Many Roles of Carbohydrates: A Computational Spotlight on the Coronavirus S Protein Binding.
ACS Appl Bio Mater
; 7(2): 646-656, 2024 Feb 19.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36947738
ABSTRACT
Glycosylation is one of the post-translational modifications with more than 50% of human proteins being glycosylated. The exact nature and chemical composition of glycans are inaccessible to X-ray or cryo-electron microscopy imaging techniques. Therefore, computational modeling studies and molecular dynamics must be used as a "computational microscope". The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is heavily glycosylated, and a few glycans play a more functional role "beyond shielding". In this mini-review, we discuss computational investigations of the roles of specific S-protein and ACE2 glycans in the overall ACE2-S protein binding. We highlight different functions of specific glycans demonstrated in myriad computational models and simulations in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 virus binding to the receptor. We also discuss interactions between glycocalyx and the S protein, which may be utilized to design prophylactic polysaccharide-based therapeutics targeting the S protein. In addition, we underline the recent emergence of coronavirus variants and their impact on the S protein and its glycans.
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MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
COVID-19
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En
Ano de publicação:
2024
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Article