1
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Adly AN, Bi M, Carlson CR, Syed AM, Ciling A, Doudna JA, Cheng Y, Morgan DO. Assembly of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleosomes by truncated N ∗ variant of the nucleocapsid protein. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105362. [PMID: 37863261 PMCID: PMC10665939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compacts the RNA genome into viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes within virions. Assembly of vRNPs is inhibited by phosphorylation of the N protein serine/arginine (SR) region. Several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern carry N protein mutations that reduce phosphorylation and enhance the efficiency of viral packaging. Variants of the dominant B.1.1 viral lineage also encode a truncated N protein, termed N∗ or Δ(1-209), that mediates genome packaging despite lacking the N-terminal RNA-binding domain and SR region. Here, we use mass photometry and negative stain electron microscopy to show that purified Δ(1-209) and viral RNA assemble into vRNPs that are remarkably similar in size and shape to those formed with full-length N protein. We show that assembly of Δ(1-209) vRNPs requires the leucine-rich helix of the central disordered region and that this helix promotes N protein oligomerization. We also find that fusion of a phosphomimetic SR region to Δ(1-209) inhibits RNA binding and vRNP assembly. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which RNA binding promotes N protein self-association and vRNP assembly, and how this process is modulated by phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin N Adly
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maxine Bi
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Abdullah M Syed
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alison Ciling
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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2
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Dong H, Zhang H, Jalin J, He Z, Wang R, Huang L, Liu Z, Zhang S, Dai B, Li D. Nucleocapsid proteins from human coronaviruses possess phase separation capabilities and promote FUS pathological aggregation. Protein Sci 2023; 32:e4826. [PMID: 37906538 PMCID: PMC10659942 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4826] [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: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein is an essential structural component necessary for genomic packaging and replication in various human coronaviruses (HCoVs), such as SARS-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV. Recent studies have revealed that the SARS-CoV-2 N protein exhibits a high capacity for liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS), which plays multiple roles in viral infection and replication. In this study, we systematically investigate the LLPS capabilities of seven homologous N proteins from different HCoVs using a high-throughput protein phase separation assay. We found that LLPS is a shared intrinsic property among these N proteins. However, the phase separation profiles of the various N protein homologs differ, and they undergo phase separation under distinct in vitro conditions. Moreover, we demonstrate that N protein homologs can co-phase separate with FUS, a SG-containing protein, and accelerate its liquid-to-solid phase transition and amyloid aggregation, which is closely related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Further study shows that N protein homologs can directly bind to the low complexity domain of FUS. Together, our work demonstrates that N proteins of different HCoVs possess phase separation capabilities, which may contribute to promoting pathological aggregation of host proteins and disrupting SG homeostasis during the infection and replication of various HCoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Dong
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
- Present address:
Interdisciplinary Research Center on Biology and ChemistryShanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesShanghaiChina
| | - Hong Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Julie Jalin
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Ziqi He
- College of StomatologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Runhan Wang
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Leqi Huang
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Zibo Liu
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Shenqing Zhang
- Bio‐X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of EducationShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced StudyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Bin Dai
- School of Life Sciences and BiotechnologyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
| | - Dan Li
- Bio‐X Institutes, Key Laboratory for the Genetics of Developmental and Neuropsychiatric Disorders, Ministry of EducationShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
- Zhangjiang Institute for Advanced StudyShanghai Jiao Tong UniversityShanghaiChina
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3
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Ramos FF, Pereira IAG, Cardoso MM, Bandeira RS, Lage DP, Scussel R, Anastacio RS, Freire VG, Melo MFN, Oliveira-da-Silva JA, Martins VT, Tavares GSV, Vale DL, Freitas CS, Chaves AT, Caporali JFM, Vassallo PF, Ravetti CG, Nobre V, Fonseca FG, Christodoulides M, Machado-de-Ávila RA, Coelho EAF, Ludolf F. B-Cell Epitopes-Based Chimeric Protein from SARS-CoV-2 N and S Proteins Is Recognized by Specific Antibodies in Serum and Urine Samples from Patients. Viruses 2023; 15:1877. [PMID: 37766284 PMCID: PMC10538162 DOI: 10.3390/v15091877] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus underscored the crucial role of laboratorial tests as a strategy to control the disease, mainly to indicate the presence of specific antibodies in human samples from infected patients. Therefore, suitable recombinant antigens are relevant for the development of reliable tests, and so far, single recombinant proteins have been used. In this context, B-cell epitopes-based chimeric proteins can be an alternative to obtain tests with high accuracy through easier and cheaper production. The present study used bioinformatics tools to select specific B-cell epitopes from the spike (S) and the nucleocapsid (N) proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, aiming to produce a novel recombinant chimeric antigen (N4S11-SC2). Eleven S and four N-derived B-cell epitopes were predicted and used to construct the N4S11-SC2 protein, which was analyzed in a recombinant format against serum and urine samples, by means of an in house-ELISA. Specific antibodies were detected in the serum and urine samples of COVID-19 patients, which were previously confirmed by qRT-PCR. Results showed that N4S11-SC2 presented 83.7% sensitivity and 100% specificity when using sera samples, and 91.1% sensitivity and 100% specificity using urine samples. Comparable findings were achieved with paired urine samples when compared to N and S recombinant proteins expressed in prokaryotic systems. However, better results were reached for N4S11-SC2 in comparison to the S recombinant protein when using paired serum samples. Anti-N4S11-SC2 antibodies were not clearly identified in Janssen Ad26.COV2.S COVID-19-vaccinated subjects, using serum or paired urine samples. In conclusion, this study presents a new chimeric recombinant antigen expressed in a prokaryotic system that could be considered as an alternative diagnostic marker for the SARS-CoV-2 infection, with the potential benefits to be used on serum or urine from infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda F. Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Isabela A. G. Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Mariana M. Cardoso
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Raquel S. Bandeira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Daniela P. Lage
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Rahisa Scussel
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma 88806-000, Santa Catarina, Brazil (R.A.M.-d.-Á.)
| | - Rafaela S. Anastacio
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma 88806-000, Santa Catarina, Brazil (R.A.M.-d.-Á.)
| | - Victor G. Freire
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma 88806-000, Santa Catarina, Brazil (R.A.M.-d.-Á.)
| | - Marina F. N. Melo
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Joao A. Oliveira-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Vivian T. Martins
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Grasiele S. V. Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Danniele L. Vale
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Camila S. Freitas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Ana Thereza Chaves
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
| | - Júlia F. M. Caporali
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paula F. Vassallo
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Cecilia G. Ravetti
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vandack Nobre
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
- Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Flavio G. Fonseca
- Centro de Tecnologia de Vacinas (CT Vacinas), BH-Tec, UFMG, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Laboratório de Virologia Molecular e Aplicada, Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK
| | - Ricardo A. Machado-de-Ávila
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma 88806-000, Santa Catarina, Brazil (R.A.M.-d.-Á.)
| | - Eduardo A. F. Coelho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
- Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Ludolf
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-100, Minas Gerais, Brazil; (F.F.R.); (I.A.G.P.); (M.M.C.); (E.A.F.C.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Faculdade Ciências Médicas de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 30130-110, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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4
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Castillo G, Mora-Díaz JC, Breuer M, Singh P, Nelli RK, Giménez-Lirola LG. Molecular mechanisms of human coronavirus NL63 infection and replication. Virus Res 2023; 327:199078. [PMID: 36813239 PMCID: PMC9944649 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2023.199078] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) is spread globally, causing upper and lower respiratory tract infections mainly in young children. HCoV-NL63 shares a host receptor (ACE2) with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-2 but, unlike them, HCoV-NL63 primarily develops into self-limiting mild to moderate respiratory disease. Although with different efficiency, both HCoV-NL63 and SARS-like CoVs infect ciliated respiratory cells using ACE2 as receptor for binding and cell entry. Working with SARS-like CoVs require access to BSL-3 facilities, while HCoV-NL63 research can be performed at BSL-2 laboratories. Thus, HCoV-NL63 could be used as a safer surrogate for comparative studies on receptor dynamics, infectivity and virus replication, disease mechanism, and potential therapeutic interventions against SARS-like CoVs. This prompted us to review the current knowledge on the infection mechanism and replication of HCoV-NL63. Specifically, after a brief overview on the taxonomy, genomic organization and virus structure, this review compiles the current HCoV-NL63-related research in virus entry and replication mechanism, including virus attachment, endocytosis, genome translation, and replication and transcription. Furthermore, we reviewed cumulative knowledge on the susceptibility of different cells to HCoV-NL63 infection in vitro, which is essential for successful virus isolation and propagation, and contribute to address different scientific questions from basic science to the development and assessment of diagnostic tools, and antiviral therapies. Finally, we discussed different antiviral strategies that have been explored to suppress replication of HCoV-NL63, and other related human coronaviruses, by either targeting the virus or enhancing host antiviral mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gino Castillo
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1850 Christensen Drive, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Juan Carlos Mora-Díaz
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1850 Christensen Drive, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Mary Breuer
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1850 Christensen Drive, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Pallavi Singh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
| | - Rahul K Nelli
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1850 Christensen Drive, Ames, IA 50011, USA
| | - Luis G Giménez-Lirola
- Department of Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Animal Medicine, Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, 1850 Christensen Drive, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
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5
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Harrison CM, Doster JM, Landwehr EH, Kumar NP, White EJ, Beachboard DC, Stobart CC. Evaluating the Virology and Evolution of Seasonal Human Coronaviruses Associated with the Common Cold in the COVID-19 Era. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020445. [PMID: 36838410 PMCID: PMC9961755 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Approximately 15-30% of all cases of the common cold are due to human coronavirus infections. More recently, the emergence of the more severe respiratory coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, have highlighted the increased pathogenic potential of emergent coronaviruses. Lastly, the current emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has demonstrated not only the potential for significant disease caused by emerging coronaviruses, but also the capacity of novel coronaviruses to promote pandemic spread. Largely driven by the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, significant research in coronavirus biology has led to advances in our understanding of these viruses. In this review, we evaluate the virology, emergence, and evolution of the four endemic coronaviruses associated with the common cold, their relationship to pandemic SARS-CoV-2, and discuss the potential for future emergent human coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron M. Harrison
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA
| | - Jayden M. Doster
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA
| | - Emily H. Landwehr
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA
| | - Nidhi P. Kumar
- Department of Biology, DeSales University, Central Valley, PA 18034, USA
| | - Ethan J. White
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA
| | - Dia C. Beachboard
- Department of Biology, DeSales University, Central Valley, PA 18034, USA
| | - Christopher C. Stobart
- Department of Biological Sciences, Butler University, Indianapolis, IN 46208, USA
- Correspondence:
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6
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Mohseni N, Royster A, Ren S, Ma Y, Pintado M, Mir M, Mir S. A novel compound targets the feline infectious peritonitis virus nucleocapsid protein and inhibits viral replication in cell culture. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:102976. [PMID: 36738790 PMCID: PMC10011503 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.102976] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) is a serious viral illness in cats, caused by feline coronavirus. Once a cat develops clinical FIP, the prognosis is poor. The effective treatment strategy for coronavirus infections with immunopathological complications such as SARS-CoV-2, MERS, and FIP is focused on antiviral and immunomodulatory agents to inhibit virus replication and enhance the protective immune response. In this article we report the binding and conformational alteration of feline alphacoronavirus (FCoV) nucleocapsid protein by a novel compound K31. K31 noncompetitively inhibited the interaction between the purified nucleocapsid protein and the synthetic 5' terminus of viral genomic RNA in vitro. K31 was well tolerated by cells and inhibited FCoV replication in cell culture with a selective index of 115. A single dose of K31inhibited FCoV replication to an undetectable level in 24 h post treatment. K31 did not affect the virus entry to the host cell but inhibited the postentry steps of virus replication. The nucleocapsid protein forms ribonucleocapsid in association with the viral genomic RNA that serves as a template for transcription and replication of the viral genome. Our results show that K31 treatment disrupted the structural integrity of ribonucleocapsid in virus-infected cells. After the COVID-19 pandemic, most of the antiviral drug development strategies have focused on RdRp and proteases encoded by the viral genome. Our results have shown that nucleocapsid protein is a druggable target for anticoronavirus drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nazleen Mohseni
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Austin Royster
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Songyang Ren
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Yutian Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Melissa Pintado
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Mohammad Mir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA
| | - Sheema Mir
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, California, USA.
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7
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Chau BA, Chen V, Cochrane AW, Parent LJ, Mouland AJ. Liquid-liquid phase separation of nucleocapsid proteins during SARS-CoV-2 and HIV-1 replication. Cell Rep 2023; 42:111968. [PMID: 36640305 PMCID: PMC9790868 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2022] [Revised: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The leap of retroviruses and coronaviruses from animal hosts to humans has led to two ongoing pandemics and tens of millions of deaths worldwide. Retrovirus and coronavirus nucleocapsid proteins have been studied extensively as potential drug targets due to their central roles in virus replication, among which is their capacity to bind their respective genomic RNAs for packaging into nascent virions. This review focuses on fundamental studies of these nucleocapsid proteins and how their intrinsic abilities to condense through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) contribute to viral replication. Therapeutic targeting of these condensates and methodological advances are also described to address future questions on how phase separation contributes to viral replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao-An Chau
- HIV-1 RNA Trafficking Lab, Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Venessa Chen
- HIV-1 RNA Trafficking Lab, Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada
| | - Alan W Cochrane
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Leslie J Parent
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Departments of Medicine and Microbiology and Immunology, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA 17033, USA
| | - Andrew J Mouland
- HIV-1 RNA Trafficking Lab, Lady Davis Institute at the Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, QC H3T 1E2, Canada; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, McGill University, Montreal, QC H3A 2B4, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC H4A 3J1, Canada.
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8
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Chechetkin VR, Lobzin VV. Evolving ribonucleocapsid assembly/packaging signals in the genomes of the human and animal coronaviruses: targeting, transmission and evolution. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:11239-11263. [PMID: 34338591 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1958061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A world-wide COVID-19 pandemic intensified strongly the studies of molecular mechanisms related to the coronaviruses. The origin of coronaviruses and the risks of human-to-human, animal-to-human and human-to-animal transmission of coronaviral infections can be understood only on a broader evolutionary level by detailed comparative studies. In this paper, we studied ribonucleocapsid assembly-packaging signals (RNAPS) in the genomes of all seven known pathogenic human coronaviruses, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 and compared them with RNAPS in the genomes of the related animal coronaviruses including SARS-Bat-CoV, MERS-Camel-CoV, MHV, Bat-CoV MOP1, TGEV and one of camel alphacoronaviruses. RNAPS in the genomes of coronaviruses were evolved due to weakly specific interactions between genomic RNA and N proteins in helical nucleocapsids. Combining transitional genome mapping and Jaccard correlation coefficients allows us to perform the analysis directly in terms of underlying motifs distributed over the genome. In all coronaviruses, RNAPS were distributed quasi-periodically over the genome with the period about 54 nt biased to 57 nt and to 51 nt for the genomes longer and shorter than that of SARS-CoV, respectively. The comparison with the experimentally verified packaging signals for MERS-CoV, MHV and TGEV proved that the distribution of particular motifs is strongly correlated with the packaging signals. We also found that many motifs were highly conserved in both characters and positioning on the genomes throughout the lineages that make them promising therapeutic targets. The mechanisms of encapsidation can affect the recombination and co-infection as well.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir R Chechetkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasily V Lobzin
- School of Physics, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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9
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Hassam M, Bashir MA, Shafi S, Zahra NUA, Khan K, Jalal K, Siddiqui H, Uddin R. Identification of potent compounds against SARs-CoV-2: An in-silico based drug searching against Mpro. Comput Biol Med 2022; 151:106284. [PMID: 36370580 PMCID: PMC9635257 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) along with the various newly discovered major SARS-CoV-2 variants, including B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and B.1.1.28, constitute the Variant of Concerns (VOC). It's difficult to keep these variants from spreading over the planet. As a result of these VOCs, the fifth wave has already begun in several countries. The rapid spread of VOCs is posing a serious threat to human civilization. There is currently no specific medicine available for the treatment of COVID-19. Here, we present the findings of methods that used a combination of structure-assisted drug design, virtual screening, and high-throughput screening to swiftly generate lead compounds against Mpro protein of SARs-CoV-2. Therapeutics, in addition to vaccinations, are an essential element of the healthcare response to COVID-19's persistent threat. In the current study, we designed the efficient compounds that may combat all emerging variants of SARs-CoV-2 by targeting the common Mpro protein. The present study was aimed to discover new compounds that may be proposed as new therapeutic agents to treat COVID-19 infection without any adverse effects. For this purpose, a computational-based virtual screening of 352 in-house synthesized compounds library was performed through molecular docking and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation approach. As a result, four novel potent compounds were successfully shortlisted by implementing certain pharmacological, physiological, and ADMET criteria i.e., compounds 3, 4, 21, and 22. Furthermore, MD simulations were performed to evaluate the stability and dynamic behavior of these compounds with Mpro complex for about 30 ns. Eventually, compound 22 was found to be highly potent against Mpro protein and was further evaluated by applying 100 ns simulations. Our findings showed that these shortlisted compounds may have potency to treat the COVID-19 infection for which further experimental validation is proposed as part of a follow-up investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hassam
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Arslan Bashir
- Department of Avionics Engineering, College of Aeronautical Engineering, National University of Science and Technology, Risalpur, Pakistan
| | - Sarah Shafi
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Noor-ul-Ain Zahra
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan,Institute of Organismic and Molecular Evolution, Faculty of Biology, Johannes Gutenberg Universität, 55128, Mainz, Germany
| | - Kanwal Khan
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Khurshid Jalal
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Hina Siddiqui
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Reaz Uddin
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan,Corresponding author. Lab 103 PCMD ext. Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan
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10
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Carlson CR, Adly AN, Bi M, Howard CJ, Frost A, Cheng Y, Morgan DO. Reconstitution of the SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleosome provides insights into genomic RNA packaging and regulation by phosphorylation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102560. [PMID: 36202211 PMCID: PMC9529352 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 is responsible for compaction of the ∼30-kb RNA genome in the ∼90-nm virion. Previous studies suggest that each virion contains 35 to 40 viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes, or ribonucleosomes, arrayed along the genome. There is, however, little mechanistic understanding of the vRNP complex. Here, we show that N protein, when combined in vitro with short fragments of the viral genome, forms 15-nm particles similar to the vRNP structures observed within virions. These vRNPs depend on regions of N protein that promote protein-RNA and protein-protein interactions. Phosphorylation of N protein in its disordered serine/arginine region weakens these interactions to generate less compact vRNPs. We propose that unmodified N protein binds structurally diverse regions in genomic RNA to form compact vRNPs within the nucleocapsid, while phosphorylation alters vRNP structure to support other N protein functions in viral transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Armin N Adly
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maxine Bi
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Conor J Howard
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Adam Frost
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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11
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Laine L, Skön M, Väisänen E, Julkunen I, Österlund P. SARS-CoV-2 variants Alpha, Beta, Delta and Omicron show a slower host cell interferon response compared to an early pandemic variant. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1016108. [PMID: 36248817 PMCID: PMC9561549 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1016108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the start of the pandemic at the end of 2019, arising mutations in SARS-CoV-2 have improved its transmission and ability to circumvent the immunity induced by vaccination and previous COVID-19 infection. Studies on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 genomic mutations on replication and innate immunity will give us valuable insight into the evolution of the virus which can aid in further development of vaccines and new treatment modalities. Here we systematically analyzed the kinetics of virus replication, innate immune activation, and host cell antiviral response patterns in Alpha, Beta, Delta, Kappa, Omicron and two early pandemic SARS-CoV-2 variant-infected human lung epithelial Calu-3 cells. We observed overall comparable replication patterns for these variants with modest variations. Particularly, the sublineages of Omicron BA.1, BA.2 and a recombinant sublineage, XJ, all showed attenuated replication in Calu-3 cells compared to Alpha and Delta. Furthermore, there was relatively weak activation of primary innate immune signaling pathways, however, all variants produced enough interferons to induce the activation of STAT2 and production of interferon stimulated genes (ISGs). While interferon mRNA expression and STAT2 activation correlated with cellular viral RNA levels, ISG production did not. Although clear cut effects of specific SARS-CoV-2 genomic mutations could not be concluded, the variants of concern, including Omicron, showed a lower replication efficiency and a slower interferon response compared to an early pandemic variant in the study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Laine
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Larissa Laine,
| | - Marika Skön
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Elina Väisänen
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ilkka Julkunen
- Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Pamela Österlund
- Expert Microbiology Unit, Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
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12
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Wang W, Chen J, Yu X, Lan HY. Signaling mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid protein in viral infection, cell death and inflammation. Int J Biol Sci 2022; 18:4704-4713. [PMID: 35874957 PMCID: PMC9305276 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.72663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has posed a worldwide pandemic and a major global public health threat. SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid (N) protein plays a critical role in multiple steps of the viral life cycle and participates in viral replication, transcription, and assembly. The primary roles of N protein are to assemble with genomic RNA into the viral RNA-protein (vRNP) complex and to localize to the replication transcription complexes (RTCs) to enhance viral replication and transcription. N protein can also undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) with viral genome RNA and inhibit stress granules to facilitate viral replication and assembly. Besides the function in viral life cycle, N protein can bind GSDMD to antagonize pyroptosis but promotes cell death via the Smad3-dependent G1 cell cycle arrest mechanism. In innate immune system, N protein inhibits IFN-β production and RNAi pathway for virus survival. However, it can induce expression of proinflammatory cytokines by activating NF-κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome, resulting in cytokine storms. In this review article, we are focusing on the signaling mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 N protein in viral replication, cell death and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenbiao Wang
- Medical Research Center and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunity and Genetics of Chronic Kidney Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junzhe Chen
- Department of Nephrology, The Third Affiliated hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.,Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, and Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xueqing Yu
- Medical Research Center and Guangdong-Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for Immunity and Genetics of Chronic Kidney Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui-Yao Lan
- Departments of Medicine & Therapeutics, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, and Lui Che Woo Institute of Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,The Chinese University of Hong Kong-Guangdong Academy of Sciences/Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital Joint Research Laboratory on Immunological and Genetic Kidney Diseases, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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13
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Johnson BA, Zhou Y, Lokugamage KG, Vu MN, Bopp N, Crocquet-Valdes PA, Kalveram B, Schindewolf C, Liu Y, Scharton D, Plante JA, Xie X, Aguilar P, Weaver SC, Shi PY, Walker DH, Routh AL, Plante KS, Menachery VD. Nucleocapsid mutations in SARS-CoV-2 augment replication and pathogenesis. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010627. [PMID: 35728038 PMCID: PMC9275689 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
While SARS-CoV-2 continues to adapt for human infection and transmission, genetic variation outside of the spike gene remains largely unexplored. This study investigates a highly variable region at residues 203-205 in the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Recreating a mutation found in the alpha and omicron variants in an early pandemic (WA-1) background, we find that the R203K+G204R mutation is sufficient to enhance replication, fitness, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. The R203K+G204R mutant corresponds with increased viral RNA and protein both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the R203K+G204R mutation increases nucleocapsid phosphorylation and confers resistance to inhibition of the GSK-3 kinase, providing a molecular basis for increased virus replication. Notably, analogous alanine substitutions at positions 203+204 also increase SARS-CoV-2 replication and augment phosphorylation, suggesting that infection is enhanced through ablation of the ancestral 'RG' motif. Overall, these results demonstrate that variant mutations outside spike are key components in SARS-CoV-2's continued adaptation to human infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan A Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yiyang Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kumari G Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Michelle N Vu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Nathen Bopp
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Birte Kalveram
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Craig Schindewolf
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dionna Scharton
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Jessica A Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Patricia Aguilar
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Scott C Weaver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Andrew L Routh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kenneth S Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Vineet D Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, United States of America
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14
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Carlson CR, Adly AN, Bi M, Cheng Y, Morgan DO. Reconstitution of the SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleosome provides insights into genomic RNA packaging and regulation by phosphorylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.05.23.493138. [PMID: 35664996 PMCID: PMC9164447 DOI: 10.1101/2022.05.23.493138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of coronaviruses is responsible for compaction of the ∼30-kb RNA genome in the ∼100-nm virion. Cryo-electron tomography suggests that each virion contains 35-40 viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes, or ribonucleosomes, arrayed along the genome. There is, however, little mechanistic understanding of the vRNP complex. Here, we show that N protein, when combined with viral RNA fragments in vitro, forms cylindrical 15-nm particles similar to the vRNP structures observed within coronavirus virions. These vRNPs form in the presence of stem-loop-containing RNA and depend on regions of N protein that promote protein-RNA and protein-protein interactions. Phosphorylation of N protein in its disordered serine/arginine (SR) region weakens these interactions and disrupts vRNP assembly. We propose that unmodified N binds stem-loop-rich regions in genomic RNA to form compact vRNP complexes within the nucleocapsid, while phosphorylated N maintains uncompacted viral RNA to promote the protein's transcriptional function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Armin N. Adly
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco CA 94143
| | - Maxine Bi
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco CA 94143
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco CA 94143
| | - David O. Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco CA 94143
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15
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Li J, Jia H, Tian M, Wu N, Yang X, Qi J, Ren W, Li F, Bian H. SARS-CoV-2 and Emerging Variants: Unmasking Structure, Function, Infection, and Immune Escape Mechanisms. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:869832. [PMID: 35646741 PMCID: PMC9134119 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.869832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
As of April 1, 2022, over 468 million COVID-19 cases and over 6 million deaths have been confirmed globally. Unlike the common coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 has highly contagious and attracted a high level of concern worldwide. Through the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins, we can gain a deeper understanding of structure-function relationships, viral infection mechanisms, and viable strategies for antiviral therapy. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the first widely acknowledged SARS-CoV-2 receptor, but researches have shown that there are additional co-receptors that can facilitate the entry of SARS-CoV-2 to infect humans. We have performed an in-depth review of published papers, searching for co-receptors or other auxiliary membrane proteins that enhance viral infection, and analyzing pertinent pathogenic mechanisms. The genome, and especially the spike gene, undergoes mutations at an abnormally high frequency during virus replication and/or when it is transmitted from one individual to another. We summarized the main mutant strains currently circulating global, and elaborated the structural feature for increased infectivity and immune evasion of variants. Meanwhile, the principal purpose of the review is to update information on the COVID-19 outbreak. Many countries have novel findings on the early stage of the epidemic, and accruing evidence has rewritten the timeline of the outbreak, triggering new thinking about the origin and spread of COVID-19. It is anticipated that this can provide further insights for future research and global epidemic prevention and control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Feifei Li
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
| | - Hongjun Bian
- Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China
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16
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Zhou Y, Sotcheff SL, Routh AL. Next-generation sequencing: A new avenue to understand viral RNA-protein interactions. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:101924. [PMID: 35413291 PMCID: PMC8994257 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.101924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 10/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of RNA viruses present an astonishing source of both sequence and structural diversity. From intracellular viral RNA-host interfaces to interactions between the RNA genome and structural proteins in virus particles themselves, almost the entire viral lifecycle is accompanied by a myriad of RNA-protein interactions that are required to fulfill their replicative potential. It is therefore important to characterize such rich and dynamic collections of viral RNA-protein interactions to understand virus evolution and their adaptation to their hosts and environment. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have allowed the characterization of viral RNA-protein interactions, including both transient and conserved interactions, where molecular and structural approaches have fallen short. In this review, we will provide a methodological overview of the high-throughput techniques used to study viral RNA-protein interactions, their biochemical mechanisms, and how they evolved from classical methods as well as one another. We will discuss how different techniques have fueled virus research to characterize how viral RNA and proteins interact, both locally and on a global scale. Finally, we will present examples on how these techniques influence the studies of clinically important pathogens such as HIV-1 and SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiyang Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
| | - Stephanea L Sotcheff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew L Routh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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17
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Ribeiro-Filho HV, Jara GE, Batista FAH, Schleder GR, Costa Tonoli CC, Soprano AS, Guimarães SL, Borges AC, Cassago A, Bajgelman MC, Marques RE, Trivella DBB, Franchini KG, Figueira ACM, Benedetti CE, Lopes-de-Oliveira PS. Structural dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein induced by RNA binding. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010121. [PMID: 35551296 PMCID: PMC9129039 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the causal agent of COVID-19, is a multifunction phosphoprotein that plays critical roles in the virus life cycle, including transcription and packaging of the viral RNA. To play such diverse roles, the N protein has two globular RNA-binding modules, the N- (NTD) and C-terminal (CTD) domains, which are connected by an intrinsically disordered region. Despite the wealth of structural data available for the isolated NTD and CTD, how these domains are arranged in the full-length protein and how the oligomerization of N influences its RNA-binding activity remains largely unclear. Herein, using experimental data from electron microscopy and biochemical/biophysical techniques combined with molecular modeling and molecular dynamics simulations, we show that, in the absence of RNA, the N protein formed structurally dynamic dimers, with the NTD and CTD arranged in extended conformations. However, in the presence of RNA, the N protein assumed a more compact conformation where the NTD and CTD are packed together. We also provided an octameric model for the full-length N bound to RNA that is consistent with electron microscopy images of the N protein in the presence of RNA. Together, our results shed new light on the dynamics and higher-order oligomeric structure of this versatile protein. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus plays an essential role in virus particle assembly as it specifically binds to and wraps the virus genomic RNA into a well-organized structure known as the ribonucleoprotein. Understanding how the N protein wraps around the virus RNA is critical for the development of strategies to inhibit virus assembly within host cells. One of the limitations regarding the molecular structure of the ribonucleoprotein, however, is that the N protein has several unstructured and mobile regions that preclude the resolution of its full atomic structure. Moreover, the N protein can form higher-order oligomers, both in the presence and absence of RNA. Here we employed computational methods, supported by experimental data, to simulate the N protein structural dynamics in the absence and presence of RNA. Our data suggest that the N protein forms structurally dynamic dimers in the absence of RNA, with its structured N- and C-terminal domains oriented in extended conformations. In the presence of RNA, however, the N protein assumes a more compact conformation. Our model for the oligomeric structure of the N protein bound to RNA helps to understand how N protein dimers interact to each other to form the ribonucleoprotein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helder Veras Ribeiro-Filho
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Ernesto Jara
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Ravanhani Schleder
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Celisa Caldana Costa Tonoli
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Adriana Santos Soprano
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Samuel Leite Guimarães
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Antonio Carlos Borges
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Cassago
- Brazilian Nanotechnology National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Marcio Chaim Bajgelman
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael Elias Marques
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Kleber Gomes Franchini
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
| | | | - Celso Eduardo Benedetti
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
- * E-mail: (CEB); (PSLO)
| | - Paulo Sergio Lopes-de-Oliveira
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory, Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, Brazil
- * E-mail: (CEB); (PSLO)
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18
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Mourier T, Shuaib M, Hala S, Mfarrej S, Alofi F, Naeem R, Alsomali A, Jorgensen D, Subudhi AK, Ben Rached F, Guan Q, Salunke RP, Ooi A, Esau L, Douvropoulou O, Nugmanova R, Perumal S, Zhang H, Rajan I, Al-Omari A, Salih S, Shamsan A, Al Mutair A, Taha J, Alahmadi A, Khotani N, Alhamss A, Mahmoud A, Alquthami K, Dageeg A, Khogeer A, Hashem AM, Moraga P, Volz E, Almontashiri N, Pain A. SARS-CoV-2 genomes from Saudi Arabia implicate nucleocapsid mutations in host response and increased viral load. Nat Commun 2022; 13:601. [PMID: 35105893 PMCID: PMC8807822 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28287-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 spread and evolution through genome sequencing is essential in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we sequenced 892 SARS-CoV-2 genomes collected from patients in Saudi Arabia from March to August 2020. We show that two consecutive mutations (R203K/G204R) in the nucleocapsid (N) protein are associated with higher viral loads in COVID-19 patients. Our comparative biochemical analysis reveals that the mutant N protein displays enhanced viral RNA binding and differential interaction with key host proteins. We found increased interaction of GSK3A kinase simultaneously with hyper-phosphorylation of the adjacent serine site (S206) in the mutant N protein. Furthermore, the host cell transcriptome analysis suggests that the mutant N protein produces dysregulated interferon response genes. Here, we provide crucial information in linking the R203K/G204R mutations in the N protein to modulations of host-virus interactions and underline the potential of the nucleocapsid protein as a drug target during infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Mourier
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Shuaib
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sharif Hala
- Infectious Disease Research Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sara Mfarrej
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fadwa Alofi
- Infectious Diseases Department, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raeece Naeem
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afrah Alsomali
- Infectious Diseases Department, King Abdullah Medical Complex, Jeddah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - David Jorgensen
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, Norfolk Place, St Mary's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Amit Kumar Subudhi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fathia Ben Rached
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Qingtian Guan
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rahul P Salunke
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amanda Ooi
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luke Esau
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Olga Douvropoulou
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Raushan Nugmanova
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sadhasivam Perumal
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Huoming Zhang
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Issaac Rajan
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Awad Al-Omari
- Dr. Suliman Al-Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samer Salih
- Dr. Suliman Al-Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abbas Shamsan
- Dr. Suliman Al-Habib Medical Group, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Jumana Taha
- Department of Neuroscience, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Alahmadi
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nashwa Khotani
- Infectious Diseases Medical Department, Al Noor Specialist Hospital Makkah, Makkah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdelrahman Alhamss
- Gastroenterology Department, King Abdul Aziz Hospital Makkah, Makkah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Mahmoud
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khaled Alquthami
- Infectious Diseases Medical Department, Al Noor Specialist Hospital Makkah, Makkah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Dageeg
- Department of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asim Khogeer
- Plan and Research Department, General Directorate of Health Affairs Makkah Region, Makkah, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anwar M Hashem
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Paula Moraga
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Science and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eric Volz
- School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College, Norfolk Place, St Mary's Campus, London, United Kingdom
| | - Naif Almontashiri
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
- Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Almadinah Almunwarah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arnab Pain
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering (BESE), Thuwal-Jeddah, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
- Research Center for Zoonosis Control, Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, N20 W10 Kita-ku, Sapporo, 001-0020, Japan.
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19
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Bessa LM, Guseva S, Camacho-Zarco AR, Salvi N, Maurin D, Perez LM, Botova M, Malki A, Nanao M, Jensen MR, Ruigrok RWH, Blackledge M. The intrinsically disordered SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein in dynamic complex with its viral partner nsp3a. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm4034. [PMID: 35044811 PMCID: PMC8769549 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The processes of genome replication and transcription of SARS-CoV-2 represent important targets for viral inhibition. Betacoronaviral nucleoprotein (N) is a highly dynamic cofactor of the replication-transcription complex (RTC), whose function depends on an essential interaction with the amino-terminal ubiquitin-like domain of nsp3 (Ubl1). Here, we describe this complex (dissociation constant - 30 to 200 nM) at atomic resolution. The interaction implicates two linear motifs in the intrinsically disordered linker domain (N3), a hydrophobic helix (219LALLLLDRLNQL230) and a disordered polar strand (243GQTVTKKSAAEAS255), that mutually engage to form a bipartite interaction, folding N3 around Ubl1. This results in substantial collapse in the dimensions of dimeric N, forming a highly compact molecular chaperone, that regulates binding to RNA, suggesting a key role of nsp3 in the association of N to the RTC. The identification of distinct linear motifs that mediate an important interaction between essential viral factors provides future targets for development of innovative strategies against COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Serafima Guseva
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Nicola Salvi
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Damien Maurin
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | | | - Maiia Botova
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Anas Malki
- Université Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, CEA, IBS, F-38000 Grenoble, France
| | - Max Nanao
- Structural Biology Group, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, F-38000 Grenoble, France
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20
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Semerdzhiev SA, Fakhree MAA, Segers-Nolten I, Blum C, Claessens MMAE. Interactions between SARS-CoV-2 N-Protein and α-Synuclein Accelerate Amyloid Formation. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:143-150. [PMID: 34860005 PMCID: PMC8739828 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
![]()
First cases that
point at a correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infections
and the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD) have been reported.
Currently, it is unclear if there is also a direct causal link between
these diseases. To obtain first insights into a possible molecular
relation between viral infections and the aggregation of α-synuclein
protein into amyloid fibrils characteristic for PD, we investigated
the effect of the presence of SARS-CoV-2 proteins on α-synuclein
aggregation. We show, in test tube experiments, that SARS-CoV-2 spike
protein (S-protein) has no effect on α-synuclein aggregation,
while SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N-protein) considerably speeds
up the aggregation process. We observe the formation of multiprotein
complexes and eventually amyloid fibrils. Microinjection of N-protein
in SH-SY5Y cells disturbed the α-synuclein proteostasis and
increased cell death. Our results point toward direct interactions
between the N-protein of SARS-CoV-2 and α-synuclein as molecular
basis for the observed correlation between SARS-CoV-2 infections and
Parkinsonism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Slav A. Semerdzhiev
- Nanobiophysics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Mohammad A. A. Fakhree
- Nanobiophysics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Ine Segers-Nolten
- Nanobiophysics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Blum
- Nanobiophysics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - Mireille M. A. E. Claessens
- Nanobiophysics, MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands
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21
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Chechetkin VR, Lobzin VV. Ribonucleocapsid assembly/packaging signals in the genomes of the coronaviruses SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2: detection, comparison and implications for therapeutic targeting. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:508-522. [PMID: 32901577 PMCID: PMC7544952 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1815581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The genomic ssRNA of coronaviruses is packaged within a helical nucleocapsid. Due to transitional symmetry of a helix, weakly specific cooperative interaction between ssRNA and nucleocapsid proteins leads to the natural selection of specific quasi-periodic assembly/packaging signals in the related genomic sequence. Such signals coordinated with the nucleocapsid helical structure were detected and reconstructed in the genomes of the coronaviruses SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. The main period of the signals for both viruses was about 54 nt, that implies 6.75 nt per N protein. The complete coverage of the ssRNA genome of length about 30,000 nt by the nucleocapsid would need 4.4 × 103 N proteins, that makes them the most abundant among the structural proteins. The repertoires of motifs for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 were divergent but nearly coincided for different isolates of SARS-CoV-2. We obtained the distributions of assembly/packaging signals over the genomes with nonoverlapping windows of width 432 nt. Finally, using the spectral entropy, we compared the load from point mutations and indels during virus age for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. We found the higher mutational load on SARS-CoV. In this sense, SARS-CoV-2 can be treated as a 'newborn' virus. These observations may be helpful in practical medical applications and are of basic interest. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vladimir R. Chechetkin
- Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology of
Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow,
Russia
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22
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Fahmi A, Brügger M, Démoulins T, Zumkehr B, Oliveira Esteves BI, Bracher L, Wotzkow C, Blank F, Thiel V, Baud D, Alves MP. SARS-CoV-2 can infect and propagate in human placenta explants. Cell Rep Med 2021; 2:100456. [PMID: 34751258 PMCID: PMC8566476 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2021.100456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic continues to lead to high morbidity and mortality. During pregnancy, severe maternal and neonatal outcomes and placental pathological changes have been described. We evaluate SARS-CoV-2 infection at the maternal-fetal interface using precision-cut slices (PCSs) of human placenta. Remarkably, exposure of placenta PCSs to SARS-CoV-2 leads to a full replication cycle with infectious virus release. Moreover, the susceptibility of placental tissue to SARS-CoV-2 replication relates to the expression levels of ACE2. Viral proteins and/or viral RNA are detected in syncytiotrophoblasts, cytotrophoblasts, villous stroma, and possibly Hofbauer cells. While SARS-CoV-2 infection of placenta PCSs does not cause a detectable cytotoxicity or a pro-inflammatory cytokine response, an upregulation of one order of magnitude of interferon type III transcripts is measured. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the capacity of SARS-CoV-2 to infect and propagate in human placenta and constitute a basis for further investigation of SARS-CoV-2 biology at the maternal-fetal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Fahmi
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, 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
| | - Melanie Brügger
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Démoulins
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Beatrice Zumkehr
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Blandina I. Oliveira Esteves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Lisamaria Bracher
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Carlos Wotzkow
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Fabian Blank
- Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - David Baud
- Materno-Fetal and Obstetrics Research Unit, Department “Femme-Mere-Enfant,” Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Marco P. Alves
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
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23
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Johnson BA, Zhou Y, Lokugamage KG, Vu MN, Bopp N, Crocquet-Valdes PA, Schindewolf C, Liu Y, Scharton D, Plante JA, Xie X, Aguilar P, Weaver SC, Shi PY, Walker DH, Routh AL, Plante KS, Menachery VD. Nucleocapsid mutations in SARS-CoV-2 augment replication and pathogenesis. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021. [PMID: 34671771 PMCID: PMC8528077 DOI: 10.1101/2021.10.14.464390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
While SARS-CoV-2 continues to adapt for human infection and transmission, genetic variation outside of the spike gene remains largely unexplored. This study investigates a highly variable region at residues 203–205 in the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Recreating a mutation found in the alpha and omicron variants in an early pandemic (WA-1) background, we find that the R203K+G204R mutation is sufficient to enhance replication, fitness, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. The R203K+G204R mutant corresponds with increased viral RNA and protein both in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the R203K+G204R mutation increases nucleocapsid phosphorylation and confers resistance to inhibition of the GSK-3 kinase, providing a molecular basis for increased virus replication. Notably, analogous alanine substitutions at positions 203+204 also increase SARS-CoV-2 replication and augment phosphorylation, suggesting that infection is enhanced through ablation of the ancestral ‘RG’ motif. Overall, these results demonstrate that variant mutations outside spike are key components in SARS-CoV-2’s continued adaptation to human infection.
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24
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Tarannum H, Rashmi Km, Nandi S. Exploring the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) and RdRp targets by updating current structure-based drug design utilizing co-crystals to combat COVID-19. Curr Drug Targets 2021; 23:802-817. [PMID: 34488580 DOI: 10.2174/1389450122666210906154849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The unprecedented pandemic of COVID-19 caused by the novel strain of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) engulfs millions of death worldwide. It has directly hit the socio-economic status of the affected countries. There are more than 219 countries badly affected by the COVID-19. There are no particular small molecule inhibitors to combat the dreadful virus. Many antivirals, antimalarials, antiparasitic, antibacterials, immunosuppressive anti-inflammatory, and immune stimulatory agents have been repurposed for the treatment of COVID19. But the exact mechanism of action of these drugs towards COVID-19 targets has not been experimented with yet. Under the effect of chemotherapeutics, the virus may change its genetic material and produces various strains, which are the main reasons behind the dreadful attack of COVID-19. The nuclear genetic components are composed of main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) which are responsible for producing nascent virion and viral replication in the host cells. To explore the biochemical mechanisms of various small molecule inhibitors, structure-based drug design can be attempted utilizing NMR crystallography. The process identifies and validates the target protein involved in the disease pathogenesis by the binding of a chemical ligand at a well-defined pocket on the protein surface. In this way, the mode of binding of the ligands inside the target cavity can be predicted for the design of potent SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heena Tarannum
- Six Sigma Institute of Technology and Science, Dineshpur, Rudrapur-263153. India
| | - Rashmi Km
- Global Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kashipur-244713. India
| | - Sisir Nandi
- Global Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kashipur-244713. India
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25
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Erukainure OL, Matsabisa MG, Muhammad A, Abarshi MM, Amaku JF, Katsayal SB, Nde AL. Targeting of Protein's Messenger RNA for Viral Replication, Assembly and Release in SARS-CoV-2 Using Whole Genomic Data From South Africa: Therapeutic Potentials of Cannabis Sativa L. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:736511. [PMID: 34539415 PMCID: PMC8448283 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.736511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The possible evolutionary trend of COVID-19 in South Africa was investigated by comparing the genome of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from a patient in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with those isolated from China, Spain, Italy, and United States, as well as the genomes of Bat SARS CoV, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), Mouse Hepatitis Virus (MHV), and Infectious Bronchitis Virus (IBV). Phylogenetic analysis revealed a strong homology (96%) between the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa and those isolated from the study countries as well as those isolated from bat SARS CoV, MERS-CoV, MHV and IBV. The ability of phytocannabinoids from Cannabis sativa infusion to interact with gene segments (mRNAs) coding for proteins implicated in viral replication, assembly and release were also investiagted using computational tools. Hot water infusion of C. sativa leaves was freeze-dried and subjected to Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectroscopy analysis which revealed the presence of tetrahydrocannabivarin, cannabispiran, cannabidiol tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabigerol, and cannabinol. Molecular docking analysis revealed strong binding affinities and interactions between the phytocannabinoids and codon mRNAs for ORF1ab, Surface glycoprotein, Envelope protein and Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 whole genome which may be due to chemico-biological interactions as a result of nucleophilic/electrophilic attacks between viral nucleotides and cannabinoids. These results depict the spread of SARS-CoV-2 is intercontinental and might have evolved from other coronaviruses. The results also portray the phytocannabinoids of C. sativa infusion as potential therapies against COVID-19 as depicted by their ability to molecularly interact with codon mRNAs of proteins implicated in the replication, translation, assembly, and release of SARS-CoV-2. However, further studies are needed to verify these activities in pre-clinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ochuko L. Erukainure
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Motlalepula G. Matsabisa
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Aliyu Muhammad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Musa M. Abarshi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - James F. Amaku
- Department of Chemistry, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria
| | - Sanusi B. Katsayal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Adeline Lum Nde
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
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26
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Bansal R, Mohagaonkar S, Sen A, Khanam U, Rathi B. In-silico study of peptide-protein interaction of antimicrobial peptides potentially targeting SARS and SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. In Silico Pharmacol 2021; 9:46. [PMID: 34336545 PMCID: PMC8315091 DOI: 10.1007/s40203-021-00103-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
This study is an attempt to find a suitable therapy using antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) by identifying peptide-protein interaction of AMPs and nucleocapsid protein of SARS and SARS-CoV- 2. The AMPs were shortlisted from the APD3 database (Antimicrobial peptide database) based on various physicochemical parameters. The binding efficacy of AMPs was measured using the lowest energy score of the docked complexes with 10 selected AMPs. For SARS-CoV, AP00180 showed the best pose with a binding affinity value of - 6.4 kcal/mol. Prominent hydrogen bonding interactions were observed between Lys85 (nucleocapsid receptor) and Arg13 (antimicrobial peptide ligand) having the least intermolecular distance of 1.759 Å. For SARS-CoV-2, AP00549 was docked with a binding affinity value of - 3.4 kcal/mol and Arg119 and Glu14 of receptor nucleocapsid protein and ligand AMP having the least intermolecular distance of 2.104 The dynamic simulation was performed at 50 ns to check the stability of the final docked complexes, one with each protein. The two best AMPs were AP00180 (Human Defensin-5) for SARS and AP00549 (Plectasin) for SARS-CoV-2. From positive results of dynamic simulation and previously known knowledge that some AMPs interact with the nucleocapsid of coronaviruses, these AMPs might be used as a potential therapeutic agent for the treatment regime of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS infection. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-021-00103-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritu Bansal
- National Institute of Technology, Warangal, Telangana India
| | | | | | - Uzma Khanam
- Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh India
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Caruso ÍP, Sanches K, Da Poian AT, Pinheiro AS, Almeida FCL. Dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein N-terminal domain triggers RNA duplex destabilization. Biophys J 2021; 120:2814-2827. [PMID: 34197802 PMCID: PMC8239202 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2021.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of betacoronaviruses is responsible for nucleocapsid assembly and other essential regulatory functions. The N protein N-terminal domain (N-NTD) interacts and melts the double-stranded transcriptional regulatory sequences (dsTRSs), regulating the discontinuous subgenome transcription process. Here, we used molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the binding of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 N-NTD to nonspecific (NS) and TRS dsRNAs. We probed dsRNAs' Watson-Crick basepairing over 25 replicas of 100 ns MD simulations, showing that only one N-NTD of dimeric N is enough to destabilize dsRNAs, triggering melting initiation. dsRNA destabilization driven by N-NTD was more efficient for dsTRSs than dsNS. N-NTD dynamics, especially a tweezer-like motion of β2-β3 and Δ2-β5 loops, seems to play a key role in Watson-Crick basepairing destabilization. Based on experimental information available in the literature, we constructed kinetics models for N-NTD-mediated dsRNA melting. Our results support a 1:1 stoichiometry (N-NTD/dsRNA), matching MD simulations and raising different possibilities for N-NTD action: 1) two N-NTD arms of dimeric N would bind to two different RNA sites, either closely or spatially spaced in the viral genome, in a cooperative manner; and 2) monomeric N-NTD would be active, opening up the possibility of a regulatory dissociation event.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ícaro P Caruso
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation and Department of Physics, Institute of Biosciences, Letters and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Karoline Sanches
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation and Department of Physics, Institute of Biosciences, Letters and Exact Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil; Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andrea T Da Poian
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anderson S Pinheiro
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio C L Almeida
- Institute of Medical Biochemistry Leopoldo de Meis and National Center for Structural Biology and Bioimaging, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Lazarevic I, Pravica V, Miljanovic D, Cupic M. Immune Evasion of SARS-CoV-2 Emerging Variants: What Have We Learnt So Far? Viruses 2021; 13:1192. [PMID: 34206453 PMCID: PMC8310325 DOI: 10.3390/v13071192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the slow evolutionary rate of SARS-CoV-2 relative to other RNA viruses, its massive and rapid transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic has enabled it to acquire significant genetic diversity since it first entered the human population. This led to the emergence of numerous variants, some of them recently being labeled "variants of concern" (VOC), due to their potential impact on transmission, morbidity/mortality, and the evasion of neutralization by antibodies elicited by infection, vaccination, or therapeutic application. The potential to evade neutralization is the result of diversity of the target epitopes generated by the accumulation of mutations in the spike protein. While three globally recognized VOCs (Alpha or B.1.1.7, Beta or B.1.351, and Gamma or P.1) remain sensitive to neutralization albeit at reduced levels by the sera of convalescent individuals and recipients of several anti-COVID19 vaccines, the effect of spike variability is much more evident on the neutralization capacity of monoclonal antibodies. The newly recognized VOC Delta or lineage B.1.617.2, as well as locally accepted VOCs (Epsilon or B.1.427/29-US and B1.1.7 with the E484K-UK) are indicating the necessity of close monitoring of new variants on a global level. The VOCs characteristics, their mutational patterns, and the role mutations play in immune evasion are summarized in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivana Lazarevic
- Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia; (V.P.); (D.M.); (M.C.)
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Miljanovic D, Milicevic O, Loncar A, Abazovic D, Despot D, Banko A. The First Molecular Characterization of Serbian SARS-CoV-2 Isolates From a Unique Early Second Wave in Europe. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:691154. [PMID: 34220784 PMCID: PMC8250835 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.691154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
March 6, 2020 is considered as the official date of the beginning of the COVID-19 epidemic in Serbia. In late spring and early summer 2020, Europe recorded a decline in the rate of SARS-CoV-2 infection and subsiding of the first wave. This trend lasted until the fall, when the second wave of the epidemic began to appear. Unlike the rest of Europe, Serbia was hit by the second wave of the epidemic a few months earlier. Already in June 2020, newly confirmed cases had risen exponentially. As the COVID-19 pandemic is the first pandemic in which there has been instant sharing of genomic information on isolates around the world, the aim of this study was to analyze whole SARS-CoV-2 viral genomes from Serbia, to identify circulating variants/clade/lineages, and to explore site-specific mutational patterns in the unique early second wave of the European epidemic. This analysis of Serbian isolates represents the first publication from Balkan countries, which demonstrates the importance of specificities of local transmission especially when preventive measures differ among countries. One hundred forty-eight different genome variants among 41 Serbian isolates were detected in this study. One unique and seven extremely rare mutations were identified, with locally specific continuous dominance of the 20D clade. At the same time, amino acid substitutions of newly identified variants of concern were found in our isolates from October 2020. Future research should be focused on functional characterization of novel mutations in order to understand the exact role of these variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danijela Miljanovic
- Virology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ognjen Milicevic
- Faculty of Medicine, Institute for Medical Statistics and Informatics, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ana Loncar
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dzihan Abazovic
- Biocell Hospital, Belgrade, Serbia
- Emergency Medical Centre of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro
| | - Dragana Despot
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Institute for Biocides and Medical Ecology, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Ana Banko
- Virology Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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Li G, Li W, Fang X, Song X, Teng S, Ren Z, Hu D, Zhou S, Wu G, Li K. Expression and purification of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein in inclusion bodies and its application in serological detection. Protein Expr Purif 2021; 186:105908. [PMID: 34048905 PMCID: PMC8150265 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2021.105908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The current standard for the diagnosis of COVID-19 is the nucleic acid test of SARS-CoV-2 RNA, however, virus antibody detection has the advantages of convenient sample collection, high throughout, and low cost. When combining detection with nucleic acid detection, antibody detection can effectively compensate for nucleic acid detection. Virus infection always induce high antibody titer against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N protein), which can be used to detect COVID-19 at both infected and convalescent patients. In this study we reported the expression and purification of N protein in E.coli from inclusion bodies by a combination of two cation exchange chromatography, and the yield of N protein was around 50 mg/L fermentation broth with more than 90% purity. A corresponding colloidal gold detection kit prepared with our purified N protein was used to verify the efficiency and accuracy our N protein in antibody detection method. Of the 58 COVID-19 PCR positive patients' inactivated serum samples, 40 samples were IgM positive (69.0%), and 42 samples were IgG positive (72.4%), and all 95 COVID-19 negative patients’ inactivated serum samples were both IgM and IgG negative. Our results indicates that the refolded soluble N protein could be used for the preliminary detection of IgG and IgM antibodies against SARS-CoV- 2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guang Li
- Department of Medicine, Yueyang Vocational and Technical College, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China; Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China.
| | - Weiping Li
- Department of Medicine, Yueyang Vocational and Technical College, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China.
| | - Xiaolan Fang
- Department of Medicine, Yueyang Vocational and Technical College, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Xuri Song
- Department of Medicine, Yueyang Vocational and Technical College, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Shujing Teng
- Department of Medicine, Yueyang Vocational and Technical College, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Zong Ren
- Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Daoqi Hu
- Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Songhui Zhou
- Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Gangqiang Wu
- Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
| | - Keqiang Li
- Hunan RunKun Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 414000, Yueyang, Hunan, China
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Franceschi VB, Caldana GD, de Menezes Mayer A, Cybis GB, Neves CAM, Ferrareze PAG, Demoliner M, de Almeida PR, Gularte JS, Hansen AW, Weber MN, Fleck JD, Zimerman RA, Kmetzsch L, Spilki FR, Thompson CE. Genomic epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 in Esteio, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:371. [PMID: 34016042 PMCID: PMC8136996 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07708-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brazil is the third country most affected by Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), but viral evolution in municipality resolution is still poorly understood in Brazil and it is crucial to understand the epidemiology of viral spread. We aimed to track molecular evolution and spread of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Esteio (Southern Brazil) using phylogenetics and phylodynamics inferences from 21 new genomes in global and regional context. Importantly, the case fatality rate (CFR) in Esteio (3.26%) is slightly higher compared to the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) state (2.56%) and the entire Brazil (2.74%). RESULTS We provided a comprehensive view of mutations from a representative sampling from May to October 2020, highlighting two frequent mutations in spike glycoprotein (D614G and V1176F), an emergent mutation (E484K) in spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) characteristic of the B.1.351 and P.1 lineages, and the adjacent replacement of 2 amino acids in Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (R203K and G204R). E484K was found in two genomes from mid-October, which is the earliest description of this mutation in Southern Brazil. Lineages containing this substitution must be subject of intense surveillance due to its association with immune evasion. We also found two epidemiologically-related clusters, including one from patients of the same neighborhood. Phylogenetics and phylodynamics analysis demonstrates multiple introductions of the Brazilian most prevalent lineages (B.1.1.33 and B.1.1.248) and the establishment of Brazilian lineages ignited from the Southeast to other Brazilian regions. CONCLUSIONS Our data show the value of correlating clinical, epidemiological and genomic information for the understanding of viral evolution and its spatial distribution over time. This is of paramount importance to better inform policy making strategies to fight COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinícius Bonetti Franceschi
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Dickin Caldana
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Amanda de Menezes Mayer
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Bettella Cybis
- Department of Statistics, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carla Andretta Moreira Neves
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Aline Gröhs Ferrareze
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Meriane Demoliner
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | - Alana Witt Hansen
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Matheus Nunes Weber
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | - Juliane Deise Fleck
- Molecular Microbiology Laboratory, Universidade Feevale, Novo Hamburgo, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Lívia Kmetzsch
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Elizabeth Thompson
- Center of Biotechnology, Graduate Program in Cell and Molecular Biology (PPGBCM), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Department of Pharmacosciences, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), 245/200C Sarmento Leite St, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.
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Reduced Nucleoprotein Availability Impairs Negative-Sense RNA Virus Replication and Promotes Host Recognition. J Virol 2021; 95:JVI.02274-20. [PMID: 33568513 PMCID: PMC8104106 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.02274-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative-sense RNA viruses (NSVs) rely on prepackaged viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) to replicate and transcribe their viral genomes. Their replication machinery consists of an RdRp bound to viral RNA which is wound around a nucleoprotein (NP) scaffold, forming a viral ribonucleoprotein complex. NSV NP is known to regulate transcription and replication of genomic RNA; however, its role in maintaining and protecting the viral genetic material is unknown. Here, we exploited host microRNA expression to target NP of influenza A virus and Sendai virus to ascertain how this would impact genomic levels and the host response to infection. We find that in addition to inducing a drastic decrease in genome replication, the antiviral host response in the absence of NP is dramatically enhanced. Additionally, our data show that insufficient levels of NP prevent the replication machinery of these NSVs to process full-length genomes, resulting in aberrant replication products which form pathogen-associated molecular patterns in the process. These dynamics facilitate immune recognition by cellular pattern recognition receptors leading to a strong host antiviral response. Moreover, we observe that the consequences of limiting NP levels are universal among NSVs, including Ebola virus, Lassa virus, and measles virus. Overall, these results provide new insights into viral genome replication of negative-sense RNA viruses and highlight novel avenues for developing effective antiviral strategies, adjuvants, and/or live-attenuated vaccines.IMPORTANCE Negative-sense RNA viruses comprise some of the most important known human pathogens, including influenza A virus, measles virus, and Ebola virus. These viruses possess RNA genomes that are unreadable to the host, as they require specific viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases in conjunction with other viral proteins, such as nucleoprotein, to be replicated and transcribed. As this process generates a significant amount of pathogen-associated molecular patterns, this phylum of viruses can result in a robust induction of the intrinsic host cellular response. To circumvent these defenses, these viruses form tightly regulated ribonucleoprotein replication complexes in order to protect their genomes from detection and to prevent excessive aberrant replication. Here, we demonstrate the balance that negative-sense RNA viruses must achieve both to replicate efficiently and to avoid induction of the host defenses.
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Cubuk J, Alston JJ, Incicco JJ, Singh S, Stuchell-Brereton MD, Ward MD, Zimmerman MI, Vithani N, Griffith D, Wagoner JA, Bowman GR, Hall KB, Soranno A, Holehouse AS. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein is dynamic, disordered, and phase separates with RNA. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1936. [PMID: 33782395 PMCID: PMC8007728 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21953-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 286] [Impact Index Per Article: 95.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein is an abundant RNA-binding protein critical for viral genome packaging, yet the molecular details that underlie this process are poorly understood. Here we combine single-molecule spectroscopy with all-atom simulations to uncover the molecular details that contribute to N protein function. N protein contains three dynamic disordered regions that house putative transiently-helical binding motifs. The two folded domains interact minimally such that full-length N protein is a flexible and multivalent RNA-binding protein. N protein also undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation when mixed with RNA, and polymer theory predicts that the same multivalent interactions that drive phase separation also engender RNA compaction. We offer a simple symmetry-breaking model that provides a plausible route through which single-genome condensation preferentially occurs over phase separation, suggesting that phase separation offers a convenient macroscopic readout of a key nanoscopic interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Cubuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jhullian J Alston
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - J Jeremías Incicco
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Sukrit Singh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Melissa D Stuchell-Brereton
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Michael D Ward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Maxwell I Zimmerman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Neha Vithani
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Daniel Griffith
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Jason A Wagoner
- Laufer Center for Physical and Quantitative Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Gregory R Bowman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Kathleen B Hall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Andrea Soranno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
| | - Alex S Holehouse
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
- Center for Science and Engineering of Living Systems (CSELS), Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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Kumar S, Saxena SK. Structural and molecular perspectives of SARS-CoV-2. Methods 2021; 195:23-28. [PMID: 33737214 PMCID: PMC7959701 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2021.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent emergence of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transpired into pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 has been rapidly transmitted across the globe within a short period of time, with more than 106 million cases and 2.3 million deaths. The continuous rise in worldwide cases of COVID-19, transmission dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 including re-infections and enormous case-fatality rates emphasizes the urgent need of potential preventive and therapeutic measures. The development of effective therapeutic and preventive measures relies on understanding the molecular and cellular mechanism of replication exhibited by SARS-CoV-2. The structure of SARS-CoV-2 is ranging from 90–120 nm that comprises surface viral proteins including spike, envelope, membrane which are attached in host lipid bilayer containing the helical nucleocapsid comprising viral RNA. Spike (S) glycoprotein initiates the attachment of SARS-CoV-2 with a widely expressed cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and subsequent S glycoprotein priming via serine protease TMPRSS2. Prominently, comprehensive analysis of structural insights into the crucial SARS-CoV-2 proteins may lead us to design effective therapeutics molecules. The present article, emphasizes the molecular and structural perspective of SARS-CoV-2 including mechanistic insights in its replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swatantra Kumar
- Centre for Advanced Research (CFAR), Faculty of Medicine, King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow 226003, India
| | - Shailendra K Saxena
- Centre for Advanced Research (CFAR), Faculty of Medicine, King George's Medical University (KGMU), Lucknow 226003, India.
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Al Noman A, Islam MS, Sana S, Mondal P, Meem RI, Rana S, Mondol D, Sana M, Hossain SI, Joarder T, Mazumder K. A review of the genome, epidemiology, clinical features, prevention, and treatment scenario of COVID-19: Bangladesh aspects. THE EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF BRONCHOLOGY 2021. [PMCID: PMC7844806 DOI: 10.1186/s43168-021-00053-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The ongoing acute respiratory disease pandemic termed COVID-19 caused by a newly emerged coronavirus has jeopardized the world’s health and economic sectors. As of 20 July 2020, the virus now known as SARS-CoV-2 has already infected more than 14 million individuals and killed 612,815 patients with a mortality rate of 4.12% around the world regardless of age, gender, and race. Main body Bangladesh has become one of its worst sufferers, with 207,453 infected people and 2668 related deaths with a mortality rate of 1.29% until 20 July 2020. More than 50% of COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh are aged between 21 and 40, but elderly people aged more than 60 have the highest mortality rate (44.7%). Male individuals are also more susceptible to the virus than females and consist of 71% and 79% among the infected and deceased patients, respectively. The most prevalent clinical features following the virus incubation period are fever, fatigue, and dry cough. A phylogenetic analysis study elucidated that the virus strain found in the country has 9 single-nucleotide variants, mostly in the ORF1ab gene, and a sequence containing 3 successive variants in the N protein, which reflects a weaker strain of SARS-CoV-2, implicating a possibility of its lower mortality rate. Another investigation of 184 genome samples of SARS-CoV-2 across the country implicated a close homology with a European haplotype of SARS-CoV-2. The country has also joined the race of vaccine development and started phase III clinical trials of a candidate vaccine developed by Sinovac Research and Development Co Ltd, China. Conclusion Bangladesh, as a developing country, still struggles with the pandemic and needs to scale up its response operation and improve healthcare facilities such as testing capacity, institutional quarantine, and isolation centers and promote awareness. Preventive measures such as strict lockdown, social distancing, and boosting the existing immune system are thus considered the only contrivances.
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Lu S, Ye Q, Singh D, Cao Y, Diedrich JK, Yates JR, Villa E, Cleveland DW, Corbett KD. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein forms mutually exclusive condensates with RNA and the membrane-associated M protein. Nat Commun 2021; 12:502. [PMID: 33479198 PMCID: PMC7820290 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20768-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 244] [Impact Index Per Article: 81.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The multifunctional nucleocapsid (N) protein in SARS-CoV-2 binds the ~30 kb viral RNA genome to aid its packaging into the 80-90 nm membrane-enveloped virion. The N protein is composed of N-terminal RNA-binding and C-terminal dimerization domains that are flanked by three intrinsically disordered regions. Here we demonstrate that the N protein's central disordered domain drives phase separation with RNA, and that phosphorylation of an adjacent serine/arginine rich region modulates the physical properties of the resulting condensates. In cells, N forms condensates that recruit the stress granule protein G3BP1, highlighting a potential role for N in G3BP1 sequestration and stress granule inhibition. The SARS-CoV-2 membrane (M) protein independently induces N protein phase separation, and three-component mixtures of N + M + RNA form condensates with mutually exclusive compartments containing N + M or N + RNA, including annular structures in which the M protein coats the outside of an N + RNA condensate. These findings support a model in which phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 N protein contributes both to suppression of the G3BP1-dependent host immune response and to packaging genomic RNA during virion assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Qiaozhen Ye
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Digvijay Singh
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Yong Cao
- National Institute of Biological Sciences, 102206, Beijing, China
| | | | - John R Yates
- The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Elizabeth Villa
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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ATP biphasically modulates LLPS of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and specifically binds its RNA-binding domain. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 541:50-55. [PMID: 33477032 PMCID: PMC7808732 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2021.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is a highly contagious coronavirus causing the ongoing pandemic. Very recently its genomic RNA of ∼30 kb was decoded to be packaged with nucleocapsid (N) protein into phase separated condensates. Interestingly, viruses have no ability to generate ATP but host cells have very high ATP concentrations of 2–12 mM. A key question thus arises whether ATP modulates liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of the N protein. Here we discovered that ATP not only biphasically modulates LLPS of the viral N protein as we previously found on human FUS and TDP-43, but also dissolves the droplets induced by oligonucleic acid. Residue-specific NMR characterization showed ATP specifically binds the RNA-binding domain (RBD) of the N protein with the average Kd of 3.3 ± 0.4 mM. The ATP-RBD complex structure was constructed by NMR-derived constraints, in which ATP occupies a pocket within the positive-charged surface utilized for binding nucleic acids. Our study suggests that ATP appears to be exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to promote its life cycle by facilitating the uncoating, localizing and packing of its genomic RNA. Therefore the interactions of ATP with the viral RNA and N protein might represent promising targets for design of drugs and vaccines to terminate the pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA is packaged with its N protein via phase separation. Here we discovered that ATP biphasically modulates phase separation of N protein. ATP also specifically bind the RNA-binding domain of N protein with Kd of 3.3 mM. ATP is thus critical for uncoating, localizing and packing of the viral genomic RNA. ATP-Nprotein-RNA interactions represent key targets for drug of drugs and vaccines.
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Shaibu JO, Onwuamah CK, James AB, Okwuraiwe AP, Amoo OS, Salu OB, Ige FA, Liboro G, Odewale E, Okoli LC, Ahmed RA, Achanya D, Adesesan A, Amuda OA, Sokei J, Oyefolu BAO, Salako BL, Omilabu SA, Audu RA. Full length genomic sanger sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Nigeria. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0243271. [PMID: 33428634 PMCID: PMC7799769 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In an outbreak, effective detection of the aetiological agent(s) involved using molecular techniques is key to efficient diagnosis, early prevention and management of the spread. However, sequencing is necessary for mutation monitoring and tracking of clusters of transmission, development of diagnostics and for vaccines and drug development. Many sequencing methods are fast evolving to reduce test turn-around-time and to increase through-put compared to Sanger sequencing method; however, Sanger sequencing remains the gold standard for clinical research sequencing with its 99.99% accuracy This study sought to generate sequence data of SARS-CoV-2 using Sanger sequencing method and to characterize them for possible site(s) of mutations. About 30 pairs of primers were designed, synthesized, and optimized using endpoint PCR to generate amplicons for the full length of the virus. Cycle sequencing using BigDye Terminator v.3.1 and capillary gel electrophoresis on ABI 3130xl genetic analyser were performed according to the manufacturers’ instructions. The sequence data generated were assembled and analysed for variations using DNASTAR Lasergene 17 SeqMan Ultra. Total length of 29,760bp of SARS-CoV-2 was assembled from the sample analysed and deposited in GenBank with accession number: MT576584. Blast result of the sequence assembly shows a 99.97% identity with the reference sequence. Variations were noticed at positions: nt201, nt2997, nt14368, nt16535, nt20334, and nt28841-28843, which caused amino acid alterations at the S (aa614) and N (aa203-204) regions. The mutations observed at S and N-gene in this study may be indicative of a gradual changes in the genetic coding of the virus hence, the need for active surveillance of the viral genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Ojonugwa Shaibu
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
- * E-mail:
| | - Chika K. Onwuamah
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Azuka Patrick Okwuraiwe
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Olufemi Samuel Amoo
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Olumuyiwa B. Salu
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Fehintola A. Ige
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Gideon Liboro
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Ebenezer Odewale
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Leona Chika Okoli
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Rahaman A. Ahmed
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
- Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Akoka, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Dominic Achanya
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Adesegun Adesesan
- Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Oyewunmi Abosede Amuda
- Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Judith Sokei
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Bola A. O. Oyefolu
- Department of Microbiology, Virology Research Group, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos, Nigeria
| | | | - Sunday Aremu Omilabu
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Centre for Human and Zoonotic Virology, College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Rosemary Ajuma Audu
- Microbiology Department, Centre for Human Virology and Genomics, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Lagos, Nigeria
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Garvin MR, T Prates E, Pavicic M, Jones P, Amos BK, Geiger A, Shah MB, Streich J, Felipe Machado Gazolla JG, Kainer D, Cliff A, Romero J, Keith N, Brown JB, Jacobson D. Potentially adaptive SARS-CoV-2 mutations discovered with novel spatiotemporal and explainable AI models. Genome Biol 2020; 21:304. [PMID: 33357233 PMCID: PMC7756312 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-020-02191-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A mechanistic understanding of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and diligent tracking of ongoing mutagenesis are of key importance to plan robust strategies for confining its transmission. Large numbers of available sequences and their dates of transmission provide an unprecedented opportunity to analyze evolutionary adaptation in novel ways. Addition of high-resolution structural information can reveal the functional basis of these processes at the molecular level. Integrated systems biology-directed analyses of these data layers afford valuable insights to build a global understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS Here we identify globally distributed haplotypes from 15,789 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and model their success based on their duration, dispersal, and frequency in the host population. Our models identify mutations that are likely compensatory adaptive changes that allowed for rapid expansion of the virus. Functional predictions from structural analyses indicate that, contrary to previous reports, the Asp614Gly mutation in the spike glycoprotein (S) likely reduced transmission and the subsequent Pro323Leu mutation in the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase led to the precipitous spread of the virus. Our model also suggests that two mutations in the nsp13 helicase allowed for the adaptation of the virus to the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Finally, our explainable artificial intelligence algorithm identified a mutational hotspot in the sequence of S that also displays a signature of positive selection and may have implications for tissue or cell-specific expression of the virus. CONCLUSIONS These results provide valuable insights for the development of drugs and surveillance strategies to combat the current and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael R Garvin
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Erica T Prates
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Mirko Pavicic
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Piet Jones
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - B Kirtley Amos
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- Department of Horticulture, N-318 Ag Sciences Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Armin Geiger
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Manesh B Shah
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Jared Streich
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | | | - David Kainer
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
| | - Ashley Cliff
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Jonathon Romero
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Nathan Keith
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - James B Brown
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Environmental Genomics & Systems Biology, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Daniel Jacobson
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Biosciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.
- The Bredesen Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Graduate Education, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
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40
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Cubuk J, Alston JJ, Incicco JJ, Singh S, Stuchell-Brereton MD, Ward MD, Zimmerman MI, Vithani N, Griffith D, Wagoner JA, Bowman GR, Hall KB, Soranno A, Holehouse AS. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein is dynamic, disordered, and phase separates with RNA. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.06.17.158121. [PMID: 32587966 PMCID: PMC7310622 DOI: 10.1101/2020.06.17.158121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein is an abundant RNA binding protein critical for viral genome packaging, yet the molecular details that underlie this process are poorly understood. Here we combine single-molecule spectroscopy with all-atom simulations to uncover the molecular details that contribute to N protein function. N protein contains three dynamic disordered regions that house putative transiently-helical binding motifs. The two folded domains interact minimally such that full-length N protein is a flexible and multivalent RNA binding protein. N protein also undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation when mixed with RNA, and polymer theory predicts that the same multivalent interactions that drive phase separation also engender RNA compaction. We offer a simple symmetry-breaking model that provides a plausible route through which single-genome condensation preferentially occurs over phase separation, suggesting that phase separation offers a convenient macroscopic readout of a key nanoscopic interaction.
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41
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Iserman C, Roden CA, Boerneke MA, Sealfon RSG, McLaughlin GA, Jungreis I, Fritch EJ, Hou YJ, Ekena J, Weidmann CA, Theesfeld CL, Kellis M, Troyanskaya OG, Baric RS, Sheahan TP, Weeks KM, Gladfelter AS. Genomic RNA Elements Drive Phase Separation of the SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid. Mol Cell 2020; 80:1078-1091.e6. [PMID: 33290746 PMCID: PMC7691212 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.11.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
We report that the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N-protein) undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) with viral RNA. N-protein condenses with specific RNA genomic elements under physiological buffer conditions and condensation is enhanced at human body temperatures (33°C and 37°C) and reduced at room temperature (22°C). RNA sequence and structure in specific genomic regions regulate N-protein condensation while other genomic regions promote condensate dissolution, potentially preventing aggregation of the large genome. At low concentrations, N-protein preferentially crosslinks to specific regions characterized by single-stranded RNA flanked by structured elements and these features specify the location, number, and strength of N-protein binding sites (valency). Liquid-like N-protein condensates form in mammalian cells in a concentration-dependent manner and can be altered by small molecules. Condensation of N-protein is RNA sequence and structure specific, sensitive to human body temperature, and manipulatable with small molecules, and therefore presents a screenable process for identifying antiviral compounds effective against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christiane Iserman
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Christine A Roden
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark A Boerneke
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | | | - Grace A McLaughlin
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Irwin Jungreis
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Ethan J Fritch
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yixuan J Hou
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Joanne Ekena
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chase A Weidmann
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Chandra L Theesfeld
- Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Manolis Kellis
- MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Olga G Troyanskaya
- Center for Computational Biology, Flatiron Institute, New York, NY, USA; Department of Computer Science, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA; Lewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Timothy P Sheahan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kevin M Weeks
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Amy S Gladfelter
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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42
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Carlson CR, Asfaha JB, Ghent CM, Howard CJ, Hartooni N, Safari M, Frankel AD, Morgan DO. Phosphoregulation of Phase Separation by the SARS-CoV-2 N Protein Suggests a Biophysical Basis for its Dual Functions. Mol Cell 2020; 80:1092-1103.e4. [PMID: 33248025 PMCID: PMC7677695 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 215] [Impact Index Per Article: 53.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of coronaviruses serves two major functions: compaction of the RNA genome in the virion and regulation of viral gene transcription. It is not clear how the N protein mediates such distinct functions. The N protein contains two RNA-binding domains surrounded by regions of intrinsic disorder. Phosphorylation of the central disordered region promotes the protein's transcriptional function, but the underlying mechanism is not known. Here, we show that the N protein of SARS-CoV-2, together with viral RNA, forms biomolecular condensates. Unmodified N protein forms partially ordered gel-like condensates and discrete 15-nm particles based on multivalent RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. Phosphorylation reduces these interactions, generating a more liquid-like droplet. We propose that distinct oligomeric states support the two functions of the N protein: unmodified protein forms a structured oligomer that is suited for nucleocapsid assembly, and phosphorylated protein forms a liquid-like compartment for viral genome processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R Carlson
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jonathan B Asfaha
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Chloe M Ghent
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Conor J Howard
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Nairi Hartooni
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Maliheh Safari
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Alan D Frankel
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA; Tetrad Graduate Program, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Sun B, Feng Y, Mo X, Zheng P, Wang Q, Li P, Peng P, Liu X, Chen Z, Huang H, Zhang F, Luo W, Niu X, Hu P, Wang L, Peng H, Huang Z, Feng L, Li F, Zhang F, Li F, Zhong N, Chen L. Kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgM and IgG responses in COVID-19 patients. Emerg Microbes Infect 2020; 9:940-948. [PMID: 32357808 PMCID: PMC7273175 DOI: 10.1080/22221751.2020.1762515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 344] [Impact Index Per Article: 86.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The emerging COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection poses severe challenges to global public health. Serum antibody testing is becoming one of the critical methods for the diagnosis of COVID-19 patients. We investigated IgM and IgG responses against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) protein after symptom onset in the intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU patients. 130 blood samples from 38 COVID-19 patients were collected. The levels of IgM and IgG specific to N and S protein were detected by ELISA. A series of blood samples were collected along the disease course from the same patient, including 11 ICU patients and 27 non-ICU patients for longitudinal analysis. N and S specific IgM and IgG (N-IgM, N-IgG, S-IgM, S-IgG) in non-ICU patients increased after symptom onset. N-IgM and S-IgM in some non-ICU patients reached a peak in the second week, while N-IgG and S-IgG continued to increase in the third week. The combined detection of N and S specific IgM and IgG could identify up to 75% of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients in the first week. S-IgG was significantly higher in non-ICU patients than in ICU patients in the third week. In contrast, N-IgG was significantly higher in ICU patients than in non-ICU patients. The increase of S-IgG positively correlated with the decrease of C-reactive protein (CRP) in non-ICU patients. N and S specific IgM and IgG increased gradually after symptom onset and can be used for detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Analysis of the dynamics of S-IgG may help to predict prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baoqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoneng Mo
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peiyan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Qian Wang
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Pingchao Li
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ping Peng
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaoqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhilong Chen
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Huimin Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Wenting Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xuefeng Niu
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Peiyu Hu
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Longyu Wang
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hui Peng
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhifeng Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Liqiang Feng
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Li
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fuchun Zhang
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Fang Li
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Nanshan Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ling Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases, National Clinical Research Center of Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Institute of Infectious Diseases, Guangzhou Eighth people’s Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Guangzhou Regenerative Medicine and Health-Guangdong Laboratory (GRMH-GDL), Guangzhou Institutes of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
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Lang Y, Chen K, Li Z, Li H. The nucleocapsid protein of zoonotic betacoronaviruses is an attractive target for antiviral drug discovery. Life Sci 2020; 282:118754. [PMID: 33189817 PMCID: PMC7658559 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2020.118754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Betacoronaviruses are in one genera of coronaviruses including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERS-CoV), etc. These viruses threaten public health and cause dramatic economic losses. The nucleocapsid (N) protein is a structural protein of betacoronaviruses with multiple functions such as forming viral capsids with viral RNA, interacting with viral membrane protein to form the virus core with RNA, binding to several cellular kinases for signal transductions, etc. In this review, we highlighted the potential of the N protein as a suitable antiviral target from different perspectives, including structure, functions, and antiviral strategies for combatting betacoronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuekun Lang
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Ke Chen
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Zhong Li
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, USA
| | - Hongmin Li
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, 120 New Scotland Ave, Albany, NY 12208, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, 1 University Place, Rensselaer, NY 12144, USA.
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45
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Morais IJ, Polveiro RC, Souza GM, Bortolin DI, Sassaki FT, Lima ATM. The global population of SARS-CoV-2 is composed of six major subtypes. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18289. [PMID: 33106569 PMCID: PMC7588421 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74050-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, the second pandemic of the twenty-first century. Expanding virus populations, such as that of SARS-CoV-2, accumulate a number of narrowly shared polymorphisms, imposing a confounding effect on traditional clustering methods. In this context, approaches that reduce the complexity of the sequence space occupied by the SARS-CoV-2 population are necessary for robust clustering. Here, we propose subdividing the global SARS-CoV-2 population into six well-defined subtypes and 10 poorly represented genotypes named tentative subtypes by focusing on the widely shared polymorphisms in nonstructural (nsp3, nsp4, nsp6, nsp12, nsp13 and nsp14) cistrons and structural (spike and nucleocapsid) and accessory (ORF8) genes. The six subtypes and the additional genotypes showed amino acid replacements that might have phenotypic implications. Notably, three mutations (one of them in the Spike protein) were responsible for the geographical segregation of subtypes. We hypothesize that the virus subtypes detected in this study are records of the early stages of SARS-CoV-2 diversification that were randomly sampled to compose the virus populations around the world. The genetic structure determined for the SARS-CoV-2 population provides substantial guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of trials for testing candidate vaccines or drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ivair José Morais
- Departamento de Fitopatologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF, 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Richard Costa Polveiro
- Departamento de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Medeiros Souza
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38410-337, Brazil
| | - Daniel Inserra Bortolin
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38410-337, Brazil
| | - Flávio Tetsuo Sassaki
- Instituto de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Monte Carmelo, MG, 38500-000, Brazil
| | - Alison Talis Martins Lima
- Instituto de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, 38410-337, Brazil.
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46
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Ladner JT, Larsen BB, Bowers JR, Hepp CM, Bolyen E, Folkerts M, Sheridan K, Pfeiffer A, Yaglom H, Lemmer D, Sahl JW, Kaelin EA, Maqsood R, Bokulich NA, Quirk G, Watts TD, Komatsu KK, Waddell V, Lim ES, Caporaso JG, Engelthaler DM, Worobey M, Keim P. An Early Pandemic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Population Structure and Dynamics in Arizona. mBio 2020; 11:e02107-20. [PMID: 32887735 PMCID: PMC7474171 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02107-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
In December of 2019, a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, emerged in the city of Wuhan, China, causing severe morbidity and mortality. Since then, the virus has swept across the globe, causing millions of confirmed infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths. To better understand the nature of the pandemic and the introduction and spread of the virus in Arizona, we sequenced viral genomes from clinical samples tested at the TGen North Clinical Laboratory, the Arizona Department of Health Services, and those collected as part of community surveillance projects at Arizona State University and the University of Arizona. Phylogenetic analysis of 84 genomes from across Arizona revealed a minimum of 11 distinct introductions inferred to have occurred during February and March. We show that >80% of our sequences descend from strains that were initially circulating widely in Europe but have since dominated the outbreak in the United States. In addition, we show that the first reported case of community transmission in Arizona descended from the Washington state outbreak that was discovered in late February. Notably, none of the observed transmission clusters are epidemiologically linked to the original travel-related case in the state, suggesting successful early isolation and quarantine. Finally, we use molecular clock analyses to demonstrate a lack of identifiable, widespread cryptic transmission in Arizona prior to the middle of February 2020.IMPORTANCE As the COVID-19 pandemic swept across the United States, there was great differential impact on local and regional communities. One of the earliest and hardest hit regions was in New York, while at the same time Arizona (for example) had low incidence. That situation has changed dramatically, with Arizona now having the highest rate of disease increase in the country. Understanding the roots of the pandemic during the initial months is essential as the pandemic continues and reaches new heights. Genomic analysis and phylogenetic modeling of SARS-COV-2 in Arizona can help to reconstruct population composition and predict the earliest undetected introductions. This foundational work represents the basis for future analysis and understanding as the pandemic continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason T Ladner
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Brendan B Larsen
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Jolene R Bowers
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Crystal M Hepp
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Evan Bolyen
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Megan Folkerts
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Krystal Sheridan
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Ashlyn Pfeiffer
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Hayley Yaglom
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Darrin Lemmer
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Jason W Sahl
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Emily A Kaelin
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Rabia Maqsood
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bokulich
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Grace Quirk
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Thomas D Watts
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Victor Waddell
- Bureau of Laboratory Services, Arizona Department of Health Services, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | - Efrem S Lim
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
- Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Biodesign Institute, Tempe, Arizona, USA
| | - J Gregory Caporaso
- Center for Applied Microbiome Science, Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - David M Engelthaler
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
| | - Michael Worobey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Paul Keim
- Pathogen and Microbiome Institute, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Pathogen and Microbiome Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA
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47
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Artika IM, Dewantari AK, Wiyatno A. Molecular biology of coronaviruses: current knowledge. Heliyon 2020; 6:e04743. [PMID: 32835122 PMCID: PMC7430346 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, marked the third introduction of a highly pathogenic coronavirus into the human population in the twenty-first century. The constant spillover of coronaviruses from natural hosts to humans has been linked to human activities and other factors. The seriousness of this infection and the lack of effective, licensed countermeasures clearly underscore the need of more detailed and comprehensive understanding of coronavirus molecular biology. Coronaviruses are large, enveloped viruses with a positive sense single-stranded RNA genome. Currently, coronaviruses are recognized as one of the most rapidly evolving viruses due to their high genomic nucleotide substitution rates and recombination. At the molecular level, the coronaviruses employ complex strategies to successfully accomplish genome expression, virus particle assembly and virion progeny release. As the health threats from coronaviruses are constant and long-term, understanding the molecular biology of coronaviruses and controlling their spread has significant implications for global health and economic stability. This review is intended to provide an overview of our current basic knowledge of the molecular biology of coronaviruses, which is important as basic knowledge for the development of coronavirus countermeasures.
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Affiliation(s)
- I. Made Artika
- Biosafety Level 3 Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jalan Diponegoro 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Bogor Agricultural University, Darmaga Campus, Bogor, 16680, Indonesia
| | - Aghnianditya Kresno Dewantari
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jalan Diponegoro 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia
| | - Ageng Wiyatno
- Emerging Virus Research Unit, Eijkman Institute for Molecular Biology, Jalan Diponegoro 69, Jakarta, 10430, Indonesia
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48
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Lu S, Ye Q, Singh D, Villa E, Cleveland DW, Corbett KD. The SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein forms mutually exclusive condensates with RNA and the membrane-associated M protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.07.30.228023. [PMID: 32766587 PMCID: PMC7402048 DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.30.228023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
The multifunctional nucleocapsid (N) protein in SARS-CoV-2 binds the ~30 kb viral RNA genome to aid its packaging into the 80-90nm membrane-enveloped virion. The N protein is composed of N-terminal RNA-binding and C-terminal dimerization domains that are flanked by three intrinsically disordered regions. Here we demonstrate that a centrally located 40 amino acid intrinsically disordered domain drives phase separation of N protein when bound to RNA, with the morphology of the resulting condensates affected by inclusion in the RNA of the putative SARS-CoV-2 packaging signal. The SARS-CoV-2 M protein, normally embedded in the virion membrane with its C-terminus extending into the virion core, independently induces N protein phase separation that is dependent on the N protein's C-terminal dimerization domain and disordered region. Three-component mixtures of N+M+RNA form condensates with mutually exclusive compartments containing N+M or N+RNA, including spherical annular structures in which the M protein coats the outside of an N+RNA condensate. These findings support a model in which phase separation of the N protein with both the viral genomic RNA and the SARS-CoV-2 M protein facilitates RNA packaging and virion assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Lu
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Qiaozhen Ye
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Digvijay Singh
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 93093
| | - Elizabeth Villa
- Section of Molecular Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 93093
| | - Don W Cleveland
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Kevin D Corbett
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, San Diego Branch, La Jolla, CA 92093
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49
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Bhowmik D, Nandi R, Jagadeesan R, Kumar N, Prakash A, Kumar D. Identification of potential inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 by targeting proteins responsible for envelope formation and virion assembly using docking based virtual screening, and pharmacokinetics approaches. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 84:104451. [PMID: 32640381 PMCID: PMC7335633 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
WHO has declared the outbreak of COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern. The ever-growing new cases have called for an urgent emergency for specific anti-COVID-19 drugs. Three structural proteins (Membrane, Envelope and Nucleocapsid protein) play an essential role in the assembly and formation of the infectious virion particles. Thus, the present study was designed to identify potential drug candidates from the unique collection of 548 anti-viral compounds (natural and synthetic anti-viral), which target SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins. High-end molecular docking analysis was performed to characterize the binding affinity of the selected drugs-the ligand, with the SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins, while high-level Simulation studies analyzed the stability of drug-protein interactions. The present study identified rutin, a bioflavonoid and the antibiotic, doxycycline, as the most potent inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein. Caffeic acid and ferulic acid were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 membrane protein while the anti-viral agent's simeprevir and grazoprevir showed a high binding affinity for nucleocapsid protein. All these compounds not only showed excellent pharmacokinetic properties, absorption, metabolism, minimal toxicity and bioavailability but were also remain stabilized at the active site of proteins during the MD simulation. Thus, the identified lead compounds may act as potential molecules for the development of effective drugs against SARS-CoV-2 by inhibiting the envelope formation, virion assembly and viral pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deep Bhowmik
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar 788011, Assam, India
| | - Rajat Nandi
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar 788011, Assam, India
| | - Rahul Jagadeesan
- CAS in Crystallography and Biophysics, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai 600025, India
| | - Niranjan Kumar
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amresh Prakash
- Amity Institute of Integrative Sciences and Health, Amity University Haryana, Gurgaon 122413, India
| | - Diwakar Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar 788011, Assam, India.
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50
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AlBalwi MA, Khan A, AlDrees M, Gk U, Manie B, Arabi Y, Alabdulkareem I, AlJohani S, Alghoribi M, AlAskar A, AlAjlan A, Hajeer A. Evolving sequence mutations in the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). J Infect Public Health 2020; 13:1544-1550. [PMID: 32654959 PMCID: PMC7328614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2020.06.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has continued to cause sporadic outbreaks of severe respiratory tract infection over the last 8 years. METHODS Complete genome sequencing using next-generation sequencing was performed for MERS-CoV isolates from cases that occurred in Riyadh between 2015 and 2019. Phylogenetic analysis and molecular mutational analysis were carried out to investigate disease severity. RESULTS A total of eight MERS-CoV isolates were subjected to complete genome sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis resulted in the assembly of 7/8 sequences within lineage 3 and one sequence within lineage 4 showing complex genomic recombination. The isolates contained a variety of unique amino acid substitutions in ORF1ab (41), the N protein (10), the S protein (9) and ORF4b (5). CONCLUSION Our study shows that MERS-CoV is evolving. The emergence of new variants carries the potential for increased virulence and could impose a challenge to the global health system. We recommend the sequencing every new MERS-CoV isolate to observe the changes in the virus and relate them to clinical outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Ali AlBalwi
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Anis Khan
- The University of Sydney, Sydney, Austria
| | - Mohammed AlDrees
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - Yaseen Arabi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; Department of Intensive Care Unit, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ibrahim Alabdulkareem
- Health Sciences Research Center, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Prince Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sameera AlJohani
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Majed Alghoribi
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed AlAskar
- King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz AlAjlan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ali Hajeer
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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