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Hasan M, He Z, Jia M, Leung ACF, Natarajan K, Xu W, Yap S, Zhou F, Chen S, Su H, Zhu K, Su H. Dynamic expedition of leading mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:2407-2417. [PMID: 38882678 PMCID: PMC11176665 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.05.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The continuous evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which caused the recent pandemic, has generated countless new variants with varying fitness. Mutations of the spike glycoprotein play a particularly vital role in shaping its evolutionary trajectory, as they have the capability to alter its infectivity and antigenicity. We present a time-resolved statistical method, Dynamic Expedition of Leading Mutations (deLemus), to analyze the evolutionary dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. The proposed L -index of the deLemus method is effective in quantifying the mutation strength of each amino acid site and outlining evolutionarily significant sites, allowing the comprehensive characterization of the evolutionary mutation pattern of the spike glycoprotein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hasan
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhouyi He
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengqi Jia
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Alvin C F Leung
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Division of Life Science, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Wentao Xu
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shanqi Yap
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shihong Chen
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Hailei Su
- Bengbu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 4339 Huai-shang Road, Anhui 233080, China
| | - Kaicheng Zhu
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
| | - Haibin Su
- Department of Chemistry, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong, China
- Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
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2
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Eliadis P, Mais A, Papazisis A, Loxa EK, Dimitriadis A, Sarrigeorgiou I, Backovic M, Agallou M, Zouridakis M, Karagouni E, Lazaridis K, Mamalaki A, Lymberi P. Novel Competitive ELISA Utilizing Trimeric Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2, Could Identify More Than RBD-RBM Specific Neutralizing Antibodies in Hybrid Sera. Vaccines (Basel) 2024; 12:914. [PMID: 39204038 PMCID: PMC11359269 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines12080914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 08/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Since the initiation of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a need for the development of diagnostic methods to determine the factors implicated in mounting an immune response against the virus. The most promising indicator has been suggested to be neutralizing antibodies (nAbs), which mainly block the interaction between the Spike protein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 and the host entry receptor ACE2. In this study, we aimed to develop and optimize conditions of a competitive ELISA to measure serum neutralizing titer, using a recombinant trimeric Spike protein modified to have six additional proline residues (S(6P)-HexaPro) and h-ACE2. The results of our surrogate Virus Neutralizing Assay (sVNA) were compared against the commercial sVNT (cPass, Nanjing GenScript Biotech Co., Nanjing City, China), using serially diluted sera from vaccinees, and a high correlation of ID50-90 titer values was observed between the two assays. Interestingly, when we tested and compared the neutralizing activity of sera from eleven fully vaccinated individuals who subsequently contracted COVID-19 (hybrid sera), we recorded a moderate correlation between the two assays, while higher sera neutralizing titers were measured with sVNA. Our data indicated that the sVNA, as a more biologically relevant model assay that paired the trimeric S(6P) with ACE2, instead of the isolated RBD-ACE2 pairing cPass test, could identify nAbs other than the RBD-RBM specific ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petros Eliadis
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
- Biotechnology Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.D.); (A.M.)
| | - Annie Mais
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunobiotechnology, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece;
| | - Alexandros Papazisis
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
| | - Eleni K. Loxa
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
| | - Alexios Dimitriadis
- Biotechnology Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.D.); (A.M.)
| | - Ioannis Sarrigeorgiou
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
| | - Marija Backovic
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Virologie Structurale, Université Paris Cité, CNRS-UMR3569, 75724 Paris, France;
| | - Maria Agallou
- Immunology of Infection Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (M.A.); (E.K.)
| | - Marios Zouridakis
- Structural Neurobiology Research Group, Laboratory of Molecular Neurobiology and Immunology, Department of Neurobiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece;
| | - Evdokia Karagouni
- Immunology of Infection Laboratory, Microbiology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (M.A.); (E.K.)
| | - Konstantinos Lazaridis
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
- Biotechnology Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.D.); (A.M.)
| | - Avgi Mamalaki
- Biotechnology Unit, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.D.); (A.M.)
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Immunobiotechnology, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece;
| | - Peggy Lymberi
- Immunology Laboratory, Immunology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.L.); (I.S.); (K.L.)
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3
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Tse AL, Acreman CM, Ricardo-Lax I, Berrigan J, Lasso G, Balogun T, Kearns FL, Casalino L, McClain GL, Chandran AM, Lemeunier C, Amaro RE, Rice CM, Jangra RK, McLellan JS, Chandran K, Miller EH. Distinct pathway for evolution of enhanced receptor binding and cell entry in SARS-like bat coronaviruses. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.24.600393. [PMID: 38979151 PMCID: PMC11230278 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.24.600393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the zoonotic risks posed by bat coronaviruses (CoVs) is critical for pandemic preparedness. Herein, we generated recombinant vesicular stomatitis viruses (rVSVs) bearing spikes from divergent bat CoVs to investigate their cell entry mechanisms. Unexpectedly, the successful recovery of rVSVs bearing the spike from SHC014, a SARS-like bat CoV, was associated with the acquisition of a novel substitution in the S2 fusion peptide-proximal region (FPPR). This substitution enhanced viral entry in both VSV and coronavirus contexts by increasing the availability of the spike receptor-binding domain to recognize its cellular receptor, ACE2. A second substitution in the spike N-terminal domain, uncovered through forward-genetic selection, interacted epistatically with the FPPR substitution to synergistically enhance spike:ACE2 interaction and viral entry. Our findings identify genetic pathways for adaptation by bat CoVs during spillover and host-to-host transmission, fitness trade-offs inherent to these pathways, and potential Achilles' heels that could be targeted with countermeasures.
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4
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Hu Y, Li M, Wang Q. Allosteric pathways of SARS and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein identified by neural relational inference. Proteins 2024; 92:865-873. [PMID: 38459426 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
The receptor binding domain (RBD) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein must undergo a crucial conformational transition to invade human cells. It is intriguing that this transition is accompanied by a synchronized movement of the entire spike protein. Therefore, it is possible to design allosteric regulators targeting non-RBD but hindering the conformational transition of RBD. To understand the allosteric mechanism in detail, we establish a computational framework by integrating coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations and a state-of-the-art neural network model called neural relational inference. Leveraging this framework, we have elucidated the allosteric pathway of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at the residue level and identified the molecular mechanisms involved in the transmission of allosteric signals. The movement of D614 is coupled with that of Q321. This interaction subsequently influences the movement of K528/K529, ultimately coupling with the movement of RBD during conformational changes. Mutations that weaken the interactions within this pathway naturally block the allosteric signal transmission, thereby modulating the conformational transitions. This observation also offers a rationale for the distinct allosteric patterns observed in the SARS-CoV spike protein. Our result provides a useful method for analyzing the dynamics of potential viral variants in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Hu
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Mingwei Li
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Physics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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5
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Xue S, Han Y, Wu F, Wang Q. Mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain and their delicate balance between ACE2 affinity and antibody evasion. Protein Cell 2024; 15:403-418. [PMID: 38442025 PMCID: PMC11131022 DOI: 10.1093/procel/pwae007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Intensive selection pressure constrains the evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2 genomes and results in various novel variants with distinct mutation profiles. Point mutations, particularly those within the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, lead to the functional alteration in both receptor engagement and monoclonal antibody (mAb) recognition. Here, we review the data of the RBD point mutations possessed by major SARS-CoV-2 variants and discuss their individual effects on ACE2 affinity and immune evasion. Many single amino acid substitutions within RBD epitopes crucial for the antibody evasion capacity may conversely weaken ACE2 binding affinity. However, this weakened effect could be largely compensated by specific epistatic mutations, such as N501Y, thus maintaining the overall ACE2 affinity for the spike protein of all major variants. The predominant direction of SARS-CoV-2 evolution lies neither in promoting ACE2 affinity nor evading mAb neutralization but in maintaining a delicate balance between these two dimensions. Together, this review interprets how RBD mutations efficiently resist antibody neutralization and meanwhile how the affinity between ACE2 and spike protein is maintained, emphasizing the significance of comprehensive assessment of spike mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Xue
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuru Han
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Fan Wu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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6
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Pasala C, Sharma S, Roychowdhury T, Moroni E, Colombo G, Chiosis G. N-Glycosylation as a Modulator of Protein Conformation and Assembly in Disease. Biomolecules 2024; 14:282. [PMID: 38540703 PMCID: PMC10968129 DOI: 10.3390/biom14030282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Glycosylation, a prevalent post-translational modification, plays a pivotal role in regulating intricate cellular processes by covalently attaching glycans to macromolecules. Dysregulated glycosylation is linked to a spectrum of diseases, encompassing cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, congenital disorders, infections, and inflammation. This review delves into the intricate interplay between glycosylation and protein conformation, with a specific focus on the profound impact of N-glycans on the selection of distinct protein conformations characterized by distinct interactomes-namely, protein assemblies-under normal and pathological conditions across various diseases. We begin by examining the spike protein of the SARS virus, illustrating how N-glycans regulate the infectivity of pathogenic agents. Subsequently, we utilize the prion protein and the chaperone glucose-regulated protein 94 as examples, exploring instances where N-glycosylation transforms physiological protein structures into disease-associated forms. Unraveling these connections provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic avenues and a deeper comprehension of the molecular intricacies that underlie disease conditions. This exploration of glycosylation's influence on protein conformation effectively bridges the gap between the glycome and disease, offering a comprehensive perspective on the therapeutic implications of targeting conformational mutants and their pathologic assemblies in various diseases. The goal is to unravel the nuances of these post-translational modifications, shedding light on how they contribute to the intricate interplay between protein conformation, assembly, and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiranjeevi Pasala
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Sahil Sharma
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Tanaya Roychowdhury
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- The Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), 20131 Milano, Italy; (E.M.); (G.C.)
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- The Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), Italian National Research Council (CNR), 20131 Milano, Italy; (E.M.); (G.C.)
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Gabriela Chiosis
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA; (C.P.); (S.S.); (T.R.)
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10065, USA
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7
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Bastidas OH, Sevarac Z. Time dependent dihedral angle oscillations of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 reveal favored frequencies of dihedral angle rotations. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3323. [PMID: 38336854 PMCID: PMC10858279 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53954-9] [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: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is critical to viral infection of human host cells which ultimately results in COVID-19. In this study we analyzed the behavior of dihedral angles (phi and psi) of the wild-type spike protein over time from molecular dynamics and identified that their oscillations are dominated by a few discrete, relatively low frequencies in the 23-63 MHz range with 42.969 MHz being the most prevalent frequency sampled by the oscillations. We thus observed the spike protein to favor certain frequencies more than others. Gaps in the tally of all observed frequencies for low-abundance amino acids also suggests that the frequency components of dihedral angle oscillations may be a function of position in the primary structure since relatively more abundant amino acids lacked gaps. Lastly, certain residues identified in the literature as constituting the inside of a druggable pocket, as well as others identified as allosteric sites, are observed in our data to have distinctive time domain profiles. This motivated us to propose additional residues with similar time domain profiles, which may be of potential interest to the vaccine and drug design communities for further investigation. Thus these findings indicate that there is a particular frequency domain profile for the spike protein hidden within the time domain data and this information, perhaps with the suggested residues, might provide additional insight into therapeutic development strategies for COVID-19 and beyond.
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8
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Jani V, Sonavane U, Sawant S. Structural insights into the activation mechanism of phosphoinositide 3-kinase alpha. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 108:107994. [PMID: 38043374 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.107994] [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: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) are lipid kinases known to regulate important cellular functions by phosphorylating the inositol ring of inositol-phospholipids (PtdIns) at 3' position. The PI3Kα is a heterodimer and the activation of the catalytic subunit (p110α) is regulated by its regulatory subunit (p85α). The current work deals with studying the activation mechanism of the PI3Kα using multi micro-second molecular dynamic simulations. Structural changes involved in activation mechanism is studied by gradually releasing the inhibitory effects of different domains of regulatory subunit namely, n-terminal SH2 (nSH2) and inter SH2 (iSH2). The observation shows that even in the presence of n-terminal and inter SH2 domain (niSH2) of regulatory subunit, the catalytic domain has some intrinsic activation activity and the presence of c-terminal SH2 (cSH2) domain may be required for complete inhibition. The release of nSH2 domain leads to loss of interactions between iSH2 domain (regulatory subunit) and C2 and kinase domain (catalytic subunit). The study shows that early events in the activation mechanism involve the movement of the ABD domain of the catalytic subunit along with the linker region between ABD and RBD region which may lead to movement of ABD closer to the CLobe of the kinase domain. This movement is essentially as it triggers the rearrangement of CLobe especially the catalytic loop and activation loop which bring catalytic important residues closer to ATP and PIP2(phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate). Water mediated interaction analysis reveal that water may be playing an important role in the transfer of phosphate from ATP to PIP2. The study shows that initial signal for release of inhibitory effect of the regulatory subunit might be propagated through the linker region between ABD and RBD through allosteric effect to different regions of the protein. These understanding of early events during the activation mechanism may help in the design of better therapeutic targeting PI3K.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinod Jani
- HPC-M&BA group, Centre for Development of Advanced computing, Pune 411008, India; Bioinformatics centre, SSP University, Pune 411007, India
| | - Uddhavesh Sonavane
- HPC-M&BA group, Centre for Development of Advanced computing, Pune 411008, India.
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9
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Samsudin F, Zuzic L, Marzinek JK, Bond PJ. Mechanisms of allostery at the viral surface through the eyes of molecular simulation. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102761. [PMID: 38142635 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The outermost surface layer of any virus is formed by either a capsid shell or envelope. Such layers have traditionally been thought of as immovable structures, but it is becoming apparent that they cannot be viewed exclusively as static architectures protecting the viral genome. A limited number of proteins on the virion surface must perform a multitude of functions in order to orchestrate the viral life cycle, and allostery can regulate their structures at multiple levels of organization, spanning individual molecules, protomers, large oligomeric assemblies, or entire viral surfaces. Here, we review recent contributions from the molecular simulation field to viral surface allostery, with a particular focus on the trimeric spike glycoprotein emerging from the coronavirus surface, and the icosahedral flaviviral envelope complex. As emerging viral pathogens continue to pose a global threat, an improved understanding of viral dynamics and allosteric regulation will prove crucial in developing novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Firdaus Samsudin
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | - Lorena Zuzic
- Department of Chemistry, Langelandsgade 140, Aarhus University, Aarhus 8000, Denmark
| | - Jan K Marzinek
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore
| | - Peter J Bond
- Bioinformatics Institute (A∗STAR), 30 Biopolis Street, 07-01 Matrix, 138671, Singapore; Department of Biological Sciences, 16 Science Drive 4, National University of Singapore, 117558, Singapore.
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10
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Biskupek I, Gieldon A. Two-Stage Recognition Mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain to Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme-2 (ACE2). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:679. [PMID: 38203850 PMCID: PMC10779479 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010679] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus, commonly known as COVID-19, occurred in 2019. It is a highly contagious illness with effects ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. It is also one of the best-known pathogens since more than 200,000 scientific papers occurred in the last few years. With the publication of the SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2-CTD) spike (S) protein in a complex with human ACE2 (hACE2) (PDB (6LZG)), the molecular analysis of one of the most crucial steps on the infection pathway was possible. The aim of this manuscript is to simulate the most widely spread mutants of SARS-CoV-2, namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Omicron, and the first recognized variant (natural wild type). With the wide search of the hypersurface of the potential energy performed using the UNRES force field, the intermediate state of the ACE2-RBD complex was found. R403, K/N/T417, L455, F486, Y489, F495, Y501, and Y505 played a crucial role in the protein recognition mechanism. The intermediate state cannot be very stable since it will prevent the infection cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Artur Gieldon
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, ul. Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland;
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11
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Singh J, Vashishtha S, Kundu B. Spike Protein Mutation-Induced Changes in the Kinetic and Thermodynamic Behavior of Its Receptor Binding Domains Explain Their Higher Propensity to Attain Open States in SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2023; 9:1894-1904. [PMID: 37901170 PMCID: PMC10604015 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c00810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Spike (S) protein opening in SARS-CoV-2 controls the accessibility of its receptor binding domains (RBDs) to host receptors and immune recognition. Along the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to its variants of concern (VOC)-alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron-their S proteins showed a higher propensity to attain open states. Deciphering how mutations in S protein can shape its conformational dynamics will contribute to the understanding of viral host tropism. Here using microsecond-scale multiple molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), we provide insights into the kinetic and thermodynamic contributions of these mutations to RBD opening pathways in S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Mutational effects were analyzed using atomistic (i) equilibrium MDS of closed and open states of S proteins and (ii) nonequilibrium MDS for closed-to-open transitions. In MDS of closed or open states, RBDs in S proteins of VOCs showed lower thermodynamic stability with higher kinetic fluctuations, compared to S proteins of ancestral SARS-CoV-2. For closed-to-open transitions in S proteins of VOCs, we observed apparently faster RBD opening with a 1.5-2-fold decrease in the thermodynamic free-energy barrier (ΔGclosed→open). Saturation mutagenesis studies highlighted S protein mutations that may control its conformational dynamics and presentation to host receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasdeep Singh
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208, United States
| | - Shubham Vashishtha
- Kusuma
School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute
of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Bishwajit Kundu
- Kusuma
School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute
of Technology-Delhi, New Delhi 110016, India
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12
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Ovchinnikov V, Karplus M. Free Energy Simulations of Receptor-Binding Domain Opening of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Indicate a Barrierless Transition with Slow Conformational Motions. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:8565-8575. [PMID: 37756691 PMCID: PMC10578350 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c05236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Infection by sarbecoviruses begins with the attachment of the homotrimeric viral "spike" protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor on the surface of mammalian cells. This requires one or more receptor-binding domains (RBDs) to be in the open (up) position. Here, we present the results of long molecular dynamics simulations with umbrella sampling (US) to compute a one-dimensional free energy profile of RBD opening/closing and the associated transition times. After ≃3.58μs of simulation time per US window (∼229 μs in total), which was required to approach trajectory decorrelation, the computed free energy profile was found to be without large barriers. This suggests that the RBD diffuses between the open and closed positions without significant energetic hindrance. This interpretation appears consistent with experiments but is at odds with some previous simulations. Modeling the RBD motion as diffusive dynamics along the computed free energy profile, we find that the overall time required for the transition is only about 2 μs, which is 5 orders of magnitude shorter than experimentally measured transition times. We speculate that the most likely reason for the transition time mismatch is our use of very short glycans, which was required to make the simulations performed here feasible. Despite the long simulation times, the final free energy profile is not fully converged with statistical errors of ≃1.16 kcal/mol, which were found to be consistent with the slow time decay in the autocorrelation of the conformational motions of the protein. The simulation lengths that would be required to obtain fully converged results remain unknown, but the present calculations would benefit from at least an order-of-magnitude extension.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Ovchinnikov
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
| | - Martin Karplus
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard
University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, United States
- Laboratoire
de Chimie Biophysique, ISIS, Université
de Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
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13
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Padmanabhan P, Dixit NM. Modelling how increased Cathepsin B/L and decreased TMPRSS2 usage for cell entry by the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant may affect the efficacy and synergy of TMPRSS2 and Cathepsin B/L inhibitors. J Theor Biol 2023; 572:111568. [PMID: 37393986 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2023.111568] [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: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant harbours many mutations in its spike protein compared to the original SARS-CoV-2 strain, which may alter its ability to enter cells, cell tropism, and response to interventions blocking virus entry. To elucidate these effects, we developed a mathematical model of SARS-CoV-2 entry into target cells and applied it to analyse recent in vitro data. SARS-CoV-2 can enter cells via two pathways, one using the host proteases Cathepsin B/L and the other using the host protease TMPRSS2. We found enhanced entry efficiency of the Omicron variant in cells where the original strain preferentially used Cathepsin B/L and reduced efficiency where it used TMPRSS2. The Omicron variant thus appears to have evolved to use the Cathepsin B/L pathway better but at the expense of its ability to use the TMPRSS2 pathway compared to the original strain. We estimated >4-fold enhanced efficiency of the Omicron variant in entry via the Cathepsin B/L pathway and >3-fold reduced efficiency via the TMPRSS2 pathway compared to the original or other strains in a cell type-dependent manner. Our model predicted that Cathepsin B/L inhibitors would be more efficacious and TMPRSS2 inhibitors less efficacious in blocking Omicron variant entry into cells than the original strain. Furthermore, model predictions suggested that drugs simultaneously targeting the two pathways would exhibit synergy. The maximum synergy and drug concentrations yielding it would differ for the Omicron variant compared to the original strain. Our findings provide insights into the cell entry mechanisms of the Omicron variant and have implications for intervention targeting these mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pranesh Padmanabhan
- Clem Jones Centre for Ageing Dementia Research, Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia.
| | - Narendra M Dixit
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India; Centre for Biosystems Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, India
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14
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Campbell O, Monje-Galvan V. Lipid composition modulates interactions of p7 viroporin during membrane insertion. J Struct Biol 2023; 215:108013. [PMID: 37586469 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2023.108013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Viral proteins interact with lipid membranes during various stages in the viral life cycle to propagate infection. p7 is an ion channel forming protein of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) that participates in viral assembly. Studies show that it has close ties to lipid metabolism in the cell and anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids are suggested to be key for its permeabilizing function, but the mechanism of its interaction with the lipid environment is largely unknown. To begin unraveling the molecular processes of the protein, we evaluated the impact of lipid environment on the binding and insertion mechanism of p7 prior to channel formation and viral assembly using molecular dynamics simulations. It is seen that p7 is sensitive to its lipid environment and results in different remodeling patterns in membranes. Helix 1 (H1) is especially important for peptide insertion, with deeper entry taking place when the membrane contains phosphatidylserine (PS). Helix 2 (H2) and the adjacent loop connecting to Helix 3 (H3) prompts recruitment of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) lipids to the protein binding site in membrane models with lower surface charge. This work provides perspectives on the interplay between protein-lipid dynamics and membrane composition, and insights on membrane reorganization in mechanisms of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwatoyin Campbell
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Viviana Monje-Galvan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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15
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Manoussopoulos Y, Anastassopoulou C, Ioannidis JPA, Tsakris A. Paired associated SARS-CoV-2 spike variable positions: a network analysis approach to emerging variants. mSystems 2023; 8:e0044023. [PMID: 37432011 PMCID: PMC10469592 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00440-23] [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: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amino acids in variable positions of proteins may be correlated, with potential structural and functional implications. Here, we apply exact tests of independence in R × C contingency tables to examine noise-free associations between variable positions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, using as a paradigm sequences from Greece deposited in GISAID (N = 6,683/1,078 full length) for the period 29 February 2020 to 26 April 2021 that essentially covers the first three pandemic waves. We examine the fate and complexity of these associations by network analysis, using associated positions (exact P ≤ 0.001 and Average Product Correction ≥ 2) as links and the corresponding positions as nodes. We found a temporal linear increase of positional differences and a gradual expansion of the number of position associations over time, represented by a temporally evolving intricate web, resulting in a non-random complex network of 69 nodes and 252 links. Overconnected nodes corresponded to the most adapted variant positions in the population, suggesting a direct relation between network degree and position functional importance. Modular analysis revealed 25 k-cliques comprising 3 to 11 nodes. At different k-clique resolutions, one to four communities were formed, capturing epistatic associations of circulating variants (Alpha, Beta, B.1.1.318), but also Delta, which dominated the evolutionary landscape later in the pandemic. Cliques of aminoacidic positional associations tended to occur in single sequences, enabling the recognition of epistatic positions in real-world virus populations. Our findings provide a novel way of understanding epistatic relationships in viral proteins with potential applications in the design of virus control procedures. IMPORTANCE Paired positional associations of adapted amino acids in virus proteins may provide new insights for understanding virus evolution and variant formation. We investigated potential intramolecular relationships between variable SARS-CoV-2 spike positions by exact tests of independence in R × C contingency tables, having applied Average Product Correction (APC) to eliminate background noise. Associated positions (exact P ≤ 0.001 and APC ≥ 2) formed a non-random, epistatic network of 25 cliques and 1-4 communities at different clique resolutions, revealing evolutionary ties between variable positions of circulating variants and a predictive potential of previously unknown network positions. Cliques of different sizes represented theoretical combinations of changing residues in sequence space, allowing the identification of significant aminoacidic combinations in single sequences of real-world populations. Our analytic approach that links network structural aspects to mutational aminoacidic combinations in the spike sequence population offers a novel way to understand virus epidemiology and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiannis Manoussopoulos
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- ELGO-Demeter, Plant Protection Division of Patras, Laboratory of Virology, Patras, Greece
| | - Cleo Anastassopoulou
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - John P. A. Ioannidis
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Departments of Epidemiology and Population Health, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Athanasios Tsakris
- Department of Microbiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
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16
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Oliveira ASF, Shoemark DK, Davidson AD, Berger I, Schaffitzel C, Mulholland AJ. SARS-CoV-2 spike variants differ in their allosteric responses to linoleic acid. J Mol Cell Biol 2023; 15:mjad021. [PMID: 36990513 PMCID: PMC10563148 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjad021] [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: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein contains a functionally important fatty acid (FA) binding site, which is also found in some other coronaviruses, e.g. SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. The occupancy of the FA site by linoleic acid (LA) reduces infectivity by 'locking' the spike in a less infectious conformation. Here, we use dynamical-nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (D-NEMD) simulations to compare the allosteric responses of spike variants to LA removal. D-NEMD simulations show that the FA site is coupled to other functional regions of the protein, e.g. the receptor-binding motif (RBM), N-terminal domain (NTD), furin cleavage site, and regions surrounding the fusion peptide. D-NEMD simulations also identify the allosteric networks connecting the FA site to these functional regions. The comparison between the wild-type spike and four variants (Alpha, Delta, Delta plus, and Omicron BA.1) shows that the variants differ significantly in their responses to LA removal. The allosteric connections to the FA site on Alpha are generally similar to those on the wild-type protein, with the exception of the RBM and the S71-R78 region, which show a weaker link to the FA site. In contrast, Omicron is the most different variant, exhibiting significant differences in the RBM, NTD, V622-L629, and furin cleavage site. These differences in the allosteric modulation may be of functional relevance, potentially affecting transmissibility and virulence. Experimental comparison of the effects of LA on SARS-CoV-2 variants, including emerging variants, is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Sofia F Oliveira
- School of Chemistry, Centre for Computational Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | | | - Andrew D Davidson
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Imre Berger
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
- School of Chemistry, Max Planck Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
| | | | - Adrian J Mulholland
- School of Chemistry, Centre for Computational Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, UK
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17
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Strizzi S, Bernardo L, D'Ursi P, Urbinati C, Bianco A, Limanaqi F, Manconi A, Milanesi M, Macchi A, Di Silvestre D, Cavalleri A, Pareschi G, Rusnati M, Clerici M, Mauri P, Biasin M. An innovative strategy to investigate microbial protein modifications in a reliable fast and sensitive way: A therapy oriented proof of concept based on UV-C irradiation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Pharmacol Res 2023; 194:106862. [PMID: 37479104 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2023.106862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
The characterization of modifications of microbial proteins is of primary importance to dissect pathogen lifecycle mechanisms and could be useful in identifying therapeutic targets. Attempts to solve this issue yielded only partial and non-exhaustive results. We developed a multidisciplinary approach by coupling in vitro infection assay, mass spectrometry (MS), protein 3D modelling, and surface plasma resonance (SPR). As a proof of concept, the effect of low UV-C (273 nm) irradiation on SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein was investigated. Following UV-C exposure, MS analysis identified, among other modifications, the disruption of a disulphide bond within the conserved S2 subunit of S protein. Computational analyses revealed that this bond breakage associates with an allosteric effect resulting in the generation of a closed conformation with a reduced ability to bind the ACE2 receptor. The UV-C-induced reduced affinity of S protein for ACE2 was further confirmed by SPR analyses and in vitro infection assays. This comprehensive approach pinpoints the S2 domain of S protein as a potential therapeutic target to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection. Notably, this workflow could be used to screen a wide variety of microbial protein domains, resulting in a precise molecular fingerprint and providing new insights to adequately address future epidemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Strizzi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Bernardo
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Pasqualina D'Ursi
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Chiara Urbinati
- Unit of Macromolecular Interaction Analysis, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Andrea Bianco
- Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) - Brera Astronomical Observatory, Via E. Bianchi, 46, Merate, 23807 Lecco, Italy
| | - Fiona Limanaqi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, 20122 Milan, Italy; Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Manconi
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Maria Milanesi
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy; Unit of Macromolecular Interaction Analysis, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Alberto Macchi
- Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) - Brera Astronomical Observatory, Via E. Bianchi, 46, Merate, 23807 Lecco, Italy
| | - Dario Di Silvestre
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy
| | - Adalberto Cavalleri
- Epidemiology and Prevention Unit, IRCCS Foundation, Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Giacomo Venezian, 1, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pareschi
- Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) - Brera Astronomical Observatory, Via E. Bianchi, 46, Merate, 23807 Lecco, Italy
| | - Marco Rusnati
- Unit of Macromolecular Interaction Analysis, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, University of Brescia, 25123 Brescia, Italy
| | - Mario Clerici
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Via Francesco Sforza, 20122 Milan, Italy; Don C. Gnocchi Foundation, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Foundation, Via A. Capecelatro 66, 20148 Milan, íItaly
| | - PierLuigi Mauri
- Institute for Biomedical Technologies, National Research Council (ITB-CNR), 20054 Segrate, MI, Italy; Interdisciplinary Research Center "Health Science", Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, 56127 Pisa, Italy.
| | - Mara Biasin
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Via G.B. Grassi, 20122 Milan, Italy
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18
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Dokainish HM, Sugita Y. Structural effects of spike protein D614G mutation in SARS-CoV-2. Biophys J 2023; 122:2910-2920. [PMID: 36397671 PMCID: PMC9671695 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2022.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
A single mutation from aspartate to glycine at position 614 has dominated all circulating variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. D614G mutation induces structural changes in the spike (S) protein that strengthen the virus infectivity. Here, we use molecular dynamics simulations to dissect the effects of mutation and 630-loop rigidification on S-protein structure. The introduction of the mutation orders the 630-loop structure and thereby induces global structural changes toward the cryoelectron microscopy structure of the D614G S-protein. The ordered 630-loop weakens local interactions between the 614th residue and others in contrast to disordered structures in the wild-type protein. The mutation allosterically alters global interactions between receptor-binding domains, forming an asymmetric and mobile down conformation and facilitating transitions toward up conformation. The loss of salt bridge between D614 and K854 upon the mutation generally stabilizes S-protein protomer, including the fusion peptide proximal region that mediates membrane fusion. Understanding the molecular basis of D614G mutation is crucial as it dominates in all variants of concern, including Delta and Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hisham M Dokainish
- Computational Biophysics Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Yuji Sugita
- Computational Biophysics Research Team, RIKEN Center for Computational Science, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan; Theoretical Molecular Science Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, Japan; Laboratory for Biomolecular Function Simulation, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Kobe, Hyogo, Japan.
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19
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Xiao S, Verkhivker GM, Tao P. Machine learning and protein allostery. Trends Biochem Sci 2023; 48:375-390. [PMID: 36564251 PMCID: PMC10023316 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The fundamental biological importance and complexity of allosterically regulated proteins stem from their central role in signal transduction and cellular processes. Recently, machine-learning approaches have been developed and actively deployed to facilitate theoretical and experimental studies of protein dynamics and allosteric mechanisms. In this review, we survey recent developments in applications of machine-learning methods for studies of allosteric mechanisms, prediction of allosteric effects and allostery-related physicochemical properties, and allosteric protein engineering. We also review the applications of machine-learning strategies for characterization of allosteric mechanisms and drug design targeting SARS-CoV-2. Continuous development and task-specific adaptation of machine-learning methods for protein allosteric mechanisms will have an increasingly important role in bridging a wide spectrum of data-intensive experimental and theoretical technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sian Xiao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA.
| | - Gennady M Verkhivker
- Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA.
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20
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Gerardi V, Rohaim MA, Naggar RFE, Atasoy MO, Munir M. Deep Structural Analysis of Myriads of Omicron Sub-Variants Revealed Hotspot for Vaccine Escape Immunity. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11030668. [PMID: 36992252 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11030668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Omicron variant has reinforced the importance of continued SARS-CoV-2 evolution and its possible impact on vaccine effectiveness. Specifically, mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) are critical to comprehend the flexibility and dynamicity of the viral interaction with the human agniotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. To this end, we have applied a string of deep structural and genetic analysis tools to map the substitution patterns in the S protein of major Omicron sub-variants (n = 51) with a primary focus on the RBD mutations. This head-to-head comparison of Omicron sub-variants revealed multiple simultaneous mutations that are attributed to antibody escape, and increased affinity and binding to hACE2. Our deep mapping of the substitution matrix indicated a high level of diversity at the N-terminal and RBD domains compared with other regions of the S protein, highlighting the importance of these two domains in a matched vaccination approach. Structural mapping identified highly variable mutations in the up confirmation of the S protein and at sites that critically define the function of the S protein in the virus pathobiology. These substitutional trends offer support in tracking mutations along the evolutionary trajectories of SAR-CoV-2. Collectively, the findings highlight critical areas of mutations across the major Omicron sub-variants and propose several hotspots in the S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 sub-variants to train the future design and development of COVID-19 vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valeria Gerardi
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Mohammed A Rohaim
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt
| | - Rania F El Naggar
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sadat City, Sadat 32897, Egypt
| | - Mustafa O Atasoy
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
| | - Muhammad Munir
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, UK
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21
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Norris EG, Pan XS, Hocking DC. Receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 is a functional αv-integrin agonist. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102922. [PMID: 36669646 PMCID: PMC9846890 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the novel mutations distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from similar coronaviruses is a K403R substitution in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike (S) protein within its S1 region. This amino acid substitution occurs near the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-binding interface and gives rise to a canonical RGD adhesion motif that is often found in native extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin. Here, the ability of recombinant S1-RBD to bind to cell surface integrins and trigger downstream signaling pathways was assessed and compared with RGD-containing, integrin-binding fragments of fibronectin. We determined that S1-RBD supported adhesion of fibronectin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts as well as primary human small airway epithelial cells, while RBD-coated microparticles attached to epithelial monolayers in a cation-dependent manner. Cell adhesion to S1-RBD was RGD dependent and inhibited by blocking antibodies against αv and β3 but not α5 or β1 integrins. Similarly, we observed direct binding of S1-RBD to recombinant human αvβ3 and αvβ6 integrins, but not α5β1 integrins, using surface plasmon resonance. S1-RBD adhesion initiated cell spreading, focal adhesion formation, and actin stress fiber organization to a similar extent as fibronectin. Moreover, S1-RBD stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the adhesion mediators FAK, Src, and paxillin; triggered Akt activation; and supported cell proliferation. Thus, the RGD sequence of S1-RBD can function as an αv-selective integrin agonist. This study provides evidence that cell surface αv-containing integrins can respond functionally to spike protein and raises the possibility that S1-mediated dysregulation of extracellular matrix dynamics may contribute to the pathogenesis and/or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Xuan Sabrina Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA
| | - Denise C Hocking
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, New York, USA.
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22
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Omicron mutations increase interdomain interactions and reduce epitope exposure in the SARS-CoV-2 spike. iScience 2023; 26:105981. [PMID: 36694788 PMCID: PMC9851991 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.105981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Omicron BA.1 is a highly infectious variant of SARS-CoV-2 that carries more than thirty mutations on the spike protein in comparison to the Wuhan wild type (WT). Some of the Omicron mutations, located on the receptor-binding domain (RBD), are exposed to the surrounding solvent and are known to help evade immunity. However, the impact of buried mutations on the RBD conformations and on the mechanics of the spike opening is less evident. Here, we use all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with metadynamics to characterize the thermodynamic RBD-opening ensemble, identifying significant differences between WT and Omicron. Specifically, the Omicron mutations S371L, S373P, and S375F make more RBD interdomain contacts during the spike's opening. Moreover, Omicron takes longer to reach the transition state than WT. It stabilizes up-state conformations with fewer RBD epitopes exposed to the solvent, potentially favoring immune or antibody evasion.
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23
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Lee M, Major M, Hong H. Distinct Conformations of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein and Its Interaction with ACE2 and Antibody. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:3774. [PMID: 36835186 PMCID: PMC9967551 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043774] [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: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Since November 2021, Omicron has been the dominant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has continuously impacted human health. Omicron sublineages are still increasing and cause increased transmission and infection rates. The additional 15 mutations on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of Omicron spike proteins change the protein conformation, enabling the Omicron variant to evade neutralizing antibodies. For this reason, many efforts have been made to design new antigenic variants to induce effective antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development. However, understanding the different states of Omicron spike proteins with and without external molecules has not yet been addressed. In this review, we analyze the structures of the spike protein in the presence and absence of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and antibodies. Compared to previously determined structures for the wildtype spike protein and other variants such as alpha, beta, delta, and gamma, the Omicron spike protein adopts a partially open form. The open-form spike protein with one RBD up is dominant, followed by the open-form spike protein with two RBD up, and the closed-form spike protein with the RBD down. It is suggested that the competition between antibodies and ACE2 induces interactions between adjacent RBDs of the spike protein, which lead to a partially open form of the Omicron spike protein. The comprehensive structural information of Omicron spike proteins could be helpful for the efficient design of vaccines against the Omicron variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myeongsang Lee
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
| | - Marian Major
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, USA
| | - Huixiao Hong
- National Center for Toxicological Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079, USA
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24
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Cox M, Peacock TP, Harvey WT, Hughes J, Wright DW, Willett BJ, Thomson E, Gupta RK, Peacock SJ, Robertson DL, Carabelli AM. SARS-CoV-2 variant evasion of monoclonal antibodies based on in vitro studies. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023; 21:112-124. [PMID: 36307535 PMCID: PMC9616429 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-022-00809-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 124] [Impact Index Per Article: 124.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) offer a treatment option for individuals with severe COVID-19 and are especially important in high-risk individuals where vaccination is not an option. Given the importance of understanding the evolution of resistance to mAbs by SARS-CoV-2, we reviewed the available in vitro neutralization data for mAbs against live variants and viral constructs containing spike mutations of interest. Unfortunately, evasion of mAb-induced protection is being reported with new SARS-CoV-2 variants. The magnitude of neutralization reduction varied greatly among mAb-variant pairs. For example, sotrovimab retained its neutralization capacity against Omicron BA.1 but showed reduced efficacy against BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5, and BA.2.12.1. At present, only bebtelovimab has been reported to retain its efficacy against all SARS-CoV-2 variants considered here. Resistance to mAb neutralization was dominated by the action of epitope single amino acid substitutions in the spike protein. Although not all observed epitope mutations result in increased mAb evasion, amino acid substitutions at non-epitope positions and combinations of mutations also contribute to evasion of neutralization. This Review highlights the implications for the rational design of viral genomic surveillance and factors to consider for the development of novel mAb therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- MacGregor Cox
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - Thomas P Peacock
- Department of Infectious Disease, St Mary's Medical School, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - William T Harvey
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Joseph Hughes
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Derek W Wright
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Brian J Willett
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Emma Thomson
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Ravindra K Gupta
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology & Infectious Disease (CITIID), Jeffrey Cheah Biomedical Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sharon J Peacock
- Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge, UK
| | - David L Robertson
- MRC-University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
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25
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Manrique PD, Chakraborty S, Henderson R, Edwards RJ, Mansbach R, Nguyen K, Stalls V, Saunders C, Mansouri K, Acharya P, Korber B, Gnanakaran S. Network analysis uncovers the communication structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein identifying sites for immunogen design. iScience 2023; 26:105855. [PMID: 36590900 PMCID: PMC9791713 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, has triggered myriad efforts to understand the structure and dynamics of this complex pathogen. The spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is a significant target for immunogens as it is the means by which the virus enters human cells, while simultaneously sporting mutations responsible for immune escape. These functional and escape processes are regulated by complex molecular-level interactions. Our study presents quantitative insights on domain and residue contributions to allosteric communication, immune evasion, and local- and global-level control of functions through the derivation of a weighted graph representation from all-atom MD simulations. Focusing on the ancestral form and the D614G-variant, we provide evidence of the utility of our approach by guiding the selection of a mutation that alters the spike's stability. Taken together, the network approach serves as a valuable tool to evaluate communication "hot-spots" in proteins to guide design of stable immunogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro D. Manrique
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Srirupa Chakraborty
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
- Center for Nonlinear Studies, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Rory Henderson
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Robert J. Edwards
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Rachael Mansbach
- Physics Department, Concordia University, Montreal, QC H4B IR6, Canada
| | - Kien Nguyen
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - Victoria Stalls
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Carrie Saunders
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Katayoun Mansouri
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Priyamvada Acharya
- Duke Human Vaccine Institute, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bette Korber
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
| | - S. Gnanakaran
- Theoretical Biology and Biophysics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, USA
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26
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Pang YT, Acharya A, Lynch DL, Pavlova A, Gumbart JC. SARS-CoV-2 spike opening dynamics and energetics reveal the individual roles of glycans and their collective impact. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1170. [PMID: 36329138 PMCID: PMC9631587 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04138-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein, which protrudes from the SARS-CoV-2 viral envelope, binds to human ACE2, initiated by at least one protomer's receptor binding domain (RBD) switching from a "down" (closed) to an "up" (open) state. Here, we used large-scale molecular dynamics simulations and two-dimensional replica exchange umbrella sampling calculations with more than a thousand windows and an aggregate total of 160 μs of simulation to investigate this transition with and without glycans. We find that the glycosylated spike has a higher barrier to opening and also energetically favors the down state over the up state. Analysis of the S-protein opening pathway reveals that glycans at N165 and N122 interfere with hydrogen bonds between the RBD and the N-terminal domain in the up state, while glycans at N165 and N343 can stabilize both the down and up states. Finally, we estimate how epitope exposure for several known antibodies changes along the opening path. We find that the BD-368-2 antibody's epitope is continuously exposed, explaining its high efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yui Tik Pang
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Atanu Acharya
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.,BioInspired Syracuse and Department of Chemistry, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Diane L Lynch
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - Anna Pavlova
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
| | - James C Gumbart
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
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27
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McBride JM, Eckmann JP, Tlusty T. General Theory of Specific Binding: Insights from a Genetic-Mechano-Chemical Protein Model. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 39:msac217. [PMID: 36208205 PMCID: PMC9641994 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteins need to selectively interact with specific targets among a multitude of similar molecules in the cell. However, despite a firm physical understanding of binding interactions, we lack a general theory of how proteins evolve high specificity. Here, we present such a model that combines chemistry, mechanics, and genetics and explains how their interplay governs the evolution of specific protein-ligand interactions. The model shows that there are many routes to achieving molecular discrimination-by varying degrees of flexibility and shape/chemistry complementarity-but the key ingredient is precision. Harder discrimination tasks require more collective and precise coaction of structure, forces, and movements. Proteins can achieve this through correlated mutations extending far from a binding site, which fine-tune the localized interaction with the ligand. Thus, the solution of more complicated tasks is enabled by increasing the protein size, and proteins become more evolvable and robust when they are larger than the bare minimum required for discrimination. The model makes testable, specific predictions about the role of flexibility and shape mismatch in discrimination, and how evolution can independently tune affinity and specificity. Thus, the proposed theory of specific binding addresses the natural question of "why are proteins so big?". A possible answer is that molecular discrimination is often a hard task best performed by adding more layers to the protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- John M McBride
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
| | - Jean-Pierre Eckmann
- Département de Physique Théorique and Section de Mathématiques, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Tsvi Tlusty
- Center for Soft and Living Matter, Institute for Basic Science, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
- Departments of Physics and Chemistry, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan 44919, South Korea
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28
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Li ZL, Buck M. Computational analysis of interior mutations of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein suggest a balance of protein stability and S2: S1 separation propensity. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:6078-6086. [PMID: 36373151 PMCID: PMC9638846 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.10.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 variants often include surface mutations in the Spike protein that are important for viruses to recognize host receptors and evade antibody neutralization. The Spike protein also has mutations in the interior of the protein likely to affect the Spike protein S1 - S2 subunit's separation propensity, the most important of which is the D614G mutation. Remarkably, the Omicron variant contains a large number of internal mutations at the S2: S1 interface, which have not been investigated yet. In this study, we examined the effects of such interfacial mutations on the S2: S1 and subunit domain interactions and on the subunit's dissociation process. We found that the interaction with S2 is mainly contributed by the three encapsulation domains, named INT, ED1 and ED2 of S1, which are sandwiched between the S1 RBD and N-terminal NTD domain. We found that D614 is the strongest contributor for the S2: S1 interaction which is greatly weakened by the D614G mutation. Surprisingly, we found that, mutations T547K, H655Y, N764K, N856K, N969K, L981F in the Omicron variant largely enhance the S2: ED1 interaction, partially compensating the loss of S2: ED2 interaction due to the D614G mutation. Lastly, these results, together with biological considerations, allow us to suggest that in addition to the binding strength of between the RBD and ACE2, the stability of the Spike protein and the propensity of Spike protein S2: S1 separation are critical factors which likely exist in a balance for a particular infectivity and pathogenicity of the virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen-lu Li
- School of Life Science, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
| | - Matthias Buck
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Department of Neurosciences, Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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29
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Bhadane R, Salo-Ahen OMH. High-Throughput Molecular Dynamics-Based Alchemical Free Energy Calculations for Predicting the Binding Free Energy Change Associated with the Selected Omicron Mutations in the Spike Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2. Biomedicines 2022; 10:2779. [PMID: 36359299 PMCID: PMC9687918 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10112779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has gone through various phases. Since the initial outbreak, the virus has mutated several times, with some lineages showing even stronger infectivity and faster spread than the original virus. Among all the variants, omicron is currently classified as a variant of concern (VOC) by the World Health Organization, as the previously circulating variants have been replaced by it. In this work, we have focused on the mutations observed in omicron sub lineages BA.1, BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5, particularly at the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein that is responsible for the interactions with the host ACE2 receptor and binding of antibodies. Studying such mutations is particularly important for understanding the viral infectivity, spread of the disease and for tracking the escape routes of this virus from antibodies. Molecular dynamics (MD) based alchemical free energy calculations have been shown to be very accurate in predicting the free energy change, due to a mutation that could have a deleterious or a stabilizing effect on either the protein itself or its binding affinity to another protein. Here, we investigated the significance of five spike RBD mutations on the stability of the spike protein binding to ACE2 by free energy calculations using high throughput MD simulations. For comparison, we also used conventional MD simulations combined with a Molecular Mechanics-Generalized Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA) based approach, and compared our results with the available experimental data. Overall, the alchemical free energy calculations performed far better than the MM-GBSA approach in predicting the individual impact of the mutations. When considering the experimental variation, the alchemical free energy method was able to produce a relatively accurate prediction for N501Y, the mutant that has previously been reported to increase the binding affinity to hACE2. On the other hand, the other individual mutations seem not to have a significant effect on the spike RBD binding affinity towards hACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajendra Bhadane
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Outi M. H. Salo-Ahen
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Biochemistry, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Laboratory, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Pharmacy, Åbo Akademi University, FI-20520 Turku, Finland
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30
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Xiong D, Zhao X, Luo S, Zhang JZH, Duan L. Molecular Mechanism of the Non-Covalent Orally Targeted SARS-CoV-2 M pro Inhibitor S-217622 and Computational Assessment of Its Effectiveness against Mainstream Variants. J Phys Chem Lett 2022; 13:8893-8901. [PMID: 36126063 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.2c02428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Convenient and efficient therapeutic agents are urgently needed to block the continued spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, the mechanism for the novel orally targeted SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) inhibitor S-217622 is revealed through a molecular dynamics simulation. The difference in the movement modes of the S-217622-Mpro complex and apo-Mpro suggested S-217622 could inhibit the motility intensity of Mpro, thus maintaining their stable binding. Subsequent energy calculations showed that the P2 pharmacophore possessed the highest energy contribution among the three pharmacophores of S-217622. Additionally, hot-spot residues H41, M165, C145, E166, and H163 have strong interactions with S-217622. To further investigate the resistance of S-217622 to six mainstream variants, the binding modes of S-217622 with these variants were elucidated. The subtle differences in energy compared to that of the wild type implied that the binding patterns of these systems were similar, and S-217622 still inhibited these variants. We hope this work will provide theoretical insights for optimizing novel targeted Mpro drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danyang Xiong
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhao
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - Song Luo
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
| | - John Z H Zhang
- Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Faculty of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, China
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
- NYU-ECNU Center for Computational Chemistry at NYU Shanghai, Shanghai 200062, China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Extreme Optics, Shanxi University, Taiyuan, Shanxi 030006, China
| | - Lili Duan
- School of Physics and Electronics, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, Shandong 250014, China
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31
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Singh J, Vashishtha S, Rahman SA, Ehtesham NZ, Alam A, Kundu B, Dobrindt U. Energetics of Spike Protein Opening of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 and Its Variants of Concern: Implications in Host Receptor Scanning and Transmission. Biochemistry 2022; 61:2188-2197. [PMID: 36166360 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The receptor binding domain(s) (RBD) of spike (S) proteins of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus) undergoes closed to open transition to engage with host ACE2 receptors. In this study, using multi atomistic (equilibrium) and targeted (non-equilibrium) molecular dynamics simulations, we have compared energetics of RBD opening pathways in full-length (modeled from cryo-EM structures) S proteins of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2. Our data indicate that amino acid variations at the RBD interaction interface can culminate into distinct free energy landscapes of RBD opening in these S proteins. We further report that mutations in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern can reduce the protein-protein interaction affinity of RBD(s) with its neighboring domains and could favor its opening to access ACE2 receptors. The findings can also aid in predicting the impact of future mutations on the rate of S protein opening for rapid host receptor scanning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasdeep Singh
- Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Shubham Vashishtha
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Syed Asad Rahman
- BioInception Pvt. Ltd., Future Business Centre, Kings Hedges Road, Cambridge CB4 2HY, U.K
| | - Nasreen Zafar Ehtesham
- ICMR National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Anwar Alam
- ICMR National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - Bishwajit Kundu
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Ulrich Dobrindt
- Institute of Hygiene, University of Münster, Münster 48149, Germany
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32
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Lowry K, Wang C, Bordin A, Buckley C, Badman S, Harris P, Mackay I, Whiley D. SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR to Screen for B.1.617.2 (Delta) Variant of Concern. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12092056. [PMID: 36140458 PMCID: PMC9497716 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12092056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The continuous transmission and evolution of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has required that diagnostic capabilities be constantly monitored and updated as new variants emerge and prior variants disappear. Although whole genome sequencing provides full characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 directly from patient samples, this has limited throughput and requires sufficient resources. To enhance screening for circulating variants, we designed a rapid in-house RT-PCR assay to target a spike mutation (D950N) in Delta variants, which is not detected in the remaining variants of concern (VOCs). Assay sensitivity for detecting Delta variants was 93% and specificity was 100% using a sequenced sample bank of several lineages. As the D950N mutation is prevalent in >95% of the global Delta variant sequences deposited in GISAID, this assay has the potential to provide rapid results to determine if the samples are presumptively Delta variants and can support clinicians in timely clinical decision-making for effective treatments and surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kym Lowry
- The Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases (QPID) Research Group, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - Claire Wang
- The Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases (QPID) Research Group, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Amanda Bordin
- The Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases (QPID) Research Group, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Cameron Buckley
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Steven Badman
- Kirby Institute for Infection and Immunity in Society, University of New South Wales (UNSW) Medicine, UNSW Sydney, Kensington, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Patrick Harris
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
- Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
| | - Ian Mackay
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
- Child Health Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
| | - David Whiley
- The Queensland Paediatric Infectious Diseases (QPID) Research Group, Queensland Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia
- The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research (UQCCR), Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4029, Australia
- Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Prevention Division, Pathology Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4006, Australia
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33
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Peng M, Dou X, Zhang X, Yan M, Xiong D, Jiang R, Ou T, Tang A, Yu X, Zhu F, Li W. Protective antigenic epitopes revealed by immunosignatures after three doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Front Immunol 2022; 13:938378. [PMID: 36016943 PMCID: PMC9397116 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.938378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has infected millions of people around the world. Vaccination is a pillar in the strategy to control transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 spread. Immune responses to vaccination require elucidation. Methods The immune responses to vaccination with three doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine were followed in a cohort of 37 healthy adults (18–59 years old). Blood samples were collected at multiple time points and submitted to peptide array, machine learning modeling, and sequence alignment analyses, the results of which were used to generate vaccine-induced antibody-binding region (VIABR) immunosignatures (Registration number: ChiCTR2200058571). Results Antibody spectrum signals showed vaccination stimulated antibody production. Sequence alignment analyses revealed that a third vaccine dose generated a new highly represented VIABR near the A570D mutation, and the whole process of inoculation enhanced the VIABR near the N501Y mutation. In addition, the antigen conformational epitopes varied between short- and long-term samples. The amino acids with the highest scores in the short-term samples were distributed primarily in the receptor binding domain (RBD) and N-terminal domain regions of spike (S) protein, while in the long-term samples (12 weeks after the 2nd dose), some new conformational epitopes (CEs) were localized to crevices within the head of the S protein trimer. Conclusion Protective antigenic epitopes were revealed by immunosignatures after three doses of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine inoculation. A third dose results in a new top-10 VIABR near the A570D mutation site of S protein, and the whole process of inoculation enhanced the VIABR near the N501Y mutation, thus potentially providing protection from strains that have gained invasion and immune escape abilities through these mutation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mian Peng
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaowen Dou
- Medical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiuming Zhang
- Medical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingchen Yan
- Department of Artificial Intelligence and Bioinformatics, Shenzhen Digital Life Research Institute, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dan Xiong
- Medical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ruiwei Jiang
- Medical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tong Ou
- Medical Laboratory, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aifa Tang
- Science and Education Center, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiqiu Yu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Feiqi Zhu
- Department of Neurology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiqin Li
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- *Correspondence: Weiqin Li,
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34
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Verkhivker GM, Agajanian S, Kassab R, Krishnan K. Frustration-driven allosteric regulation and signal transmission in the SARS-CoV-2 spike omicron trimer structures: a crosstalk of the omicron mutation sites allosterically regulates tradeoffs of protein stability and conformational adaptability. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:17723-17743. [PMID: 35839100 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp01893d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Dissecting the regulatory principles underlying function and activity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at the atomic level is of paramount importance for understanding the mechanisms of virus transmissibility and immune escape. In this work, we introduce a hierarchical computational approach for atomistic modeling of allosteric mechanisms in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike proteins and present evidence of a frustration-based allostery as an important energetic driver of the conformational changes and spike activation. By examining conformational landscapes and the residue interaction networks in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein structures, we have shown that the Omicron mutational sites are dynamically coupled and form a central engine of the allosterically regulated spike machinery that regulates the balance and tradeoffs between conformational plasticity, protein stability, and functional adaptability. We have found that the Omicron mutational sites at the inter-protomer regions form regulatory hotspot clusters that control functional transitions between the closed and open states. Through perturbation-based modeling of allosteric interaction networks and diffusion analysis of communications in the closed and open spike states, we have quantified the allosterically regulated activation mechanism and uncover specific regulatory roles of the Omicron mutations. Atomistic reconstruction of allosteric communication pathways and kinetic modeling using Markov transient analysis reveal that the Omicron mutations form the inter-protomer electrostatic bridges that operate as a network of coupled regulatory switches that could control global conformational changes and signal transmission in the spike protein. The results of this study have revealed distinct and yet complementary roles of the Omicron mutation sites as a network of hotspots that enable allosteric modulation of structural stability and conformational changes which are central for spike activation and virus transmissibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA.,Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Steve Agajanian
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Ryan Kassab
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
| | - Keerthi Krishnan
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
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35
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Baldwin Q, Sumpter B, Panagiotou E. The Local Topological Free Energy of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14153014. [PMID: 35893978 PMCID: PMC9332627 DOI: 10.3390/polym14153014] [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: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infects human cells using a mechanism that involves binding and structural rearrangement of its Spike protein. Understanding protein rearrangement and identifying specific amino acids where mutations affect protein rearrangement has attracted much attention for drug development. In this manuscript, we use a mathematical method to characterize the local topology/geometry of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein backbone. Our results show that local conformational changes in the FP, HR1, and CH domains are associated with global conformational changes in the RBD domain. The SARS-CoV-2 variants analyzed in this manuscript (alpha, beta, gamma, delta Mink, G614, N501) show differences in the local conformations of the FP, HR1, and CH domains as well. Finally, most mutations of concern are either in or in the vicinity of high local topological free energy conformations, suggesting that high local topological free energy conformations could be targets for mutations with significant impact of protein function. Namely, the residues 484, 570, 614, 796, and 969, which are present in variants of concern and are targeted as important in protein function, are predicted as such from our model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quenisha Baldwin
- Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088, USA;
| | - Bobby Sumpter
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA;
| | - Eleni Panagiotou
- Department of Mathematics and SimCenter, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Chattanooga, TN 37403, USA
- Correspondence: or
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36
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Gao K, Wang R, Chen J, Cheng L, Frishcosy J, Huzumi Y, Qiu Y, Schluckbier T, Wei X, Wei GW. Methodology-Centered Review of Molecular Modeling, Simulation, and Prediction of SARS-CoV-2. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11287-11368. [PMID: 35594413 PMCID: PMC9159519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts in the past two years, our understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), virus-host interactions, immune response, virulence, transmission, and evolution is still very limited. This limitation calls for further in-depth investigation. Computational studies have become an indispensable component in combating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their low cost, their efficiency, and the fact that they are free from safety and ethical constraints. Additionally, the mechanism that governs the global evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 cannot be revealed from individual experiments and was discovered by integrating genotyping of massive viral sequences, biophysical modeling of protein-protein interactions, deep mutational data, deep learning, and advanced mathematics. There exists a tsunami of literature on the molecular modeling, simulations, and predictions of SARS-CoV-2 and related developments of drugs, vaccines, antibodies, and diagnostics. To provide readers with a quick update about this literature, we present a comprehensive and systematic methodology-centered review. Aspects such as molecular biophysics, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, machine learning, and mathematics are discussed. This review will be beneficial to researchers who are looking for ways to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 studies and those who are interested in the status of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifu Gao
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Rui Wang
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Limei Cheng
- Clinical
Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Bristol
Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, United States
| | - Jaclyn Frishcosy
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuta Huzumi
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuchi Qiu
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Tom Schluckbier
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Xiaoqi Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Guo-Wei Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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Integrating Conformational Dynamics and Perturbation-Based Network Modeling for Mutational Profiling of Binding and Allostery in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Variant Complexes with Antibodies: Balancing Local and Global Determinants of Mutational Escape Mechanisms. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070964. [PMID: 35883520 PMCID: PMC9313167 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070964] [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: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we combined all-atom MD simulations, the ensemble-based mutational scanning of protein stability and binding, and perturbation-based network profiling of allosteric interactions in the SARS-CoV-2 spike complexes with a panel of cross-reactive and ultra-potent single antibodies (B1-182.1 and A23-58.1) as well as antibody combinations (A19-61.1/B1-182.1 and A19-46.1/B1-182.1). Using this approach, we quantify the local and global effects of mutations in the complexes, identify protein stability centers, characterize binding energy hotspots, and predict the allosteric control points of long-range interactions and communications. Conformational dynamics and distance fluctuation analysis revealed the antibody-specific signatures of protein stability and flexibility of the spike complexes that can affect the pattern of mutational escape. A network-based perturbation approach for mutational profiling of allosteric residue potentials revealed how antibody binding can modulate allosteric interactions and identified allosteric control points that can form vulnerable sites for mutational escape. The results show that the protein stability and binding energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike complexes with the panel of ultrapotent antibodies are tolerant to the effect of Omicron mutations, which may be related to their neutralization efficiency. By employing an integrated analysis of conformational dynamics, binding energetics, and allosteric interactions, we found that the antibodies that neutralize the Omicron spike variant mediate the dominant binding energy hotpots in the conserved stability centers and allosteric control points in which mutations may be restricted by the requirements of the protein folding stability and binding to the host receptor. This study suggested a mechanism in which the patterns of escape mutants for the ultrapotent antibodies may not be solely determined by the binding interaction changes but are associated with the balance and tradeoffs of multiple local and global factors, including protein stability, binding affinity, and long-range interactions.
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Impact of the temperature on the interactions between common variants of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain and the human ACE2. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11520. [PMID: 35798770 PMCID: PMC9261887 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15215-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Several key mutations in the Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) have been identified to influence its affinity for the human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Here, we perform a comparative study of the ACE2 binding to the wild type (Wuhan) RBD and some of its variants: Alpha B.1.1.7, Beta B.1.351, Delta B.1.617.2, Kappa B.1.617.1, B.1.1.7 + L452R and Omicron B.1.1.529. Using a coiled-coil mediated tethering approach of ACE2 in a novel surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based assay, we measured interactions at different temperatures. Binding experiments at 10 °C enhanced the kinetic dissimilarities between the RBD variants and allowed a proper fit to a Langmuir 1:1 model with high accuracy and reproducibility, thus unraveling subtle differences within RBD mutants and ACE2 glycovariants. Our study emphasizes the importance of SPR-based assay parameters in the acquisition of biologically relevant data and offers a powerful tool to deepen our understanding of the role of the various RBD mutations in ACE2 interaction binding parameters.
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Ray D, Quijano RN, Andricioaei I. Point mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants induce long-range dynamical perturbations in neutralizing antibodies. Chem Sci 2022; 13:7224-7239. [PMID: 35799828 PMCID: PMC9214918 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc00534d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies are emerging as a viable treatment for the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). However, newly evolved variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can reduce the efficacy of currently available antibodies and can diminish vaccine-induced immunity. Here, we demonstrate that the microscopic dynamics of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies can be profoundly modified by the mutations present in the spike proteins of the SARS-COV-2 variants currently circulating in the world population. The dynamical perturbations within the antibody structure, which alter the thermodynamics of antigen recognition, are diverse and can depend both on the nature of the antibody and on the spatial location of the spike mutation. The correlation between the motion of the antibody and that of the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) can also be changed, modulating binding affinity. Using protein-graph-connectivity networks, we delineated the mutant-induced modifications in the information-flow along allosteric pathway throughout the antibody. Changes in the collective dynamics were spatially distributed both locally and across long-range distances within the antibody. On the receptor side, we identified an anchor-like structural element that prevents the detachment of the antibodies; individual mutations there can significantly affect the antibody binding propensity. Our study provides insight into how virus neutralization by monoclonal antibodies can be impacted by local mutations in the epitope via a change in dynamics. This realization adds a new layer of sophistication to the efforts for rational design of monoclonal antibodies against new variants of SARS-CoV2, taking the allostery in the antibody into consideration. Mutations in the new variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein modulates the dynamics of the neutralizing antibodies. Capturing such modulations from MD simulations and graph network model identifies the role of mutations in facilitating immune evasion.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Dhiman Ray
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine Irvine CA 92697 USA
| | | | - Ioan Andricioaei
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Irvine Irvine CA 92697 USA .,Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of California Irvine Irvine CA 92697 USA
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40
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Wieczór M, Genna V, Aranda J, Badia RM, Gelpí JL, Gapsys V, de Groot BL, Lindahl E, Municoy M, Hospital A, Orozco M. Pre-exascale HPC approaches for molecular dynamics simulations. Covid-19 research: A use case. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. COMPUTATIONAL MOLECULAR SCIENCE 2022; 13:e1622. [PMID: 35935573 PMCID: PMC9347456 DOI: 10.1002/wcms.1622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Exascale computing has been a dream for ages and is close to becoming a reality that will impact how molecular simulations are being performed, as well as the quantity and quality of the information derived for them. We review how the biomolecular simulations field is anticipating these new architectures, making emphasis on recent work from groups in the BioExcel Center of Excellence for High Performance Computing. We exemplified the power of these simulation strategies with the work done by the HPC simulation community to fight Covid-19 pandemics. This article is categorized under:Data Science > Computer Algorithms and ProgrammingData Science > Databases and Expert SystemsMolecular and Statistical Mechanics > Molecular Dynamics and Monte-Carlo Methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miłosz Wieczór
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Department of Physical ChemistryGdansk University of TechnologyGdańskPoland
| | - Vito Genna
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Juan Aranda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | | | - Josep Lluís Gelpí
- Barcelona Supercomputing CenterBarcelonaSpain
- Department of Biochemistry and BiomedicineUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
| | - Vytautas Gapsys
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesComputational Biomolecular Dynamics GroupGoettingenGermany
| | - Bert L. de Groot
- Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary SciencesComputational Biomolecular Dynamics GroupGoettingenGermany
| | - Erik Lindahl
- Department of Applied PhysicsSwedish e‐Science Research Center, KTH Royal Institute of TechnologyStockholmSweden
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Science for Life LaboratoryStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | | | - Adam Hospital
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona). The Barcelona Institute of Science and TechnologyBarcelonaSpain
- Department of Biochemistry and BiomedicineUniversity of BarcelonaBarcelonaSpain
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41
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Lata S, Akif M. Probing structural basis for enhanced binding of SARS-CoV-2 P.1 variant spike protein with the human ACE2 receptor. J Cell Biochem 2022; 123:1207-1221. [PMID: 35620980 PMCID: PMC9347910 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.30276] [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: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The initial step of infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) involves the binding of receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein to the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Each successive wave of SARS‐CoV‐2 reports emergence of many new variants, which is associated with mutations in the RBD as well as other parts of the spike protein. These mutations are reported to have enhanced affinity towards the ACE2 receptor as well as are also crucial for the virus transmission. Many computational and experimental studies have demonstrated the effect of individual mutation on the RBD‐ACE2 binding. However, the cumulative effect of mutations on the RBD and away from the RBD was not investigated in detail. We report here a comparative analysis on the structural communication and dynamics of the RBD and truncated S1 domain of spike protein in complex with the ACE2 receptor from SARS‐CoV‐2 wild type and its P.1 variant. Our integrative network and dynamics approaches highlighted a subtle conformational changes in the RBD as well as truncated S1 domain of spike protein at the protein contact level, responsible for the increased affinity with the ACE2 receptor. Moreover, our study also identified the commonalities and differences in the dynamics of the interactions between spike protein of SARS‐CoV‐2 wild type and its P.1 variant with the ACE2 receptor. Further, our investigation yielded an understanding towards identification of the unique RBD residues crucial for the interaction with the ACE2 host receptor. Overall, the study provides an insight for designing better therapeutics against the circulating P.1 variants as well as other future variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surabhi Lata
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Mohd Akif
- Laboratory of Structural Biology, Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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42
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Choi KE, Kim JM, Rhee JE, Park AK, Kim EJ, Yoo CK, Kang NS. Molecular Dynamics Studies on the Structural Stability Prediction of SARS-CoV-2 Variants Including Multiple Mutants. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23094956. [PMID: 35563345 PMCID: PMC9106056 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23094956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide. The spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 fuses with and invades cells in the host respiratory system by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The spike protein, however, undergoes continuous mutation from a D614G single mutant to an omicron variant, including multiple mutants. In this study, variants, including multiple mutants (double, triple mutants, B.1.620, delta, alpha, delta_E484Q, mu, and omicron) were investigated in patients. The 3D structure of the full-length spike protein was used in conformational analysis depending on the SARS-CoV-2 variants. The structural stability of the variant types was analyzed based on the distance between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of each chain in the spike protein and the binding free energy between the spike protein and bound ACE2 in the one-, two-, and three-open-complex forms using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Omicron variants, the most prevalent in the recent history of the global pandemic, which consist of 32 mutations, showed higher stability in all open-complex forms compared with that of the wild type and other variants. We suggest that the conformational stability of the spike protein is the one of the important determinants for the differences in viral infectivity among variants, including multiple mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kwang-Eun Choi
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
| | - Jeong-Min Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Jee Eun Rhee
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Ae Kyung Park
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Eun-Jin Kim
- Division of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea; (J.-M.K.); (J.E.R.); (A.K.P.); (E.-J.K.)
| | - Cheon Kwon Yoo
- Bureau of Infectious Disease Diagnosis Control, Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 187 Osongsaengmyeong 2-ro, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si 28159, Korea;
| | - Nam Sook Kang
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Korea;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-42-821-8626
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43
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Shi D, An K, Zhang H, Xu P, Bai C. Application of Coarse-Grained (CG) Models to Explore Conformational Pathway of Large-Scale Protein Machines. ENTROPY 2022; 24:e24050620. [PMID: 35626506 PMCID: PMC9140642 DOI: 10.3390/e24050620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Protein machines are clusters of protein assemblies that function in order to control the transfer of matter and energy in cells. For a specific protein machine, its working mechanisms are not only determined by the static crystal structures, but also related to the conformational transition dynamics and the corresponding energy profiles. With the rapid development of crystallographic techniques, the spatial scale of resolved structures is reaching up to thousands of residues, and the concomitant conformational changes become more and more complicated, posing a great challenge for computational biology research. Previously, a coarse-grained (CG) model aiming at conformational free energy evaluation was developed and showed excellent ability to reproduce the energy profiles by accurate electrostatic interaction calculations. In this study, we extended the application of the CG model to a series of large-scale protein machine systems. The spike protein trimer of SARS-CoV-2, ATP citrate lyase (ACLY) tetramer, and P4-ATPases systems were carefully studied and discussed as examples. It is indicated that the CG model is effective to depict the energy profiles of the conformational pathway between two endpoint structures, especially for large-scale systems. Both the energy change and energy barrier between endpoint structures provide reasonable mechanism explanations for the associated biological processes, including the opening of receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein, the phospholipid transportation of P4-ATPase, and the loop translocation of ACLY. Taken together, the CG model provides a suitable alternative in mechanistic studies related to conformational change in large-scale protein machines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Shi
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China; (D.S.); (K.A.); (H.Z.); (P.X.)
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Ke An
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China; (D.S.); (K.A.); (H.Z.); (P.X.)
- School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Honghui Zhang
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China; (D.S.); (K.A.); (H.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Peiyi Xu
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China; (D.S.); (K.A.); (H.Z.); (P.X.)
| | - Chen Bai
- Warshel Institute for Computational Biology, School of Life and Health Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518172, China; (D.S.); (K.A.); (H.Z.); (P.X.)
- Correspondence:
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44
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Verkhivker G, Agajanian S, Kassab R, Krishnan K. Computer Simulations and Network-Based Profiling of Binding and Allosteric Interactions of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Variant Complexes and the Host Receptor: Dissecting the Mechanistic Effects of the Delta and Omicron Mutations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:4376. [PMID: 35457196 PMCID: PMC9032413 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study, we combine all-atom MD simulations and comprehensive mutational scanning of S-RBD complexes with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) host receptor in the native form as well as the S-RBD Delta and Omicron variants to (a) examine the differences in the dynamic signatures of the S-RBD complexes and (b) identify the critical binding hotspots and sensitivity of the mutational positions. We also examined the differences in allosteric interactions and communications in the S-RBD complexes for the Delta and Omicron variants. Through the perturbation-based scanning of the allosteric propensities of the SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD residues and dynamics-based network centrality and community analyses, we characterize the global mediating centers in the complexes and the nature of local stabilizing communities. We show that a constellation of mutational sites (G496S, Q498R, N501Y and Y505H) correspond to key binding energy hotspots and also contribute decisively to the key interfacial communities that mediate allosteric communications between S-RBD and ACE2. These Omicron mutations are responsible for both favorable local binding interactions and long-range allosteric interactions, providing key functional centers that mediate the high transmissibility of the virus. At the same time, our results show that other mutational sites could provide a "flexible shield" surrounding the stable community network, thereby allowing the Omicron virus to modulate immune evasion at different epitopes, while protecting the integrity of binding and allosteric interactions in the RBD-ACE2 complexes. This study suggests that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein may exploit the plasticity of the RBD to generate escape mutants, while engaging a small group of functional hotspots to mediate efficient local binding interactions and long-range allosteric communications with ACE2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (S.A.); (R.K.); (K.K.)
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
| | - Steve Agajanian
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (S.A.); (R.K.); (K.K.)
| | - Ryan Kassab
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (S.A.); (R.K.); (K.K.)
| | - Keerthi Krishnan
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; (S.A.); (R.K.); (K.K.)
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Norris EG, Pan XS, Hocking DC. Receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 is a functional αv-integrin agonist. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.04.11.487882. [PMID: 35441172 PMCID: PMC9016641 DOI: 10.1101/2022.04.11.487882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Among the novel mutations distinguishing SARS-CoV-2 from similar respiratory coronaviruses is a K403R substitution in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike (S) protein within its S1 region. This amino acid substitution occurs near the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-binding interface and gives rise to a canonical RGD adhesion motif that is often found in native extracellular matrix proteins, including fibronectin. In the present study, the ability of recombinant S1-RBD to bind to cell surface integrins and trigger downstream signaling pathways was assessed and compared to RGD-containing, integrin-binding fragments of fibronectin. S1-RBD supported adhesion of both fibronectin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts as well as primary human small airway epithelial cells. Cell adhesion to S1-RBD was cation- and RGD-dependent, and was inhibited by blocking antibodies against α v and β 3 , but not α 5 or β 1 , integrins. Similarly, direct binding of S1-RBD to recombinant human α v β 3 and α v β 6 integrins, but not α 5 β 1 integrins, was observed by surface plasmon resonance. Adhesion to S1-RBD initiated cell spreading, focal adhesion formation, and actin stress fiber organization to a similar extent as fibronectin. Moreover, S1-RBD stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the adhesion mediators FAK, Src, and paxillin, Akt activation, and supported cell proliferation. Together, these data demonstrate that the RGD sequence within S1-RBD can function as an α v -selective integrin agonist. This study provides evidence that cell surface α v -containing integrins can respond functionally to spike protein and raise the possibility that S1-mediated dysregulation of ECM dynamics may contribute to the pathogenesis and/or post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma G. Norris
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Xuan Sabrina Pan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
| | - Denise C. Hocking
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
- Department of Biomedical Engineering University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY 14642
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Verkhivker GM, Agajanian S, Kassab R, Krishnan K. Landscape-Based Protein Stability Analysis and Network Modeling of Multiple Conformational States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike D614G Mutant: Conformational Plasticity and Frustration-Induced Allostery as Energetic Drivers of Highly Transmissible Spike Variants. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:1956-1978. [PMID: 35377633 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The structural and functional studies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants revealed an important role of the D614G mutation that is shared across many variants of concern (VOCs), suggesting the effect of this mutation on the enhanced virus infectivity and transmissibility. The recent structural and biophysical studies provided important evidence about multiple conformational substates of the D614G spike protein. The development of a plausible mechanistic model that can explain the experimental observations from a more unified thermodynamic perspective is an important objective of the current work. In this study, we employed efficient and accurate coarse-grained simulations of multiple structural substates of the D614G spike trimers together with the ensemble-based mutational frustration analysis to characterize the dynamics signatures of the conformational landscapes. By combining the local frustration profiling of the conformational states with residue-based mutational scanning of protein stability and network analysis of allosteric interactions and communications, we determine the patterns of mutational sensitivity in the functional regions and sites of variants. We found that the D614G mutation may induce a considerable conformational adaptability of the open states in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein without compromising the folding stability and integrity of the spike protein. The results suggest that the D614G mutant may employ a hinge-shift mechanism in which the dynamic couplings between the site of mutation and the interprotomer hinge modulate the interdomain interactions, global mobility change, and the increased stability of the open form. This study proposes that mutation-induced modulation of the conformational flexibility and energetic frustration at the interprotomer interfaces may serve as an efficient mechanism for allosteric regulation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States.,Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, California 92618, United States
| | - Steve Agajanian
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Ryan Kassab
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
| | - Keerthi Krishnan
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California 92866, United States
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Verkhivker G. Structural and Computational Studies of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding Mechanisms with Nanobodies: From Structure and Dynamics to Avidity-Driven Nanobody Engineering. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23062928. [PMID: 35328351 PMCID: PMC8951411 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23062928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Nanobodies provide important advantages over traditional antibodies, including their smaller size and robust biochemical properties such as high thermal stability, high solubility, and the ability to be bioengineered into novel multivalent, multi-specific, and high-affinity molecules, making them a class of emerging powerful therapies against SARS-CoV-2. Recent research efforts on the design, protein engineering, and structure-functional characterization of nanobodies and their binding with SARS-CoV-2 S proteins reflected a growing realization that nanobody combinations can exploit distinct binding epitopes and leverage the intrinsic plasticity of the conformational landscape for the SARS-CoV-2 S protein to produce efficient neutralizing and mutation resistant characteristics. Structural and computational studies have also been instrumental in quantifying the structure, dynamics, and energetics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding with nanobodies. In this review, a comprehensive analysis of the current structural, biophysical, and computational biology investigations of SARS-CoV-2 S proteins and their complexes with distinct classes of nanobodies targeting different binding sites is presented. The analysis of computational studies is supplemented by an in-depth examination of mutational scanning simulations and identification of binding energy hotspots for distinct nanobody classes. The review is focused on the analysis of mechanisms underlying synergistic binding of multivalent nanobodies that can be superior to single nanobodies and conventional nanobody cocktails in combating escape mutations by effectively leveraging binding avidity and allosteric cooperativity. We discuss how structural insights and protein engineering approaches together with computational biology tools can aid in the rational design of synergistic combinations that exhibit superior binding and neutralization characteristics owing to avidity-mediated mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Verkhivker
- Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; ; Tel.: +1-714-516-4586
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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48
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Allosteric Determinants of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Binding with Nanobodies: Examining Mechanisms of Mutational Escape and Sensitivity of the Omicron Variant. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042172. [PMID: 35216287 PMCID: PMC8877688 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural and biochemical studies have recently revealed a range of rationally engineered nanobodies with efficient neutralizing capacity against the SARS-CoV-2 virus and resilience against mutational escape. In this study, we performed a comprehensive computational analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer complexes with single nanobodies Nb6, VHH E, and complex with VHH E/VHH V nanobody combination. We combined coarse-grained and all-atom molecular simulations and collective dynamics analysis with binding free energy scanning, perturbation-response scanning, and network centrality analysis to examine mechanisms of nanobody-induced allosteric modulation and cooperativity in the SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer complexes with these nanobodies. By quantifying energetic and allosteric determinants of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding with nanobodies, we also examined nanobody-induced modulation of escaping mutations and the effect of the Omicron variant on nanobody binding. The mutational scanning analysis supported the notion that E484A mutation can have a significant detrimental effect on nanobody binding and result in Omicron-induced escape from nanobody neutralization. Our findings showed that SARS-CoV-2 spike protein might exploit the plasticity of specific allosteric hotspots to generate escape mutants that alter response to binding without compromising activity. The network analysis supported these findings showing that VHH E/VHH V nanobody binding can induce long-range couplings between the cryptic binding epitope and ACE2-binding site through a broader ensemble of communication paths that is less dependent on specific mediating centers and therefore may be less sensitive to mutational perturbations of functional residues. The results suggest that binding affinity and long-range communications of the SARS-CoV-2 complexes with nanobodies can be determined by structurally stable regulatory centers and conformationally adaptable hotspots that are allosterically coupled and collectively control resilience to mutational escape.
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Verkhivker G. Conformational Flexibility and Local Frustration in the Functional States of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 Variants: Mutation-Induced Allosteric Modulation Mechanism of Functional Dynamics and Protein Stability. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031646. [PMID: 35163572 PMCID: PMC8836237 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Structural and functional studies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins have recently determined distinct functional states of the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 spike variants, providing a molecular framework for understanding the mechanisms that link the effect of mutations with the enhanced virus infectivity and transmissibility. A detailed dynamic and energetic analysis of these variants was undertaken in the present work to quantify the effects of different mutations on functional conformational changes and stability of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We employed the efficient and accurate coarse-grained (CG) simulations of multiple functional states of the D614G mutant, B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 spike variants to characterize conformational dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and identify dynamic signatures of the functional regions that regulate transitions between the closed and open forms. By combining molecular simulations with full atomistic reconstruction of the trajectories and the ensemble-based mutational frustration analysis, we characterized how the intrinsic flexibility of specific spike regions can control functional conformational changes required for binding with the host-cell receptor. Using the residue-based mutational scanning of protein stability, we determined protein stability hotspots and identified potential energetic drivers favoring the receptor-accessible open spike states for the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 spike variants. The results suggested that modulation of the energetic frustration at the inter-protomer interfaces can serve as a mechanism for allosteric couplings between mutational sites and the inter-protomer hinges of functional motions. The proposed mechanism of mutation-induced energetic frustration may result in greater adaptability and the emergence of multiple conformational states in the open form. This study suggested that SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants may leverage the intrinsic plasticity of functional regions in the spike protein for mutation-induced modulation of protein dynamics and allosteric regulation to control binding with the host cell receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady Verkhivker
- Keck Center for Science and Engineering, Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA; ; Tel.: +17-14-516-4586
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
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Mutational landscape and in silico structure models of SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain reveal key molecular determinants for virus-host interaction. BMC Mol Cell Biol 2022; 23:2. [PMID: 34991443 PMCID: PMC8736301 DOI: 10.1186/s12860-021-00403-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic is a RNA virus prone to mutations. Formation of a stable binding interface between the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) of host is pivotal for viral entry. RBD has been shown to mutate frequently during pandemic. Although, a few mutations in RBD exhibit enhanced transmission rates leading to rise of new variants of concern, most RBD mutations show sustained ACE2 binding and virus infectivity. Yet, how all these mutations make the binding interface constantly favourable for virus remain enigmatic. This study aims to delineate molecular rearrangements in the binding interface of SARS-CoV-2 RBD mutants. Results Here, we have generated a mutational and structural landscape of SARS-CoV-2 RBD in first six months of the pandemic. We analyzed 31,403 SARS-CoV-2 genomes randomly across the globe, and identified 444 non-synonymous mutations in RBD that cause 49 distinct amino acid substitutions in contact and non-contact amino acid residues. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggested independent emergence of RBD mutants. Structural mapping of these mutations on the SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan reference strain RBD and structural comparison with RBDs from bat-CoV, SARS-CoV, and pangolin-CoV, all bound to human or mouse ACE2, revealed several changes in the interfacial interactions in all three binding clusters. Interestingly, interactions mediated via N487 residue in cluster-I and Y449, G496, T500, G502 residues in cluster-III remained largely unchanged in all RBD mutants. Further analysis showed that these interactions are evolutionarily conserved in sarbecoviruses which use ACE2 for entry. Importantly, despite extensive changes in the interface, RBD-ACE2 stability and binding affinities were maintained in all the analyzed mutants. Taken together, these findings reveal how SARS-CoV-2 uses its RBD residues to constantly remodel the binding interface. Conclusion Our study broadly signifies understanding virus-host binding interfaces and their alterations during pandemic. Our findings propose a possible interface remodelling mechanism used by SARS-CoV-2 to escape deleterious mutations. Future investigations will focus on functional validation of in-silico findings and on investigating interface remodelling mechanisms across sarbecoviruses. Thus, in long run, this study may provide novel clues to therapeutically target RBD-ACE2 interface for pan-sarbecovirus infections. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12860-021-00403-4.
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