1
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Merten EM, Sears JD, Leisner TM, Hardy PB, Ghoshal A, Hossain MA, Asressu KH, Brown PJ, Tse EG, Stashko MA, Li K, Norris-Drouin JL, Herring LE, Mordant AL, Webb TS, Mills CA, Barker NK, Streblow ZJ, Perveen S, Arrowsmith CH, Couñago RM, Arnold JJ, Cameron CE, Streblow DN, Moorman NJ, Heise MT, Willson TM, Popov KI, Pearce KH. Identification of a cell-active chikungunya virus nsP2 protease inhibitor using a covalent fragment-based screening approach. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2409166121. [PMID: 39388272 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2409166121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 09/09/2024] [Indexed: 10/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that has been responsible for numerous large-scale outbreaks in the last twenty years. Currently, there are no FDA-approved therapeutics for any alphavirus infection. CHIKV nonstructural protein 2 (nsP2), which contains a cysteine protease domain, is essential for viral replication, making it an attractive target for a drug discovery campaign. Here, we optimized a CHIKV nsP2 protease (nsP2pro) biochemical assay for the screening of a 6,120-compound cysteine-directed covalent fragment library. Using a 50% inhibition threshold, we identified 153 hits (2.5% hit rate). In dose-response follow-up, RA-0002034, a covalent fragment that contains a vinyl sulfone warhead, inhibited CHIKV nsP2pro with an IC50 of 58 ± 17 nM, and further analysis with time-dependent inhibition studies yielded a kinact /KI of 6.4 × 103 M-1s-1. LC-MS/MS analysis determined that RA-0002034 covalently modified the catalytic cysteine in a site-specific manner. Additionally, RA-0002034 showed no significant off-target reactivity in proteomic experiments or against a panel of cysteine proteases. In addition to the potent biochemical inhibition of CHIKV nsP2pro activity and exceptional selectivity, RA-0002034 was tested in cellular models of alphavirus infection and effectively inhibited viral replication of both CHIKV and related alphaviruses. This study highlights the identification and characterization of the chemical probe RA-0002034 as a promising hit compound from covalent fragment-based screening for development toward a CHIKV or pan-alphavirus therapeutic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric M Merten
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - John D Sears
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Tina M Leisner
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - P Brian Hardy
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Anirban Ghoshal
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Mohammad Anwar Hossain
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Kesatebrhan Haile Asressu
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Peter J Brown
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Edwin G Tse
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Michael A Stashko
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Kelin Li
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Jacqueline L Norris-Drouin
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Laura E Herring
- Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Angie L Mordant
- Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Thomas S Webb
- Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Christine A Mills
- Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Natalie K Barker
- Proteomics Core Facility, Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Zachary J Streblow
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006
| | - Sumera Perveen
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Rafael Miguez Couñago
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Center of Medicinal Chemistry, Center for Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP 13083-886, Brazil
| | - Jamie J Arnold
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Craig E Cameron
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Daniel N Streblow
- Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, OR 97006
| | - Nathaniel J Moorman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Mark T Heise
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Timothy M Willson
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Konstantin I Popov
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Kenneth H Pearce
- Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Molecular Therapeutics Research Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
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2
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Menard BS, Benidickson KH, Raytek LM, Snedden WA, Plaxton WC. Heterologous expression and purification of glutamate decarboxylase-1 from the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana: Characterization of the enzyme's in vitro truncation by thiol endopeptidase activity. Protein Expr Purif 2024; 226:106612. [PMID: 39343154 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2024.106612] [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: 07/17/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/24/2024] [Indexed: 10/01/2024]
Abstract
Plant glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) is a Ca2+-calmodulin (CaM) activated enzyme that produces γ-aminobutyrate (GABA) as the first committed step of the GABA shunt. Our prior research established that in vivo phosphorylation of AtGAD1 (AT5G17330) occurs at multiple N-terminal serine residues following Pi resupply to Pi-starved cell cultures of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The aim of the current investigation was to purify recombinant AtGAD1 (rAtGAD1) following its expression in Escherichia coli to facilitate studies of the impact of phosphorylation on its kinetic properties. However, in vitro proteolytic truncation of an approximate 5 kDa polypeptide from the C-terminus of 59 kDa rAtGAD1 subunits occurred during purification. Immunoblotting demonstrated that most protease inhibitors or cocktails that we tested were ineffective in suppressing this partial rAtGAD1 proteolysis. Although the thiol modifiers N-ethylmaleimide or 2,2-dipyridyl disulfide negated rAtGAD1 proteolysis, they also abolished its GAD activity. This indicates that an essential -SH group is needed for catalysis, and that rAtGAD1 is susceptible to partial degradation either by an E. coli cysteine endopeptidase, or possibly via autoproteolytic activity. The inclusion of exogenous Ca2+/CaM facilitated the purification of non-proteolyzed rAtGAD1 to a specific activity of 27 (μmol GABA produced/mg) at optimal pH 5.8, while exhibiting an approximate 3-fold activation by Ca2+/CaM at pH 7.3. By contrast, the purified partially proteolyzed rAtGAD1 was >40 % less active at both pH values, and only activated 2-fold by Ca2+/CaM at pH 7.3. These results emphasize the need to diagnose and prevent partial proteolysis before conducting kinetic studies of purified regulatory enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lee Marie Raytek
- Dept. of Plant Sciences, McGill Univ., Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Wayne A Snedden
- Dept. of Biology, Queen's Univ., Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - William C Plaxton
- Dept. of Biology, Queen's Univ., Kingston, Ontario, K7L 3N6, Canada.
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3
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Aschenbrenner JC, de Godoy AS, Fairhead M, Tomlinson CW, Winokan M, Balcomb BH, Capkin E, Chandran AV, Golding M, Koekemoer L, Lithgo RM, Marples PG, Ni X, Thompson W, Wild C, Xavier MAE, Fearon D, von Delft F. Identifying novel chemical matter against the Chikungunya virus nsP3 macrodomain through crystallographic fragment screening. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.23.609196. [PMID: 39229067 PMCID: PMC11370605 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.23.609196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes severe fever, rash and debilitating joint pain that can last for months1,2or even years. Millions of people have been infected with CHIKV, mostly in low and middle-income countries, and the virus continues to spread into new areas due to the geographical expansion of its mosquito hosts. Its genome encodes a macrodomain, which functions as an ADP-ribosyl hydrolase, removing ADPr from viral and host-cell proteins interfering with the innate immune response. Mutational studies have shown that the CHIKV nsP3 macrodomain is necessary for viral replication, making it a potential target for the development of antiviral therapeutics. We, therefore, performed a high-throughput crystallographic fragment screen against the CHIKV nsP3 macrodomain, yielding 109 fragment hits covering the ADPr-binding site and two adjacent subsites that are absent in the homologous macrodomain of SARS-CoV-2 but may be present in other alphaviruses, such as Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus (VEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV). Finally, a subset of overlapping fragments was used to manually design three fragment merges covering the adenine and oxyanion subsites. The rich dataset of chemical matter and structural information discovered from this fragment screen is publicly available and can be used as a starting point for developing a CHIKV nsP3 macrodomain inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmin C. Aschenbrenner
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | | | - Michael Fairhead
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Charles W.E. Tomlinson
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Max Winokan
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Blake H. Balcomb
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Eda Capkin
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Anu V. Chandran
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Mathew Golding
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Lizbe Koekemoer
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan M. Lithgo
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Peter G. Marples
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaomin Ni
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Warren Thompson
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Conor Wild
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Mary-Ann E. Xavier
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Daren Fearon
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
| | - Frank von Delft
- Diamond Light Source, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science & Innovation Campus, Didcot, United Kingdom
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, South Africa
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Davuluri KS, Shukla S, Kakade M, Cherian S, Alagarasu K, Parashar D. Explorations on the antiviral potential of zinc and magnesium salts against chikungunya virus: implications for therapeutics. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1335189. [PMID: 38895735 PMCID: PMC11183322 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1335189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), which causes chikungunya fever, is an arbovirus of public health concern with no approved antiviral therapies. A significant proportion of patients develop chronic arthritis after an infection. Zinc and magnesium salts help the immune system respond effectively against viral infections. This study explored the antiviral potential of zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, and magnesium sulphate against CHIKV infection. Methods The highest non-toxic concentration of the salts (100 µM) was used to assess the prophylactic, virucidal, and therapeutic anti-CHIKV activities. Dose-dependent antiviral effects were investigated to find out the 50% inhibitory concentration of the salts. Entry bypass assay was conducted to find out whether the salts affect virus entry or post entry stages. Virus output in all these experiments was estimated using a focus-forming unit assay, real-time RT-PCR, and immunofluorescence assay. Results Different time- and temperature-dependent assays revealed the therapeutic antiviral activity of zinc and magnesium salts against CHIKV. A minimum exposure of 4 hours and treatment initiation within 1 to 2 hours of infection are required for inhibition of CHIKV. Entry assays revealed that zinc salt affected virus-entry. Entry bypass assays suggested that both salts affected post-entry stages of CHIKV. In infected C57BL6 mice orally fed with zinc and magnesium salts, a reduction in viral RNA copy number was observed. Conclusion The study results suggest zinc salts exert anti-CHIKV activity at entry and post entry stages of the virus life cycle, while magnesium salt affect CHIKV at post entry stages. Overall, the study highlights the significant antiviral potential of zinc sulphate, zinc acetate, and magnesium sulphate against CHIKV, which can be exploited in designing potential therapeutic strategies for early treatment of chikungunya patients, thereby reducing the virus-associated persistent arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusuma Sai Davuluri
- Dengue and Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
| | - Shridhar Shukla
- Dengue and Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
| | - Mahadeo Kakade
- Dengue and Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
| | - Sarah Cherian
- Bioinformatics Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Kalichamy Alagarasu
- Dengue and Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
| | - Deepti Parashar
- Dengue and Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, Pune, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India
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5
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Merten EM, Sears JD, Leisner TM, Hardy PB, Ghoshal A, Hossain MA, Asressu KH, Brown PJ, Stashko MA, Herring L, Mordant AL, Webb TS, Mills CA, Barker NK, Streblow ZJ, Perveen S, Arrowsmith C, Arnold JJ, Cameron CE, Streblow DN, Moorman NJ, Heise M, Willson TM, Popov K, Pearce KH. Discovery of a cell-active chikungunya virus nsP2 protease inhibitor using a covalent fragment-based screening approach. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.22.586341. [PMID: 38562906 PMCID: PMC10983941 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.22.586341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus that has been responsible for numerous large-scale outbreaks in the last twenty years. Currently, there are no FDA-approved therapeutics for any alphavirus infection. CHIKV non-structural protein 2 (nsP2), which contains a cysteine protease domain, is essential for viral replication, making it an attractive target for a drug discovery campaign. Here, we optimized a CHIKV nsP2 protease (nsP2pro) biochemical assay for the screening of a 6,120-compound cysteine-directed covalent fragment library. Using a 50% inhibition threshold, we identified 153 hits (2.5% hit rate). In dose-response follow up, RA-0002034, a covalent fragment that contains a vinyl sulfone warhead, inhibited CHIKV nsP2pro with an IC 50 of 58 ± 17 nM, and further analysis with time-dependent inhibition studies yielded a k inact /K I of 6.4 x 10 3 M -1 s -1 . LC-MS/MS analysis determined that RA-0002034 covalently modified the catalytic cysteine in a site-specific manner. Additionally, RA-0002034 showed no significant off-target reactivity against a panel of cysteine proteases. In addition to the potent biochemical inhibition of CHIKV nsP2pro activity and exceptional selectivity, RA-0002034 was tested in cellular models of alphavirus infection and effectively inhibited viral replication of both CHIKV and related alphaviruses. This study highlights the discovery and characterization of the chemical probe RA-0002034 as a promising hit compound from covalent fragment-based screening for development toward a CHIKV or pan-alphavirus therapeutic. Significance Statement Chikungunya virus is one of the most prominent and widespread alphaviruses and has caused explosive outbreaks of arthritic disease. Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs to treat disease caused by chikungunya virus or any other alphavirus-caused infection. Here, we report the discovery of a covalent small molecule inhibitor of chikungunya virus nsP2 protease activity and viral replication of four diverse alphaviruses. This finding highlights the utility of covalent fragment screening for inhibitor discovery and represents a starting point towards the development of alphavirus therapeutics targeting nsP2 protease.
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6
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Caetano CCS, Azamor T, Meyer NM, Onwubueke C, Calabrese CM, Calabrese LH, Visperas A, Piuzzi NS, Husni ME, Foo SS, Chen W. Mechanistic insights into bone remodelling dysregulation by human viral pathogens. Nat Microbiol 2024; 9:322-335. [PMID: 38316931 PMCID: PMC11045166 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-023-01586-6] [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: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Bone-related diseases (osteopathologies) associated with human virus infections have increased around the globe. Recent findings have highlighted the intricate interplay between viral infection, the host immune system and the bone remodelling process. Viral infections can disrupt bone homeostasis, contributing to conditions such as arthritis and soft tissue calcifications. Osteopathologies can occur after arbovirus infections such as chikungunya virus, dengue virus and Zika virus, as well as respiratory viruses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and enteroviruses such as Coxsackievirus B. Here we explore how human viruses dysregulate bone homeostasis, detailing viral factors, molecular mechanisms, host immune response changes and bone remodelling that ultimately result in osteopathologies. We highlight model systems and technologies to advance mechanistic understanding of viral-mediated bone alterations. Finally, we propose potential prophylactic and therapeutic strategies, introduce 'osteovirology' as a research field highlighting the underestimated roles of viruses in bone-related diseases, and discuss research avenues for further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila C S Caetano
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Tamiris Azamor
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Nikki M Meyer
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Chineme Onwubueke
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Cassandra M Calabrese
- Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Leonard H Calabrese
- Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Anabelle Visperas
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Nicolas S Piuzzi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - M Elaine Husni
- Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Suan-Sin Foo
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
| | - Weiqiang Chen
- Infection Biology Program, Global Center for Pathogen Research and Human Health, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA.
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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7
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Saha A, Acharya BN, Parida M, Saxena N, Rajaiya J, Dash PK. Identification of 2,4-Diaminoquinazoline Derivative as a Potential Small-Molecule Inhibitor against Chikungunya and Ross River Viruses. Viruses 2023; 15:2194. [PMID: 38005871 PMCID: PMC10674894 DOI: 10.3390/v15112194] [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: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses are serious zoonotic threats responsible for significant morbidity, causing arthritis or encephalitis. So far, no licensed drugs or vaccines are available to combat alphaviral infections. About 300,000 chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infections have been reported in 2023, with more than 300 deaths, including reports of a few cases in the USA as well. The discovery and development of small-molecule drugs have been revolutionized over the last decade. Here, we employed a cell-based screening approach using a series of in-house small-molecule libraries to test for their ability to inhibit CHIKV replication. DCR 137, a quinazoline derivative, was found to be the most potent inhibitor of CHIKV replication in our screening assay. Both, the cytopathic effect, and immunofluorescence of infected cells were reduced in a dose-dependent manner with DCR 137 post-treatment. Most importantly, DCR 137 was more protective than the traditional ribavirin drug and reduced CHIKV plaque-forming units by several log units. CHIKV-E2 protein levels were also reduced in a dose-dependent manner. Further, DCR 137 was probed for its antiviral activity against another alphavirus, the Ross River virus, which revealed effective inhibition of viral replication. These results led to the identification of a potential quinazoline candidate for future optimization that might act as a pan-alphavirus inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amrita Saha
- Virology Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India; (A.S.); (M.P.)
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Badri Narayan Acharya
- Synthetic Chemistry Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India;
| | - Manmohan Parida
- Virology Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India; (A.S.); (M.P.)
| | - Nandita Saxena
- Pharmacology & Toxicology Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India;
| | - Jaya Rajaiya
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA;
| | - Paban Kumar Dash
- Virology Division, Defence Research & Development Establishment, Gwalior 474002, India; (A.S.); (M.P.)
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8
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Souza BGD, Choudhary S, Vilela GG, Passos GFS, Costa CACB, Freitas JDD, Coelho GL, Brandão JDA, Anderson L, Bassi ÊJ, Araújo-Júnior JXD, Tomar S, Silva-Júnior EFD. Design, synthesis, antiviral evaluation, and In silico studies of acrylamides targeting nsP2 from Chikungunya virus. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115572. [PMID: 37364511 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115572] [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: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 06/11/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The Togaviridae family comprises several New- and Old-World Alphaviruses that have been responsible for thousands of human illnesses, including the RNA arbovirus Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Firstly, it was reported in Tanzania in 1952 but rapidly it spread to several countries from Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Since then, CHIKV has been circulating in diverse countries around the world, leading to increased morbidity rates. Currently, there are no FDA-approved drugs or licensed vaccines to specifically treat CHIKV infections. Thus, there is a lack of alternatives to fight against this viral disease, making it an unmet need. Structurally, CHIKV is composed of five structural proteins (E3, E2, E1, C, and 6k) and four non-structural proteins (nsP1-4), in which nsP2 represents an attractive antiviral target for designing novel inhibitors since it has an essential role in the virus replication and transcription. Herein, we used a rational drug design strategy to select some acrylamide derivatives to be synthesized and evaluated against CHIKV nsP2 and also screened on CHIKV-infected cells. Thus, two regions of modifications were considered for these types of inhibitors, based on a previous study of our group, generating 1560 possible inhibitors. Then, the 24 most promising ones were synthesized and screened by using a FRET-based enzymatic assay protocol targeting CHIKV nsP2, identifying LQM330, 333, 336, and 338 as the most potent inhibitors, with Ki values of 48.6 ± 2.8, 92.3 ± 1.4, 2.3 ± 1.5, and 181.8 ± 2.5 μM, respectively. Still, their Km and Vmax kinetic parameters were also determined, along with their competitive binding modes of CHIKV nsP2 inhibition. Then, ITC analyses revealed KD values of 127, 159, 198, and 218 μM for LQM330, 333, 336, and 338, respectively. Also, their ΔH, ΔS, and ΔG physicochemical parameters were determined. MD simulations demonstrated that these inhibitors present a stable binding mode with nsP2, interacting with important residues of this protease, according to docking analyzes. Moreover, MM/PBSA calculations displayed that van der Waals interactions are mainly responsible for stabilizing the inhibitor-nsP2 complex, and their binding energies corroborated with their Ki values, having -198.7 ± 15.68, -124.8 ± 17.27, -247.4 ± 23.78, and -100.6 ± 19.21 kcal/mol for LQM330, 333, 336, and 338, respectively. Since Sindbis (SINV) nsP2 is similar to CHIKV nsP2, these best inhibitors were screened against SINV-infected cells, and it was verified that LQM330 presented the best result, with an EC50 value of 0.95 ± 0.09 μM. Even at 50 μM concentration, LQM338 was found to be cytotoxic on Vero cells after 48 h. Then, LQM330, 333, and 336 were evaluated against CHIKV-infected cells in antiviral assays, in which LQM330 was found to be the most promising antiviral candidate in this study, exhibiting an EC50 value of 5.2 ± 0.52 μM and SI of 31.78. The intracellular flow cytometry demonstrated that LQM330 is able to reduce the CHIKV cytopathogenic effect on cells, and also reduce the percentage of CHIKV-positive cells from 66.1% ± 7.05 to 35.8% ± 5.78 at 50 μM concentration. Finally, qPCR studies demonstrated that LQM330 was capable of reducing the number of viral RNA copies/μL, suggesting that CHIKV nsP2 is targeted by this inhibitor as its mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Gois de Souza
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Shweta Choudhary
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Gabriel Gomes Vilela
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Felipe Silva Passos
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | | | - Johnnatan Duarte de Freitas
- Department of Chemistry, Federal Institute of Alagoas, Maceió Campus, Mizael Domingues Street, 57020-600, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Grazielle Lobo Coelho
- Immunoregulation Research Group, Laboratory of Research in Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Júlia de Andrade Brandão
- Immunoregulation Research Group, Laboratory of Research in Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Leticia Anderson
- Immunoregulation Research Group, Laboratory of Research in Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil; CESMAC University Center, 57051-160, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Ênio José Bassi
- Immunoregulation Research Group, Laboratory of Research in Virology and Immunology, Institute of Biological and Health Sciences, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - João Xavier de Araújo-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Shailly Tomar
- Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil; Biological and Molecular Chemistry Research Group, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
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9
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Shi YJ, Li JQ, Zhang HQ, Deng CL, Zhu QX, Zhang B, Li XD. A high throughput antiviral screening platform for alphaviruses based on Semliki Forest virus expressing eGFP reporter gene. Virol Sin 2023; 38:585-594. [PMID: 37390870 PMCID: PMC10436050 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.06.007] [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: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Alphaviruses, which contain a variety of mosquito-borne pathogens, are important pathogens of emerging/re-emerging infectious diseases and potential biological weapons. Currently, no specific antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of alphaviruses infection. For most highly pathogenic alphaviruses are classified as risk group-3 agents, the requirement of biosafety level 3 (BSL-3) facilities limits the live virus-based antiviral study. To facilitate the antiviral development of alphaviruses, we developed a high throughput screening (HTS) platform based on a recombinant Semliki Forest virus (SFV) which can be manipulated in BSL-2 laboratory. Using the reverse genetics approach, the recombinant SFV and SFV reporter virus expressing eGFP (SFV-eGFP) were successfully rescued. The SFV-eGFP reporter virus exhibited robust eGFP expression and remained relatively stable after four passages in BHK-21 cells. Using a broad-spectrum alphavirus inhibitor ribavirin, we demonstrated that the SFV-eGFP can be used as an effective tool for antiviral study. The SFV-eGFP reporter virus-based HTS assay in a 96-well format was then established and optimized with a robust Z' score. A section of reference compounds that inhibit highly pathogenic alphaviruses were used to validate that the SFV-eGFP reporter virus-based HTS assay enables rapid screening of potent broad-spectrum inhibitors of alphaviruses. This assay provides a safe and convenient platform for antiviral study of alphaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Jia Shi
- Hunan Normal University, School of Medicine, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Jia-Qi Li
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hong-Qing Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Cheng-Lin Deng
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qin-Xuan Zhu
- Hunan Normal University, School of Medicine, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Xiao-Dan Li
- Hunan Normal University, School of Medicine, Changsha, 410081, China.
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Varikkodan MM, Kunnathodi F, Azmi S, Wu TY. An Overview of Indian Biomedical Research on the Chikungunya Virus with Particular Reference to Its Vaccine, an Unmet Medical Need. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1102. [PMID: 37376491 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11061102] [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: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an infectious agent spread by mosquitos, that has engendered endemic or epidemic outbreaks of Chikungunya fever (CHIKF) in Africa, South-East Asia, America, and a few European countries. Like most tropical infections, CHIKV is frequently misdiagnosed, underreported, and underestimated; it primarily affects areas with limited resources, like developing nations. Due to its high transmission rate and lack of a preventive vaccine or effective treatments, this virus poses a serious threat to humanity. After a 32-year hiatus, CHIKV reemerged as the most significant epidemic ever reported, in India in 2006. Since then, CHIKV-related research was begun in India, and up to now, more than 800 peer-reviewed research papers have been published by Indian researchers and medical practitioners. This review gives an overview of the outbreak history and CHIKV-related research in India, to favor novel high-quality research works intending to promote effective treatment and preventive strategies, including vaccine development, against CHIKV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Muhsin Varikkodan
- Department of Bioscience Technology, College of Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan
| | - Faisal Kunnathodi
- Scientific Research Center, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh 11159, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarfuddin Azmi
- Scientific Research Center, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh 11159, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tzong-Yuan Wu
- Department of Bioscience Technology, College of Science, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan
- R&D Center of Membrane Technology, Chung Yuan Christian University, Chung-Li, Taoyuan City 320314, Taiwan
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11
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Kamarudheen N, Khaparde A, Gopal S, Rao KB. Unraveling a natural protease inhibitor from marine Streptomyces griseoincarnatus HK12 active against Chikungunya virus. Microbiol Res 2021; 252:126858. [PMID: 34509708 DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2021.126858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Proteases play an indispensable role in the life cycles of several life-threatening organisms such as the ones causing malaria, cancer and AIDS. A targeted blockade of these enzymes could be an efficient approach for drug modeling against these causative agents. Our study was directed towards the extraction and characterization of a protease inhibitor having activity against Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). A protein-based protease inhibitor (PI) in Streptomyces griseoincarnatus HK12 with anti-viral activity against CHIKV was revealed when screened against two major proteases, papain and trypsin. The PI was efficiently extracted at 60 % ammonium sulfate saturation and purified by ion-exchange chromatography (CM-Sepharose) at 300 mM NaCl elution followed by SDS-PAGE (10 %). The protein was characterized by denaturing SDS-PAGE, reverse zymography, and MALDI-TOF peptide mass fingerprinting. The protein-based PI was studied to have a high molecular weight of 66-70 kDA. The PI was tested to supress the supress cytopathic effects (CPE) exerted by the clinically isolated virus in BHK21 cells. This was used as a measure to determine the antiviral activity. The PI exerted significant effects with an effective concentration calculated as EC50 11.21 μg/mL. The protein was found to be reported as the first of its kind which also stands out to be the first a natural protease inhibitor against the treatment of the chikungunya virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neethu Kamarudheen
- Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ashish Khaparde
- Centre for Bio-separation Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sai Gopal
- Department of Virology, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, Andhra, India
| | - Kv Bhaskara Rao
- Marine Biotechnology Laboratory, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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12
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Kumar R, Nehul S, Singh A, Tomar S. Identification and evaluation of antiviral potential of thymoquinone, a natural compound targeting Chikungunya virus capsid protein. Virology 2021; 561:36-46. [PMID: 34146962 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.05.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Capsid protein (CP) of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a multifunctional protein with a conserved hydrophobic pocket that plays a crucial role in the capsid assembly and virus budding process. This study demonstrates antiviral activity of thymoquinone (TQ), a natural compound targeting the hydrophobic pocket of CP. The binding of TQ to the hydrophobic pocket of CHIKV CP was analysed by structure-based molecular docking, isothermal titration calorimetry and fluorescence spectroscopy. The binding constant KD obtained for TQ was 27 μM. Additionally, cell-based antiviral studies showed that TQ diminished CHIKV replication with an EC50 value 4.478 μM. Reduction in viral RNA copy number and viral replication as assessed by the qRT-PCR and immunofluorescence assay, confirmed the antiviral potential of TQ. Our study reveals that TQ is an effective antiviral targeting the hydrophobic pocket of CHIKV CP and may serve as the basis for development of a broad-spectrum therapy against alphaviral diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ravi Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Sanketkumar Nehul
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Ankur Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India
| | - Shailly Tomar
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee, 247667, Uttarakhand, India.
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13
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Interdomain Flexibility of Chikungunya Virus nsP2 Helicase-Protease Differentially Influences Viral RNA Replication and Infectivity. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.01470-20. [PMID: 33328310 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01470-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a mosquito-borne alphavirus responsible for chikungunya fever. Nonstructural protein 2 (nsP2), a multifunctional protein essential for viral replication, has an N-terminal helicase region (nsP2h), which has both nucleotide triphosphatase and RNA triphosphatase activities, as well as a C-terminal cysteine protease region (nsP2p), which is responsible for nonstructural polyprotein processing. The two functional units are connected through a linker of 14 residues. Although crystal structures of the helicase and protease regions of CHIKV nsP2 have been solved separately, the conformational arrangement of the full-length nsP2 and the biological role of the linker remain elusive. Using the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) method, we demonstrated that the full-length nsP2 is elongated and partially folded in solution. The reconstructed model of the structure of nsP2 contains a flexible interdomain linker, and there is no direct interaction between the two structured regions. To examine the function of the interdomain linker, we constructed and characterized a set of CHIKV mutants. The deletion of three or five amino acid residues in the linker region resulted in a modest defect in viral RNA replication and transcription but completely abolished viral infectivity. In contrast, increasing the flexibility of nsP2 by lengthening the interdomain linker increased both genomic RNA replication and viral infectivity. The enzymatic activities of the corresponding mutant proteins were largely unaffected. This work suggests that increasing the interdomain flexibility of nsP2 could facilitate the assembly of the replication complex (RC) with increased efficiency and promote virus production.IMPORTANCE CHIKV nsP2 plays multiple roles in viral RNA replication and virus-host interactions. The helicase and protease regions of nsP2 are connected through a short linker. Here, we determined that the conformation of full-length CHIKV nsP2 is elongated and that the protein is flexible in solution. We also highlight the importance of the flexibility of the interdomain of nsP2 on viral RNA synthesis and infectivity. CHIKV mutants harboring shortened linkers fail to produce infectious virus particles despite showing only relatively mild defects in genomic and subgenomic RNA synthesis. Mutations increasing the length of the interdomain linker have only mild and generally beneficial impacts on virus replication. Thus, our findings link interdomain flexibility with the regulation of viral RNA replication and infectivity of the viral genome.
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14
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Barros T, Brumano L, Freitas M, Pessoa A, Parachin N, Magalhães PO. Development of Processes for Recombinant L-Asparaginase II Production by Escherichia coli Bl21 (De3): From Shaker to Bioreactors. Pharmaceutics 2020; 13:E14. [PMID: 33374100 PMCID: PMC7823503 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13010014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 11/23/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Since 1961, L-asparaginase has been used to treat patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia. It rapidly depletes the plasma asparagine and deprives the blood cells of this circulating amino acid, essential for the metabolic cycles of cells. In the search for viable alternatives to produce L-asparaginase, this work aimed to produce this enzyme from Escherichia coli in a shaker and in a 3 L bioreactor. Three culture media were tested: defined, semi-defined and complex medium. L-asparaginase activity was quantified using the β-hydroxamate aspartic acid method. The defined medium provided the highest L-asparaginase activity. In induction studies, two inducers, lactose and its analog IPTG, were compared. Lactose was chosen as an inducer for the experiments conducted in the bioreactor due to its natural source, lower cost and lower toxicity. Batch and fed-batch cultures were carried out to reach high cell density and then start the induction. Batch cultivation provided a final cell concentration of 11 g L-1 and fed-batch cultivation produced 69.90 g L-1 of cells, which produced a volumetric activity of 43,954.79 U L-1 after lactose induction. L-asparaginase was produced in a shaker and scaled up to a bioreactor, increasing 23-fold the cell concentration and thus, the enzyme productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Barros
- Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences School, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (T.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Larissa Brumano
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (L.B.); (A.P.J.)
| | - Marcela Freitas
- Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences School, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (T.B.); (M.F.)
| | - Adalberto Pessoa
- Department of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (L.B.); (A.P.J.)
| | - Nádia Parachin
- Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biology, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil;
| | - Pérola O. Magalhães
- Department of Pharmacy, Health Sciences School, University of Brasília, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil; (T.B.); (M.F.)
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15
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Yang J, Lu Y. Physical stimuli-responsive cell-free protein synthesis. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2020; 5:363-368. [PMID: 33294650 PMCID: PMC7695910 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cell-free protein synthesis has been developed as a critical platform in synthetic biology. Unlike the cell-based synthesis system, cell-free system activates transcriptional and translational mechanisms in vitro, and can control protein synthesis by artificially adding components or chemicals. However, the control method puts forward higher requirements in terms of accurate and non-toxic control, which cannot be achieved by chemical substances. For cell-free system, physical signal is a kind of ideal spatiotemporal control approach to replace chemical substances, realizing high accuracy with little side effect. Here we review the methods of using physical signals to control gene expression in cell-free systems, including studies based on light, temperature, electric field, and magnetic force. The transfer of these switches into cell-free system further expands the flexibility and controllability of the system, thus further expanding the application capability of cell-free systems. Finally, existing problems such as signal source and signal transmission are discussed, and future applications in pharmaceutical production, delivery and industrial production are further looked into.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junzhu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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16
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Abstract
Cell-free systems, as part of the synthetic biology field, have become a critical platform in biological studies. However, there is a lack of research into developing a switch for a dynamical control of the transcriptional and translational process. The optogenetic tool has been widely proven as an ideal control switch for protein synthesis due to its nontoxicity and excellent time-space conversion. Hence, in this study, a blue light-regulated two-component system named YF1/FixJ was incorporated into an Escherichia coli-based cell-free system to control protein synthesis. The corresponding cell-free system successfully achieved a 5-fold dynamic protein expression by blue light repression and 3-fold dynamic expression by blue light activation. With the aim of expanding the applications of cell-free synthetic biology, the cell-free blue light-sensing system was used to perform imaging, light-controlled antibody synthesis, and light-triggered artificial cell assembly. This study can provide a guide for further research into the field of cell-free optical sensing. Moreover, it will also promote the development of cell-free synthetic biology and optogenetics through applying the cell-free optical sensing system to synthetic biology education, biopharmaceutical research, and artificial cell construction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Junzhu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Eunhee Cho
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis, Ministry of Education, Department of Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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17
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Saraswat S, Chaudhary M, Sehgal D. Hepatitis E Virus Cysteine Protease Has Papain Like Properties Validated by in silico Modeling and Cell-Free Inhibition Assays. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 9:478. [PMID: 32039053 PMCID: PMC6989534 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 12/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) has emerged as a global health concern during the last decade. In spite of a high mortality rate in pregnant women with fulminant hepatitis, no antiviral drugs or licensed vaccine is available in India. HEV-protease is a pivotal enzyme responsible for ORF1 polyprotein processing leading to cleavage of the non-structural enzymes involved in virus replication. HEV-protease region encoding 432–592 amino acids of Genotype-1 was amplified, expressed in Sf21 cells and purified in its native form. The recombinant enzyme was biochemically characterized using SDS-PAGE, Western blotting and Immunofluorescence. The enzyme activity and the inhibition studies were conducted using Zymography, FTC-casein based protease assay and ORF1 polyprotein digestion. To conduct ORF1 digestion assay, the polyprotein, natural substrate of HEV-protease, was expressed in E. coli and purified. Cleavage of 186 kDa ORF1 polyprotein by the recombinant HEV-protease lead to appearance of non-structural proteins viz. Methyltransferase, Protease, Helicase and RNA dependent RNA polymerase which were confirmed through immunoblotting using antibodies generated against specific epitopes of the enzymes. FTC-casein substrate was used for kinetic studies to determine Km and Vmax of the enzyme and also the effect of different metal ions and other protease inhibitors. A 95% inhibition was observed with E-64 which was validated through in silico analysis. The correlation coefficient between inhibition and docking score of Inhibitors was found to have a significant value of r2 = 0.75. The predicted 3D model showed two domain architecture structures similar to Papain like cysteine protease though they differed in arrangements of alpha helices and beta sheets. Hence, we propose that HEV-protease has characteristics of “Papain-like cysteine protease,” as determined through structural homology, active site residues and class-specific inhibition. However, conclusive nature of the enzyme remains to be established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shweta Saraswat
- Virology Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Meenakshi Chaudhary
- Virology Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
| | - Deepak Sehgal
- Virology Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Greater Noida, India
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18
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Rabelo VWH, Paixão ICNDP, Abreu PA. Targeting Chikungunya virus by computational approaches: from viral biology to the development of therapeutic strategies. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:63-78. [DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1712362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vitor Won-Held Rabelo
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia,Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Izabel Christina Nunes de Palmer Paixão
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Biologia,Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Instituto de Biologia,Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Paula Alvarez Abreu
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, RJ, Brazil
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Tomar S, Mahajan S, Kumar R. Advances in structure-assisted antiviral discovery for animal viral diseases. GENOMICS AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN VETERINARY, POULTRY, AND FISHERIES 2020. [PMCID: PMC7149589 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-816352-8.00019-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Pérez-Pérez MJ, Delang L, Ng LFP, Priego EM. Chikungunya virus drug discovery: still a long way to go? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:855-866. [DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1629413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Leen Delang
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lisa F. P. Ng
- Singapore Immunology Network, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
- Institute of Infection and Global Health, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Raghavendhar S, Tripati PK, Ray P, Patel AK. Evaluation of medicinal herbs for Anti-CHIKV activity. Virology 2019; 533:45-49. [PMID: 31082733 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2019.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Chikungunya, a mosquito-borne viral disease is now a global public health problem. In tropical countries such as India, periodic chikungunya outbreaks can occur due the high prevalence of the mosquito vector, circulation of virus and the high population density. To curtail the virus in outbreak situation, a ready to use drug for chikungunya is necessary. Using the literature mentioned plant extracts, we used four assays to screen and identify indigenous plants with CHIKV inhibitory activity. Our results showed that the aqueous extract of five plant extracts exhibited anti-CHIKV activity by inhibiting viral attachment, four plant extracts exhibited replication inhibition through inhibition of helicase activity, two plants showed inhibition of protease activity. Two plant extracts showed both viral attachment inhibition and replication inhibition and also exhibited dose dependent response in virus replication inhibition assay. These findings warrant further investigation to standardize these plant extracts as antiviral formulation for chikungunya infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Pratima Ray
- Dept. of Biotechnology, Jamia Hamdard University, New Delhi, 110062, India
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Bhat SM, Mudgal PP, N S, Arunkumar G. Spectrum of candidate molecules against Chikungunya virus - an insight into the antiviral screening platforms. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2019; 17:243-264. [PMID: 30889372 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2019.1595591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chikungunya disease has undergone a phenomenal transition in its status from being recognized as a sporadic infection to acquiring a global prominence over the last couple of decades. The causative agent behind the explosive epidemics worldwide is the re-emerging pathogen, Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). Areas covered: The current review discusses all the possible avenues of antiviral research towards combating CHIKV infection. Aspects of antiviral drug discovery such as antiviral targets, candidate molecules screened, and the various criteria to be a potential inhibitor are all discussed at length. Existing antiviral drug screening tools for CHIKV and their applications are thoroughly described. Clinical trial status of agents with therapeutic potential has been updated with special mention of candidate molecules under patent approval. Databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, Google Patent, and Clinical Trial Registry platforms were referred. Expert opinion: The massive outbreaks of Chikungunya viral disease in the recent past and the serious health concerns imposed thereby, have driven the search for effective therapeutics. The greatest challenge being the non-availability of robust, reproducible, cost-effective and biologically accurate assay models. Nevertheless, there is a need to identify good models mimicking the appropriate microenvironment of an infectious setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shree Madhu Bhat
- a Manipal Centre for Virus Research , Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University) , Manipal , Karnataka , India
| | - Piya Paul Mudgal
- a Manipal Centre for Virus Research , Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University) , Manipal , Karnataka , India
| | - Sudheesh N
- a Manipal Centre for Virus Research , Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University) , Manipal , Karnataka , India
| | - Govindakarnavar Arunkumar
- a Manipal Centre for Virus Research , Manipal Academy of Higher Education (Deemed to be University) , Manipal , Karnataka , India
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