1
|
Piccirilli F, Vondracek H, Silvestrini L, Parisse P, Spinozzi F, Vaccari L, Toma A, Aglieri V, Casalis L, Piccionello AP, Mariani P, Birarda G, Ortore MG. Dimeric and monomeric conformation of SARS-CoV-2 main protease: New technical approaches based on IR radiation. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2024; 322:124772. [PMID: 39003826 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2024.124772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
The main proteases Mpro are a group of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β-coronaviruses. They have been demonstrated to play an unavoidable role in viral replication, and consequently they have been suggested as key targets for treating coronavirus-caused infectious diseases, mainly from the COVID-19 epidemic. Since the most functional form for Mpro enzymatic activity is associated to its homodimer, compounds inhibiting dimerization should also inhibit catalytic activity. We show how PIR-SEIRA (Plasmonic Internal Reflection-Surface Enhanced InfraRed Absorption) spectroscopy can be a noteworthy technique to study proteins subtle structural variations associated to inhibitor binding. Nanoantennas arrays can selectively confine and enhance electromagnetic field via localized plasmonic resonances, thus promoting ultrasensitive detection of biomolecules in close proximity of nanoantenna arrays and enabling the effective investigation of protein monolayers. By adopting this approach, reflection measurements conducted under back illumination of nanoantennas allow to probe anchored protein monolayers, with minimum contribution of environmental buffer molecules. PIR-SEIRA spectroscopy on Mpro was carried out by ad hoc designed devices, resonating in the spectral region of Amide I and Amide II bands. We evaluated here the structure of anchored monomers and dimers in different buffered environment and in presence of a newly designed Mpro inhibitor. Experimental results show that dimerization is not associated to relevant backbone rearrangements of the protein at secondary structure level, and even if the compound inhibits the dimerization, it is not effective at breaking preformed dimers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hendrik Vondracek
- Elettra-Synchrotron Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14, Basovizza, Trieste, I-34149, Italy
| | - Lucia Silvestrini
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, via brecce bianche, Ancona, I-60131, Italy
| | - Pietro Parisse
- Elettra-Synchrotron Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14, Basovizza, Trieste, I-34149, Italy; CNR - Istituto Officina dei Materiali, s.s. 14 km 163.5 in Area Science Park, 34149 Basovizza, Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Spinozzi
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, via brecce bianche, Ancona, I-60131, Italy
| | - Lisa Vaccari
- Elettra-Synchrotron Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14, Basovizza, Trieste, I-34149, Italy
| | - Andrea Toma
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, Genova, I- 16163, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Aglieri
- Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, Genova, I- 16163, Italy
| | - Loredana Casalis
- Elettra-Synchrotron Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14, Basovizza, Trieste, I-34149, Italy
| | - Antonio Palumbo Piccionello
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, viale delle scienze, Palermo, I-90133, Italy
| | - Paolo Mariani
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, via brecce bianche, Ancona, I-60131, Italy
| | - Giovanni Birarda
- Elettra-Synchrotron Trieste S.C.p.A., Strada Statale 14, Basovizza, Trieste, I-34149, Italy.
| | - Maria Grazia Ortore
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Marche Polytechnic University, via brecce bianche, Ancona, I-60131, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lis K, Plewka J, Menezes F, Bielecka E, Chykunova Y, Pustelny K, Niebling S, Garcia AS, Garcia-Alai M, Popowicz GM, Czarna A, Kantyka T, Pyrc K. SARS-CoV-2 M pro oligomerization as a potential target for therapy. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 267:131392. [PMID: 38582483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.131392] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is critical in the virus's replication cycle, facilitating the maturation of polyproteins into functional units. Due to its conservation across taxa, Mpro is a promising target for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. Targeting Mpro with small molecule inhibitors, such as nirmatrelvir combined with ritonavir (Paxlovid™), which the FDA has approved for post-exposure treatment and prophylaxis, can effectively interrupt the replication process of the virus. A key aspect of Mpro's function is its ability to form a functional dimer. However, the mechanics of dimerization and its influence on proteolytic activity remain less understood. In this study, we utilized biochemical, structural, and molecular modelling approaches to explore Mpro dimerization. We evaluated critical residues, specifically Arg4 and Arg298, that are essential for dimerization. Our results show that changes in the oligomerization state of Mpro directly affect its enzymatic activity and dimerization propensity. We discovered a synergistic relationship influencing dimer formation, involving both intra- and intermolecular interactions. These findings highlight the potential for developing allosteric inhibitors targeting Mpro, offering promising new directions for therapeutic strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kinga Lis
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Virogenetics, Laboratory of Virology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland; Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Cracow University of Technology, Warszawska 24,31-155 Cracow, Poland
| | - Jacek Plewka
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Virogenetics, Laboratory of Virology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Filipe Menezes
- Helmholtz Munich, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Institute of Structural Biology, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Ewa Bielecka
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Proteolysis and Post-translational Modification of Proteins, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Yuliya Chykunova
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Virogenetics, Laboratory of Virology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland; Jagiellonian University, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Microbiology Department, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387, Cracow, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Pustelny
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Stephan Niebling
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Hamburg, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Angelica Struve Garcia
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Hamburg, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Maria Garcia-Alai
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, EMBL Hamburg, Notkestrasse 85, Hamburg, Germany; Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), Hamburg, Germany
| | - Grzegorz M Popowicz
- Helmholtz Munich, Molecular Targets and Therapeutics Center, Institute of Structural Biology, Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Anna Czarna
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Kantyka
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Laboratory of Proteolysis and Post-translational Modification of Proteins, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland.
| | - Krzysztof Pyrc
- Jagiellonian University, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Virogenetics, Laboratory of Virology, Gronostajowa 7a, 30-387 Cracow, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Giri-Rachman EA, Effendy VV, Azmi MHS, Yamahoki N, Stephanie R, Agustiyanti DF, Wisnuwardhani PH, Angelina M, Rubiyana Y, Aditama R, Ningrum RA, Wardiana A, Fibriani A. The SARS-CoV-2 M pro Dimer-Based Screening System: A Synthetic Biology Tool for Identifying Compounds with Dimerization Inhibitory Potential. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:509-520. [PMID: 38316139 PMCID: PMC10877612 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.3c00446] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 endemic remains a global concern. The search for effective antiviral candidates is still needed to reduce disease risk. However, the availability of high biosafety level laboratory facilities for drug screening is limited in number. To address this issue, a screening system that could be utilized at lower biosafety levels remains essential. This study aimed to develop a novel SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) dimer-based screening system (DBSS) utilizing synthetic biology in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). We linked the SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with the DNA-binding domain of AraC regulatory protein, which regulates the reporter gene expression. Protein modeling and molecular docking showed that saquinavir could bind to AraC-Mpro both in its monomer and dimer forms. The constructed DBSS assay indicated the screening system could detect saquinavir inhibitory activity at a concentration range of 4-10 μg/mL compared to the untreated control (P ≤ 0.05). The Vero E6 cell assay validated the DBSS result that saquinavir at 4-10 μg/mL exhibited antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2. Our DBSS could be used for preliminary screening of numerous drug candidates that possess a dimerization inhibitor activity of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro and also minimize the use of a high biosafety level laboratory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Vergio V. Effendy
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Muhammad H. S. Azmi
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Nicholas Yamahoki
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Rebecca Stephanie
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Dian F. Agustiyanti
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Popi H. Wisnuwardhani
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Marissa Angelina
- Research
Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Traditional Medicine, Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency
(BRIN), Serpong 15314, Indonesia
| | - Yana Rubiyana
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Reza Aditama
- Biochemistry
Research Group, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| | - Ratih A. Ningrum
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Andri Wardiana
- Research
Center for Genetic Engineering, Indonesian
National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Cibinong 16911, Indonesia
| | - Azzania Fibriani
- School
of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut
Teknologi Bandung, Bandung 40132, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Abstract
A survey of protein databases indicates that the majority of enzymes exist in oligomeric forms, with about half of those found in the UniProt database being homodimeric. Understanding why many enzymes are in their dimeric form is imperative. Recent developments in experimental and computational techniques have allowed for a deeper comprehension of the cooperative interactions between the subunits of dimeric enzymes. This review aims to succinctly summarize these recent advancements by providing an overview of experimental and theoretical methods, as well as an understanding of cooperativity in substrate binding and the molecular mechanisms of cooperative catalysis within homodimeric enzymes. Focus is set upon the beneficial effects of dimerization and cooperative catalysis. These advancements not only provide essential case studies and theoretical support for comprehending dimeric enzyme catalysis but also serve as a foundation for designing highly efficient catalysts, such as dimeric organic catalysts. Moreover, these developments have significant implications for drug design, as exemplified by Paxlovid, which was designed for the homodimeric main protease of SARS-CoV-2.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Wei Chen
- Lab of Computional Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tian-Yu Sun
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| | - Yun-Dong Wu
- Lab of Computional Chemistry and Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518132, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
de Souza AS, de Souza RF, Guzzo CR. Quantitative structure-activity relationships, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations reveal drug repurposing candidates as potent SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:11339-11356. [PMID: 34370631 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1958700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The current outbreak of COVID-19 is leading an unprecedented scientific effort focusing on targeting SARS-CoV-2 proteins critical for its viral replication. Herein, we performed high-throughput virtual screening of more than eleven thousand FDA-approved drugs using backpropagation-based artificial neural networks (q2LOO = 0.60, r2 = 0.80 and r2pred = 0.91), partial-least-square (PLS) regression (q2LOO = 0.83, r2 = 0.62 and r2pred = 0.70) and sequential minimal optimization (SMO) regression (q2LOO = 0.70, r2 = 0.80 and r2pred = 0.89). We simulated the stability of Acarbose-derived hexasaccharide, Naratriptan, Peramivir, Dihydrostreptomycin, Enviomycin, Rolitetracycline, Viomycin, Angiotensin II, Angiotensin 1-7, Angiotensinamide, Fenoterol, Zanamivir, Laninamivir and Laninamivir octanoate with 3CLpro by 100 ns and calculated binding free energy using molecular mechanics combined with Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA). Our QSAR models and molecular dynamics data suggest that seven repurposed-drug candidates such as Acarbose-derived Hexasaccharide, Angiotensinamide, Dihydrostreptomycin, Enviomycin, Fenoterol, Naratriptan and Viomycin are potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitors. In addition, our QSAR models and molecular dynamics simulations revealed that His41, Asn142, Cys145, Glu166 and Gln189 are potential pharmacophoric centers for 3CLpro inhibitors. Glu166 is a potential pharmacophore for drug design and inhibitors that interact with this residue may be critical to avoid dimerization of 3CLpro. Our results will contribute to future investigations of novel chemical scaffolds and the discovery of novel hits in high-throughput screening as potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anacleto Silva de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Robson Francisco de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kidera A, Moritsugu K, Ekimoto T, Ikeguchi M. Functional dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease as a member of clan PA. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:1473-1485. [PMID: 36474932 PMCID: PMC9716165 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-01020-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 3C-like protease (3CLpro), a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19, consists of a chymotrypsin fold and a C-terminal α-helical domain (domain III), the latter of which mediates dimerization required for catalytic activation. To gain further understanding of the functional dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, this review extends the scope to the comparative study of many crystal structures of proteases having the chymotrypsin fold (clan PA of the MEROPS database). First, the close correspondence between the zymogen-enzyme transformation in chymotrypsin and the allosteric dimerization activation in SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro is illustrated. Then, it is shown that the 3C-like proteases of family Coronaviridae (the protease family C30), which are closely related to SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, have the same homodimeric structure and common activation mechanism via domain III mediated dimerization. The survey extended to order Nidovirales reveals that all 3C-like proteases belonging to Nidovirales have domain III, but with various chain lengths, and 3CLpro of family Mesoniviridae (family C107) has the same homodimeric structure as that of C30, even though they have no sequence similarity. As a reference, monomeric 3C proteases belonging to the more distant family Picornaviridae (family C3) lacking domain III are compared with C30, and it is shown that the 3C proteases are rigid enough to maintain their structures in the active state. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12551-022-01020-x.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akinori Kidera
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
| | - Kei Moritsugu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan ,Present Address: Graduate School of Science, Osaka Metropolitan University, 1-1 Gakuen-Cho, Nakaku, Sakai, Osaka 599-8570 Japan
| | - Toru Ekimoto
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
| | - Mitsunori Ikeguchi
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Suehiro-Cho, Tsurumi, Yokohama 230-0045 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nashed NT, Kneller DW, Coates L, Ghirlando R, Aniana A, Kovalevsky A, Louis JM. Autoprocessing and oxyanion loop reorganization upon GC373 and nirmatrelvir binding of monomeric SARS-CoV-2 main protease catalytic domain. Commun Biol 2022; 5:976. [PMID: 36114420 PMCID: PMC9481597 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03910-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The monomeric catalytic domain (residues 1–199) of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro1-199) fused to 25 amino acids of its flanking nsp4 region mediates its autoprocessing at the nsp4-MPro1-199 junction. We report the catalytic activity and the dissociation constants of MPro1-199 and its analogs with the covalent inhibitors GC373 and nirmatrelvir (NMV), and the estimated monomer-dimer equilibrium constants of these complexes. Mass spectrometry indicates the presence of the accumulated adduct of NMV bound to MProWT and MPro1-199 and not of GC373. A room temperature crystal structure reveals a native-like fold of the catalytic domain with an unwound oxyanion loop (E state). In contrast, the structure of a covalent complex of the catalytic domain-GC373 or NMV shows an oxyanion loop conformation (E* state) resembling the full-length mature dimer. These results suggest that the E-E* equilibrium modulates autoprocessing of the main protease when converting from a monomeric polyprotein precursor to the mature dimer. Structural characterization and catalytic activity of SARS-CoV-2 main protease reveal minimal interface regions enabling dimer formation driven by inhibitor-induced conformational changes of the oxyanion loop.
Collapse
|
8
|
Ferreira JC, Fadl S, Rabeh WM. Key dimer interface residues impact the catalytic activity of 3CLpro, the main protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102023. [PMID: 35568197 PMCID: PMC9091064 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
3C-like protease (3CLpro) is one of two proteases that process and liberate functional viral proteins essential for the maturation and infectivity of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for COVID-19. It has been suggested that 3CLpro is catalytically active as a dimer, making the dimerization interface a target for antiviral development. Guided by structural analysis, here we introduced single amino acid substitutions at nine residues at three key sites of the dimer interface to assess their impact on dimerization and activity. We show that at site 1, alanine substitution of S1 or E166 increased by 2-fold or reduced relative activity, respectively. At site 2, alanine substitution of S10 or E14 eliminated activity, whereas K12A exhibited ∼60% relative activity. At site 3, alanine substitution of R4, E290, or Q299 eliminated activity, whereas S139A exhibited 46% relative activity. We further found the oligomerization states of the dimer interface mutants varied; the inactive mutants R4A, R4Q, S10A/C, E14A/D/Q/S, E290A, and Q299A/E were present as dimers, demonstrating that dimerization is not an indication of catalytically active 3CLpro. In addition, present mostly as monomers, K12A displayed residual activity, which could be attributed to the conspicuous amount of dimer present. Finally, differential scanning calorimetry did not reveal a direct relationship between the thermodynamic stability of mutants with oligomerization or catalytic activity. These results provide insights on two allosteric sites, R4/E290 and S10/E14, that may promote the design of antiviral compounds that target the dimer interface rather than the active site of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana C Ferreira
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Samar Fadl
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael M Rabeh
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Zhu J, Zhang H, Lin Q, Lyu J, Lu L, Chen H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Chen K. Progress on SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro Inhibitors: Inspiration from SARS-CoV 3CLpro Peptidomimetics and Small-Molecule Anti-Inflammatory Compounds. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:1067-1082. [PMID: 35450403 PMCID: PMC9015912 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s359009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) currently poses a threat to human health. 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro) plays an important role in the viral life cycle. Hence, it is considered an attractive antiviral target protein. Whole-genome sequencing showed that the sequence homology between SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and SARS-CoV 3CLpro is 96.08%, with high similarity in the substrate-binding region. Thus, assessing peptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV 3CLpro could accelerate the development of peptidomimetic inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Accordingly, we herein discuss progress on SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro peptidomimetic inhibitors. Inflammation plays a major role in the pathophysiological process of COVID-19. Small-molecule compounds targeting 3CLpro with both antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects are also briefly discussed in this paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiajie Zhu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haiyan Zhang
- Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qinghong Lin
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jingting Lyu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lu Lu
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hanxi Chen
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuning Zhang
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yanjun Zhang
- Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Keda Chen
- Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Correspondence: Keda Chen, Shulan International Medical College, Zhejiang Shuren University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8615068129828, Email ; Yanjun Zhang, Zhejiang Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China, Tel +8613858115856, Fax +86057188280783, Email
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
González-Paz L, Hurtado-León ML, Lossada C, Fernández-Materán FV, Vera-Villalobos J, Loroño M, Paz JL, Jeffreys L, Alvarado YJ. Comparative study of the interaction of ivermectin with proteins of interest associated with SARS-CoV-2: A computational and biophysical approach. Biophys Chem 2021; 278:106677. [PMID: 34428682 PMCID: PMC8373590 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2021.106677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has accelerated the study of existing drugs. The mixture of homologs called ivermectin (avermectin-B1a [HB1a] + avermectin-B1b [HB1b]) has shown antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. However, there are few reports on the behavior of each homolog. We investigated the interaction of each homolog with promising targets of interest associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection from a biophysical and computational-chemistry perspective using docking and molecular dynamics. We observed a differential behavior for each homolog, with an affinity of HB1b for viral structures, and of HB1a for host structures considered. The induced disturbances were differential and influenced by the hydrophobicity of each homolog and of the binding pockets. We present the first comparative analysis of the potential theoretical inhibitory effect of both avermectins on biomolecules associated with COVID-19, and suggest that ivermectin through its homologs, has a multiobjective behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lenin González-Paz
- Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias (FEC), Departamento de Biología, Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular (LGBM), 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela; Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Estudios Botánicos y Agroforestales (CEBA), Laboratorio de Protección Vegetal (LPV), 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela.
| | - María Laura Hurtado-León
- Universidad del Zulia (LUZ), Facultad Experimental de Ciencias (FEC), Departamento de Biología, Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular (LGBM), 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Carla Lossada
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología de Materiales (CITeMA), Laboratorio de Caracterización Molecular y Biomolecular, 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Francelys V Fernández-Materán
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología de Materiales (CITeMA), Laboratorio de Caracterización Molecular y Biomolecular, 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Joan Vera-Villalobos
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Matemáticas, Departamento de Química y Ciencias Ambientales, Laboratorio de Análisis Químico Instrumental (LAQUINS), Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Marcos Loroño
- Departamento Académico de Química Analítica e Instrumental, Facultad de Química e Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - J L Paz
- Departamento Académico de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química e Ingeniería Química, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru
| | - Laura Jeffreys
- Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
| | - Ysaias J Alvarado
- Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Centro de Investigación y Tecnología de Materiales (CITeMA), Laboratorio de Caracterización Molecular y Biomolecular, 4001 Maracaibo, Venezuela.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Ferreira JC, Fadl S, Villanueva AJ, Rabeh WM. Catalytic Dyad Residues His41 and Cys145 Impact the Catalytic Activity and Overall Conformational Fold of the Main SARS-CoV-2 Protease 3-Chymotrypsin-Like Protease. Front Chem 2021; 9:692168. [PMID: 34249864 PMCID: PMC8264439 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.692168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are responsible for multiple pandemics and millions of deaths globally, including the current pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Development of antivirals against coronaviruses, including the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) responsible for COVID-19, is essential for containing the current and future coronavirus outbreaks. SARS-CoV-2 proteases represent important targets for the development of antivirals because of their role in the processing of viral polyproteins. 3-Chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) is one such protease. The cleavage of SARS-CoV-2 polyproteins by 3CLpro is facilitated by a Cys145–His41 catalytic dyad. We here characterized the catalytic roles of the cysteine–histidine pair for improved understanding of the 3CLpro reaction mechanism, to inform the development of more effective antivirals against Sars-CoV-2. The catalytic dyad residues were substituted by site-directed mutagenesis. All substitutions tested (H41A, H41D, H41E, C145A, and C145S) resulted in a complete inactivation of 3CLpro, even when amino acids with a similar catalytic function to that of the original residues were used. The integrity of the structural fold of enzyme variants was investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy to test if the catalytic inactivation of 3CLpro was caused by gross changes in the enzyme secondary structure. C145A, but not the other substitutions, shifted the oligomeric state of the enzyme from dimeric to a higher oligomeric state. Finally, the thermodynamic stability of 3CLpro H41A, H41D, and C145S variants was reduced relative the wild-type enzyme, with a similar stability of the H41E and C145A variants. Collectively, the above observations confirm the roles of His41 and Cys145 in the catalytic activity and the overall conformational fold of 3CLpro SARS-CoV-2. We conclude that the cysteine–histidine pair should be targeted for inhibition of 3CLpro and development of antiviral against COVID-19 and coronaviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana C Ferreira
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Samar Fadl
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Adrian J Villanueva
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wael M Rabeh
- Science Division, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Chen CC, Yu X, Kuo CJ, Min J, Chen S, Ma L, Liu K, Guo RT. Overview of antiviral drug candidates targeting coronaviral 3C-like main proteases. FEBS J 2021; 288:5089-5121. [PMID: 33400393 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Coronaviruses (CoVs) are positive single-stranded RNA viruses that cause severe respiratory syndromes in humans, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV (SARS-CoV-2) at the end of 2019 became a global pandemic. The 3C-like cysteine protease (3CLpro) processes viral polyproteins to yield mature non-structural proteins, thus playing an important role in the CoV life cycle, and therefore is considered as a prominent target for antiviral drugs. To date, many 3CLpro inhibitors have been reported, and their molecular mechanisms have been illustrated. Here, we briefly introduce the structural features of 3CLpro of the human-related SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, and explore the potency and mechanism of their cognate inhibitors. This information will shed light on the development and optimization of CoV 3CLpro inhibitors, which may benefit the further designation of therapeutic strategies for treating CoV diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Chi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Xuejing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chih-Jung Kuo
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Sizhuo Chen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Lixin Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetic Regulation and Integrative Biology, School of Life Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Behnam MAM. Protein structural heterogeneity: A hypothesis for the basis of proteolytic recognition by the main protease of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Biochimie 2021; 182:177-184. [PMID: 33484784 PMCID: PMC7817518 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 is a key enzyme in viral replication and a promising target for the development of antiviral therapeutics. The understanding of this protein is based on a number of observations derived from earlier x-ray structures, which mostly consider substrates or ligands as the main reason behind modulation of the active site. This lead to the concept of substrate-induced subsite cooperativity as an initial attempt to explain the dual binding specificity of this enzyme in recognizing the cleavage sequences at its N- and C-termini, which are important processing steps in obtaining the mature protease. The presented hypothesis proposes that structural heterogeneity is a property of the enzyme, independent of the presence of a substrate or ligand. Indeed, the analysis of Mpro structures of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 reveals a conformational diversity for the catalytically competent state in ligand-free structures. Variation in the binding site appears to result from flexibility at residues lining the S1 subpocket and segments incorporating methionine 49 and glutamine 189. The structural evidence introduces “structure-based recognition” as a new paradigm in substrate proteolysis by Mpro. In this concept, the binding space in subpockets of the enzyme varies in a non-cooperative manner, causing distinct conformations, which recognize and process different cleavage sites, as the N- and C-termini. Insights into the recognition basis of the protease provide explanation to the ordered processing of cleavage sites. The hypothesis expands the conformational space of the enzyme and consequently opportunities for drug development and repurposing efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mira A M Behnam
- Institute of Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Im Neuenheimer Feld 364, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Xiong M, Su H, Zhao W, Xie H, Shao Q, Xu Y. What coronavirus 3C-like protease tells us: From structure, substrate selectivity, to inhibitor design. Med Res Rev 2021; 41:1965-1998. [PMID: 33460213 PMCID: PMC8014231 DOI: 10.1002/med.21783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of a variety of coronaviruses (CoVs) in the last decades has posed huge threats to human health. Especially, the ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to more than 70 million infections and over 1.6 million of deaths worldwide in the past few months. None of the efficacious antiviral agents against human CoVs have been approved yet. 3C-like protease (3CLpro ) is an attractive target for antiviral intervention due to its essential role in processing polyproteins translated from viral RNA, and its conserved structural feature and substrate specificity among CoVs in spite of the sequence variation. This review focuses on all available crystal structures of 12 CoV 3CLpro s and their inhibitors, and intends to provide a comprehensive understanding of this protease from multiple aspects including its structural features, substrate specificity, inhibitor binding modes, and more importantly, to recapitulate the similarity and diversity among different CoV 3CLpro s and the structure-activity relationship of various types of inhibitors. Such an attempt could gain a deep insight into the inhibition mechanisms and drive future structure-based drug discovery targeting 3CLpro s.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Muya Xiong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haixia Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenfeng Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hang Xie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiang Shao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yechun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Liu XH, Zhang X, Lu ZH, Zhu YS, Wang T. Potential molecular targets of nonstructural proteins for the development of antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 133:111035. [PMID: 33254013 PMCID: PMC7671653 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.111035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 has posed significant threats to public health worldwide. Target-based drug development is a promising approach against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nonstructural proteins may play critical roles from drug design perspectives. Insights into NSPs of different viruses could streamline novel drug development.
Outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2 have produced high pathogenicity and mortality rates in human populations. However, to meet the increasing demand for treatment of these pathogenic coronaviruses, accelerating novel antiviral drug development as much as possible has become a public concern. Target-based drug development may be a promising approach to achieve this goal. In this review, the relevant features of potential molecular targets in human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are highlighted, including the viral protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and methyltransferases. Additionally, recent advances in the development of antivirals based on these targets are summarized. This review is expected to provide new insights and potential strategies for the development of novel antiviral drugs to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Huan Liu
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Lu
- College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - You-Shuang Zhu
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China
| | - Tao Wang
- School of Biological Science, Jining Medical University, Jining, China.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Kneller DW, Phillips G, O’Neill HM, Tan K, Joachimiak A, Coates L, Kovalevsky A. Room-temperature X-ray crystallography reveals the oxidation and reactivity of cysteine residues in SARS-CoV-2 3CL M pro: insights into enzyme mechanism and drug design. IUCRJ 2020; 7:S2052252520012634. [PMID: 33063790 PMCID: PMC7553146 DOI: 10.1107/s2052252520012634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
The emergence of the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in a worldwide pandemic not seen in generations. Creating treatments and vaccines to battle COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, is of paramount importance in order to stop its spread and save lives. The viral main protease, 3CL Mpro, is indispensable for the replication of SARS-CoV-2 and is therefore an important target for the design of specific protease inhibitors. Detailed knowledge of the structure and function of 3CL Mpro is crucial to guide structure-aided and computational drug-design efforts. Here, the oxidation and reactivity of the cysteine residues of the protease are reported using room-temperature X-ray crystallography, revealing that the catalytic Cys145 can be trapped in the peroxysulfenic acid oxidation state at physiological pH, while the other surface cysteines remain reduced. Only Cys145 and Cys156 react with the alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide. It is suggested that the zwitterionic Cys145-His45 catalytic dyad is the reactive species that initiates catalysis, rather than Cys145-to-His41 proton transfer via the general acid-base mechanism upon substrate binding. The structures also provide insight into the design of improved 3CL Mpro inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel W. Kneller
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Gwyndalyn Phillips
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Hugh M. O’Neill
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Kemin Tan
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases, Consortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60667, USA
- Structural Biology Center, X-ray Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60367, USA
| | - Leighton Coates
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Andrey Kovalevsky
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gao J, Zhang L, Liu X, Li F, Ma R, Zhu Z, Zhang J, Wu J, Shi Y, Pan Y, Ge Y, Ruan K. Repurposing Low-Molecular-Weight Drugs against the Main Protease of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2. J Phys Chem Lett 2020; 11:7267-7272. [PMID: 32787337 PMCID: PMC7441750 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.0c01894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease pandemic caused by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected the global healthcare system. As low-molecular-weight drugs have high potential to completely match interactions with essential SARS-CoV-2 targets, we propose a strategy to identify such drugs using the fragment-based approach. Herein, using ligand- and protein-observed fragment screening approaches, we identified niacin and hit 1 binding to the catalytic pocket of the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, thereby modestly inhibiting the enzymatic activity of Mpro. We further searched for low-molecular-weight drugs containing niacin or hit 1 pharmacophores with enhanced inhibiting activity, e.g., carmofur, bendamustine, triclabendazole, emedastine, and omeprazole, in which omeprazole is the only one binding to the C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Our study demonstrates that the fragment-based approach is a feasible strategy for identifying low-molecular-weight drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 and other potential targets lacking specific drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jia Gao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Xiaodan Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Fudong Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Rongsheng Ma
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Zhongliang Zhu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Jiahai Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Jihui Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Yunyu Shi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Yueyin Pan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Yushu Ge
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| | - Ke Ruan
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Membrane-less
Organelles & Cellular Dynamics, Hefei National Laboratory for
Physical Sciences at the Microscale, Division of Life Sciences and
Medicine, University of Science and Technology of
China, Huangshan Road, Hefei, Anhui 230027,
P.R. China
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Goyal B, Goyal D. Targeting the Dimerization of the Main Protease of Coronaviruses: A Potential Broad-Spectrum Therapeutic Strategy. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2020; 22:297-305. [PMID: 32402186 PMCID: PMC7252589 DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.0c00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 05/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
A new coronavirus (CoV) caused a pandemic named COVID-19, which has become a global health care emergency in the present time. The virus is referred to as SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2) and has a genome similar (∼82%) to that of the previously known SARS-CoV (SARS coronavirus). An attractive therapeutic target for CoVs is the main protease (Mpro) or 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CLpro), as this enzyme plays a key role in polyprotein processing and is active in a dimeric form. Further, Mpro is highly conserved among various CoVs, and a mutation in Mpro is often lethal to the virus. Thus, drugs targeting the Mpro enzyme significantly reduce the risk of mutation-mediated drug resistance and display broad-spectrum antiviral activity. The combinatorial design of peptide-based inhibitors targeting the dimerization of SARS-CoV Mpro represents a potential therapeutic strategy. In this regard, we have compiled the literature reports highlighting the effect of mutations and N-terminal deletion of residues of SARS-CoV Mpro on its dimerization and, thus, catalytic activity. We believe that the present review will stimulate research in this less explored yet quite significant area. The effect of the COVID-19 epidemic and the possibility of future CoV outbreaks strongly emphasize the urgent need for the design and development of potent antiviral agents against CoV infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bhupesh Goyal
- School of Chemistry & Biochemistry,
Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology,
Patiala-147004, Punjab, India
| | - Deepti Goyal
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Basic and Applied
Sciences, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh
Sahib-140406, Punjab, India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Aik WS, Lin MH, Tan D, Tripathy A, Marzluff WF, Dominski Z, Chou CY, Tong L. The N-terminal domains of FLASH and Lsm11 form a 2:1 heterotrimer for histone pre-mRNA 3'-end processing. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0186034. [PMID: 29020104 PMCID: PMC5636114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0186034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2017] [Accepted: 09/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike canonical pre-mRNAs, animal replication-dependent histone pre-mRNAs lack introns and are processed at the 3'-end by a mechanism distinct from cleavage and polyadenylation. They have a 3' stem loop and histone downstream element (HDE) that are recognized by stem-loop binding protein (SLBP) and U7 snRNP, respectively. The N-terminal domain (NTD) of Lsm11, a component of U7 snRNP, interacts with FLASH NTD and these two proteins recruit the histone cleavage complex containing the CPSF-73 endonuclease for the cleavage reaction. Here, we determined crystal structures of FLASH NTD and found that it forms a coiled-coil dimer. Using solution light scattering, we characterized the stoichiometry of the FLASH NTD-Lsm11 NTD complex and found that it is a 2:1 heterotrimer, which is supported by observations from analytical ultracentrifugation and crosslinking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Shen Aik
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Min-Han Lin
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Dazhi Tan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Ashutosh Tripathy
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - William F. Marzluff
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Zbigniew Dominski
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Chi-Yuan Chou
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Liang Tong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Structure of a Highly Active Cephalopod S-crystallin Mutant: New Molecular Evidence for Evolution from an Active Enzyme into Lens-Refractive Protein. Sci Rep 2016; 6:31176. [PMID: 27499004 PMCID: PMC4976375 DOI: 10.1038/srep31176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Crystallins are found widely in animal lenses and have important functions due to their refractive properties. In the coleoid cephalopods, a lens with a graded refractive index provides good vision and is required for survival. Cephalopod S-crystallin is thought to have evolved from glutathione S-transferase (GST) with various homologs differentially expressed in the lens. However, there is no direct structural information that helps to delineate the mechanisms by which S-crystallin could have evolved. Here we report the structural and biochemical characterization of novel S-crystallin-glutathione complex. The 2.35-Å crystal structure of a S-crystallin mutant from Octopus vulgaris reveals an active-site architecture that is different from that of GST. S-crystallin has a preference for glutathione binding, although almost lost its GST enzymatic activity. We’ve also identified four historical mutations that are able to produce a “GST-like” S-crystallin that has regained activity. This protein recapitulates the evolution of S-crystallin from GST. Protein stability studies suggest that S-crystallin is stabilized by glutathione binding to prevent its aggregation; this contrasts with GST-σ, which do not possess this protection. We suggest that a tradeoff between enzyme activity and the stability of the lens protein might have been one of the major driving force behind lens evolution.
Collapse
|
21
|
Berry M, Fielding BC, Gamieldien J. Potential Broad Spectrum Inhibitors of the Coronavirus 3CLpro: A Virtual Screening and Structure-Based Drug Design Study. Viruses 2015; 7:6642-60. [PMID: 26694449 PMCID: PMC4690886 DOI: 10.3390/v7122963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2015] [Revised: 11/16/2015] [Accepted: 11/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human coronaviruses represent a significant disease burden; however, there is currently no antiviral strategy to combat infection. The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003 and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) less than 10 years later demonstrates the potential of coronaviruses to cross species boundaries and further highlights the importance of identifying novel lead compounds with broad spectrum activity. The coronavirus 3CL(pro) provides a highly validated drug target and as there is a high degree of sequence homology and conservation in main chain architecture the design of broad spectrum inhibitors is viable. The ZINC drugs-now library was screened in a consensus high-throughput pharmacophore modeling and molecular docking approach by Vina, Glide, GOLD and MM-GBSA. Molecular dynamics further confirmed results obtained from structure-based techniques. A highly defined hit-list of 19 compounds was identified by the structure-based drug design methodologies. As these compounds were extensively validated by a consensus approach and by molecular dynamics, the likelihood that at least one of these compounds is bioactive is excellent. Additionally, the compounds segregate into 15 significantly dissimilar (p < 0.05) clusters based on shape and features, which represent valuable scaffolds that can be used as a basis for future anti-coronaviral inhibitor discovery experiments. Importantly though, the enriched subset of 19 compounds identified from the larger library has to be validated experimentally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Berry
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Capacity Development Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
- Molecular Biology and Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical BioSciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
| | - Burtram C Fielding
- Molecular Biology and Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical BioSciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
| | - Junaid Gamieldien
- South African Medical Research Council Bioinformatics Capacity Development Unit, South African National Bioinformatics Institute, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Critical Assessment of the Important Residues Involved in the Dimerization and Catalysis of MERS Coronavirus Main Protease. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0144865. [PMID: 26658006 PMCID: PMC4682845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 11/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background A highly pathogenic human coronavirus (CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), has emerged in Jeddah and other places in Saudi Arabia, and has quickly spread to European and Asian countries since September 2012. Up to the 1st October 2015 it has infected at least 1593 people with a global fatality rate of about 35%. Studies to understand the virus are necessary and urgent. In the present study, MERS-CoV main protease (Mpro) is expressed; the dimerization of the protein and its relationship to catalysis are investigated. Methods and Results The crystal structure of MERS-CoV Mpro indicates that it shares a similar scaffold to that of other coronaviral Mpro and consists of chymotrypsin-like domains I and II and a helical domain III of five helices. Analytical ultracentrifugation analysis demonstrated that MERS-CoV Mpro undergoes a monomer to dimer conversion in the presence of a peptide substrate. Glu169 is a key residue and plays a dual role in both dimerization and catalysis. The mutagenesis of other residues found on the dimerization interface indicate that dimerization of MERS-CoV Mpro is required for its catalytic activity. One mutation, M298R, resulted in a stable dimer with a higher level of proteolytic activity than the wild-type enzyme. Conclusions MERS-CoV Mpro shows substrate-induced dimerization and potent proteolytic activity. A critical assessment of the residues important to these processes provides insights into the correlation between dimerization and catalysis within the coronaviral Mpro family.
Collapse
|
23
|
Tomar S, Johnston ML, St John SE, Osswald HL, Nyalapatla PR, Paul LN, Ghosh AK, Denison MR, Mesecar AD. Ligand-induced Dimerization of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Coronavirus nsp5 Protease (3CLpro): IMPLICATIONS FOR nsp5 REGULATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ANTIVIRALS. J Biol Chem 2015; 290:19403-22. [PMID: 26055715 PMCID: PMC4528106 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.651463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
All coronaviruses, including the recently emerged Middle East respiratory
syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) from the β-CoV subgroup, require the
proteolytic activity of the nsp5 protease (also known as 3C-like protease,
3CLpro) during virus replication, making it a high value target
for the development of anti-coronavirus therapeutics. Kinetic studies indicate
that in contrast to 3CLpro from other β-CoV 2c members,
including HKU4 and HKU5, MERS-CoV 3CLpro is less efficient at
processing a peptide substrate due to MERS-CoV 3CLpro being a weakly
associated dimer. Conversely, HKU4, HKU5, and SARS-CoV 3CLpro enzymes
are tightly associated dimers. Analytical ultracentrifugation studies support
that MERS-CoV 3CLpro is a weakly associated dimer
(Kd ∼52 μm) with a
slow off-rate. Peptidomimetic inhibitors of MERS-CoV 3CLpro were
synthesized and utilized in analytical ultracentrifugation experiments and
demonstrate that MERS-CoV 3CLpro undergoes significant ligand-induced
dimerization. Kinetic studies also revealed that designed reversible inhibitors
act as activators at a low compound concentration as a result of induced
dimerization. Primary sequence comparisons and x-ray structural analyses of two
MERS-CoV 3CLpro and inhibitor complexes, determined to 1.6 Å, reveal
remarkable structural similarity of the dimer interface with 3CLpro
from HKU4-CoV and HKU5-CoV. Despite this structural similarity, substantial
differences in the dimerization ability suggest that long range interactions by
the nonconserved amino acids distant from the dimer interface may control
MERS-CoV 3CLpro dimerization. Activation of MERS-CoV
3CLpro through ligand-induced dimerization appears to be unique
within the genogroup 2c and may potentially increase the complexity in the
development of MERS-CoV 3CLpro inhibitors as antiviral agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Lake N Paul
- the Bindley Bioscience Center, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, and
| | - Arun K Ghosh
- Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907
| | - Mark R Denison
- the Departments of Pediatrics and Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
| | - Andrew D Mesecar
- From the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907,
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Berry M, Fielding B, Gamieldien J. Human coronavirus OC43 3CL protease and the potential of ML188 as a broad-spectrum lead compound: homology modelling and molecular dynamic studies. BMC STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2015; 15:8. [PMID: 25928480 PMCID: PMC4411765 DOI: 10.1186/s12900-015-0035-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 04/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Background The coronavirus 3 chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) is a validated target in the design of potential anticoronavirus inhibitors. The high degree of homology within the protease’s active site and substrate conservation supports the identification of broad spectrum lead compounds. A previous study identified the compound ML188, also termed 16R, as an inhibitor of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) 3CLpro. This study will detail the generation of a homology model of the 3CLpro of the human coronavirus OC43 and determine the potential of 16R to form a broad-spectrum lead compound. MODELLER was used to generate a suitable three-dimensional model of the OC43 3CLpro and the Prime module of Schrӧdinger predicted the binding conformation and free energy of binding of 16R within the 3CLpro active site. Molecular dynamics further confirmed ligand stability and hydrogen bonding networks. Results A high quality homology model of the OC43 3CLpro was successfully generated in an active conformation. Further studies reproduced the binding pose of 16R within the active site of the generated model, where its free energy of binding was shown to equal that of the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV, a receptor it is experimentally proven to inhibit. The stability of the ligand was subsequently confirmed by molecular dynamics. Conclusion The lead compound 16R may represent a broad-spectrum inhibitor of the 3CLpro of OC43 and potentially other coronaviruses. This study provides an atomistic structure of the 3CLpro of OC43 and supports further experimental validation of the inhibitory effects of 16R. These findings further confirm that the 3CLpro of coronaviruses can be inhibited by broad spectrum lead compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Berry
- South African National Bioinformatics Institute/ MRC Unit for Bioinformatics Capacity Development, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
| | - Burtram Fielding
- Molecular Biology and Virology Laboratory, Department of Medical Biosciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
| | - Junaid Gamieldien
- South African National Bioinformatics Institute/ MRC Unit for Bioinformatics Capacity Development, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Lei J, Mesters JR, Drosten C, Anemüller S, Ma Q, Hilgenfeld R. Crystal structure of the papain-like protease of MERS coronavirus reveals unusual, potentially druggable active-site features. Antiviral Res 2014; 109:72-82. [PMID: 24992731 PMCID: PMC7113875 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2014.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2014] [Revised: 06/14/2014] [Accepted: 06/18/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
The 3D structure of the MERS-CoV papain-like protease (PLpro) has been determined. The enzyme has a deficient oxyanion hole and unique S3 as well as S5 subsites. In-vitro kinetics of the MERS-CoV PLpro are slower than for the SARS-CoV enzyme. Restoring the oxyanion hole through mutagenesis enhances the enzyme kinetics. The unique features of the enzyme will allow design of MERS-specific antivirals.
The Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe acute pneumonia and renal failure. The MERS-CoV papain-like protease (PLpro) is a potential target for the development of antiviral drugs. To facilitate these efforts, we determined the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme by X-ray crystallography. The molecule consists of a ubiquitin-like domain and a catalytic core domain. The catalytic domain displays an extended right-hand fold with a zinc ribbon and embraces a solvent-exposed substrate-binding region. The overall structure of the MERS-CoV PLpro is similar to that of the corresponding SARS-CoV enzyme, but the architecture of the oxyanion hole and of the S3 as well as the S5 specificity sites differ from the latter. These differences are the likely reason for reduced in vitro peptide hydrolysis and deubiquitinating activities of the MERS-CoV PLpro, compared to the homologous enzyme from the SARS coronavirus. Introduction of a side-chain capable of oxyanion stabilization through the Leu106Trp mutation greatly enhances the in vitro catalytic activity of the MERS-CoV PLpro. The unique features observed in the crystal structure of the MERS-CoV PLpro should allow the design of antivirals that would not interfere with host ubiquitin-specific proteases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian Lei
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Jeroen R Mesters
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Christian Drosten
- Institute of Virology, University of Bonn Medical School, 53127 Bonn, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Stefan Anemüller
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Qingjun Ma
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany
| | - Rolf Hilgenfeld
- Institute of Biochemistry, Center for Structural and Cell Biology in Medicine, University of Lübeck, Ratzeburger Allee 160, 23538 Lübeck, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Lin MH, Chuang SJ, Chen CC, Cheng SC, Cheng KW, Lin CH, Sun CY, Chou CY. Structural and functional characterization of MERS coronavirus papain-like protease. J Biomed Sci 2014; 21:54. [PMID: 24898546 PMCID: PMC4051379 DOI: 10.1186/1423-0127-21-54] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2014] [Accepted: 05/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Backgrounds A new highly pathogenic human coronavirus (CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), has emerged in Jeddah and Saudi Arabia and quickly spread to some European countries since September 2012. Until 15 May 2014, it has infected at least 572 people with a fatality rate of about 30% globally. Studies to understand the virus and to develop antiviral drugs or therapy are necessary and urgent. In the present study, MERS-CoV papain-like protease (PLpro) is expressed, and its structural and functional consequences are elucidated. Results Circular dichroism and Tyr/Trp fluorescence analyses indicated that the secondary and tertiary structure of MERS-CoV PLpro is well organized and folded. Analytical ultracentrifugation analyses demonstrated that MERS-CoV PLpro is a monomer in solution. The steady-state kinetic and deubiquitination activity assays indicated that MERS-CoV PLpro exhibits potent deubiquitination activity but lower proteolytic activity, compared with SARS-CoV PLpro. A natural mutation, Leu105, is the major reason for this difference. Conclusions Overall, MERS-CoV PLpro bound by an endogenous metal ion shows a folded structure and potent proteolytic and deubiquitination activity. These findings provide important insights into the structural and functional properties of coronaviral PLpro family, which is applicable to develop strategies inhibiting PLpro against highly pathogenic coronaviruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Chiao-Yin Sun
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan.
| | | |
Collapse
|