ABSTRACT
The currently circulating Omicron sub-variants are the SARS-CoV-2 strains with the highest number of known mutations. Herein, we found that human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) binding affinity to the receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of the four early Omicron sub-variants (BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, and BA.3) follows the order BA.1.1 > BA.2 > BA.3 ≈ BA.1. The complex structures of hACE2 with RBDs of BA.1.1, BA.2, and BA.3 reveal that the higher hACE2 binding affinity of BA.2 than BA.1 is related to the absence of the G496S mutation in BA.2. The R346K mutation in BA.1.1 majorly affects the interaction network in the BA.1.1 RBD/hACE2 interface through long-range alterations and contributes to the higher hACE2 affinity of the BA.1.1 RBD than the BA.1 RBD. These results reveal the structural basis for the distinct hACE2 binding patterns among BA.1.1, BA.2, and BA.3 RBDs.
Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/chemistry , COVID-19 , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/metabolism , Humans , Mutation , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/metabolism , Protein Binding , Receptors, Virus/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/geneticsABSTRACT
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to more than 5 million deaths worldwide to date. Due to the limited therapeutic options so far available, target-based virtual screening with LC/MS support was applied to identify the novel and high-content compounds 1-4 with inhibitory effects on SARS-CoV-2 in Vero E6 cells from the plant Dryopteris wallichiana. These compounds were also evaluated against SARS-CoV-2 in Calu-3 cells and showed unambiguous inhibitory activity. The inhibition assay of targets showed that compounds 3 and 4 mainly inhibited SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, with effective Kd values. Through docking and molecular dynamics modeling, the binding site is described, providing a comprehensive understanding of 3CLpro and interactions for 3, including hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic bonds, and the spatial occupation of the B ring. Compounds 3 and 4 represent new, potential lead compounds for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs. This study has led to the development of a target-based virtual screening method for exploring the potency of natural products and for identifying natural bioactive compounds for possible COVID-19 treatment.
Subject(s)
Antiviral Agents/pharmacology , Biological Products/pharmacology , Microbial Sensitivity Tests/methods , Phloroglucinol/pharmacology , SARS-CoV-2/drug effects , Terpenes/pharmacology , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Chromatography, Liquid , Crystallography, X-Ray , Drug Delivery Systems , Dryopteris/chemistry , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Mass Spectrometry , Molecular Docking Simulation , Molecular Structure , Virtual RealityABSTRACT
Multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) have been emerging and some have been linked to an increase in case numbers globally. However, there is yet a lack of understanding of the molecular basis for the interactions between the human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor and these VOCs. Here we examined several VOCs including Alpha, Beta, and Gamma, and demonstrate that five variants receptor-binding domain (RBD) increased binding affinity for hACE2, and four variants pseudoviruses increased entry into susceptible cells. Crystal structures of hACE2-RBD complexes help identify the key residues facilitating changes in hACE2 binding affinity. Additionally, soluble hACE2 protein efficiently prevent most of the variants pseudoviruses. Our findings provide important molecular information and may help the development of novel therapeutic and prophylactic agents targeting these emerging mutants.
Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/metabolism , COVID-19/virology , Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism , Amino Acid Sequence , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/genetics , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/isolation & purification , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/ultrastructure , Animals , Cell Line, Tumor , Crystallography, X-Ray , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Mutation , Recombinant Proteins/genetics , Recombinant Proteins/isolation & purification , Recombinant Proteins/metabolism , Recombinant Proteins/ultrastructure , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Sf9 Cells , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/isolation & purification , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/ultrastructure , Spodoptera , Surface Plasmon Resonance , Virus Attachment , Virus InternalizationSubject(s)
COVID-19/enzymology , Coronavirus 3C Proteases , Cyclopropanes/chemistry , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/chemistry , Leucine/analogs & derivatives , Proline/analogs & derivatives , SARS-CoV-2/enzymology , Sulfones/chemistry , Urea/chemistry , Coronavirus 3C Proteases/antagonists & inhibitors , Coronavirus 3C Proteases/chemistry , Cyclopropanes/pharmacology , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Hepacivirus/enzymology , Humans , Leucine/chemistry , Leucine/pharmacology , Proline/chemistry , Proline/pharmacology , Sulfones/pharmacology , Urea/pharmacology , COVID-19 Drug TreatmentABSTRACT
SARS-CoV-2 can infect many domestic animals, including dogs. Herein, we show that dog angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (dACE2) can bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein receptor binding domain (RBD), and that both pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2 can infect dACE2-expressing cells. We solved the crystal structure of RBD in complex with dACE2 and found that the total number of contact residues, contact atoms, hydrogen bonds and salt bridges at the binding interface in this complex are slightly fewer than those in the complex of the RBD and human ACE2 (hACE2). This result is consistent with the fact that the binding affinity of RBD to dACE2 is lower than that of hACE2. We further show that a few important mutations in the RBD binding interface play a pivotal role in the binding affinity of RBD to both dACE2 and hACE2. Our work reveals a molecular basis for cross-species transmission and potential animal spread of SARS-CoV-2, and provides new clues to block the potential transmission chains of this virus.