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Liu X, Sun Y, Song H, Zhang W, Liu T, Chu Z, Gu X, Ma Z, Jin W. Nanomaterials-based electrochemical biosensors for diagnosis of COVID-19. Talanta 2024; 274:125994. [PMID: 38547841 DOI: 10.1016/j.talanta.2024.125994] [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: 01/01/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Since the outbreak of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19), this pandemic has caused severe death and infection worldwide. Owing to its strong infectivity, long incubation period, and nonspecific symptoms, the early diagnosis is essential to reduce risk of the severe illness. The electrochemical biosensor, as a fast and sensitive technique for quantitative analysis of body fluids, has been widely studied to diagnose different biomarkers caused at different infective stages of COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2). Recently, many reports have proved that nanomaterials with special architectures and size effects can effectively promote the biosensing performance on the COVID-19 diagnosis, there are few comprehensive summary reports yet. Therefore, in this review, we will pay efforts on recent progress of advanced nanomaterials-facilitated electrochemical biosensors for the COVID-19 detections. The process of SARS-CoV-2 infection in humans will be briefly described, as well as summarizing the types of sensors that should be designed for different infection processes. Emphasis will be supplied to various functional nanomaterials which dominate the biosensing performance for comparison, expecting to provide a rational guidance on the material selection of biosensor construction for people. Finally, we will conclude the perspective on the design of superior nanomaterials-based biosensors facing the unknown virus in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Yifan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Huaiyu Song
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, PR China
| | - Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China.
| | - Zhenyu Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Gu
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, PR China.
| | - Zhengliang Ma
- Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, 210008, PR China
| | - Wanqin Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented Chemical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, NO.30 Puzhu Road(S), Nanjing, 211816, PR China.
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2
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Otazu K, Olivos-Ramirez GE, Fernández-Silva PD, Vilca-Quispe J, Vega-Chozo K, Jimenez-Avalos GM, Chenet-Zuta ME, Sosa-Amay FE, Cárdenas Cárdenas RG, Ropón-Palacios G, Dattani N, Camps I. The Malaria Box molecules: a source for targeting the RBD and NTD cryptic pocket of the spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Model 2024; 30:217. [PMID: 38888748 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-024-06006-y] [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: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, has led to over 500 million infections and more than 6 million deaths globally. There have been limited effective treatments available. The study aims to find a drug that can prevent the virus from entering host cells by targeting specific sites on the virus's spike protein. METHOD We examined 13,397 compounds from the Malaria Box library against two specific sites on the spike protein: the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and a predicted cryptic pocket. Using virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MMPBSA techniques, they evaluated the stability of two compounds. TCMDC-124223 showed high stability and binding energy in the RBD, while TCMDC-133766 had better binding energy in the cryptic pocket. The study also identified that the interacting residues are conserved, which is crucial for addressing various virus variants. The findings provide insights into the potential of small molecules as drugs against the spike protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewin Otazu
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gustavo E Olivos-Ramirez
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Pablo D Fernández-Silva
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Julissa Vilca-Quispe
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Karolyn Vega-Chozo
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Frida E Sosa-Amay
- Laboratorio de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Perú
| | | | - Georcki Ropón-Palacios
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Nike Dattani
- HPQC College, Waterloo, Canada.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Ihosvany Camps
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
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3
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Andronov L, Han M, Zhu Y, Balaji A, Roy AR, Barentine AES, Patel P, Garhyan J, Qi LS, Moerner WE. Nanoscale cellular organization of viral RNA and proteins in SARS-CoV-2 replication organelles. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4644. [PMID: 38821943 PMCID: PMC11143195 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48991-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 viral infection transforms host cells and produces special organelles in many ways, and we focus on the replication organelles, the sites of replication of viral genomic RNA (vgRNA). To date, the precise cellular localization of key RNA molecules and replication intermediates has been elusive in electron microscopy studies. We use super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and specific labeling to reveal the nanoscopic organization of replication organelles that contain numerous vgRNA molecules along with the replication enzymes and clusters of viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). We show that the replication organelles are organized differently at early and late stages of infection. Surprisingly, vgRNA accumulates into distinct globular clusters in the cytoplasmic perinuclear region, which grow and accommodate more vgRNA molecules as infection time increases. The localization of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) markers and nsp3 (a component of the double-membrane vesicle, DMV) at the periphery of the vgRNA clusters suggests that replication organelles are encapsulated into DMVs, which have membranes derived from the host ER. These organelles merge into larger vesicle packets as infection advances. Precise co-imaging of the nanoscale cellular organization of vgRNA, dsRNA, and viral proteins in replication organelles of SARS-CoV-2 may inform therapeutic approaches that target viral replication and associated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Andronov
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Mengting Han
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Yanyu Zhu
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Ashwin Balaji
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
- Biophysics PhD Program; Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Anish R Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Puja Patel
- In Vitro Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Service Center, School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jaishree Garhyan
- In Vitro Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Service Center, School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Sarafan ChEM-H; Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub - San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - W E Moerner
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
- Sarafan ChEM-H; Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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4
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Palazzotti D, Sguilla M, Manfroni G, Cecchetti V, Astolfi A, Barreca ML. Small Molecule Drugs Targeting Viral Polymerases. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:661. [PMID: 38794231 PMCID: PMC11124969 DOI: 10.3390/ph17050661] [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: 04/18/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecules that specifically target viral polymerases-crucial enzymes governing viral genome transcription and replication-play a pivotal role in combating viral infections. Presently, approved polymerase inhibitors cover nine human viruses, spanning both DNA and RNA viruses. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of these licensed drugs, encompassing nucleoside/nucleotide inhibitors (NIs), non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs), and mutagenic agents. For each compound, we describe the specific targeted virus and related polymerase enzyme, the mechanism of action, and the relevant bioactivity data. This wealth of information serves as a valuable resource for researchers actively engaged in antiviral drug discovery efforts, offering a complete overview of established strategies as well as insights for shaping the development of next-generation antiviral therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Maria Letizia Barreca
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del Liceo 1, 06123 Perugia, Italy; (D.P.); (M.S.); (G.M.); (V.C.); (A.A.)
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5
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Sabadini G, Mellado M, Morales C, Mella J. Arylamines QSAR-Based Design and Molecular Dynamics of New Phenylthiophene and Benzimidazole Derivatives with Affinity for the C111, Y268, and H73 Sites of SARS-CoV-2 PLpro Enzyme. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:606. [PMID: 38794177 PMCID: PMC11124164 DOI: 10.3390/ph17050606] [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: 04/09/2024] [Revised: 05/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
A non-structural SARS-CoV-2 protein, PLpro, is involved in post-translational modifications in cells, allowing the evasion of antiviral immune response mechanisms. In this study, potential PLpro inhibitory drugs were designed using QSAR, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics. A combined QSAR equation with physicochemical and Free-Wilson descriptors was formulated. The r2, q2, and r2test values were 0.833, 0.770, and 0.721, respectively. From the equation, it was found that the presence of an aromatic ring and a basic nitrogen atom is crucial for obtaining good antiviral activity. Then, a series of structures for the binding sites of C111, Y268, and H73 of PLpro were created. The best compounds were found to exhibit pIC50 values of 9.124 and docking scoring values of -14 kcal/mol. The stability of the compounds in the cavities was confirmed by molecular dynamics studies. A high number of stable contacts and good interactions over time were exhibited by the aryl-thiophenes Pred14 and Pred15, making them potential antiviral candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianfranco Sabadini
- Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile;
| | - Marco Mellado
- Instituto de Investigación y Postgrado, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Central de Chile, Santiago 8330507, Chile
| | - César Morales
- Laboratorio de Materiales Funcionales, Centro Integrativo de Biología y Química Aplicada (CIBQA), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Bernardo OHiggins, General Gana 1702, Santiago 8320000, Chile;
| | - Jaime Mella
- Instituto de Química y Bioquímica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile;
- Centro de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación de Productos Bioactivos (CInBIO), Universidad de Valparaíso, Av. Gran Bretaña 1111, Valparaíso 2360102, Chile
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Nazir MS, Ahmad M, Aslam S, Rafiq A, Al-Hussain SA, Zaki MEA. A Comprehensive Update of Anti-COVID-19 Activity of Heterocyclic Compounds. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:1547-1571. [PMID: 38737333 PMCID: PMC11088867 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s450499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is one of the most considerable health problems across the world. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the major causative agent of COVID-19. The severe symptoms of this deadly disease include shortness of breath, fever, cough, loss of smell, and a broad spectrum of other health issues such as diarrhea, pneumonia, bronchitis, septic shock, and multiple organ failure. Currently, there are no medications available for coronavirus patients, except symptom-relieving drugs. Therefore, SARS-CoV-2 requires the development of effective drugs and specific treatments. Heterocycles are important constituents of more than 85% of the physiologically active pharmaceutical drugs on the market now. Several FDA-approved drugs have been reported including molnupiravir, remdesivir, ritonavir, oseltamivir, favipiravir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine for the cure of COVID-19. In this study, we discuss potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 heterocyclic compounds that have been synthesized over the past few years. These compounds included; indole, piperidine, pyrazine, pyrimidine, pyrrole, piperazine, quinazoline, oxazole, quinoline, isoxazole, thiazole, quinoxaline, pyrazole, azafluorene, imidazole, thiadiazole, triazole, coumarin, chromene, and benzodioxole. Both in vitro and in silico studies were performed to determine the potential of these heterocyclic compounds in the fight against various SARS-CoV-2 proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matloob Ahmad
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sana Aslam
- Department of Chemistry, Government College Women University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Ayesha Rafiq
- Department of Chemistry, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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7
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Vallières C, Benoit O, Guittet O, Huang ME, Lepoivre M, Golinelli-Cohen MP, Vernis L. Iron-sulfur protein odyssey: exploring their cluster functional versatility and challenging identification. Metallomics 2024; 16:mfae025. [PMID: 38744662 PMCID: PMC11138216 DOI: 10.1093/mtomcs/mfae025] [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: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters are an essential and ubiquitous class of protein-bound prosthetic centers that are involved in a broad range of biological processes (e.g. respiration, photosynthesis, DNA replication and repair and gene regulation) performing a wide range of functions including electron transfer, enzyme catalysis, and sensing. In a general manner, Fe-S clusters can gain or lose electrons through redox reactions, and are highly sensitive to oxidation, notably by small molecules such as oxygen and nitric oxide. The [2Fe-2S] and [4Fe-4S] clusters, the most common Fe-S cofactors, are typically coordinated by four amino acid side chains from the protein, usually cysteine thiolates, but other residues (e.g. histidine, aspartic acid) can also be found. While diversity in cluster coordination ensures the functional variety of the Fe-S clusters, the lack of conserved motifs makes new Fe-S protein identification challenging especially when the Fe-S cluster is also shared between two proteins as observed in several dimeric transcriptional regulators and in the mitoribosome. Thanks to the recent development of in cellulo, in vitro, and in silico approaches, new Fe-S proteins are still regularly identified, highlighting the functional diversity of this class of proteins. In this review, we will present three main functions of the Fe-S clusters and explain the difficulties encountered to identify Fe-S proteins and methods that have been employed to overcome these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy Vallières
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Orane Benoit
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Olivier Guittet
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Meng-Er Huang
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Michel Lepoivre
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Marie-Pierre Golinelli-Cohen
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
| | - Laurence Vernis
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, CNRS UPR 2301, Gif-sur-Yvette cedex 91198, France
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8
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Nagahawatta DP, Liyanage NM, Jayawardena TU, Jayawardhana HHACK, Jeong SH, Kwon HJ, Jeon YJ. Role of marine natural products in the development of antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2: potential and prospects. MARINE LIFE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2024; 6:280-297. [PMID: 38827130 PMCID: PMC11136918 DOI: 10.1007/s42995-023-00215-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
A novel coronavirus, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has surfaced and caused global concern owing to its ferocity. SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019; however, it was only discovered at the end of the year and was considered a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Therefore, the development of novel potent inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 and future outbreaks is urgently required. Numerous naturally occurring bioactive substances have been studied in the clinical setting for diverse disorders. The intricate infection and replication mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 offers diverse therapeutic drug targets for developing antiviral medicines by employing natural products that are safer than synthetic compounds. Marine natural products (MNPs) have received increased attention in the development of novel drugs owing to their high diversity and availability. Therefore, this review article investigates the infection and replication mechanisms, including the function of the SARS-CoV-2 genome and structure. Furthermore, we highlighted anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic intervention efforts utilizing MNPs and predicted SARS-CoV-2 inhibitor design. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42995-023-00215-9.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. P. Nagahawatta
- Department of Marine Life Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690-756 Republic of Korea
| | - N. M. Liyanage
- Department of Marine Life Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690-756 Republic of Korea
| | - Thilina U. Jayawardena
- Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Physics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Z 4M3 Canada
| | | | - Seong-Hun Jeong
- Functional Biomaterial Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Jeongeup-si, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Jun Kwon
- Functional Biomaterial Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Jeongeup-si, Republic of Korea
| | - You-Jin Jeon
- Department of Marine Life Sciences, Jeju National University, Jeju, 690-756 Republic of Korea
- Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63333 Republic of Korea
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9
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Wang X, Zhu Y, Wu Q, Jiang N, Xie Y, Deng Q. Development of a Cell Culture Model for Inducible SARS-CoV-2 Replication. Viruses 2024; 16:708. [PMID: 38793589 PMCID: PMC11125939 DOI: 10.3390/v16050708] [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: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) induces direct cytopathic effects, complicating the establishment of low-cytotoxicity cell culture models for studying its replication. We initially developed a DNA vector-based replicon system utilizing the CMV promoter to generate a recombinant viral genome bearing reporter genes. However, this system frequently resulted in drug resistance and cytotoxicity, impeding model establishment. Herein, we present a novel cell culture model with SARS-CoV-2 replication induced by Cre/LoxP-mediated DNA recombination. An engineered SARS-CoV-2 transcription unit was subcloned into a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) vector. To enhance biosafety, the viral spike protein gene was deleted, and the nucleocapsid gene was replaced with a reporter gene. An exogenous sequence was inserted within NSP1 as a modulatory cassette that is removable after Cre/LoxP-mediated DNA recombination and subsequent RNA splicing. Using the PiggyBac transposon strategy, the transcription unit was integrated into host cell chromatin, yielding a stable cell line capable of inducing recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication. The model exhibited sensitivity to the potential antivirals forsythoside A and verteporfin. An innovative inducible SARS-CoV-2 replicon cell model was introduced to further explore the replication and pathogenesis of the virus and facilitate screening and assessment of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoyan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Yuanfei Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Youhua Xie
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
| | - Qiang Deng
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China; (X.W.); (Y.Z.); (Q.W.); (N.J.)
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Pathogenic Microorganisms and Infection, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China
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10
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Ohyama T, Osawa T, Sekine SI, Ishii Y. NMR Studies of Genomic RNA in 3' Untranslated Region Unveil Pseudoknot Structure that Initiates Viral RNA Replication in SARS-CoV-2. JACS AU 2024; 4:1323-1333. [PMID: 38665648 PMCID: PMC11041675 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In the 3' untranslated region of the SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA genome, genomic RNA replication is initiated in the highly conserved region called 3'PK, containing three stem structures (P1pk, P2, and P5). According to one proposed mechanism, P1pk and distal P2 stems switch their structure to a pseudoknot through base-pairing, thereby initiating transcription by recruiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complexed with nonstructural proteins (nsp)7 and nsp8. However, experimental evidence of pseudoknot formation or structural switching is unavailable. Using SARS-CoV-2 3'PK fragments, we show that 3'PK adopted stem-loop and pseudoknot forms in a mutually exclusive manner. When P1pk and P2 formed a pseudoknot, the P5 stem, which includes a sequence at the 3' end, exited from the stem-loop structure and opened up. Interaction with the nsp7/nsp8 complex destabilized the stem-loop form but did not alter the pseudoknot form. These results suggest that the interaction between the pseudoknot and nsp7/nsp8 complex transformed the 3' end of viral genomic RNA into single-stranded RNA ready for synthesis, presenting the unique pseudoknot structure as a potential pharmacological target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takako Ohyama
- Laboratory for Advanced NMR Application and
Development, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN,
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Kanagawa,
Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku,
Yokohama 226-8503, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Takuo Osawa
- Laboratory for Transcription Structural Biology,
Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22
Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Shun-ichi Sekine
- Laboratory for Transcription Structural Biology,
Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN, 1-7-22
Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Ishii
- Laboratory for Advanced NMR Application and
Development, Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, RIKEN,
1-7-22 Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama 230-0045, Kanagawa,
Japan
- School of Life Science and Technology,
Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuta-cho, Midori-ku,
Yokohama 226-8503, Kanagawa, Japan
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11
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Deshmukh R, Harwansh RK, Garg A, Mishra S, Agrawal R, Jangde R. COVID-19: Recent Insight in Genomic Feature, Pathogenesis, Immunological Biomarkers, Treatment Options and Clinical Updates on SARS-CoV-2. Curr Genomics 2024; 25:69-87. [PMID: 38751601 PMCID: PMC11092912 DOI: 10.2174/0113892029291098240129113500] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious and transmissible viral infection that first emerged in 2019 and since then has sparked an epidemic of severe respiratory problems identified as "coronavirus disease 2019" (COVID-19) that causes a hazard to human life and safety. The virus developed mainly from bats. The current epidemic has presented a significant warning to life across the world by showing mutation. There are different tests available for testing Coronavirus, and RT-PCR is the best, giving more accurate results, but it is also time-consuming. There are different options available for treating n-CoV-19, which include medications such as Remdesivir, corticosteroids, plasma therapy, Dexamethasone therapy, etc. The development of vaccines such as BNT126b2, ChAdOX1, mRNA-1273 and BBIBP-CorV has provided great relief in dealing with the virus as they decreased the mortality rate. BNT126b2 and ChAdOX1 are two n-CoV vaccines found to be most effective in controlling the spread of infection. In the future, nanotechnology-based vaccines and immune engineering techniques can be helpful for further research on Coronavirus and treatment of this deadly virus. The existing knowledge about the existence of SARS-CoV-2, along with its variants, is summarized in this review. This review, based on recently published findings, presents the core genetics of COVID-19, including heritable characteristics, pathogenesis, immunological biomarkers, treatment options and clinical updates on the virus, along with patents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohitas Deshmukh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Ranjit Kumar Harwansh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Akash Garg
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Rajiv Academy for Pharmacy, NH-2, Mathura, Delhi Road, Chhatikara, 281001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Sakshi Mishra
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, GLA University, Mathura, 281406, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rutvi Agrawal
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Rajiv Academy for Pharmacy, NH-2, Mathura, Delhi Road, Chhatikara, 281001, Uttar Pradesh, India
| | - Rajendra Jangde
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492010, India
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12
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Tang WF, Chang YH, Lin CC, Jheng JR, Hsieh CF, Chin YF, Chang TY, Lee JC, Liang PH, Lin CY, Lin GH, Cai JY, Chen YL, Chen YS, Tsai SK, Liu PC, Yang CM, Shadbahr T, Tang J, Hsu YL, Huang CH, Wang LY, Chen CC, Kau JH, Hung YJ, Lee HY, Wang WC, Tsai HP, Horng JT. BPR3P0128, a non-nucleoside RNA-dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and exerts synergistic antiviral activity in combination with remdesivir. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0095623. [PMID: 38446062 PMCID: PMC10989008 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00956-23] [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: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a highly conserved molecule in RNA viruses, has recently emerged as a promising drug target for broad-acting inhibitors. Through a Vero E6-based anti-cytopathic effect assay, we found that BPR3P0128, which incorporates a quinoline core similar to hydroxychloroquine, outperformed the adenosine analog remdesivir in inhibiting RdRp activity (EC50 = 0.66 µM and 3 µM, respectively). BPR3P0128 demonstrated broad-spectrum activity against various severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern. When introduced after viral adsorption, BPR3P0128 significantly decreased SARS-CoV-2 replication; however, it did not affect the early entry stage, as evidenced by a time-of-drug-addition assay. This suggests that BPR3P0128's primary action takes place during viral replication. We also found that BPR3P0128 effectively reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in human lung epithelial Calu-3 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Molecular docking analysis showed that BPR3P0128 targets the RdRp channel, inhibiting substrate entry, which implies it operates differently-but complementary-with remdesivir. Utilizing an optimized cell-based minigenome RdRp reporter assay, we confirmed that BPR3P0128 exhibited potent inhibitory activity. However, an enzyme-based RdRp assay employing purified recombinant nsp12/nsp7/nsp8 failed to corroborate this inhibitory activity. This suggests that BPR3P0128 may inhibit activity by targeting host-related RdRp-associated factors. Moreover, we discovered that a combination of BPR3P0128 and remdesivir had a synergistic effect-a result likely due to both drugs interacting with separate domains of the RdRp. This novel synergy between the two drugs reinforces the potential clinical value of the BPR3P0128-remdesivir combination in combating various SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Fang Tang
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Hsiu Chang
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Chin Lin
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jia-Rong Jheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Chung-Fan Hsieh
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Neurology, Linkou Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Fan Chin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tein-Yao Chang
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Pathology and Graduate Institute of Pathology and Parasitology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jin-Ching Lee
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Po-Huang Liang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yi Lin
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Guan-Hua Lin
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Jie-Yun Cai
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Li Chen
- Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology and Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Yuan-Siao Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Shan-Ko Tsai
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Cheng Liu
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chuen-Mi Yang
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tolou Shadbahr
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jing Tang
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Yu-Lin Hsu
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Heng Huang
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Division of Medical Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan
| | - Cheng Cheung Chen
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jyh-Hwa Kau
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
- Graduate Institute of Medical Science, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jen Hung
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsin-Yi Lee
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, Value-Added MedChem Innovation Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Chieh Wang
- Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, Value-Added MedChem Innovation Center, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli, Taiwan
| | - Hui-Ping Tsai
- Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, New Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Jim-Tong Horng
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Research Center for Industry of Human Ecology and Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan
- Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan, Taiwan
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13
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Steiner S, Kratzel A, Barut GT, Lang RM, Aguiar Moreira E, Thomann L, Kelly JN, Thiel V. SARS-CoV-2 biology and host interactions. Nat Rev Microbiol 2024; 22:206-225. [PMID: 38225365 DOI: 10.1038/s41579-023-01003-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
The zoonotic emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the ensuing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have profoundly affected our society. The rapid spread and continuous evolution of new SARS-CoV-2 variants continue to threaten global public health. Recent scientific advances have dissected many of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in coronavirus infections, and large-scale screens have uncovered novel host-cell factors that are vitally important for the virus life cycle. In this Review, we provide an updated summary of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle, gene function and virus-host interactions, including recent landmark findings on general aspects of coronavirus biology and newly discovered host factors necessary for virus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvio Steiner
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Annika Kratzel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - G Tuba Barut
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto M Lang
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Etori Aguiar Moreira
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lisa Thomann
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jenna N Kelly
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern and Mittelhäusern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Jena, Germany.
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14
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Andronov L, Han M, Zhu Y, Balaji A, Roy AR, Barentine AES, Patel P, Garhyan J, Qi LS, Moerner W. Nanoscale cellular organization of viral RNA and proteins in SARS-CoV-2 replication organelles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.07.566110. [PMID: 37986994 PMCID: PMC10659379 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.07.566110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 viral infection transforms host cells and produces special organelles in many ways, and we focus on the replication organelle where the replication of viral genomic RNA (vgRNA) occurs. To date, the precise cellular localization of key RNA molecules and replication intermediates has been elusive in electron microscopy studies. We use super-resolution fluorescence microscopy and specific labeling to reveal the nanoscopic organization of replication organelles that contain vgRNA clusters along with viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) clusters and the replication enzyme, encapsulated by membranes derived from the host endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We show that the replication organelles are organized differently at early and late stages of infection. Surprisingly, vgRNA accumulates into distinct globular clusters in the cytoplasmic perinuclear region, which grow and accommodate more vgRNA molecules as infection time increases. The localization of ER labels and nsp3 (a component of the double-membrane vesicle, DMV) at the periphery of the vgRNA clusters suggests that replication organelles are enclosed by DMVs at early infection stages which then merge into vesicle packets as infection progresses. Precise co-imaging of the nanoscale cellular organization of vgRNA, dsRNA, and viral proteins in replication organelles of SARS-CoV-2 may inform therapeutic approaches that target viral replication and associated processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonid Andronov
- Department of Chemistry; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Mengting Han
- Department of Bioengineering; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Yanyu Zhu
- Department of Bioengineering; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Ashwin Balaji
- Department of Chemistry; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
- Biophysics PhD Program; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Anish R. Roy
- Department of Chemistry; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | | | - Puja Patel
- In Vitro Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Service Center, School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Jaishree Garhyan
- In Vitro Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) Service Center, School of Medicine; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
| | - Lei S. Qi
- Department of Bioengineering; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
- Sarafan ChEM-H; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub – San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158 U.S.A
| | - W.E. Moerner
- Department of Chemistry; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
- Sarafan ChEM-H; Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 U.S.A
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15
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Yang W, Wang Y, Han D, Tang W, Sun L. Recent advances in application of computer-aided drug design in anti-COVID-19 Virials Drug Discovery. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116423. [PMID: 38493593 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic epidemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which poses a serious threat to human health worldwide and results in significant economic losses. With the continuous emergence of new virus strains, small molecule drugs remain the most effective treatment for COVID-19. The traditional drug development process usually requires several years; however, the development of computer-aided drug design (CADD) offers the opportunity to develop innovative drugs quickly and efficiently. The literature review describes the general process of CADD, the viral proteins that play essential roles in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and can serve as therapeutic targets, and examples of drug screening of viral target proteins by applying CADD methods. Finally, the potential of CADD in COVID-19 therapy, the deficiency, and the possible future development direction are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiying Yang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Ye Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China
| | - Dongfeng Han
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Wenjing Tang
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Lichao Sun
- Department of Emergency Medicine, First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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16
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Albalawi SA, Albalawi RA, Albalawi AA, Alanazi RF, Almahlawi RM, Alhwity BS, Alatawi BD, Elsherbiny N, Alqifari SF, Abdel-Maksoud MS. The Possible Mechanisms of Cu and Zn in the Treatment and Prevention of HIV and COVID-19 Viral Infection. Biol Trace Elem Res 2024; 202:1524-1538. [PMID: 37608131 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-023-03788-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Due to their unique properties and their potential therapeutic and prophylactic applications, heavy metals have attracted the interest of many researchers, especially during the outbreak of COVID-19. Indeed, zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) have been widely used during viral infections. Zn has been reported to prevent excessive inflammatory response and cytokine storm, improve the response of the virus to Type I interferon (IFN-1), and enhance the production of IFN-a to counteract the antagonistic effect of SARS-CoV-2 virus protein on IFN. Additionally, Zn has been found to promote the proliferation and differentiation of T and B lymphocytes, thereby improving immune function, inhibiting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in SARS- CoV-2 reducing the viral replication and stabilizing the cell membrane by preventing the proteolytic processing of viral polyprotein and proteases enzymes. Interestingly, Zn deficiency has been correlated with enhanced SARS-CoV-2 viral entry through interaction between the ACE2 receptor and viral spike protein. Along with zinc, Cu possesses strong virucidal capabilities and is known to be effective at neutralizing a variety of infectious viruses, including the poliovirus, influenza virus, HIV type 1, and other enveloped or nonenveloped, single- or double-stranded DNA and RNA viruses. Cu-related antiviral action has been linked to different pathways. First, it may result in permanent damage to the viral membrane, envelopes, and genetic material of viruses. Second, Cu produces reactive oxygen species to take advantage of the redox signaling mechanism to eradicate the virus. The present review focused on Zn and Cu in the treatment and prevention of viral infection. Moreover, the application of metals such as Cu and gold in nanotechnology for the development of antiviral therapies and vaccines has been also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shatha A Albalawi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raneem A Albalawi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amaal A Albalawi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raghad F Alanazi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raghad M Almahlawi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Basma S Alhwity
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bashayer D Alatawi
- Pharm D program, Faculty of pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nehal Elsherbiny
- Department of Pharmaceutical chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Saleh F Alqifari
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed S Abdel-Maksoud
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
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17
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Huang X, Cui J, Qiang W, Ye J, Wang Y, Xie X, Li Y, Dai J. Storage-D: A user-friendly platform that enables practical and personalized DNA data storage. IMETA 2024; 3:e168. [PMID: 38882485 PMCID: PMC11170965 DOI: 10.1002/imt2.168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been suggested as a very promising medium for data storage in recent years. Although numerous studies have advocated for DNA data storage, its practical application remains obscure and there is a lack of a user-oriented platform. Here, we developed a DNA data storage platform, named Storage-D, which allows users to convert their data into DNA sequences of any length and vice versa by selecting algorithms, error-correction, random-access, and codec pin strategies in terms of their own choice. It incorporates a newly designed "Wukong" algorithm, which provides over 20 trillion codec pins for data privacy use. This algorithm can also control GC content to the selected standard, as well as adjust the homopolymer run length to a defined level, while maintaining a high coding potential of ~1.98 bis/nt, allowing it to outperform previous algorithms. By connecting to a commercial DNA synthesis and sequencing platform with "Storage-D," we successfully stored "Diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID-19 patients" into 200 nt oligo pools in vitro, and 500 bp genes in vivo which replicated in both normal and extreme bacteria. Together, this platform allows for practical and personalized DNA data storage, potentially with a wide range of applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoluo Huang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
| | - Junting Cui
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
| | - Wei Qiang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
| | - Jianwen Ye
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou China
| | - Yu Wang
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
| | - Xinying Xie
- School of Biology and Biological Engineering South China University of Technology Guangzhou China
| | - Yuanzhen Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
| | - Junbiao Dai
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Key Laboratory of Quantitative Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Shenzhen China
- Shenzhen Branch Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Shenzhen China
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18
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Yang H, Chen Y, Zuo Y, Deng Z, Pan X, Shen HB, Choi KS, Yu DJ. MINDG: a drug-target interaction prediction method based on an integrated learning algorithm. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae147. [PMID: 38483285 PMCID: PMC10997434 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae147] [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: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Drug-target interaction (DTI) prediction refers to the prediction of whether a given drug molecule will bind to a specific target and thus exert a targeted therapeutic effect. Although intelligent computational approaches for drug target prediction have received much attention and made many advances, they are still a challenging task that requires further research. The main challenges are manifested as follows: (i) most graph neural network-based methods only consider the information of the first-order neighboring nodes (drug and target) in the graph, without learning deeper and richer structural features from the higher-order neighboring nodes. (ii) Existing methods do not consider both the sequence and structural features of drugs and targets, and each method is independent of each other, and cannot combine the advantages of sequence and structural features to improve the interactive learning effect. RESULTS To address the above challenges, a Multi-view Integrated learning Network that integrates Deep learning and Graph Learning (MINDG) is proposed in this study, which consists of the following parts: (i) a mixed deep network is used to extract sequence features of drugs and targets, (ii) a higher-order graph attention convolutional network is proposed to better extract and capture structural features, and (iii) a multi-view adaptive integrated decision module is used to improve and complement the initial prediction results of the above two networks to enhance the prediction performance. We evaluate MINDG on two dataset and show it improved DTI prediction performance compared to state-of-the-art baselines. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION https://github.com/jnuaipr/MINDG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hailong Yang
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yue Chen
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Yun Zuo
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Zhaohong Deng
- School of Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Xiaoyong Pan
- Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 214122, China
| | - Hong-Bin Shen
- Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 214122, China
| | - Kup-Sze Choi
- School of Nursing, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hongkong 100872, China
| | - Dong-Jun Yu
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094, China
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19
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Liu P, Cai J, Tian H, Li J, Lu L, Xu M, Zhu X, Fu X, Wang X, Zhong H, Jia R, Ge Y, Zhu Y, Zeng M, Xu J. Characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 variants in Shanghai after ending the zero-COVID policy in December 2022: a clinical and genomic analysis. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1372078. [PMID: 38605705 PMCID: PMC11007228 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1372078] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction An unprecedented surge of Omicron infections appeared nationwide in China in December 2022 after the adjustment of the COVID-19 response policy. Here, we report the clinical and genomic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infections among children in Shanghai during this outbreak. Methods A total of 64 children with symptomatic COVID-19 were enrolled. SARS-CoV-2 whole genome sequences were obtained using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology. Patient demographics and clinical characteristics were compared between variants. Phylogenetic tree, mutation spectrum, and the impact of unique mutations on SARS-CoV-2 proteins were analysed in silico. Results The genomic monitoring revealed that the emerging BA.5.2.48 and BF.7.14 were the dominant variants. The BA.5.2.48 infections were more frequently observed to experience vomiting/diarrhea and less frequently present cough compared to the BF.7.14 infections among patients without comorbidities in the study. The high-frequency unique non-synonymous mutations were present in BA.5.2.48 (N:Q241K) and BF.7.14 (nsp2:V94L, nsp12:L247F, S:C1243F, ORF7a:H47Y) with respect to their parental lineages. Of these mutations, S:C1243F, nsp12:L247F, and ORF7a:H47Y protein were predicted to have a deleterious effect on the protein function. Besides, nsp2:V94L and nsp12:L247F were predicted to destabilize the proteins. Discussion Further in vitro to in vivo studies are needed to verify the role of these specific mutations in viral fitness. In addition, continuous genomic monitoring and clinical manifestation assessments of the emerging variants will still be crucial for the effective responses to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Liu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiehao Cai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - He Tian
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingjing Li
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lijuan Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Menghua Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xunhua Zhu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Fu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiangshi Wang
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huaqing Zhong
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ran Jia
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Ge
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanfeng Zhu
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mei Zeng
- Department of Infectious Diseases, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, National Children’s Medical Center, Children’s Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Infectious Disease and Biosecurity, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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20
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Li Z, Lai Y, Qiu R, Tang W, Ren J, Xiao S, Fang P, Fang L. Hyperacetylated microtubules assist porcine deltacoronavirus nsp8 to degrade MDA5 via SQSTM1/p62-dependent selective autophagy. J Virol 2024; 98:e0000324. [PMID: 38353538 PMCID: PMC10949429 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00003-24] [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: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The microtubule (MT) is a highly dynamic polymer that functions in various cellular processes through MT hyperacetylation. Thus, many viruses have evolved mechanisms to hijack the MT network of the cytoskeleton to allow intracellular replication of viral genomic material. Coronavirus non-structural protein 8 (nsp8), a component of the viral replication transcriptional complex, is essential for viral survival. Here, we found that nsp8 of porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus with a zoonotic potential, inhibits interferon (IFN)-β production by targeting melanoma differentiation gene 5 (MDA5), the main pattern recognition receptor for coronaviruses in the cytoplasm. Mechanistically, PDCoV nsp8 interacted with MDA5 and induced autophagy to degrade MDA5 in wild-type cells, but not in autophagy-related (ATG)5 or ATG7 knockout cells. Further screening for autophagic degradation receptors revealed that nsp8 interacts with sequestosome 1/p62 and promotes p62-mediated selective autophagy to degrade MDA5. Importantly, PDCoV nsp8 induced hyperacetylation of MTs, which in turn triggered selective autophagic degradation of MDA5 and subsequent inhibition of IFN-β production. Overall, our study uncovers a novel mechanism employed by PDCoV nsp8 to evade host innate immune defenses. These findings offer new insights into the interplay among viruses, IFNs, and MTs, providing a promising target to develop anti-viral drugs against PDCoV.IMPORTANCECoronavirus nsp8, a component of the viral replication transcriptional complex, is well conserved and plays a crucial role in viral replication. Exploration of the role mechanism of nsp8 is conducive to the understanding of viral pathogenesis and development of anti-viral strategies against coronavirus. Here, we found that nsp8 of PDCoV, an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus with a zoonotic potential, is an interferon antagonist. Further studies showed that PDCoV nsp8 interacted with MDA5 and sequestosome 1/p62, promoting p62-mediated selective autophagy to degrade MDA5. We further found that PDCoV nsp8 could induce hyperacetylation of MT, therefore triggering selective autophagic degradation of MDA5 and inhibiting IFN-β production. These findings reveal a novel immune evasion strategy used by PDCoV nsp8 and provide insights into potential therapeutic interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuang Li
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Yinan Lai
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Runhui Qiu
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Wenbing Tang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Jie Ren
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Shaobo Xiao
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Puxian Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
| | - Liurong Fang
- National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
- Key Laboratory of Preventive Veterinary Medicine in Hubei Province, Cooperative Innovation Center for Sustainable Pig Production, Wuhan, China
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21
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Subong BJJ, Ozawa T. Bio-Chemoinformatics-Driven Analysis of nsp7 and nsp8 Mutations and Their Effects on Viral Replication Protein Complex Stability. Curr Issues Mol Biol 2024; 46:2598-2619. [PMID: 38534781 DOI: 10.3390/cimb46030165] [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: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The nonstructural proteins 7 and 8 (nsp7 and nsp8) of SARS-CoV-2 are highly important proteins involved in the RNA-dependent polymerase (RdRp) protein replication complex. In this study, we analyzed the global mutation of nsp7 and nsp8 in 2022 and 2023 and analyzed the effects of mutation on the viral replication protein complex using bio-chemoinformatics. Frequently occurring variants are found to be single amino acid mutations for both nsp7 and nsp8. The most frequently occurring mutations for nsp7 which include L56F, L71F, S25L, M3I, D77N, V33I and T83I are predicted to cause destabilizing effects, whereas those in nsp8 are predicted to cause stabilizing effects, with the threonine to isoleucine mutation (T89I, T145I, T123I, T148I, T187I) being a frequent mutation. A conserved domain database analysis generated critical interaction residues for nsp7 (Lys-7, His-36 and Asn-37) and nsp8 (Lys-58, Pro-183 and Arg-190), which, according to thermodynamic calculations, are prone to destabilization. Trp-29, Phe-49 of nsp7 and Trp-154, Tyr-135 and Phe-15 of nsp8 cause greater destabilizing effects to the protein complex based on a computational alanine scan suggesting them as possible new target sites. This study provides an intensive analysis of the mutations of nsp7 and nsp8 and their possible implications for viral complex stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan John J Subong
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
| | - Takeaki Ozawa
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8654, Japan
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22
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Matsuda A, Plewka J, Rawski M, Mourão A, Zajko W, Siebenmorgen T, Kresik L, Lis K, Jones AN, Pachota M, Karim A, Hartman K, Nirwal S, Sonani R, Chykunova Y, Minia I, Mak P, Landthaler M, Nowotny M, Dubin G, Sattler M, Suder P, Popowicz GM, Pyrć K, Czarna A. Despite the odds: formation of the SARS-CoV-2 methylation complex. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae165. [PMID: 38499483 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses modify their single-stranded RNA genome with a methylated cap during replication to mimic the eukaryotic mRNAs. The capping process is initiated by several nonstructural proteins (nsp) encoded in the viral genome. The methylation is performed by two methyltransferases, nsp14 and nsp16, while nsp10 acts as a co-factor to both. Additionally, nsp14 carries an exonuclease domain which operates in the proofreading system during RNA replication of the viral genome. Both nsp14 and nsp16 were reported to independently bind nsp10, but the available structural information suggests that the concomitant interaction between these three proteins would be impossible due to steric clashes. Here, we show that nsp14, nsp10, and nsp16 can form a heterotrimer complex upon significant allosteric change. This interaction is expected to encourage the formation of mature capped viral mRNA, modulating nsp14's exonuclease activity, and protecting the viral RNA. Our findings show that nsp14 is amenable to allosteric regulation and may serve as a novel target for therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Matsuda
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Jacek Plewka
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michał Rawski
- SOLARIS National Synchrotron Radiation Centre, Jagiellonian University, 30-392 Kraków, Poland
| | - André Mourão
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Weronika Zajko
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | | | - Leanid Kresik
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Kinga Lis
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Kraków University of Technology, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
| | - Alisha N Jones
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Magdalena Pachota
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Abdulkarim Karim
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Salahaddin University-Erbil, 44002 Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
- Department of Community Health, College of Health Technology, Cihan University-Erbil, 44001 Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Kinga Hartman
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Shivlee Nirwal
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Ravi Sonani
- Protein Crystallography Research Group, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Yuliya Chykunova
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Igor Minia
- Laboratory for RNA Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Paweł Mak
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Markus Landthaler
- Laboratory for RNA Biology, Berlin Institute for Medical System Biology, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcin Nowotny
- Laboratory of Protein Structure, International Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 02-109 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Dubin
- Protein Crystallography Research Group, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Michael Sattler
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Piotr Suder
- Department of Analytical Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Materials Science and Ceramics, AGH University of Science and Technology, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz M Popowicz
- Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
- Bavarian NMR Center, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Munich, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Krzysztof Pyrć
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Czarna
- Virogenetics Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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23
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Majchrzak M, Madej Ł, Łysek-Gładysińska M, Zarębska-Michaluk D, Zegadło K, Dziuba A, Nogal-Nowak K, Kondziołka W, Sufin I, Myszona-Tarnowska M, Jaśkowski M, Kędzierski M, Maciukajć J, Matykiewicz J, Głuszek S, Adamus-Białek W. The RdRp genotyping of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from patients with different clinical spectrum of COVID-19. BMC Infect Dis 2024; 24:281. [PMID: 38439047 PMCID: PMC10913261 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-024-09146-x] [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: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has been observed from the very beginning of the fight against COVID-19, some mutations are indicators of potentially dangerous variants of the virus. However, there is no clear association between the genetic variants of SARS-CoV-2 and the severity of COVID-19. We aimed to analyze the genetic variability of RdRp in correlation with different courses of COVID-19. RESULTS The prospective study included 77 samples of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from outpatients (1st degree of severity) and hospitalized patients (2nd, 3rd and 4th degree of severity). The retrospective analyses included 15,898,266 cases of SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences deposited in the GISAID repository. Single-nucleotide variants were identified based on the four sequenced amplified fragments of SARS-CoV-2. The analysis of the results was performed using appropriate statistical methods, with p < 0.05, considered statistically significant. Additionally, logistic regression analysis was performed to predict the strongest determinants of the observed relationships. The number of mutations was positively correlated with the severity of the COVID-19, and older male patients. We detected four mutations that significantly increased the risk of hospitalization of COVID-19 patients (14676C > T, 14697C > T, 15096 T > C, and 15279C > T), while the 15240C > T mutation was common among strains isolated from outpatients. The selected mutations were searched worldwide in the GISAID database, their presence was correlated with the severity of COVID-19. CONCLUSION Identified mutations have the potential to be used to assess the increased risk of hospitalization in COVID-19 positive patients. Experimental studies and extensive epidemiological data are needed to investigate the association between individual mutations and the severity of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Majchrzak
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Łukasz Madej
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | | | | | - Katarzyna Zegadło
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | - Anna Dziuba
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Stanisław Głuszek
- Institute of Medical Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland
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24
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Podadera A, Campo L, Rehman F, Kolobaric N, Zutic A, Ng KKS. Optimized Recombinant Expression and Purification of the SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase Complex. Curr Protoc 2024; 4:e1007. [PMID: 38511495 DOI: 10.1002/cpz1.1007] [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] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
An optimized protocol has been developed to express and purify the core RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) complex from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The expression and purification of active core SARS-CoV-2 RdRp complex is challenging due to the complex multidomain fold of nsp12, and the assembly of the multimeric complex involving nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12. Our approach adapts a previously published method to express the core SARS-CoV-2 RdRP complex in Escherichia coli and combines it with a procedure to express the nsp12 fusion with maltose-binding protein in insect cells to promote the efficient assembly and purification of an enzymatically active core polymerase complex. The resulting method provides a reliable platform to produce milligram amounts of the polymerase complex with the expected 1:2:1 stoichiometry for nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12, respectively, following the removal of all affinity tags. This approach addresses some of the limitations of previously reported methods to provide a reliable source of the active polymerase complex for structure, function, and inhibition studies of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRP complex using recombinant plasmid constructs that have been deposited in the widely accessible Addgene repository. © 2024 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Expression and production of SARS-CoV-2 nsp7, nsp8, and nsp12 in E. coli cells Support Protocol: Establishment and maintenance of insect cell cultures Basic Protocol 2: Generation of recombinant baculovirus in Sf9 cells and production of nsp12 fusion protein in T. ni cells Basic Protocol 3: Purification of the SARS-CoV-2 core polymerase complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Podadera
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lucas Campo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Fasih Rehman
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Nikola Kolobaric
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Adriana Zutic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Kenneth K-S Ng
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
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25
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Vijay A, Sreyas Adury VS, Mukherjee A. Targeting RdRp of SARS-CoV-2 with De Novo Molecule Generation. ACS APPLIED BIO MATERIALS 2024; 7:609-616. [PMID: 37566736 DOI: 10.1021/acsabm.3c00339] [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] [Indexed: 08/13/2023]
Abstract
Viruses are known for their extremely high mutation rates, allowing them to evade both the human immune system and many forms of standard medicine. Despite this, the RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the RNA viruses has been largely conserved, and any significant mutation of this protein is unlikely. The recent COVID-19 pandemic presents a need for therapeutics. We have designed a de novo drug design algorithm that generates strong binding ligands from scratch, based on only the structure of the target protein's receptor. In this paper, we applied our method to target SARS-CoV-2 RdRp and generated several de novo molecules. We then chose some drug molecules based on the structural similarity to some of our strongest binding de novo molecules. Subsequently, we showed, using rigorous all-atom explicit-water free energy calculations in near-microsecond time scales using state-of-the-art well-tempered metadynamics simulations, that some of our de novo generated ligands bind more strongly to RdRp than the recent FDA approved drug remdesivir in its active form, remdesivir triphosphate (RTP). We elucidated the binding mechanism for some of the top binders and compared it with RTP. We believe that this work will be useful both by presenting lead structures for RdRp inhibition and by delivering key insights into the residues of the protein potentially involved in the binding/unbinding of these small molecule drugs, leading to more targeted studies in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Vijay
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
| | | | - Arnab Mukherjee
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune 411008, India
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26
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Ferreira P, Soares R, López-Fernández H, Vazquez N, Reboiro-Jato M, Vieira CP, Vieira J. Multiple Lines of Evidence Support 199 SARS-CoV-2 Positively Selected Amino Acid Sites. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2428. [PMID: 38397104 PMCID: PMC10889775 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042428] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 amino acid variants that contribute to an increased transmissibility or to host immune system escape are likely to increase in frequency due to positive selection and may be identified using different methods, such as codeML, FEL, FUBAR, and MEME. Nevertheless, when using different methods, the results do not always agree. The sampling scheme used in different studies may partially explain the differences that are found, but there is also the possibility that some of the identified positively selected amino acid sites are false positives. This is especially important in the context of very large-scale projects where hundreds of analyses have been performed for the same protein-coding gene. To account for these issues, in this work, we have identified positively selected amino acid sites in SARS-CoV-2 and 15 other coronavirus species, using both codeML and FUBAR, and compared the location of such sites in the different species. Moreover, we also compared our results to those that are available in the COV2Var database and the frequency of the 10 most frequent variants and predicted protein location to identify those sites that are supported by multiple lines of evidence. Amino acid changes observed at these sites should always be of concern. The information reported for SARS-CoV-2 can also be used to identify variants of concern in other coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Ferreira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.); (R.S.); (C.P.V.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Ricardo Soares
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.); (R.S.); (C.P.V.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
- School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (ICBAS), Porto University, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Hugo López-Fernández
- CINBIO, Department of Computer Science, ESEI—Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (H.L.-F.); (M.R.-J.)
- CINBIO, SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213 Vigo, Spain
| | - Noé Vazquez
- CINBIO, Department of Computer Science, ESEI—Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (H.L.-F.); (M.R.-J.)
- CINBIO, SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213 Vigo, Spain
| | - Miguel Reboiro-Jato
- CINBIO, Department of Computer Science, ESEI—Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Informática, Universidade de Vigo, 32004 Ourense, Spain; (H.L.-F.); (M.R.-J.)
- CINBIO, SING Research Group, Galicia Sur Health Research Institute (IIS Galicia Sur), SERGAS-UVIGO, 36213 Vigo, Spain
| | - Cristina P. Vieira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.); (R.S.); (C.P.V.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
| | - Jorge Vieira
- Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde (i3S), Universidade do Porto, Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal; (P.F.); (R.S.); (C.P.V.)
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular (IBMC), Rua Alfredo Allen 208, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal
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Fan L, Zhou Y, Wei X, Feng W, Guo H, Li Y, Gao X, Zhou J, Wen Y, Wu Y, Shen X, Liu L, Xu G, Zhang Z. The E3 ligase TRIM22 restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication by promoting proteasomal degradation of NSP8. mBio 2024; 15:e0232023. [PMID: 38275298 PMCID: PMC10865846 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02320-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome is mediated by a complex of non-structural proteins (NSPs), of which NSP7 and NSP8 serve as subunits and play a key role in promoting the activity of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of NSP12. However, the stability of subunits of the RdRp complex has rarely been reported. Here, we found that NSP8 was degraded by the proteasome in host cells, and identified tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22) as its E3 ligase. The interferon (IFN) signaling pathway was activated upon viral invasion into host cells, and TRIM22 expression increased. TRIM22 interacted with NSP8 and ubiquitinated it at Lys97 via K48-type ubiquitination. TRIM22 overexpression significantly reduced viral RNA and protein levels. Knockdown of TRIM22 enhanced viral replication. This study provides a new explanation for treating patients suffering from SARS-CoV-2 with IFNs and new possibilities for drug development targeting the interaction between NSP8 and TRIM22.IMPORTANCENon-structural proteins (NSPs) play a crucial role in the replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, facilitating virus amplification and propagation. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive investigation into the stability of all subunits comprising the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex. Notably, our results reveal for the first time that NSP8 is a relatively unstable protein, which is found to be readily recognized and degraded by the proteasome. This degradation process is mediated by the host E3 ligase tripartite motif containing 22 (TRIM22), which is also a member of the interferon stimulated gene (ISG) family. Our study elucidates a novel mechanism of antiviral effect of TRIM22, which utilizes its own E3 ubiquitin ligase activity to hinder viral replication by inducing ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of NSP8. These findings provide new ideas for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. In addition, the conserved property of NSP8 raises the possibility of developing broad antiviral drugs targeting the TRIM22-NSP8 interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lujie Fan
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuzheng Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiafei Wei
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Wei Feng
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Huimin Guo
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yunfei Li
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiang Gao
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Jian Zhou
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yanling Wen
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Yezi Wu
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Xiaotong Shen
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Gang Xu
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Institute for Hepatology, National Clinical Research Center for Infectious Disease, Shenzhen Third People’s Hospital, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China
- Guangdong Key laboratory for Anti-infection Drug Quality Evaluation, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
- Shenzhen Research Center for Communicable Disease Diagnosis, Treatment of Chinese Academy of Medical Science, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
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Yu K, Liang P, Yu H, Liu H, Guo J, Yan X, Li Z, Li G, Wang Y, Wang C. Integrating Transcriptome and Chemical Analyses to Provide Insights into Biosynthesis of Terpenoids and Flavonoids in the Medicinal Industrial Crop Andrographis paniculate and Its Antiviral Medicinal Parts. Molecules 2024; 29:852. [PMID: 38398604 PMCID: PMC10893308 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29040852] [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: 01/14/2024] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Andrographis paniculata is a medicinal plant traditionally used to produce diterpene lactones and flavonoids, which possess various biological activities. Widely distributed in China, India, and other Southeast Asia countries, A. paniculata has become an important economic crop, significantly treating SARS-CoV-2, and is being cultivated on a large scale in southern China. The biosynthesis of active ingredients in A. paniculata are regulated and controlled by genes, but their specific roles are still not fully understood. To further explore the growth regulation factors and utilization of its medicinal parts of this industrial crop, chemical and transcriptome analyses were conducted on the roots, stems, and leaves of A. paniculata to identify the biosynthesis pathways and related candidate genes of the active ingredients. The chemical analysis revealed that the main components of A. paniculata were diterpene lactones and flavonoids, which displayed potential ability to treat SARS-CoV-2 through molecular docking. Moreover, the transcriptome sequencing annotated a total of 40,850 unigenes, including 7962 differentially expressed genes. Among these, 120 genes were involved in diterpene lactone biosynthesis and 60 genes were involved in flavonoid biosynthesis. The expression of diterpene lactone-related genes was the highest in leaves and the lowest in roots, consistent with our content determination results. It is speculated that these highly expressed genes in leaves may be involved in the biosynthesis pathway of diterpenes. Furthermore, two class Ⅰ terpene synthases in A. paniculata transcriptome were also annotated, providing reference for the downstream pathway of the diterpene lactone biosynthesis. With their excellent market value, our experiments will promote the study of the biosynthetic genes for active ingredients in A. paniculata and provide insights for subsequent in vitro biosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuo Yu
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; (H.Y.); (X.Y.); (Z.L.)
| | - Pengjie Liang
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Heshui Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; (H.Y.); (X.Y.); (Z.L.)
| | - Hui Liu
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Jialiang Guo
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Xiaohui Yan
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; (H.Y.); (X.Y.); (Z.L.)
| | - Zheng Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; (H.Y.); (X.Y.); (Z.L.)
| | - Guoqiang Li
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
| | - Ying Wang
- Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine & Natural Products, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Chunhua Wang
- School of Medicine, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China; (K.Y.); (P.L.); (H.L.); (J.G.); (G.L.)
- College of Pharmaceutical Engineering of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China; (H.Y.); (X.Y.); (Z.L.)
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29
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Durdabak DB, Dogan S, Tekol SD, Celik C, Ozalp VC, Tuna BG. Direct Detection of Viral Infections from Swab Samples by Probe-Gated Silica Nanoparticle-Based Lateral Flow Assay. ChemistryOpen 2024; 13:e202300120. [PMID: 37824210 PMCID: PMC10853071 DOI: 10.1002/open.202300120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Point-of-care diagnosis is crucial to control the spreading of viral infections. Here, universal-modifiable probe-gated silica nanoparticles (SNPs) based lateral flow assay (LFA) is developed in the interest of the rapid and early detection of viral infections. The most superior advantage of the rapid assay is its utility in detecting various sides of the virus directly from the human swab samples and its adaptability to detect various types of viruses. For this purpose, a high concentration of fluorescein and rhodamine B as a reporting material was loaded into SNPs with excellent loading capacity and measured using standard curve, 4.19 μmol ⋅ g-1 and 1.23 μmol ⋅ g-1 , respectively. As a model organism, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (CoV-2) infections were selected by targeting its nonstructural (NSP9, NSP12) and envelope (E) genes as target sites of the virus. We showed that NSP12-gated SNPs-based LFA significantly outperformed detection of viral infection in 15 minutes from 0.73 pg ⋅ mL-1 synthetic viral solution and with a dilution of 1 : 103 of unprocessed human samples with an increasing test line intensity compared to steady state (n=12). Compared to the RT-qPCR method, the sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of NSP12-gated SNPs were calculated as 100 %, 83 %, and 92 %, respectively. Finally, this modifiable nanoparticle system is a high-performance sensing technique that could take advantage of upcoming point-of-care testing markets for viral infection detections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Buse Durdabak
- Department of Biophysics Faculty of MedicineYeditepe UniversityIstanbul34755Turkey
| | - Soner Dogan
- Department of Medical Biology Faculty of MedicineYeditepe UniversityIstanbul34755Turkey
| | - Serap Demir Tekol
- Department of Clinical MicrobiologyUniversity of Health Sciences Kartal Dr. Lutfi Kirdar City HospitalIstanbul34865Turkey
| | - Caner Celik
- Department of Emergency Medical ServiceMemorial Sisli HospitalIstanbulTurkey
| | - Veli Cengiz Ozalp
- Department of Medical Biology Faculty of MedicineAtilim UniversityAnkara06830Turkey
| | - Bilge Guvenc Tuna
- Department of Biophysics Faculty of MedicineYeditepe UniversityIstanbul34755Turkey
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30
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van Kempen M, Kim SS, Tumescheit C, Mirdita M, Lee J, Gilchrist CLM, Söding J, Steinegger M. Fast and accurate protein structure search with Foldseek. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:243-246. [PMID: 37156916 PMCID: PMC10869269 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-023-01773-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 221] [Impact Index Per Article: 221.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
As structure prediction methods are generating millions of publicly available protein structures, searching these databases is becoming a bottleneck. Foldseek aligns the structure of a query protein against a database by describing tertiary amino acid interactions within proteins as sequences over a structural alphabet. Foldseek decreases computation times by four to five orders of magnitude with 86%, 88% and 133% of the sensitivities of Dali, TM-align and CE, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michel van Kempen
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Stephanie S Kim
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Milot Mirdita
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jeongjae Lee
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | | | - Johannes Söding
- Quantitative and Computational Biology Group, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Göttingen, Germany.
- Campus Institute Data Science (CIDAS), Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Martin Steinegger
- School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Artificial Intelligence Institute, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
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31
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Zhou B, Chen D, Zhang T, Song C, Zhang X, Lin L, Huang J, Peng X, Liu Y, Wu G, Li J, Chen W. Recent advancements in the discovery of small-molecule non-nucleoside inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 RdRp. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 171:116180. [PMID: 38266622 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116180] [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: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of SARS-CoV-2 plays a pivotal role in the life cycle of the novel coronavirus and stands as a significant and promising target for anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. Non-nucleoside inhibitors (NNIs), as a category of compounds directed against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, exhibit a unique and highly effective mechanism, effectively overcoming various factors contributing to drug resistance against nucleoside inhibitors (NIs). This review investigates various NNIs, including both natural and synthetic inhibitors, that closely interacting with the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp with valid evidences from in vitro and in silico studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bangdi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Dianming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Tingyan Zhang
- School of Nusing, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Chenggui Song
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Xianwu Zhang
- The First School of Clinical Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Leying Lin
- School of Basic Medicine, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Jiuzhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Xiaopeng Peng
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Yuanchang Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Gaorong Wu
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Jingyuan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China
| | - Weiming Chen
- Key Laboratory of Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Diseases of Ministry of Education, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, PR China.
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32
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Leone M. Virtual Screening of Peptide Libraries: The Search for Peptide-Based Therapeutics Using Computational Tools. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1798. [PMID: 38339078 PMCID: PMC10855943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed growing interest from both academic and industrial laboratories in peptides as possible therapeutics. Bioactive peptides have a high potential to treat various diseases with specificity and biological safety. Compared to small molecules, peptides represent better candidates as inhibitors (or general modulators) of key protein-protein interactions. In fact, undruggable proteins containing large and smooth surfaces can be more easily targeted with the conformational plasticity of peptides. The discovery of bioactive peptides, working against disease-relevant protein targets, generally requires the high-throughput screening of large libraries, and in silico approaches are highly exploited for their low-cost incidence and efficiency. The present review reports on the potential challenges linked to the employment of peptides as therapeutics and describes computational approaches, mainly structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), to support the identification of novel peptides for therapeutic implementations. Cutting-edge SBVS strategies are reviewed along with examples of applications focused on diverse classes of bioactive peptides (i.e., anticancer, antimicrobial/antiviral peptides, peptides blocking amyloid fiber formation).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.V.); (F.A.M.)
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33
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Sulimov AV, Ilin IS, Tashchilova AS, Kondakova OA, Kutov DC, Sulimov VB. Docking and other computing tools in drug design against SARS-CoV-2. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 35:91-136. [PMID: 38353209 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2024.2306336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The use of computer simulation methods has become an indispensable component in identifying drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. There is a huge body of literature on application of molecular modelling to predict inhibitors against target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. To keep our review clear and readable, we limited ourselves primarily to works that use computational methods to find inhibitors and test the predicted compounds experimentally either in target protein assays or in cell culture with live SARS-CoV-2. Some works containing results of experimental discovery of corresponding inhibitors without using computer modelling are included as examples of a success. Also, some computational works without experimental confirmations are also included if they attract our attention either by simulation methods or by databases used. This review collects studies that use various molecular modelling methods: docking, molecular dynamics, quantum mechanics, machine learning, and others. Most of these studies are based on docking, and other methods are used mainly for post-processing to select the best compounds among those found through docking. Simulation methods are presented concisely, information is also provided on databases of organic compounds that can be useful for virtual screening, and the review itself is structured in accordance with coronavirus target proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- A V Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - I S Ilin
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - A S Tashchilova
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - O A Kondakova
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - D C Kutov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
| | - V B Sulimov
- Dimonta Ltd., Moscow, Russia
- Research Computing Center, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
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34
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Abd-Elshafy DN, Nadeem R, Nasraa MH, Bahgat MM. Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 nsp12 P323L/A529V mutations: coeffect in the transiently peaking lineage C.36.3 on protein structure and response to treatment in Egyptian records. Z NATURFORSCH C 2024; 79:13-24. [PMID: 38265042 DOI: 10.1515/znc-2023-0132] [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: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 nsp12, the RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase plays a crucial role in virus replication. Monitoring the effect of its emerging mutants on viral replication and response to antiviral drugs is important. Nsp12 of two Egyptian isolates circulating in 2020 and 2021 were sequenced. Both isolates included P323L, one included the A529V. Tracking A529V mutant frequency, it relates to the transience peaked C.36.3 variant and its parent C.36, both peaked worldwide on February-August 2021, enlisted as high transmissible variants under investigation (VUI) on May 2021. Both Mutants were reported to originate from Egypt and showed an abrupt low frequency upon screening, we analyzed all 1104 nsp12 Egyptian sequences. A529V mutation was in 36 records with an abrupt low frequency on June 2021. As its possible reappearance might obligate actions for a candidate VUI, we analyzed the predicted co-effect of P323L and A529V mutations on protein stability and dynamics through protein structure simulations. Three available structures for drug-nsp12 interaction were used representing remdesivir, suramin and favipiravir drugs. Remdesivir and suramin showed an increase in structure stability and considerable change in flexibility while favipiravir showed an extreme interaction. Results predict a favored efficiency of the drugs except for favipiravir in case of the reported mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dina N Abd-Elshafy
- Department of Water Pollution Research, Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
- Immune- and Bio-markers for Infection Research Group, The Center of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rola Nadeem
- Department of Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
- Immune- and Bio-markers for Infection Research Group, The Center of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed H Nasraa
- Department of Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
- Immune- and Bio-markers for Infection Research Group, The Center of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mahmoud M Bahgat
- Department of Therapeutic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Institute, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
- Immune- and Bio-markers for Infection Research Group, The Center of Excellence for Advanced Sciences, The National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
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35
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Liao Y, Wang H, Liao H, Sun Y, Tan L, Song C, Qiu X, Ding C. Classification, replication, and transcription of Nidovirales. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1291761. [PMID: 38328580 PMCID: PMC10847374 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1291761] [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: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nidovirales is one order of RNA virus, with the largest single-stranded positive sense RNA genome enwrapped with membrane envelope. It comprises four families (Arterividae, Mesoniviridae, Roniviridae, and Coronaviridae) and has been circulating in humans and animals for almost one century, posing great threat to livestock and poultry,as well as to public health. Nidovirales shares similar life cycle: attachment to cell surface, entry, primary translation of replicases, viral RNA replication in cytoplasm, translation of viral proteins, virion assembly, budding, and release. The viral RNA synthesis is the critical step during infection, including genomic RNA (gRNA) replication and subgenomic mRNAs (sg mRNAs) transcription. gRNA replication requires the synthesis of a negative sense full-length RNA intermediate, while the sg mRNAs transcription involves the synthesis of a nested set of negative sense subgenomic intermediates by a discontinuous strategy. This RNA synthesis process is mediated by the viral replication/transcription complex (RTC), which consists of several enzymatic replicases derived from the polyprotein 1a and polyprotein 1ab and several cellular proteins. These replicases and host factors represent the optimal potential therapeutic targets. Hereby, we summarize the Nidovirales classification, associated diseases, "replication organelle," replication and transcription mechanisms, as well as related regulatory factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liao
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiyu Liao
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingjie Sun
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Tan
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuiping Song
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xusheng Qiu
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chan Ding
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
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36
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Jeronimo PMC, Aksenen CF, Duarte IO, Lins RD, Miyajima F. Evolutionary deletions within the SARS-CoV-2 genome as signature trends for virus fitness and adaptation. J Virol 2024; 98:e0140423. [PMID: 38088350 PMCID: PMC10804945 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01404-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronaviruses are large RNA viruses that can infect and spread among humans and animals. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for coronavirus disease 2019, has evolved since its first detection in December 2019. Deletions are a common occurrence in SARS-CoV-2 evolution, particularly in specific genomic sites, and may be associated with the emergence of highly competent lineages. While deletions typically have a negative impact on viral fitness, some persist and become fixed in viral populations, indicating that they may confer advantageous benefits for the virus's adaptive evolution. This work presents a literature review and data analysis on structural losses in the SARS-CoV-2 genome and the potential relevance of specific signatures for enhanced viral fitness and spread.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cleber Furtado Aksenen
- Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), branch Ceara, Eusebio, Brazil
| | - Igor Oliveira Duarte
- Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), branch Ceara, Eusebio, Brazil
| | - Roberto D. Lins
- Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), branch Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil
| | - Fabio Miyajima
- Fiocruz Genomic Network, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), branch Ceara, Eusebio, Brazil
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Ma Z, Xu J, Wang C, Liu Z, Zhu G. Molecular dynamics simulation study on the binding mechanism between carbon nanotubes and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38263694 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2308781] [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: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have potential prospects in disease treatment, so it is of great significance to study CNTs as the possible inhibitors of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). Through the way of using the RdRp of SARS-COV-2 as a model, five armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) (namely Dn, which stands for CNTs (n, m = n), n = 3-7) and RdRp have been selected to study the interactions by means of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. After five SWCNT-RdRp complex systems have been subjected to the molecular dynamics simulations of 100 ns, and Molecular Mechanics Poisson - Boltzmann Surface Area (MMPBSA) has been used to calculate the binding free energy, it is found that the binding free energy of the D6 system (-189.541 kJ/mol) is significantly higher than that of the other four systems, and most of the amino acids with strong positive effects on binding are usually basic amino acids. What's more, in the further investigation of the specific interaction mechanism between CNT (6,6) and RdRp, it is revealed that the three amino acid residues LYS545, ARG553 and ARG555 located in the nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) entry channel all have strong effects. In addition, it is also observed that when ARG555 has been inserted into SWCNT, a stable structure will be formed, which will break the original NTP entry channel structure and inhibit virus replication. Therefore, it can be concluded that certain specific types of SWCNT, such as CNT (6,6), could be potential small molecule inhibitors in the treatment of coronavirus.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaopeng Ma
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Science and Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | - Jianqiang Xu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Science and Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | - Chenchen Wang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Science and Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | - Zhicong Liu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Science and Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
| | - Guanglai Zhu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Optoelectronic Materials Science and Technology, School of Physics and Electronic Information, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, China
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Lima Neto JX, Bezerra KS, Barbosa ED, Araujo RL, Galvão DS, Lyra ML, Oliveira JIN, Akash S, Jardan YAB, Nafidi HA, Bourhia M, Fulco UL. Investigation of protein-protein interactions and hotspot region on the NSP7-NSP8 binding site in NSP12 of SARS-CoV-2. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 10:1325588. [PMID: 38304231 PMCID: PMC10830813 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1325588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background: The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex, essential in viral transcription and replication, is a key target for antiviral therapeutics. The core unit of RdRp comprises the nonstructural protein NSP12, with NSP7 and two copies of NSP8 (NSP81 and NSP82) binding to NSP12 to enhance its affinity for viral RNA and polymerase activity. Notably, the interfaces between these subunits are highly conserved, simplifying the design of molecules that can disrupt their interaction. Methods: We conducted a detailed quantum biochemical analysis to characterize the interactions within the NSP12-NSP7, NSP12-NSP81, and NSP12-NSP82 dimers. Our objective was to ascertain the contribution of individual amino acids to these protein-protein interactions, pinpointing hotspot regions crucial for complex stability. Results: The analysis revealed that the NSP12-NSP81 complex possessed the highest total interaction energy (TIE), with 14 pairs of residues demonstrating significant energetic contributions. In contrast, the NSP12-NSP7 complex exhibited substantial interactions in 8 residue pairs, while the NSP12-NSP82 complex had only one pair showing notable interaction. The study highlighted the importance of hydrogen bonds and π-alkyl interactions in maintaining these complexes. Intriguingly, introducing the RNA sequence with Remdesivir into the complex resulted in negligible alterations in both interaction energy and geometric configuration. Conclusion: Our comprehensive analysis of the RdRp complex at the protein-protein interface provides invaluable insights into interaction dynamics and energetics. These findings can guide the design of small molecules or peptide/peptidomimetic ligands to disrupt these critical interactions, offering a strategic pathway for developing effective antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Xavier Lima Neto
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Katyanna Sales Bezerra
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel Duarte Barbosa
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Roniel Lima Araujo
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | | | | | - Jonas Ivan Nobre Oliveira
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Shopnil Akash
- Department of Pharmacy, Daffodil International University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Yousef A. Bin Jardan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hiba-Allah Nafidi
- Department of Food Science, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Laval University, Quebec City, QC, Canada
| | - Mohammed Bourhia
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ibn Zohr University, Laayoune, Morocco
| | - Umberto Laino Fulco
- Department of Biophysics and Pharmacology, Bioscience Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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Romero ME, McElhenney SJ, Yu J. Trapping a non-cognate nucleotide upon initial binding for replication fidelity control in SARS-CoV-2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2024; 26:1792-1808. [PMID: 38168789 DOI: 10.1039/d3cp04410f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) in SARS-CoV-2 is a highly conserved enzyme responsible for viral genome replication/transcription. To understand how the viral RdRp achieves fidelity control during such processes, here we computationally investigate the natural non-cognate vs. cognate nucleotide addition and selectivity during viral RdRp elongation. We focus on the nucleotide substrate initial binding (RdRp active site open) to the prechemical insertion (active site closed) of the RdRp. The current studies were first carried out using microsecond ensemble equilibrium all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Due to the slow conformational changes (from open to closed) during nucleotide insertion and selection, enhanced or umbrella sampling methods have been further employed to calculate the free energy profiles of the nucleotide insertion. Our studies find notable stability of noncognate dATP and GTP upon initial binding in the active-site open state. The results indicate that while natural cognate ATP and Remdesivir drug analogue (RDV-TP) are biased toward stabilization in the closed state to facilitate insertion, the natural non-cognate dATP and GTP can be well trapped in off-path initial binding configurations and prevented from insertion so that to be further rejected. The current work thus presents the intrinsic nucleotide selectivity of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp for natural substrate fidelity control, which should be considered in antiviral drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moises E Romero
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | | | - Jin Yu
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, Department of Chemistry, NSF-Simmons Center for Multi-scale Cell Fate Research, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USA.
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Latosińska M, Latosińska JN. Favipiravir Analogues as Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase, Combined Quantum Chemical Modeling, Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship, and Molecular Docking Study. Molecules 2024; 29:441. [PMID: 38257352 PMCID: PMC10818557 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29020441] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Our study was motivated by the urgent need to develop or improve antivirals for effective therapy targeting RNA viruses. We hypothesized that analogues of favipiravir (FVP), an inhibitor of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), could provide more effective nucleic acid recognition and binding processes while reducing side effects such as cardiotoxicity, hepatotoxicity, teratogenicity, and embryotoxicity. We proposed a set of FVP analogues together with their forms of triphosphate as new SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors. The main aim of our study was to investigate changes in the mechanism and binding capacity resulting from these modifications. Using three different approaches, QTAIM, QSPR, and MD, the differences in the reactivity, toxicity, binding efficiency, and ability to be incorporated by RdRp were assessed. Two new quantum chemical reactivity descriptors, the relative electro-donating and electro-accepting power, were defined and successfully applied. Moreover, a new quantitative method for comparing binding modes was developed based on mathematical metrics and an atypical radar plot. These methods provide deep insight into the set of desirable properties responsible for inhibiting RdRp, allowing ligands to be conveniently screened. The proposed modification of the FVP structure seems to improve its binding ability and enhance the productive mode of binding. In particular, two of the FVP analogues (the trifluoro- and cyano-) bind very strongly to the RNA template, RNA primer, cofactors, and RdRp, and thus may constitute a very good alternative to FVP.
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41
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Li W, Ding T, Chang H, Peng Y, Li J, Liang X, Ma H, Li F, Ren M, Wang W. Plant-derived strategies to fight against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:116000. [PMID: 38056300 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116000] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented crisis, which has been exacerbated because specific drugs and treatments have not yet been developed. In the post-pandemic era, humans and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) will remain in equilibrium for a long time. Therefore, we still need to be vigilant against mutated SARS-CoV-2 variants and other emerging human viruses. Plant-derived products are increasingly important in the fight against the pandemic, but a comprehensive review is lacking. This review describes plant-based strategies centered on key biological processes, such as SARS-CoV-2 transmission, entry, replication, and immune interference. We highlight the mechanisms and effects of these plant-derived products and their feasibility and limitations for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19. The development of emerging technologies is driving plants to become production platforms for various antiviral products, improving their medicinal potential. We believe that plant-based strategies will be an important part of the solutions for future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenkang Li
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Tianze Ding
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Huimin Chang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Yuanchang Peng
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Jun Li
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Xin Liang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; National Nanfan Research Institute (Sanya), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Huixin Ma
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China
| | - Fuguang Li
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; National Nanfan Research Institute (Sanya), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China
| | - Maozhi Ren
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; Institute of Urban Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu, 610000, China
| | - Wenjing Wang
- Zhengzhou Research Base, National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, School of Agricultural Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China; National Key Laboratory of Cotton Bio-breeding and Integrated Utilization, Institute of Cotton Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Anyang 455000, China; National Nanfan Research Institute (Sanya), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Sanya, 572000, China; Hainan Yazhou Bay Seed Laboratory, Sanya, 572000, China.
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42
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Beton JG, Mulvaney T, Cragnolini T, Topf M. Cryo-EM structure and B-factor refinement with ensemble representation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:444. [PMID: 38200043 PMCID: PMC10781738 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44593-1] [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: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Cryo-EM experiments produce images of macromolecular assemblies that are combined to produce three-dimensional density maps. Typically, atomic models of the constituent molecules are fitted into these maps, followed by a density-guided refinement. We introduce TEMPy-ReFF, a method for atomic structure refinement in cryo-EM density maps. Our method represents atomic positions as components of a Gaussian mixture model, utilising their variances as B-factors, which are used to derive an ensemble description. Extensively tested on a substantial dataset of 229 cryo-EM maps from EMDB ranging in resolution from 2.1-4.9 Å with corresponding PDB and CERES atomic models, our results demonstrate that TEMPy-ReFF ensembles provide a superior representation of cryo-EM maps. On a single-model basis, it performs similarly to the CERES re-refinement protocol, although there are cases where it provides a better fit to the map. Furthermore, our method enables the creation of composite maps free of boundary artefacts. TEMPy-ReFF is useful for better interpretation of flexible structures, such as those involving RNA, DNA or ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph G Beton
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) and Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Mulvaney
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) and Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tristan Cragnolini
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) and Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, Birkbeck, University of London, London, UK
| | - Maya Topf
- Leibniz Institute of Virology (LIV) and Universitätsklinikum Hamburg Eppendorf (UKE), Centre for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB), 22607, Hamburg, Germany.
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43
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Illingworth CJR, Guerra-Assuncao JA, Gregg S, Charles O, Pang J, Roy S, Abdelnabi R, Neyts J, Breuer J. Genetic consequences of effective and suboptimal dosing with mutagenic drugs in a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Virus Evol 2024; 10:veae001. [PMID: 38486802 PMCID: PMC10939363 DOI: 10.1093/ve/veae001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutagenic antiviral drugs have shown promise against multiple viruses, but concerns have been raised about whether their use might promote the emergence of new and harmful viral variants. Recently, genetic signatures associated with molnupiravir use have been identified in the global SARS-COV-2 population. Here, we examine the consequences of using favipiravir and molnupiravir to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection in a hamster model, comparing viral genome sequence data collected from (1) untreated hamsters, and (2) from hamsters receiving effective and suboptimal doses of treatment. We identify a broadly linear relationship between drug dose and the extent of variation in treated viral populations, with a high proportion of this variation being composed of variants at frequencies of less than 1 per cent, below typical thresholds for variant calling. Treatment with an effective dose of antiviral drug was associated with a gain of between 7 and 10 variants per viral genome relative to drug-free controls: even after a short period of treatment a population founded by a transmitted virus could contain multiple sequence differences to that of the original host. Treatment with a suboptimal dose of drug showed intermediate gains of variants. No dose-dependent signal was identified in the numbers of single-nucleotide variants reaching frequencies in excess of 5 per cent. We did not find evidence to support the emergence of drug resistance or of novel immune phenotypes. Our study suggests that where onward transmission occurs, a short period of treatment with mutagenic drugs may be sufficient to generate a significant increase in the number of viral variants transmitted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jose A Guerra-Assuncao
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Samuel Gregg
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Oscar Charles
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Juanita Pang
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Sunando Roy
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rana Abdelnabi
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, Leuven B-3000, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49, Leuven B-3000, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, Leuven B-3000, Belgium
| | - Judith Breuer
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street, London WC1N 3JH, UK
- Infection, Immunity and Inflammation Research and Teaching Department, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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Zaidi AK, Dawoodi S. Structural biology of SARS-CoV-2. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 202:31-43. [PMID: 38237989 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2023.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the techniques employed to unravel the structural biology of SARS-CoV-2, facilitating a deeper understanding of the virus for developing future therapeutic strategies. Various techniques such as Electron microscopy (EM) for capturing high-resolution images of the virus and X-ray crystallography used for determining atomic-level structures of viral proteins are discussed. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) imaging is also examined as a powerful tool for visualizing the virus's structure in its native state. Intracellular detection and tracking of SARS-CoV-2 are discussed, highlighting the techniques employed to study the virus's behavior within host cells. The chapter further explores how cryo-EM has been instrumental in delivering high-quality structural information on SARS-CoV-2, enabling researchers to better understand its mechanisms of infection and replication. The structural visualization of SARS-CoV-2 is then presented, focusing on key components such as the spike protein structure, RNA polymerase structure, and the visualization of intact and in-situ virions using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET). Lastly, the chapter touches upon the application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for studying the dynamics and interactions of viral proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sunny Dawoodi
- Anaesthesiologist, University Hospitals Birmingham and NHS Foundation Trust, United Kingdom.
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45
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Hassan AMS, Elfiky AA, Elgohary AM. Triple in silico targeting of IMPDH enzyme and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of both SARS-CoV-2 and Rhizopus oryzae. Future Microbiol 2024; 19:9-19. [PMID: 38294272 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0103] [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: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim: Mucormycosis has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections during the last year. The aim of this study was to triple-hit viral and fungal RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRps) and human inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH). Materials & methods: Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to test nucleotide inhibitors (NIs) against the RdRps of SARS-CoV-2 and Rhizopus oryzae RdRp. These same inhibitors targeted IMPDH. Results: Four NIs revealed a comparable binding affinity to the two drugs, remdesivir and sofosbuvir. Binding energies were calculated using the most abundant conformations of the RdRps after 100-ns molecular dynamics simulation. Conclusion: We suggest the triple-inhibition potential of four NIs against pathogenic RdRps and IMPDH, which is worth experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Abdo A Elfiky
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Sciences, Cairo University, Giza, Dokki, 12613, Egypt
| | - Alaa M Elgohary
- Biophysics Department, Faculty of Sciences, Cairo University, Giza, Dokki, 12613, Egypt
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46
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Dinata R, Nisa N, Arati C, Rasmita B, Uditraj C, Siddhartha R, Bhanushree B, Saeed-Ahmed L, Manikandan B, Bidanchi RM, Abinash G, Pori B, Khushboo M, Roy VK, Gurusubramanian G. Repurposing immune boosting and anti-viral efficacy of Parkia bioactive entities as multi-target directed therapeutic approach for SARS-CoV-2: exploration of lead drugs by drug likeness, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:43-81. [PMID: 37021347 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2192797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused adverse health (severe respiratory, enteric and systemic infections) and environmental impacts that have threatened public health and the economy worldwide. Drug repurposing and small molecule multi-target directed herbal medicine therapeutic approaches are the most appropriate exploration strategies for SARS-CoV-2 drug discovery. This study identified potential multi-target-directed Parkia bioactive entities against SARS-CoV-2 receptors (S-protein, ACE2, TMPRSS2, RBD/ACE2, RdRp, MPro, and PLPro) using ADMET, drug-likeness, molecular docking (AutoDock, FireDock and HDOCK), molecular dynamics simulation and MM-PBSA tools. One thousand Parkia bioactive entities were screened out by virtual screening and forty-five bioactive phytomolecules were selected based on favorable binding affinity and acceptable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics properties. The binding affinity values of Parkia phyto-ligands (AutoDock: -6.00--10.40 kcal/mol; FireDock: -31.00--62.02 kcal/mol; and HDOCK: -150.0--294.93 kcal/mol) were observed to be higher than the reference antiviral drugs (AutoDock: -5.90--9.10 kcal/mol; FireDock: -35.64--59.35 kcal/mol; and HDOCK: -132.82--211.87 kcal/mol), suggesting a potent modulatory action of Parkia bioactive entities against the SARS-CoV-2. Didymin, rutin, epigallocatechin gallate, epicatechin-3-0-gallate, hyperin, ursolic acid, lupeol, stigmasta-5,24(28)-diene-3-ol, ellagic acid, apigenin, stigmasterol, and campesterol strongly bound with the multiple targets of the SARS-CoV-2 receptors, inhibiting viral entry, attachment, binding, replication, transcription, maturation, packaging and spread. Furthermore, ACE2, TMPRSS2, and MPro receptors possess significant molecular dynamic properties, including stability, compactness, flexibility and total binding energy. Residues GLU-589, and LEU-95 of ACE2, GLN-350, HIS-186, and ASP-257 of TMPRSS2, and GLU-14, MET-49, and GLN-189 of MPro receptors contributed to the formation of hydrogen bonds and binding interactions, playing vital roles in inhibiting the activity of the receptors. Promising results were achieved by developing multi-targeted antiviral Parkia bioactive entities as lead and prospective candidates under a small molecule strategy against SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. The antiviral activity of Parkia bioactive entities needs to be further validated by pre-clinical and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roy Dinata
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Nisekhoto Nisa
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Chettri Arati
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | | | - Chetia Uditraj
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | | | | | | | - Bose Manikandan
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | | | - Giri Abinash
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Buragohain Pori
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Maurya Khushboo
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
| | - Vikas Kumar Roy
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, India
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Yang L, Zeng XT, Luo RH, Ren SX, Liang LL, Huang QX, Tang Y, Fan H, Ren HY, Zhang WJ, Zheng YT, Cheng W. SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 utilizes various host splicing factors for replication and splicing regulation. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29396. [PMID: 38235848 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29396] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/01/2024] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is a crucial element in the replication and transcription of RNA viruses. Although the RdRps of lethal human coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), SARS-CoV, and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanism of the catalytic subunit NSP12, which is involved in pathogenesis, remains unclear. In this study, the biochemical and cell biological results demonstrate the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 and seven host proteins, including three splicing factors (SLU7, PPIL3, and AKAP8). The entry efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 considerably decreased when SLU7 or PPIL3 was knocked out, indicating that abnormal splicing of the host genome was responsible for this occurrence. Furthermore, the polymerase activity and stability of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp were affected by the three splicing factors to varying degrees. In addition, NSP12 and its homologues from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV suppressed the alternative splicing of cellular genes, which were influenced by the three splicing factors. Overall, our research illustrates that SARS-CoV-2 NSP12 can engage with various splicing factors, thereby impacting virus entry, replication, and gene splicing. This not only improves our understanding of how viruses cause diseases but also lays the foundation for the development of antiviral therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Yang
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiao-Tao Zeng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rong-Hua Luo
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Si-Xue Ren
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Lin-Lin Liang
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Qiu-Xia Huang
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ying Tang
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hong Fan
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hai-Yan Ren
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wan-Jiang Zhang
- Department of Pathophysiology, Shihezi University School of Medicine, the Key Laboratory of Xinjiang Endemic and Ethnic Diseases, Shihezi, Xinjiang, China
| | - Yong-Tang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Bioactive Peptides of Yunnan Province, KIZ-CUHK Joint Laboratory of Bioresources and Molecular Research in Common Diseases, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- Division of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Respiratory Infection and Intervention Laboratory of Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Daskou M, Fotooh Abadi L, Gain C, Wong M, Sharma E, Kombe Kombe AJ, Nanduri R, Kelesidis T. The Role of the NRF2 Pathway in the Pathogenesis of Viral Respiratory Infections. Pathogens 2023; 13:39. [PMID: 38251346 PMCID: PMC10819673 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010039] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In humans, acute and chronic respiratory infections caused by viruses are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Respiratory viruses infect airway epithelial cells and induce oxidative stress, yet the exact pathogenesis remains unclear. Oxidative stress activates the transcription factor NRF2, which plays a key role in alleviating redox-induced cellular injury. The transcriptional activation of NRF2 has been reported to affect both viral replication and associated inflammation pathways. There is complex bidirectional crosstalk between virus replication and the NRF2 pathway because virus replication directly or indirectly regulates NRF2 expression, and NRF2 activation can reversely hamper viral replication and viral spread across cells and tissues. In this review, we discuss the complex role of the NRF2 pathway in the regulation of the pathogenesis of the main respiratory viruses, including coronaviruses, influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and rhinoviruses. We also summarize the scientific evidence regarding the effects of the known NRF2 agonists that can be utilized to alter the NRF2 pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Daskou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Leila Fotooh Abadi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.F.A.); (R.N.)
| | - Chandrima Gain
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Michael Wong
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Eashan Sharma
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Arnaud John Kombe Kombe
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.F.A.); (R.N.)
| | - Ravikanth Nanduri
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.F.A.); (R.N.)
| | - Theodoros Kelesidis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Geographic Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA; (L.F.A.); (R.N.)
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Lombardo D, Musolino C, Chines V, Caminiti G, Palermo C, Cacciola I, Raffa G, Pollicino T. Assessing Genomic Mutations in SARS-CoV-2: Potential Resistance to Antiviral Drugs in Viral Populations from Untreated COVID-19 Patients. Microorganisms 2023; 12:2. [PMID: 38276171 PMCID: PMC10821222 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12010002] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 variants mutated in genomic regions targeted by antiviral drugs have not been extensively studied. This study investigated the potential of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) complex subunits and non-structural protein (Nsp)5 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) to accumulate natural mutations that could affect the efficacy of antiviral drugs. To this aim, SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences isolated from 4155 drug-naive individuals from southern Italy were analyzed using the Illumina MiSeq platform. Sequencing of the 4155 samples showed the following viral variant distribution: 71.2% Delta, 22.2% Omicron, and 6.4% Alpha. In the Nsp12 sequences, we found 84 amino acid substitutions. The most common one was P323L, detected in 3777/4155 (91%) samples, with 2906/3777 (69.9%) also showing the G671S substitution in combination. Additionally, we identified 28, 14, and 24 different amino acid substitutions in the Nsp5, Nsp7, and Nsp8 genomic regions, respectively. Of note, the V186F and A191V substitutions, affecting residues adjacent to the active site of Nsp5 (the target of the antiviral drug Paxlovid), were found in 157/4155 (3.8%) and 3/4155 (0.07%) samples, respectively. In conclusion, the RdRp complex subunits and the Nsp5 genomic region exhibit susceptibility to accumulating natural mutations. This susceptibility poses a potential risk to the efficacy of antiviral drugs, as these mutations may compromise the drug ability to inhibit viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Lombardo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Cristina Musolino
- Department of Human Pathology, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy;
| | - Valeria Chines
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Giuseppe Caminiti
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Claudia Palermo
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Irene Cacciola
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Giuseppina Raffa
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Teresa Pollicino
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University Hospital of Messina, 98124 Messina, Italy; (D.L.); (V.C.); (G.C.); (C.P.); (I.C.); (G.R.)
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50
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Shehzadi K, Yu M, Liang J. De Novo Potent Peptide Nucleic Acid Antisense Oligomer Inhibitors Targeting SARS-CoV-2 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase via Structure-Guided Drug Design. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17473. [PMID: 38139312 PMCID: PMC10744289 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242417473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Global reports of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants and recurrence cases continue despite substantial vaccination campaigns, raising severe concerns about COVID-19. While repurposed drugs offer some treatment options for COVID-19, notably, nucleoside inhibitors like Remdesivir stand out as curative therapies for COVID-19 that are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The emergence of highly contagious SARS-CoV-2 variants underscores the imperative for antiviral drugs adaptable to evolving viral mutations. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) plays a key role in viral genome replication. Currently, inhibiting viral RdRp function remains a pivotal strategy to tackle the notorious virus. Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) therapy shows promise by effectively targeting specific genome regions, reducing viral replication, and inhibiting infection. In our study, we designed PNA antisense oligomers conjugated with cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) aiming to evaluate their antiviral effects against RdRp target using structure-guided drug design, which involves molecular docking simulations, drug likeliness and pharmacokinetic evaluations, molecular dynamics simulations, and computing binding free energy. The in silico analysis predicts that chemically modified PNAs might act as antisense molecules in order to disrupt ribosome assembly at RdRp's translation start site, and their chemically stable and neutral backbone might enhance sequence-specific RNA binding interaction. Notably, our findings demonstrate that PNA-peptide conjugates might be the most promising inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, with superior binding free energy compared to Remdesivir in the current COVID-19 medication. Specifically, PNA-CPP-1 could bind simultaneously to the active site residues of RdRp protein and sequence-specific RdRp-RNA target in order to control viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mingjia Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100811, China;
| | - Jianhua Liang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecule Science and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing 100811, China;
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