1
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Li S, Wang J, Dai X, Li C, Li T, Chen L. The PDZ Domain of the E Protein in SARS-CoV Induces Carcinogenesis and Poor Prognosis in LUAD. Microbes Infect 2024:105381. [PMID: 38914369 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2024.105381] [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: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND In both lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), uncontrolled inflammation can be detected in lung tissue. The PDZ-binding motif (PBM) in the SARS-CoV-1 E protein has been demonstrated to be a virulence factor that induces a cytokine storm. METHODS To identify gene expression fluctuations induced by PBM, microarray sequencing data of lung tissue infected with wild-type (SARS-CoV-1-E-wt) or recombinant virus (SARS-CoV-1-E-mutPBM) were analyzed, followed by functional enrichment analysis. To understand the role of the screened genes in LUAD, overall survival and immune correlation were calculated. RESULTS A total of 12 genes might participate in the initial and developmental stages of LUAD through expression variation and mutation. Moreover, dysregulation of a total of 12 genes could lead to a poorer prognosis. In addition, the downregulation of MAMDC2 and ITGA8 by PBM could also affect patient prognosis. Although the conserved PBM (-D-L-L-V-) can be found at the end of the carboxyl terminus in multiple E proteins of coronaviruses, the specific function of each protein depends on the entire amino acid sequence. CONCLUSIONS In summary, PBM containing the SARS-CoV-1 E protein promoted the carcinogenesis of LUAD by dysregulating important gene expression profiles and subsequently influencing the immune response and overall prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shun Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China
| | - Jinxuan Wang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Xiaozhen Dai
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China
| | - Churong Li
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; Radiotherapy Center, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Tao Li
- Radiotherapy Center, Radiation Oncology Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, Affiliated Cancer Hospital of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Long Chen
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu 610500, China; Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, Sichuan 610500, China.
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2
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Monarca L, Ragonese F, Biagini A, Sabbatini P, Pacini M, Zucchi A, Spaccapelo R, Ferrari P, Nicolini A, Fioretti B. Electrophysiological Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein in U251 Human Glioblastoma Cells: Possible Implications in Gliomagenesis? Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6669. [PMID: 38928376 PMCID: PMC11203726 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2024] [Revised: 05/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the acute respiratory disease which, so far, has led to over 7 million deaths. There are several symptoms associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections which include neurological and psychiatric disorders, at least in the case of pre-Omicron variants. SARS-CoV-2 infection can also promote the onset of glioblastoma in patients without prior malignancies. In this study, we focused on the Envelope protein codified by the virus genome, which acts as viroporin and that is reported to be central for virus propagation. In particular, we characterized the electrophysiological profile of E-protein transfected U251 and HEK293 cells through the patch-clamp technique and FURA-2 measurements. Specifically, we observed an increase in the voltage-dependent (Kv) and calcium-dependent (KCa) potassium currents in HEK293 and U251 cell lines, respectively. Interestingly, in both cellular models, we observed a depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential in accordance with an alteration of U251 cell growth. We, therefore, investigated the transcriptional effect of E protein on the signaling pathways and found several gene alterations associated with apoptosis, cytokines and WNT pathways. The electrophysiological and transcriptional changes observed after E protein expression could explain the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on gliomagenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Monarca
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.R.); (A.B.); (P.S.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Perugia Medical School, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Francesco Ragonese
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.R.); (A.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Andrea Biagini
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.R.); (A.B.); (P.S.)
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Perugia Medical School, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
| | - Paola Sabbatini
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.R.); (A.B.); (P.S.)
| | - Matteo Pacini
- Urology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.P.); (A.Z.)
| | - Alessandro Zucchi
- Urology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (M.P.); (A.Z.)
| | - Roberta Spaccapelo
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Perugia Medical School, University of Perugia, 06132 Perugia, Italy;
- Interuniversity Consortium for Biotechnology (C.I.B.), 34148 Trieste, Italy
| | - Paola Ferrari
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Andrea Nicolini
- Department of Oncology, Transplantations and New Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Bernard Fioretti
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnologies, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (L.M.); (F.R.); (A.B.); (P.S.)
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3
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Cubisino SAM, Milenkovic S, Conti-Nibali S, Musso N, Bonacci P, De Pinto V, Ceccarelli M, Reina S. Electrophysiological properties and structural prediction of the SARS-CoV-2 viroprotein E. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1334819. [PMID: 38606285 PMCID: PMC11007222 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1334819] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
COVID-19, the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus SARS- CoV-2, has caused millions of sick people and thousands of deaths all over the world. The viral positive-sense single-stranded RNA encodes 31 proteins among which the spike (S) is undoubtedly the best known. Recently, protein E has been reputed as a potential pharmacological target as well. It is essential for the assembly and release of the virions in the cell. Literature describes protein E as a voltage-dependent channel with preference towards monovalent cations whose intracellular expression, though, alters Ca2+ homeostasis and promotes the activation of the proinflammatory cascades. Due to the extremely high sequence identity of SARS-CoV-2 protein E (E-2) with the previously characterized E-1 (i.e., protein E from SARS-CoV) many data obtained for E-1 were simply adapted to the other. Recent solid state NMR structure revealed that the transmembrane domain (TMD) of E-2 self-assembles into a homo-pentamer, albeit the oligomeric status has not been validated with the full-length protein. Prompted by the lack of a common agreement on the proper structural and functional features of E-2, we investigated the specific mechanism/s of pore-gating and the detailed molecular structure of the most cryptic protein of SARS-CoV-2 by means of MD simulations of the E-2 structure and by expressing, refolding and analyzing the electrophysiological activity of the transmembrane moiety of the protein E-2, in its full length. Our results show a clear agreement between experimental and predictive studies and foresee a mechanism of activity based on Ca2+ affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stefano Conti-Nibali
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Nicolò Musso
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Paolo Bonacci
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Vito De Pinto
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- We.MitoBiotech S.R.L, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Simona Reina
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- We.MitoBiotech S.R.L, Catania, Italy
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4
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Bekdash R, Yoshida K, Nair MS, Qiu L, Ahdout J, Tsai HY, Uryu K, Soni RK, Huang Y, Ho DD, Yazawa M. Developing inhibitory peptides against SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002522. [PMID: 38483887 PMCID: PMC10939250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has affected approximately 800 million people since the start of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Because of the high rate of mutagenesis in SARS-CoV-2, it is difficult to develop a sustainable approach for prevention and treatment. The Envelope (E) protein is highly conserved among human coronaviruses. Previous studies reported that SARS-CoV-1 E deficiency reduced viral propagation, suggesting that E inhibition might be an effective therapeutic strategy for SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report inhibitory peptides against SARS-CoV-2 E protein named iPep-SARS2-E. Leveraging E-induced alterations in proton homeostasis and NFAT/AP-1 pathway in mammalian cells, we developed screening platforms to design and optimize the peptides that bind and inhibit E protein. Using Vero-E6 cells, human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived branching lung organoid and mouse models with SARS-CoV-2, we found that iPep-SARS2-E significantly inhibits virus egress and reduces viral cytotoxicity and propagation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the peptide can be customizable for E protein of other human coronaviruses such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The results indicate that E protein can be a potential therapeutic target for human coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramsey Bekdash
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kazushige Yoshida
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Manoj S. Nair
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Lauren Qiu
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Biological Science, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Johnathan Ahdout
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Hsiang-Yi Tsai
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Kunihiro Uryu
- EMSCOPIC, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Rajesh K. Soni
- Proteomics and Macromolecular Crystallography Shared Resource, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Yaoxing Huang
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - David D. Ho
- Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Center, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Masayuki Yazawa
- Department of Rehabilitation and Regenerative Medicine, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Columbia Stem Cell Initiative, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, United States of America
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5
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Neitthoffer B, Alvarez F, Larrous F, Caillet-Saguy C, Etienne-Manneville S, Boëda B. A short sequence in the tail of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein controls accessibility of its PDZ-binding motif to the cytoplasm. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105575. [PMID: 38110034 PMCID: PMC10821599 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105575] [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: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The carboxy-terminal tail of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) envelope protein (E) contains a PDZ-binding motif (PBM) which is crucial for coronavirus pathogenicity. During SARS-CoV-2 infection, the viral E protein is expressed within the Golgi apparatus membrane of host cells with its PBM facing the cytoplasm. In this work, we study the molecular mechanisms controlling the presentation of the PBM to host PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1) domain-containing proteins. We show that at the level of the Golgi apparatus, the PDZ-binding motif of the E protein is not detected by E C-terminal specific antibodies nor by the PDZ domain-containing protein-binding partner. Four alanine substitutions upstream of the PBM in the central region of the E protein tail is sufficient to generate immunodetection by anti-E antibodies and trigger robust recruitment of the PDZ domain-containing protein into the Golgi organelle. Overall, this work suggests that the presentation of the PBM to the cytoplasm is under conformational regulation mediated by the central region of the E protein tail and that PBM presentation probably does not occur at the surface of Golgi cisternae but likely at post-Golgi stages of the viral cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoit Neitthoffer
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3691 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Flavio Alvarez
- Laboratory Channel Receptors, UMR CNRS 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Florence Larrous
- Lyssavirus Epidemiology and Neuropathology Unit, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Célia Caillet-Saguy
- Laboratory Channel Receptors, UMR CNRS 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Etienne-Manneville
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3691 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Batiste Boëda
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR3691 CNRS, Université Paris Cité, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France.
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6
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Oh CK, Piña-Crespo J, Talantova M, Carnevale LN, Stoneham C, Lewinski M, Guatelli J, Lipton SA. Reply to: Targeted protein S-nitrosylation of ACE2 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1306-1308. [PMID: 37798355 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01425-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Ki Oh
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Juan Piña-Crespo
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Maria Talantova
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Lauren N Carnevale
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Charlotte Stoneham
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mary Lewinski
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - John Guatelli
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- VA San Diego Healthcare System, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Stuart A Lipton
- Departments of Molecular Medicine and Neuroscience, Neurodegeneration New Medicines Center, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Department of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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7
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Harrison NL, Abbott GW, McClenaghan C, Nichols CG, Cabrera-Garcia D. Endogenous currents in HEK 293 cells are inhibited by memantine. Nat Chem Biol 2023; 19:1303-1305. [PMID: 37798356 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01423-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Neil L Harrison
- Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
- Departments of Anesthesiology and Molecular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Geoffrey W Abbott
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California at Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Conor McClenaghan
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine and Departments of Pharmacology and Medicine, Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Colin G Nichols
- Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, and Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
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8
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Surya W, Tavares-Neto E, Sanchis A, Queralt-Martín M, Alcaraz A, Torres J, Aguilella VM. The Complex Proteolipidic Behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein Channel: Weak Selectivity and Heterogeneous Oligomerization. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12454. [PMID: 37569828 PMCID: PMC10420310 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512454] [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: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The envelope (E) protein is a small polypeptide that can form ion channels in coronaviruses. In SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that caused the recent COVID-19 pandemic, and its predecessor SARS-CoV-1, E protein is found in the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC), where virion budding takes place. Several reports claim that E protein promotes the formation of "cation-selective channels". However, whether this term represents specificity to certain ions (e.g., potassium or calcium) or the partial or total exclusion of anions is debatable. Herein, we discuss this claim based on the available data for SARS-CoV-1 and -2 E and on new experiments performed using the untagged full-length E protein from SARS-CoV-2 in planar lipid membranes of different types, including those that closely mimic the ERGIC membrane composition. We provide evidence that the selectivity of the E-induced channels is very mild and depends strongly on lipid environment. Thus, despite past and recent claims, we found no indication that the E protein forms cation-selective channels that prevent anion transport, and even less that E protein forms bona fide specific calcium channels. In fact, the E channel maintains its multi-ionic non-specific neutral character even in concentrated solutions of Ca2+ ions. Also, in contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence that SARS-CoV-2 E channel activation requires a particular voltage, high calcium concentrations or low pH, in agreement with available data from SARS-CoV-1 E. In addition, sedimentation velocity experiments suggest that the E channel population is mostly pentameric, but very dynamic and probably heterogeneous, consistent with the broad distribution of conductance values typically found in electrophysiological experiments. The latter has been explained by the presence of proteolipidic channel structures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wahyu Surya
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
| | - Ernesto Tavares-Neto
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Universitat Jaume I, 12080 Castellon, Spain; (E.T.-N.); (M.Q.-M.); (A.A.)
| | - Andrea Sanchis
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Universitat Jaume I, 12080 Castellon, Spain; (E.T.-N.); (M.Q.-M.); (A.A.)
| | - María Queralt-Martín
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Universitat Jaume I, 12080 Castellon, Spain; (E.T.-N.); (M.Q.-M.); (A.A.)
| | - Antonio Alcaraz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Universitat Jaume I, 12080 Castellon, Spain; (E.T.-N.); (M.Q.-M.); (A.A.)
| | - Jaume Torres
- School of Biological Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, 60 Nanyang Drive, Singapore 637551, Singapore;
| | - Vicente M. Aguilella
- Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics, Department of Physics, Universitat Jaume I, 12080 Castellon, Spain; (E.T.-N.); (M.Q.-M.); (A.A.)
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9
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Chen GL, Li J, Zhang J, Zeng B. To Be or Not to Be an Ion Channel: Cryo-EM Structures Have a Say. Cells 2023; 12:1870. [PMID: 37508534 PMCID: PMC10378246 DOI: 10.3390/cells12141870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Ion channels are the second largest class of drug targets after G protein-coupled receptors. In addition to well-recognized ones like voltage-gated Na/K/Ca channels in the heart and neurons, novel ion channels are continuously discovered in both excitable and non-excitable cells and demonstrated to play important roles in many physiological processes and diseases such as developmental disorders, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. However, in the field of ion channel discovery, there are an unignorable number of published studies that are unsolid and misleading. Despite being the gold standard of a functional assay for ion channels, electrophysiological recordings are often accompanied by electrical noise, leak conductance, and background currents of the membrane system. These unwanted signals, if not treated properly, lead to the mischaracterization of proteins with seemingly unusual ion-conducting properties. In the recent ten years, the technical revolution of cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has greatly advanced our understanding of the structures and gating mechanisms of various ion channels and also raised concerns about the pore-forming ability of some previously identified channel proteins. In this review, we summarize cryo-EM findings on ion channels with molecular identities recognized or disputed in recent ten years and discuss current knowledge of proposed channel proteins awaiting cryo-EM analyses. We also present a classification of ion channels according to their architectures and evolutionary relationships and discuss the possibility and strategy of identifying more ion channels by analyzing structures of transmembrane proteins of unknown function. We propose that cross-validation by electrophysiological and structural analyses should be essentially required for determining molecular identities of novel ion channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gui-Lan Chen
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Jian Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Bo Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Electrophysiology, Ministry of Education & Medical Electrophysiological Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Cardiovascular Research, Southwest Medical University, Luzhou 646000, China
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10
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Chen P, Wu M, He Y, Jiang B, He ML. Metabolic alterations upon SARS-CoV-2 infection and potential therapeutic targets against coronavirus infection. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:237. [PMID: 37286535 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01510-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 infection has become a global pandemic due to the high viral transmissibility and pathogenesis, bringing enormous burden to our society. Most patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Although only a small proportion of patients progressed to severe COVID-19 with symptoms including acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), disseminated coagulopathy, and cardiovascular disorders, severe COVID-19 is accompanied by high mortality rates with near 7 million deaths. Nowadays, effective therapeutic patterns for severe COVID-19 are still lacking. It has been extensively reported that host metabolism plays essential roles in various physiological processes during virus infection. Many viruses manipulate host metabolism to avoid immunity, facilitate their own replication, or to initiate pathological response. Targeting the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host metabolism holds promise for developing therapeutic strategies. In this review, we summarize and discuss recent studies dedicated to uncovering the role of host metabolism during the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 in aspects of entry, replication, assembly, and pathogenesis with an emphasis on glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism. Microbiota and long COVID-19 are also discussed. Ultimately, we recapitulate metabolism-modulating drugs repurposed for COVID-19 including statins, ASM inhibitors, NSAIDs, Montelukast, omega-3 fatty acids, 2-DG, and metformin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiran Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Mandi Wu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yaqing He
- Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shenzhen, 518055, Guangdong, China
| | - Binghua Jiang
- Cell Signaling and Proteomic Center, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Ming-Liang He
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, City University of Hong Kong, HKSAR, Hong Kong, China.
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11
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Gao Y, Kok WL, Sharma V, Illsley CS, Hanks S, Tredwin C, Hu B. SARS-CoV-2 infection causes periodontal fibrotic pathogenesis through deregulating mitochondrial beta-oxidation. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:175. [PMID: 37236979 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01474-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The global high prevalence of COVID-19 is a major challenge for health professionals and patients. SARS-CoV-2 virus has four structural protein components: the spike protein, envelope protein, membrane protein, and nucleocapsid protein. The SARS-CoV-2 virus mutates predominantly in the spike proteins, whilst the other key viral components usually remain stable. Essentially the pathological functions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus on different cell types are still largely unknown. Previous studies have shown that the human oral cavity can potentially act as reservoir of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. However, the consequence of SARS-CoV-2 viral infection on human oral health has not been systematically examined. COVID-19 can cause severe oral mucosa lesions and is likely to be connected with poor periodontal conditions. Fibroblasts are the major cell type inside periodontal ligament (PDL) and express the SARS-CoV-2 receptor: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), whose expression level can increase upon bacterial infection hence potentially provide a direct route of SARS-CoV-2 infection to PDL fibroblasts. In this research, we aimed to study the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 viral components on human fibroblasts. We found that by exposing to SARS-CoV-2, especially to the viral envelope and membrane proteins, the human periodontal fibroblasts could develop fibrotic pathogenic phenotypes, including hyperproliferation that was simultaneously induced with increased apoptosis and senescence. The fibrotic degeneration was mediated by a down-regulation of mitochondrial β-oxidation in the fibroblasts. Fatty acid β-oxidation inhibitor, etomoxir treatment could mirror the same pathological consequence on the cells, similar to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our results therefore provide novel mechanistic insights into how SARS-CoV-2 infection can affect human periodontal health at the cell and molecular level with potential new therapeutic targets for COVID-19 induced fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Gao
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Wai Ling Kok
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Vikram Sharma
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Charlotte Sara Illsley
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Sally Hanks
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Christopher Tredwin
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK
| | - Bing Hu
- Stem Cells & Regenerative Medicine Laboratory, Peninsula Dental School, Faculty of Health, University of Plymouth, 16 Research Way, Plymouth, PL6 8BU, UK.
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12
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Oliveira-Mendes BBR, Alameh M, Ollivier B, Montnach J, Bidère N, Souazé F, Escriou N, Charpentier F, Baró I, De Waard M, Loussouarn G. SARS-CoV-2 E and 3a Proteins Are Inducers of Pannexin Currents. Cells 2023; 12:1474. [PMID: 37296595 PMCID: PMC10252541 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111474] [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: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Controversial reports have suggested that SARS-CoV E and 3a proteins are plasma membrane viroporins. Here, we aimed at better characterizing the cellular responses induced by these proteins. First, we show that expression of SARS-CoV-2 E or 3a protein in CHO cells gives rise to cells with newly acquired round shapes that detach from the Petri dish. This suggests that cell death is induced upon expression of E or 3a protein. We confirmed this by using flow cytometry. In adhering cells expressing E or 3a protein, the whole-cell currents were not different from those of the control, suggesting that E and 3a proteins are not plasma membrane viroporins. In contrast, recording the currents on detached cells uncovered outwardly rectifying currents much larger than those observed in the control. We illustrate for the first time that carbenoxolone and probenecid block these outwardly rectifying currents; thus, these currents are most probably conducted by pannexin channels that are activated by cell morphology changes and also potentially by cell death. The truncation of C-terminal PDZ binding motifs reduces the proportion of dying cells but does not prevent these outwardly rectifying currents. This suggests distinct pathways for the induction of these cellular events by the two proteins. We conclude that SARS-CoV-2 E and 3a proteins are not viroporins expressed at the plasma membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Malak Alameh
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
- Labex Ion Channels, Science and Therapeutics, F-06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Béatrice Ollivier
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
| | - Jérôme Montnach
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
| | - Nicolas Bidère
- Team SOAP, CRCI2NA, INSERM, CNRS, Nantes Université, Université d’Angers, F-44000 Nantes, France
- Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, F-75006 Paris, France
| | | | - Nicolas Escriou
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Département de Santé Globale, F-75015 Paris, France
| | - Flavien Charpentier
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
| | - Isabelle Baró
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
| | - Michel De Waard
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
- Labex Ion Channels, Science and Therapeutics, F-06560 Valbonne, France
| | - Gildas Loussouarn
- L’institut du Thorax, Nantes Université, CNRS, INSERM, F-44000 Nantes, France; (B.B.R.O.-M.); (M.A.)
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13
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Wang M, Yu F, Chang W, Zhang Y, Zhang L, Li P. Inflammasomes: a rising star on the horizon of COVID-19 pathophysiology. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1185233. [PMID: 37251383 PMCID: PMC10213254 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1185233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a contagious respiratory virus that is the cause of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic which has posed a serious threat to public health. COVID-19 is characterized by a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from asymptomatic infection to mild cold-like symptoms, severe pneumonia or even death. Inflammasomes are supramolecular signaling platforms that assemble in response to danger or microbial signals. Upon activation, inflammasomes mediate innate immune defense by favoring the release of proinflammatory cytokines and triggering pyroptotic cell death. Nevertheless, abnormalities in inflammasome functioning can result in a variety of human diseases such as autoimmune disorders and cancer. A growing body of evidence has showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection can induce inflammasome assembly. Dysregulated inflammasome activation and consequent cytokine burst have been associated with COVID-19 severity, alluding to the implication of inflammasomes in COVID-19 pathophysiology. Accordingly, an improved understanding of inflammasome-mediated inflammatory cascades in COVID-19 is essential to uncover the immunological mechanisms of COVID-19 pathology and identify effective therapeutic approaches for this devastating disease. In this review, we summarize the most recent findings on the interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and inflammasomes and the contribution of activated inflammasomes to COVID-19 progression. We dissect the mechanisms involving the inflammasome machinery in COVID-19 immunopathogenesis. In addition, we provide an overview of inflammasome-targeted therapies or antagonists that have potential clinical utility in COVID-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Wang
- *Correspondence: Man Wang, ; Peifeng Li,
| | | | | | | | | | - Peifeng Li
- *Correspondence: Man Wang, ; Peifeng Li,
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14
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Aganovic A. pH-dependent endocytosis mechanisms for influenza A and SARS-coronavirus. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1190463. [PMID: 37234537 PMCID: PMC10206014 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1190463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and the influenza epidemics have revived the interest in understanding how these highly contagious enveloped viruses respond to alterations in the physicochemical properties of their microenvironment. By understanding the mechanisms and conditions by which viruses exploit the pH environment of the host cell during endocytosis, we can gain a better understanding of how they respond to pH-regulated anti-viral therapies but also pH-induced changes in extracellular environments. This review provides a detailed explanation of the pH-dependent viral structural changes preceding and initiating viral disassembly during endocytosis for influenza A (IAV) and SARS coronaviruses. Drawing upon extensive literature from the last few decades and latest research, I analyze and compare the circumstances in which IAV and SARS-coronavirus can undertake endocytotic pathways that are pH-dependent. While there are similarities in the pH-regulated patterns leading to fusion, the mechanisms and pH activation differ. In terms of fusion activity, the measured activation pH values for IAV, across all subtypes and species, vary between approximately 5.0 to 6.0, while SARS-coronavirus necessitates a lower pH of 6.0 or less. The main difference between the pH-dependent endocytic pathways is that the SARS-coronavirus, unlike IAV, require the presence of specific pH-sensitive enzymes (cathepsin L) during endosomal transport. Conversely, the conformational changes in the IAV virus under acidic conditions in endosomes occur due to the specific envelope glycoprotein residues and envelope protein ion channels (viroporins) getting protonated by H+ ions. Despite extensive research over several decades, comprehending the pH-triggered conformational alterations of viruses still poses a significant challenge. The precise mechanisms of protonation mechanisms of certain during endosomal transport for both viruses remain incompletely understood. In absence of evidence, further research is needed.
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15
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Lu H, Liu Z, Deng X, Chen S, Zhou R, Zhao R, Parandaman R, Thind A, Henley J, Tian L, Yu J, Comai L, Feng P, Yuan W. Potent NKT cell ligands overcome SARS-CoV-2 immune evasion to mitigate viral pathogenesis in mouse models. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011240. [PMID: 36961850 PMCID: PMC10128965 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2022] [Revised: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the major pathogenesis mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 is its potent suppression of innate immunity, including blocking the production of type I interferons. However, it is unknown whether and how the virus interacts with different innate-like T cells, including NKT, MAIT and γδ T cells. Here we reported that upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, invariant NKT (iNKT) cells rapidly trafficked to infected lung tissues from the periphery. We discovered that the envelope (E) protein of SARS-CoV-2 efficiently down-regulated the cell surface expression of the antigen-presenting molecule, CD1d, to suppress the function of iNKT cells. E protein is a small membrane protein and a viroporin that plays important roles in virion packaging and envelopment during viral morphogenesis. We showed that the transmembrane domain of E protein was responsible for suppressing CD1d expression by specifically reducing the level of mature, post-ER forms of CD1d, suggesting that it suppressed the trafficking of CD1d proteins and led to their degradation. Point mutations demonstrated that the putative ion channel function was required for suppression of CD1d expression and inhibition of the ion channel function using small chemicals rescued the CD1d expression. Importantly, we discovered that among seven human coronaviruses, only E proteins from highly pathogenic coronaviruses including SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS suppressed CD1d expression, whereas the E proteins of human common cold coronaviruses, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63 and HCoV-HKU1, did not. These results suggested that E protein-mediated evasion of NKT cell function was likely an important pathogenesis factor, enhancing the virulence of these highly pathogenic coronaviruses. Remarkably, activation of iNKT cells with their glycolipid ligands, both prophylactically and therapeutically, overcame the putative viral immune evasion, significantly mitigated viral pathogenesis and improved host survival in mice. Our results suggested a novel NKT cell-based anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjia Lu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- Graduate Programs in Biomedical and Biological Sciences, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Zhewei Liu
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Xiangxue Deng
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Siyang Chen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ruiting Zhou
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Rongqi Zhao
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Ramya Parandaman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Amarjot Thind
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jill Henley
- The Hastings and Wright Laboratories, Keck School of Medicine, University Southern California, California, United States of America
| | - Lei Tian
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Jianhua Yu
- Department of Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, City of Hope National Medical Center, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Lucio Comai
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
- The Hastings and Wright Laboratories, Keck School of Medicine, University Southern California, California, United States of America
| | - Pinghui Feng
- Section of Infection and Immunity, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
| | - Weiming Yuan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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16
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Kumar P, Kumar A, Garg N, Giri R. An insight into SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein interaction with spike, envelope, and nucleocapsid proteins. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:1062-1071. [PMID: 34913847 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2016490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Intraviral protein-protein interactions are crucial for replication, pathogenicity, and viral assembly. Among these, virus assembly is a critical step as it regulates the arrangements of viral structural proteins and helps in the encapsulation of genomic material. SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins play an essential role in the self-rearrangement, RNA encapsulation, and mature virus particle formation. In SARS-CoV, the membrane protein interacts with the envelope and spike protein in Endoplasmic Reticulum Golgi Intermediate Complex (ERGIC) to form an assembly in the lipid bilayer, followed by membrane-ribonucleoprotein (nucleocapsid) interaction. In this study, we tried to understand the interaction of membrane protein's interaction with envelope, spike, and nucleocapsid proteins using protein-protein docking. Further, simulation studies were performed up to 100 ns to examine the stability of protein-protein complexes of Membrane-Envelope, Membrane-Spike, and Membrane-Nucleocapsid proteins. Prime MM-GBSA showed high binding energy calculations for the simulated structures than the docked complex. The interactions identified in our study will be of great importance, as it provides valuable insight into the protein-protein complex, which could be the potential drug targets for future studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prateek Kumar
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO Kamand, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Amit Kumar
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO Kamand, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
| | - Neha Garg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Ayurveda, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajanish Giri
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, VPO Kamand, Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, India
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17
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Matamoros M, Ng XW, Brettmann JB, Piston DW, Nichols CG. Conformational plasticity of NaK2K and TREK2 potassium channel selectivity filters. Nat Commun 2023; 14:89. [PMID: 36609575 PMCID: PMC9822992 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The K+ channel selectivity filter (SF) is defined by TxGYG amino acid sequences that generate four identical K+ binding sites (S1-S4). Only two sites (S3, S4) are present in the non-selective bacterial NaK channel, but a four-site K+-selective SF is obtained by mutating the wild-type TVGDGN SF sequence to a canonical K+ channel TVGYGD sequence (NaK2K mutant). Using single molecule FRET (smFRET), we show that the SF of NaK2K, but not of non-selective NaK, is ion-dependent, with the constricted SF configuration stabilized in high K+ conditions. Patch-clamp electrophysiology and non-canonical fluorescent amino acid incorporation show that NaK2K selectivity is reduced by crosslinking to limit SF conformational movement. Finally, the eukaryotic K+ channel TREK2 SF exhibits essentially identical smFRET-reported ion-dependent conformations as in prokaryotic K+ channels. Our results establish the generality of K+-induced SF conformational stability across the K+ channel superfamily, and introduce an approach to study manipulation of channel selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos Matamoros
- Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Xue Wen Ng
- Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Joshua B Brettmann
- Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Millipore-Sigma Inc., St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - David W Piston
- Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Colin G Nichols
- Center for Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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18
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Vargas-Zapata V, Geiger KM, Tran D, Ma J, Mao X, Puschnik AS, Coscoy L. SARS-CoV-2 Envelope-mediated Golgi pH dysregulation interferes with ERAAP retention in cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.11.29.518257. [PMID: 36482965 PMCID: PMC9727756 DOI: 10.1101/2022.11.29.518257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) aminopeptidase associated with antigen processing (ERAAP) trims peptide precursors in the ER for presentation by major histocompatibility (MHC)-I molecules to surveying CD8+ T-cells. This function allows ERAAP to regulate the nature and quality of the peptide repertoire and, accordingly, the resulting immune responses. We recently showed that infection with murine cytomegalovirus leads to a dramatic loss of ERAAP levels in infected cells. In mice, this loss is associated with the activation of QFL T-cells, a subset of T-cells that monitor ERAAP integrity and eliminate cells experiencing ERAAP dysfunction. In this study, we aimed to identify host factors that regulate ERAAP expression level and determine whether these could be manipulated during viral infections. We performed a CRISPR knockout screen and identified ERp44 as a factor promoting ERAAP retention in the ER. ERp44's interaction with ERAAP is dependent on the pH gradient between the ER and Golgi. We hypothesized that viruses that disrupt the pH of the secretory pathway interfere with ERAAP retention. Here, we demonstrate that expression of the Envelope (E) protein from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) leads to Golgi pH neutralization and consequently decrease of ERAAP intracellular levels. Furthermore, SARS-CoV-2-induced ERAAP loss correlates with its release into the extracellular environment. ERAAP's reliance on ERp44 and a functioning ER/Golgi pH gradient for proper localization and function led us to propose that ERAAP serves as a sensor of disturbances in the secretory pathway during infection and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valerie Vargas-Zapata
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Kristina M Geiger
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinology, School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Dan Tran
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Jessica Ma
- Division of Microbial Biology, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Xiaowen Mao
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | | | - Laurent Coscoy
- Division of Immunology and Molecular Medicine, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
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19
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Kolocouris A, Arkin I, Glykos NM. A proof-of-concept study of the secondary structure of influenza A, B M2 and MERS- and SARS-CoV E transmembrane peptides using folding molecular dynamics simulations in a membrane mimetic solvent. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:25391-25402. [PMID: 36239696 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp02881f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Here, we have carried out a proof-of-concept molecular dynamics (MD) simulation with adaptive tempering in a membrane mimetic environment to study the folding of single-pass membrane peptides. We tested the influenza A M2 viroporin, influenza B M2 viroporin, and protein E from coronaviruses MERS-Cov-2 and SARS-CoV-2 peptides with known experimental secondary structures in membrane bilayers. The two influenza-derived peptides are significantly different in the peptide sequence and secondary structure and more polar than the two coronavirus-derived peptides. Through a total of more than 50 μs of simulation time that could be accomplished in trifluoroethanol (TFE), as a membrane model, we characterized comparatively the folding behavior, helical stability, and helical propensity of these transmembrane peptides that match perfectly their experimental secondary structures, and we identified common motifs that reflect their quaternary organization and known (or not) biochemical function. We showed that BM2 is organized into two structurally distinct parts: a significantly more stable N-terminal half, and a fast-converting C-terminal half that continuously folds and unfolds between α-helical structures and non-canonical structures, which are mostly turns. In AM2, both the N-terminal half and C-terminal half are very flexible. In contrast, the two coronavirus-derived transmembrane peptides are much more stable and fast helix-formers when compared with the influenza ones. In particular, the SARS-derived peptide E appears to be the fastest and most stable helix-former of all the four viral peptides studied, with a helical structure that persists almost without disruption for the whole of its 10 μs simulation. By comparing the results with experimental observations, we benchmarked TFE in studying the conformation of membrane and hydrophobic peptides. This work provided accurate results suggesting a methodology to run long MD simulations and predict structural properties of biologically important membrane peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonios Kolocouris
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Section of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Greece.
| | - Isaiah Arkin
- Department of Biological Chemistry, The Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus Givat-Ram, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel
| | - Nicholas M Glykos
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, University Campus, Alexandroupolis, 68100, Greece.
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20
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Yang R, Wu S, Wang S, Rubino G, Nickels JD, Cheng X. Refinement of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein structure in a native-like environment by molecular dynamics simulations. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:1027223. [PMID: 36299297 PMCID: PMC9589232 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.1027223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 has become an unprecedented threat to human health. The SARS-CoV-2 envelope (E) protein plays a critical role in the viral maturation process and pathogenesis. Despite intensive investigation, its structure in physiological conditions remains mysterious: no high-resolution full-length structure is available and only an NMR structure of the transmembrane (TM) region has been determined. Here, we present a refined E protein structure, using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate its structure and dynamics in a 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) bilayer system. Our initial homology model based upon the SARS-CoV E protein structure is shown to be unstable in the lipid bilayer, and the H3 helices tend to move away from the membrane center to the membrane-water interface. A more stable model was developed by replacing all H3 helices with the fully equilibrated H3 structure sampled in the MD simulations. This refined model exhibited more favorable contacts with lipids and water than the original homology model and induced local membrane curvature, decreasing local lipid order. Interestingly, the pore radius profiles showed that the channel in both homology and refined models remained in a closed state throughout the simulations. We also demonstrated the utility of this structure to develop anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs by docking a library of FDA-approved, investigational, and experimental drugs to the refined E protein structure, identifying 20 potential channel blockers. This highlights the power of MD simulations to refine low-resolution structures of membrane proteins in a native-like membrane environment, shedding light on the structural features of the E protein and providing a platform for the development of novel antiviral treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Sijin Wu
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
| | - Shen Wang
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Grace Rubino
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, College of Engineering, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Jonathan D. Nickels
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, The University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
| | - Xiaolin Cheng
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- Translational Data Analytics Institute (TDAI), The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
- *Correspondence: Sijin Wu, ; Jonathan D. Nickels, ; Xiaolin Cheng,
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21
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Probing effects of the SARS-CoV-2 E protein on membrane curvature and intracellular calcium. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA (BBA) - BIOMEMBRANES 2022; 1864:183994. [PMID: 35724739 PMCID: PMC9212275 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2022.183994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 contains four structural proteins in its genome. These proteins aid in the assembly and budding of new virions at the ER-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC). Current fundamental research efforts largely focus on one of these proteins – the spike (S) protein. Since successful antiviral therapies are likely to target multiple viral components, there is considerable interest in understanding the biophysical role of its other structural proteins, in particular structural membrane proteins. Here, we have focused our efforts on the characterization of the full-length envelope (E) protein from SARS-CoV-2, combining experimental and computational approaches. Recombinant expression of the full-length E protein from SARS-CoV-2 reveals that this membrane protein is capable of independent multimerization, possibly as a tetrameric or smaller species. Fluorescence microscopy shows that the protein localizes intracellularly, and coarse-grained MD simulations indicate it causes bending of the surrounding lipid bilayer, corroborating a potential role for the E protein in viral budding. Although we did not find robust electrophysiological evidence of ion-channel activity, cells transfected with the E protein exhibited reduced intracellular Ca2+, which may further promote viral replication. However, our atomistic MD simulations revealed that previous NMR structures are relatively unstable, and result in models incapable of ion conduction. Our study highlights the importance of using high-resolution structural data obtained from a full-length protein to gain detailed molecular insights, and eventually permitting virtual drug screening.
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22
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In Silico Evaluation of Hexamethylene Amiloride Derivatives as Potential Luminal Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 E Protein. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810647. [PMID: 36142556 PMCID: PMC9503309 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2022] [Revised: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus E proteins are small membrane proteins found in the virus envelope of alpha and beta coronaviruses that have a high degree of overlap in their biochemical and functional properties despite minor sequence variations. The SARS-CoV-2 E is a 75-amino acid transmembrane protein capable of acting as an ion channel when assembled in a pentameric fashion. Various studies have found that hexamethylene amiloride (HMA) can inhibit the ion channel activity of the E protein in bilayers and also inhibit viral replication in cultured cells. Here, we use the available structural data in conjunction with homology modelling to build a comprehensive model of the E protein to assess potential binding sites and molecular interactions of HMA derivatives. Furthermore, we employed an iterative cycle of molecular modelling, extensive docking simulations, molecular dynamics and leveraging steered molecular dynamics to better understand the pore characteristics and quantify the affinity of the bound ligands. Results from this work highlight the potential of acylguanidines as blockers of the E protein and guide the development of subsequent small molecule inhibitors.
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23
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Toft-Bertelsen TL, Jeppesen MG, Landbrug A, Mujezinovic A, Bentzen BH, Kledal TN, Rosenkilde MM. Reply to: How Many SARS-CoV-2 "Viroporins" Are Really Ion Channels? Commun Biol 2022; 5:860. [PMID: 36008476 PMCID: PMC9411598 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03670-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Trine L Toft-Bertelsen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mads Gravers Jeppesen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.,Synklino ApS, Charlottenlund, Denmark
| | - Asante Landbrug
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amer Mujezinovic
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bo Hjorth Bentzen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Mette Marie Rosenkilde
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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24
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SARS-CoV-2 Viroporins: A Multi-Omics Insight from Nucleotides to Amino Acids. Appl Microbiol 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/applmicrobiol2030045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is caused by SARS-CoV-2 which has so far affected more than 500 million people worldwide and killed over 6 million as of 1 May 2022. The approved emergency-use vaccines were lifesaving in such a devastating pandemic. Inflammation-related pathways have been well documented to be upregulated in the case of SARS-CoV-2 in rodents, non-human primates and human samples. We reanalysed a previously published dataset to understand if certain molecular components of inflammation could be higher in infected samples. Mechanistically, viroporins are important players in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and are primary to its pathogenesis. We studied the two prominent viroporins of SARS-CoV-2 (i) Orf3a and (ii) envelope (E) protein from a sequence and structural point of view. Orf3a is a cation-selective viral ion channel which has been shown to disrupt the endosomal pathways. E protein is one of the most conserved proteins among the SARS-CoV proteome which affects the ERGIC-related pathways. The aqueous medium through the viroporins mediates the non-selective translocation of cations, affecting ionic homeostasis in the host cellular compartments. We hypothesize a possible mechanistic approach whereby the ionic imbalance caused by viroporin action could potentially be one of the major pathogenic drivers leading to the increased inflammatory response in the host cell. Our results shed light into the transcriptomic, genomic and structural proteomics aspects of widely studied SARS-CoV-2 viroporins, which can be potentially leveraged for the development of antiviral therapeutics.
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25
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Mekawy AS, Alaswad Z, Ibrahim AA, Mohamed AA, AlOkda A, Elserafy M. The consequences of viral infection on host DNA damage response: a focus on SARS-CoVs. J Genet Eng Biotechnol 2022; 20:104. [PMID: 35829826 PMCID: PMC9277982 DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00388-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
DNA damage and genome instability in host cells are introduced by many viruses during their life cycles. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (SARS-CoVs) manipulation of DNA damage response (DDR) is an important area of research that is still understudied. Elucidation of the direct and indirect interactions between SARS-CoVs and DDR not only provides important insights into how the viruses exploit DDR pathways in host cells but also contributes to our understanding of their pathogenicity. Here, we present the known interactions of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 with DDR pathways of the host cells, to further understand the consequences of infection on genome integrity. Since this area of research is in its early stages, we try to connect the unlinked dots to speculate and propose different consequences on DDR mechanisms. This review provides new research scopes that can be further investigated in vitro and in vivo, opening new avenues for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asmaa S Mekawy
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578, Giza, Egypt.,University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, 12578, Egypt
| | - Zina Alaswad
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578, Giza, Egypt.,University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, 12578, Egypt
| | - Aya A Ibrahim
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578, Giza, Egypt.,University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, 12578, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Mohamed
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578, Giza, Egypt.,University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, 12578, Egypt
| | - Abdelrahman AlOkda
- Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.,Metabolic Disorders and Complications Program and Brain Repair and Integrative Neuroscience Program, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Menattallah Elserafy
- Center for Genomics, Helmy Institute for Medical Sciences, Zewail City of Science and Technology, 12578, Giza, Egypt. .,University of Science and Technology, Zewail City of Science and Technology, Giza, 12578, Egypt.
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26
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Xia X, Cheng A, Wang M, Ou X, Sun D, Mao S, Huang J, Yang Q, Wu Y, Chen S, Zhang S, Zhu D, Jia R, Liu M, Zhao XX, Gao Q, Tian B. Functions of Viroporins in the Viral Life Cycle and Their Regulation of Host Cell Responses. Front Immunol 2022; 13:890549. [PMID: 35720341 PMCID: PMC9202500 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.890549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viroporins are virally encoded transmembrane proteins that are essential for viral pathogenicity and can participate in various stages of the viral life cycle, thereby promoting viral proliferation. Viroporins have multifaceted effects on host cell biological functions, including altering cell membrane permeability, triggering inflammasome formation, inducing apoptosis and autophagy, and evading immune responses, thereby ensuring that the virus completes its life cycle. Viroporins are also virulence factors, and their complete or partial deletion often reduces virion release and reduces viral pathogenicity, highlighting the important role of these proteins in the viral life cycle. Thus, viroporins represent a common drug-protein target for inhibiting drugs and the development of antiviral therapies. This article reviews current studies on the functions of viroporins in the viral life cycle and their regulation of host cell responses, with the aim of improving the understanding of this growing family of viral proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Xia
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Anchun Cheng
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Xumin Ou
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Di Sun
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Sai Mao
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Juan Huang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Qiao Yang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Ying Wu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Shun Chen
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Shaqiu Zhang
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Dekang Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Renyong Jia
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Mafeng Liu
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Xin-Xin Zhao
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Qun Gao
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Key Laboratory of Animal Disease and Human Health of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
| | - Bin Tian
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China.,Avian Disease Research Center, College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu City, China
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27
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Gorący A, Rosik J, Szostak B, Ustianowski Ł, Ustianowska K, Gorący J. Human Cell Organelles in SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An Up-to-Date Overview. Viruses 2022; 14:v14051092. [PMID: 35632833 PMCID: PMC9144443 DOI: 10.3390/v14051092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the end of 2019, the whole world has been struggling with the life-threatening pandemic amongst all age groups and geographic areas caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which has led to more than 468 million cases and over 6 million deaths reported worldwide (as of 20 March 2022), is one of the greatest threats to human health in history. Meanwhile, the lack of specific and irresistible treatment modalities provoked concentrated efforts in scientists around the world. Various mechanisms of cell entry and cellular dysfunction were initially proclaimed. Especially, mitochondria and cell membrane are crucial for the course of infection. The SARS-CoV-2 invasion depends on angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2), and cluster of differentiation 147 (CD147), expressed on host cells. Moreover, in this narrative review, we aim to discuss other cell organelles targeted by SARS-CoV-2. Lastly, we briefly summarize the studies on various drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gorący
- Independent Laboratory of Invasive Cardiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (A.G.); (J.G.)
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Biochemistry, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jakub Rosik
- Independent Laboratory of Invasive Cardiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (A.G.); (J.G.)
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (B.S.); (Ł.U.); (K.U.)
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Correspondence:
| | - Bartosz Szostak
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (B.S.); (Ł.U.); (K.U.)
| | - Łukasz Ustianowski
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (B.S.); (Ł.U.); (K.U.)
| | - Klaudia Ustianowska
- Department of Physiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (B.S.); (Ł.U.); (K.U.)
| | - Jarosław Gorący
- Independent Laboratory of Invasive Cardiology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland; (A.G.); (J.G.)
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28
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Ramm F, Dondapati SK, Trinh HA, Wenzel D, Walter RM, Zemella A, Kubick S. The Potential of Eukaryotic Cell-Free Systems as a Rapid Response to Novel Zoonotic Pathogens: Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Viral Proteins. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:896751. [PMID: 35519622 PMCID: PMC9061942 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.896751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has led to more than 445 million infections and the underlying disease, COVID-19, resulted in more than 6 million deaths worldwide. The scientific world is already predicting future zoonotic diseases. Hence, rapid response systems are needed to tackle future epidemics and pandemics. Here, we present the use of eukaryotic cell-free systems for the rapid response to novel zoonotic diseases represented by SARS-CoV-2. Non-structural, structural and accessory proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2 were synthesized by cell-free protein synthesis in a fast and efficient manner. The inhibitory effect of the non-structural protein 1 on protein synthesis could be shown in vitro. Structural proteins were quantitatively detected by commercial antibodies, therefore facilitating cell-free systems for the validation of available antibodies. The cytotoxic envelope protein was characterized in electrophysiological planar lipid bilayer measurements. Hence, our study demonstrates the potential of eukaryotic cell-free systems as a rapid response mechanism for the synthesis, functional characterization and antibody validation against a viral pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Ramm
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Srujan K. Dondapati
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Hoai Anh Trinh
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Applied Biochemistry, Institute of Biotechnology, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Dana Wenzel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ruben M. Walter
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
- Department of Applied Biochemistry, Institute of Biotechnology, Technical University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anne Zemella
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
| | - Stefan Kubick
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (IZI), Branch Bioanalytics and Bioprocesses (IZI-BB), Potsdam, Germany
- Institute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Joint Faculty of the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus–Senftenberg, The Brandenburg Medical School Theodor Fontane, The University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- *Correspondence: Stefan Kubick,
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29
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Medeiros-Silva J, Somberg NH, Wang HK, McKay MJ, Mandala VS, Dregni AJ, Hong M. pH- and Calcium-Dependent Aromatic Network in the SARS-CoV-2 Envelope Protein. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:6839-6850. [PMID: 35380805 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c00973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The envelope (E) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is a membrane-bound viroporin that conducts cations across the endoplasmic reticulum Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) membrane of the host cell to cause virus pathogenicity. The structure of the closed state of the E transmembrane (TM) domain, ETM, was recently determined using solid-state NMR spectroscopy. However, how the channel pore opens to mediate cation transport is unclear. Here, we use 13C and 19F solid-state NMR spectroscopy to investigate the conformation and dynamics of ETM at acidic pH and in the presence of calcium ions, which mimic the ERGIC and lysosomal environment experienced by the E protein in the cell. Acidic pH and calcium ions increased the conformational disorder of the N- and C-terminal residues and also increased the water accessibility of the protein, indicating that the pore lumen has become more spacious. ETM contains three regularly spaced phenylalanine (Phe) residues in the center of the peptide. 19F NMR spectra of para-fluorinated Phe20 and Phe26 indicate that both residues exhibit two sidechain conformations, which coexist within each channel. These two Phe conformations differ in their water accessibility, lipid contact, and dynamics. Channel opening by acidic pH and Ca2+ increases the population of the dynamic lipid-facing conformation. These results suggest an intricate aromatic network that regulates the opening of the ETM channel pore. This aromatic network may be a target for E inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Medeiros-Silva
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Noah H Somberg
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Harrison K Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Matthew J McKay
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Venkata S Mandala
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Aurelio J Dregni
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Mei Hong
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 170 Albany Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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30
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Breitinger U, Farag NS, Sticht H, Breitinger HG. Viroporins: Structure, function, and their role in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2. Int J Biochem Cell Biol 2022; 145:106185. [PMID: 35219876 PMCID: PMC8868010 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocel.2022.106185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Viroporins are indispensable for viral replication. As intracellular ion channels they disturb pH gradients of organelles and allow Ca2+ flux across ER membranes. Viroporins interact with numerous intracellular proteins and pathways and can trigger inflammatory responses. Thus, they are relevant targets in the search for antiviral drugs. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) underlies the world-wide pandemic of COVID-19, where an effective therapy is still lacking despite impressive progress in the development of vaccines and vaccination campaigns. Among the 29 proteins of SARS-CoV-2, the E- and ORF3a proteins have been identified as viroporins that contribute to the massive release of inflammatory cytokines observed in COVID-19. Here, we describe structure and function of viroporins and their role in inflammasome activation and cellular processes during the virus replication cycle. Techniques to study viroporin function are presented, with a focus on cellular and electrophysiological assays. Contributions of SARS-CoV-2 viroporins to the viral life cycle are discussed with respect to their structure, channel function, binding partners, and their role in viral infection and virus replication. Viroporin sequences of new variants of concern (α–ο) of SARS-CoV-2 are briefly reviewed as they harbour changes in E and 3a proteins that may affect their function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrike Breitinger
- Department of Biochemistry, German University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Noha S Farag
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, German University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt
| | - Heinrich Sticht
- Division of Bioinformatics, Institute for Biochemistry, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany
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31
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Zhu Y, Alvarez F, Wolff N, Mechaly A, Brûlé S, Neitthoffer B, Etienne-Manneville S, Haouz A, Boëda B, Caillet-Saguy C. Interactions of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Protein E With Cell Junctions and Polarity PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1-Containing Proteins. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:829094. [PMID: 35283834 PMCID: PMC8909127 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.829094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The C-terminus of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) protein E contains a PBM (PDZ-binding motif) targeting PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1) domains, which is identical to the PBM of SARS-CoV. The latter is involved in the pathogenicity of the virus. Recently, we identified 10 human PDZ-containing proteins showing significant interactions with SARS-CoV-2 protein E PBM. We selected several of them involved in cellular junctions and cell polarity (TJP1, PARD3, MLLT4, and LNX2) and MPP5/PALS1 previously shown to interact with SARS-CoV E PBM. Targeting cellular junctions and polarity components is a common strategy by viruses to hijack cell machinery to their advantage. In this study, we showed that these host PDZ domains TJP1, PARD3, MLLT4, LNX2, and MPP5/PALS1 interact in a PBM-dependent manner in vitro and colocalize with the full-length E protein in cellulo, sequestrating the PDZ domains to the Golgi compartment. We solved three crystal structures of complexes between human LNX2, MLLT4, and MPP5 PDZs and SARS-CoV-2 E PBM highlighting its binding preferences for several cellular targets. Finally, we showed different affinities for the PDZ domains with the original SARS-CoV-2 C-terminal sequence containing the PBM and the one of the beta variant that contains a mutation close to the PBM. The acquired mutations in the E protein localized near the PBM might have important effects both on the structure and the ion-channel activity of the E protein and on the host machinery targeted by the variants during the infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanlei Zhu
- Channel Receptors Unit, CNRS, UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Flavio Alvarez
- Channel Receptors Unit, CNRS, UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Wolff
- Channel Receptors Unit, CNRS, UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Ariel Mechaly
- Crystallography Platform-C2RT, CNRS, UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Brûlé
- Molecular Biophysics Platform-C2RT, CNRS, UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Benoit Neitthoffer
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3691 CNRS, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Sandrine Etienne-Manneville
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3691 CNRS, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Ahmed Haouz
- Crystallography Platform-C2RT, CNRS, UMR 3528, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Batiste Boëda
- Cell Polarity, Migration and Cancer Unit, Institut Pasteur, UMR 3691 CNRS, Université de Paris, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Contre le Cancer, Paris, France
| | - Célia Caillet-Saguy
- Channel Receptors Unit, CNRS, UMR 3571, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Paris, France
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Amantadine has potential for the treatment of COVID-19 because it inhibits known and novel ion channels encoded by SARS-CoV-2. Commun Biol 2021; 4:1347. [PMID: 34853399 PMCID: PMC8636635 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02866-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The dire need for COVID-19 treatments has inspired strategies of repurposing approved drugs. Amantadine has been suggested as a candidate, and cellular as well as clinical studies have indicated beneficial effects of this drug. We demonstrate that amantadine and hexamethylene-amiloride (HMA), but not rimantadine, block the ion channel activity of Protein E from SARS-CoV-2, a conserved viroporin among coronaviruses. These findings agree with their binding to Protein E as evaluated by solution NMR and molecular dynamics simulations. Moreover, we identify two novel viroporins of SARS-CoV-2; ORF7b and ORF10, by showing ion channel activity in a X. laevis oocyte expression system. Notably, amantadine also blocks the ion channel activity of ORF10, thereby providing two ion channel targets in SARS-CoV-2 for amantadine treatment in COVID-19 patients. A screen of known viroporin inhibitors on Protein E, ORF7b, ORF10 and Protein 3a from SARS-CoV-2 revealed inhibition of Protein E and ORF7b by emodin and xanthene, the latter also blocking Protein 3a. This illustrates a general potential of well-known ion channel blockers against SARS-CoV-2 and specifically a dual molecular basis for the promising effects of amantadine in COVID-19 treatment. Toft-Bertelsen et al. describe repurposing of anti-influenza drug amantadine and its derivatives for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. They show that Amantadine, Emodin and Xanthene show significant blockage of ionchannels formed by SARS-CoV-2 which are crucial for its assembly and pathophysiology.
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Causton HC. SARS-CoV2 Infection and the Importance of Potassium Balance. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:744697. [PMID: 34778307 PMCID: PMC8578622 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.744697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV2 infection results in a range of symptoms from mild pneumonia to cardiac arrhythmias, hyperactivation of the immune response, systemic organ failure and death. However, the mechanism of action has been hard to establish. Analysis of symptoms associated with COVID-19, the activity of repurposed drugs associated with lower death rates or antiviral activity in vitro and a small number of studies describing interventions, point to the importance of electrolyte, and particularly potassium, homeostasis at both the cellular, and systemic level. Elevated urinary loss of potassium is associated with disease severity, and the response to electrolyte replenishment correlates with progression toward recovery. These findings suggest possible diagnostic opportunities and therapeutic interventions. They provide insights into comorbidities and mechanisms associated with infection by SARS-CoV2 and other RNA viruses that target the ACE2 receptor, and/or activate cytokine-mediated immune responses in a potassium-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen C Causton
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
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Du L, Yang Y, Zhang X. Neutralizing antibodies for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. Cell Mol Immunol 2021; 18:2293-2306. [PMID: 34497376 PMCID: PMC8424621 DOI: 10.1038/s41423-021-00752-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) initiates the infection process by binding to the viral cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 through the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the S1 subunit of the viral spike (S) protein. This event is followed by virus-cell membrane fusion mediated by the S2 subunit, which allows virus entry into the host cell. Therefore, the SARS-CoV-2 S protein is a key therapeutic target, and prevention and treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have focused on the development of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) that target this protein. In this review, we summarize the nAbs targeting SARS-CoV-2 proteins that have been developed to date, with a focus on the N-terminal domain and RBD of the S protein. We also describe the roles that binding affinity, neutralizing activity, and protection provided by these nAbs play in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 and discuss the potential to improve nAb efficiency against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants. This review provides important information for the development of effective nAbs with broad-spectrum activity against current and future SARS-CoV-2 strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lanying Du
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Yang Yang
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Molecular Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| | - Xiujuan Zhang
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, USA
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Grant SN, Lester HA. Regulation of epithelial sodium channel activity by SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Biophys J 2021; 120:2805-2813. [PMID: 34197807 PMCID: PMC8238646 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which causes the coronavirus disease 2019, encodes several proteins whose roles are poorly understood. We tested their ability either to directly form plasma membrane ion channels or to change functions of two mammalian plasma membrane ion channels, the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and the α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. In mRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes, none of nine SARS-CoV-2 proteins or two SARS-CoV-1 proteins produced conductances, nor did co-injection of several combinations. Immunoblots for ORF8, spike (S), and envelope (E) proteins revealed that the proteins are expressed at appropriate molecular weights. In experiments on coexpression with ENaC, three tested SARS proteins (SARS-CoV-1 E, SARS-CoV-2 E, and SARS-CoV-2 S) markedly decrease ENaC currents. SARS-CoV-1 S protein decreases ENaC currents modestly. Coexpressing the E proteins but not the S proteins with α3β4 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors significantly reduces acetylcholine-induced currents. ENaC inhibition does not occur if the SARS-CoV protein mRNAs are injected 24 h after the ENaC mRNAs, suggesting that SARS-CoV proteins affect early step(s) in functional expression of channel proteins. Consistent with the hypothesis that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein-induced ENaC inhibition involves competition for available protease, mutating the furin cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 S protein partially relieves inhibition of ENaC currents. Extending previous suggestions that SARS proteins affect ENaC currents via protein kinase C (PKC) activation, PKC activation via phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate decreases ENaC and α3β4 activity. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate application reduced membrane capacitance ∼5%, presumably via increased endocytosis, but this decrease is much smaller than the SARS proteins' effects on conductances. Also, incubating oocytes in Gö-6976, a PKCα and PKCβ inhibitor, did not alter E or S protein-induced channel inhibition. We conclude that SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 proteins alter the function of human plasma membrane channels, via incompletely understood mechanisms. These interactions may play a role in the coronavirus 2019 pathophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen N Grant
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Pasadena, California
| | - Henry A Lester
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.
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Hutchison JM, Capone R, Luu DD, Shah KH, Hadziselimovic A, Van Horn WD, Sanders CR. Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein traffics to the trans-Golgi network following amphipol-mediated delivery into human cells. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:100940. [PMID: 34237302 PMCID: PMC8256659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 envelope protein (S2-E) is a conserved membrane protein that is important for coronavirus (CoV) assembly and budding. Here, we describe the recombinant expression and purification of S2-E in amphipol-class amphipathic polymer solutions, which solubilize and stabilize membrane proteins, but do not disrupt membranes. We found that amphipol delivery of S2-E to preformed planar bilayers results in spontaneous membrane integration and formation of viroporin cation channels. Amphipol delivery of the S2-E protein to human cells results in plasma membrane integration, followed by retrograde trafficking to the trans-Golgi network and accumulation in swollen perinuclear lysosomal-associated membrane protein 1-positive vesicles, likely lysosomes. CoV envelope proteins have previously been proposed to manipulate the luminal pH of the trans-Golgi network, which serves as an accumulation station for progeny CoV particles prior to cellular egress via lysosomes. Delivery of S2-E to cells will enable chemical biological approaches for future studies of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 pathogenesis and possibly even development of "Trojan horse" antiviral therapies. Finally, this work also establishes a paradigm for amphipol-mediated delivery of membrane proteins to cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- James M Hutchison
- Chemical and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ricardo Capone
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dustin D Luu
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA; The Biodesign Institute Centers for Personalized Diagnostics and Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Karan H Shah
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA; The Biodesign Institute Centers for Personalized Diagnostics and Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Arina Hadziselimovic
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Wade D Van Horn
- School of Molecular Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA; The Biodesign Institute Centers for Personalized Diagnostics and Mechanisms of Evolution, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA.
| | - Charles R Sanders
- Center for Structural Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
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Trobec T. The role of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein as a pH-dependent cation channel. J Physiol 2021; 599:3435-3436. [PMID: 34089533 PMCID: PMC8242529 DOI: 10.1113/jp281785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tomaž Trobec
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, Ljubljana, 1000, Slovenia
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38
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Putlyaeva LV, Lukyanov KA. Studying SARS-CoV-2 with Fluorescence Microscopy. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6558. [PMID: 34207305 PMCID: PMC8234815 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus deeply affected the world community. It gave a strong impetus to the development of not only approaches to diagnostics and therapy, but also fundamental research of the molecular biology of this virus. Fluorescence microscopy is a powerful technology enabling detailed investigation of virus-cell interactions in fixed and live samples with high specificity. While spatial resolution of conventional fluorescence microscopy is not sufficient to resolve all virus-related structures, super-resolution fluorescence microscopy can solve this problem. In this paper, we review the use of fluorescence microscopy to study SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. The prospects for the application of the recently developed advanced methods of fluorescence labeling and microscopy-which in our opinion can provide important information about the molecular biology of SARS-CoV-2-are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Konstantin A. Lukyanov
- Center of Life Sciences, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, 121205 Moscow, Russia;
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Affiliation(s)
- Peying Fong
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Manhattan, KS, USA
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