1
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Nguyen A, Zhao H, Myagmarsuren D, Srinivasan S, Wu D, Chen J, Piszczek G, Schuck P. Modulation of biophysical properties of nucleocapsid protein in the mutant spectrum of SARS-CoV-2. eLife 2024; 13:RP94836. [PMID: 38941236 PMCID: PMC11213569 DOI: 10.7554/elife.94836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity is a hallmark of RNA viruses and the basis for their evolutionary success. Taking advantage of the uniquely large genomic database of SARS-CoV-2, we examine the impact of mutations across the spectrum of viable amino acid sequences on the biophysical phenotypes of the highly expressed and multifunctional nucleocapsid protein. We find variation in the physicochemical parameters of its extended intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) sufficient to allow local plasticity, but also observe functional constraints that similarly occur in related coronaviruses. In biophysical experiments with several N-protein species carrying mutations associated with major variants, we find that point mutations in the IDRs can have nonlocal impact and modulate thermodynamic stability, secondary structure, protein oligomeric state, particle formation, and liquid-liquid phase separation. In the Omicron variant, distant mutations in different IDRs have compensatory effects in shifting a delicate balance of interactions controlling protein assembly properties, and include the creation of a new protein-protein interaction interface in the N-terminal IDR through the defining P13L mutation. A picture emerges where genetic diversity is accompanied by significant variation in biophysical characteristics of functional N-protein species, in particular in the IDRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Nguyen
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Dulguun Myagmarsuren
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Sanjana Srinivasan
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Jiji Chen
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
| | - Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, United States
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2
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Zhao H, Syed AM, Khalid MM, Nguyen A, Ciling A, Wu D, Yau WM, Srinivasan S, Esposito D, Doudna J, Piszczek G, Ott M, Schuck P. Assembly of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein with nucleic acid. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:6647-6661. [PMID: 38587193 PMCID: PMC11194069 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The viral genome of SARS-CoV-2 is packaged by the nucleocapsid (N-)protein into ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs), 38 ± 10 of which are contained in each virion. Their architecture has remained unclear due to the pleomorphism of RNPs, the high flexibility of N-protein intrinsically disordered regions, and highly multivalent interactions between viral RNA and N-protein binding sites in both N-terminal (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD). Here we explore critical interaction motifs of RNPs by applying a combination of biophysical techniques to ancestral and mutant proteins binding different nucleic acids in an in vitro assay for RNP formation, and by examining nucleocapsid protein variants in a viral assembly assay. We find that nucleic acid-bound N-protein dimers oligomerize via a recently described protein-protein interface presented by a transient helix in its long disordered linker region between NTD and CTD. The resulting hexameric complexes are stabilized by multivalent protein-nucleic acid interactions that establish crosslinks between dimeric subunits. Assemblies are stabilized by the dimeric CTD of N-protein offering more than one binding site for stem-loop RNA. Our study suggests a model for RNP assembly where N-protein scaffolding at high density on viral RNA is followed by cooperative multimerization through protein-protein interactions in the disordered linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Abdullah M Syed
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Mir M Khalid
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Ai Nguyen
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Alison Ciling
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Wai-Ming Yau
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sanjana Srinivasan
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dominic Esposito
- Protein Expression Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- HHMI, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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3
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Valli MB, Schiavone ML, Rueca M, Berno G, Spezia PG, Gruber CEM, Forbici F, Fabeni L, Focosi D, Girardi E, Meledandri M, Maggi F. Partial N-gene target failure in the Seegene Allplex SARS-CoV-2 Master Assay as a proxy of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0017924. [PMID: 38647335 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00179-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Beatrice Valli
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Martina Rueca
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Giulia Berno
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Pietro Giorgio Spezia
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Federica Forbici
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Lavinia Fabeni
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Daniele Focosi
- North-Western Tuscany Blood Bank, Pisa University Hospital, Pisa, Italy
| | - Enrico Girardi
- Scientific Direction, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
| | - Marcello Meledandri
- UOC Microbiology and Virology, San Filippo Neri Hospital, ASL Roma 1, Rome, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Maggi
- Laboratory of Virology, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, Rome, Italy
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4
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Stuwe H, Reardon PN, Yu Z, Shah S, Hughes K, Barbar EJ. Phosphorylation in the Ser/Arg-rich region of the nucleocapsid of SARS-CoV-2 regulates phase separation by inhibiting self-association of a distant helix. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107354. [PMID: 38718862 PMCID: PMC11180338 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107354] [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: 04/01/2024] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid protein (N) of SARS-CoV-2 is essential for virus replication, genome packaging, evading host immunity, and virus maturation. N is a multidomain protein composed of an independently folded monomeric N-terminal domain that is the primary site for RNA binding and a dimeric C-terminal domain that is essential for efficient phase separation and condensate formation with RNA. The domains are separated by a disordered Ser/Arg-rich region preceding a self-associating Leu-rich helix. Phosphorylation in the Ser/Arg region in infected cells decreases the viscosity of N:RNA condensates promoting viral replication and host immune evasion. The molecular level effect of phosphorylation, however, is missing from our current understanding. Using NMR spectroscopy and analytical ultracentrifugation, we show that phosphorylation destabilizes the self-associating Leu-rich helix 30 amino-acids distant from the phosphorylation site. NMR and gel shift assays demonstrate that RNA binding by the linker is dampened by phosphorylation, whereas RNA binding to the full-length protein is not significantly affected presumably due to retained strong interactions with the primary RNA-binding domain. Introducing a switchable self-associating domain to replace the Leu-rich helix confirms the importance of linker self-association to droplet formation and suggests that phosphorylation not only increases solubility of the positively charged elongated Ser/Arg region as observed in other RNA-binding proteins but can also inhibit self-association of the Leu-rich helix. These data highlight the effect of phosphorylation both at local sites and at a distant self-associating hydrophobic helix in regulating liquid-liquid phase separation of the entire protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Stuwe
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | | | - Zhen Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Sahana Shah
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA
| | - Elisar J Barbar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA.
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5
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Wei X, Zhou Y, Shen X, Fan L, Liu D, Gao X, Zhou J, Wu Y, Li Y, Feng W, Zhang Z. Ciclopirox inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication by promoting the degradation of the nucleocapsid protein. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:2505-2519. [PMID: 38828154 PMCID: PMC11143514 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid protein (NP) plays a crucial role in SARS-CoV-2 replication and is the most abundant structural protein with a long half-life. Despite its vital role in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) assembly and host inflammatory response, it remains an unexplored target for drug development. In this study, we identified a small-molecule compound (ciclopirox) that promotes NP degradation using an FDA-approved library and a drug-screening cell model. Ciclopirox significantly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication both in vitro and in vivo by inducing NP degradation. Ciclopirox induced abnormal NP aggregation through indirect interaction, leading to the formation of condensates with higher viscosity and lower mobility. These condensates were subsequently degraded via the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, ultimately resulting in a shortened NP half-life and reduced NP expression. Our results suggest that NP is a potential drug target, and that ciclopirox holds substantial promise for further development to combat SARS-CoV-2 replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiafei Wei
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Xiaotong Shen
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Lujie Fan
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511495, China
| | - Donglan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510120, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Yezi Wu
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Yunfei Li
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Wei Feng
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People's Hospital, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518112, China
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6
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Laughlin PM, Young K, Gonzalez-Gutierrez G, Wang JC, Zlotnick A. A narrow ratio of nucleic acid to SARS-CoV-2 N-protein enables phase separation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.04.10.588883. [PMID: 38645044 PMCID: PMC11030382 DOI: 10.1101/2024.04.10.588883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/23/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein (N) is a viral structural protein that packages the 30kb genomic RNA inside virions and forms condensates within infected cells through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS). N, in both soluble and condensed forms, has accessory roles in the viral life cycle including genome replication and immunosuppression. The ability to perform these tasks depends on phase separation and its reversibility. The conditions that stabilize and destabilize N condensates and the role of N-N interactions are poorly understood. We have investigated LLPS formation and dissolution in a minimalist system comprised of N protein and an ssDNA oligomer just long enough to support assembly. The short oligo allows us to focus on the role of N-N interaction. We have developed a sensitive FRET assay to interrogate LLPS assembly reactions from the perspective of the oligonucleotide. We find that N alone can form oligomers but that oligonucleotide enables their assembly into a three-dimensional phase. At a ~1:1 ratio of N to oligonucleotide LLPS formation is maximal. We find that a modest excess of N or of nucleic acid causes the LLPS to break down catastrophically. Under the conditions examined here assembly has a critical concentration of about 1 μM. The responsiveness of N condensates to their environment may have biological consequences. A better understanding of how nucleic acid modulates N-N association will shed light on condensate activity and could inform antiviral strategies targeting LLPS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kimberly Young
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University
| | | | - Joseph C.Y. Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine
| | - Adam Zlotnick
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University
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7
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Nguyen A, Zhao H, Myagmarsuren D, Srinivasan S, Wu D, Chen J, Piszczek G, Schuck P. Modulation of Biophysical Properties of Nucleocapsid Protein in the Mutant Spectrum of SARS-CoV-2. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.21.568093. [PMID: 38045241 PMCID: PMC10690151 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.21.568093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Genetic diversity is a hallmark of RNA viruses and the basis for their evolutionary success. Taking advantage of the uniquely large genomic database of SARS-CoV-2, we examine the impact of mutations across the spectrum of viable amino acid sequences on the biophysical phenotypes of the highly expressed and multifunctional nucleocapsid protein. We find variation in the physicochemical parameters of its extended intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) sufficient to allow local plasticity, but also exhibiting functional constraints that similarly occur in related coronaviruses. In biophysical experiments with several N-protein species carrying mutations associated with major variants, we find that point mutations in the IDRs can have nonlocal impact and modulate thermodynamic stability, secondary structure, protein oligomeric state, particle formation, and liquid-liquid phase separation. In the Omicron variant, distant mutations in different IDRs have compensatory effects in shifting a delicate balance of interactions controlling protein assembly properties, and include the creation of a new protein-protein interaction interface in the N-terminal IDR through the defining P13L mutation. A picture emerges where genetic diversity is accompanied by significant variation in biophysical characteristics of functional N-protein species, in particular in the IDRs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ai Nguyen
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dulguun Myagmarsuren
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Sanjana Srinivasan
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jiji Chen
- Advanced Imaging and Microscopy Resource, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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8
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Kubinski HC, Despres HW, Johnson BA, Schmidt MM, Jaffrani SA, Mills MG, Lokugamage K, Dumas CM, Shirley DJ, Estes LK, Pekosz A, Crothers JW, Roychoudhury P, Greninger AL, Jerome KR, Di Genova BM, Walker DH, Ballif BA, Ladinsky MS, Bjorkman PJ, Menachery VD, Bruce EA. Variant mutation in SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid enhances viral infection via altered genomic encapsidation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584120. [PMID: 38559000 PMCID: PMC10979914 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their respective phenotypes represents an important set of tools to understand basic coronavirus biology as well as the public health implications of individual mutations in variants of concern. While mutations outside of Spike are not well studied, the entire viral genome is undergoing evolutionary selection, particularly the central disordered linker region of the nucleocapsid (N) protein. Here, we identify a mutation (G215C), characteristic of the Delta variant, that introduces a novel cysteine into this linker domain, which results in the formation of a disulfide bond and a stable N-N dimer. Using reverse genetics, we determined that this cysteine residue is necessary and sufficient for stable dimer formation in a WA1 SARS-CoV-2 background, where it results in significantly increased viral growth both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that the N:G215C virus packages more nucleocapsid per virion and that individual virions are larger, with elongated morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C. Kubinski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Hannah W. Despres
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Bryan A. Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Madaline M. Schmidt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Sara A. Jaffrani
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Margaret G. Mills
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
| | - Kumari Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Caroline M. Dumas
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont 109 Carrigan Drive, 120A Marsh Life Sciences, Burlington VT 05404, USA
| | - David J. Shirley
- Faraday, Inc. Data Science Department. Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Leah K. Estes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew Pekosz
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica W. Crothers
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Pavitra Roychoudhury
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexander L. Greninger
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - Keith R. Jerome
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - Bruno Martorelli Di Genova
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - David H. Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Bryan A. Ballif
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont 109 Carrigan Drive, 120A Marsh Life Sciences, Burlington VT 05404, USA
| | - Mark S. Ladinsky
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. 91125, USA
| | - Pamela J. Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. 91125, USA
| | - Vineet D. Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Emily A. Bruce
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
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9
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Arai M, Suetaka S, Ooka K. Dynamics and interactions of intrinsically disordered proteins. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 84:102734. [PMID: 38039868 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2023.102734] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) are widespread in eukaryotes and participate in a variety of important cellular processes. Numerous studies using state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical methods have advanced our understanding of IDPs and revealed that disordered regions engage in a large repertoire of intra- and intermolecular interactions through their conformational dynamics, thereby regulating many intracellular functions in concert with folded domains. The mechanisms by which IDPs interact with their partners are diverse, depending on their conformational propensities, and include induced fit, conformational selection, and their mixtures. In addition, IDPs are implicated in many diseases, and progress has been made in designing inhibitors of IDP-mediated interactions. Here we review these recent advances with a focus on the dynamics and interactions of IDPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munehito Arai
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Department of Physics, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
| | - Shunji Suetaka
- Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
| | - Koji Ooka
- Komaba Organization for Educational Excellence, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 3-8-1 Komaba, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan
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10
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Xu Z, Peng Q, Song J, Zhang H, Wei D, Demongeot J, Zeng Q. Bioinformatic analysis of defective viral genomes in SARS-CoV-2 and its impact on population infection characteristics. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1341906. [PMID: 38348041 PMCID: PMC10859446 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1341906] [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: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
DVGs (Defective Viral Genomes) are prevalent in RNA virus infections. In this investigation, we conducted an analysis of high-throughput sequencing data and observed widespread presence of DVGs in SARS-CoV-2. Comparative analysis between SARS-CoV-2 and diverse DNA viruses revealed heightened susceptibility to damage and increased sequencing sample heterogeneity within the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Whole-genome sequencing depth variability analysis exhibited a higher coefficient of variation for SARS-CoV-2, while DVG analysis indicated a significant proportion of recombination sites, signifying notable genome heterogeneity and suggesting that a large proportion of assembled virus particles contain incomplete RNA sequences. Moreover, our investigation explored the sequencing depth and DVG content differences among various strains. Our findings revealed that as the virus evolves, there is a notable increase in the proportion of intact genomes within virus particles, as evidenced by third-generation sequencing data. Specifically, the proportion of intact genome in the Omicron strain surpassed that of the Delta and Alpha strains. This observation effectively elucidates the heightened infectiousness of the Omicron strain compared to the Delta and Alpha strains. We also postulate that this improvement in completeness stems from enhanced virus assembly capacity, as the Omicron strain can promptly facilitate the binding of RNA and capsid protein, thereby reducing the exposure time of vulnerable virus RNA in the host environment and significantly mitigating its degradation. Finally, employing mathematical modeling, we simulated the impact of DVG effects under varying environmental factors on infection characteristics and population evolution. Our findings provide an explanation for the close association between symptom severity and the extent of virus invasion, as well as the substantial disparity in population infection characteristics caused by the same strain under distinct environmental conditions. This study presents a novel approach for future virus research and vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaobin Xu
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Qingzhi Peng
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Jian Song
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Hongmei Zhang
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
| | - Dongqing Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism, Shanghai-Islamabad-Belgrade Joint Innovation Center on Antibacterial Resistances, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic & Developmental Sciences and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Zhongjing Research and Industrialization Institute of Chinese Medicine, Zhongguancun Scientific Park, Meixi, Nanyang, Henan, China
- Peng Cheng National Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jacques Demongeot
- Laboratory AGEIS EA 7407, Team Tools for e-Gnosis Medical, Faculty of Medicine, University Grenoble Alpes (UGA), F-38700 La Tronche, France
| | - Qiangcheng Zeng
- Department of Life Science, Dezhou University, Dezhou, China
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11
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Adly AN, Bi M, Carlson CR, Syed AM, Ciling A, Doudna JA, Cheng Y, Morgan DO. Assembly of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleosomes by truncated N ∗ variant of the nucleocapsid protein. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105362. [PMID: 37863261 PMCID: PMC10665939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105362] [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: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compacts the RNA genome into viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes within virions. Assembly of vRNPs is inhibited by phosphorylation of the N protein serine/arginine (SR) region. Several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern carry N protein mutations that reduce phosphorylation and enhance the efficiency of viral packaging. Variants of the dominant B.1.1 viral lineage also encode a truncated N protein, termed N∗ or Δ(1-209), that mediates genome packaging despite lacking the N-terminal RNA-binding domain and SR region. Here, we use mass photometry and negative stain electron microscopy to show that purified Δ(1-209) and viral RNA assemble into vRNPs that are remarkably similar in size and shape to those formed with full-length N protein. We show that assembly of Δ(1-209) vRNPs requires the leucine-rich helix of the central disordered region and that this helix promotes N protein oligomerization. We also find that fusion of a phosphomimetic SR region to Δ(1-209) inhibits RNA binding and vRNP assembly. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which RNA binding promotes N protein self-association and vRNP assembly, and how this process is modulated by phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin N Adly
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maxine Bi
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Abdullah M Syed
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alison Ciling
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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12
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Schuck P, Zhao H. Diversity of short linear interaction motifs in SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. mBio 2023; 14:e0238823. [PMID: 38018991 PMCID: PMC10746173 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02388-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Short linear motifs (SLiMs) are 3-10 amino acid long binding motifs in intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDRs) that serve as ubiquitous protein-protein interaction modules in eukaryotic cells. Through molecular mimicry, viruses hijack these sequence motifs to control host cellular processes. It is thought that the small size of SLiMs and the high mutation frequencies of viral IDRs allow rapid host adaptation. However, a salient characteristic of RNA viruses, due to high replication errors, is their obligate existence as mutant swarms. Taking advantage of the uniquely large genomic database of SARS-CoV-2, here, we analyze the role of sequence diversity in the presentation of SLiMs, focusing on the highly abundant, multi-functional nucleocapsid protein. We find that motif mimicry is a highly dynamic process that produces an abundance of motifs transiently present in subsets of mutant species. This diversity allows the virus to efficiently explore eukaryotic motifs and evolve the host-virus interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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13
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Zhao H, Syed AM, Khalid MM, Nguyen A, Ciling A, Wu D, Yau WM, Srinivasan S, Esposito D, Doudna JA, Piszczek G, Ott M, Schuck P. Assembly reactions of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein with nucleic acid. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.11.22.568361. [PMID: 38045338 PMCID: PMC10690241 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.22.568361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The viral genome of SARS-CoV-2 is packaged by the nucleocapsid (N-) protein into ribonucleoprotein particles (RNPs), 38±10 of which are contained in each virion. Their architecture has remained unclear due to the pleomorphism of RNPs, the high flexibility of N-protein intrinsically disordered regions, and highly multivalent interactions between viral RNA and N-protein binding sites in both N-terminal (NTD) and C-terminal domain (CTD). Here we explore critical interaction motifs of RNPs by applying a combination of biophysical techniques to mutant proteins binding different nucleic acids in an in vitro assay for RNP formation, and by examining mutant proteins in a viral assembly assay. We find that nucleic acid-bound N-protein dimers oligomerize via a recently described protein-protein interface presented by a transient helix in its long disordered linker region between NTD and CTD. The resulting hexameric complexes are stabilized by multi-valent protein-nucleic acid interactions that establish crosslinks between dimeric subunits. Assemblies are stabilized by the dimeric CTD of N-protein offering more than one binding site for stem-loop RNA. Our study suggests a model for RNP assembly where N-protein scaffolding at high density on viral RNA is followed by cooperative multimerization through protein-protein interactions in the disordered linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Abdullah M. Syed
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | | | - Ai Nguyen
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Alison Ciling
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Di Wu
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Wai-Ming Yau
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Sanjana Srinivasan
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Dominic Esposito
- Protein Expression Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21702
| | - Jennifer A. Doudna
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- HHMI, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
- Molecular Biophysics and Integrated Bioimaging Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720
| | - Grzegorz Piszczek
- Biophysics Core Facility, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
| | - Melanie Ott
- Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, CA 94158
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94158
| | - Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
- Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
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14
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Mihalič F, Benz C, Kassa E, Lindqvist R, Simonetti L, Inturi R, Aronsson H, Andersson E, Chi CN, Davey NE, Överby AK, Jemth P, Ivarsson Y. Identification of motif-based interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein domains and human peptide ligands pinpoint antiviral targets. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5636. [PMID: 37704626 PMCID: PMC10499821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41312-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The virus life cycle depends on host-virus protein-protein interactions, which often involve a disordered protein region binding to a folded protein domain. Here, we used proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD) to identify peptides from the intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome that bind to folded protein domains encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Eleven folded domains of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were found to bind 281 peptides from human proteins, and affinities of 31 interactions involving eight SARS-CoV-2 protein domains were determined (KD ∼ 7-300 μM). Key specificity residues of the peptides were established for six of the interactions. Two of the peptides, binding Nsp9 and Nsp16, respectively, inhibited viral replication. Our findings demonstrate how high-throughput peptide binding screens simultaneously identify potential host-virus interactions and peptides with antiviral properties. Furthermore, the high number of low-affinity interactions suggest that overexpression of viral proteins during infection may perturb multiple cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Mihalič
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Benz
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eszter Kassa
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Leandro Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Raviteja Inturi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Aronsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Celestine N Chi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Norman E Davey
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Jemth
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
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15
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Schuck P, Zhao H. Diversity of Short Linear Interaction Motifs in SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.08.01.551467. [PMID: 37790474 PMCID: PMC10542142 DOI: 10.1101/2023.08.01.551467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/05/2023]
Abstract
Molecular mimicry of short linear interaction motifs has emerged as a key mechanism for viral proteins binding host domains and hijacking host cell processes. Here, we examine the role of RNA-virus sequence diversity in the dynamics of the virus-host interface, by analyzing the uniquely vast sequence record of viable SARS-CoV-2 species with focus on the multi-functional nucleocapsid protein. We observe the abundant presentation of motifs encoding several essential host protein interactions, alongside a majority of possibly non-functional and randomly occurring motif sequences absent in subsets of viable virus species. A large number of motifs emerge ex nihilo through transient mutations relative to the ancestral consensus sequence. The observed mutational landscape implies an accessible motif space that spans at least 25% of known eukaryotic motifs. This reveals motif mimicry as a highly dynamic process with the capacity to broadly explore host motifs, allowing the virus to rapidly evolve the virus-host interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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16
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Saldivar-Espinoza B, Garcia-Segura P, Novau-Ferré N, Macip G, Martínez R, Puigbò P, Cereto-Massagué A, Pujadas G, Garcia-Vallve S. The Mutational Landscape of SARS-CoV-2. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24109072. [PMID: 37240420 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutation research is crucial for detecting and treating SARS-CoV-2 and developing vaccines. Using over 5,300,000 sequences from SARS-CoV-2 genomes and custom Python programs, we analyzed the mutational landscape of SARS-CoV-2. Although almost every nucleotide in the SARS-CoV-2 genome has mutated at some time, the substantial differences in the frequency and regularity of mutations warrant further examination. C>U mutations are the most common. They are found in the largest number of variants, pangolin lineages, and countries, which indicates that they are a driving force behind the evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Not all SARS-CoV-2 genes have mutated in the same way. Fewer non-synonymous single nucleotide variations are found in genes that encode proteins with a critical role in virus replication than in genes with ancillary roles. Some genes, such as spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N), show more non-synonymous mutations than others. Although the prevalence of mutations in the target regions of COVID-19 diagnostic RT-qPCR tests is generally low, in some cases, such as for some primers that bind to the N gene, it is significant. Therefore, ongoing monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 mutations is crucial. The SARS-CoV-2 Mutation Portal provides access to a database of SARS-CoV-2 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan Saldivar-Espinoza
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Pol Garcia-Segura
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Nil Novau-Ferré
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Guillem Macip
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | | | - Pere Puigbò
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20500 Turku, Finland
- Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Rovira i Virgili University, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
- Eurecat, Technology Centre of Catalonia, Unit of Nutrition and Health, 43204 Reus, Spain
| | - Adrià Cereto-Massagué
- EURECAT Centre Tecnològic de Catalunya, Centre for Omic Sciences (COS), Joint Unit Universitat Rovira i Virgili-EURECAT, Unique Scientific and Technical Infrastructures (ICTS), 43204 Reus, Spain
| | - Gerard Pujadas
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
| | - Santiago Garcia-Vallve
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biotecnologia, Research Group in Cheminformatics & Nutrition, Campus de Sescelades, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43007 Tarragona, Spain
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17
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Schuck P, To SC, Zhao H. An automated interface for sedimentation velocity analysis in SEDFIT. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.05.14.540690. [PMID: 37425873 PMCID: PMC10327192 DOI: 10.1101/2023.05.14.540690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Sedimentation velocity analytical ultracentrifugation (SV-AUC) is an indispensable tool for the study of particle size distributions in biopharmaceutical industry, for example, to characterize protein therapeutics and vaccine products. In particular, the diffusion-deconvoluted sedimentation coefficient distribution analysis, in the software SEDFIT, has found widespread applications due to its relatively high resolution and sensitivity. However, a lack of available software compatible with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) has hampered the use of SV-AUC in this regulatory environment. To address this, we have created an interface for SEDFIT so that it can serve as an automatically spawned module with controlled data input through command line parameters and output of key results in files. The interface can be integrated in custom GMP compatible software, and in scripts that provide documentation and meta-analyses for replicate or related samples, for example, to streamline analysis of large families of experimental data, such as binding isotherm analyses in the study of protein interactions. To test and demonstrate this approach we provide a MATLAB script mlSEDFIT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Schuck
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Samuel C. To
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Huaying Zhao
- Laboratory of Dynamics of Macromolecular Assembly, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
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