1
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Bui DT, Kitova EN, Kitov PI, Han L, Mahal LK, Klassen JS. Deciphering Pathways and Thermodynamics of Protein Assembly Using Native Mass Spectrometry. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 39387708 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c08455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Protein oligomerization regulates many critical physiological processes, and its dysregulation can contribute to dysfunction and diseases. Elucidating the assembly pathways and quantifying their underlying thermodynamic and kinetic parameters are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of biological processes and for advancing therapeutics targeting abnormal protein oligomerization. Established binding assays, with limited mass precision, often rely on simplified models for data interpretation. In contrast, high-resolution native mass spectrometry (nMS) can directly determine the stoichiometry of biomolecular complexes in vitro. However, quantification is hindered by the fact that the relative abundances of gas-phase ions generally do not reflect solution concentrations due to nonuniform response factors. Recently, slow mixing mode (SLOMO)-nMS, which can quantify the relative response factors of interacting species, has been demonstrated to reliably measure the affinity (Kd) of binary biomolecular complexes. Here, we introduce an extended form of SLOMO-nMS that enables simultaneous quantification of the thermodynamics in multistep association reactions. Application of this method to homo-oligomerization of concanavalin A and insulin confirmed the reliability of the assay and uncovered details about the assembly processes that had previously resisted elucidation. Results acquired using SLOMO-nMS implemented with charge detection shed new light on the binding of recombinant human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Importantly, new assembly pathways were uncovered, and the affinities of these interactions, which regulate host cell infection, were quantified. Together, these findings highlight the tremendous potential of SLOMO-nMS to accelerate the characterization of protein assembly pathways and thermodynamics and, in so doing, enhance fundamental biological understanding and facilitate therapeutic development. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3389-7112.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duong T Bui
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Elena N Kitova
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Pavel I Kitov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Ling Han
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - Lara K Mahal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
| | - John S Klassen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2G2
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2
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Jiang XL, Song XD, Shi C, Yang GJ, Wang XJ, Zhang YW, Wu J, Zhao LX, Zhang MZ, Wang MM, Chen RR, He XJ, Dai EH, Gao HX, Shen Y, Dong G, Wang YL, Ma MJ. Variant-specific antibody response following repeated SARS-CoV-2 vaccination and infection. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114387. [PMID: 38896777 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114387] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The ongoing emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants poses challenges to the immunity induced by infections and vaccination. We conduct a 6-month longitudinal evaluation of antibody binding and neutralization of sera from individuals with six different combinations of vaccination and infection against BA.5, XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86. We find that most individuals produce spike-binding IgG or neutralizing antibodies against BA.5, XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 2 months after infection or vaccination. However, compared to ancestral strain and BA.5 variant, XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 exhibit comparable but significant immune evasion. The spike-binding IgG and neutralizing antibody titers decrease in individuals without additional antigen exposure, and <50% of individuals neutralize XBB.1.5, EG.5.1, and BA.2.86 during the 6-month follow-up. Approximately 57% of the 107 followed up individuals experienced an additional infection, leading to improved binding IgG and neutralizing antibody levels against these variants. These findings provide insights into the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants on immunity following repeated exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Lin Jiang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Xue-Dong Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Handan Central Hospital, Hebei Medical University, Handan 056001, China; Hebei Key Laboratory of Immune Mechanism of Major Infectious Diseases and New Technology of Diagnosis and Treatment, The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Chao Shi
- Department of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214023, China
| | - Guo-Jian Yang
- Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosafety in Universities of Shandong, Jinan 250012, China
| | - Xue-Jun Wang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Science, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yu-Wei Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Shandong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Department of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Binzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Binzhou 256613, China
| | - Lian-Xiang Zhao
- School of Public Health, Weifang Medical University, Weifang 261053, China
| | - Ming-Zhu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China
| | - Ming-Ming Wang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Science, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Rui-Rui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xue-Juan He
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Er-Hei Dai
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Immune Mechanism of Major Infectious Diseases and New Technology of Diagnosis and Treatment, The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Hui-Xia Gao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Immune Mechanism of Major Infectious Diseases and New Technology of Diagnosis and Treatment, The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang 050021, China
| | - Yuan Shen
- Department of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214023, China.
| | - Gang Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China.
| | - Yu-Ling Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Immune Mechanism of Major Infectious Diseases and New Technology of Diagnosis and Treatment, The Fifth Hospital of Shijiazhuang, Shijiazhuang 050021, China.
| | - Mai-Juan Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing 100071, China; Department of Microbiological Laboratory Technology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Key Laboratory of Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases and Biosafety in Universities of Shandong, Jinan 250012, China; School of Public Health, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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3
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Santisteban Celis IC, Matoba N. Lectibodies as antivirals. Antiviral Res 2024; 227:105901. [PMID: 38734211 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105901] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Growing concerns regarding the emergence of highly transmissible viral diseases highlight the urgent need to expand the repertoire of antiviral therapeutics. For this reason, new strategies for neutralizing and inhibiting these viruses are necessary. A promising approach involves targeting the glycans present on the surfaces of enveloped viruses. Lectins, known for their ability to recognize specific carbohydrate molecules, offer the potential for glycan-targeted antiviral strategies. Indeed, numerous studies have reported the antiviral effects of various lectins of both endogenous and exogenous origins. However, many lectins in their natural forms, are not suitable for use as antiviral therapeutics due to toxicity, other unfavorable pharmacological effects, and/or unreliable manufacturing sources. Therefore, improvements are crucial for employing lectins as effective antiviral therapeutics. A novel approach to enhance lectins' suitability as pharmaceuticals could be the generation of recombinant lectin-Fc fusion proteins, termed "lectibodies." In this review, we discuss the scientific rationale behind lectin-based antiviral strategies and explore how lectibodies could facilitate the development of new antiviral therapeutics. We will also share our perspective on the potential of these molecules to transcend their potential use as antiviral agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Carlosalberto Santisteban Celis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA; Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA
| | - Nobuyuki Matoba
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA; Center for Predictive Medicine for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA; UofL Health - Brown Cancer Center, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, KY, USA.
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4
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Wang D, Zhang Z, Baudys J, Haynes C, Osman SH, Zhou B, Barr JR, Gumbart JC. Enhanced Surface Accessibility of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein Due to an Altered Glycosylation Profile. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2032-2046. [PMID: 38728322 PMCID: PMC11184558 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) proteins undergo extensive glycosylation, aiding in proper folding, enhancing stability, and evading host immune surveillance. In this study, we used mass spectrometric analysis to elucidate the N-glycosylation characteristics and disulfide bonding of recombinant spike proteins derived from the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) in comparison with the D614G spike variant. Furthermore, we conducted microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations on spike proteins to resolve how the different N-glycans impact spike conformational sampling in the two variants. Our findings reveal that the Omicron spike protein maintains an overall resemblance to the D614G spike variant in terms of site-specific glycan processing and disulfide bond formation. Nonetheless, alterations in glycans were observed at certain N-glycosylation sites. These changes, in synergy with mutations within the Omicron spike protein, result in increased surface accessibility of the macromolecule, including the ectodomain, receptor-binding domain, and N-terminal domain. Additionally, mutagenesis and pull-down assays reveal the role of glycosylation of a specific sequon (N149); furthermore, the correlation of MD simulation and HDX-MS identified several high-dynamic areas of the spike proteins. These insights contribute to our understanding of the interplay between structure and function, thereby advancing effective vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Zijian Zhang
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
| | - Jakub Baudys
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Christopher Haynes
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Sarah H. Osman
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Bin Zhou
- National
Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - John R. Barr
- National
Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - James C. Gumbart
- School
of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
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5
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Wang S, Ran W, Sun L, Fan Q, Zhao Y, Wang B, Yang J, He Y, Wu Y, Wang Y, Chen L, Chuchuay A, You Y, Zhu X, Wang X, Chen Y, Wang Y, Chen YQ, Yuan Y, Zhao J, Mao Y. Sequential glycosylations at the multibasic cleavage site of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein regulate viral activity. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4162. [PMID: 38755139 PMCID: PMC11099032 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48503-x] [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: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The multibasic furin cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary of the spike protein is a hallmark of SARS-CoV-2 and plays a crucial role in viral infection. However, the mechanism underlying furin activation and its regulation remain poorly understood. Here, we show that GalNAc-T3 and T7 jointly initiate clustered O-glycosylations in the furin cleavage site of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which inhibit furin processing, suppress the incorporation of the spike protein into virus-like-particles and affect viral infection. Mechanistic analysis reveals that the assembly of the spike protein into virus-like particles relies on interactions between the furin-cleaved spike protein and the membrane protein of SARS-CoV-2, suggesting a possible mechanism for furin activation. Interestingly, mutations in the spike protein of the alpha and delta variants of the virus confer resistance against glycosylation by GalNAc-T3 and T7. In the omicron variant, additional mutations reverse this resistance, making the spike protein susceptible to glycosylation in vitro and sensitive to GalNAc-T3 and T7 expression in human lung cells. Our findings highlight the role of glycosylation as a defense mechanism employed by host cells against SARS-CoV-2 and shed light on the evolutionary interplay between the host and the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjun Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Health and Life Sciences, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Ran
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lingyu Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Qingchi Fan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanqi Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Foshan Institute for Food and Drug Control, Foshan, China
| | - Bowen Wang
- College of Life Science, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Jinghong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuqi He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wang
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Luoyi Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Arpaporn Chuchuay
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuyu You
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinhai Zhu
- Instrumental Analysis & Research Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaojuan Wang
- Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ye Chen
- Key Laboratory of Fujian-Taiwan Animal Pathogen Biology, College of Animal Sciences, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Yanqun Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yao-Qing Chen
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yanqiu Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Anti-Infective Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Jincun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Institute of Infectious Disease, Guangzhou Eighth People's Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Bio-island, Guangzhou, China.
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China.
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Yang Mao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Non-Clinical Evaluation and Research, Guangzhou, China.
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6
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Wang TH, Shao HP, Zhao BQ, Zhai HL. Molecular Insights into the Variability in Infection and Immune Evasion Capabilities of SARS-CoV-2 Variants: A Sequence and Structural Investigation of the RBD Domain. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3503-3523. [PMID: 38517012 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants continuously emerge, an increasing number of mutations are accumulating in the Spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) region. Through sequence analysis of various Variants of Concern (VOC), we identified that they predominantly fall within the ο lineage although recent variants introduce any novel mutations in the RBD. Molecular dynamics simulations were employed to compute the binding free energy of these variants with human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Structurally, the binding interface of the ο RBD displays a strong positive charge, complementing the negatively charged binding interface of ACE2, resulting in a significant enhancement in the electrostatic potential energy for the ο variants. Although the increased potential energy is partially offset by the rise in polar solvation free energy, enhanced electrostatic potential contributes to the long-range recognition between the ο variant's RBD and ACE2. We also conducted simulations of glycosylated ACE2-RBD proteins. The newly emerged ο (JN.1) variant has added a glycosylation site at N-354@RBD, which significantly weakened its binding affinity with ACE2. Further, our interaction studies with three monoclonal antibodies across multiple SARS-CoV-2 strains revealed a diminished neutralization efficacy against the ο variants, primarily attributed to the electrostatic repulsion between the antibodies and RBD interface. Considering the characteristics of the ο variant and the trajectory of emerging strains, we propose that newly developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD should have surfaces rich in negative potential and, postbinding, exhibit strong van der Waals interactions. These findings provide invaluable guidance for the formulation of future therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Hua Wang
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hai Ping Shao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Bing Qiang Zhao
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
| | - Hong Lin Zhai
- College of Chemistry & Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China
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7
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Ray A, Minh Tran TT, Santos Natividade RD, Moreira RA, Simpson JD, Mohammed D, Koehler M, L Petitjean SJ, Zhang Q, Bureau F, Gillet L, Poma AB, Alsteens D. Single-Molecule Investigation of the Binding Interface Stability of SARS-CoV-2 Variants with ACE2. ACS NANOSCIENCE AU 2024; 4:136-145. [PMID: 38644967 PMCID: PMC11027127 DOI: 10.1021/acsnanoscienceau.3c00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic spurred numerous research endeavors to comprehend the virus and mitigate its global severity. Understanding the binding interface between the virus and human receptors is pivotal to these efforts and paramount to curbing infection and transmission. Here we employ atomic force microscopy and steered molecular dynamics simulation to explore SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) variants and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), examining the impact of mutations at key residues upon binding affinity. Our results show that the Omicron and Delta variants possess strengthened binding affinity in comparison to the Mu variant. Further, using sera from individuals either vaccinated or with acquired immunity following Delta strain infection, we assess the impact of immunity upon variant RBD/ACE2 complex formation. Single-molecule force spectroscopy analysis suggests that vaccination before infection may provide stronger protection across variants. These results underscore the need to monitor antigenic changes in order to continue developing innovative and effective SARS-CoV-2 abrogation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankita Ray
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Thu Thi Minh Tran
- Faculty
of Materials Science and Technology, University
of Science—VNU HCM, 227 Nguyen Van Cu Street, District 5, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Vietnam
National University, 700000 Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Rita dos Santos Natividade
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Rodrigo A. Moreira
- Basque
Center for Applied Mathematics, Mazarredo 14, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Joshua D. Simpson
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Danahe Mohammed
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Melanie Koehler
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Simon J. L Petitjean
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Qingrong Zhang
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
| | - Fabrice Bureau
- Laboratory
of Cellular and Molecular Immunology, GIGA Institute, Liège University, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Laurent Gillet
- Immunology-Vaccinology
Lab of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Liège University, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Adolfo B. Poma
- Institute
of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences, Pawińskiego 5B, 02-106 Warsaw, Poland
| | - David Alsteens
- Louvain
Institute of Biomolecular Science and Technology, Université catholique de Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
- WELBIO
department, WEL Research Institute, 1300 Wavre, Belgium
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8
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Schwarze M, Volke D, Rojas Echeverri JC, Schick R, Lakowa N, Grünewald T, Wolf J, Borte S, Scholz M, Krizsan A, Hoffmann R. Influence of Mutations and N-Glycosylation Sites in the Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) and the Membrane Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern on Antibody Binding in ELISA. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:207. [PMID: 38666819 PMCID: PMC11047955 DOI: 10.3390/biology13040207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect human cells by first attaching to the ACE-2 receptor via its receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the spike protein. Here, we report the influence of N-glycosylation sites of the RBD and the membrane (M) protein on IgG antibody binding in serum samples from patients infected with the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in Germany. The RBDs of the wildtype, alpha, beta, gamma, and kappa variants expressed in HEK293S GnTI- cells were all N-glycosylated at Asn331, Asn334, Asn343, and Asn360 or Asn370, whereas the M-protein was glycosylated at Asn5. An ELISA using a coated RBD and probed with anti-RBD IgG antibodies gave a sensitivity of 96.3% and a specificity of 100% for the wildtype RBD, while the sensitivity decreased by 5% to 10% for the variants of concern, essentially in the order of appearance. Deglycosylation of the wildtype RBD strongly reduced antibody recognition by ~20%, considering the mean of the absorbances recorded for the ELISA. This effect was even stronger for the unglycosylated RBD expressed in Escherichia coli, suggesting structural changes affecting epitope recognition. Interestingly, the N-glycosylated M-protein expressed in HEK293S GnTI- cells gave good sensitivity (95%), which also decreased to 65% after deglycosylation, and selectivity (100%). In conclusion, N-glycosylation of the M-protein, the RBD, and most likely the spike protein are important for proper antibody binding and immunological assays, whereas the type of N-glycosylation is less relevant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Schwarze
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Volke
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Juan Camilo Rojas Echeverri
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robin Schick
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole Lakowa
- Klinik für Infektions- und Tropenmedizin, Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH, 09113 Chemnitz, Germany (T.G.)
| | - Thomas Grünewald
- Klinik für Infektions- und Tropenmedizin, Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH, 09113 Chemnitz, Germany (T.G.)
| | - Johannes Wolf
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hospital St. Georg gGmbH, 04129 Leipzig, Germany
- Immuno Deficiency Center Leipzig, Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases, Hospital St. Georg gGmbH, 04129 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Borte
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Hospital St. Georg gGmbH, 04129 Leipzig, Germany
- Immuno Deficiency Center Leipzig, Jeffrey Modell Diagnostic and Research Center for Primary Immunodeficiency Diseases, Hospital St. Georg gGmbH, 04129 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Markus Scholz
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Universität Leipzig, 04107 Leipzig, Germany
- LIFE Research Center of Civilization Diseases, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andor Krizsan
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ralf Hoffmann
- Institute of Bioanalytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and Mineralogy, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (M.S.)
- Center for Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Universität Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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9
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Helms A, Brodbelt JS. Mass Spectrometry Strategies for O-Glycoproteomics. Cells 2024; 13:394. [PMID: 38474358 PMCID: PMC10930906 DOI: 10.3390/cells13050394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycoproteomics has accelerated in recent decades owing to numerous innovations in the analytical workflow. In particular, new mass spectrometry strategies have contributed to inroads in O-glycoproteomics, a field that lags behind N-glycoproteomics due to several unique challenges associated with the complexity of O-glycosylation. This review will focus on progress in sample preparation, enrichment strategies, and MS/MS techniques for the identification and characterization of O-glycoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer S. Brodbelt
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA;
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10
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Zhang F, Schmidt F, Muecksch F, Wang Z, Gazumyan A, Nussenzweig MC, Gaebler C, Caskey M, Hatziioannou T, Bieniasz PD. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycosylation affects function and neutralization sensitivity. mBio 2024; 15:e0167223. [PMID: 38193662 PMCID: PMC10865855 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01672-23] [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: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The glycosylation of viral envelope proteins can play important roles in virus biology and immune evasion. The spike (S) glycoprotein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) includes 22 N-linked glycosylation sequons and 17 O-linked glycosites. We investigated the effect of individual glycosylation sites on SARS-CoV-2 S function in pseudotyped virus infection assays and on sensitivity to monoclonal and polyclonal neutralizing antibodies. In most cases, the removal of individual glycosylation sites decreased the infectiousness of the pseudotyped virus. For glycosylation mutants in the N-terminal domain and the receptor-binding domain (RBD), reduction in pseudotype infectivity was predicted by a commensurate reduction in the level of virion-incorporated S protein and reduced S trafficking to the cell surface. Notably, the presence of a glycan at position N343 within the RBD had diverse effects on neutralization by RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies cloned from convalescent individuals. The N343 glycan reduced the overall sensitivity to polyclonal antibodies in plasma from COVID-19 convalescent individuals, suggesting a role for SARS-CoV-2 S glycosylation in immune evasion. However, vaccination of convalescent individuals produced neutralizing activity that was resilient to the inhibitory effect of the N343 glycan.IMPORTANCEThe attachment of glycans to the spike proteins of viruses during their synthesis and movement through the secretory pathway can affect their properties. This study shows that the glycans attached to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 spike protein enable its movement to the cell surface and incorporation into virus particles. Certain glycans, including one that is attached to asparagine 343 in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein, can also affect virus neutralization by antibodies. This glycan can increase or decrease sensitivity to individual antibodies, likely through direct effects on antibody epitopes and modulation of spike conformation. However, the overall effect of the glycan in the context of the polyclonal mixture of antibodies in convalescent serum is to reduce neutralization sensitivity. Overall, this study highlights the complex effects of glycosylation on spike protein function and immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengwen Zhang
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Fabian Schmidt
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Frauke Muecksch
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Zijun Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anna Gazumyan
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Michel C. Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christian Gaebler
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Marina Caskey
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
| | | | - Paul D. Bieniasz
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, New York, USA
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11
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Valdez-Cruz NA, Rosiles-Becerril D, Martínez-Olivares CE, García-Hernández E, Cobos-Marín L, Garzón D, López-Salas FE, Zavala G, Luviano A, Olvera A, Alagón A, Ramírez OT, Trujillo-Roldán MA. Oral administration of a recombinant modified RBD antigen of SARS-CoV-2 as a possible immunostimulant for the care of COVID-19. Microb Cell Fact 2024; 23:41. [PMID: 38321489 PMCID: PMC10848483 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-024-02320-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Developing effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 that consider manufacturing limitations, equitable access, and acceptance is necessary for developing platforms to produce antigens that can be efficiently presented for generating neutralizing antibodies and as a model for new vaccines. RESULTS This work presents the development of an applicable technology through the oral administration of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD antigen fused with a peptide to improve its antigenic presentation. We focused on the development and production of the recombinant receptor binding domain (RBD) produced in E. coli modified with the addition of amino acids extension designed to improve antigen presentation. The production was carried out in shake flask and bioreactor cultures, obtaining around 200 mg/L of the antigen. The peptide-fused RBD and peptide-free RBD proteins were characterized and compared using SDS-PAGE gel, high-performance chromatography, and circular dichroism. The peptide-fused RBD was formulated in an oil-in-water emulsion for oral mice immunization. The peptide-fused RBD, compared to RBD, induced robust IgG production in mice, capable of recognizing the recombinant RBD in Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. In addition, the peptide-fused RBD generated neutralizing antibodies in the sera of the dosed mice. The formulation showed no reactive episodes and no changes in temperature or vomiting. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated the effectiveness of the designed peptide added to the RBD to improve antigen immunostimulation by oral administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norma A Valdez-Cruz
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, México. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico.
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Km 107 Carretera, 22860, Tijuana-Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
| | - Diego Rosiles-Becerril
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, México. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico
| | - Constanza E Martínez-Olivares
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, México. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico
| | - Enrique García-Hernández
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Laura Cobos-Marín
- Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Daniel Garzón
- Unidad de Modelos Biológicos, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, Mexico. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico
| | - Francisco E López-Salas
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, México. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico
| | - Guadalupe Zavala
- Unidad de Microscopia Electrónica, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Axel Luviano
- Departamento de Genética del Desarrollo y Fisiologia Molecular, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Olvera
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Alagón
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Octavio T Ramírez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 62210, Cuernavaca, Mor, Mexico
| | - Mauricio A Trujillo-Roldán
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Biotecnología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cd. Universitaria, Coyoacán, Ciudad de Mexico, México. AP. 70228, CP. 04510, México, D.F, Mexico.
- Centro de Nanociencias y Nanotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Km 107 Carretera, 22860, Tijuana-Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
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12
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Hanisch FG. Site-Specific O-glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and Its Impact on Immune and Autoimmune Responses. Cells 2024; 13:107. [PMID: 38247799 PMCID: PMC10814047 DOI: 10.3390/cells13020107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The world-wide COVID-19 pandemic has promoted a series of alternative vaccination strategies aiming to elicit neutralizing adaptive immunity in the human host. However, restricted efficacies of these vaccines targeting epitopes on the spike (S) protein that is involved in primary viral entry were observed and putatively assigned to viral glycosylation as an effective escape mechanism. Besides the well-recognized N-glycan shield covering SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) proteins, immunization strategies may be hampered by heavy O-glycosylation and variable O-glycosites fluctuating depending on the organ sites of primary infection and those involved in immunization. A further complication associated with viral glycosylation arises from the development of autoimmune antibodies to self-carbohydrates, including O-linked blood group antigens, as structural parts of viral proteins. This outline already emphasizes the importance of viral glycosylation in general and, in particular, highlights the impact of the site-specific O-glycosylation of virions, since this modification is independent of sequons and varies strongly in dependence on cell-specific repertoires of peptidyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases with their varying site preferences and of glycan core-specific glycosyltransferases. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the viral O-glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its impact on virulence and immune modulation in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz-Georg Hanisch
- Center of Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 52, 50931 Cologne, Germany
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13
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Newby ML, Allen JD, Crispin M. Influence of glycosylation on the immunogenicity and antigenicity of viral immunogens. Biotechnol Adv 2024; 70:108283. [PMID: 37972669 PMCID: PMC10867814 DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2023.108283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
A key aspect of successful viral vaccine design is the elicitation of neutralizing antibodies targeting viral attachment and fusion glycoproteins that embellish viral particles. This observation has catalyzed the development of numerous viral glycoprotein mimetics as vaccines. Glycans can dominate the surface of viral glycoproteins and as such, the viral glycome can influence the antigenicity and immunogenicity of a candidate vaccine. In one extreme, glycans can form an integral part of epitopes targeted by neutralizing antibodies and are therefore considered to be an important feature of key immunogens within an immunization regimen. In the other extreme, the existence of peptide and bacterially expressed protein vaccines shows that viral glycosylation can be dispensable in some cases. However, native-like glycosylation can indicate native-like protein folding and the presence of conformational epitopes. Furthermore, going beyond native glycan mimicry, in either occupancy of glycosylation sites or the glycan processing state, may offer opportunities for enhancing the immunogenicity and associated protection elicited by an immunogen. Here, we review key determinants of viral glycosylation and how recombinant immunogens can recapitulate these signatures across a range of enveloped viruses, including HIV-1, Ebola virus, SARS-CoV-2, Influenza and Lassa virus. The emerging understanding of immunogen glycosylation and its control will help guide the development of future vaccines in both recombinant protein- and nucleic acid-based vaccine technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maddy L Newby
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Joel D Allen
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
| | - Max Crispin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK.
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14
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Woodall DW, Thomson CA, Dillon TM, McAuley A, Green LB, Foltz IN, Bondarenko PV. Native SEC and Reversed-Phase LC-MS Reveal Impact of Fab Glycosylation of Anti-SARS-COV-2 Antibodies on Binding to the Receptor Binding Domain. Anal Chem 2023; 95:15477-15485. [PMID: 37812809 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c05554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
The binding affinity of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for their intended therapeutic targets is often affected by chemical and post-translational modifications in the antigen binding (Fab) domains. A new two-dimensional analytical approach is described here utilizing native size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to separate populations of antibodies and bound antibody-antigen complexes for subsequent characterization of these modifications by reversed-phase (RP) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) at the intact antibody level. Previously, we utilized peptide mapping to measure modifications impacting binding. However, in this study, the large size of the modification (N-glycosylation) allowed assessing its impact from small amounts (∼20 ug) of intact antibody, without the need for peptide mapping. Here, we apply the native SEC-based competitive binding assay to quickly and qualitatively investigate the effects of Fab glycosylation of four antispike protein mAbs that were developed for use in the treatment of COVID-19 disease. Three of the mAbs were observed to have consensus N-glycosylation sites (N-X-T/S) in the Fab domains, a relatively rare occurrence in therapeutic mAbs. The goal of the study was to characterize the levels of Fab glycosylation present, as well as determine the impact of glycosylation on binding to the spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and the ability of the mAbs to inhibit RBD-ACE2 interaction at the intact antibody level, with minimal sample treatment and preparation. The three mAbs with Fab N-glycans were found to have glycosylation profiles ranging from full occupancy at each Fab (in one mAb) to partially glycosylated with mixed populations of two, one, or no glycan moieties. Competitive SEC analysis of mAb-RBD revealed that the glycosylated antibody populations outcompete their nonglycosylated counterparts for the available RBD molecules. This competitive SEC binding analysis was applied to investigate the three-body interaction of a glycosylated mAb blocking the interaction between endogenous binding partners RBD-ACE2, finding that both glycosylated and nonglycosylated mAb populations bound to RBD with high enough affinity to block RBD-ACE2 binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W Woodall
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Christy A Thomson
- Discovery Protein Science, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Burnaby, BC V5A1 V7, Canada
| | - Thomas M Dillon
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Arnold McAuley
- Drug Product Technologies, Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
| | - Lydia B Green
- Biologics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Burnaby, BC V5A1 V7, Canada
| | - Ian N Foltz
- Biologics Discovery, Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Burnaby, BC V5A1 V7, Canada
| | - Pavel V Bondarenko
- Attribute Sciences, Process Development, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, California 91320, United States
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15
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Guruprasad L, Naresh GKRS, Boggarapu G. Taking stock of the mutations in human SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins: From early days to nearly the end of COVID-19 pandemic. Curr Res Struct Biol 2023; 6:100107. [PMID: 37841365 PMCID: PMC10569959 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2023.100107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causative agent of the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has resulted in several deaths and severe economic losses throughout the world. The spike protein in the virus binds to the human ACE-2 receptor in order to mediate virus-host interactions required for the viral transmission. Since first report of the SARS-CoV-2 sequence during December 2019 from patient infected with the virus in Wuhan, China, the virus has undergone rapid changes leading to mutations comprising substitutions, deletions and insertions in the sequence resulting in several variants of the virus that were more virulent and transmissible or less virulent but highly transmissible. The timely intervention with COVID-19 vaccines proved to be effective in controlling the number of infections. However, rapid mutations in the virus led to the lowering of vaccine efficacies being administered to people. In May 2023, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 was not a public health emergency of international concern anymore. In order to take stock of mutations in the virus from early days to nearly end of COVID-19 pandemic, sequence analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins available in the NCBI Virus database was carried out. The mutations and invariant residues in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequences relative to the reference sequence were analysed. The location of the invariant residues and residues at interface of the protein chains in the spike protein trimer complex structure were examined. A total of 111,298 non-redundant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequences representing 2,345,585 spike proteins in the NCBI Virus database showed mutations at 1252 of the 1273 positions in the amino acid sequence. The mutations represented 6129 different mutation types in the sequences analysed. Besides, some sequences also contained insertion mutations. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein sequences represented 1435 lineages. In addition, several spike protein sequences with mutations whose lineages were either 'not classified' or were 'unclassifiable' indicated the virus could still be evolving.
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16
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Onigbinde S, Reyes CDG, Fowowe M, Daramola O, Atashi M, Bennett AI, Mechref Y. Variations in O-Glycosylation Patterns Influence Viral Pathogenicity, Infectivity, and Transmissibility in SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1467. [PMID: 37892149 PMCID: PMC10604390 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The highly glycosylated S protein plays a vital role in host cell invasion, making it the principal target for vaccine development. Differences in mutations observed on the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants may result in distinct glycosylation patterns, thus influencing immunological evasion, infectivity, and transmissibility. The glycans can mask key epitopes on the S1 protein and alter its structural conformation, allowing the virus to escape the immune system. Therefore, we comprehensively characterize O-glycosylation in eleven variants of SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunits to understand the differences observed in the biology of the variants. In-depth characterization was performed with a double digestion strategy and an efficient LC-MS/MS approach. We observed that O-glycosylation is highly conserved across all variants in the region between the NTD and RBD, whereas other domains and regions exhibit variation in O-glycosylation. Notably, omicron has the highest number of O-glycosylation sites on the S1 subunit. Also, omicron has the highest level of sialylation in the RBD and RBM functional motifs. Our findings may shed light on how differences in O-glycosylation impact viral pathogenicity in variants of SARS-CoV-2 and facilitate the development of a robust vaccine with high protective efficacy against the variants of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yehia Mechref
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA; (S.O.); (C.D.G.R.); (M.F.); (O.D.); (M.A.); (A.I.B.)
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17
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Bains A, Guan W, LiWang PJ. The Effect of Select SARS-CoV-2 N-Linked Glycan and Variant of Concern Spike Protein Mutations on C-Type Lectin-Receptor-Mediated Infection. Viruses 2023; 15:1901. [PMID: 37766307 PMCID: PMC10535197 DOI: 10.3390/v15091901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virion has shown remarkable resilience, capable of mutating to escape immune detection and re-establishing infectious capabilities despite new vaccine rollouts. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify relatively immutable epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 virion that are resistant to future mutations the virus may accumulate. While hACE2 has been identified as the receptor that mediates SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, it is only modestly expressed in lung tissue. C-type lectin receptors like DC-SIGN can act as attachment sites to enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells with moderate or low hACE2 expression. We developed an easy-to-implement assay system that allows for the testing of SARS-CoV-2 trans-infection. Using our assay, we assessed how SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1-domain glycans and spike proteins from different strains affected the ability of pseudotyped lentivirions to undergo DC-SIGN-mediated trans-infection. Through our experiments with seven glycan point mutants, two glycan cluster mutants and four strains of SARS-CoV-2 spike, we found that glycans N17 and N122 appear to have significant roles in maintaining COVID-19's infectious capabilities. We further found that the virus cannot retain infectivity upon the loss of multiple glycosylation sites, and that Omicron BA.2 pseudovirions may have an increased ability to bind to other non-lectin receptor proteins on the surface of cells. Taken together, our work opens the door to the development of new therapeutics that can target overlooked epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 virion to prevent C-type lectin-receptor-mediated trans-infection in lung tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan Bains
- Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Wenyan Guan
- Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Patricia J. LiWang
- Molecular Cell Biology, Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
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18
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Zhang F, Schmidt F, Muecksch F, Wang Z, Gazumyan A, Nussenzweig MC, Gaebler C, Caskey M, Hatziioannou T, Bieniasz PD. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycosylation affects function and neutralization sensitivity. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.30.547241. [PMID: 37425700 PMCID: PMC10327196 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.30.547241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
The glycosylation of viral envelope proteins can play important roles in virus biology and immune evasion. The spike (S) glycoprotein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) includes 22 N-linked glycosylation sequons and 17 O-linked glycosites. Here, we investigated the effect of individual glycosylation sites on SARS-CoV-2 S function in pseudotyped virus infection assays and on sensitivity to monoclonal and polyclonal neutralizing antibodies. In most cases, removal of individual glycosylation sites decreased the infectiousness of the pseudotyped virus. For glycosylation mutants in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor binding domain (RBD), reduction in pseudotype infectivity was predicted by a commensurate reduction in the level of virion-incorporated spike protein. Notably, the presence of a glycan at position N343 within the RBD had diverse effects on neutralization by RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) cloned from convalescent individuals. The N343 glycan reduced overall sensitivity to polyclonal antibodies in plasma from COVID-19 convalescent individuals, suggesting a role for SARS-CoV-2 spike glycosylation in immune evasion. However, vaccination of convalescent individuals produced neutralizing activity that was resilient to the inhibitory effect of the N343 glycan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengwen Zhang
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Fabian Schmidt
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Current address: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Center for Integrative Infectious Disease Research, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, 69120 Heidleberg, Germany
| | - Frauke Muecksch
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Zijun Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Anna Gazumyan
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Michel C Nussenzweig
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Christian Gaebler
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Current address: Laboratory of Translational Immunology of Viral Infections, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany
| | - Marina Caskey
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | | | - Paul D Bieniasz
- Laboratory of Retrovirology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
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