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1.
Cell ; 184(21): 5432-5447.e16, 2021 10 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34619077

ABSTRACT

Understanding vaccine-elicited protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants and other sarbecoviruses is key for guiding public health policies. We show that a clinical stage multivalent SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain nanoparticle (RBD-NP) vaccine protects mice from SARS-CoV-2 challenge after a single immunization, indicating a potential dose-sparing strategy. We benchmarked serum neutralizing activity elicited by RBD-NPs in non-human primates against a lead prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 spike (HexaPro) using a panel of circulating mutants. Polyclonal antibodies elicited by both vaccines are similarly resilient to many RBD residue substitutions tested, although mutations at and surrounding position 484 have negative consequences for neutralization. Mosaic and cocktail nanoparticle immunogens displaying multiple sarbecovirus RBDs elicit broad neutralizing activity in mice and protect mice against SARS-CoV challenge even in the absence of SARS-CoV RBD in the vaccine. This study provides proof of principle that multivalent sarbecovirus RBD-NPs induce heterotypic protection and motivates advancing such broadly protective sarbecovirus vaccines to the clinic.

2.
Cell ; 182(5): 1295-1310.e20, 2020 09 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32841599

ABSTRACT

The receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein mediates viral attachment to ACE2 receptor and is a major determinant of host range and a dominant target of neutralizing antibodies. Here, we experimentally measure how all amino acid mutations to the RBD affect expression of folded protein and its affinity for ACE2. Most mutations are deleterious for RBD expression and ACE2 binding, and we identify constrained regions on the RBD's surface that may be desirable targets for vaccines and antibody-based therapeutics. But a substantial number of mutations are well tolerated or even enhance ACE2 binding, including at ACE2 interface residues that vary across SARS-related coronaviruses. However, we find no evidence that these ACE2-affinity-enhancing mutations have been selected in current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic isolates. We present an interactive visualization and open analysis pipeline to facilitate use of our dataset for vaccine design and functional annotation of mutations observed during viral surveillance.


Subject(s)
Molecular Docking Simulation , Mutation , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , Binding Sites , HEK293 Cells , Humans , Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A/chemistry , Phenotype , Protein Binding , Protein Folding , Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism
3.
Nature ; 615(7952): 482-489, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36646114

ABSTRACT

The protective efficacy of serum antibodies results from the interplay of antigen-specific B cell clones of different affinities and specificities. These cellular dynamics underlie serum-level phenomena such as original antigenic sin (OAS)-a proposed propensity of the immune system to rely repeatedly on the first cohort of B cells engaged by an antigenic stimulus when encountering related antigens, in detriment to the induction of de novo responses1-5. OAS-type suppression of new, variant-specific antibodies may pose a barrier to vaccination against rapidly evolving viruses such as influenza and SARS-CoV-26,7. Precise measurement of OAS-type suppression is challenging because cellular and temporal origins cannot readily be ascribed to antibodies in circulation; its effect on subsequent antibody responses therefore remains unclear5,8. Here we introduce a molecular fate-mapping approach with which serum antibodies derived from specific cohorts of B cells can be differentially detected. We show that serum responses to sequential homologous boosting derive overwhelmingly from primary cohort B cells, while later induction of new antibody responses from naive B cells is strongly suppressed. Such 'primary addiction' decreases sharply as a function of antigenic distance, allowing reimmunization with divergent viral glycoproteins to produce de novo antibody responses targeting epitopes that are absent from the priming variant. Our findings have implications for the understanding of OAS and for the design and testing of vaccines against evolving pathogens.


Subject(s)
Antibody Formation , B-Lymphocytes , Immunization, Secondary , Humans , Antibodies, Viral/biosynthesis , Antibodies, Viral/blood , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Antigens, Viral/immunology , Influenza Vaccines/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Vaccination , B-Lymphocytes/immunology , Viral Vaccines/immunology
4.
Nature ; 603(7903): 913-918, 2022 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35114688

ABSTRACT

Two different sarbecoviruses have caused major human outbreaks in the past two decades1,2. Both of these sarbecoviruses, SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2, engage ACE2 through the spike receptor-binding domain2-6. However, binding to ACE2 orthologues of humans, bats and other species has been observed only sporadically among the broader diversity of bat sarbecoviruses7-11. Here we use high-throughput assays12 to trace the evolutionary history of ACE2 binding across a diverse range of sarbecoviruses and ACE2 orthologues. We find that ACE2 binding is an ancestral trait of sarbecovirus receptor-binding domains that has subsequently been lost in some clades. Furthermore, we reveal that bat sarbecoviruses from outside Asia can bind to ACE2. Moreover, ACE2 binding is highly evolvable-for many sarbecovirus receptor-binding domains, there are single amino-acid mutations that enable binding to new ACE2 orthologues. However, the effects of individual mutations can differ considerably between viruses, as shown by the N501Y mutation, which enhances the human ACE2-binding affinity of several SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern12 but substantially decreases it for SARS-CoV-1. Our results point to the deep ancestral origin and evolutionary plasticity of ACE2 binding, broadening the range of sarbecoviruses that should be considered to have spillover potential.


Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , Evolution, Molecular , SARS-CoV-2 , Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/chemistry , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/genetics , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/metabolism , Animals , Binding Sites , COVID-19/virology , Chiroptera/virology , Humans , Protein Binding , Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus/classification , Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus/genetics , Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/chemistry , SARS-CoV-2/classification , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism
5.
Nature ; 597(7874): 103-108, 2021 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34280951

ABSTRACT

The recent emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern1-10 and the recurrent spillovers of coronaviruses11,12 into the human population highlight the need for broadly neutralizing antibodies that are not affected by the ongoing antigenic drift and that can prevent or treat future zoonotic infections. Here we describe a human monoclonal antibody designated S2X259, which recognizes a highly conserved cryptic epitope of the receptor-binding domain and cross-reacts with spikes from all clades of sarbecovirus. S2X259 broadly neutralizes spike-mediated cell entry of SARS-CoV-2, including variants of concern (B.1.1.7, B.1.351, P.1, and B.1.427/B.1.429), as well as a wide spectrum of human and potentially zoonotic sarbecoviruses through inhibition of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) binding to the receptor-binding domain. Furthermore, deep-mutational scanning and in vitro escape selection experiments demonstrate that S2X259 possesses an escape profile that is limited to a single substitution, G504D. We show that prophylactic and therapeutic administration of S2X259 protects Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) against challenge with the prototypic SARS-CoV-2 and the B.1.351 variant of concern, which suggests that this monoclonal antibody is a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of emergent variants and zoonotic infections. Our data reveal a key antigenic site that is targeted by broadly neutralizing antibodies and will guide the design of vaccines that are effective against all sarbecoviruses.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/immunology , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/therapeutic use , COVID-19/prevention & control , SARS-CoV-2/classification , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry , Antibodies, Viral/chemistry , Antibodies, Viral/therapeutic use , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/chemistry , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/virology , Cross Reactions/immunology , Disease Models, Animal , Female , Humans , Immune Evasion/genetics , Immune Evasion/immunology , Mesocricetus/immunology , Mesocricetus/virology , Mutation , Neutralization Tests , SARS-CoV-2/chemistry , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Viral Zoonoses/immunology , Viral Zoonoses/prevention & control , Viral Zoonoses/virology
6.
Nature ; 597(7874): 97-102, 2021 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34261126

ABSTRACT

An ideal therapeutic anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody would resist viral escape1-3, have activity against diverse sarbecoviruses4-7, and be highly protective through viral neutralization8-11 and effector functions12,13. Understanding how these properties relate to each other and vary across epitopes would aid the development of therapeutic antibodies and guide vaccine design. Here we comprehensively characterize escape, breadth and potency across a panel of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD). Despite a trade-off between in vitro neutralization potency and breadth of sarbecovirus binding, we identify neutralizing antibodies with exceptional sarbecovirus breadth and a corresponding resistance to SARS-CoV-2 escape. One of these antibodies, S2H97, binds with high affinity across all sarbecovirus clades to a cryptic epitope and prophylactically protects hamsters from viral challenge. Antibodies that target the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor-binding motif (RBM) typically have poor breadth and are readily escaped by mutations despite high neutralization potency. Nevertheless, we also characterize a potent RBM antibody (S2E128) with breadth across sarbecoviruses related to SARS-CoV-2 and a high barrier to viral escape. These data highlight principles underlying variation in escape, breadth and potency among antibodies that target the RBD, and identify epitopes and features to prioritize for therapeutic development against the current and potential future pandemics.


Subject(s)
Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/immunology , COVID-19/virology , Cross Reactions/immunology , Immune Evasion , SARS-CoV-2/classification , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/chemistry , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , Adult , Aged , Animals , Antibodies, Monoclonal/chemistry , Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Antibodies, Viral/chemistry , Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Antibody Affinity , Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies/chemistry , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19 Vaccines/chemistry , COVID-19 Vaccines/immunology , Cell Line , Cricetinae , Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/chemistry , Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/genetics , Epitopes, B-Lymphocyte/immunology , Female , Humans , Immune Evasion/genetics , Immune Evasion/immunology , Male , Mesocricetus , Middle Aged , Models, Molecular , SARS-CoV-2/chemistry , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Vaccinology , COVID-19 Drug Treatment
7.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 120(23): e2220948120, 2023 06 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37253011

ABSTRACT

The antiviral benefit of antibodies can be compromised by viral escape especially for rapidly evolving viruses. Therefore, durable, effective antibodies must be both broad and potent to counter newly emerging, diverse strains. Discovery of such antibodies is critically important for SARS-CoV-2 as the global emergence of new variants of concern (VOC) has compromised the efficacy of therapeutic antibodies and vaccines. We describe a collection of broad and potent neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) isolated from an individual who experienced a breakthrough infection with the Delta VOC. Four mAbs potently neutralize the Wuhan-Hu-1 vaccine strain, the Delta VOC, and also retain potency against the Omicron VOCs through BA.4/BA.5 in both pseudovirus-based and authentic virus assays. Three mAbs also retain potency to recently circulating VOCs XBB.1.5 and BQ.1.1 and one also potently neutralizes SARS-CoV-1. The potency of these mAbs was greater against Omicron VOCs than all but one of the mAbs that had been approved for therapeutic applications. The mAbs target distinct epitopes on the spike glycoprotein, three in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and one in an invariant region downstream of the RBD in subdomain 1 (SD1). The escape pathways we defined at single amino acid resolution with deep mutational scanning show they target conserved, functionally constrained regions of the glycoprotein, suggesting escape could incur a fitness cost. Overall, these mAbs are unique in their breadth across VOCs, their epitope specificity, and include a highly potent mAb targeting a rare epitope outside of the RBD in SD1.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , Breakthrough Infections , Antibodies, Monoclonal , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Epitopes , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics , Antibodies, Viral
8.
PLoS Pathog ; 19(12): e1011901, 2023 Dec.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38157379

ABSTRACT

Substitutions that fix between SARS-CoV-2 variants can transform the mutational landscape of future evolution via epistasis. For example, large epistatic shifts in mutational effects caused by N501Y underlied the original emergence of Omicron, but whether such epistatic saltations continue to define ongoing SARS-CoV-2 evolution remains unclear. We conducted deep mutational scans to measure the impacts of all single amino acid mutations and single-codon deletions in the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) on ACE2-binding affinity and protein expression in the recent Omicron BQ.1.1 and XBB.1.5 variants, and we compared mutational patterns to earlier viral strains that we have previously profiled. As with previous deep mutational scans, we find many mutations that are tolerated or even enhance binding to ACE2 receptor. The tolerance of sites to single-codon deletion largely conforms with tolerance to amino acid mutation. Though deletions in the RBD have not yet been seen in dominant lineages, we observe tolerated deletions including at positions that exhibit indel variation across broader sarbecovirus evolution and in emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of interest, most notably the well-tolerated Δ483 deletion in BA.2.86. The substitutions that distinguish recent viral variants have not induced as dramatic of epistatic perturbations as N501Y, but we identify ongoing epistatic drift in SARS-CoV-2 variants, including interaction between R493Q reversions and mutations at positions 453, 455, and 456, including F456L that defines the XBB.1.5-derived EG.5 lineage. Our results highlight ongoing drift in the effects of mutations due to epistasis, which may continue to direct SARS-CoV-2 evolution into new regions of sequence space.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/genetics , Mutation , Amino Acids , Codon , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics
9.
PLoS Pathog ; 18(11): e1010951, 2022 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36399443

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2 continues to acquire mutations in the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) that impact ACE2 receptor binding, folding stability, and antibody recognition. Deep mutational scanning prospectively characterizes the impacts of mutations on these biochemical properties, enabling rapid assessment of new mutations seen during viral surveillance. However, the effects of mutations can change as the virus evolves, requiring updated deep mutational scans. We determined the impacts of all single amino acid mutations in the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 RBDs on ACE2-binding affinity, RBD folding, and escape from binding by the LY-CoV1404 (bebtelovimab) monoclonal antibody. The effects of some mutations in Omicron RBDs differ from those measured in the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 background. These epistatic shifts largely resemble those previously seen in the Alpha variant due to the convergent epistatically modifying N501Y substitution. However, Omicron variants show additional lineage-specific shifts, including examples of the epistatic phenomenon of entrenchment that causes the Q498R and N501Y substitutions present in Omicron to be more favorable in that background than in earlier viral strains. In contrast, the Omicron substitution Q493R exhibits no sign of entrenchment, with the derived state, R493, being as unfavorable for ACE2 binding in Omicron RBDs as in Wuhan-Hu-1. Likely for this reason, the R493Q reversion has occurred in Omicron sub-variants including BA.4/BA.5 and BA.2.75, where the affinity buffer from R493Q reversion may potentiate concurrent antigenic change. Consistent with prior studies, we find that Omicron RBDs have reduced expression, and identify candidate stabilizing mutations that ameliorate this deficit. Last, our maps highlight a broadening of the sites of escape from LY-CoV1404 antibody binding in BA.1 and BA.2 compared to the ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 background. These BA.1 and BA.2 deep mutational scanning datasets identify shifts in the RBD mutational landscape and inform ongoing efforts in viral surveillance.


Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 , COVID-19 , Humans , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , COVID-19/genetics , Antibodies, Neutralizing/chemistry , Mutation
10.
PLoS Pathog ; 18(6): e1010592, 2022 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35767821

ABSTRACT

Exposure histories to SARS-CoV-2 variants and vaccinations will shape the specificity of antibody responses. To understand the specificity of Delta-elicited antibody immunity, we characterize the polyclonal antibody response elicited by primary or mRNA vaccine-breakthrough Delta infections. Both types of infection elicit a neutralizing antibody response focused heavily on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). We use deep mutational scanning to show that mutations to the RBD's class 1 and class 2 epitopes, including sites 417, 478, and 484-486 often reduce binding of these Delta-elicited antibodies. The anti-Delta antibody response is more similar to that elicited by early 2020 viruses than the Beta variant, with mutations to the class 1 and 2, but not class 3 epitopes, having the largest effects on polyclonal antibody binding. In addition, mutations to the class 1 epitope (e.g., K417N) tend to have larger effects on antibody binding and neutralization in the Delta spike than in the D614G spike, both for vaccine- and Delta-infection-elicited antibodies. These results help elucidate how the antigenic impacts of SARS-CoV-2 mutations depend on exposure history.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , SARS-CoV-2 , Antibodies, Neutralizing , Antibodies, Viral , Antibody Formation , Epitopes , Humans , Neutralization Tests , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism , Vaccines, Synthetic , mRNA Vaccines
11.
PLoS Pathog ; 18(2): e1010248, 2022 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35134084

ABSTRACT

Many SARS-CoV-2 variants have mutations at key sites targeted by antibodies. However, it is unknown if antibodies elicited by infection with these variants target the same or different regions of the viral spike as antibodies elicited by earlier viral isolates. Here we compare the specificities of polyclonal antibodies produced by humans infected with early 2020 isolates versus the B.1.351 variant of concern (also known as Beta or 20H/501Y.V2), which contains mutations in multiple key spike epitopes. The serum neutralizing activity of antibodies elicited by infection with both early 2020 viruses and B.1.351 is heavily focused on the spike receptor-binding domain (RBD). However, within the RBD, B.1.351-elicited antibodies are more focused on the "class 3" epitope spanning sites 443 to 452, and neutralization by these antibodies is notably less affected by mutations at residue 484. Our results show that SARS-CoV-2 variants can elicit polyclonal antibodies with different immunodominance hierarchies.


Subject(s)
Antibodies, Viral/immunology , Antibody Formation/immunology , COVID-19/immunology , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology , Antibodies, Monoclonal/pharmacology , Antibodies, Neutralizing/immunology , Epitopes/immunology , Humans , Immunization, Passive/methods , Neutralization Tests , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/pathogenicity , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/immunology , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/metabolism , COVID-19 Drug Treatment
12.
Mol Biol Evol ; 39(4)2022 04 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35325204

ABSTRACT

Among the 30 nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions in the Omicron S-gene are 13 that have only rarely been seen in other SARS-CoV-2 sequences. These mutations cluster within three functionally important regions of the S-gene at sites that will likely impact (1) interactions between subunits of the Spike trimer and the predisposition of subunits to shift from down to up configurations, (2) interactions of Spike with ACE2 receptors, and (3) the priming of Spike for membrane fusion. We show here that, based on both the rarity of these 13 mutations in intrapatient sequencing reads and patterns of selection at the codon sites where the mutations occur in SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses, prior to the emergence of Omicron the mutations would have been predicted to decrease the fitness of any virus within which they occurred. We further propose that the mutations in each of the three clusters therefore cooperatively interact to both mitigate their individual fitness costs, and, in combination with other mutations, adaptively alter the function of Spike. Given the evident epidemic growth advantages of Omicron overall previously known SARS-CoV-2 lineages, it is crucial to determine both how such complex and highly adaptive mutation constellations were assembled within the Omicron S-gene, and why, despite unprecedented global genomic surveillance efforts, the early stages of this assembly process went completely undetected.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus , COVID-19/genetics , Humans , Mutation , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus/genetics
13.
Nature ; 549(7672): 409-413, 2017 09 21.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-28902834

ABSTRACT

To understand why molecular evolution turned out as it did, we must characterize not only the path that evolution followed across the space of possible molecular sequences but also the many alternative trajectories that could have been taken but were not. A large-scale comparison of real and possible histories would establish whether the outcome of evolution represents an optimal state driven by natural selection or the contingent product of historical chance events; it would also reveal how the underlying distribution of functions across sequence space shaped historical evolution. Here we combine ancestral protein reconstruction with deep mutational scanning to characterize alternative histories in the sequence space around an ancient transcription factor, which evolved a novel biological function through well-characterized mechanisms. We find hundreds of alternative protein sequences that use diverse biochemical mechanisms to perform the derived function at least as well as the historical outcome. These alternatives all require prior permissive substitutions that do not enhance the derived function, but not all require the same permissive changes that occurred during history. We find that if evolution had begun from a different starting point within the network of sequences encoding the ancestral function, outcomes with different genetic and biochemical forms would probably have resulted; this contingency arises from the distribution of functional variants in sequence space and epistasis between residues. Our results illuminate the topology of the vast space of possibilities from which history sampled one path, highlighting how the outcome of evolution depends on a serial chain of compounding chance events.


Subject(s)
Evolution, Molecular , Receptors, Steroid/chemistry , Amino Acid Sequence , Base Sequence , DNA/genetics , DNA/metabolism , DNA-Binding Proteins/chemistry , DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics , DNA-Binding Proteins/metabolism , Mutation , Receptors, Steroid/genetics , Receptors, Steroid/metabolism , Response Elements/genetics , Selection, Genetic , Substrate Specificity
14.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A ; 115(17): 4453-4458, 2018 04 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29626131

ABSTRACT

Interactions among mutations within a protein have the potential to make molecular evolution contingent and irreversible, but the extent to which epistasis actually shaped historical evolutionary trajectories is unclear. To address this question, we experimentally measured how the fitness effects of historical sequence substitutions changed during the billion-year evolutionary history of the heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) ATPase domain beginning from a deep eukaryotic ancestor to modern Saccharomyces cerevisiae We found a pervasive influence of epistasis. Of 98 derived amino acid states that evolved along this lineage, about half compromise fitness when introduced into the reconstructed ancestral Hsp90. And the vast majority of ancestral states reduce fitness when introduced into the extant S. cerevisiae Hsp90. Overall, more than 75% of historical substitutions were contingent on permissive substitutions that rendered the derived state nondeleterious, became entrenched by subsequent restrictive substitutions that made the ancestral state deleterious, or both. This epistasis was primarily caused by specific interactions among sites rather than a general effect on the protein's tolerance to mutation. Our results show that epistasis continually opened and closed windows of mutational opportunity over evolutionary timescales, producing histories and biological states that reflect the transient internal constraints imposed by the protein's fleeting sequence states.


Subject(s)
Epistasis, Genetic , Evolution, Molecular , Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal , HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteins/genetics , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Protein Domains
15.
J Head Trauma Rehabil ; 35(5): 342-353, 2020.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32881768

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the strength of associations between single-task and dual-task gait measures and posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG) neurochemicals in acutely concussed collegiate athletes. SETTING: Participants were recruited from an NCAA Division 1 University. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen collegiate athletes acutely (<4 days) following sports-related concussion. DESIGN: We acquired magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in the PCG and gait performance measurements in the participants, acutely following concussion. Linear mixed-effects models were constructed to measure the effect of gait performance, in the single- and dual-task settings, and sex on the 6 neurochemicals quantified with MRS in mmol. Correlation coefficients were also calculated to determine the direction and strength of the relationship between MRS neurochemicals and gait performance, postconcussion symptom score, and number of previous concussions. MAIN MEASURES: Average gait speed, average cadence, N-acetyl aspartate, choline, myo-inositol, glutathione, glutamate plus glutamine, and creatine. RESULTS: Single-task gait speed (P = .0056) and cadence (P = .0065) had significant effects on myo-inositol concentrations in the PCG, independent of sex, in concussed collegiate athletes. Single-task cadence (P = .047) also had a significant effect on glutathione in the PCG. No significant effects were observed between dual-task gait performance and PCG neurochemistry. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that increased concentrations of neuroinflammatory markers in the PCG are associated with slower single-task gait performance within 4 days of sports-related concussion.


Subject(s)
Athletic Injuries , Brain Concussion , Gait , Neurochemistry , Athletes , Athletic Injuries/complications , Athletic Injuries/diagnosis , Brain Concussion/complications , Brain Concussion/diagnosis , Female , Humans , Male , Young Adult
16.
bioRxiv ; 2024 Jul 24.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39091888

ABSTRACT

Deep mutational scanning experiments aid in the surveillance and forecasting of viral evolution by providing prospective measurements of mutational effects on viral traits, but epistatic shifts in the impacts of mutations can hinder viral forecasting when measurements were made in outdated strain backgrounds. Here, we report measurements of the impact of all single amino acid mutations on ACE2-binding affinity and protein folding and expression in the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD). As with other SARS-CoV-2 variants, we find a plastic and evolvable basis for receptor binding, with many mutations at the ACE2 interface maintaining or even improving ACE2-binding affinity. Despite its large genetic divergence, mutational effects in BA.2.86 have not diverged greatly from those measured in its Omicron BA.2 ancestor. However, we do identify strong positive epistasis among subsequent mutations that have accrued in BA.2.86 descendants. Specifically, the Q493E mutation that decreased ACE2-binding affinity in all previous SARS-CoV-2 backgrounds is reversed in sign to enhance human ACE2-binding affinity when coupled with L455S and F456L in the currently emerging KP.3 variant. Our results point to a modest degree of epistatic drift in mutational effects during recent SARS-CoV-2 evolution but highlight how these small epistatic shifts can have important consequences for the emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

17.
Elife ; 122024 May 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38767330

ABSTRACT

A protein's genetic architecture - the set of causal rules by which its sequence produces its functions - also determines its possible evolutionary trajectories. Prior research has proposed that the genetic architecture of proteins is very complex, with pervasive epistatic interactions that constrain evolution and make function difficult to predict from sequence. Most of this work has analyzed only the direct paths between two proteins of interest - excluding the vast majority of possible genotypes and evolutionary trajectories - and has considered only a single protein function, leaving unaddressed the genetic architecture of functional specificity and its impact on the evolution of new functions. Here, we develop a new method based on ordinal logistic regression to directly characterize the global genetic determinants of multiple protein functions from 20-state combinatorial deep mutational scanning (DMS) experiments. We use it to dissect the genetic architecture and evolution of a transcription factor's specificity for DNA, using data from a combinatorial DMS of an ancient steroid hormone receptor's capacity to activate transcription from two biologically relevant DNA elements. We show that the genetic architecture of DNA recognition consists of a dense set of main and pairwise effects that involve virtually every possible amino acid state in the protein-DNA interface, but higher-order epistasis plays only a tiny role. Pairwise interactions enlarge the set of functional sequences and are the primary determinants of specificity for different DNA elements. They also massively expand the number of opportunities for single-residue mutations to switch specificity from one DNA target to another. By bringing variants with different functions close together in sequence space, pairwise epistasis therefore facilitates rather than constrains the evolution of new functions.


Subject(s)
Epistasis, Genetic , Evolution, Molecular , Transcription Factors/metabolism , Transcription Factors/genetics , DNA/genetics , DNA/metabolism , Mutation , Protein Binding
18.
bioRxiv ; 2024 Apr 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38712126

ABSTRACT

The recurring spillover of pathogenic coronaviruses and demonstrated capacity of sarbecoviruses, such SARS-CoV-2, to rapidly evolve in humans underscores the need to better understand immune responses to this virus family. For this purpose, we characterized the functional breadth and potency of antibodies targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein that exhibited cross-reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 variants, SARS-CoV-1 and sarbecoviruses from diverse clades and animal origins with spillover potential. One neutralizing antibody, C68.61, showed remarkable neutralization breadth against both SARS-CoV-2 variants and viruses from different sarbecovirus clades. C68.61, which targets a conserved RBD class 5 epitope, did not select for escape variants of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV-1 in culture nor have predicted escape variants among circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggesting this epitope is functionally constrained. We identified 11 additional SARS-CoV-2/SARS-CoV-1 cross-reactive antibodies that target the more sequence conserved class 4 and class 5 epitopes within RBD that show activity against a subset of diverse sarbecoviruses with one antibody binding every single sarbecovirus RBD tested. A subset of these antibodies exhibited Fc-mediated effector functions as potent as antibodies that impact infection outcome in animal models. Thus, our study identified antibodies targeting conserved regions across SARS-CoV-2 variants and sarbecoviruses that may serve as therapeutics for pandemic preparedness as well as blueprints for the design of immunogens capable of eliciting cross-neutralizing responses.

19.
bioRxiv ; 2024 Apr 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38617231

ABSTRACT

Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV) spillovers were recently detected in children with acute undifferentiated febrile illness, underscoring recurrent zoonoses of divergent coronaviruses. To date, no vaccines or specific therapeutics are approved for use in humans against PDCoV. To prepare for possible future PDCoV epidemics, we isolated human spike (S)-directed monoclonal antibodies from transgenic mice and found that two of them, designated PD33 and PD41, broadly neutralized a panel of PDCoV variants. Cryo-electron microscopy structures of PD33 and PD41 in complex with the PDCoV receptor-binding domain and S ectodomain trimer provide a blueprint of the epitopes recognized by these mAbs, rationalizing their broad inhibitory activity. We show that both mAbs inhibit PDCoV by competitively interfering with host APN binding to the PDCoV receptor-binding loops, explaining the mechanism of viral neutralization. PD33 and PD41 are candidates for clinical advancement, which could be stockpiled to prepare for possible future PDCoV outbreaks.

20.
Mol Ecol ; 22(2): 437-49, 2013 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23190404

ABSTRACT

The angiosperms are by far the largest group of terrestrial plants. Their spectacular diversity is often attributed to specialized pollination. Obligate pollination mutualisms where both a plant and its pollinator are dependent upon one another for reproduction are thought to be prone to rapid diversification through co-evolution and pollinator isolation. However, few studies have evaluated the degree to which pollinators actually mediate reproductive isolation in these systems. Here, we examine evidence for hybridization and gene flow between two subspecies of Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia brevifolia and Yucca brevifolia jaegeriana) pollinated by two sister species of yucca moth. Previous work indicated that the pollinators differ in host specificity, and DNA sequence data suggested asymmetric introgression between the tree subspecies. Through intensive sampling in a zone of sympatry, a large number of morphologically intermediate trees were identified. These included trees with floral characters typical of Y. b. jaegeriana, but vegetative features typical of Y. b. brevifolia. The opposite combination-Y. b. brevifolia flowers with Y. b. jaegeriana vegetative morphology-never occurred. Microsatellite genotyping revealed a high frequency of genetically admixed, hybrid trees. Coalescent-based estimates of migration indicated significant gene flow between the subspecies and that the direction of gene flow matches differences in pollinator host fidelity. The data suggest that pollinator behaviour determines the magnitude and direction of gene flow between the two subspecies, but that specialized pollination alone is not sufficient to maintain species boundaries. Natural selection may be required to maintain phenotypic differences in the face of ongoing gene flow.


Subject(s)
Gene Flow , Hybridization, Genetic , Pollination/genetics , Yucca/genetics , Animals , Cell Nucleus/genetics , DNA, Plant/genetics , Flowers/physiology , Genotype , Microsatellite Repeats , Moths/physiology , Reproductive Isolation , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Species Specificity , Yucca/physiology
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