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Cao D, Gao Y, Chen Z, Gooneratne I, Roesler C, Mera C, D'Cunha P, Antonova A, Katta D, Romanelli S, Wang Q, Rice S, Lemons W, Ramanathan A, Liang B. Structures of the promoter-bound respiratory syncytial virus polymerase. Nature 2024; 625:611-617. [PMID: 38123676 PMCID: PMC10794133 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06867-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) polymerase is a multifunctional RNA-dependent RNA polymerase composed of the large (L) protein and the phosphoprotein (P). It transcribes the RNA genome into ten viral mRNAs and replicates full-length viral genomic and antigenomic RNAs1. The RSV polymerase initiates RNA synthesis by binding to the conserved 3'-terminal RNA promoters of the genome or antigenome2. However, the lack of a structure of the RSV polymerase bound to the RNA promoter has impeded the mechanistic understanding of RSV RNA synthesis. Here we report cryogenic electron microscopy structures of the RSV polymerase bound to its genomic and antigenomic viral RNA promoters, representing two of the first structures of an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase in complex with its RNA promoters in non-segmented negative-sense RNA viruses. The overall structures of the promoter-bound RSV polymerases are similar to that of the unbound (apo) polymerase. Our structures illustrate the interactions between the RSV polymerase and the RNA promoters and provide the structural basis for the initiation of RNA synthesis at positions 1 and 3 of the RSV promoters. These structures offer a deeper understanding of the pre-initiation state of the RSV polymerase and could aid in antiviral research against RSV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongdong Cao
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Yunrong Gao
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Zhenhang Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Inesh Gooneratne
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Claire Roesler
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Cristopher Mera
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Paul D'Cunha
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anna Antonova
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Deepak Katta
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah Romanelli
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Qi Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Samantha Rice
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Wesley Lemons
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Anita Ramanathan
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Bo Liang
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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2
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Yu X, Abeywickrema P, Bonneux B, Behera I, Anson B, Jacoby E, Fung A, Adhikary S, Bhaumik A, Carbajo RJ, De Bruyn S, Miller R, Patrick A, Pham Q, Piassek M, Verheyen N, Shareef A, Sutto-Ortiz P, Ysebaert N, Van Vlijmen H, Jonckers THM, Herschke F, McLellan JS, Decroly E, Fearns R, Grosse S, Roymans D, Sharma S, Rigaux P, Jin Z. Structural and mechanistic insights into the inhibition of respiratory syncytial virus polymerase by a non-nucleoside inhibitor. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1074. [PMID: 37865687 PMCID: PMC10590419 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05451-4] [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: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The respiratory syncytial virus polymerase complex, consisting of the polymerase (L) and phosphoprotein (P), catalyzes nucleotide polymerization, cap addition, and cap methylation via the RNA dependent RNA polymerase, capping, and Methyltransferase domains on L. Several nucleoside and non-nucleoside inhibitors have been reported to inhibit this polymerase complex, but the structural details of the exact inhibitor-polymerase interactions have been lacking. Here, we report a non-nucleoside inhibitor JNJ-8003 with sub-nanomolar inhibition potency in both antiviral and polymerase assays. Our 2.9 Å resolution cryo-EM structure revealed that JNJ-8003 binds to an induced-fit pocket on the capping domain, with multiple interactions consistent with its tight binding and resistance mutation profile. The minigenome and gel-based de novo RNA synthesis and primer extension assays demonstrated that JNJ-8003 inhibited nucleotide polymerization at the early stages of RNA transcription and replication. Our results support that JNJ-8003 binding modulates a functional interplay between the capping and RdRp domains, and this molecular insight could accelerate the design of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaodi Yu
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA.
| | - Pravien Abeywickrema
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Brecht Bonneux
- Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
- University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ishani Behera
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA
| | - Brandon Anson
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA
| | - Edgar Jacoby
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Amy Fung
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA
| | - Suraj Adhikary
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Anusarka Bhaumik
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Rodrigo J Carbajo
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Janssen-Cilag, Discovery Chemistry S.A. Río Jarama, 75A, 45007, Toledo, Spain
| | | | - Robyn Miller
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Aaron Patrick
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Quyen Pham
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA
| | - Madison Piassek
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Nick Verheyen
- Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Afzaal Shareef
- Department of Microbiology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | | | - Nina Ysebaert
- Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | | | | | | | - Jason S McLellan
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Etienne Decroly
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, AFMB, UMR 7257, Marseille, France
| | - Rachel Fearns
- Department of Microbiology, National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA, 02118, USA
| | | | - Dirk Roymans
- Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Sujata Sharma
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Spring House, Pennsylvania, PA, 19477, USA
| | - Peter Rigaux
- Janssen Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, 2340, Beerse, Belgium
| | - Zhinan Jin
- Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, Brisbane, CA, 94005, USA.
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3
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Optimal Conditions for In Vitro Assembly of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Nucleocapsid-like Particles. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020344. [PMID: 36851557 PMCID: PMC9962444 DOI: 10.3390/v15020344] [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: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 01/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsids (NCs) of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can display multiple morphologies in vivo, including spherical, asymmetric, and filamentous conformations. Obtaining homogeneous ring-like oligomers in vitro is significant since they structurally represent one turn of the characteristic RSV NC helical filament. Here, we analyzed and optimized conditions for forming homogenous, recombinant nucleocapsid-like particles (NCLPs) of RSV in vitro. We examined the effects of modifying the integrated RNA length and sequence, altering incubation time, and varying buffer parameters, including salt concentration and pH, on ring-like NCLPs assembly using negative stain electron microscopy (EM) imaging. We showed that high-quality, homogeneous particles are assembled when incubating short, adenine-rich RNA sequences with RNA-free N associated with P (N0P). Further, we reported that a co-incubation duration greater than 3 days, a NaCl concentration between 100 mM and 200 mM, and a pH between 7 and 8 are optimal for N-RNA ring assembly with polyadenine RNA sequences. We believe assembling high-quality, homogeneous NCLPs in vitro will allow for further analysis of RSV RNA synthesis. This work may also lend insights into obtaining high-resolution nucleocapsid homogeneous structures for in vitro analysis of antiviral drug candidates against RSV and related viruses.
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4
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Sutto-Ortiz P, Eléouët JF, Ferron F, Decroly E. Biochemistry of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus L Protein Embedding RNA Polymerase and Capping Activities. Viruses 2023; 15:v15020341. [PMID: 36851554 PMCID: PMC9960070 DOI: 10.3390/v15020341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a negative-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. It is the major cause of severe acute lower respiratory tract infection in infants, the elderly population, and immunocompromised individuals. There is still no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment against RSV disease, but new monoclonal prophylactic antibodies are yet to be commercialized, and clinical trials are in progress. Hence, urgent efforts are needed to develop efficient therapeutic treatments. RSV RNA synthesis comprises viral transcription and replication that are catalyzed by the large protein (L) in coordination with the phosphoprotein polymerase cofactor (P), the nucleoprotein (N), and the M2-1 transcription factor. The replication/transcription is orchestrated by the L protein, which contains three conserved enzymatic domains: the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), the polyribonucleotidyl transferase (PRNTase or capping), and the methyltransferase (MTase) domain. These activities are essential for the RSV replicative cycle and are thus considered as attractive targets for the development of therapeutic agents. In this review, we summarize recent findings about RSV L domains structure that highlight how the enzymatic activities of RSV L domains are interconnected, discuss the most relevant and recent antivirals developments that target the replication/transcription complex, and conclude with a perspective on identified knowledge gaps that enable new research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jean-François Eléouët
- Unité de Virologie et Immunologie Moléculaires, INRAE, Université Paris Saclay, F78350 Jouy en Josas, France
| | - François Ferron
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, AFMB, UMR, 7257 Marseille, France
- European Virus Bioinformatics Center, Leutragraben 1, 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Etienne Decroly
- Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, AFMB, UMR, 7257 Marseille, France
- Correspondence:
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5
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Cao D, Gooneratne I, Mera C, Vy J, Royal M, Huang B, Park Y, Manjunath A, Liang B. Analysis of Template Variations on RNA Synthesis by Respiratory Syncytial Virus Polymerase. Viruses 2022; 15:47. [PMID: 36680087 PMCID: PMC9863079 DOI: 10.3390/v15010047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 12/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a significant threat to infants and elderly individuals globally. Currently, there are no effective therapies or treatments for RSV infection because of an insufficient understanding of the RSV viral machinery. In this study, we investigated the effects of the template variations on RNA synthesis by the RSV polymerase through in vitro RNA synthesis assays. We confirmed the previously reported back-priming activity of the RSV polymerase, which is likely due to the secondary structure of the RNA template. We found that the expansion of the hairpin loop size of the RNA template abolishes the RSV polymerase back-priming activity. At the same time, it seemingly does not affect the de novo RNA synthesis activities of the RSV polymerase. Interestingly, our results show that the RSV polymerase also has a new primer-based terminal extension activity that adds nucleotides to the template and primer in a nonspecific manner. We also mapped the impact of the RNA 5' chemical group on its mobility in a urea-denaturing RNA gel shift assay. Overall, these results enhance our knowledge about the RNA synthesis processes of the RSV polymerase and may guide future therapeutic efforts to develop effective antiviral drugs for RSV treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bo Liang
- Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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Li JJ, Liu ML, Lv JN, Chen RL, Ding K, He JQ. Polysaccharides from Platycodonis Radix ameliorated respiratory syncytial virus-induced epithelial cell apoptosis and inflammation through activation of miR-181a-mediated Hippo and SIRT1 pathways. Int Immunopharmacol 2022; 104:108510. [PMID: 34999393 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.108510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of bronchiolitis in young children, but there are few safe and effective treatments for this disease. Platycodonis Radix is widely used as an antitussive and expectorant drug for preventing various diseases in lower respiratory tract, in which the polysaccharides are one of the main bioactivity constituents. In this study, the protective effects of the P. Radix polysaccharides (PRP) against RSV-induced bronchiolitis in juvenile mice and RSV-induced apoptosis of epithelial HEp-2 cells were investigated. The results showed that PRP obviously decreased the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ and TSLP in lung tissues, and reduced the number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of RSV-infected mice. Furthermore, it reduced the apoptosis of RSV-infected HEp-2 cells and remarkably inhibited the mRNA expressions of RSV L gene, which indicated that PRP affected transcription and replication of RSV in host cells. Compared with that in RSV-infected group, miR-181a-5p in the PRP-treated group presented the highest relative abundance and its expression was violently reduced by approximately 30%. Mechanistically, PRP had the similar effects as miR-181a-5p antagomir on RSV-induced apoptosis and inflammation in HEp-2 cells via upregulating BCL2, MLL3 and SIRT1, which could be reversed by miR-181a-5p mimic. Therefore, it demonstrated that PRP not only protected against RSV-induced lung inflammation in mice but also inhibited apoptosis of RSV-infected HEp-2 cells via suppressing miR-181a-5p and transcriptionally activating Hippo and SIRT1 pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan-Juan Li
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Mei-Ling Liu
- The Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou 310052, China
| | - Jia-Ni Lv
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Rui-Lin Chen
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China; The First Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Ke Ding
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Jia-Qi He
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310006, China.
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Comparison of RNA synthesis initiation properties of non-segmented negative strand RNA virus polymerases. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010151. [PMID: 34914795 PMCID: PMC8717993 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It is generally thought that the promoters of non-segmented, negative strand RNA viruses (nsNSVs) direct the polymerase to initiate RNA synthesis exclusively opposite the 3´ terminal nucleotide of the genome RNA by a de novo (primer independent) initiation mechanism. However, recent studies have revealed that there is diversity between different nsNSVs with pneumovirus promoters directing the polymerase to initiate at positions 1 and 3 of the genome, and ebolavirus polymerases being able to initiate at position 2 on the template. Studies with other RNA viruses have shown that polymerases that engage in de novo initiation opposite position 1 typically have structural features to stabilize the initiation complex and ensure efficient and accurate initiation. This raised the question of whether different nsNSV polymerases have evolved fundamentally different structural properties to facilitate initiation at different sites on their promoters. Here we examined the functional properties of polymerases of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a pneumovirus, human parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3), a paramyxovirus, and Marburg virus (MARV), a filovirus, both on their cognate promoters and on promoters of other viruses. We found that in contrast to the RSV polymerase, which initiated at positions 1 and 3 of its promoter, the PIV-3 and MARV polymerases initiated exclusively at position 1 on their cognate promoters. However, all three polymerases could recognize and initiate from heterologous promoters, with the promoter sequence playing a key role in determining initiation site selection. In addition to examining de novo initiation, we also compared the ability of the RSV and PIV-3 polymerases to engage in back-priming, an activity in which the promoter template is folded into a secondary structure and nucleotides are added to the template 3´ end. This analysis showed that whereas the RSV polymerase was promiscuous in back-priming activity, the PIV-3 polymerase generated barely detectable levels of back-primed product, irrespective of promoter template sequence. Overall, this study shows that the polymerases from these three nsNSV families are fundamentally similar in their initiation properties, but have differences in their abilities to engage in back-priming.
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