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Danda M, Klimešová A, Kušková K, Dostálková A, Pagáčová A, Prchal J, Kapisheva M, Ruml T, Rumlová M. Biochemical characterization of naturally occurring mutations in SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5103. [PMID: 39145418 PMCID: PMC11325161 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5103] [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: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, mutations in all subunits of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the virus have been repeatedly reported. Although RdRp represents a primary target for antiviral drugs, experimental studies exploring the phenotypic effect of these mutations have been limited. This study focuses on the phenotypic effects of substitutions in the three RdRp subunits: nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12, selected based on their occurrence rate and potential impact. We employed nano-differential scanning fluorimetry and microscale thermophoresis to examine the impact of these mutations on protein stability and RdRp complex assembly. We observed diverse impacts; notably, a single mutation in nsp8 significantly increased its stability as evidenced by a 13°C increase in melting temperature, whereas certain mutations in nsp7 and nsp8 reduced their binding affinity to nsp12 during RdRp complex formation. Using a fluorometric enzymatic assay, we assessed the overall effect on RNA polymerase activity. We found that most of the examined mutations altered the polymerase activity, often as a direct result of changes in stability or affinity to the other components of the RdRp complex. Intriguingly, a combination of nsp8 A21V and nsp12 P323L mutations resulted in a 50% increase in polymerase activity. To our knowledge, this is the first biochemical study to demonstrate the impact of amino acid mutations across all components constituting the RdRp complex in emerging SARS-CoV-2 subvariants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matěj Danda
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Anna Klimešová
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Klára Kušková
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Alžběta Dostálková
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Pagáčová
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prchal
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marina Kapisheva
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Ruml
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Rumlová
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Czech Republic
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2
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Nazir F, John Kombe Kombe A, Khalid Z, Bibi S, Zhang H, Wu S, Jin T. SARS-CoV-2 replication and drug discovery. Mol Cell Probes 2024; 77:101973. [PMID: 39025272 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2024.101973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed millions of people and continues to wreak havoc across the globe. This sudden and deadly pandemic emphasizes the necessity for anti-viral drug development that can be rapidly administered to reduce morbidity, mortality, and virus propagation. Thus, lacking efficient anti-COVID-19 treatment, and especially given the lengthy drug development process as well as the critical death tool that has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 since its outbreak, drug repurposing (or repositioning) constitutes so far, the ideal and ready-to-go best approach in mitigating viral spread, containing the infection, and reducing the COVID-19-associated death rate. Indeed, based on the molecular similarity approach of SARS-CoV-2 with previous coronaviruses (CoVs), repurposed drugs have been reported to hamper SARS-CoV-2 replication. Therefore, understanding the inhibition mechanisms of viral replication by repurposed anti-viral drugs and chemicals known to block CoV and SARS-CoV-2 multiplication is crucial, and it opens the way for particular treatment options and COVID-19 therapeutics. In this review, we highlighted molecular basics underlying drug-repurposing strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Notably, we discussed inhibition mechanisms of viral replication, involving and including inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 proteases (3C-like protease, 3CLpro or Papain-like protease, PLpro) by protease inhibitors such as Carmofur, Ebselen, and GRL017, polymerases (RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase, RdRp) by drugs like Suramin, Remdesivir, or Favipiravir, and proteins/peptides inhibiting virus-cell fusion and host cell replication pathways, such as Disulfiram, GC376, and Molnupiravir. When applicable, comparisons with SARS-CoV inhibitors approved for clinical use were made to provide further insights to understand molecular basics in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication and draw conclusions for future drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Nazir
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Arnaud John Kombe Kombe
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Zunera Khalid
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Shaheen Bibi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Hongliang Zhang
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Songquan Wu
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China.
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China; Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China; Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China; Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
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3
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Lima Neto JX, Bezerra KS, Barbosa ED, Araujo RL, Galvão DS, Lyra ML, Oliveira JIN, Akash S, Jardan YAB, Nafidi HA, Bourhia M, Fulco UL. Investigation of protein-protein interactions and hotspot region on the NSP7-NSP8 binding site in NSP12 of SARS-CoV-2. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1325588. [PMID: 38304231 PMCID: PMC10830813 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1325588] [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: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex, essential in viral transcription and replication, is a key target for antiviral therapeutics. The core unit of RdRp comprises the nonstructural protein NSP12, with NSP7 and two copies of NSP8 (NSP81 and NSP82) binding to NSP12 to enhance its affinity for viral RNA and polymerase activity. Notably, the interfaces between these subunits are highly conserved, simplifying the design of molecules that can disrupt their interaction. Methods: We conducted a detailed quantum biochemical analysis to characterize the interactions within the NSP12-NSP7, NSP12-NSP81, and NSP12-NSP82 dimers. Our objective was to ascertain the contribution of individual amino acids to these protein-protein interactions, pinpointing hotspot regions crucial for complex stability. Results: The analysis revealed that the NSP12-NSP81 complex possessed the highest total interaction energy (TIE), with 14 pairs of residues demonstrating significant energetic contributions. In contrast, the NSP12-NSP7 complex exhibited substantial interactions in 8 residue pairs, while the NSP12-NSP82 complex had only one pair showing notable interaction. The study highlighted the importance of hydrogen bonds and π-alkyl interactions in maintaining these complexes. Intriguingly, introducing the RNA sequence with Remdesivir into the complex resulted in negligible alterations in both interaction energy and geometric configuration. Conclusion: Our comprehensive analysis of the RdRp complex at the protein-protein interface provides invaluable insights into interaction dynamics and energetics. These findings can guide the design of small molecules or peptide/peptidomimetic ligands to disrupt these critical interactions, offering a strategic pathway for developing effective antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Xavier Lima Neto
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Katyanna Sales Bezerra
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel Duarte Barbosa
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Roniel Lima Araujo
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jonas Ivan Nobre Oliveira
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Shopnil Akash
- Department of Pharmacy, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Yousef A. Bin Jardan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hiba-Allah Nafidi
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Laayoune, Morocco
| | - Umberto Laino Fulco
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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Baindara P, Chowdhury T, Roy D, Mandal M, Mandal SM. Surfactin-like lipopeptides from Bacillus clausii efficiently bind to spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:14152-14163. [PMID: 37021470 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2196694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rapidly spread across the globe, infecting millions and causing hundreds of deaths. It has been now around three years but still, it remained a serious threat worldwide, even after the availability of some vaccines. Bio-surfactants are known to have antiviral activities and might be a potential alternative for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In the present study, we have isolated and purified, a surfactin-like lipopeptide produced by a probiotic bacterial strain Bacillus clausii TS. Upon purification and characterization with MALDI analysis, the molecular weight of the lipopeptide is confirmed as 1037 Da (similar to surfactin C) which is known to have antiviral activities against various enveloped viruses. Purified surfactin-like lipopeptide showed efficient binding and inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S1) protein, revealed by competitive ELISA assay. Further, we have explored the complete thermodynamics of the inhibitory binding of surfactin-like lipopeptide with S1 protein using isothermal titration calorimetric (ITC) assay. ITC results are in agreement with ELISA with a binding constant of 1.78 × 10-4 M-1. For further validation of the inhibitory binding of surfactin-like lipopeptide with S1 protein and its receptor binding domain (RBD), we performed molecular docking, dynamics, and simulation experiments. Our results suggested that surfactin could be a promising drug agent for the spike protein targeting drug development strategy against SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging variants.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piyush Baindara
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Trinath Chowdhury
- Central Research Facility, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Dinata Roy
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Mahitosh Mandal
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
| | - Santi M Mandal
- Central Research Facility, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, India
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Dey SK, Saini M, Dhembla C, Bhatt S, Rajesh AS, Anand V, Das HK, Kundu S. Suramin, penciclovir, and anidulafungin exhibit potential in the treatment of COVID-19 via binding to nsp12 of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:14067-14083. [PMID: 34784490 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2000498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19, for which no confirmed therapeutic agents are available, has claimed over 48,14,000 lives globally. A feasible and quicker method to resolve this problem may be 'drug repositioning'. We investigated selected FDA and WHO-EML approved drugs based on their previously promising potential as antivirals, antibacterials or antifungals. These drugs were docked onto the nsp12 protein, which reigns the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of SARS-CoV-2, a key therapeutic target for coronaviruses. Docked complexes were reevaluated using MM-GBSA analysis and the top three inhibitor-protein complexes were subjected to 100 ns long molecular dynamics simulation followed by another round of MM-GBSA analysis. The RMSF plots, binding energies and the mode of physicochemical interaction of the active site of the protein with the drugs were evaluated. Suramin, Penciclovir, and Anidulafungin were found to bind to nsp12 with similar binding energies as that of Remdesivir, which has been used as a therapy for COVID-19. In addition, recent experimental evidences indicate that these drugs exhibit antiviral efficacy against SARS-CoV-2. Such evidence, along with the significant and varied physical interactions of these drugs with the key viral enzyme outlined in this investigation, indicates that they might have a prospective therapeutic potential in the treatment of COVID-19 as monotherapy or combination therapy with Remdesivir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjay Kumar Dey
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India.,Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
| | - Manisha Saini
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Chetna Dhembla
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - Shruti Bhatt
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | - A Sai Rajesh
- Department of Biosciences and Biotechnology, Fakir Mohan University, Odisha, India
| | - Varnita Anand
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
| | | | - Suman Kundu
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Delhi South Campus, New Delhi, India
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6
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Discovering new potential inhibitors to SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) using high throughput virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19986. [PMID: 36411383 PMCID: PMC9676757 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24695-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), is an essential in the RNA replication within the life cycle of the severely acute respiratory coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), causing the deadly respiratory induced sickness COVID-19. Remdesivir is a prodrug that has seen some success in inhibiting this enzyme, however there is still the pressing need for effective alternatives. In this study, we present the discovery of four non-nucleoside small molecules that bind favorably to SARS-CoV-2 RdRp over the active form of the popular drug remdesivir (RTP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by utilizing high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) against the vast ZINC compound database coupled with extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. After post-trajectory analysis, we found that the simulations of complexes containing both ATP and RTP remained stable for the duration of their trajectories. Additionally, it was revealed that the phosphate tail of RTP was stabilized by both the positive amino acid pocket and magnesium ions near the entry channel of RdRp which includes residues K551, R553, R555 and K621. It was also found that residues D623, D760, and N691 further stabilized the ribose portion of RTP with U10 on the template RNA strand forming hydrogen pairs with the adenosine motif. Using these models of RdRp, we employed them to screen the ZINC database of ~ 17 million molecules. Using docking and drug properties scoring, we narrowed down our selection to fourteen candidates. These were subjected to 200 ns simulations each underwent free energy calculations. We identified four hit compounds from the ZINC database that have similar binding poses to RTP while possessing lower overall binding free energies, with ZINC097971592 having a binding free energy two times lower than RTP.
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7
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Mortezaei Z, Mohammadian A, Tavallaei M. Variations of SARS-CoV-2 in the Iranian population and candidate putative drug-like compounds to inhibit the mutated proteins. Heliyon 2022; 8:e09910. [PMID: 35847618 PMCID: PMC9271419 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The first cases of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, were detected in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Nucleotide substitutions and mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 sequence can result in the evolution of the virus and its rapid spread across the world. Therefore, understanding genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 and targeting the conserved elements responsible for viral replication have great benefits for detecting its infection sources and diagnosing and treating COVID-19. In this study, we used the SARS-CoV-2 sequence isolated from a 59-year-old man in Ardabil, Iran, in April 2020 and sequenced using Oxford Nanopore technology. A meta-analysis comparing the sequence under study with other sequences from Iran indicated long nucleotide insertions/deletions (indels) that code for NSP15, the NSP14-NSP10 complex, open reading frame ORF9b, and ORF1ab polyproteins. In addition, replicating the NSP8 protein in the study sequence is another topic that can affect viral replication. Then using the DNA structure of NSP8, NSP15, NSP14-NSP10 complex, and ORF1ab as a genetic target can help find drug-like compounds for COVID-19. Potential drug-like compounds reported in this study for their mechanism of action and interactions with SARS-CoV-2 genes using drug repurposing are resveratrol, erythromycin, chloramphenicol, indomethacin, ciclesonide, and PDE4 inhibitor. Ciclesonide appears to show the best results when docked with chosen viral proteins. Therefore, different proteins isolated from nucleotide mutations in the virus sequence can indicate distinct inducers for antibodies and are important in vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Mortezaei
- Human Genetic Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Mohammadian
- Department of Medical Biotechnology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Tavallaei
- Human Genetic Research Center, Baqiyatallah University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Yavarian J, Nejati A, Salimi V, Shafiei Jandaghi NZ, Sadeghi K, Abedi A, Sharifi Zarchi A, Gouya MM, Mokhtari-Azad T. Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV2 strains circulating in Iran during five waves of pandemic. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0267847. [PMID: 35499994 PMCID: PMC9060343 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0267847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Whole genome sequencing of SARS-CoV2 is important to find useful information about the viral lineages, variants of interests and variants of concern. As there are not enough data about the circulating SARS-CoV2 variants in Iran, we sequenced 54 SARS-CoV2 genomes during the 5 waves of pandemic in Iran. METHODS After viral RNA extraction from clinical samples collected during the COVID-19 pandemic, next generation sequencing was performed using the Nextseq platform. The sequencing data were analyzed and compared with reference sequences. RESULTS During the 1st wave, V and L clades were detected. The second wave was recognized by G, GH and GR clades. Circulating clades during the 3rd wave were GH and GR. In the fourth wave GRY (alpha variant), GK (delta variant) and one GH clade (beta variant) were detected. All viruses in the fifth wave were in clade GK (delta variant). There were different mutations in all parts of the genomes but Spike-D614G, NSP12-P323L, N-R203K and N-G204R were the most frequent mutants in these studied viruses. CONCLUSIONS These findings display the significance of SARS-CoV2 monitoring to help on time detection of possible variants for pandemic control and vaccination plans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jila Yavarian
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmad Nejati
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Vahid Salimi
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Kaveh Sadeghi
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Adel Abedi
- Mathematics Department, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ali Sharifi Zarchi
- Department of Computer Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Talat Mokhtari-Azad
- Virology Department, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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9
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Farasati Far B, Bokov D, Widjaja G, Setia Budi H, Kamal Abdelbasset W, Javanshir S, Seif F, Pazoki-Toroudi H, Dey SK. Metronidazole, acyclovir and tetrahydrobiopterin may be promising to treat COVID-19 patients, through interaction with interleukin-12. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-19. [PMID: 35446232 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2064917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 patients have shown overexpressed serum levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines, leading to a high mortality rate due to numerous complications. Also, previous studies demonstrated that the metronidazole (MTZ) administration reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines and improved the treatment outcomes for inflammatory disorders. However, the effect and mechanism of action of MTZ on cytokines have not been studied yet. Thus, the current study aimed to identify anti-cytokine therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 patients with cytokine storm. The interaction of MTZ with key cytokines was investigated using molecular docking studies. MTZ-analogues, and its structurally similar FDA-approved drugs were also virtually screened against interleukin-12 (IL-12). Moreover, their mechanism of inhibition regarding IL-12 binding to IL-12 receptor was investigated by measuring the change in volume and area. IL-12-metronidazole complex is found to be more stable than all other cytokines under study. Our study also revealed that the active sites of IL-12 are inhibited from binding to its target, IL-12 receptor, by modifying the position of the methyl and hydroxyl functional groups in MTZ. Three MTZ analogues, metronidazole phosphate, metronidazole benzoate, 1-[1-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-5-nitroimidazol-2-yl]-N-methylmethanimine-oxide, and two FDA-approved drugs acyclovir (ACV), and tetrahydrobiopterin (THB) were also found to prevent binding of IL-12 to IL-12 receptor similar to MTZ by changing the surface and volume of IL-12 upon IL-12-drug/ligand complex formation. According to the RMSD results, after 100 ns MD simulations of human IL-12-MTZ/ACV/THB drug complexes, it was also observed that each complex was swinging within a few Å compared to their corresponding docking poses, indicating that the docking poses were reliable. The current study demonstrates that three FDA-approved drugs, namely, metronidazole, acyclovir and tetrahydrobiopterin, are potential repurposable treatment options for overexpressed serum cytokines found in COVID-19 patients. Similar approach is also useful to develop therapeutics against other human disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Farasati Far
- Heterocyclic Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Dmitry Bokov
- Institute of Pharmacy, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow, Russian Federation.,Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Federal Research Center of Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Gunawan Widjaja
- Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia
| | - Hendrik Setia Budi
- Department of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | - Walid Kamal Abdelbasset
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Physical Therapy, Kasr Al-Aini Hospital, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Shahrzad Javanshir
- Heterocyclic Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Iran University of Science and Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Farhad Seif
- Department of Immunology & Allergy, Academic Center for Education, Culture, and Research, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamidreza Pazoki-Toroudi
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.,Physiology Research Center, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Sanjay Kumar Dey
- Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Center for Biomedical Research, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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10
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Molecular Docking as a Potential Approach in Repurposing Drugs Against COVID-19: a Systematic Review and Novel Pharmacophore Models. CURRENT PHARMACOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 8:212-226. [PMID: 35381996 PMCID: PMC8970976 DOI: 10.1007/s40495-022-00285-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review This article provides a review of the recent literature related to the FDA-approved drugs that had been repurposed as potential drug candidates against COVID-19. Moreover, we performed a quality pharmacophore study for frequently studied targets, namely, the main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and spike protein. Recent Findings Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole spectrum of scientific community is still unable to invent an absolute therapeutic agent for COVID-19. Considering such a fact, drug repurposing strategies seem a truly viable approach to develop novel therapeutic interventions. Summery Drug repurposing explores previously approved drugs of known safety and pharmacokinetics profile for possible new effects, reducing the cost, time, and predicting prospective side effects and drug interactions. COVID-19 virulent machinery appeared similar to other viruses, making antiviral agents widely repurposed in pursuit for curative candidates. Our main protease pharmacophoric study revealed multiple features and could be a probable starting point for upcoming research.
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11
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Rahmadi A, Fasyah I, Sudigyo D, Budiarto A, Mahesworo B, Hidayat AA, Pardamean B. Comparative study of predicted miRNA between Indonesia and China (Wuhan) SARS-CoV-2: a bioinformatics analysis. Genes Genomics 2021; 43:1079-1086. [PMID: 34152577 PMCID: PMC8215323 DOI: 10.1007/s13258-021-01119-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Several reports on the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 mutations and variations in Indonesia COVID-19 cases led to genomic dysregulation with the first pandemic cases in Wuhan, China. MicroRNA (miRNA) plays an important role in this genetic regulation and contributes to the enhancement of viral RNA binding through the host mRNA. OBJECTIVE This research is aimed to detect miRNA targets of SARS-CoV-2 and examines their role in Indonesia cases against Wuhan cases. METHODS SARS-CoV-2 sequences were obtained from GISAID ( https://www.gisaid.org/ ), NCBI ( https://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov ), and National Genomics Data Center ( https://bigd.big.ac.cn/gwh/ ) databases. MiRDB ( https://github.com/gbnegrini/mirdb-custom-target-search ) was used to annotate and predict target human mature miRNAs. For statistical analysis, we utilized a series chi-square test to obtain significant miRNA. DIANA-miRPath v3.0 ( http://www.microrna.gr/miRPathv3 ) analyzed the Gene Ontology of mature miRNAs. RESULT The statistical results detected five significant miRNAs. Two miRNAs: hsa-miR-4778-5p and hsa-miR-4531 were consistently found in the majority of Wuhan samples, while they were only found in less than half of the Indonesia samples. The other three miRNA, hsa-miR-6844, hsa-miR-627-5p, and hsa-miR-3674, were discovered in most samples in both groups but with a significant difference ratio. Among these five significant miRNA targets, hsa-miR-6844 is the only miRNA that has an association with the ORF1ab gene of SARS-CoV-2. CONCLUSION The Gene Ontology analysis of five significant miRNA targets indicates a significant role in inflammation and the immune system. The specific detection of host miRNAs in this study shows that there are differences in the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 between Indonesia and Wuhan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agus Rahmadi
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. DR. Hamka, Jakarta, 12130, Indonesia
| | - Ismaily Fasyah
- Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Muhammadiyah Prof. DR. Hamka, Jakarta, 12130, Indonesia
| | - Digdo Sudigyo
- Bioinformatics and Data Science Research Center, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia.
| | - Arif Budiarto
- Bioinformatics and Data Science Research Center, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
- School of Computer Science, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
| | - Bharuno Mahesworo
- Bioinformatics and Data Science Research Center, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
| | - Alam Ahmad Hidayat
- Bioinformatics and Data Science Research Center, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
| | - Bens Pardamean
- Bioinformatics and Data Science Research Center, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
- BINUS Graduate Program-Master of Computer Science Program, Bina Nusantara University, Jakarta, 11480, Indonesia
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12
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KOCABAŞ F, USLU M. The current state of validated small molecules inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural proteins. Turk J Biol 2021; 45:469-483. [PMID: 34803448 PMCID: PMC8573838 DOI: 10.3906/biy-2106-42] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The current COVID-19 outbreak has had a profound influence on public health and daily life. Despite all restrictions and vaccination programs, COVID-19 still can lead to fatality due to a lack of COVID-19-specific treatments. A number of studies have demonstrated the feasibility to develop therapeutics by targeting underlying components of the viral proteome. Here we reviewed recently developed and validated small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2's nonstructural proteins. We described the validation level of identified compounds specific for SARS-CoV-2 in the presence of in vitro and in vivo supporting data. The mechanisms of pharmacological activity, as well as approaches for developing improved SARS-CoV-2 NSP inhibitors have been emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fatih KOCABAŞ
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, İstanbulTurkey
| | - Merve USLU
- Department of Genetics and Bioengineering, Faculty of Engineering, Yeditepe University, İstanbulTurkey
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13
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Exploring peptide studies related to SARS-CoV to accelerate the development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic solutions against COVID-19. J Infect Public Health 2021; 14:1106-1119. [PMID: 34280732 PMCID: PMC8253661 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2021.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances in peptide research revolutionized therapeutic discoveries for various infectious diseases. In view of the ongoing threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to develop potential therapeutic options. Intense and accomplishing research is being carried out to develop broad-spectrum vaccines and treatment options for corona viruses, due to the risk of recurrent infection by the existing strains or pandemic outbreaks by new mutant strains. Developing a novel medicine is costly and time consuming, which increases the value of repurposing existing therapies. Since, SARS-CoV-2 shares significant genomic homology with SARS-CoV, we have summarized various peptides identified against SARS-CoV using in silico and molecular studies and also the peptides effective against SARS-CoV-2. Dissecting the molecular mechanisms underlying viral infection could yield fundamental insights in the discovery of new antiviral agents, targeting viral proteins or host factors. We postulate that these peptides can serve as effective components for therapeutic options against SARS-CoV-2, supporting clinical scientists globally in selectively identifying and testing the therapeutic and prophylactic agents for COVID-19 treatment. In addition, we also summarized the latest updates on peptide therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2.
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14
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Agrawal N, Goyal A. Potential Candidates against COVID-19 Targeting RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase: A Comprehensive Review. Curr Pharm Biotechnol 2021; 23:396-419. [PMID: 33882805 DOI: 10.2174/1389201022666210421102513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 02/26/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Due to the extremely contagious nature of SARS-COV-2, it presents a significant threat to humans worldwide. A plethora of studies are going on all over the world to discover the drug to fight SARS-COV-2. One of the most promising targets is RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), responsible for viral RNA replication in host cells. Since RdRp is a viral enzyme with no host cell homologs, it allows the development of selective SARS-COV-2 RdRp inhibitors. A variety of studies used in silico approaches for virtual screening, molecular docking, and repurposing of already existing drugs and phytochemicals against SARS-COV-2 RdRp. This review focuses on collating compounds possessing the potential to inhibit SARS-COV-2 RdRp based on in silico studies to give medicinal chemists food for thought so that the existing drugs can be repurposed for the control and treatment of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic after performing in vitro and in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neetu Agrawal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura-281406 (U.P.), India
| | - Ahsas Goyal
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura-281406 (U.P.), India
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15
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Sokullu E, Pinard M, Gauthier MS, Coulombe B. Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2-host protein interaction network reveals new biology and drug candidates: focus on the spike surface glycoprotein and RNA polymerase. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 16:881-895. [PMID: 33769912 PMCID: PMC8040492 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1909566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic originated from the emergence of anovel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, which has been intensively studied since its discovery in order to generate the knowledge necessary to accelerate the development of vaccines and antivirals. Of note, many researchers believe there is great potential in systematically identifying host interactors of viral factors already targeted by existing drugs.Areas Covered: Herein, the authors discuss in detail the only available large-scale systematic study of the SARS-CoV-2-host protein-protein interaction network. More specifically, the authors review the literature on two key SARS-CoV-2 drug targets, the Spike surface glycoprotein, and the RNA polymerase. The authors also provide the reader with their expert opinion and future perspectives.Expert opinion: Interactions made by viral proteins with host factors reveal key functions that are likely usurped by the virus and, as aconsequence, points to known drugs that can be repurposed to fight viral infection and collateral damages that can exacerbate various disease conditions in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esen Sokullu
- Department of Translational Proteomics, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Maxime Pinard
- Department of Translational Proteomics, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Marie-Soleil Gauthier
- Department of Translational Proteomics, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Benoit Coulombe
- Department of Translational Proteomics, Institut de Recherches Cliniques de Montréal, Montréal, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Medicine Université de Montréal
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16
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Biswas N, Kumar K, Mallick P, Das S, Kamal IM, Bose S, Choudhury A, Chakrabarti S. Structural and Drug Screening Analysis of the Non-structural Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Virus Extracted From Indian Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients. Front Genet 2021; 12:626642. [PMID: 33767730 PMCID: PMC7985531 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.626642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus 2 (nCoV2) outbreaks took place in December 2019 in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. It continued to spread worldwide in an unprecedented manner, bringing the whole world to a lockdown and causing severe loss of life and economic stability. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has also affected India, infecting more than 10 million till 31st December 2020 and resulting in more than a hundred thousand deaths. In the absence of an effective vaccine, it is imperative to understand the phenotypic outcome of the genetic variants and subsequently the mode of action of its proteins with respect to human proteins and other bio-molecules. Availability of a large number of genomic and mutational data extracted from the nCoV2 virus infecting Indian patients in a public repository provided an opportunity to understand and analyze the specific variations of the virus in India and their impact in broader perspectives. Non-structural proteins (NSPs) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) virus play a major role in its survival as well as virulence power. Here, we provide a detailed overview of the SARS-CoV2 NSPs including primary and secondary structural information, mutational frequency of the Indian and Wuhan variants, phylogenetic profiles, three-dimensional (3D) structural perspectives using homology modeling and molecular dynamics analyses for wild-type and selected variants, host-interactome analysis and viral-host protein complexes, and in silico drug screening with known antivirals and other drugs against the SARS-CoV2 NSPs isolated from the variants found within Indian patients across various regions of the country. All this information is categorized in the form of a database named, Database of NSPs of India specific Novel Coronavirus (DbNSP InC), which is freely available at http://www.hpppi.iicb.res.in/covid19/index.php.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nupur Biswas
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)–Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, India
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Saikat Chakrabarti
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)–Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (IICB), Kolkata, India
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Watashi K. Identifying and repurposing antiviral drugs against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 with in silico and in vitro approaches. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 538:137-144. [PMID: 33272566 PMCID: PMC7678433 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.10.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus infectious diseases 2019 (COVID-19), a global pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been a serious public health threat worldwide. So far, there are no drugs and vaccines whose efficacy has been well-proven. After the outbreak, there has been a massive search for anti-SARS-CoV-2 medications, focusing on approved drugs because repurposing approved drugs will take less time to reach clinical usage than new drugs. This article summarizes the studies using in silico and in vitro approaches to identify therapeutic candidates among approved drugs that target the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koichi Watashi
- Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan,Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Tokyo University of Science, Noda, 278-8510, Japan,Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan,MIRAI, JST, Saitama, 332-0012, Japan,Department of Virology II, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8640, Japan
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18
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Rastogi M, Pandey N, Shukla A, Singh SK. SARS coronavirus 2: from genome to infectome. Respir Res 2020; 21:318. [PMID: 33261606 PMCID: PMC7706175 DOI: 10.1186/s12931-020-01581-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the group of Betacoronaviruses. The SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to SARS-CoV-1 and probably originated either from bats or pangolins. SARS-CoV-2 is an etiological agent of COVID-19, causing mild to severe respiratory disease which escalates to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) or multi-organ failure. The virus was first reported from the animal market in Hunan, Hubei province of China in the month of December, 2019, and was rapidly transmitted from animal to human and human-to-human. The human-to-human transmission can occur directly or via droplets generated during coughing and sneezing. Globally, around 53.9 million cases of COVID-19 have been registered with 1.31 million confirmed deaths. The people > 60 years, persons suffering from comorbid conditions and immunocompromised individuals are more susceptible to COVID-19 infection. The virus primarily targets the upper and the lower respiratory tract and quickly disseminates to other organs. SARS-CoV-2 dysregulates immune signaling pathways which generate cytokine storm and leads to the acute respiratory distress syndrome and other multisystemic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghana Rastogi
- Molecular Biology Unit, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Neha Pandey
- Molecular Biology Unit, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Astha Shukla
- Molecular Biology Unit, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sunit K Singh
- Molecular Biology Unit, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India.
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