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Duarte T, Omage FB, Rieder GS, Rocha JBT, Dalla Corte CL. Investigating SARS-CoV-2 virus-host interactions and mRNA expression: Insights using three models of D. melanogaster. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024; 1870:167324. [PMID: 38925484 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Responsible for COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus in which contagious variants continue to appear. Therefore, some population groups have demonstrated greater susceptibility to contagion and disease progression. For these reasons, several researchers have been studying the SARS-CoV-2/human interactome to understand the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and develop new pharmacological strategies. D. melanogaster is a versatile animal model with approximately 90 % human protein orthology related to SARS-CoV-2/human interactome and is widely used in metabolic studies. In this context, our work assessed the potential interaction between human proteins (ZNF10, NUP88, BCL2L1, UBC9, and RBX1) and their orthologous proteins in D. melanogaster (gl, Nup88, Buffy, ubc9, and Rbx1a) with proteins from SARS-CoV-2 (nsp3, nsp9, E, ORF7a, N, and ORF10) using computational approaches. Our results demonstrated that all the proteins have the potential to interact, and we compared the binding sites between humans and fruit flies. The stability and consistency in the structure of the gl_nsp3 complex, specifically, could be crucial for its specific biological functions. Lastly, to enhance the understanding of the influence of host factors on coronavirus infection, we also analyse the mRNA expression of the five genes (mbo, gl, lwr, Buffy, and Roc1a) responsible for encoding the fruit fly proteins. Briefly, we demonstrated that those genes were differentially regulated according to diets, sex, and age. Two groups showed higher positive gene regulation than others: females in the HSD group and males in the aging group, which could imply a higher virus-host susceptibility. Overall, while preliminary, our work contributes to the understanding of host defense mechanisms and potentially identifies candidate proteins and genes for in vivo viral studies against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tâmie Duarte
- Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Folorunsho Bright Omage
- Biological Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil; Computational Biology Research Group, Embrapa Agricultural Informatics, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Schmitt Rieder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - João B T Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Lenz Dalla Corte
- Laboratory of Experimental Biochemistry and Toxicology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center of Natural and Exact Sciences, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Santa Maria, 1000 Roraima Avenue, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
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2
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Abbasian MH, Rahimian K, Mahmanzar M, Bayat S, Kuehu DL, Sisakht MM, Moradi B, Deng Y. Comparative Atlas of SARS-CoV-2 Substitution Mutations: A Focus on Iranian Strains Amidst Global Trends. Viruses 2024; 16:1331. [PMID: 39205305 DOI: 10.3390/v16081331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/17/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a new emerging coronavirus that caused coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Whole-genome tracking of SARS-CoV-2 enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of the disease, control, and prevention of COVID-19. METHODS we analyzed 3368 SARS-CoV-2 protein sequences from Iran and compared them with 15.6 million global sequences in the GISAID database, using the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain as a reference. RESULTS Our investigation revealed that NSP12-P323L, ORF9c-G50N, NSP14-I42V, membrane-A63T, Q19E, and NSP3-G489S were found to be the most frequent mutations among Iranian SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Furthermore, it was observed that more than 94% of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, including NSP7, NSP8, NSP9, NSP10, NSP11, and ORF8, had no mutations when compared to the Wuhan-Hu-1 strain. Finally, our data indicated that the ORF3a-T24I, NSP3-G489S, NSP5-P132H, NSP14-I42V, envelope-T9I, nucleocapsid-D3L, membrane-Q19E, and membrane-A63T mutations might be responsible factors for the surge in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant wave in Iran. CONCLUSIONS real-time genomic surveillance is crucial for detecting new SARS-CoV-2 variants, updating diagnostic tools, designing vaccines, and understanding adaptation to new environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hadi Abbasian
- Department of Medical Genetics, National Institute for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Tehran 1497716316, Iran
| | - Karim Rahimian
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran 14174, Iran
| | - Mohammadamin Mahmanzar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Kish International Campus University of Tehran, Kish 7941639982, Iran
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Saleha Bayat
- Department of Biology & Research Center for Animal Development Applied Biology, Mashhad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad 9187147578, Iran
| | - Donna Lee Kuehu
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Mahsa Mollapour Sisakht
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Biotechnology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1936893813, Iran
| | - Bahman Moradi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman 7616913439, Iran
| | - Youping Deng
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
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3
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Khalid K, Lim HX, Hwang JS, Poh CL. The Development of Epitope-Based Recombinant Protein Vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. AAPS J 2024; 26:93. [PMID: 39138686 DOI: 10.1208/s12248-024-00963-1] [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: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause infections and deaths, which are attributable to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant of concern (VOC). Moderna's response to the declining protective efficacies of current SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against Omicron was to develop a bivalent booster vaccine based on the Spike (S) protein from the Wuhan and Omicron BA.4/BA.5 strains. This approach, while commendable, is unfeasible in light of rapidly emerging mutated viral strains. PubMed and Google Scholar were systematically reviewed for peer-reviewed papers up to January 2024. Articles included focused on specific themes such as the clinical history of recombinant protein vaccine development against different diseases, including COVID-19, the production of recombinant protein vaccines using different host expression systems, aspects to consider in recombinant protein vaccine development, and overcoming problems associated with large-scale recombinant protein vaccine production. In silico approaches to identify conserved and immunogenic epitopes could provide broad protection against SARS-CoV-2 VOCs but require validation in animal models. The recombinant protein vaccine development platform has shown a successful history in clinical development. Recombinant protein vaccines incorporating conserved epitopes may utilize a number of expression systems, such as yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), baculovirus-insect cells (Sf9 cells), and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Current multi-epitope subunit vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 utilizing synthetic peptides are unfeasible for large-scale immunizations. Recombinant protein vaccines based on conserved and immunogenic proteins produced using E. coli offer high production yields, convenient purification, and cost-effective production of large-scale vaccine quantities capable of protecting against the SARS-CoV-2 D614G strain and its VOCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kanwal Khalid
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Hui Xuan Lim
- Sunway Microbiome Centre, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Jung Shan Hwang
- Department of Medical Sciences, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Bandar Sunway, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Chit Laa Poh
- ALPS Global Holding Berhad, 1 Jalan 1/68F, Off Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, 50400, Malaysia.
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4
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Frank MG, Ball JB, Hopkins S, Kelley T, Kuzma AJ, Thompson RS, Fleshner M, Maier SF. SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit produces a protracted priming of the neuroinflammatory, physiological, and behavioral responses to a remote immune challenge: A role for corticosteroids. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 121:87-103. [PMID: 39043345 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2024.07.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Long COVID is a major public health consequence of COVID-19 and is characterized by multiple neurological and neuropsychatric symptoms. SARS-CoV-2 antigens (e.g., spike S1 subunit) are found in the circulation of Long COVID patients, have been detected in post-mortem brain of COVID patients, and exhibit neuroinflammatory properties. Considering recent observations of chronic neuroinflammation in Long COVID patients, the present study explores the idea that antigens derived from SARS-CoV-2 might produce a long-term priming or sensitization of neuroinflammatory processes, thereby potentiating the magnitude and/or duration of the neuroinflammatory response to future inflammatory insults. Rats were administered S1 or vehicle intra-cisterna magna and 7d later challenged with vehicle or LPS. The neuroinflammatory, physiological, and behavioral responses to LPS were measured at various time points post-LPS. We found that prior S1 treatment potentiated many of these responses to LPS suggesting that S1 produces a protracted priming of these processes. Further, S1 produced a protracted reduction in basal brain corticosteroids. Considering the anti-inflammatory properties of corticosteroids, these findings suggest that S1 might disinhibit innate immune processes in brain by reducing anti-inflammatory drive, thereby priming neuroinflammatory processes. Given that hypocortisolism is observed in Long COVID, we propose that similar S1-induced innate immune priming processes might play role in the pathophysiology of Long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Frank
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA; Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA.
| | - Jayson B Ball
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Shelby Hopkins
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Tel Kelley
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Angelina J Kuzma
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Robert S Thompson
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Monika Fleshner
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
| | - Steven F Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80301, USA
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5
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Cerdeira Ferreira LM, Lima D, Marcolino-Junior LH, Bergamini MF, Kuss S, Campanhã Vicentini F. Cutting-edge biorecognition strategies to boost the detection performance of COVID-19 electrochemical biosensors: A review. Bioelectrochemistry 2024; 157:108632. [PMID: 38181592 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioelechem.2023.108632] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
Electrochemical biosensors are known for their high sensitivity, selectivity, and low cost. Recently, they have gained significant attention and became particularly important as promising tools for the detection of COVID-19 biomarkers, since they offer a rapid and accurate means of diagnosis. Biorecognition strategies are a crucial component of electrochemical biosensors and determine their specificity and sensitivity based on the interaction of biological molecules, such as antibodies, enzymes, and DNA, with target analytes (e.g., viral particles, proteins and genetic material) to create a measurable signal. Different biorecognition strategies have been developed to enhance the performance of electrochemical biosensors, including direct, competitive, and sandwich binding, alongside nucleic acid hybridization mechanisms and gene editing systems. In this review article, we present the different strategies used in electrochemical biosensors to target SARS-CoV-2 and other COVID-19 biomarkers, as well as explore the advantages and disadvantages of each strategy and highlight recent progress in this field. Additionally, we discuss the challenges associated with developing electrochemical biosensors for clinical COVID-19 diagnosis and their widespread commercialization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Marcos Cerdeira Ferreira
- Center of Nature Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Lauri Simões de Barros km 12, 18290-000, Buri, SP, Brazil; Laboratory of Electrochemical Sensors (LabSensE) Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Dhésmon Lima
- Laboratory for Bioanalytics and Electrochemical Sensing (LBES), Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Luiz Humberto Marcolino-Junior
- Laboratory of Electrochemical Sensors (LabSensE) Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Marcio Fernando Bergamini
- Laboratory of Electrochemical Sensors (LabSensE) Department of Chemistry, Federal University of Paraná, 81.531-980, Curitiba, PR, Brazil
| | - Sabine Kuss
- Laboratory for Bioanalytics and Electrochemical Sensing (LBES), Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, 144 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Fernando Campanhã Vicentini
- Center of Nature Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Lauri Simões de Barros km 12, 18290-000, Buri, SP, Brazil.
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6
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Hattab D, Amer MFA, Al-Alami ZM, Bakhtiar A. SARS-CoV-2 journey: from alpha variant to omicron and its sub-variants. Infection 2024; 52:767-786. [PMID: 38554253 PMCID: PMC11143066 DOI: 10.1007/s15010-024-02223-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected hundreds of millions of individuals and caused more than six million deaths. The prolonged pandemic duration and the continual inter-individual transmissibility have contributed to the emergence of a wide variety of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Genomic surveillance and phylogenetic studies have shown that substantial mutations in crucial supersites of spike glycoprotein modulate the binding affinity of the evolved SARS-COV-2 lineages to ACE2 receptors and modify the binding of spike protein with neutralizing antibodies. The immunological spike mutations have been associated with differential transmissibility, infectivity, and therapeutic efficacy of the vaccines and the immunological therapies among the new variants. This review highlights the diverse genetic mutations assimilated in various SARS-CoV-2 variants. The implications of the acquired mutations related to viral transmission, infectivity, and COVID-19 severity are discussed. This review also addresses the effectiveness of human neutralizing antibodies induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection or immunization and the therapeutic antibodies against the ascended variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dima Hattab
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Queen Rania Street, Amman, Jordan
| | - Mumen F A Amer
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Applied Science Private University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Zina M Al-Alami
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan
| | - Athirah Bakhtiar
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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7
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Behera LM, Gupta PK, Ghosh M, Shadangi S, Rana S. A Rationally Designed Synthetic Antiviral Peptide Binder Targeting the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2. J Phys Chem B 2024. [PMID: 38657271 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus, is the causative agent responsible for the spread of the COVID19 pandemic across the globe. The global impact of the COVID19 pandemic, the successful approval of vaccines for controlling the pandemic, and the further resurgence of COVID19 necessitate the exploration and validation of alternative therapeutic avenues targeting SARS-CoV-2. The initial entry and further invasion by SARS-CoV-2 require strong protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors expressed on the cell surfaces of various tissues. In principle, disruption of the PPIs between the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 and the ACE2 receptor by designer peptides with optimized pharmacology appears to be an ideal choice for potentially preventing viral entry with minimal immunogenicity. In this context, the current study describes a short, synthetic designer peptide (codenamed SR16, ≤18 aa, molecular weight ≤2.5 kDa), which has a few noncoded amino acids, demonstrates a helical conformation in solution, and also engages the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 through a high-affinity interaction, as judged from a battery of biophysical studies. Further, the designer peptide demonstrates resistance to trypsin degradation, appears to be nontoxic to mammalian cells, and also does not induce hemolysis in freshly isolated human erythrocytes. In summary, SR16 appears to be an ideal peptide binder targeting the RBD of SARS-CoV-2, which has the potential for further optimization and development as an antiviral agent targeting SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lalita Mohan Behera
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Pulkit Kr Gupta
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Manaswini Ghosh
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Sucharita Shadangi
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
| | - Soumendra Rana
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar, Bhubaneswar 752050, Odisha, India
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8
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Chakraborty C, Bhattacharya M, Sharma AR, Chatterjee S, Agoramoorthy G, Lee SS. Structural Landscape of nsp Coding Genomic Regions of SARS-CoV-2-ssRNA Genome: A Structural Genomics Approach Toward Identification of Druggable Genome, Ligand-Binding Pockets, and Structure-Based Druggability. Mol Biotechnol 2024; 66:641-662. [PMID: 36463562 PMCID: PMC9735222 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-022-00605-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has a single-stranded RNA genome (+ssRNA), and synthesizes structural and non-structural proteins (nsps). All 16 nsp are synthesized from the ORF1a, and ORF1b regions associated with different life cycle preprocesses, including replication. The regions of ORF1a synthesizes nsp1 to 11, and ORF1b synthesizes nsp12 to 16. In this paper, we have predicted the secondary structure conformations, entropy & mountain plots, RNA secondary structure in a linear fashion, and 3D structure of nsp coding genes of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. We have also analyzed the A, T, G, C, A+T, and G+C contents, GC-profiling of these genes, showing the range of the GC content from 34.23 to 48.52%. We have observed that the GC-profile value of the nsp coding genomic regions was less (about 0.375) compared to the whole genome (about 0.38). Additionally, druggable pockets were identified from the secondary structure-guided 3D structural conformations. For secondary structure generation of all the nsp coding genes (nsp 1-16), we used a recent algorithm-based tool (deep learning-based) along with the conventional algorithms (centroid and MFE-based) to develop secondary structural conformations, and we found stem-loop, multi-branch loop, pseudoknot, and the bulge structural components, etc. The 3D model shows bound and unbound forms, branched structures, duplex structures, three-way junctions, four-way junctions, etc. Finally, we identified binding pockets of nsp coding genes which will help as a fundamental resource for future researchers to develop RNA-targeted therapeutics using the druggable genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiranjib Chakraborty
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700126, India.
| | - Manojit Bhattacharya
- Department of Zoology, Fakir Mohan University, Vyasa Vihar, Balasore, Odisha, 756020, India
| | - Ashish Ranjan Sharma
- Institute for Skeletal Aging & Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University-Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Srijan Chatterjee
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Science and Biotechnology, Adamas University, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700126, India
| | | | - Sang-Soo Lee
- Institute for Skeletal Aging & Orthopaedic Surgery, Hallym University-Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, 24252, Republic of Korea
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9
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Choi H, Hwang M, Cornelius L, Navarathna DH, Chatterjee P, Jinadatha C. Evolution of a Distinct SARS-CoV-2 Lineage Identified during an Investigation of a Hospital Outbreak. Viruses 2024; 16:337. [PMID: 38543703 PMCID: PMC10974601 DOI: 10.3390/v16030337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virus steadily evolves, and numerous antigenically distinct variants have emerged over the past three years. Tracking the evolution of the virus would help us understand the process that generates the diverse variants and predict the future evolutionary trajectory of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report the evolutionary trajectory of a unique Omicron lineage identified during an outbreak investigation that occurred in a residence unit in the healthcare system. The new lineage had four distinct non-synonymous and two distinct synonymous mutations apart from its parental lineage. Since this lineage of virus was exclusively found during the outbreak, we were able to track the detailed evolutionary history of the entire lineage along the transmission path. Furthermore, we estimated the evolutionary rate of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant from the analysis of the evolution of the lineage. This new Omicron sub-lineage acquired 3 mutations in a 12-day period, and the evolutionary rate was estimated as 3.05 × 10-3 subs/site/year. This study provides more insight into an ever-evolving virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosoon Choi
- Department of Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA; (M.H.); (P.C.)
| | - Munok Hwang
- Department of Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA; (M.H.); (P.C.)
| | - Lisa Cornelius
- Department of Medicine, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA; (L.C.); (C.J.)
| | - Dhammika H. Navarathna
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA;
| | - Piyali Chatterjee
- Department of Research, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA; (M.H.); (P.C.)
| | - Chetan Jinadatha
- Department of Medicine, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, Temple, TX 76504, USA; (L.C.); (C.J.)
- School of Medicine, Texas A&M University, Bryan, TX 77807, USA
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10
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Zhang D, Kukkar D, Kim KH, Bhatt P. A comprehensive review on immunogen and immune-response proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and their applications in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of COVID-19. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 259:129284. [PMID: 38211928 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Exposure to severe acute respiratory syndrome-corona virus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) prompts humoral immune responses in the human body. As the auxiliary diagnosis of a current infection, the existence of viral proteins can be checked from specific antibodies (Abs) induced by immunogenic viral proteins. For people with a weakened immune system, Ab treatment can help neutralize viral antigens to resist and treat the disease. On the other hand, highly immunogenic viral proteins can serve as effective markers for detecting prior infections. Additionally, the identification of viral particles or the presence of antibodies may help establish an immune defense against the virus. These immunogenic proteins rather than SARS-CoV-2 can be given to uninfected people as a vaccination to improve their coping ability against COVID-19 through the generation of memory plasma cells. In this work, we review immunogenic and immune-response proteins derived from SARS-CoV-2 with regard to their classification, origin, and diverse applications (e.g., prevention (vaccine development), diagnostic testing, and treatment (via neutralizing Abs)). Finally, advanced immunization strategies against COVID-19 are discussed along with the contemporary circumstances and future challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daohong Zhang
- College of Food Engineering, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, Shandong, China; Bio-Nanotechnology Research Institute, Ludong University, Yantai 264025, Shandong, China
| | - Deepak Kukkar
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, Punjab, India; University Center for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, Punjab, India
| | - Ki-Hyun Kim
- Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-Ro, Seoul 04763, Republic of Korea.
| | - Poornima Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, Punjab, India; University Center for Research and Development, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali 140413, Punjab, India
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11
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Chau CW, Sugimura R. Organoids in COVID-19: can we break the glass ceiling? J Leukoc Biol 2024; 115:85-99. [PMID: 37616269 DOI: 10.1093/jleuko/qiad098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 emerged in September 2020 as a disease caused by the virus SARS-CoV-2. The disease presented as pneumonia at first but later was shown to cause multisystem infections and long-term complications. Many efforts have been put into discovering the exact pathogenesis of the disease. In this review, we aim to discuss an emerging tool in disease modeling, organoids, in the investigation of COVID-19. This review will introduce some methods and breakthroughs achieved by organoids and the limitations of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiu Wang Chau
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Rd, Pokfulam 99077, Hong Kong
| | - Ryohichi Sugimura
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Rd, Pokfulam 99077, Hong Kong
- Centre for Translational Stem Cell Biology, 17 Science Park W Ave, Science Park 999077, Hong Kong
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12
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Levi R, Zerhouni EG, Altuvia S. Predicting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants: An artificial intelligence enabled early detection. PNAS NEXUS 2024; 3:pgad424. [PMID: 38170049 PMCID: PMC10759796 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgad424] [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: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
During more than 3 years since its emergence, SARS-CoV-2 has shown great ability to mutate rapidly into diverse variants, some of which turned out to be very infectious and have spread throughout the world causing waves of infections. At this point, many countries have already experienced up to six waves of infections. Extensive academic work has focused on the development of models to predict the pandemic trajectory based on epidemiological data, but none has focused on predicting variant-specific spread. Moreover, important scientific literature analyzes the genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 variants and how it might functionally affect their infectivity. However, genetic attributes have not yet been incorporated into existing epidemiological modeling that aims to capture infection trajectory. Thus, this study leverages variant-specific genetic characteristics together with epidemiological information to systematically predict the future spread trajectory of newly detected variants. The study describes the analysis of 9.0 million SARS-CoV-2 genetic sequences in 30 countries and identifies temporal characteristic patterns of SARS-CoV-2 variants that caused significant infection waves. Using this descriptive analysis, a machine-learning-enabled risk assessment model has been developed to predict, as early as 1 week after their first detection, which variants are likely to constitute the new wave of infections in the following 3 months. The model's out-of-sample area under the curve (AUC) is 86.3% for predictions after 1 week and 90.8% for predictions after 2 weeks. The methodology described in this paper could contribute more broadly to the development of improved predictive models for variants of other infectious viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Retsef Levi
- Sloan School of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - El Ghali Zerhouni
- Operations Research Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Shoshy Altuvia
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, 9112102, Israel
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13
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Akdeniz M, Al-Shaebi Z, Altunbek M, Bayraktar C, Kayabolen A, Bagci-Onder T, Aydin O. Characterization and discrimination of spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 virus-like particles via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300191. [PMID: 37750467 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Non-infectious virus-like particles (VLPs) are excellent structures for development of many biomedical applications such as drug delivery systems, vaccine production platforms, and detection techniques for infectious diseases including SARS-CoV-2 VLPs. The characterization of biochemical and biophysical properties of purified VLPs is crucial for development of detection methods and therapeutics. The presence of spike (S) protein in their structure is especially important since S protein induces immunological response. In this study, development of a rapid, low-cost, and easy-to-use technique for both characterization and detection of S protein in the two VLPs, which are SARS-CoV-2 VLPs and HIV-based VLPs was achieved using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). To analyze and classify datasets of SERS spectra obtained from the VLP groups, machine learning classification techniques including support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbors (kNN), and random forest (RF) were utilized. Among them, the SVM classification algorithm demonstrated the best classification performance for SARS-CoV-2 VLPs and HIV-based VLPs groups with 87.5% and 92.5% accuracy, respectively. This study could be valuable for the rapid characterization of VLPs for the development of novel therapeutics or detection of structural proteins of viruses leading to a variety of infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Munevver Akdeniz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- Nanothera Lab, Drug Application and Research Center (ERFARMA), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Zakarya Al-Shaebi
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- Nanothera Lab, Drug Application and Research Center (ERFARMA), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Mine Altunbek
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Canan Bayraktar
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alisan Kayabolen
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
- McGovern Institute for Brain Research at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Tugba Bagci-Onder
- Koç University Research Center for Translational Medicine (KUTTAM), Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Omer Aydin
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- Nanothera Lab, Drug Application and Research Center (ERFARMA), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- Clinical Engineering Research and Implementation Center (ERKAM), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
- Nanotechnology Research and Application Center (ERNAM), Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey
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14
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Miller MR, Braun E, Ip HS, Tyson GH. Domestic and wild animal samples and diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2. Vet Q 2023; 43:1-11. [PMID: 37779468 PMCID: PMC10614713 DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2023.2263864] [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: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023] Open
Abstract
From the first cases in 2019, COVID-19 infections caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have resulted in over 6 million human deaths in a worldwide pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 is commonly spread from human to human through close contact and is capable of infecting both humans and animals. Worldwide, there have been over 675 animal outbreaks reported that resulted in over 2000 animal infections including domestic and wild animals. As the role of animal infections in the transmission, pathogenesis, and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is still unfolding, accurate and reliable animal diagnostic tests are critical to aid in managing both human and animal health. This review highlights key animal samples and the three main diagnostic approaches used for animal testing: PCR, serology, and Next Generation Sequencing. Diagnostic results help inform (often difficult) clinical decision-making, but also possible ways to mitigate spread among pets, food supplies, or wildlife. A One Health approach has been key to monitoring the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, as consistent human-animal interactions can lead to novel variants. Having multiple animal diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 available is critical to ensure human, animal, and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R. Miller
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, USA
| | - Elias Braun
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, USA
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of PA, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Hon S. Ip
- National Wildlife Health Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Gregory H. Tyson
- Center for Veterinary Medicine, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Laurel, MD, USA
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15
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Aniana A, Nashed NT, Ghirlando R, Coates L, Kneller DW, Kovalevsky A, Louis JM. Insights into the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 main protease autocatalytic maturation from model precursors. Commun Biol 2023; 6:1159. [PMID: 37957287 PMCID: PMC10643566 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05469-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A critical step for SARS-CoV-2 assembly and maturation involves the autoactivation of the main protease (MProWT) from precursor polyproteins. Upon expression, a model precursor of MProWT mediates its own release at its termini rapidly to yield a mature dimer. A construct with an E290A mutation within MPro exhibits time dependent autoprocessing of the accumulated precursor at the N-terminal nsp4/nsp5 site followed by the C-terminal nsp5/nsp6 cleavage. In contrast, a precursor containing E290A and R298A mutations (MProM) displays cleavage only at the nsp4/nsp5 site to yield an intermediate monomeric product, which is cleaved at the nsp5/nsp6 site only by MProWT. MProM and the catalytic domain (MPro1-199) fused to the truncated nsp4 region also show time-dependent conversion in vitro to produce MProM and MPro1-199, respectively. The reactions follow first-order kinetics indicating that the nsp4/nsp5 cleavage occurs via an intramolecular mechanism. These results support a mechanism involving an N-terminal intramolecular cleavage leading to an increase in the dimer population and followed by an intermolecular cleavage at the C-terminus. Thus, targeting the predominantly monomeric MPro precursor for inhibition may lead to the identification of potent drugs for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Aniana
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, 20892-0520, USA
| | - Nashaat T Nashed
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, 20892-0520, USA
| | - Rodolfo Ghirlando
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, 20892-0520, USA
| | - Leighton Coates
- Second Target Station, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Daniel W Kneller
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
- New England Biolabs, 240 County Road, Ipswich, MA, 01938-2723, USA
| | - Andrey Kovalevsky
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - John M Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD, 20892-0520, USA.
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16
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Dasgupta A, Gangai S, Narayan R, Kapoor S. Mapping the Lipid Signatures in COVID-19 Infection: Diagnostic and Therapeutic Solutions. J Med Chem 2023; 66:14411-14433. [PMID: 37899546 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic ignited research centered around the identification of robust biomarkers and therapeutic targets. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible, hijacks the metabolic machinery of the host cells. It relies on lipids and lipoproteins of host cells for entry, trafficking, immune evasion, viral replication, and exocytosis. The infection causes host cell lipid metabolic remodelling. Targeting lipid-based processes is thus a promising strategy for countering COVID-19. Here, we review the role of lipids in the different steps of the SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and identify lipid-centric targetable avenues. We discuss lipidome changes in infected patients and their relevance as potential clinical diagnostic or prognostic biomarkers. We summarize the emerging direct and indirect therapeutic approaches for targeting COVID-19 using lipid-inspired approaches. Given that viral protein-targeted therapies may become less effective due to mutations in emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, lipid-inspired interventions may provide additional and perhaps better means of combating this and future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishi Dasgupta
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- IIT-Bombay Monash Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Shon Gangai
- School of Chemical and Materials Sciences (SCMS), Institute of Technology Goa, Farmagudi, Ponda, Goa 403401, India
| | - Rishikesh Narayan
- School of Chemical and Materials Sciences (SCMS), Institute of Technology Goa, Farmagudi, Ponda, Goa 403401, India
- School of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences (SILS), Institute of Technology Goa, Farmagudi, Ponda, Goa 403401, India
| | - Shobhna Kapoor
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- IIT-Bombay Monash Academy, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Mumbai 400076, India
- Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8528, Japan
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17
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Chen J, Farraj RA, Limonta D, Tabatabaei Dakhili SA, Kerek EM, Bhattacharya A, Reformat FM, Mabrouk OM, Brigant B, Pfeifer TA, McDermott MT, Ussher JR, Hobman TC, Glover JNM, Hubbard BP. Reversible and irreversible inhibitors of coronavirus Nsp15 endoribonuclease. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105341. [PMID: 37832873 PMCID: PMC10656235 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019, has resulted in the largest pandemic in recent history. Current therapeutic strategies to mitigate this disease have focused on the development of vaccines and on drugs that inhibit the viral 3CL protease or RNA-dependent RNA polymerase enzymes. A less-explored and potentially complementary drug target is Nsp15, a uracil-specific RNA endonuclease that shields coronaviruses and other nidoviruses from mammalian innate immune defenses. Here, we perform a high-throughput screen of over 100,000 small molecules to identify Nsp15 inhibitors. We characterize the potency, mechanism, selectivity, and predicted binding mode of five lead compounds. We show that one of these, IPA-3, is an irreversible inhibitor that might act via covalent modification of Cys residues within Nsp15. Moreover, we demonstrate that three of these inhibitors (hexachlorophene, IPA-3, and CID5675221) block severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 replication in cells at subtoxic doses. This study provides a pipeline for the identification of Nsp15 inhibitors and pinpoints lead compounds for further development against coronavirus disease 2019 and related coronavirus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerry Chen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Rabih Abou Farraj
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Daniel Limonta
- Department of Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA; Gladstone Institute of Data Science and Biotechnology, Gladstone Institutes, San Francisco, California, USA
| | | | - Evan M Kerek
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ashim Bhattacharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Filip M Reformat
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Ola M Mabrouk
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Benjamin Brigant
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Tom A Pfeifer
- High Throughput Biology Facility, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Mark T McDermott
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - John R Ussher
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Tom C Hobman
- Department of Cell Biology, Li Ka Shing Institute of Virology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - J N Mark Glover
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Basil P Hubbard
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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18
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Souan L, Abdel-Razeq H, Nashwan S, Al Badr S, Alrabi K, Sughayer MA. COVID-19 Antibody Seroconversion in Cancer Patients: Impact of Therapy Cessation-A Single-Center Study. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1659. [PMID: 38005991 PMCID: PMC10674399 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11111659] [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: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The effective development of COVID-19 vaccination has mitigated its harm. Using two laboratory methods, we investigated the efficacy of the BNT162b2 mRNA and BBIBP-CorV COVID-19 vaccines on seroconversion rates in cancer patients undergoing active cancer treatment. METHODS SARS-CoV-2 vaccines were scheduled for 134 individuals. The consenting participants submitted three venous blood samples. Three samples: T0, T1, and T2. The ABBOTT-SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant and Elecsys® Anti-SARS-CoV-2 assays were used to evaluate the samples and convert the antibody titers to WHO (BAU)/mL units. RESULTS Cancer patients exhibited a higher seroconversion rate at T2, regardless of vaccination type, and the mean antibody titers at T1 and T2 were higher than those at T0. BBIBP-CorV patients required a booster because BNT162b2 showed a higher seroconversion rate between T0 and T1. Statistics indicate that comparing Abbott and Roche quantitative antibody results without considering the sample collection time is inaccurate. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19 vaccines can still induce a humoral immune response in patients undergoing cancer-targeted therapy. The strength of this study is the long-term monitoring of antibody levels after vaccination in cancer patients on active therapy using two different immunoassays. Further multicenter studies with a larger number of patients are required to validate these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lina Souan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (L.S.); (S.N.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Hikmat Abdel-Razeq
- Department of Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (H.A.-R.); (K.A.)
- School of Medicine, The University of Jordan, Amman 11941, Jordan
| | - Sura Nashwan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (L.S.); (S.N.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Sara Al Badr
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (L.S.); (S.N.); (S.A.B.)
| | - Kamal Alrabi
- Department of Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (H.A.-R.); (K.A.)
| | - Maher A. Sughayer
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, King Hussein Cancer Center, Amman 11941, Jordan; (L.S.); (S.N.); (S.A.B.)
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19
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Shukla E, Choudhury L, Rastogi S, Chawla A, Bhattacharya S, Kaushik U, Mittal M, Rathore AS, Pandey G. Improved Stability and Manufacturability of Nucleocapsid Antigens for SARS-CoV2 Diagnostics through Protein Engineering. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1524. [PMID: 37892206 PMCID: PMC10604654 DOI: 10.3390/biom13101524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on human health management. A rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV2 at the point-of-care (POC) is critical to prevent disease spread. As a POC device for remote settings, a LFIA should not require cold-chain maintenance and should be kept at normal temperatures. Antigen stability can be enhanced by addressing instability issues when dealing with fragile components, such as proteinaceous capture antigens. This study used immunologically guided protein engineering to enhance the capture nucleocapsid (NP) antigen stability of SARS-CoV2. A search of the IEDB database revealed that antibodies detecting epitopes are almost uniformly distributed over NP1-419. In contrast, N-terminal stretches of NP1-419 are theoretically more unstable than C-terminal stretches. We identified NP250-365 as a NP stretch with a low instability index and B-cell epitopes. Apart from NP1-419, two other variants (NP121-419 and NP250-365) were cloned, expressed, and purified. The degradation pattern of the proteins was observed on SDS-PAGE after three days of stability studies at -20 °C, 4 °C, and 37 °C. NP1-419 was the most degraded while NP250-365 exhibited the least degradation. Also, NP1-419, NP250-365, and NP121-419 reacted with purified antibodies from COVID-19 patient serum. Our results suggest that NP250-365 may be used as a stable capture antigen in LFIA devices to detect COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esha Shukla
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Lipsa Choudhury
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Saurabh Rastogi
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Arshmeet Chawla
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
| | - Sanghati Bhattacharya
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Umesh Kaushik
- Medsource Ozone Biomedicals Pvt. Ltd., Parmeshwari Colony, Faridabad 121003, India
| | - Manan Mittal
- Medsource Ozone Biomedicals Pvt. Ltd., Parmeshwari Colony, Faridabad 121003, India
| | - Anurag Singh Rathore
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology New Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India
| | - Gaurav Pandey
- Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory, University School of Biotechnology, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Dwarka, New Delhi 110078, India
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20
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Bodakuntla S, Kuhn CC, Biertümpfel C, Mizuno N. Cryo-electron microscopy in the fight against COVID-19-mechanism of virus entry. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1252529. [PMID: 37867557 PMCID: PMC10587472 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1252529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and electron tomography (cryo-ET) have become a critical tool for studying viral particles. Cryo-EM has enhanced our understanding of viral assembly and replication processes at a molecular resolution. Meanwhile, in situ cryo-ET has been used to investigate how viruses attach to and invade host cells. These advances have significantly contributed to our knowledge of viral biology. Particularly, prompt elucidations of structures of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its variants have directly impacted the development of vaccines and therapeutic measures. This review discusses the progress made by cryo-EM based technologies in comprehending the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-Cov-2), the virus responsible for the devastating global COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 with focus on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the mechanisms of the virus entry and replication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satish Bodakuntla
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christopher Cyrus Kuhn
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Christian Biertümpfel
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Naoko Mizuno
- Laboratory of Structural Cell Biology, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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21
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Chakraborty S, Saha C. A multi-tier computational screening framework to effectively search the mutational space of SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding motif to identify mutants with enhanced ACE2 binding abilities. Mol Inform 2023; 42:e2300055. [PMID: 37590498 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202300055] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 gained crucial mutations at the receptor binding domain (RBD) that often changed the course of the pandemic leading to new waves with increased case fatality. Variants are observed with enhanced transmission and immune invasion abilities. Thus, predicting future variants with enhanced transmission ability is a problem of utmost research interest. Here, we have developed a multi-tier exhaustive SARS-CoV-2 mutation screening platform combining MM/GBSA, extensive molecular dynamics simulations, and steered molecular dynamics to identify RBD mutants with enhanced ACE2 binding capability. We have identified four RBM mutations (F490K, S494K, G504F, and the P499L) with significantly higher ACE2 binding abilities than wild-type RBD. Compared to wild-type RBD, they all form stable complexes with more hydrogen bonds and salt-bridge interactions with ACE2. Our simulation data suggest that these mutations allosterically alter the packing of the RBM interface of the RBD-ACE2 complex. As a result, the rupture force required to break the RBD-ACE2 contacts is significantly higher for these mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandipan Chakraborty
- Center for Innovation in Molecular and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CIMPS), Dr. Reddy's Institute of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad Campus, Gachibowli, Hyderabad, 500046, India
| | - Chiranjeet Saha
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Kolkata, 700135, India
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22
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Martins da Silva AY, Arouche TDS, Siqueira MRS, Ramalho TC, de Faria LJG, Gester RDM, Carvalho Junior RND, Santana de Oliveira M, Neto AMDJC. SARS-CoV-2 external structures interacting with nanospheres using docking and molecular dynamics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-16. [PMID: 37712854 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2252930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has shown rapid proliferation and scarcity of treatments with proven effectiveness. In this way, we simulated the hospitalization of carbon nanospheres, with external active sites of the SARS-CoV-2 virus (M-Pro, S-Gly and E-Pro), which can be adsorbed or inactivated when interacting with the nanospheres. The computational procedures performed in this work were developed with the SwissDock server for molecular docking and the GROMACS software for molecular dynamics, making it possible to extract relevant data on affinity energy, distance between molecules, free Gibbs energy and mean square deviation of atomic positions, surface area accessible to solvents. Molecular docking indicates that all ligands have an affinity for the receptor's active sites. The nanospheres interact favorably with all proteins, showing promising results, especially C60, which presented the best affinity energy and RMSD values for all protein macromolecules investigated. The C60 with E-Pro exhibited the highest affinity energy of -9.361 kcal/mol, demonstrating stability in both molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Our RMSD calculations indicated that the nanospheres remained predominantly stable, fluctuating within a range of 2 to 3 Å. Additionally, the analysis of other structures yielded promising results that hold potential for application in other proteases.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anderson Yuri Martins da Silva
- Laboratory for the Preparation and Computation of Nanomaterials (LPCN), Federal University of Pará, Belem, Brazil
- Graduated in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | - Tiago da Silva Arouche
- Laboratory for the Preparation and Computation of Nanomaterials (LPCN), Federal University of Pará, Belem, Brazil
- Graduated in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Teodorico Castro Ramalho
- Postgraduate Program in Engineering of Natural Resources of the Amazon, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo do Monte Gester
- Institute of Exact Sciences (ICE), Federal University of the South and Southeast of Pará, Maraba, Brazil
| | - Raul Nunes de Carvalho Junior
- Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Engineering of Natural Resources of the Amazon, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Faculty of Food Engineering ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
| | | | - Antonio Maia de Jesus Chaves Neto
- Laboratory for the Preparation and Computation of Nanomaterials (LPCN), Federal University of Pará, Belem, Brazil
- Graduated in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Postgraduate Program in Chemical Engineering, ITEC, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- National Professional Master's in Physics Teaching, Federal University of Pará, Belém, Brazil
- Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Diretoria, Coordenação de Botânica, Rua Augusto Corrêa, Belém, Brazil
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23
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Mihalič F, Benz C, Kassa E, Lindqvist R, Simonetti L, Inturi R, Aronsson H, Andersson E, Chi CN, Davey NE, Överby AK, Jemth P, Ivarsson Y. Identification of motif-based interactions between SARS-CoV-2 protein domains and human peptide ligands pinpoint antiviral targets. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5636. [PMID: 37704626 PMCID: PMC10499821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41312-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The virus life cycle depends on host-virus protein-protein interactions, which often involve a disordered protein region binding to a folded protein domain. Here, we used proteomic peptide phage display (ProP-PD) to identify peptides from the intrinsically disordered regions of the human proteome that bind to folded protein domains encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Eleven folded domains of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were found to bind 281 peptides from human proteins, and affinities of 31 interactions involving eight SARS-CoV-2 protein domains were determined (KD ∼ 7-300 μM). Key specificity residues of the peptides were established for six of the interactions. Two of the peptides, binding Nsp9 and Nsp16, respectively, inhibited viral replication. Our findings demonstrate how high-throughput peptide binding screens simultaneously identify potential host-virus interactions and peptides with antiviral properties. Furthermore, the high number of low-affinity interactions suggest that overexpression of viral proteins during infection may perturb multiple cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Mihalič
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Caroline Benz
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eszter Kassa
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Richard Lindqvist
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Leandro Simonetti
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Raviteja Inturi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Hanna Aronsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Eva Andersson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Celestine N Chi
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Norman E Davey
- Division of Cancer Biology, The Institute of Cancer Research, 237 Fulham Road, London, SW3 6JB, UK
| | - Anna K Överby
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Umeå University, 90185, Umeå, Sweden
- Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, 90187, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Per Jemth
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology, Uppsala University, Box 582, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Ylva Ivarsson
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Box 576, Husargatan 3, 751 23, Uppsala, Sweden.
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24
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Roham PH, Kamath JJ, Sharma S. Dissecting the Interrelationship between COVID-19 and Diabetes Mellitus. Adv Biol (Weinh) 2023; 7:e2300107. [PMID: 37246237 DOI: 10.1002/adbi.202300107] [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: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to enormous morbidity and mortality worldwide. After gaining entry into the human host, the virus initially infects the upper and lower respiratory tract, subsequently invading multiple organs, including the pancreas. While on one hand, diabetes mellitus (DM) is a significant risk factor for severe COVID-19 infection and associated death, recent reports have shown the onset of DM in COVID-19-recovered patients. SARS-CoV-2 infiltrates the pancreatic islets and activates stress response and inflammatory signaling pathways, impairs glucose metabolism, and consequently leads to their death. Indeed, the pancreatic autopsy samples of COVID-19 patients reveal the presence of SARS-CoV-2 particles in β-cells. The current review describes how the virus enters the host cells and activates an immunological response. Further, it takes a closer look into the interrelationship between COVID-19 and DM with the aim to provide mechanistic insights into the process by which SARS-CoV-2 infects the pancreas and mediates dysfunction and death of endocrine islets. The effects of known anti-diabetic interventions for COVID-19 management are also discussed. The application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) as a future therapy for pancreatic β-cells damage to reverse COVID-19-induced DM is also emphasized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pratiksha H Roham
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Jayesh J Kamath
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
| | - Shilpy Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganeshkhind Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411007, India
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25
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Frank MG, Fleshner M, Maier SF. Exploring the immunogenic properties of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins: PAMP:TLR signaling in the mediation of the neuroinflammatory and neurologic sequelae of COVID-19. Brain Behav Immun 2023; 111:259-269. [PMID: 37116592 PMCID: PMC10132835 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) produces an array of neurologic and neuropsychiatric symptoms in the acute and post-acute phase of infection (PASC; post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection). Neuroinflammatory processes are considered key factors in the etiology of these symptoms. Several mechanisms underpinning the development of inflammatory events in the brain have been proposed including SARS-CoV-2 neurotropism and peripheral inflammatory responses (i.e., cytokine storm) to infection, which might produce neuroinflammation via immune-to-brain signaling pathways. In this review, we explore evidence in support of an alternate mechanism whereby structural proteins (e.g., spike and spike S1 subunit) derived from SARS-CoV-2 virions function as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) to elicit proinflammatory immune responses in the periphery and/or brain via classical Toll-Like Receptor (TLR) inflammatory pathways. We propose that SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins might directly produce inflammatory processes in brain independent of and/or in addition to peripheral proinflammatory effects, which might converge to play a causal role in the development of neurologic/neuropsychiatric symptoms in COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew G Frank
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States.
| | - Monika Fleshner
- Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States
| | - Steven F Maier
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, Center for Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder CO 80301, United States
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26
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Terasaki K, Narayanan K, Makino S. Identification of a 1.4-kb-Long Sequence Located in the nsp12 and nsp13 Coding Regions of SARS-CoV-2 Genomic RNA That Mediates Efficient Viral RNA Packaging. J Virol 2023:e0065923. [PMID: 37367225 PMCID: PMC10373556 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00659-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The specific packaging of the viral RNA genome into virus particles is an essential step in the replication cycle of coronaviruses (CoVs). Using a single-cycle, replicable severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutant, we demonstrated the preferential packaging of the SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA into purified virus particles. Furthermore, based on the sequence of an efficiently packaged defective interfering RNA of SARS-CoV, a closely related CoV, that was generated after serial passages of SARS-CoV in cell culture, we designed a series of replication-competent SARS-CoV-2 minigenome RNAs to identify the specific viral RNA region that is important for SARS-CoV-2 RNA packaging into virus particles. We showed that a 1.4-kb-long sequence, derived from the nsp12 and nsp13 coding regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA, is required for the efficient packaging of SARS-CoV-2 minigenome RNA into SARS-CoV-2 particles. In addition, we also showed that the presence of possibly the entire 1.4-kb-long sequence is important for the efficient packaging of SARS-CoV-2 RNA. Our findings highlight the differences between the RNA packaging sequence identified in SARS-CoV-2, a Sarbecovirus, and the packaging signal of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), an Embecovirus, which is a 95-nt-long sequence located at the nsp15 coding region of MHV genomic RNA. Collectively, our data imply that both the location and the sequence/structural features of the RNA element(s) that drives the selective and efficient packaging of viral genomic RNA are not conserved among the subgenera Embecovirus and Sarbecovirus within the Betacoronavirus genus. IMPORTANCE Elucidating the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 RNA packaging into virus particles is important for the rational design of antiviral drugs that inhibit this vital step in the replication cycle of CoVs. However, our knowledge about the RNA packaging mechanism in SARS-CoV-2, including the identification of the viral RNA region important for SARS-CoV-2 RNA packaging, is limited, primarily due to the logistical challenges of handing SARS-CoV-2 in biosafety level 3 (BSL3) facilities. Our study, using a single-cycle, replicable SARS-CoV-2 mutant, which can be handled in a BSL2 lab, demonstrated the preferential packaging of full-length SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA into virus particles and identified a specific 1.4-kb-long RNA region in SARS-CoV-2 genomic RNA that is required for the efficient packaging of SARS-CoV-2 RNA into virus particles. The information generated in our study could be valuable for clarifying the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 RNA packaging and for the development of targeted therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 and other related CoVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Terasaki
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Krishna Narayanan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Shinji Makino
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- Center for Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- UTMB Center for Tropical Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
- The Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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27
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Wu X, Manske MK, Ruan GJ, Witter TL, Nowakowski KE, Abeykoon JP, Tang X, Yu Y, Gwin KA, Wu A, Taupin V, Bhardwaj V, Paludo J, Dasari S, Dong H, Ansell SM, Badley AD, Schellenberg MJ, Witzig TE. Secreted ORF8 induces monocytic pro-inflammatory cytokines through NLRP3 pathways in patients with severe COVID-19. iScience 2023; 26:106929. [PMID: 37260746 PMCID: PMC10193824 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106929] [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: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite extensive research, the specific factor associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection that mediates the life-threatening inflammatory cytokine response in patients with severe COVID-19 remains unidentified. Herein we demonstrate that the virus-encoded Open Reading Frame 8 (ORF8) protein is abundantly secreted as a glycoprotein in vitro and in symptomatic patients with COVID-19. ORF8 specifically binds to the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) in CD14+ monocytes to induce inflammasomal cytokine/chemokine responses including IL1β, IL8, and CCL2. Levels of ORF8 protein in the blood correlate with severity and disease-specific mortality in patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, the ORF8-induced inflammasome response was readily inhibited by the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 in vitro. Our study identifies a dominant cause of pathogenesis, its underlying mechanism, and a potential new treatment strategy for severe COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosheng Wu
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Michelle K Manske
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Gordon J Ruan
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Taylor L Witter
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Kevin E Nowakowski
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jithma P Abeykoon
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Xinyi Tang
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Yue Yu
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Kimberly A Gwin
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Annie Wu
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Vanessa Taupin
- Electron Microscopy Core, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Vaishali Bhardwaj
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Jonas Paludo
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Surendra Dasari
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Haidong Dong
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Stephen M Ansell
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Andrew D Badley
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | | | - Thomas E Witzig
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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28
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Mishra N, Kant R, Leung DW, Gross ML, Amarasinghe GK. Biochemical and HDX Mass Spectral Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 Protein. Biochemistry 2023; 62:1744-1754. [PMID: 37205707 PMCID: PMC10228561 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
A major challenge in defining the pathophysiology of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is to better understand virally encoded multifunctional proteins and their interactions with host factors. Among the many proteins encoded by the positive-sense, single-stranded RNA genome, nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) stands out due to its impact on several stages of the viral replication cycle. Nsp1 is the major virulence factor that inhibits mRNA translation. Nsp1 also promotes host mRNA cleavage to modulate host and viral protein expression and to suppress host immune functions. To better define how this multifunctional protein can facilitate distinct functions, we characterize SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 by using a combination of biophysical techniques, including light scattering, circular dichroism, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), and temperature-dependent HDX-MS. Our results reveal that the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp1 N- and C-terminus are unstructured in solution, and in the absence of other proteins, the C-terminus has an increased propensity to adopt a helical conformation. In addition, our data indicate that a short helix exists near the C-terminus and adjoins the region that binds the ribosome. Together, these findings provide insights into the dynamic nature of Nsp1 that impacts its functions during infection. Furthermore, our results will inform efforts to understand SARS-CoV-2 infection and antiviral development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nawneet Mishra
- Department
of Pathology and Immunology, Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Ravi Kant
- Department
of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Daisy W. Leung
- Department
of Pathology and Immunology, Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
- Department
of Medicine, Washington University School
of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
| | - Michael L. Gross
- Department
of Chemistry, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States
| | - Gaya K. Amarasinghe
- Department
of Pathology and Immunology, Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, United States
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29
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Kovalevsky A, Aniana A, Coates L, Bonnesen PV, Nashed NT, Louis JM. Contribution of the catalytic dyad of SARS-CoV-2 main protease to binding covalent and noncovalent inhibitors. J Biol Chem 2023:104886. [PMID: 37271339 PMCID: PMC10238122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The effect of mutations of the catalytic dyad residues of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MProWT) on the thermodynamics of binding of covalent inhibitors comprising nitrile [nirmatrelvir (NMV), NBH2], aldehyde (GC373) and ketone (BBH1) warheads to MPro is examined together with room temperature X-ray crystallography. When lacking the nucleophilic C145, NMV binding is ∼400-fold weaker corresponding to 3.5 kcal/mol and 13.3 °C decreases in free energy (ΔG) and thermal stability (Tm), respectively, relative to MProWT. The H41A mutation results in a 20-fold increase in the dissociation constant (Kd), and 1.7 kcal/mol and 1.4 °C decreases in ΔG and Tm, respectively. Increasing the pH from 7.2 to 8.2 enhances NMV binding to MProH41A, whereas no significant change is observed in binding to MProWT. Structures of the four inhibitor complexes with MPro1-304/C145A show that the active site geometries of the complexes are nearly identical to that of MProWT with the nucleophilic sulfur of C145 positioned to react with the nitrile or the carbonyl carbon. These results support a two-step mechanism for the formation of the covalent complex involving an initial non-covalent binding followed by a nucleophilic attack by the thiolate anion of C145 on the warhead carbon. Noncovalent inhibitor ensitrelvir (ESV) exhibits a binding affinity to MProWT that is similar to NMV but differs in its thermodynamic signature from NMV. The binding of ESV to MProC145A also results in a significant, but smaller, increase in Kd and decrease in ΔG and Tm, relative to NMV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Kovalevsky
- Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA.
| | - Annie Aniana
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - Leighton Coates
- Second Target Station, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 1 Bethel Valley Road, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Peter V Bonnesen
- Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, 37831, USA
| | - Nashaat T Nashed
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA
| | - John M Louis
- Laboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, MD 20892-0520, USA.
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30
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Parida VK, Saidulu D, Bhatnagar A, Gupta AK, Afzal MS. A critical assessment of SARS-CoV-2 in aqueous environment: Existence, detection, survival, wastewater-based surveillance, inactivation methods, and effective management of COVID-19. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 327:138503. [PMID: 36965534 PMCID: PMC10035368 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
In early January 2020, the causal agent of unspecified pneumonia cases detected in China and elsewhere was identified as a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and was the major cause of the COVID-19 outbreak. Later, the World Health Organization (WHO) proclaimed the COVID-19 pandemic a worldwide public health emergency on January 30, 2020. Since then, many studies have been published on this topic. In the present study, bibliometric analysis has been performed to analyze the research hotspots of the coronavirus. Coronavirus transmission, detection methods, potential risks of infection, and effective management practices have been discussed in the present review. Identification and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral loads in various water matrices have been reviewed. It was observed that the viral shedding through urine and feces of COVID-19-infected patients might be a primary mode of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in water and wastewater. In this context, the present review highlights wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE)/sewage surveillance, which can be utilized as an effective tool for tracking the transmission of COVID-19. This review also emphasizes the role of different disinfection techniques, such as chlorination, ultraviolet irradiation, and ozonation, for the inactivation of coronavirus. In addition, the application of computational modeling methods has been discussed for the effective management of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishal Kumar Parida
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Duduku Saidulu
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
| | - Amit Bhatnagar
- Department of Separation Science, LUT School of Engineering Science, LUT University, Sammonkatu 12, Mikkeli FI-50130, Finland.
| | - Ashok Kumar Gupta
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India.
| | - Mohammad Saud Afzal
- Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, 721302, India
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31
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Bhardwaj P, Mishra SK, Behera SP, Zaman K, Kant R, Singh R. Genomic evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: COVID-19 pandemic waves in India. EXCLI JOURNAL 2023; 22:451-465. [PMID: 37534220 PMCID: PMC10390896 DOI: 10.17179/excli2023-6098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 has mutated rapidly since its first case report in Wuhan, China, leading to the emergence of an indefinite number of variants. India has witnessed three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country saw its first wave of SARS-CoV-2 illness from late January 2020 to February 2021. With a peak surge of cases in mid-September 2020, India recorded more than 11 million cases and a death toll of more than 0.165 million at this time. India faced a brutal second wave driven by the emergence of highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.617.2 (Delta variant) and the third wave with the leading cause of BA.2 (Omicron variant), which has led to an unprecedented rise in COVID-19 cases in the country. On September 14, 2022, India recorded a cumulative 44.51 million cases of COVID-19 with more than 0.528 million deaths. The discovery of common circulating mutants is facilitated by genome sequencing. The changes in the Spike surface glycoprotein recombinant binding domains served as the critical alterations, resulting in enhanced infectivity and transmissibility, with severe clinical effects. Further, the predominant mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein; the D614G strains served as a model for vaccine development. The mutation of the Wuhan strain to the Variant of Concern led to a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections. In addition, there was a shift in the age group affected by SARS-CoV-2 variant infection. The current review summarized the COVID-19 pandemic's Variant of Concern and the advent of SARS-CoV-2 in India.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Bhardwaj
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
| | - Shailendra Kumar Mishra
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
| | - Sthita Pragnya Behera
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
| | - Kamran Zaman
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
| | - Rajni Kant
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
| | - Rajeev Singh
- Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) - Regional Medical Research Center Gorakhpur, BRD Medical College Campus, Gorakhpur-273013, U.P., India
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Lekshmi VS, Asha K, Sanicas M, Asi A, Arya UM, Kumar B. PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 mediated cellular signaling and virus-host interactions: latest updates on the potential therapeutic management of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Front Mol Biosci 2023; 10:1158133. [PMID: 37325475 PMCID: PMC10267462 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2023.1158133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and re-emergence of viral diseases, which cause significant global mortality and morbidity, are the major concerns of this decade. Of these, current research is focused majorly on the etiological agent of the COVID-19 pandemic, SARS-CoV-2. Understanding the host response and metabolic changes during viral infection may provide better therapeutic targets for the proper management of pathophysiological conditions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. We have achieved control over most emerging viral diseases; however, a lack of understanding of the underlying molecular events prevents us from exploring novel therapeutic targets, leaving us forced to witness re-emerging viral infections. SARS-CoV-2 infection is usually accompanied by oxidative stress, which leads to an overactive immune response, the release of inflammatory cytokines, increasing lipid production, and also alterations in the endothelial and mitochondrial functions. PI3K/Akt signaling pathway confers protection against oxidative injury by various cell survival mechanisms including Nrf2-ARE mediated antioxidant transcriptional response. SARS-CoV-2 is also reported to hijack this pathway for its survival within host and few studies have suggested the role of antioxidants in modulating the Nrf2 pathway to manage disease severity. This review highlights the interrelated pathophysiological conditions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection and the host survival mechanisms mediated by PI3K/Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathways that can help ameliorate the severity of the disease and provide effective antiviral targets against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- V S Lekshmi
- Department of Antiviral Research, Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Kumari Asha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, IL, United States
| | | | - Abhila Asi
- Department of Antiviral Research, Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - U M Arya
- Department of Antiviral Research, Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Binod Kumar
- Department of Antiviral Research, Institute of Advanced Virology, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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Low Z, Lani R, Tiong V, Poh C, AbuBakar S, Hassandarvish P. COVID-19 Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119589. [PMID: 37298539 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the fact that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment and management are now considerably regulated, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is still one of the leading causes of death in 2022. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines, FDA-approved antivirals, and monoclonal antibodies in low-income countries still poses an issue to be addressed. Natural products, particularly traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and medicinal plant extracts (or their active component), have challenged the dominance of drug repurposing and synthetic compound libraries in COVID-19 therapeutics. Their abundant resources and excellent antiviral performance make natural products a relatively cheap and readily available alternative for COVID-19 therapeutics. Here, we deliberately review the anti-SARS-CoV-2 mechanisms of the natural products, their potency (pharmacological profiles), and application strategies for COVID-19 intervention. In light of their advantages, this review is intended to acknowledge the potential of natural products as COVID-19 therapeutic candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxuan Low
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Rafidah Lani
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Vunjia Tiong
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Chitlaa Poh
- Centre for Virus and Vaccine Research, School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Petaling Jaya 47500, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Pouya Hassandarvish
- Tropical Infectious Diseases Research & Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
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Cheng L, Lan L, Ramalingam M, He J, Yang Y, Gao M, Shi Z. A review of current effective COVID-19 testing methods and quality control. Arch Microbiol 2023; 205:239. [PMID: 37195393 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-023-03579-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a highly infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which primarily affects the respiratory system and can lead to severe illness. The virus is extremely contagious, early and accurate diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is crucial to contain its spread, to provide prompt treatment, and to prevent complications. Currently, the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is considered to be the gold standard for detecting COVID-19 in its early stages. In addition, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LMAP), clustering rule interval short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), colloidal gold immunochromatographic assay (GICA), computed tomography (CT), and electrochemical sensors are also common tests. However, these different methods vary greatly in terms of their detection efficiency, specificity, accuracy, sensitivity, cost, and throughput. Besides, most of the current detection methods are conducted in central hospitals and laboratories, which is a great challenge for remote and underdeveloped areas. Therefore, it is essential to review the advantages and disadvantages of different COVID-19 detection methods, as well as the technology that can enhance detection efficiency and improve detection quality in greater details.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijia Cheng
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China.
| | - Liang Lan
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Murugan Ramalingam
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Jianrong He
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Yimin Yang
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Min Gao
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China
| | - Zheng Shi
- Clinical Medical College & Affiliated Hospital, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University, Chengdu, 610106, China.
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Bills C, Xie X, Shi PY. The multiple roles of nsp6 in the molecular pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2023; 213:105590. [PMID: 37003304 PMCID: PMC10063458 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to evolve and adapt after its emergence in late 2019. As the causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the replication and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 have been extensively studied by the research community for vaccine and therapeutics development. Given the importance of viral spike protein in viral infection/transmission and vaccine development, the scientific community has thus far primarily focused on studying the structure, function, and evolution of the spike protein. Other viral proteins are understudied. To fill in this knowledge gap, a few recent studies have identified nonstructural protein 6 (nsp6) as a major contributor to SARS-CoV-2 replication through the formation of replication organelles, antagonism of interferon type I (IFN-I) responses, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation (a major factor of severe disease in COVID-19 patients). Here, we review the most recent progress on the multiple roles of nsp6 in modulating SARS-CoV-2 replication and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody Bills
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA; Institute for Human Infection and Immunity, 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; Sealy Institute for Drug Discovery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA.
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Ghoula M, Naceri S, Sitruk S, Flatters D, Moroy G, Camproux AC. Identifying promising druggable binding sites and their flexibility to target the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:2339-2351. [PMID: 36998674 PMCID: PMC10023212 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.03.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is crucial for viral infection. The interaction of its receptor-binding domain (RBD) with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein is required for the virus to enter the host cell. We identified RBD binding sites to block its function with inhibitors by combining the protein structural flexibility with machine learning analysis. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed on unbound or ACE2-bound RBD conformations. Pockets estimation, tracking and druggability prediction were performed on a large sample of simulated RBD conformations. Recurrent druggable binding sites and their key residues were identified by clustering pockets based on their residue similarity. This protocol successfully identified three druggable sites and their key residues, aiming to target with inhibitors for preventing ACE2 interaction. One site features key residues for direct ACE2 interaction, highlighted using energetic computations, but can be affected by several mutations of the variants of concern. Two highly druggable sites, located between the spike protein monomers interface are promising. One weakly impacted by only one Omicron mutation, could contribute to stabilizing the spike protein in its closed state. The other, currently not affected by mutations, could avoid the activation of the spike protein trimer.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ghoula
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - S Naceri
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - S Sitruk
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - D Flatters
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - G Moroy
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - A C Camproux
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, INSERM, Unité de Biologie Fonctionnelle et Adaptative, F-75013 Paris, France
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Tang WF, Anh Tran T, Wang LY, Horng JT. SARS-CoV-2 pandemics: an update of CRISPR in diagnosis and host-virus interaction studies. Biomed J 2023; 46:100587. [PMID: 36849044 PMCID: PMC9957976 DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2023.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2022] [Revised: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019, the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly around the world, overburdening healthcare systems and creating significant global health concerns. Rapid detection of infected individuals via early diagnostic tests and administration of effective therapy remains vital in pandemic control, and recent advances in the CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-Cas (CRISPR-associated proteins) system may support the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Cas-based SARS-CoV-2 detection methods (FELUDA, DETECTR, and SHERLOCK) have been developed for easier handling compared to quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays, with good rapidity, high specificity, and reduced need for complex instrumentation. Cas-CRISPR-derived RNA (Cas-crRNA) complexes have been shown to reduce viral loads in the lungs of infected hamsters, by degrading virus genomes and limiting viral replication in host cells. Viral-host interaction screening platforms have been developed using the CRISPR-based system to identify essential cellular factors involved in pathogenesis, and CRISPR knockout and activation screening results have revealed vital pathways in the life cycle of coronaviruses, including host cell entry receptors (ACE2, DPP4, and ANPEP), proteases involved in spike activation and membrane fusion (CTSL and TMPRSS2), intracellular traffic control routes for virus uncoating and budding, and membrane recruitment for viral replication. Several novel genes (SMARCA4, ARIDIA, and KDM6A) have also been identified via systematic data mining analysis as pathogenic factors for severe CoV infection. This review highlights how CRISPR-based systems can be applied to investigate the viral life cycle, detect viral genomes, and develop therapies against SARS-CoV-2 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Fang Tang
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan
| | - Tu Anh Tran
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan
| | - Ling-Yu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan,Division of Medical Oncology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan City, 333423, Taiwan
| | - Jim-Tong Horng
- Research Center for Emerging Viral Infections, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, and Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan; Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan City, 333324, Taiwan; Molecular Infectious Disease Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Taoyuan City, 333323, Taiwan.
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38
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Crystal structure of the CoV-Y domain of SARS-CoV-2 nonstructural protein 3. Sci Rep 2023; 13:2890. [PMID: 36801935 PMCID: PMC9938512 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-30045-9] [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: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Replication of the coronavirus genome starts with the formation of viral RNA-containing double-membrane vesicles (DMV) following viral entry into the host cell. The multi-domain nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3) is the largest protein encoded by the known coronavirus genome and serves as a central component of the viral replication and transcription machinery. Previous studies demonstrated that the highly-conserved C-terminal region of nsp3 is essential for subcellular membrane rearrangement, yet the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Here we report the crystal structure of the CoV-Y domain, the most C-terminal domain of the SARS-CoV-2 nsp3, at 2.4 Å-resolution. CoV-Y adopts a previously uncharacterized V-shaped fold featuring three distinct subdomains. Sequence alignment and structure prediction suggest that this fold is likely shared by the CoV-Y domains from closely related nsp3 homologs. NMR-based fragment screening combined with molecular docking identifies surface cavities in CoV-Y for interaction with potential ligands and other nsps. These studies provide the first structural view on a complete nsp3 CoV-Y domain, and the molecular framework for understanding the architecture, assembly and function of the nsp3 C-terminal domains in coronavirus replication. Our work illuminates nsp3 as a potential target for therapeutic interventions to aid in the on-going battle against the COVID-19 pandemic and diseases caused by other coronaviruses.
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Yang D, Wu Y, Turan I, Keil J, Li K, Chen MH, Liu R, Wang L, Sun XL, Chen GY. Targeting intracellular Neu1 for coronavirus infection treatment. iScience 2023; 26:106037. [PMID: 36714013 PMCID: PMC9870608 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
There are currently no effective therapies for COVID-19 or antivirals against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and vaccines appear less effective against new SARS-CoV-2 variants; thus, there is an urgent need to understand better the virulence mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 and the host response to develop therapeutic agents. Herein, we show that host Neu1 regulates coronavirus replication by controlling sialylation on coronavirus nucleocapsid protein. Coronavirus nucleocapsid proteins in COVID-19 patients and in coronavirus HCoV-OC43-infected cells were heavily sialylated; this sialylation controlled the RNA-binding activity and replication of coronavirus. Neu1 overexpression increased HCoV-OC43 replication, whereas Neu1 knockdown reduced HCoV-OC43 replication. Moreover, a newly developed Neu1 inhibitor, Neu5Ac2en-OAcOMe, selectively targeted intracellular sialidase, which dramatically reduced HCoV-OC43 and SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro and rescued mice from HCoV-OC43 infection-induced death. Our findings suggest Neu1 inhibitors could be used to limit SARS-CoV-2 replication in patients with COVID-19, making Neu1 a potential therapeutic target for COVID-19 and future coronavirus pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darong Yang
- Children’s Foundation Research Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Yin Wu
- Children’s Foundation Research Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Isaac Turan
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Center for Gene Regulation of Health and Disease (GRHD), Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Joseph Keil
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Center for Gene Regulation of Health and Disease (GRHD), Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Kui Li
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Michael H. Chen
- Children’s Foundation Research Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
| | - Runhua Liu
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Lizhong Wang
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA
| | - Xue-Long Sun
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical and Biomedical Engineering and Center for Gene Regulation of Health and Disease (GRHD), Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA
| | - Guo-Yun Chen
- Children’s Foundation Research Institute at Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN 38103, USA
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Kumar THV, Srinivasan S, Krishnan V, Vaidyanathan R, Babu KA, Natarajan S, Veerapandian M. Peptide-based direct electrochemical detection of receptor binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in pristine samples. SENSORS AND ACTUATORS. B, CHEMICAL 2023; 377:133052. [PMID: 36438197 PMCID: PMC9682882 DOI: 10.1016/j.snb.2022.133052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
RNA isolation and amplification-free user-friendly detection of SARS-CoV-2 is the need of hour especially at resource limited settings. Herein, we devised the peptides of human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (hACE-2) as bioreceptor at electrode interface for selective targeting of receptor binding domains (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SP). Disposable carbon-screen printed electrode modified with methylene blue (MB) electroadsorbed graphene oxide (GO) has been constructed as cost-efficient and scalable platform for hACE-2 peptide-based SARS-CoV-2 detection. In silico molecular docking of customized 25 mer peptides with RBD of SARS-CoV-2 SP were validated by AutoDock CrankPep. N-terminal region of ACE-2 showed higher binding affinity of - 20.6 kcal/mol with 15 H-bond, 9 of which were < 3 Å. Electrochemical biosensing of different concentrations of SPs were determined by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry (CA), enabling a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.58 pg/mL and 0.71 pg/mL, respectively. MB-GO devised hACE-2 peptide platform exert an enhanced current sensitivity of 0.0105 mA/pg mL-1 cm-2 (R2 = 0.9792) (CV) and 0.45 nA/pg mL-1 (R2 = 0.9570) (CA) against SP in the range of 1 pg/mL to 1 µg/mL. For clinical feasibility, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab specimens in viral transport medium were directly tested with the prepared peptide biosensor and validated with RT-PCR, promising for point-of-need analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- T H Vignesh Kumar
- Electrodics and Electrocatalysis Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sowmiya Srinivasan
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Center of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai 600095, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Vinoth Krishnan
- Electrodics and Electrocatalysis Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Rama Vaidyanathan
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Center of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai 600095, Tamil Nadu, India
- Department of Biotechnology, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai 600095, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Kannadasan Anand Babu
- Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Center of Excellence in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Dr. M.G.R. Educational and Research Institute, Chennai 600095, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Sudhakar Natarajan
- Department of Virology and Biotechnology, ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chennai 600031, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Murugan Veerapandian
- Electrodics and Electrocatalysis Division, CSIR-Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi 630003, Tamil Nadu, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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Ali Z, Cardoza JV, Basak S, Narsaria U, Singh VP, Isaac SP, França TCC, LaPlante SR, George SS. Computational design of candidate multi-epitope vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 targeting structural (S and N) and non-structural (NSP3 and NSP12) proteins. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:13348-13367. [PMID: 36744449 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2173297] [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: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus has created a global damage and has exposed the vulnerable side of scientific research towards novel diseases. The intensity of the pandemic is huge, with mortality rates of more than 6 million people worldwide in a span of 2 years. Considering the gravity of the situation, scientists all across the world are continuously attempting to create successful therapeutic solutions to combat the virus. Various vaccination strategies are being devised to ensure effective immunization against SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 spreads very rapidly, and the infection rate is remarkably high than other respiratory tract viruses. The viral entry and recognition of the host cell is facilitated by S protein of the virus. N protein along with NSP3 is majorly responsible for viral genome assembly and NSP12 performs polymerase activity for RNA synthesis. In this study, we have designed a multi-epitope, chimeric vaccine considering the two structural (S and N protein) and two non-structural proteins (NSP3 and NSP12) of SARS-CoV-2 virus. The aim is to induce immune response by generating antibodies against these proteins to target the viral entry and viral replication in the host cell. In this study, computational tools were used, and the reliability of the vaccine was verified using molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and immune simulation studies in silico. These studies demonstrate that the vaccine designed shows steady interaction with Toll like receptors with good stability and will be effective in inducing a strong and specific immune response in the body.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeeshan Ali
- Krupanidhi College of Physiotherapy, Bangalore, India
| | | | | | | | - Vijay Pratap Singh
- Department of Physiotherapy, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal academy of higher education, Mangalore, Manipal, India
| | | | - Tanos C C França
- Université de Québec, INRS - Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, Canada
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling Applied to Chemical and Biological Defense, Military Institute of Engineering, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Hradec Kralove, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Steven R LaPlante
- Université de Québec, INRS - Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Laval, Québec, Canada
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Modulation of mitochondria by viral proteins. Life Sci 2023; 313:121271. [PMID: 36526048 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.121271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mitochondria are dynamic cellular organelles with diverse functions including energy production, calcium homeostasis, apoptosis, host innate immune signaling, and disease progression. Several viral proteins specifically target mitochondria to subvert host defense as mitochondria stand out as the most suitable target for the invading viruses. They have acquired the capability to control apoptosis, metabolic state, and evade immune responses in host cells, by targeting mitochondria. In this way, the viruses successfully allow the spread of viral progeny and thus the infection. Viruses employ their proteins to alter mitochondrial dynamics and their specific functions by a modulation of membrane potential, reactive oxygen species, calcium homeostasis, and mitochondrial bioenergetics to help them achieve a state of persistent infection. A better understanding of such viral proteins and their impact on mitochondrial forms and functions is the main focus of this review. We also attempt to emphasize the importance of exploring the role of mitochondria in the context of SARS-CoV2 pathogenesis and identify host-virus protein interactions.
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Prerana S, Ashwini P, Anupama KP, Prajna VS, Prithvisagar KS, Nayak A, Rai P, Rohit A, Karunasagar I, Karunasagar I, Maiti B. Evaluation of reverse transcriptase-polymerase spiral reaction assay for rapid and sensitive detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. Clin Chim Acta 2023; 539:144-150. [PMID: 36528050 PMCID: PMC9750508 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2022.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM Existing real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) has certain limitations for the point-of-care detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) since it requires sophisticated instruments, reagents and skilled laboratory personnel. In this study, we evaluated an assay termed the reverse transcriptase-polymerase spiral reaction (RT-PSR) for rapid and visual detection of SARS-CoV-2. METHODS The RT-PSR assay was optimized using RdRp gene and evaluated for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The time of 60min and a temperature of 63°C was optimized for targeting the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase gene of SARS-CoV-2. The sensitivity of the assay was evaluated by diluting the in-vitro transcribed RNA, which amplifies as low as ten copies. RESULTS The specific primers designed for this assay showed 100% specificity and did not react when tested with other lung infection-causing viruses and bacteria. The optimized assay was validated with 190 clinical samples in two phases, using automated RTPCR based TrueNat test, and the results were comparable. CONCLUSIONS The RT-PSR assay can be considered for rapid and sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2, particularly in resource-limited settings. To our knowledge, there is as yet no RT-PSR-based kit developed for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharan Prerana
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Pai Ashwini
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Karanth Padyana Anupama
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Valakkunja Shankaranarayana Prajna
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Kattapuni Suresh Prithvisagar
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Ashwath Nayak
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Praveen Rai
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India.
| | - Anusha Rohit
- Madras Medical Mission, Department of Microbiology, Dr. J. J. Nagar, Mogappair, Chennai 600037, India
| | - Indrani Karunasagar
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), University Enclave, Medical Sciences Complex, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Iddya Karunasagar
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), University Enclave, Medical Sciences Complex, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India
| | - Biswajit Maiti
- Nitte (Deemed to be University), Nitte University Centre for Science Education and Research (NUCSER), Division of Infectious Diseases, Paneer Campus, Deralakatte, Mangalore 575018, India.
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Nag A, Dasgupta A, Sengupta S, Lai TK, Acharya K. An in-silico pharmacophore-based molecular docking study to evaluate the inhibitory potentials of novel fungal triterpenoid Astrakurkurone analogues against a hypothetical mutated main protease of SARS-CoV-2 virus. Comput Biol Med 2023; 152:106433. [PMID: 36565483 PMCID: PMC9767885 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2022.106433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The main protease is an important structural protein of SARS-CoV-2, essential for its survivability inside a human host. Considering current vaccines' limitations and the absence of approved therapeutic targets, Mpro may be regarded as the potential candidate drug target. Novel fungal phytocompound Astrakurkurone may be studied as the potential Mpro inhibitor, considering its medicinal properties reported elsewhere. METHODS In silico molecular docking was performed with Astrakurkurone and its twenty pharmacophore-based analogues against the native Mpro protein. A hypothetical Mpro was also constructed with seven mutations and targeted by Astrakurkurone and its analogues. Furthermore, multiple parameters such as statistical analysis (Principal Component Analysis), pharmacophore alignment, and drug likeness evaluation were performed to understand the mechanism of protein-ligand molecular interaction. Finally, molecular dynamic simulation was done for the top-ranking ligands to validate the result. RESULT We identified twenty Astrakurkurone analogues through pharmacophore screening methodology. Among these twenty compounds, two analogues namely, ZINC89341287 and ZINC12128321 showed the highest inhibitory potentials against native and our hypothetical mutant Mpro, respectively (-7.7 and -7.3 kcal mol-1) when compared with the control drug Telaprevir (-5.9 and -6.0 kcal mol-1). Finally, we observed that functional groups of ligands namely two aromatic and one acceptor groups were responsible for the residual interaction with the target proteins. The molecular dynamic simulation further revealed that these compounds could make a stable complex with their respective protein targets in the near-native physiological condition. CONCLUSION To conclude, Astrakurkurone analogues ZINC89341287 and ZINC12128321 can be potential therapeutic agents against the highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anish Nag
- Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Adhiraj Dasgupta
- Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Sutirtha Sengupta
- Department of Life Sciences, CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Tapan Kumar Lai
- Department of Chemistry, Vidyasagar Metropolitan College, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | - Krishnendu Acharya
- Department of Botany, University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
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Jahirul Islam M, Nawal Islam N, Siddik Alom M, Kabir M, Halim MA. A review on structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins of SARS-CoV-2: Highlighting drug target sites. Immunobiology 2023; 228:152302. [PMID: 36434912 PMCID: PMC9663145 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2022.152302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, is a highly transmittable and pathogenic human coronavirus that first emerged in China in December 2019. The unprecedented outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 devastated human health within a short time leading to a global public health emergency. A detailed understanding of the viral proteins including their structural characteristics and virulence mechanism on human health is very crucial for developing vaccines and therapeutics. To date, over 1800 structures of non-structural, structural, and accessory proteins of SARS-CoV-2 are determined by cryo-electron microscopy, X-ray crystallography, and NMR spectroscopy. Designing therapeutics to target the viral proteins has several benefits since they could be highly specific against the virus while maintaining minimal detrimental effects on humans. However, for ongoing and future research on SARS-CoV-2, summarizing all the viral proteins and their detailed structural information is crucial. In this review, we compile comprehensive information on viral structural, non-structural, and accessory proteins structures with their binding and catalytic sites, different domain and motifs, and potential drug target sites to assist chemists, biologists, and clinicians finding necessary details for fundamental and therapeutic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Jahirul Islam
- Division of Infectious Diseases and Division of Computer Aided Drug Design, The Red-Green Research Centre, BICCB, 16 Tejkunipara, Tejgaon, Dhaka 1215, Bangladesh
| | - Nafisa Nawal Islam
- Department of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka 1342, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Siddik Alom
- Ohio State Biochemistry Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Mahmuda Kabir
- Department of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Dhaka, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh
| | - Mohammad A. Halim
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Kennesaw State University, 370 Paulding Avenue NW, Kennesaw, GA 30144, USA,Corresponding author
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Kulabhusan PK, Pishva P, Çapkın E, Tambe P, Yüce M. Aptamer-based Emerging Tools for Viral Biomarker Detection: A Focus on SARS-CoV-2. Curr Med Chem 2023; 30:910-934. [PMID: 35156569 DOI: 10.2174/1568009622666220214101059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Viral infections can cause fatal illnesses to humans as well as animals. Early detection of viruses is therefore crucial to provide effective treatment to patients. Recently, the Covid-19 pandemic has undoubtedly given an alarming call to develop rapid and sensitive detection platforms. The viral diagnostic tools need to be fast, affordable, and easy to operate with high sensitivity and specificity equivalent or superior to the currently used diagnostic methods. The present detection methods include direct detection of viral antigens or measuring the response of antibodies to viral infections. However, the sensitivity and quantification of the virus are still a significant challenge. Detection tools employing synthetic binding molecules like aptamers may provide several advantages over the conventional methods that use antibodies in the assay format. Aptamers are highly stable and tailorable molecules and are therefore ideal for detection and chemical sensing applications. This review article discusses various advances made in aptamer-based viral detection platforms, including electrochemical, optical, and colorimetric methods to detect viruses, specifically SARS-Cov-2. Considering the several advantages, aptamers could be game-changing in designing high-throughput biosensors for viruses and other biomedical applications in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabir Kumar Kulabhusan
- Institute for Global Food Security, School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Parsa Pishva
- Sabanci University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul, 34956, Turkey
| | - Eda Çapkın
- Sabanci University, Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Istanbul, 34956, Turkey
| | - Prajakta Tambe
- Wellcome-- Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Meral Yüce
- Sabanci University, SUNUM Nanotechnology Research, and Application Centre, Istanbul, 34956, Turkey
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47
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Khushboo, Siddiqi NJ, Sharma B. Pathophysiology of SARS-CoV2 Mediated Depression, Therapeutics, and Consequences: A Comprehensive Narrative. Mini Rev Med Chem 2023; 23:217-229. [PMID: 35658879 DOI: 10.2174/1381612828666220603150637] [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: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to emerging and reemerging diseases, which was first identified and reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The genetic sequence of SARS-CoV-2 was similar to the SARS virus, a β-coronavirus. The epidemiological studies suggest that the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 mainly occurs from an infected person to others through close contact with the respiratory droplets or by having contact with SARS-CoV-2 adhering to objects and surfaces. The incubation period ranges from 5 to14 days. The symptoms include fever, dry cough, tiredness, aches, chest pain, conjunctivitis, diarrhea, headache, difficulty in breathing or short breath, loss of taste, smell, rashes on the skin, and sore throat. Some reports indicated that males exhibited lower scores than females, the younger populations displayed increased symptoms, Chinese/Taiwanese people registered only scarce symptoms, and Canadians experienced more symptoms. The results of several studies suggested that while COVID-19 had a significant effect on depression, job instability affected anxiety and depression. The diagnostics to detect the presence of coronavirus involve ELISA and RT-PCR. There is no specific treatment available to eradicate COVID-19. The therapeutics used to treat COVID 19 exhibited severe side effects. Recently, some Indian traditional medicinal plants have shown promise in reducing the risk of viral infection and also boosting the immunity of an individual. This paper presents an overview of the current status of depression in the SARS CoV2 infected people and the measures required to overcome COVID-19 induced depression in patients even after recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Khushboo
- Departments of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, UP-India
| | - Nikhat J Siddiqi
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Bechan Sharma
- Departments of Biochemistry, University of Allahabad, Allahabad 211002, UP-India
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Unmasking the Conformational Stability and Inhibitor Binding to SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Active Site Mutants and Miniprecursor. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167876. [PMID: 36334779 PMCID: PMC9628131 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
We recently demonstrated that inhibitor binding reorganizes the oxyanion loop of a monomeric catalytic domain of SARS CoV-2 main protease (MPro) from an unwound (E) to a wound (active, E*) conformation, independent of dimerization. Here we assess the effect of the flanking N-terminal residues, to imitate the MPro precursor prior to its autoprocessing, on conformational equilibria rendering stability and inhibitor binding. Thermal denaturation (Tm) of C145A mutant, unlike H41A, increases by 6.8 °C, relative to wild-type mature dimer. An inactivating H41A mutation to maintain a miniprecursor containing TSAVL[Q or E] of the flanking nsp4 sequence in an intact form [(-6)MProH41A and (-6*)MProH41A, respectively], and its corresponding mature MProH41A were systematically examined. While the H41A mutation exerts negligible effect on Tm and dimer dissociation constant (Kdimer) of MProH41A, relative to the wild type MPro, both miniprecursors show a 4-5 °C decrease in Tm and > 85-fold increase in Kdimer as compared to MProH41A. The Kd for the binding of the covalent inhibitor GC373 to (-6*)MProH41A increases ∼12-fold, relative to MProH41A, concomitant with its dimerization. While the inhibitor-free dimer exhibits a state in transit from E to E* with a conformational asymmetry of the protomers' oxyanion loops and helical domains, inhibitor binding restores the asymmetry to mature-like oxyanion loop conformations (E*) but not of the helical domains. Disorder of the terminal residues 1-2 and 302-306 observed in both structures suggest that N-terminal autoprocessing is tightly coupled to the E-E* equilibrium and stable dimer formation.
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Lee MJ, Leong MW, Rustagi A, Beck A, Zeng L, Holmes S, Qi LS, Blish CA. SARS-CoV-2 escapes direct NK cell killing through Nsp1-mediated downregulation of ligands for NKG2D. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111892. [PMID: 36543165 PMCID: PMC9742201 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic effector cells that target and lyse virally infected cells; many viruses therefore encode mechanisms to escape such NK cell killing. Here, we interrogate the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to modulate NK cell recognition and lysis of infected cells. We find that NK cells exhibit poor cytotoxic responses against SARS-CoV-2-infected targets, preferentially killing uninfected bystander cells. We demonstrate that this escape is driven by downregulation of ligands for the activating receptor NKG2D (NKG2D-L). Indeed, early in viral infection, prior to NKG2D-L downregulation, NK cells are able to target and kill infected cells; however, this ability is lost as viral proteins are expressed. Finally, we find that SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 1 (Nsp1) mediates downregulation of NKG2D-L and that Nsp1 alone is sufficient to confer resistance to NK cell killing. Collectively, our work demonstrates that SARS-CoV-2 evades direct NK cell cytotoxicity and describes a mechanism by which this occurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline J Lee
- Stanford Immunology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michelle W Leong
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Arjun Rustagi
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Aimee Beck
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Leiping Zeng
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Susan Holmes
- Department of Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Lei S Qi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Sarafan Chem-H, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94157, USA
| | - Catherine A Blish
- Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA 94157, USA; Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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50
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Saha I, Ghosh N, Plewczynski D. Identification of Human miRNA Biomarkers Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 Genome. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:46411-46420. [PMID: 36570256 PMCID: PMC9773347 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c05091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 poses a great challenge toward mankind, majorly due to its evolution and frequently occurring variants. On the other hand, in human hosts, microRNA (miRNA) plays a vital role in replication and propagation during a viral infection and can control the biological processes. This may be essential for the progression of viral infection. Moreover, human miRNAs can play a therapeutic role in treatment of different viral diseases by binding to the target sites of the virus genome, thereby hindering the essential functioning of the virus. Motivated by this fact, we have hypothesized a new approach in order to identify human miRNAs that can target the mRNA (genome) of SARS-CoV-2 to degrade their protein synthesis. In this regard, the multiple sequence alignment technique Clustal Omega is used to align a complement of 2656 human miRNAs with the SARS-CoV-2 reference genome (mRNA). Thereafter, ranking of these aligned human miRNAs is performed with the help of a new scoring function that takes into account the (a) total number of nucleotide matches between the human miRNA and the SARS-CoV-2 genome, (b) number of consecutive nucleotide matches between the human miRNA and the SARS-CoV-2 genome, (c) number of nucleotide mismatches between the human miRNA and the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and (d) the difference in length before and after alignment of the human miRNA. As a result, from the 2656 ranked miRNAs, the top 20 human miRNAs are reported, which are targeting different coding and non-coding regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Moreover, molecular docking of such human miRNAs with virus mRNA is performed to verify the efficacy of the interactions. Furthermore, 4 miRNAs out of the top 20 miRNAs are identified to have the seed region. In order to inhibit the virus, the key human targets of the seed regions may be targeted. Repurposable drugs like carfilzomib, bortezomib, hydralazine, and paclitaxel are identified for such purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indrajit Saha
- Department
of Computer Science and Engineering, National
Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research, FC Block, Sector III, Kolkata700106, West Bengal, India
| | - Nimisha Ghosh
- Department
of Computer Science and Information Technology, Institute of Technical
Education and Research, Siksha “O”
Anusandhan (Deemed to be) University, Jagamara Road, Bhubaneswar751030, Odisha, India
| | - Dariusz Plewczynski
- Laboratory
of Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics, Faculty of Mathematics
and Information Science, Warsaw University
of Technology, Plac Politechniki
1, Warsaw00-661, Poland
- Laboratory
of Functional and Structural Genomics, Centre of New Technologies, University of Warsaw, Stefana Banacha 2, Warsaw02-097, Poland
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