírus Respiratórios e Sarampo, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Filipe R. R. Moreira
- Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
| | - Jaqueline G. de Jesus
- Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-220, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Seerig
- Vigilância em Saúde, Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97060-001, Brazil
| | - Marcos Antonio O. Lobato
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Marli M. A. de Campos
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana S. Goularte
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Mariana S. da Silva
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Meriane Demoliner
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Micheli Filippi
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | | | - Alexandre V. Schwarzbold
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Fernando R. Spilki
- Laboratório de Microbiologia Molecular, Universidade FEEVALE, Novo Hamburgo 93510-235, Brazil
| | - Priscila A. Trindade
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Bioinformática Aplicadas a Microbiologia Clínica, Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria 97105-900, Brazil
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Park C, Hwang IY, Yan SLS, Vimonpatranon S, Wei D, Van Ryk D, Girard A, Cicala C, Arthos J, Kehrl JH. Murine Alveolar Macrophages Rapidly Accumulate Intranasally Administered SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein leading to Neutrophil Recruitment and Damage. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.03.13.532446. [PMID: 37090605 PMCID: PMC10120727 DOI: 10.1101/2023.03.13.532446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein mediates viral attachment facilitating cell entry. Most COVID-19 vaccines direct mammalian cells to express the Spike protein or deliver it directly via inoculation to engender a protective immune response. The trafficking and cellular tropism of the Spike protein in vivo and its impact on immune cells remains incompletely elucidated. In this study we inoculated mice intranasally, intravenously, and subcutaneously with fluorescently labeled recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein. Using flow cytometry and imaging techniques we analyzed its localization, immune cell tropism, and acute functional impact. Intranasal administration led to rapid lung alveolar macrophage uptake, pulmonary vascular leakage, and neutrophil recruitment and damage. When injected near the inguinal lymph node medullary, but not subcapsular macrophages, captured the protein, while scrotal injection recruited and fragmented neutrophils. Wide-spread endothelial and liver Kupffer cell uptake followed intravenous administration. Human peripheral blood cells B cells, neutrophils, monocytes, and myeloid dendritic cells all efficiently bound Spike protein. Exposure to the Spike protein enhanced neutrophil NETosis and augmented human macrophage TNF-α and IL-6 production. Human and murine immune cells employed C-type lectin receptors and Siglecs to help capture the Spike protein. This study highlights the potential toxicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein for mammalian cells and illustrates the central role for alveolar macrophage in pathogenic protein uptake.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung Park
- B-cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Il-Young Hwang
- B-cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Serena Li-Sue Yan
- B-cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
| | - Sinmanus Vimonpatranon
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Retrovirology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences – United States Component, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Danlan Wei
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Don Van Ryk
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Alexandre Girard
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Claudia Cicala
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - James Arthos
- Immunopathogenesis Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - John H. Kehrl
- B-cell Molecular Immunology Section, Laboratory of Immunoregulation, National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892
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Bamberger C, Pankow S, Martínez-Bartolomé S, Diedrich JK, Park RSK, Yates JR. Analysis of the Tropism of SARS-CoV-2 Based on the Host Interactome of the Spike Protein. J Proteome Res 2023; 22:3742-3753. [PMID: 37939376 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.3c00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
The β-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (COVID-19) in humans. It enters and infects epithelial airway cells upon binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the virus entry protein spike to the host receptor protein Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Here, we used coimmunoprecipitation coupled with bottom-up mass spectrometry to identify host proteins that engaged with the spike protein in human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBEo-). We found that the spike protein bound to extracellular laminin and thrombospondin and endoplasmatic reticulum (ER)-resident DJB11 and FBX2 proteins. The ER-resident proteins UGGT1, CALX, HSP7A, and GRP78/BiP bound preferentially to the original Wuhan D614 over the mutated G614 spike protein in the more rapidly spreading Alpha SARS-CoV-2 strain. The increase in protein binding to the D614 spike might be explained by higher accessibility of cryptic sites in "RDB open" and "S2 only" D614 spike protein conformations and may enable SARS-CoV-2 to infect additional, ACE2-negative cell types. Moreover, a novel proteome-based cell type set enrichment analysis (pCtSEA) found that host factors like laminin might render additional cell types such as macrophages and epithelial cells in the nephron permissive to SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casimir Bamberger
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Sandra Pankow
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Salvador Martínez-Bartolomé
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Robin S K Park
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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44
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de Souza AS, de Souza RF, Guzzo CR. Cooperative and structural relationships of the trimeric Spike with infectivity and antibody escape of the strains Delta (B.1.617.2) and Omicron (BA.2, BA.5, and BQ.1). J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:585-606. [PMID: 37792106 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Herein, we conducted simulations of trimeric Spike from several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (Delta and Omicron sub-variants BA.2, BA.5, and BQ.1) and investigated the mechanisms by which specific mutations confer resistance to neutralizing antibodies. We observed that the mutations primarily affect the cooperation between protein domains within and between protomers. The substitutions K417N and L452R expand hydrogen bonding interactions, reducing their interaction with neutralizing antibodies. By interacting with nearby residues, the K444T and N460K mutations in the SpikeBQ.1 variant potentially reduces solvent exposure, thereby promoting resistance to antibodies. We also examined the impact of D614G, P681R, and P681H substitutions on Spike protein structure that may be related to infectivity. The D614G substitution influences communication between a glycine residue and neighboring domains, affecting the transition between up- and -down RBD states. The P681R mutation, found in the Delta variant, enhances correlations between protein subunits, while the P681H mutation in Omicron sub-variants weakens long-range interactions that may be associated with reduced fusogenicity. Using a multiple linear regression model, we established a connection between inter-protomer communication and loss of sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. Our findings underscore the importance of structural communication between protein domains and provide insights into potential mechanisms of immune evasion by SARS-CoV-2. Overall, this study deepens our understanding of how specific mutations impact SARS-CoV-2 infectivity and shed light on how the virus evades the immune system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anacleto Silva de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, Sao Paulo, SP, 5508-900, Brazil.
| | - Robson Francisco de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, Sao Paulo, SP, 5508-900, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 1374, Cidade Universitária, Sao Paulo, SP, 5508-900, Brazil.
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45
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Alruwaili M, Armstrong S, Prince T, Erdmann M, Matthews DA, Luu L, Davidson A, Aljabr W, Hiscox JA. SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 associates with TRiC and the P323L substitution acts as a host adaption. J Virol 2023; 97:e0042423. [PMID: 37929963 PMCID: PMC10688337 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00424-23] [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: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 has caused a worldwide health and economic crisis. During the course of the pandemic, genetic changes occurred in the virus, which have resulted in new properties of the virus-particularly around gains in transmission and the ability to partially evade either natural or vaccine-acquired immunity. Some of these viruses have been labeled Variants of Concern (VoCs). At the root of all VoCs are two mutations, one in the viral spike protein that has been very well characterized and the other in the virus polymerase (NSP12). This is the viral protein responsible for replicating the genome. We show that NSP12 associates with host cell proteins that act as a scaffold to facilitate the function of this protein. Furthermore, we found that different variants of NSP12 interact with host cell proteins in subtle and different ways, which affect function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhannad Alruwaili
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Northern Border University, Arar City, Saudi Arabia
| | - Stuart Armstrong
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Tessa Prince
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Maximillian Erdmann
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - David A. Matthews
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Luu
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew Davidson
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | - Julian A. Hiscox
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Laboratories (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore
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46
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Wu Y, Shi J, He X, Lu J, Gao X, Zhu X, Chen X, Zhang M, Fang L, Zhang J, Yuan Z, Xiao G, Zhou P, Pan X. Protection of the receptor binding domain (RBD) dimer against SARS-CoV-2 and its variants. J Virol 2023; 97:e0127923. [PMID: 37843372 PMCID: PMC10688353 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01279-23] [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: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants achieved immune escape and became less virulent and easily transmissible through rapid mutation in the spike protein, thus the efficacy of vaccines on the market or in development continues to be challenged. Updating the vaccine, exploring compromise vaccination strategies, and evaluating the efficacy of candidate vaccines for the emerging variants in a timely manner are important to combat complex and volatile SARS-CoV-2. This study reports that vaccines prepared from the dimeric receptor-binding domain (RBD) recombinant protein, which can be quickly produced using a mature and stable process platform, had both good immunogenicity and protection in vivo and could completely protect rodents from lethal challenge by SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, including the emerging Omicron XBB.1.16, highlighting the value of dimeric recombinant vaccines in the post-COVID-19 era.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jian Shi
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Xiaoxue He
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Jia Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuerui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Xinlan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Man Zhang
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | | | - Jing Zhang
- Wuhan YZY Biopharma Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China
| | - Zhiming Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | | | - Xiaoyan Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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47
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Geng Q, Wan Y, Hsueh FC, Shang J, Ye G, Bu F, Herbst M, Wilkens R, Liu B, Li F. Lys417 acts as a molecular switch that regulates the conformation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. eLife 2023; 12:e74060. [PMID: 37991488 PMCID: PMC10695562 DOI: 10.7554/elife.74060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 spike protein plays a key role in mediating viral entry and inducing host immune responses. It can adopt either an open or closed conformation based on the position of its receptor-binding domain (RBD). It is yet unclear what causes these conformational changes or how they influence the spike's functions. Here, we show that Lys417 in the RBD plays dual roles in the spike's structure: it stabilizes the closed conformation of the trimeric spike by mediating inter-spike-subunit interactions; it also directly interacts with ACE2 receptor. Hence, a K417V mutation has opposing effects on the spike's function: it opens up the spike for better ACE2 binding while weakening the RBD's direct binding to ACE2. The net outcomes of this mutation are to allow the spike to bind ACE2 with higher probability and mediate viral entry more efficiently, but become more exposed to neutralizing antibodies. Given that residue 417 has been a viral mutational hotspot, SARS-CoV-2 may have been evolving to strike a balance between infection potency and immune evasion, contributing to its pandemic spread.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qibin Geng
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Yushun Wan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Fu-Chun Hsueh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Jian Shang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Gang Ye
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Fan Bu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Morgan Herbst
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Rowan Wilkens
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
| | - Bin Liu
- Hormel Institute, University of MinnesotaAustinUnited States
| | - Fang Li
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical SchoolMinneapolisUnited States
- Center for Coronavirus Research, University of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
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48
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Wall SC, Suryadevara N, Kim C, Shiakolas AR, Holt CM, Irbe EB, Wasdin PT, Suresh YP, Binshtein E, Chen EC, Zost SJ, Canfield E, Crowe JE, Thompson-Arildsen MA, Sheward DJ, Carnahan RH, Georgiev IS. SARS-CoV-2 antibodies from children exhibit broad neutralization and belong to adult public clonotypes. Cell Rep Med 2023; 4:101267. [PMID: 37935199 PMCID: PMC10694659 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2023.101267] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, children have exhibited different susceptibility to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, reinfection, and disease compared with adults. Motivated by the established significance of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies in adults, here we characterize SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody repertoires in a young cohort of individuals aged from 5 months to 18 years old. Our results show that neutralizing antibodies in children possess similar genetic features compared to antibodies identified in adults, with multiple antibodies from children belonging to previously established public antibody clonotypes in adults. Notably, antibodies from children show potent neutralization of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants that have cumulatively resulted in resistance to virtually all approved monoclonal antibody therapeutics. Our results show that children can rely on similar SARS-CoV-2 antibody neutralization mechanisms compared to adults and are an underutilized source for the discovery of effective antibody therapeutics to counteract the ever-evolving pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven C Wall
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Changil Kim
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andrea R Shiakolas
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Clinton M Holt
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Emma B Irbe
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Perry T Wasdin
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Program in Chemical and Physical Biology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Yukthi P Suresh
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Elad Binshtein
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Elaine C Chen
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Seth J Zost
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Elizabeth Canfield
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - James E Crowe
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Mary Ann Thompson-Arildsen
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Daniel J Sheward
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, 171 65 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robert H Carnahan
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Ivelin S Georgiev
- Vanderbilt Vaccine Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA; Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Vanderbilt Institute for Infection, Immunology, and Inflammation, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA; Department of Computer Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA; Program in Computational Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
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49
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Evans JP, Liu SL. Challenges and Prospects in Developing Future SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: Overcoming Original Antigenic Sin and Inducing Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2023; 211:1459-1467. [PMID: 37931210 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.2300315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/08/2023]
Abstract
The impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic led to the development of several effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. However, waning vaccine efficacy as well as the antigenic drift of SARS-CoV-2 variants has diminished vaccine efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 infection and may threaten public health. Increasing interest has been given to the development of a next generation of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines with increased breadth and effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this Brief Review, we discuss recent work on the development of these next-generation vaccines and on the nature of the immune response to SARS-CoV-2. We examine recent work to develop pan-coronavirus vaccines as well as to develop mucosal vaccines. We further discuss challenges associated with the development of novel vaccines including the need to overcome "original antigenic sin" and highlight areas requiring further investigation. We place this work in the context of SARS-CoV-2 evolution to inform how the implementation of future vaccine platforms may impact human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- John P Evans
- Center for Retrovirus Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Shan-Lu Liu
- Center for Retrovirus Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Viruses and Emerging Pathogens Program, Infectious Diseases Institute, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
- Department of Microbial Infection and Immunity, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
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50
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Ren R, Cai S, Fang X, Wang X, Zhang Z, Damiani M, Hudlerova C, Rosa A, Hope J, Cook NJ, Gorelkin P, Erofeev A, Novak P, Badhan A, Crone M, Freemont P, Taylor GP, Tang L, Edwards C, Shevchuk A, Cherepanov P, Luo Z, Tan W, Korchev Y, Ivanov AP, Edel JB. Multiplexed detection of viral antigen and RNA using nanopore sensing and encoded molecular probes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:7362. [PMID: 37963924 PMCID: PMC10646045 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43004-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
We report on single-molecule nanopore sensing combined with position-encoded DNA molecular probes, with chemistry tuned to simultaneously identify various antigen proteins and multiple RNA gene fragments of SARS-CoV-2 with high sensitivity and selectivity. We show that this sensing strategy can directly detect spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins in unprocessed human saliva. Moreover, our approach enables the identification of RNA fragments from patient samples using nasal/throat swabs, enabling the identification of critical mutations such as D614G, G446S, or Y144del among viral variants. In particular, it can detect and discriminate between SARS-CoV-2 lineages of wild-type B.1.1.7 (Alpha), B.1.617.2 (Delta), and B.1.1.539 (Omicron) within a single measurement without the need for nucleic acid sequencing. The sensing strategy of the molecular probes is easily adaptable to other viral targets and diseases and can be expanded depending on the application required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ren Ren
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Shenglin Cai
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Lensfield Road, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, UK.
| | - Xiaona Fang
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Aptamer Selection Center, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoyi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Zheng Zhang
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Aptamer Selection Center, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Micol Damiani
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Charlotte Hudlerova
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Annachiara Rosa
- The Chromatin Structure and Mobile DNA Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Wolfson Education Centre, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Joshua Hope
- The Chromatin Structure and Mobile DNA Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Nicola J Cook
- The Chromatin Structure and Mobile DNA Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Peter Gorelkin
- National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Leninskiy Prospect 4, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexander Erofeev
- National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Leninskiy Prospect 4, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Pavel Novak
- ICAPPIC Limited, The Fisheries, Mentmore Terrace, London, E8 3PN, UK
| | - Anjna Badhan
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Section of Virology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Michael Crone
- Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Paul Freemont
- Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Graham P Taylor
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Section of Virology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Longhua Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Modern Optical Instrumentation, College of Optical Science and Engineering, International Research Center for Advanced Photonics, Zhejiang University, 310027, Hangzhou, China
| | - Christopher Edwards
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- ICAPPIC Limited, The Fisheries, Mentmore Terrace, London, E8 3PN, UK
| | - Andrew Shevchuk
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
| | - Peter Cherepanov
- The Chromatin Structure and Mobile DNA Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, Section of Virology, Department of Infectious Disease, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Zhaofeng Luo
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Aptamer Selection Center, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Weihong Tan
- The Key Laboratory of Zhejiang Province for Aptamers and Theranostics, Aptamer Selection Center, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, 310022, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Yuri Korchev
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Campus, Du Cane Road, London, W12 0NN, UK
- Nano Life Science Institute (WPI-NanoLSI), Kanazawa University, Kakuma-machi, Kanazawa, 920-1192, Japan
| | - Aleksandar P Ivanov
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
| | - Joshua B Edel
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, 82 Wood Lane, London, W12 0BZ, UK.
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