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Zhao Z, Li X, Chai Y, Liu Z, Wang Q, Gao GF. Molecular basis for receptor recognition and broad host tropism for merbecovirus MjHKU4r-CoV-1. EMBO Rep 2024:10.1038/s44319-024-00169-8. [PMID: 38877169 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-024-00169-8] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
A novel pangolin-origin MERS-like coronavirus (CoV), MjHKU4r-CoV-1, was recently identified. It is closely related to bat HKU4-CoV, and is infectious in human organs and transgenic mice. MjHKU4r-CoV-1 uses the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4 or CD26) receptor for virus entry and has a broad host tropism. However, the molecular mechanism of its receptor binding and determinants of host range are not yet clear. Herein, we determine the structure of the MjHKU4r-CoV-1 spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) complexed with human CD26 (hCD26) to reveal the basis for its receptor binding. Measuring binding capacity toward multiple animal receptors for MjHKU4r-CoV-1, mutagenesis analyses, and homology modeling highlight that residue sites 291, 292, 294, 295, 336, and 344 of CD26 are the crucial host range determinants for MjHKU4r-CoV-1. These results broaden our understanding of this potentially high-risk virus and will help us prepare for possible outbreaks in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhennan Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xin Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Yan Chai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Zhifeng Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, 030801, China
| | - Qihui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, 030801, China.
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2
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Chen J, Sun J, Xu Z, Li L, Kang X, Luo C, Wang Q, Guo X, Li Y, Liu K, Wu Y. The binding and structural basis of fox ACE2 to RBDs from different sarbecoviruses. Virol Sin 2024:S1995-820X(24)00083-X. [PMID: 38866203 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2024.06.004] [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: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Foxes are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory settings, and there have also been reports of natural infections of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 in foxes. In this study, we assessed the binding capacities of fox ACE2 to important sarbecoviruses, including SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and animal-origin SARS-CoV-2 related viruses. Our findings demonstrated that fox ACE2 exhibits broad binding capabilities to receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of sarbecoviruses. We further determined the cryo-EM structures of fox ACE2 complexed with RBDs of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT), and Omicron BF.7. Through structural analysis, we identified that the K417 mutation can weaken the ability of SARS-CoV-2 sub-variants to bind to fox ACE2, thereby reducing the susceptibility of foxes to SARS-CoV-2 sub-variants. In addition, the Y498 residue in the SARS-CoV RBD plays a crucial role in forming a vital cation-π interaction with K353 in the fox ACE2 receptor. This interaction is the primary determinant for the higher affinity of the SARS-CoV RBD compared to that of the SARS-CoV-2 PT RBD. These results indicate that foxes serve as potential hosts for numerous sarbecoviruses, highlighting the critical importance of surveillance efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junsen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Junqing Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102209, China
| | - Zepeng Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, 999078, China
| | - Linjie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Xinrui Kang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chunliang Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xueyang Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yan Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102209, China.
| | - Ying Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School (School of Basic Medical Sciences), Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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3
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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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4
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Li W, Xu Z, Niu T, Xie Y, Zhao Z, Li D, He Q, Sun W, Shi K, Guo W, Chang Z, Liu K, Fan Z, Qi J, Gao GF. Key mechanistic features of the trade-off between antibody escape and host cell binding in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant spike proteins. EMBO J 2024; 43:1484-1498. [PMID: 38467833 PMCID: PMC11021471 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00062-z] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Since SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged, it is constantly evolving into multiple sub-variants, including BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB, XBB.1.5 and the recently emerged BA.2.86 and JN.1. Receptor binding and immune evasion are recognized as two major drivers for evolution of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. However, the underlying mechanism of interplay between two factors remains incompletely understood. Herein, we determined the structures of human ACE2 complexed with BF.7, BQ.1, BQ.1.1, XBB and XBB.1.5 RBDs. Based on the ACE2/RBD structures of these sub-variants and a comparison with the known complex structures, we found that R346T substitution in the RBD enhanced ACE2 binding upon an interaction with the residue R493, but not Q493, via a mechanism involving long-range conformation changes. Furthermore, we found that R493Q and F486V exert a balanced impact, through which immune evasion capability was somewhat compromised to achieve an optimal receptor binding. We propose a "two-steps-forward and one-step-backward" model to describe such a compromise between receptor binding affinity and immune evasion during RBD evolution of Omicron sub-variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiwei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zepeng Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Tianhui Niu
- Air Force Medical University, Air Force Medical center, PLA, Beijing, China
| | - Yufeng Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhennan Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Dedong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Qingwen He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wenqiao Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Kaiyuan Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Wenjing Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Chang
- Department of Pathogen Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China
| | - Zheng Fan
- Institutional Core Facility, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
| | - Jianxun Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - George F Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing, China.
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5
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Winiger RR, Perez L. Therapeutic antibodies and alternative formats against SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2024; 223:105820. [PMID: 38307147 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105820] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) heavily burdened the entire world. Despite a prompt generation of vaccines and therapeutics to confront infection, the virus remains a threat. The ancestor viral strain has evolved into several variants of concern, with the Omicron variant now having many distinct sublineages. Consequently, most available antibodies targeting the spike went obsolete and thus new therapies or therapeutic formats are needed. In this review we focus on antibody targets, provide an overview of the therapeutic progress made so far, describe novel formats being explored, and lessons learned from therapeutic antibodies that can enhance pandemic preparedness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahel R Winiger
- University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Service of Immunology and Allergy, and Center for Human Immunology Lausanne (CHIL), Switzerland.
| | - Laurent Perez
- University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), Service of Immunology and Allergy, and Center for Human Immunology Lausanne (CHIL), Switzerland.
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Shi K, Li L, Luo C, Xu Z, Huang B, Ma S, Liu K, Yu G, Gao GF. Structural basis of increased binding affinities of spikes from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants to rabbit and hare ACE2s reveals the expanding host tendency. mBio 2024; 15:e0298823. [PMID: 38112468 PMCID: PMC10870819 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02988-23] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The potential host range of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been expanding alongside its evolution during the pandemic, with rabbits and hares being considered important potential hosts, supported by a report of rabbit sero-prevalence in nature. We measured the binding affinities of rabbit and hare angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with receptor-binding domains (RBDs) from SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and its variants and found that rabbit and hare ACE2s had broad variant tropism, with significantly enhanced affinities to Omicron BA.4/5 and its subsequent-emerged sub-variants (>10 fold). The structures of rabbit ACE2 complexed with either SARS-CoV-2 prototype (PT) or Omicron BA.4/5 spike (S) proteins were determined, thereby unveiling the importance of rabbit ACE2 Q34 in RBD-interaction and elucidating the molecular basis of the enhanced binding with Omicron BA.4/5 RBD. These results address the highly enhanced risk of rabbits infecting SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sub-variants and the importance of constant surveillance.IMPORTANCEThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has swept the globe and caused immense health and economic damage. SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated a broad host range, indicating a high risk of interspecies transmission and adaptive mutation. Therefore, constant monitoring for potential hosts is of immense importance. In this study, we found that Omicron BA.4/5 and subsequent-emerged sub-variants exhibited enhanced binding to both rabbit and hare angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and we elucidated the structural mechanism of their recognition. From the structure, we found that Q34, a unique residue of rabbit ACE2 compared to other ACE2 orthologs, plays an important role in ACE2 recognition. These results address the probability of rabbits/hares being potential hosts of SARS-CoV-2 and broaden our knowledge regarding the molecular mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 interspecies transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Shi
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plants in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Linjie Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chunliang Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Jinzhong, China
| | - Zepeng Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Baihan Huang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Sufang Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Kefang Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Guanghui Yu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory for Protection and Application of Special Plants in Wuling Area of China, College of Life Sciences, South-Central Minzu University, Wuhan, China
| | - George F. Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogen Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Yousefbeigi S, Marsusi F. Structural insights into ACE2 interactions and immune activation of SARS-CoV-2 and its variants: an in-silico study. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37982275 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2283158] [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: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
The initial interaction between COVID-19 and the human body involves the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Likewise, the spike protein can engage with immune-related proteins, such as toll-like receptors (TLRs) and pulmonary surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D), thereby triggering immune responses. In this study, we utilize computational methods to investigate the interactions between the spike protein and TLRs (specifically TLR2 and TLR4), as well as (SP-A) and (SP-D). The study is conducted on four variants of concern (VOC) to differentiate and identify common virus behaviours. An assessment of the structural stability of various variants indicates slight changes attributed to mutations, yet overall structural integrity remains preserved. Our findings reveal the spike protein's ability to bind with TLR4 and TLR2, prompting immune activation. In addition, our in-silico results reveal almost similar docking scores and therefore affinity for both ACE2-spike and TLR4-spike complexes. We demonstrate that even minor changes due to mutations in all variants, surfactant A and D proteins can function as inhibitors against the spike in all variants, hindering the ACE2-RBD interaction.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarina Yousefbeigi
- Department of Physics and Energy Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farah Marsusi
- Department of Physics and Energy Engineering, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
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Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Xiao S, Tao P, Verkhivker G. Comparative Analysis of Conformational Dynamics and Systematic Characterization of Cryptic Pockets in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 Spike Complexes with the ACE2 Host Receptor: Confluence of Binding and Structural Plasticity in Mediating Networks of Conserved Allosteric Sites. Viruses 2023; 15:2073. [PMID: 37896850 PMCID: PMC10612107 DOI: 10.3390/v15102073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In the current study, we explore coarse-grained simulations and atomistic molecular dynamics together with binding energetics scanning and cryptic pocket detection in a comparative examination of conformational landscapes and systematic characterization of allosteric binding sites in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 spike full-length trimer complexes with the host receptor ACE2. Microsecond simulations, Markov state models and mutational scanning of binding energies of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 and BA.2.75 receptor binding domain complexes revealed the increased thermodynamic stabilization of the BA.2.75 variant and significant dynamic differences between these Omicron variants. Molecular simulations of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike full-length trimer complexes with the ACE2 receptor complemented atomistic studies and enabled an in-depth analysis of mutational and binding effects on conformational dynamic and functional adaptability of the Omicron variants. Despite considerable structural similarities, Omicron variants BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 can induce unique conformational dynamic signatures and specific distributions of the conformational states. Using conformational ensembles of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike trimer complexes with ACE2, we conducted a comprehensive cryptic pocket screening to examine the role of Omicron mutations and ACE2 binding on the distribution and functional mechanisms of the emerging allosteric binding sites. This analysis captured all experimentally known allosteric sites and discovered networks of inter-connected and functionally relevant allosteric sites that are governed by variant-sensitive conformational adaptability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike structures. The results detailed how ACE2 binding and Omicron mutations in the BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 spike complexes modulate the distribution of conserved and druggable allosteric pockets harboring functionally important regions. The results are significant for understanding the functional roles of druggable cryptic pockets that can be used for allostery-mediated therapeutic intervention targeting conformational states of the Omicron variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Alshahrani
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (M.A.); (G.G.)
| | - Grace Gupta
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (M.A.); (G.G.)
| | - Sian Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA; (S.X.); (P.T.)
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75275, USA; (S.X.); (P.T.)
| | - Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (M.A.); (G.G.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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Alshahrani M, Gupta G, Xiao S, Tao P, Verkhivker G. Examining Functional Linkages Between Conformational Dynamics, Protein Stability and Evolution of Cryptic Binding Pockets in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Complexes with the ACE2 Host Receptor: Recombinant Omicron Variants Mediate Variability of Conserved Allosteric Sites and Binding Epitopes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.11.557205. [PMID: 37745525 PMCID: PMC10515794 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.11.557205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
In the current study, we explore coarse-grained simulations and atomistic molecular dynamics together with binding energetics scanning and cryptic pocket detection in a comparative examination of conformational landscapes and systematic characterization of allosteric binding sites in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 spike full-length trimer complexes with the host receptor ACE2. Microsecond simulations, Markov state models and mutational scanning of binding energies of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2 and BA.2.75 receptor binding domain complexes revealed the increased thermodynamic stabilization of the BA.2.75 variant and significant dynamic differences between these Omicron variants. Molecular simulations of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike full length trimer complexes with the ACE2 receptor complemented atomistic studies and enabled an in-depth analysis of mutational and binding effects on conformational dynamic and functional adaptability of the Omicron variants. Despite considerable structural similarities, Omicron variants BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 can induce unique conformational dynamic signatures and specific distributions of the conformational states. Using conformational ensembles of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike trimer complexes with ACE2, we conducted a comprehensive cryptic pocket screening to examine the role of Omicron mutations and ACE2 binding on the distribution and functional mechanisms of the emerging allosteric binding sites. This analysis captured all experimentally known allosteric sites and discovered networks of inter-connected and functionally relevant allosteric sites that are governed by variant-sensitive conformational adaptability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike structures. The results detailed how ACE2 binding and Omicron mutations in the BA.2, BA.2.75 and XBB.1 spike complexes modulate the distribution of conserved and druggable allosteric pockets harboring functionally important regions. The results of are significant for understanding functional roles of druggable cryptic pockets that can be used for allostery-mediated therapeutic intervention targeting conformational states of the Omicron variants.
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