1
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Grimes SL, Denison MR. The Coronavirus helicase in replication. Virus Res 2024; 346:199401. [PMID: 38796132 PMCID: PMC11177069 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2024.199401] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus nonstructural protein (nsp) 13 encodes an RNA helicase (nsp13-HEL) with multiple enzymatic functions, including unwinding and nucleoside phosphatase (NTPase) activities. Attempts for enzymatic inactivation have defined the nsp13-HEL as a critical enzyme for viral replication and a high-priority target for antiviral development. Helicases have been shown to play numerous roles beyond their canonical ATPase and unwinding activities, though these functions are just beginning to be explored in coronavirus biology. Recent genetic and biochemical studies, as well as work in structurally-related helicases, have provided evidence that supports new hypotheses for the helicase's potential role in coronavirus replication. Here, we review several aspects of the coronavirus nsp13-HEL, including its reported and proposed functions in viral replication and highlight fundamental areas of research that may aid the development of helicase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L Grimes
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA
| | - Mark R Denison
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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2
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Tan X, Cui J, Liu N, Wang X, Li H, Liu Y, Zhang W, Ma W, Lu D, Fan Y. Study on the immune-enhancing and inhabiting transmissible gastroenteritis virus effects of polysaccharides from Cimicifuga rhizoma. Microb Pathog 2024; 192:106719. [PMID: 38810768 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2024.106719] [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: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Cimicifugae rhizoma is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine in China, and modern pharmacological research showed that it has obvious antiviral activity. Many polysaccharides have been proved to have immune enhancement and antiviral activity, but there are few studies on the biological activity of Cimicifuga rhizoma polysaccharide (CRP). The aim was to explore the character of CRP and its effects on improving immune activity and inhibiting transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV). The monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, fourier transform infrared spectra and electron microscopy analysis of CRP was measured. The effect of CRP on immune activity in lymphocytes and RAW264.7 cells were studied by colorimetry, FITC-OVA fluorescent staining and ELISA. The effect of CRP on TGEV-infected PK-15 cells was determined using Real-time PCR, Hoechst fluorescence staining, trypan blue staining, acridine orange staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI fluorescent staining, DCFH-DA loading probe, and JC-1 staining. Network pharmacology was used to predict the targets of CRP in enhancing immunity and anti-TGEV, and molecular docking was used to further analyze the binding mode between CPR and core targets. The results showed that CRP was mainly composed of glucose and galactose, and its molecular weight was 64.28 kDa. The content of iNOS and NO in CRP group were significantly higher than the control group. CRP (125 and 62.5 μg/mL) could significantly enhance the phagocytic capacity of RAW264.7 cells, and imprive the content of IL-1β content compared with control group. 250 μg/mL of CRP possessed the significant inhibitory effect on TGEV, which could significantly reduce the apoptosis compared to TGVE group and inhibit the decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential compared to TGVE group. The mRNA expression of TGEV N gene in CRP groups was significantly lower than TGEV group. PPI showed that the core targets of immune-enhancing were AKT1, MMP9, HSP90AA1, etc., and the core targets of TGE were CASP3, MMP9, EGFR, etc. Molecular docking show that CRP has binding potential with target. These results indicated that CRP possessed the better immune enhancement effect and anti-TGEV activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewen Tan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Jing Cui
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Nishang Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Xingchen Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Huicong Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Yingqiu Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Weimin Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Wuren Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China
| | - Dezhang Lu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China.
| | - Yunpeng Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China; Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, 712100, Yangling, PR China.
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3
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Dutta M, Su Y, Plescia CB, Voth GA, Stahelin RV. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein associates with anionic lipid membranes. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107456. [PMID: 38866325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a lipid-enveloped virus that acquires its lipid bilayer from the host cell it infects. SARS-CoV-2 can spread from cell to cell or from patient to patient by undergoing assembly and budding to form new virions. The assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by several structural proteins known as envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleoprotein (N), and spike (S), which can form virus-like particles (VLPs) when co-expressed in mammalian cells. Assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 from the host ER-Golgi intermediate compartment is a critical step in the virus acquiring its lipid bilayer. To date, little information is available on how SARS-CoV-2 assembles and forms new viral particles from host membranes. In this study, we used several lipid binding assays and found the N protein can strongly associate with anionic lipids including phosphoinositides and phosphatidylserine. Moreover, we show lipid binding occurs in the N protein C-terminal domain, which is supported by extensive in silico analysis. We demonstrate anionic lipid binding occurs for both the free and the N oligomeric forms, suggesting N can associate with membranes in the nucleocapsid form. Based on these results, we present a lipid-dependent model based on in vitro, cellular, and in silico data for the recruitment of N to assembly sites in the lifecycle of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandira Dutta
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Yuan Su
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Caroline B Plescia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Gregory A Voth
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, and James Frank Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
| | - Robert V Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
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4
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López-Vázquez S, Villalobos C, Núñez L. SARS-CoV-2 Viroporin E Induces Ca 2+ Release and Neuron Cell Death in Primary Cultures of Rat Hippocampal Cells Aged In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6304. [PMID: 38928009 PMCID: PMC11203731 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126304] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic was caused by infection with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which may lead to serious respiratory, vascular and neurological dysfunctions. The SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein (E protein) is a structural viroporin able to form ion channels in cell membranes, which is critical for viral replication. However, its effects in primary neurons have not been addressed. Here we used fluorescence microscopy and calcium imaging to study SARS-CoV-2 viroporin E localization and the effects on neuron damage and intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis in a model of rat hippocampal neurons aged in vitro. We found that the E protein quickly enters hippocampal neurons and colocalizes with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in both short-term (6-8 days in vitro, DIV) and long-term (20-22 DIV) cultures resembling young and aged neurons, respectively. Strikingly, E protein treatment induces apoptosis in aged neurons but not in young neurons. The E protein induces variable increases in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in hippocampal neurons. Ca2+ responses to the E protein are due to Ca2+ release from intracellular stores at the ER. Moreover, E protein-induced Ca2+ release is very small in young neurons and increases dramatically in aged neurons, consistent with the enhanced Ca2+ store content in aged neurons. We conclude that the SARS-CoV-2 E protein quickly translocates to ER endomembranes of rat hippocampal neurons where it releases Ca2+, probably acting like a viroporin, thus producing Ca2+ store depletion and neuron apoptosis in aged neurons and likely contributing to neurological damage in COVID-19 patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara López-Vázquez
- Excellence Unit, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Genetics of Valladolid (IBGM), University of Valladolid and Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (S.L.-V.); (L.N.)
| | - Carlos Villalobos
- Excellence Unit, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Genetics of Valladolid (IBGM), University of Valladolid and Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (S.L.-V.); (L.N.)
| | - Lucía Núñez
- Excellence Unit, Institute of Biomedicine and Molecular Genetics of Valladolid (IBGM), University of Valladolid and Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), 47003 Valladolid, Spain; (S.L.-V.); (L.N.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine, University of Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain
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5
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Wu G, Li Q, Dai J, Mao G, Ma Y. Design and Application of Biosafe Coronavirus Engineering Systems without Virulence. Viruses 2024; 16:659. [PMID: 38793541 PMCID: PMC11126016 DOI: 10.3390/v16050659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
In the last twenty years, three deadly zoonotic coronaviruses (CoVs)-namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and SARS-CoV-2-have emerged. They are considered highly pathogenic for humans, particularly SARS-CoV-2, which caused the 2019 CoV disease pandemic (COVID-19), endangering the lives and health of people globally and causing unpredictable economic losses. Experiments on wild-type viruses require biosafety level 3 or 4 laboratories (BSL-3 or BSL-4), which significantly hinders basic virological research. Therefore, the development of various biosafe CoV systems without virulence is urgently needed to meet the requirements of different research fields, such as antiviral and vaccine evaluation. This review aimed to comprehensively summarize the biosafety of CoV engineering systems. These systems combine virological foundations with synthetic genomics techniques, enabling the development of efficient tools for attenuated or non-virulent vaccines, the screening of antiviral drugs, and the investigation of the pathogenic mechanisms of novel microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau SAR 999078, China
| | - Qiaoyu Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- College of Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
| | - Junbiao Dai
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Guobin Mao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
| | - Yingxin Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Quantitative Engineering Biology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Synthetic Genomics, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China; (G.W.); (Q.L.); (J.D.)
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6
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Yang Z, Johnson BA, Meliopoulos VA, Ju X, Zhang P, Hughes MP, Wu J, Koreski KP, Clary JE, Chang TC, Wu G, Hixon J, Duffner J, Wong K, Lemieux R, Lokugamage KG, Alvarado RE, Crocquet-Valdes PA, Walker DH, Plante KS, Plante JA, Weaver SC, Kim HJ, Meyers R, Schultz-Cherry S, Ding Q, Menachery VD, Taylor JP. Interaction between host G3BP and viral nucleocapsid protein regulates SARS-CoV-2 replication and pathogenicity. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113965. [PMID: 38492217 PMCID: PMC11044841 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.113965] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
G3BP1/2 are paralogous proteins that promote stress granule formation in response to cellular stresses, including viral infection. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inhibits stress granule assembly and interacts with G3BP1/2 via an ITFG motif, including residue F17, in the N protein. Prior studies examining the impact of the G3PB1-N interaction on SARS-CoV-2 replication have produced inconsistent findings, and the role of this interaction in pathogenesis is unknown. Here, we use structural and biochemical analyses to define the residues required for G3BP1-N interaction and structure-guided mutagenesis to selectively disrupt this interaction. We find that N-F17A mutation causes highly specific loss of interaction with G3BP1/2. SARS-CoV-2 N-F17A fails to inhibit stress granule assembly in cells, has decreased viral replication, and causes decreased pathology in vivo. Further mechanistic studies indicate that the N-F17-mediated G3BP1-N interaction promotes infection by limiting sequestration of viral genomic RNA (gRNA) into stress granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zemin Yang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA; Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Bryan A Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Victoria A Meliopoulos
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Xiaohui Ju
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peipei Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael P Hughes
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jinjun Wu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA; Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kaitlin P Koreski
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jemma E Clary
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ti-Cheng Chang
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Gang Wu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kumari G Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - R Elias Alvarado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth S Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Scott C Weaver
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Hong Joo Kim
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | - Stacey Schultz-Cherry
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Qiang Ding
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Vineet D Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA; World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA.
| | - J Paul Taylor
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.
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7
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Kubinski HC, Despres HW, Johnson BA, Schmidt MM, Jaffrani SA, Mills MG, Lokugamage K, Dumas CM, Shirley DJ, Estes LK, Pekosz A, Crothers JW, Roychoudhury P, Greninger AL, Jerome KR, Di Genova BM, Walker DH, Ballif BA, Ladinsky MS, Bjorkman PJ, Menachery VD, Bruce EA. Variant mutation in SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid enhances viral infection via altered genomic encapsidation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.08.584120. [PMID: 38559000 PMCID: PMC10979914 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.08.584120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants and their respective phenotypes represents an important set of tools to understand basic coronavirus biology as well as the public health implications of individual mutations in variants of concern. While mutations outside of Spike are not well studied, the entire viral genome is undergoing evolutionary selection, particularly the central disordered linker region of the nucleocapsid (N) protein. Here, we identify a mutation (G215C), characteristic of the Delta variant, that introduces a novel cysteine into this linker domain, which results in the formation of a disulfide bond and a stable N-N dimer. Using reverse genetics, we determined that this cysteine residue is necessary and sufficient for stable dimer formation in a WA1 SARS-CoV-2 background, where it results in significantly increased viral growth both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we demonstrate that the N:G215C virus packages more nucleocapsid per virion and that individual virions are larger, with elongated morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah C. Kubinski
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Hannah W. Despres
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Bryan A. Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Center for Tropical Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Madaline M. Schmidt
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Sara A. Jaffrani
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Margaret G. Mills
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
| | - Kumari Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Caroline M. Dumas
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont 109 Carrigan Drive, 120A Marsh Life Sciences, Burlington VT 05404, USA
| | - David J. Shirley
- Faraday, Inc. Data Science Department. Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - Leah K. Estes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew Pekosz
- W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, The Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Jessica W. Crothers
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Robert Larner, MD College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Pavitra Roychoudhury
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexander L. Greninger
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - Keith R. Jerome
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle WA 98195, USA
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109, USA
| | - Bruno Martorelli Di Genova
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
| | - David H. Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Bryan A. Ballif
- Department of Biology, University of Vermont 109 Carrigan Drive, 120A Marsh Life Sciences, Burlington VT 05404, USA
| | - Mark S. Ladinsky
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. 91125, USA
| | - Pamela J. Bjorkman
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. 91125, USA
| | - Vineet D. Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Emily A. Bruce
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Robert Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington VT, 05405, USA
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8
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Garvanska DH, Alvarado RE, Mundt FO, Lindqvist R, Duel JK, Coscia F, Nilsson E, Lokugamage K, Johnson BA, Plante JA, Morris DR, Vu MN, Estes LK, McLeland AM, Walker J, Crocquet-Valdes PA, Mendez BL, Plante KS, Walker DH, Weisser MB, Överby AK, Mann M, Menachery VD, Nilsson J. The NSP3 protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds fragile X mental retardation proteins to disrupt UBAP2L interactions. EMBO Rep 2024; 25:902-926. [PMID: 38177924 PMCID: PMC10897489 DOI: 10.1038/s44319-023-00043-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Viruses interact with numerous host factors to facilitate viral replication and to dampen antiviral defense mechanisms. We currently have a limited mechanistic understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 binds host factors and the functional role of these interactions. Here, we uncover a novel interaction between the viral NSP3 protein and the fragile X mental retardation proteins (FMRPs: FMR1, FXR1-2). SARS-CoV-2 NSP3 mutant viruses preventing FMRP binding have attenuated replication in vitro and reduced levels of viral antigen in lungs during the early stages of infection. We show that a unique peptide motif in NSP3 binds directly to the two central KH domains of FMRPs and that this interaction is disrupted by the I304N mutation found in a patient with fragile X syndrome. NSP3 binding to FMRPs disrupts their interaction with the stress granule component UBAP2L through direct competition with a peptide motif in UBAP2L to prevent FMRP incorporation into stress granules. Collectively, our results provide novel insight into how SARS-CoV-2 hijacks host cell proteins and provides molecular insight into the possible underlying molecular defects in fragile X syndrome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitriya H Garvanska
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - R Elias Alvarado
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Filip Oskar Mundt
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Josephine Kerzel Duel
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Fabian Coscia
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Kumari Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Bryan A Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Dorothea R Morris
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Michelle N Vu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Leah K Estes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Alyssa M McLeland
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jordyn Walker
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - Blanca Lopez Mendez
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kenneth S Plante
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Melanie Bianca Weisser
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Matthias Mann
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vineet D Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- World Reference Center of Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jakob Nilsson
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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9
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Liao Y, Wang H, Liao H, Sun Y, Tan L, Song C, Qiu X, Ding C. Classification, replication, and transcription of Nidovirales. Front Microbiol 2024; 14:1291761. [PMID: 38328580 PMCID: PMC10847374 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1291761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nidovirales is one order of RNA virus, with the largest single-stranded positive sense RNA genome enwrapped with membrane envelope. It comprises four families (Arterividae, Mesoniviridae, Roniviridae, and Coronaviridae) and has been circulating in humans and animals for almost one century, posing great threat to livestock and poultry,as well as to public health. Nidovirales shares similar life cycle: attachment to cell surface, entry, primary translation of replicases, viral RNA replication in cytoplasm, translation of viral proteins, virion assembly, budding, and release. The viral RNA synthesis is the critical step during infection, including genomic RNA (gRNA) replication and subgenomic mRNAs (sg mRNAs) transcription. gRNA replication requires the synthesis of a negative sense full-length RNA intermediate, while the sg mRNAs transcription involves the synthesis of a nested set of negative sense subgenomic intermediates by a discontinuous strategy. This RNA synthesis process is mediated by the viral replication/transcription complex (RTC), which consists of several enzymatic replicases derived from the polyprotein 1a and polyprotein 1ab and several cellular proteins. These replicases and host factors represent the optimal potential therapeutic targets. Hereby, we summarize the Nidovirales classification, associated diseases, "replication organelle," replication and transcription mechanisms, as well as related regulatory factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liao
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huan Wang
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Huiyu Liao
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yingjie Sun
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Tan
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Cuiping Song
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xusheng Qiu
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chan Ding
- Department of Avian Diseases, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
- Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Yangzhou, China
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10
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Lin CH, Hsieh FC, Lai CC, Wang WC, Kuo CY, Yang CC, Hsu HW, Tam HMH, Yang CY, Wu HY. Identification of the protein coding capability of coronavirus defective viral genomes by mass spectrometry. Virol J 2023; 20:290. [PMID: 38062493 PMCID: PMC10704767 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02252-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
During coronavirus infection, in addition to the well-known coronavirus genomes and subgenomic mRNAs, an abundance of defective viral genomes (DVGs) can also be synthesized. In this study, we aimed to examine whether DVGs can encode proteins in infected cells. Nanopore direct RNA sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis were employed. With the protein databases generated by nanopore direct RNA sequencing and the cell lysates derived from the RNA-protein pull-down assay, six DVG-encoded proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS based on the featured fusion peptides caused by recombination during DVG synthesis. The results suggest that the coronavirus DVGs have the capability to encode proteins. Consequently, future studies determining the biological function of DVG-encoded proteins may contribute to the understanding of their roles in coronavirus pathogenesis and the development of antiviral strategies.
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Grants
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
- 109-2313-B-005 -013 -MY3, 110-2327-B-005 -003 and 111-2327-B-005 -003 National Science and Technology Council
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Affiliation(s)
- Ching-Hung Lin
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Feng-Cheng Hsieh
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Chen Lai
- Institute of Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chen Wang
- Institute of Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yu Kuo
- Institute of Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chun Yang
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Hsuan-Wei Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Hon-Man-Herman Tam
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yao Yang
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Hung-Yi Wu
- Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
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11
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Adly AN, Bi M, Carlson CR, Syed AM, Ciling A, Doudna JA, Cheng Y, Morgan DO. Assembly of SARS-CoV-2 ribonucleosomes by truncated N ∗ variant of the nucleocapsid protein. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105362. [PMID: 37863261 PMCID: PMC10665939 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) compacts the RNA genome into viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes within virions. Assembly of vRNPs is inhibited by phosphorylation of the N protein serine/arginine (SR) region. Several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern carry N protein mutations that reduce phosphorylation and enhance the efficiency of viral packaging. Variants of the dominant B.1.1 viral lineage also encode a truncated N protein, termed N∗ or Δ(1-209), that mediates genome packaging despite lacking the N-terminal RNA-binding domain and SR region. Here, we use mass photometry and negative stain electron microscopy to show that purified Δ(1-209) and viral RNA assemble into vRNPs that are remarkably similar in size and shape to those formed with full-length N protein. We show that assembly of Δ(1-209) vRNPs requires the leucine-rich helix of the central disordered region and that this helix promotes N protein oligomerization. We also find that fusion of a phosphomimetic SR region to Δ(1-209) inhibits RNA binding and vRNP assembly. Our results provide new insights into the mechanisms by which RNA binding promotes N protein self-association and vRNP assembly, and how this process is modulated by phosphorylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Armin N Adly
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Maxine Bi
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Abdullah M Syed
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Alison Ciling
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Jennifer A Doudna
- J. David Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA; Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; Innovative Genomics Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3), University of California, Berkeley, California, USA; MBIB Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Yifan Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - David O Morgan
- Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA.
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12
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Cai HL, Huang YW. Reverse genetics systems for SARS-CoV-2: Development and applications. Virol Sin 2023; 38:837-850. [PMID: 37832720 PMCID: PMC10786661 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The recent emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused serious harm to human health and struck a blow to global economic development. Research on SARS-CoV-2 has greatly benefited from the use of reverse genetics systems, which have been established to artificially manipulate the viral genome, generating recombinant and reporter infectious viruses or biosafety level 2 (BSL-2)-adapted non-infectious replicons with desired modifications. These tools have been instrumental in studying the molecular biological characteristics of the virus, investigating antiviral therapeutics, and facilitating the development of attenuated vaccine candidates. Here, we review the construction strategies, development, and applications of reverse genetics systems for SARS-CoV-2, which may be applied to other CoVs as well.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hou-Li Cai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yao-Wei Huang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; State Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Control and Prevention, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China; Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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13
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Wang L, Guzman M, Muñoz-Santos D, Honrubia JM, Ripoll-Gomez J, Delgado R, Sola I, Enjuanes L, Zuñiga S. Cell type dependent stability and virulence of a recombinant SARS-CoV-2, and engineering of a propagation deficient RNA replicon to analyze virus RNA synthesis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1268227. [PMID: 37942479 PMCID: PMC10628495 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1268227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Engineering of reverse genetics systems for newly emerged viruses allows viral genome manipulation, being an essential tool for the study of virus life cycle, virus-host interactions and pathogenesis, as well as for the development of effective antiviral strategies. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emergent human coronavirus that has caused the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. The engineering of a full-length infectious cDNA clone and a fluorescent replicon of SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1, using a bacterial artificial chromosome, is reported. Viral growth and genetic stability in eleven cell lines were analyzed, showing that both VeroE6 cells overexpressing transmembrane serin protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and human lung derived cells resulted in the optimization of a cell system to preserve SARS-CoV-2 genetic stability. The recombinant SARS-CoV-2 virus and a point mutant expressing the D614G spike protein variant were virulent in a mouse model. The RNA replicon was propagation-defective, allowing its use in BSL-2 conditions to analyze viral RNA synthesis. The SARS-CoV-2 reverse genetics systems developed constitute a useful tool for studying the molecular biology of the virus, the development of genetically defined vaccines and to establish systems for antiviral compounds screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - María Guzman
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Diego Muñoz-Santos
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose Manuel Honrubia
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jorge Ripoll-Gomez
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Delgado
- Laboratory of Molecular Microbiology, Instituto de Investigación Hospital 12 de Octubre (Imas12), Madrid, Spain
| | - Isabel Sola
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Luis Enjuanes
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Zuñiga
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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14
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Estelle AB, Forsythe HM, Yu Z, Hughes K, Lasher B, Allen P, Reardon PN, Hendrix DA, Barbar EJ. RNA structure and multiple weak interactions balance the interplay between RNA binding and phase separation of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid. PNAS NEXUS 2023; 2:pgad333. [PMID: 37901441 PMCID: PMC10605006 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
The nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds viral RNA, condensing it inside the virion, and phase separating with RNA to form liquid-liquid condensates. There is little consensus on what differentiates sequence-independent N-RNA interactions in the virion or in liquid droplets from those with specific genomic RNA (gRNA) motifs necessary for viral function inside infected cells. To identify the RNA structures and the N domains responsible for specific interactions and phase separation, we use the first 1,000 nt of viral RNA and short RNA segments designed as models for single-stranded and paired RNA. Binding affinities estimated from fluorescence anisotropy of these RNAs to the two-folded domains of N (the NTD and CTD) and comparison to full-length N demonstrate that the NTD binds preferentially to single-stranded RNA, and while it is the primary RNA-binding site, it is not essential to phase separation. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy identifies two RNA-binding sites on the NTD: a previously characterized site and an additional although weaker RNA-binding face that becomes prominent when binding to the primary site is weak, such as with dsRNA or a binding-impaired mutant. Phase separation assays of nucleocapsid domains with double-stranded and single-stranded RNA structures support a model where multiple weak interactions, such as with the CTD or the NTD's secondary face promote phase separation, while strong, specific interactions do not. These studies indicate that both strong and multivalent weak N-RNA interactions underlie the multifunctional abilities of N.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aidan B Estelle
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Heather M Forsythe
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Zhen Yu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Kaitlyn Hughes
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Brittany Lasher
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Patrick Allen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Patrick N Reardon
- Oregon State University NMR Facility, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - David A Hendrix
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
- School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Elisar J Barbar
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
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15
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Dutta M, Su Y, Voth GA, Stahelin RV. The SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein associates with anionic lipid membranes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.15.557899. [PMID: 37745364 PMCID: PMC10516002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.15.557899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a lipid-enveloped virus that acquires its lipid bilayer from the host cell it infects. SARS-CoV-2 can spread from cell to cell or from patient to patient by undergoing assembly and budding to form new virions. The assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 is mediated by several structural proteins known as envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleoprotein (N) and spike (S), which can form virus-like particles (VLPs) when co-expressed in mammalian cells. Assembly and budding of SARS-CoV-2 from the host ER-Golgi intermediate compartment is a critical step in the virus acquiring its lipid bilayer. To date, little information is available on how SARS-CoV-2 assembles and forms new viral particles from host membranes. In this study, we find the N protein can strongly associate with anionic lipids including phosphoinositides and phosphatidylserine. Moreover, lipid binding is shown to occur in the N protein C-terminal domain, which is supported by extensive in silico analysis. Anionic lipid binding occurs for both the free and N oligomeric forms suggesting N can associate with membranes in the nucleocapsid form. Herein we present a lipid-dependent model based on in vitro, cellular and in silico data for the recruitment of N to M assembly sites in the lifecycle of SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandira Dutta
- Department of Chemistry, Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, and James Frank Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Yuan Su
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Gregory A. Voth
- Department of Chemistry, Chicago Center for Theoretical Chemistry, Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, and James Frank Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Robert V. Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology and the Purdue Institute of Inflammation, Immunology and Infectious Disease, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
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16
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Ju X, Wang Z, Wang P, Ren W, Yu Y, Yu Y, Yuan B, Song J, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Xu C, Tian B, Shi Y, Zhang R, Ding Q. SARS-CoV-2 main protease cleaves MAGED2 to antagonize host antiviral defense. mBio 2023; 14:e0137323. [PMID: 37439567 PMCID: PMC10470497 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01373-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the agent causing the global pandemic of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 genome encodes a main protease (nsp5, also called Mpro) and a papain-like protease (nsp3, also called PLpro), which are responsible for processing viral polyproteins to assemble a functional replicase complex. In this study, we found that Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 can cleave human MAGED2 and other mammalian orthologs at Gln-263. Moreover, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Mpro can also cleave human MAGED2, suggesting MAGED2 cleavage by Mpro is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of coronavirus infection in mammals. Intriguingly, Mpro from Beta variant cleaves MAGED2 more efficiently than wild type, but Omicron Mpro is opposite. Further studies show that MAGED2 inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection at viral replication step. Mechanistically, MAGED2 is associated with SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein through its N-terminal region in an RNA-dependent manner, and this disrupts the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein and viral genome, thus inhibiting viral replication. When MAGED2 is cleaved by Mpro, the N-terminal of MAGED2 will translocate into the nucleus, and the truncated MAGED2 is unable to suppress SARS-CoV-2 replication. This work not only discovers the antiviral function of MAGED2 but also provides new insights into how SARS-CoV-2 Mpro antagonizes host antiviral response. IMPORTANCE Host factors that restrict severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection remain elusive. Here, we found that MAGED2 can be cleaved by SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) at Gln-263. SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Mpro can also cleave MAGED2, and MAGED2 from multiple species can be cleaved by SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Mpro from Beta variant cleaves MAGED2 more efficiently efficiently than wild type, but Omicron is the opposite. MAGED2 depletion enhances SARS-CoV-2 infection, suggesting its inhibitory role in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mechanistically, MAGED2 restricts SARS-CoV-2 replication by disrupting the interaction between nucleocapsid and viral genomes. When MAGED2 is cleaved, its N-terminal will translocate into the nucleus. In this way, Mpro relieves MAGED2' inhibition on viral replication. This study improves our understanding of complex viral-host interaction and provides novel targets to treat SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Ju
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ziqiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pengcheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenlin Ren
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanying Yu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwei Song
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaochun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chang Xu
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Boxue Tian
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yi Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Virology (MOE/NHC/CAMS), School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Biosafety Level 3 Laboratory, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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17
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Dong X, Hiscox JA. Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Population Genetics from Samples Associated with Huanan Market and Early Cases Identifies Substitutions Associated with Future Variants of Concern. Viruses 2023; 15:1728. [PMID: 37632069 PMCID: PMC10459715 DOI: 10.3390/v15081728] [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: 06/16/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 began spreading through human-to-human transmission first within China and then worldwide, with increasing sequence diversity associated with time and the further spread of the virus. The spillover events in the Huanan market were associated with two lineages of SARS-CoV-2 (lineages A and B). Infecting virus populations and those in infected individuals consist of a dominant genomic sequence and minor genomic variants; these latter populations can indicate sites on the genome that may be subject to mutational changes-either neutral or advantageous sites and those that act as a reservoir for future dominant variants-when placed under selection pressure. The earliest deposited sequences with human infections associated with the Huanan market shared very close homology with each other and were all lineage B. However, there were minor genomic variants present in each sample that encompassed synonymous and non-synonymous changes. Fusion sequences characteristic of defective RNA were identified that could potentially link transmission chains between individuals. Although all the individuals appeared to have lineage B as the dominant sequence, nucleotides associated with lineage A could be found at very low frequencies. Several substitutions (but not deletions) associated with much later variants of concern (VoCs) were already present as minor genomic variants. This suggests that low-frequency substitutions at the start of a pandemic could be a reservoir of future dominant variants and/or provide information on potential sites within the genome associated with future plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofeng Dong
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK;
| | - Julian A. Hiscox
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L3 5RF, UK;
- Health Protection Research Unit in Emerging and Zoonotic Infections, Liverpool L69 7BE, UK
- A*STAR Infectious Diseases Laboratories (A*STAR ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore 138648, Singapore
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18
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Welch SR, Spengler JR, Genzer SC, Coleman-McCray JD, Harmon JR, Sorvillo TE, Scholte FE, Rodriguez SE, O’Neal TJ, Ritter JM, Ficarra G, Davies KA, Kainulainen MH, Karaaslan E, Bergeron É, Goldsmith CS, Lo MK, Nichol ST, Montgomery JM, Spiropoulou CF. Single-dose mucosal replicon-particle vaccine protects against lethal Nipah virus infection up to 3 days after vaccination. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadh4057. [PMID: 37540755 PMCID: PMC10403222 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh4057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023]
Abstract
Nipah virus (NiV) causes a highly lethal disease in humans who present with acute respiratory or neurological signs. No vaccines against NiV have been approved to date. Here, we report on the clinical impact of a novel NiV-derived nonspreading replicon particle lacking the fusion (F) protein gene (NiVΔF) as a vaccine in three small animal models of disease. A broad antibody response was detected that included immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA subtypes with demonstrable Fc-mediated effector function targeting multiple viral antigens. Single-dose intranasal vaccination up to 3 days before challenge prevented clinical signs and reduced virus levels in hamsters and immunocompromised mice; decreases were seen in tissues and mucosal secretions, critically decreasing potential for virus transmission. This virus replicon particle system provides a vital tool to the field and demonstrates utility as a highly efficacious and safe vaccine candidate that can be administered parenterally or mucosally to protect against lethal Nipah disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen R. Welch
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R. Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Sarah C. Genzer
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - JoAnn D. Coleman-McCray
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
- Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R. Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Teresa E. Sorvillo
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Florine E. M. Scholte
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Sergio E. Rodriguez
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - T. Justin O’Neal
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Jana M. Ritter
- Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Georgia Ficarra
- Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Katherine A. Davies
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Markus H. Kainulainen
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Elif Karaaslan
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Éric Bergeron
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Cynthia S. Goldsmith
- Infectious Disease Pathology Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Michael K. Lo
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Stuart T. Nichol
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Joel M. Montgomery
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
| | - Christina F. Spiropoulou
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA
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19
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Yang Z, Johnson BA, Meliopoulos VA, Ju X, Zhang P, Hughes MP, Wu J, Koreski KP, Chang TC, Wu G, Hixon J, Duffner J, Wong K, Lemieux R, Lokugamage KG, Alvardo RE, Crocquet-Valdes PA, Walker DH, Plante KS, Plante JA, Weaver SC, Kim HJ, Meyers R, Schultz-Cherry S, Ding Q, Menachery VD, Taylor JP. Interaction between host G3BP and viral nucleocapsid protein regulates SARS-CoV-2 replication. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.06.29.546885. [PMID: 37425880 PMCID: PMC10327126 DOI: 10.1101/2023.06.29.546885] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
G3BP1/2 are paralogous proteins that promote stress granule formation in response to cellular stresses, including viral infection. G3BP1/2 are prominent interactors of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). However, the functional consequences of the G3BP1-N interaction in the context of viral infection remain unclear. Here we used structural and biochemical analyses to define the residues required for G3BP1-N interaction, followed by structure-guided mutagenesis of G3BP1 and N to selectively and reciprocally disrupt their interaction. We found that mutation of F17 within the N protein led to selective loss of interaction with G3BP1 and consequent failure of the N protein to disrupt stress granule assembly. Introduction of SARS-CoV-2 bearing an F17A mutation resulted in a significant decrease in viral replication and pathogenesis in vivo, indicating that the G3BP1-N interaction promotes infection by suppressing the ability of G3BP1 to form stress granules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zemin Yang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Bryan A Johnson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Victoria A Meliopoulos
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Xiaohui Ju
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Peipei Zhang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Michael P Hughes
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Jinjun Wu
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Kaitlin P Koreski
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Ti-Cheng Chang
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Gang Wu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Kumari G Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Rojelio E Alvardo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - David H Walker
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Kenneth S Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Jessica A Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Scott C Weaver
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Hong Joo Kim
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | | | - Stacey Schultz-Cherry
- Department of Infectious Diseases, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Qiang Ding
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Vineet D Menachery
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - J Paul Taylor
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, USA
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20
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Hussein M, Andrade dos Ramos Z, Vink MA, Kroon P, Yu Z, Enjuanes L, Zuñiga S, Berkhout B, Herrera-Carrillo E. Efficient CRISPR-Cas13d-Based Antiviral Strategy to Combat SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030686. [PMID: 36992394 PMCID: PMC10051389 DOI: 10.3390/v15030686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic forms a major global health burden. Although protective vaccines are available, concerns remain as new virus variants continue to appear. CRISPR-based gene-editing approaches offer an attractive therapeutic strategy as the CRISPR-RNA (crRNA) can be adjusted rapidly to accommodate a new viral genome sequence. This study aimed at using the RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13d system to attack highly conserved sequences in the viral RNA genome, thereby preparing for future zoonotic outbreaks of other coronaviruses. We designed 29 crRNAs targeting highly conserved sequences along the complete SARS-CoV-2 genome. Several crRNAs demonstrated efficient silencing of a reporter with the matching viral target sequence and efficient inhibition of a SARS-CoV-2 replicon. The crRNAs that suppress SARS-CoV-2 were also able to suppress SARS-CoV, thus demonstrating the breadth of this antiviral strategy. Strikingly, we observed that only crRNAs directed against the plus-genomic RNA demonstrated antiviral activity in the replicon assay, in contrast to those that bind the minus-genomic RNA, the replication intermediate. These results point to a major difference in the vulnerability and biology of the +RNA versus −RNA strands of the SARS-CoV-2 genome and provide important insights for the design of RNA-targeting antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mouraya Hussein
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zaria Andrade dos Ramos
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Monique A. Vink
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Pascal Kroon
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Zhenghao Yu
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Luis Enjuanes
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonia Zuñiga
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Campus Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ben Berkhout
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Elena Herrera-Carrillo
- Laboratory of Experimental Virology, Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Correspondence:
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21
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Cong X, Zhang L, Zhu H, Wu M, Zhu Y, Lian Y, Huang B, Gu Y, Cong F. Preparation of a new monoclonal antibody against nucleocapsid protein of swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus and identification of its linear antigenic epitope. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 239:124241. [PMID: 36996959 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
Swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV), which causes severe diarrhea in newborn piglets, was first identified in Southern China in 2017. Since the Nucleocapsid (N) protein in SADS-CoV is highly conserved and plays a key role in virus replication, it is often used as a target protein in scientific research. In this study, the N protein of SADS-CoV was successfully expressed, and a new monoclonal antibody (mAb), 5G12, against the protein was generated successfully. The mAb 5G12 can be used to detect SADS-CoV strains by indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) and western blotting. The mAb 5G12 epitope was located to amino acids 11 EQAESRGRK 19 by evaluating the antibody for reactivity with a series of truncated N protein segments. The biological information analysis showed that the antigenic epitope had a high antigenic index and conservation. This study will help further understand the protein structure and function of SADS-CoV and in the establishment of specific SADS-CoV detection methods.
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22
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Mahdi I, Yeasmin H, Hossain I, Badhan RM, Ali MA, Kaium MA, Islam R, Sufian MA, Halim MA. Potential antiviral peptides against the nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. CHEMICAL PAPERS 2023; 77:813-823. [PMID: 36213321 PMCID: PMC9531640 DOI: 10.1007/s11696-022-02514-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Nucleoprotein is a conserved structural protein of SARS-CoV-2, which is involved in several functions, including replication, packaging, and transcription. In this research, 21 antiviral peptides that are known to have inhibitory function against nucleoprotein in several other viruses, were screened computationally against the nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. The complexes of five best performing peptides (AVP1142, AVP1145, AVP1148, AVP1150, AVP1155) with nucleoprotein were selected for subsequent screening via 5 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Two peptides, namely AVP1145 and AVP1155, came out as promising candidates and hence were selected for 200 ns MD simulation for further validation, incorporating a DMPC-based membrane environment. In the long MD simulation, both AVP1155 and AVP1145 utilized multiple residues-mainly aromatic, acidic, and nonpolar residues-as interacting points to remain in contact with the nucleoprotein and formed predominantly hydrogen bonds along with hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. However, AVP1155 proved to be superior to AVP1145 when its complex with nucleoprotein was analyzed in terms of root-mean-square deviation, root-mean-square fluctuation, radius of gyration, solvent accessible surface area and free energy landscape. In a nutshell, the findings of this research may guide future studies in the development of selective peptide inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11696-022-02514-4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iktedar Mahdi
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh ,Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Humyara Yeasmin
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh
| | - Imtiaz Hossain
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh
| | - Raina Masnoon Badhan
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh
| | - Md. Ackas Ali
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh ,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144 USA
| | - Md. Abdul Kaium
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh
| | - Rajib Islam
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer-Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka, 1215 Bangladesh
| | - Md. Abu Sufian
- School of Pharmacy, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140 USA
| | - Mohammad A. Halim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA 30144 USA
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23
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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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24
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Zhu AK, Li SS, Yu SP, Zhang ZY, Li H, Li JF, Gao SS, Chen H, Zhao J, Shi R, Lu M, Li C. A pair of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein monoclonal antibodies shows high specificity and sensitivity for diagnosis. Virol Sin 2022; 37:942-945. [PMID: 36272711 PMCID: PMC9580218 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2022.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Seven monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein are produced, which can be applied in ELISA, WB, and IF assays. A pair of mAbs, 2G11/bio-1C7, can detect SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein as low as 15 pg/well in the double sandwich ELISA. The mAb, 2G11, shows 97.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity for diagnosing the human blood samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- An-Kai Zhu
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Sa-Sa Li
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Shu-Pei Yu
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Zhao-Yong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Huan Li
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Jing-Feng Li
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Shan-Shan Gao
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Heng Chen
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China
| | - Jincun Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Disease, Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510182, China
| | - Run Shi
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China,Corresponding authors.
| | - Mingjian Lu
- Department of Interventional Radiology, Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510095, China,Corresponding authors.
| | - Chaoyang Li
- Affiliated Cancer Hospital and Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Disease, Key Laboratory for Cell Homeostasis and Cancer Research of Guangdong High Education Institute, Guangzhou, 510095, China,Corresponding authors.
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25
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Feng X, Zhang X, Jiang S, Tang Y, Cheng C, Krishna PA, Wang X, Dai J, Zhao D, Xia T, Zeng J. A DNA-based non-infectious replicon system to study SARS-CoV-2 RNA synthesis. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:5193-5202. [PMID: 36059866 PMCID: PMC9424123 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.08.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has seriously affected public health around the world. In-depth studies on the pathogenic mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 is urgently necessary for pandemic prevention. However, most laboratory studies on SARS-CoV-2 have to be carried out in bio-safety level 3 (BSL-3) laboratories, greatly restricting the progress of relevant experiments. In this study, we used a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) method to assemble a SARS-CoV-2 replication and transcription system in Vero E6 cells without virion envelope formation, thus avoiding the risk of coronavirus exposure. Furthermore, an improved real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) approach was used to distinguish the replication of full-length replicon RNAs and transcription of subgenomic RNAs (sgRNAs). Using the SARS-CoV-2 replicon, we demonstrated that the nucleocapsid (N) protein of SARS-CoV-2 facilitates the transcription of sgRNAs in the discontinuous synthesis process. Moreover, two high-frequency mutants of N protein, R203K and S194L, can obviously enhance the transcription level of the replicon, hinting that these mutations likely allow SARS-CoV-2 to spread and reproduce more quickly. In addition, remdesivir and chloroquine, two well-known drugs demonstrated to be effective against coronavirus in previous studies, also inhibited the transcription of our replicon, indicating the potential applications of this system in antiviral drug discovery. Overall, we developed a bio-safe and valuable replicon system of SARS-CoV-2 that is useful to study the mechanisms of viral RNA synthesis and has potential in novel antiviral drug screening.
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26
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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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27
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Hsu JN, Chen JS, Lin SM, Hong JY, Chen YJ, Jeng US, Luo SY, Hou MH. Targeting the N-Terminus Domain of the Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Protein Induces Abnormal Oligomerization via Allosteric Modulation. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:871499. [PMID: 35517857 PMCID: PMC9061996 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.871499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Epidemics caused by coronaviruses (CoVs), namely the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) (2003), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) (2012), and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) (2019), have triggered a global public health emergency. Drug development against CoVs is inherently arduous. The nucleocapsid (N) protein forms an oligomer and facilitates binding with the viral RNA genome, which is critical in the life cycle of the virus. In the current study, we found a potential allosteric site (Site 1) using PARS, an online allosteric site predictor, in the CoV N-N-terminal RNA-binding domain (NTD) to modulate the N protein conformation. We identified 5-hydroxyindole as the lead via molecular docking to target Site 1. We designed and synthesized four 5-hydroxyindole derivatives, named P4-1 to P4-4, based on the pose of 5-hydroxyindole in the docking model complex. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data indicate that two 5-hydroxyindole compounds with higher hydrophobic R-groups mediate the binding between N-NTD and N-C-terminal dimerization domain (CTD) and elicit high-order oligomerization of the whole N protein. Furthermore, the crystal structures suggested that these two compounds act on this novel cavity and create a flat surface with higher hydrophobicity, which may mediate the interaction between N-NTD and N-CTD. Taken together, we discovered an allosteric binding pocket targeting small molecules that induces abnormal aggregation of the CoV N protein. These novel concepts will facilitate protein-protein interaction (PPI)-based drug design against various CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Ning Hsu
- Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics and Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jyun-Siao Chen
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Shan-Meng Lin
- Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics and Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Jhen-Yi Hong
- Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics and Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jheng Chen
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - U-Ser Jeng
- National Synchrotron Radiation Research Center, Department of Chemical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan
| | - Shun-Yuan Luo
- Department of Chemistry, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Hon Hou
- Institute of Genomics and Bioinformatics and Department of Life Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
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28
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Liu Y, Li L, Timani KA, He JJ. A Unique Robust Dual-Promoter-Driven and Dual-Reporter-Expressing SARS-CoV-2 Replicon: Construction and Characterization. Viruses 2022; 14:974. [PMID: 35632716 PMCID: PMC9143625 DOI: 10.3390/v14050974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, SARS2) remains a great global health threat and demands identification of more effective and SARS2-targeted antiviral drugs, even with successful development of anti-SARS2 vaccines. Viral replicons have proven to be a rapid, safe, and readily scalable platform for high-throughput screening, identification, and evaluation of antiviral drugs against positive-stranded RNA viruses. In the study, we report a unique robust HIV long terminal repeat (LTR)/T7 dual-promoter-driven and dual-reporter firefly luciferase (fLuc) and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing SARS2 replicon. The genomic organization of the replicon was designed with quite a few features that were to ensure the replication fidelity of the replicon, to maximize the expression of the full-length replicon, and to offer the monitoring flexibility of the replicon replication. We showed the success of the construction of the replicon and expression of reporter genes fLuc and GFP and SARS structural N from the replicon DNA or the RNA that was in vitro transcribed from the replicon DNA. We also showed detection of the negative-stranded genomic RNA (gRNA) and subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) intermediates, a hallmark of replication of positive-stranded RNA viruses from the replicon. Lastly, we showed that expression of the reporter genes, N gene, gRNA, and sgRNA from the replicon was sensitive to inhibition by Remdesivir. Taken together, our results support use of the replicon for identification of anti-SARS2 drugs and development of new anti-SARS strategies targeted at the step of virus replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; (Y.L.); (L.L.); (K.A.T.)
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Lu Li
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; (Y.L.); (L.L.); (K.A.T.)
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Khalid A. Timani
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; (Y.L.); (L.L.); (K.A.T.)
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Johnny J. He
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA; (Y.L.); (L.L.); (K.A.T.)
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Immunology and Infection, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
- School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies, Rosalind Franklin University, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
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29
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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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30
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Galkin SO, Anisenko AN, Shadrina OA, Gottikh MB. Genetic Engineering Systems to Study Human Viral Pathogens from the Coronaviridae Family. Mol Biol 2022; 56:72-89. [PMID: 35194246 PMCID: PMC8853348 DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322010022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the previously unknown SARS-CoV-2 Betacoronavirus made it extremely important to develop simple and safe cellular systems which allow manipulation of the viral genome and high-throughput screening of its potential inhibitors. In this review, we made an attempt at summarizing the currently existing data on genetic engineering systems used to study not only SARS-CoV-2, but also other viruses from the Coronaviridae family. In addition, the review covers the basic knowledge about the structure and the life cycle of coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. O. Galkin
- Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - A. N. Anisenko
- Bioengineering and Bioinformatics Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - O. A. Shadrina
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - M. B. Gottikh
- Chemistry Department, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Moscow State University, 119991 Moscow, Russia
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31
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Zhang H, Fischer DK, Shuda M, Moore PS, Gao SJ, Ambrose Z, Guo H. Construction and characterization of two SARS-CoV-2 minigenome replicon systems. J Med Virol 2022; 94:2438-2452. [PMID: 35137972 PMCID: PMC9088700 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.27650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic severely impacts global public health and economies. In order to facilitate research on SARS-CoV-2 virology and antiviral discovery, a non-infectious viral replicon system operating under biosafety level 2 containment is warranted. We report herein the construction and characterization of two SARS-CoV-2 minigenome replicon systems. First, we constructed the IVT-CoV2-Rep cDNA template to generate a replicon mRNA with nanoluciferase (NLuc) reporter via in vitro transcription (IVT). The replicon mRNA transfection assay demonstrated a rapid and transient replication of IVT-CoV2-Rep in a variety of cell lines, which could be completely abolished by known SARS-CoV-2 replication inhibitors. Our data also suggests that the transient phenotype of IVT-CoV2-Rep is not due to host innate antiviral responses. In addition, we have developed a DNA-launched replicon BAC-CoV2-Rep, which supports the in-cell transcription of a replicon mRNA as initial replication template. The BAC-CoV2-Rep transient transfection system exhibited a much stronger and longer replicon signal compared to the IVT-CoV2-Rep version. We also found that a portion of the NLuc reporter signal was derived from the spliced BAC-CoV2-Rep mRNA and was resistant to antiviral treatment, especially during the early phase after transfection. In summary, the established SARS-CoV-2 transient replicon systems are suitable for basic and antiviral research, and hold promise for stable replicon cell line development with further optimization. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hu Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Douglas K Fischer
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Masahiro Shuda
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Patrick S Moore
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Shou-Jiang Gao
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Zandrea Ambrose
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
| | - Haitao Guo
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.,Cancer Virology Program, Hillman Cancer Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
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32
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Dual RNA-Seq analysis of SARS-CoV-2 correlates specific human transcriptional response pathways directly to viral expression. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1329. [PMID: 35079083 PMCID: PMC8789814 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05342-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has challenged humankind's ability to quickly determine the cascade of health effects caused by a novel infection. Even with the unprecedented speed at which vaccines were developed and introduced into society, identifying therapeutic interventions and drug targets for patients infected with the virus remains important as new strains of the virus evolve, or future coronaviruses may emerge that are resistant to current vaccines. The application of transcriptomic RNA sequencing of infected samples may shed new light on the pathways involved in viral mechanisms and host responses. We describe the application of the previously developed "dual RNA-seq" approach to investigate, for the first time, the co-regulation between the human and SARS-CoV-2 transcriptomes. Together with differential expression analysis, we describe the tissue specificity of SARS-CoV-2 expression, an inferred lipopolysaccharide response, and co-regulation of CXCL's, SPRR's, S100's with SARS-CoV-2 expression. Lipopolysaccharide response pathways in particular offer promise for future therapeutic research and the prospect of subgrouping patients based on chemokine expression that may help explain the vastly different reactions patients have to infection. Taken together these findings highlight unappreciated SARS-CoV-2 expression signatures and emphasize new considerations and mechanisms for SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic intervention.
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33
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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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34
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Lindenbach BD. Reinventing positive-strand RNA virus reverse genetics. Adv Virus Res 2022; 112:1-29. [PMID: 35840179 PMCID: PMC9273853 DOI: 10.1016/bs.aivir.2022.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Reverse genetics is the prospective analysis of how genotype determines phenotype. In a typical experiment, a researcher alters a viral genome, then observes the phenotypic outcome. Among RNA viruses, this approach was first applied to positive-strand RNA viruses in the mid-1970s and over nearly 50 years has become a powerful and widely used approach for dissecting the mechanisms of viral replication and pathogenesis. During this time the global health importance of two virus groups, flaviviruses (genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae) and betacoronaviruses (genus Betacoronavirus, subfamily Orthocoronavirinae, family Coronaviridae), have dramatically increased, yet these viruses have genomes that are technically challenging to manipulate. As a result, several new techniques have been developed to overcome these challenges. Here I briefly review key historical aspects of positive-strand RNA virus reverse genetics, describe some recent reverse genetic innovations, particularly as applied to flaviviruses and coronaviruses, and discuss their benefits and limitations within the larger context of rigorous genetic analysis.
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35
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Koetzner CA, Hurst-Hess KR, Kuo L, Masters PS. Analysis of a crucial interaction between the coronavirus nucleocapsid protein and the major membrane-bound subunit of the viral replicase-transcriptase complex. Virology 2021; 567:1-14. [PMID: 34933176 PMCID: PMC8669624 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
The coronavirus nucleocapsid (N) protein comprises two RNA-binding domains connected by a central spacer, which contains a serine- and arginine-rich (SR) region. The SR region engages the largest subunit of the viral replicase-transcriptase, nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3), in an interaction that is essential for efficient initiation of infection by genomic RNA. We carried out an extensive genetic analysis of the SR region of the N protein of mouse hepatitis virus in order to more precisely define its role in RNA synthesis. We further examined the N-nsp3 interaction through construction of nsp3 mutants and by creation of an interspecies N protein chimera. Our results indicate a role for the central spacer as an interaction hub of the N molecule that is partially regulated by phosphorylation. These findings are discussed in relation to the recent discovery that nsp3 forms a molecular pore in the double-membrane vesicles that sequester the coronavirus replicase-transcriptase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheri A Koetzner
- Laboratory of Viral Replication and Vector Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, 12159, USA
| | - Kelley R Hurst-Hess
- Laboratory of Viral Replication and Vector Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, 12159, USA
| | - Lili Kuo
- Laboratory of Viral Replication and Vector Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, 12159, USA
| | - Paul S Masters
- Laboratory of Viral Replication and Vector Biology, Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Slingerlands, NY, 12159, USA; Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY, 12208, USA.
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36
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Kruse T, Benz C, Garvanska DH, Lindqvist R, Mihalic F, Coscia F, Inturi R, Sayadi A, Simonetti L, Nilsson E, Ali M, Kliche J, Moliner Morro A, Mund A, Andersson E, McInerney G, Mann M, Jemth P, Davey NE, Överby AK, Nilsson J, Ivarsson Y. Large scale discovery of coronavirus-host factor protein interaction motifs reveals SARS-CoV-2 specific mechanisms and vulnerabilities. Nat Commun 2021; 12:6761. [PMID: 34799561 PMCID: PMC8605023 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26498-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Viral proteins make extensive use of short peptide interaction motifs to hijack cellular host factors. However, most current large-scale methods do not identify this important class of protein-protein interactions. Uncovering peptide mediated interactions provides both a molecular understanding of viral interactions with their host and the foundation for developing novel antiviral reagents. Here we describe a viral peptide discovery approach covering 23 coronavirus strains that provides high resolution information on direct virus-host interactions. We identify 269 peptide-based interactions for 18 coronaviruses including a specific interaction between the human G3BP1/2 proteins and an ΦxFG peptide motif in the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein. This interaction supports viral replication and through its ΦxFG motif N rewires the G3BP1/2 interactome to disrupt stress granules. A peptide-based inhibitor disrupting the G3BP1/2-N interaction dampened SARS-CoV-2 infection showing that our results can be directly translated into novel specific antiviral reagents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kruse
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Caroline Benz
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Dimitriya H Garvanska
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Filip Mihalic
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Fabian Coscia
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Spatial Proteomics Group, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125, Berlin, Germany
| | - Raviteja Inturi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ahmed Sayadi
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Leandro Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Emma Nilsson
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Muhammad Ali
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Johanna Kliche
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Ainhoa Moliner Morro
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Andreas Mund
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Eva Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Gerald McInerney
- Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Matthias Mann
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Per Jemth
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, BMC, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Norman E Davey
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden.
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90186, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Jakob Nilsson
- The Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research, University of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
| | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
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Niu Z, Zhang Y, Kan Z, Ran L, Yan T, Xu S, Zhang S, Zhang J, Zou H, Song Z. Decreased NHE3 activity in intestinal epithelial cells in TGEV and PEDV-induced piglet diarrhea. Vet Microbiol 2021; 263:109263. [PMID: 34749283 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2021.109263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) and porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) are highly transmissible intestinal infections caused by transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), respectively. They are clinically associated with vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration in piglets. An imbalance in Na+ uptake by intestinal epithelial cells causes TGEV/PEDV-induced diarrhea. However, the mechanism by which TGEV/PEDV-infection in piglets causes Na+ imbalance diarrhea has not been elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrated that specific inhibition of NHE3 activity caused small intestinal bulging, intestinal wall thinning and severe diarrhea in piglets, consistent with the signs of TGEV/PEDV infection. This study further elucidated the role of NHE3 in TGEV/PEDV-induced diarrhea. In this study, small intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) were used as a model of infection. The results showed that TGEV/PEDV infection reduced NHE3 activity and Na+ uptake in IPEC-J2 cells. Further studies revealed that the use of NHE3-specific inhibitors could reduce the amount of cell membrane NHE3, thereby decreasing Na+ uptake and ultimately leading to diarrhea. Transcriptomic studies performed on obtained jejunal tissues were also consistent with pre-laboratory results. This study will provide a basis for understanding Na+ imbalance diarrhea caused by TGEV/PEDV, as well as for elucidating the diarrheal pathogenesis of other members of α-animal coronaviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Niu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - YiLing Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - ZiFei Kan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Ling Ran
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Tao Yan
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Medical College of Animals, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China.
| | - ShaSha Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - ShuJuan Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - JingYi Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - Hong Zou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
| | - ZhenHui Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Clinical validation of automated and rapid mariPOC SARS-CoV-2 antigen test. Sci Rep 2021; 11:20363. [PMID: 34645929 PMCID: PMC8514458 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99886-6] [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: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 diagnostics was quickly ramped up worldwide early 2020 based on the detection of viral RNA. However, based on the scientific knowledge for pre-existing coronaviruses, it was expected that the SARS-CoV-2 RNA will be detected from symptomatic and at significant rates also from asymptomatic individuals due to persistence of non-infectious RNA. To increase the efficacy of diagnostics, surveillance, screening and pandemic control, rapid methods, such as antigen tests, are needed for decentralized testing and to assess infectiousness. A novel automated mariPOC SARS-CoV-2 test was developed for the detection of conserved structural viral nucleocapsid proteins. The test utilizes sophisticated optical laser technology for two-photon excitation and individual detection of immunoassay solid-phase particles. We validated the new method against qRT-PCR. Sensitivity of the test was 100.0% (13/13) directly from nasopharyngeal swab specimens and 84.4% (38/45) from swab specimens in undefined transport mediums. Specificity of the test was 100.0% (201/201). The test's limit of detection was 2.7 TCID50/test. It showed no cross-reactions. Our study shows that the new test can detect infectious individuals already in 20 min with clinical sensitivity close to qRT-PCR. The mariPOC is a versatile platform for syndromic testing and for high capacity infection control screening of infectious individuals.
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Nguyen HT, Falzarano D, Gerdts V, Liu Q. Construction of a Noninfectious SARS-CoV-2 Replicon for Antiviral-Drug Testing and Gene Function Studies. J Virol 2021; 95:e0068721. [PMID: 34191580 PMCID: PMC8387049 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00687-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The emerging coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly spread worldwide, resulting in global public health emergencies and economic crises. In the present study, a noninfectious and biosafety level 2 (BSL2)-compatible SARS-CoV-2 replicon expressing a nano luciferase (nLuc) reporter was constructed in a bacterial artificial chromosomal (BAC) vector by reverse genetics. The nLuc reporter is highly sensitive, easily quantifiable, and high throughput adaptable. Upon transfecting the SARS-CoV-2 replicon BAC plasmid DNA into Vero E6 cells, we could detect high levels of nLuc reporter activity and viral RNA transcript, suggesting the replication of the replicon. The replicon replication was further demonstrated by the findings that deleting nonstructural protein 15 or mutating its catalytic sites significantly reduced replicon replication, whereas providing the nucleocapsid protein in trans enhanced replicon replication in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we showed that remdesivir, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved antiviral drug, significantly inhibited the replication of the replicon, providing proof of principle for the application of our replicon as a useful tool for developing antivirals. Taken together, this study established a sensitive and BSL2-compatible reporter system in a single BAC plasmid for investigating the functions of SARS-CoV-2 proteins in viral replication and evaluating antiviral compounds. This should contribute to the global effort to combat this deadly viral pathogen. IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is having a catastrophic impact on human lives. Combatting the pandemic requires effective vaccines and antiviral drugs. In the present study, we developed a SARS-CoV-2 replicon system with a sensitive and easily quantifiable reporter. Unlike studies involving infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus that must be performed in a biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facility, the replicon is noninfectious and thus can be safely used in BSL2 laboratories. The replicon will provide a valuable tool for testing antiviral drugs and studying SARS-CoV-2 biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Trong Nguyen
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Darryl Falzarano
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Volker Gerdts
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
| | - Qiang Liu
- Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Vaccinology and Immunotherapeutics, School of Public Health, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
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Pan X, Zhou Y, Duan X, Cui J, Liu J, Song X, Ma W, Zhang W, Liu Y, Fan Y. The inhibitory effect Polygonum Cillinerve polysaccharide on transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine. Res Vet Sci 2021; 140:47-55. [PMID: 34399280 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Transmissible gastroenteritis virus of swine (TGEV) is one kind of the main pathogens causing viral diarrhea in pig. In this study, the inhibitory effect of Polygonum Cillinerve polysaccharide (PCP) on TGEV was studied. Firstly, MTT method was used to measure the cell viability of PCP. Then Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining, Annexin V-FITC/PI fluorescence staining, real-time PCR and western blot were used to explore the effect of PCP on inhibiting TGEV. The results showed that PCP could significantly reduce the apoptosis rate induced by TGEV, reduce the expression of ROS, reduce TGEV replication, increase the expression levels of Bcl-2 and Bax genes, increase the expression of Bcl-2 protein, decreased the expression of Cyto c protein, and reduce the amount of cleaved caspase 3. Therefore, PCP had the better inhibitory effect on TGEV, which provided a certain theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of TGEV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingxue Pan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Yu Zhou
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Xueqin Duan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Jing Cui
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Jia Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Wuren Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Weimin Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Yingqiu Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China
| | - Yunpeng Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, PR China.
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41
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Liquid-liquid phase separation in human health and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:290. [PMID: 34334791 PMCID: PMC8326283 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00678-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 197] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 05/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) represents a vital and ubiquitous phenomenon underlying the formation of membraneless organelles in eukaryotic cells (also known as biomolecular condensates or droplets). Recent studies have revealed evidences that indicate that LLPS plays a vital role in human health and diseases. In this review, we describe our current understanding of LLPS and summarize its physiological functions. We further describe the role of LLPS in the development of human diseases. Additionally, we review the recently developed methods for studying LLPS. Although LLPS research is in its infancy-but is fast-growing-it is clear that LLPS plays an essential role in the development of pathophysiological conditions. This highlights the need for an overview of the recent advances in the field to translate our current knowledge regarding LLPS into therapeutic discoveries.
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42
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Harris PE, Brasel T, Massey C, Herst CV, Burkholz S, Lloyd P, Blankenberg T, Bey TM, Carback R, Hodge T, Ciotlos S, Wang L, Comer JE, Rubsamen RM. A Synthetic Peptide CTL Vaccine Targeting Nucleocapsid Confers Protection from SARS-CoV-2 Challenge in Rhesus Macaques. Vaccines (Basel) 2021; 9:520. [PMID: 34070152 PMCID: PMC8158516 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9050520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Persistent transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has given rise to a COVID-19 pandemic. Several vaccines, conceived in 2020, that evoke protective spike antibody responses are being deployed in mass public health vaccination programs. Recent data suggests, however, that as sequence variation in the spike genome accumulates, some vaccines may lose efficacy. METHODS Using a macaque model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, we tested the efficacy of a peptide-based vaccine targeting MHC class I epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. We administered biodegradable microspheres with synthetic peptides and adjuvants to rhesus macaques. Unvaccinated control and vaccinated macaques were challenged with 1 × 108 TCID50 units of SARS-CoV-2, followed by assessment of clinical symptoms and viral load, chest radiographs, and sampling of peripheral blood and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid for downstream analysis. RESULTS Vaccinated animals were free of pneumonia-like infiltrates characteristic of SARS-CoV-2 infection and presented with lower viral loads relative to controls. Gene expression in cells collected from BAL samples of vaccinated macaques revealed a unique signature associated with enhanced development of adaptive immune responses relative to control macaques. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that a room temperature stable peptide vaccine based on known immunogenic HLA class I bound CTL epitopes from the nucleocapsid protein can provide protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection in nonhuman primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Harris
- Department of Medicine, Columbia University, P&S 10-502, 650 West 168th Street, New York, NY 10032, USA;
| | - Trevor Brasel
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA; (T.B.); (C.M.)
| | - Christopher Massey
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA; (T.B.); (C.M.)
| | - C. V. Herst
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Scott Burkholz
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Peter Lloyd
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Tikoes Blankenberg
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
- Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center, Redding, CA 96001, USA;
| | - Thomas M. Bey
- Dignity Health Mercy Medical Center, Redding, CA 96001, USA;
| | - Richard Carback
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Thomas Hodge
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Serban Ciotlos
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Lu Wang
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
| | - Jason E. Comer
- Department of Microbiology & Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 301 University Blvd., Galveston, TX 77555, USA; (T.B.); (C.M.)
| | - Reid M. Rubsamen
- Flow Pharma Inc., 4829 Galaxy Parkway, Suite K, Warrensville Heights, OH 44128, USA; (C.V.H.); (S.B.); (P.L.); (T.B.); (R.C.); (T.H.); (S.C.); (L.W.)
- The Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, Cleveland Medical Center, University Hospitals, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 96001, USA
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Sabbah DA, Hajjo R, Bardaweel SK, Zhong HA. An Updated Review on SARS-CoV-2 Main Proteinase (M Pro): Protein Structure and Small-Molecule Inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem 2021; 21:442-460. [PMID: 33292134 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666201207095117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
[Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped positive-stranded RNA viruses with spike (S) protein projections that allow the virus to enter and infect host cells. The S protein is a key virulence factor determining viral pathogenesis, host tropism, and disease pathogenesis. There are currently diverse corona viruses that are known to cause disease in humans. The occurrence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), as fatal human CoV diseases, has induced significant interest in the medical field. The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by a novel strain of coronavirus (SAR-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV2 outbreak has been evolved in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, and identified as a pandemic in March 2020, resulting in 53.24 M cases and 1.20M deaths worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 main proteinase (MPro), a key protease of CoV-2, mediates viral replication and transcription. SARS-CoV-2 MPro has been emerged as an attractive target for SARS-CoV-2 drug design and development. Diverse scaffolds have been released targeting SARS-CoV-2 MPro. In this review, we culminate the latest published information about SARS-CoV-2 main proteinase (MPro) and reported inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dima A Sabbah
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, P.O. Box 130, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Rima Hajjo
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Al-Zaytoonah University of Jordan, P.O. Box 130, Amman 11733, Jordan
| | - Sanaa K Bardaweel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Haizhen A Zhong
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Nebraska at Omaha, 6001 Dodge Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68182, United States
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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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Huang SW, Wang SF. SARS-CoV-2 Entry Related Viral and Host Genetic Variations: Implications on COVID-19 Severity, Immune Escape, and Infectivity. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:3060. [PMID: 33802729 PMCID: PMC8002537 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has evolved to display particular patterns of genetic diversity in the genome across geographical regions. These variations in the virus and genetic variation in human populations can determine virus transmissibility and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity. Genetic variations and immune differences in human populations could be the driving forces in viral evolution. Recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants show several mutations at the receptor binding domain in the spike (S) glycoprotein and contribute to immune escape and enhanced binding with angiotensin 1-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Since ACE2 and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2) play important roles in SARS-CoV-2 entry into the cell, genetic variation in these host entry-related proteins may be a driving force for positive selection in the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein. Dendritic or liver/lymph cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-3-grabbing non-integrin is also known to play vital roles in several pathogens. Genetic variations of these host proteins may affect the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. This review summarizes the latest research to describe the impacts of genetic variation in the viral S glycoprotein and critical host proteins and aims to provide better insights for understanding transmission and pathogenesis and more broadly for developing vaccine/antiviral drugs and precision medicine strategies, especially for high risk populations with genetic risk variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Wei Huang
- Model Development Section, Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA;
| | - Sheng-Fan Wang
- Center for Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Drug Development and Value Creation Research Center, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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Etibor TA, Yamauchi Y, Amorim MJ. Liquid Biomolecular Condensates and Viral Lifecycles: Review and Perspectives. Viruses 2021; 13:366. [PMID: 33669141 PMCID: PMC7996568 DOI: 10.3390/v13030366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Viruses are highly dependent on the host they infect. Their dependence triggers processes of virus-host co-adaptation, enabling viruses to explore host resources whilst escaping immunity. Scientists have tackled viral-host interplay at differing levels of complexity-in individual hosts, organs, tissues and cells-and seminal studies advanced our understanding about viral lifecycles, intra- or inter-species transmission, and means to control infections. Recently, it emerged as important to address the physical properties of the materials in biological systems; membrane-bound organelles are only one of many ways to separate molecules from the cellular milieu. By achieving a type of compartmentalization lacking membranes known as biomolecular condensates, biological systems developed alternative mechanisms of controlling reactions. The identification that many biological condensates display liquid properties led to the proposal that liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) drives their formation. The concept of LLPS is a paradigm shift in cellular structure and organization. There is an unprecedented momentum to revisit long-standing questions in virology and to explore novel antiviral strategies. In the first part of this review, we focus on the state-of-the-art about biomolecular condensates. In the second part, we capture what is known about RNA virus-phase biology and discuss future perspectives of this emerging field in virology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Temitope Akhigbe Etibor
- Cell Biology of Viral Infection Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal;
| | - Yohei Yamauchi
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TL, UK;
| | - Maria João Amorim
- Cell Biology of Viral Infection Lab, Instituto Gulbenkian de Ciência, 2780-156 Oeiras, Portugal;
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Chen J, Hu BJ, Zhao K, Luo Y, Lin HF, Shi ZL. Development of A MERS-CoV Replicon Cell Line for Antiviral Screening. Virol Sin 2021; 36:730-735. [PMID: 33616893 PMCID: PMC7898024 DOI: 10.1007/s12250-020-00341-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is the causative agent of a severe respiratory disease with a high mortality of ~ 35%. The lack of approved treatments for MERS-CoV infection underscores the need for a user-friendly system for rapid drug screening. In this study, we constructed a MERS-CoV replicon containing the Renilla luciferase (Rluc) reporter gene and a stable luciferase replicon-carrying cell line. Using this cell line, we showed that MERS-CoV replication was inhibited by combined application of lopinavir and ritonavir, indicating that this cell line can be used to screen inhibitors of MERS-CoV replication. Importantly, the MERS-replicon cell line can be used for high-throughput screening of antiviral drugs without the need for live virus handling, providing an effective and safe tool for the discovery of antiviral drugs against MERS-CoV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Bing-Jie Hu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yun Luo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hao-Feng Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Zheng-Li Shi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens and Biosafety, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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48
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Comparison of Immune Response between SARS, MERS, and COVID-19 Infection, Perspective on Vaccine Design and Development. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:8870425. [PMID: 33564683 PMCID: PMC7841448 DOI: 10.1155/2021/8870425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infections are the three epidemiological diseases caused by the Coronaviridae family. Perceiving the immune responses in these infections and the escape of viruses could help us design drugs and vaccines for confronting these infections. This review investigates the innate and adaptive immune responses reported in the infections of the three coronaviruses SARS, MERS, and COVID-19. Moreover, the present study can trigger researchers to design and develop new vaccines and drugs based on immune system responses. In conclusion, due to the need for an effective and efficient immune stimulation against coronavirus, a combination of several strategies seems necessary for developing the vaccine.
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49
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Luo Y, Yu F, Zhou M, Liu Y, Xia B, Zhang X, Liu J, Zhang J, Du Y, Li R, Wu L, Zhang X, Pan T, Guo D, Peng T, Zhang H. Engineering a Reliable and Convenient SARS-CoV-2 Replicon System for Analysis of Viral RNA Synthesis and Screening of Antiviral Inhibitors. mBio 2021; 12:e02754-20. [PMID: 33468688 PMCID: PMC7845634 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.02754-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The etiologic agent of COVID-19 is highly contagious and has caused a severe global pandemic. Until now, there has been no simple and reliable system available in a lower-biosafety-grade laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 virologic research and inhibitor screening. In this study, we reported a replicon system which consists of four plasmids expressing the required segments of SARS-CoV-2. Our study revealed that the features for viral RNA synthesis and responses to antivirus drugs of the replicon are similar to those of wild-type viruses. Further analysis indicated that ORF6 provided potent in trans stimulation of the viral replication. Some viral variations, such as 5'UTR-C241T and ORF8-(T28144C) L84S mutation, also exhibit their different impact upon viral replication. Besides, the screening of clinically used drugs identified that several tyrosine kinase inhibitors and DNA-Top II inhibitors potently inhibit the replicon, as well as authentic SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Collectively, this replicon system provides a biosafety-worry-free platform for studying SARS-CoV-2 virology, monitoring the functional impact of viral mutations, and developing viral inhibitors.IMPORTANCE COVID-19 has caused a severe global pandemic. Until now, there has been no simple and reliable system available in a lower-biosafety-grade laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 virologic research and inhibitor screening. We reported a replicon system which consists of four ordinary plasmids expressing the required segments of SARS-CoV-2. Using the replicon system, we developed three application scenarios: (i) to identify the effects of viral proteins on virus replication, (ii) to identify the effects of mutations on viral replication during viral epidemics, and (iii) to perform high-throughput screening of antiviral drugs. Collectively, this replicon system would be useful for virologists to study SARS-CoV-2 virology, for epidemiologists to monitor virus mutations, and for industry to develop antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuewen Luo
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou/Shenzhen, China
| | - Fei Yu
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Mo Zhou
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yang Liu
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Baijin Xia
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiantao Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junsong Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yingying Du
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Rong Li
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liyang Wu
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xu Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ting Pan
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
- School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou/Shenzhen, China
| | - Deyin Guo
- School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou/Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Peng
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Institute of Human Virology, Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control of Ministry of Education, Guangdong Engineering Research Center for Antimicrobial Agent and Immunotechnology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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50
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Chowdhury UF, Sharif Shohan MU, Hoque KI, Beg MA, Sharif Siam MK, Moni MA. A computational approach to design potential siRNA molecules as a prospective tool for silencing nucleocapsid phosphoprotein and surface glycoprotein gene of SARS-CoV-2. Genomics 2021; 113:331-343. [PMID: 33321203 PMCID: PMC7832576 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2020.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Revised: 11/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
An outbreak, caused by an RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2 named COVID-19 has become pandemic with a magnitude which is daunting to all public health institutions in the absence of specific antiviral treatment. Surface glycoprotein and nucleocapsid phosphoprotein are two important proteins of this virus facilitating its entry into host cell and genome replication. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) is a prospective tool of the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway for the control of human viral infections by suppressing viral gene expression through hybridization and neutralization of target complementary mRNA. So, in this study, the power of RNA interference technology was harnessed to develop siRNA molecules against specific target genes namely, nucleocapsid phosphoprotein gene and surface glycoprotein gene. Conserved sequence from 139 SARS-CoV-2 strains from around the globe was collected to construct 78 siRNA that can inactivate nucleocapsid phosphoprotein and surface glycoprotein genes. Finally, based on GC content, free energy of folding, free energy of binding, melting temperature, efficacy prediction and molecular docking analysis, 8 siRNA molecules were selected which are proposed to exert the best action. These predicted siRNAs should effectively silence the genes of SARS-CoV-2 during siRNA mediated treatment assisting in the response against SARS-CoV-2.
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MESH Headings
- Argonaute Proteins/chemistry
- Argonaute Proteins/genetics
- Base Composition
- COVID-19/therapy
- COVID-19/virology
- Computational Chemistry
- Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins/genetics
- Drug Design
- Evolution, Molecular
- Gene Expression Regulation, Viral/drug effects
- Genetic Therapy/methods
- Humans
- Molecular Docking Simulation
- Pandemics
- Phosphoproteins/genetics
- Phylogeny
- RNA Folding
- RNA Interference
- RNA, Messenger/antagonists & inhibitors
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- RNA, Small Interfering/chemistry
- RNA, Small Interfering/pharmacology
- RNA, Small Interfering/therapeutic use
- RNA, Viral/antagonists & inhibitors
- RNA, Viral/genetics
- SARS-CoV-2/drug effects
- SARS-CoV-2/genetics
- Sequence Alignment
- Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics
- Thermodynamics
- COVID-19 Drug Treatment
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar Faruq Chowdhury
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Kazi Injamamul Hoque
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | - Mirza Ashikul Beg
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh
| | | | - Mohammad Ali Moni
- WHO Collaborating Centre for eHealth, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, Australia.
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