scholarly journals Broad and Differential Animal Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Receptor Usage by SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (18) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuesen Zhao ◽  
Danying Chen ◽  
Robert Szabla ◽  
Mei Zheng ◽  
Guoli Li ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented global public health and economic crisis. The origin and emergence of its causal agent, SARS-CoV-2, in the human population remains mysterious, although bat and pangolin were proposed to be the natural reservoirs. Strikingly, unlike the SARS-CoV-2-like coronaviruses (CoVs) identified in bats and pangolins, SARS-CoV-2 harbors a polybasic furin cleavage site in its spike (S) glycoprotein. SARS-CoV-2 uses human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as its receptor to infect cells. Receptor recognition by the S protein is the major determinant of host range, tissue tropism, and pathogenesis of coronaviruses. In an effort to search for the potential intermediate or amplifying animal hosts of SARS-CoV-2, we examined receptor activity of ACE2 from 14 mammal species and found that ACE2s from multiple species can support the infectious entry of lentiviral particles pseudotyped with the wild-type or furin cleavage site-deficient S protein of SARS-CoV-2. ACE2 of human/rhesus monkey and rat/mouse exhibited the highest and lowest receptor activities, respectively. Among the remaining species, ACE2s from rabbit and pangolin strongly bound to the S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 S protein and efficiently supported the pseudotyped virus infection. These findings have important implications for understanding potential natural reservoirs, zoonotic transmission, human-to-animal transmission, and use of animal models. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 uses human ACE2 as a primary receptor for host cell entry. Viral entry mediated by the interaction of ACE2 with spike protein largely determines host range and is the major constraint to interspecies transmission. We examined the receptor activity of 14 ACE2 orthologs and found that wild-type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 lacking the furin cleavage site in S protein could utilize ACE2 from a broad range of animal species to enter host cells. These results have important implications in the natural hosts, interspecies transmission, animal models, and molecular basis of receptor binding for SARS-CoV-2.

Author(s):  
Xuesen Zhao ◽  
Danying Chen ◽  
Robert Szabla ◽  
Mei Zheng ◽  
Guoli Li ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented global public health and economy crisis. The origin and emergence of its causal agent, SARS-CoV-2, in the human population remains mysterious, although bat and pangolin were proposed to be the natural reservoirs. Strikingly, comparing to the SARS-CoV-2-like CoVs identified in bats and pangolins, SARS-CoV-2 harbors a polybasic furin cleavage site in its spike (S) glycoprotein. SARS-CoV-2 uses human ACE2 as its receptor to infect cells. Receptor recognition by the S protein is the major determinant of host range, tissue tropism, and pathogenesis of coronaviruses. In an effort to search for the potential intermediate or amplifying animal hosts of SARS-CoV-2, we examined receptor activity of ACE2 from 14 mammal species and found that ACE2 from multiple species can support the infectious entry of lentiviral particles pseudotyped with the wild-type or furin cleavage site deficient S protein of SARS-CoV-2. ACE2 of human/rhesus monkey and rat/mouse exhibited the highest and lowest receptor activity, respectively. Among the remaining species, ACE2 from rabbit and pangolin strongly bound to the S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 S protein and efficiently supported the pseudotyped virus infection. These findings have important implications for understanding potential natural reservoirs, zoonotic transmission, human-to-animal transmission, and use of animal models.ImportanceSARS-CoV-2 uses human ACE2 as primary receptor for host cell entry. Viral entry mediated by the interaction of ACE2 with spike protein largely determines host range and is the major constraint to interspecies transmission. We examined the receptor activity of 14 ACE2 orthologues and found that wild type and mutant SARS-CoV-2 lacking the furin cleavage site in S protein could utilize ACE2 from a broad range of animal species to enter host cells. These results have important implications in the natural hosts, interspecies transmission, animal models and molecular basis of receptor binding for SARS-CoV-2.


Author(s):  
Huihui Mou ◽  
Brian D. Quinlan ◽  
Haiyong Peng ◽  
Yan Guo ◽  
Shoujiao Peng ◽  
...  

SUMMARYThe severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein mediates infection of cells expressing angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). ACE2 is also the viral receptor of SARS-CoV (SARS-CoV-1), a related coronavirus that emerged in 2002-2003. Horseshoe bats (genus Rhinolophus) are presumed to be the original reservoir of both viruses, and a SARS-like coronavirus, RaTG13, closely related SARS-CoV-2, has been isolated from one horseshoe-bat species. Here we characterize the ability of S-protein receptor-binding domains (RBDs) of SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and RaTG13 to bind a range of ACE2 orthologs. We observed that the SARS-CoV-2 RBD bound human, pangolin, and horseshoe bat (R. macrotis) ACE2 more efficiently than the SARS-CoV-1 or RaTG13 RBD. Only the RaTG13 RBD bound rodent ACE2 orthologs efficiently. Five mutations drawn from ACE2 orthologs of nine Rhinolophus species enhanced human ACE2 binding to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by an immunoadhesin form of human ACE2 (ACE2-Fc). Two of these mutations impaired neutralization of SARS-CoV-1. An ACE2-Fc variant bearing all five mutations neutralized SARS-CoV-2 five-fold more efficiently than human ACE2-Fc. These data narrow the potential SARS-CoV-2 reservoir, suggest that SARS-CoV-1 and -2 originate from distinct bat species, and identify a more potently neutralizing form of ACE2-Fc.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Junker ◽  
Matthias Becker ◽  
Teresa Wagner ◽  
Philipp D Kaiser ◽  
Sandra Maier ◽  
...  

The rapid emergence of the Omicron variant and its large number of mutations has led to its classification as a variant of concern (VOC) by the WHO. Initial studies on the neutralizing response towards this variant within convalescent and vaccinated individuals have identified substantial reductions. However many of these sample sets used in these studies were either small, uniform in nature, or were compared only to wild-type (WT) or, at most, a few other VOC. Here, we assessed IgG binding, (Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2) ACE2 binding inhibition, and antibody binding dynamics for the omicron variant compared to all other VOC and variants of interest (VOI), in a large cohort of infected, vaccinated, and infected and then vaccinated individuals. While omicron was capable of binding to ACE2 efficiently, antibodies elicited by infection or immunization showed reduced IgG binding and ACE2 binding inhibition compared to WT and all VOC. Among vaccinated samples, antibody binding responses towards omicron were only improved following administration of a third dose. Overall, our results identify that omicron can still bind ACE2 while pre-existing antibodies can bind omicron. The extent of the mutations appear to inhibit the development of a neutralizing response, and as a result, omicron remains capable of evading immune control.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ye Qiu ◽  
Qiong Wang ◽  
Jin-Yan Li ◽  
Ce-Heng Liao ◽  
Zhi-Jian Zhou ◽  
...  

AbstractCoronavirus pandemics have become a huge threat to the public health worldwide in the recent decades. Typically, SARS-CoV caused SARS pandemic in 2003 and SARS-CoV-2 caused the COVID-19 pandemic recently. Both viruses have been reported to originate from bats. Thus, direct or indirect interspecies transmission from bats to humans is required for the viruses to cause pandemics. Receptor utilization is a key factor determining the host range of viruses which is critical to the interspecies transmission. Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, but only ACE2s of certain animals can be utilized by the viruses. Here, we employed pseudovirus cell-entry assay to evaluate the receptor-utilizing capability of ACE2s of 20 animals by the two viruses and found that SARS-CoV-2 utilized less ACE2s than SARS-CoV, indicating a narrower host range of SARS-CoV-2. Meanwhile, pangolin CoV, another SARS-related coronavirus highly homologous to SARS-CoV-2 in its genome, yet showed similar ACE2 utilization profile with SARS-CoV rather than SARS-CoV-2. To clarify the mechanism underlying the receptor utilization, we compared the amino acid sequences of the 20 ACE2s and found 5 amino acid residues potentially critical for ACE2 utilization, including the N-terminal 20th and 42nd amino acids that may determine the different receptor utilization of SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 and pangolin CoV. Our studies promote the understanding of receptor utilization of pandemic coronaviruses, potentially contributing to the virus tracing, intermediate host screening and epidemic prevention for pathogenic coronaviruses.


Author(s):  
Seiya Ozono ◽  
Yanzhao Zhang ◽  
Hirotaka Ode ◽  
Toong Seng Tan ◽  
Kazuo Imai ◽  
...  

AbstractThe causative agent of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is steadily mutating during continuous transmission among humans. Such mutations can occur in the spike (S) protein that binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) receptor and is cleaved by transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). However, whether S mutations affect SARS-CoV-2 infectivity remains unknown. Here, we show that naturally occurring S mutations can reduce or enhance cell entry via ACE2 and TMPRSS2. A SARS-CoV-2 S-pseudotyped lentivirus exhibits substantially lower entry than SARS-CoV S. Among S variants, the D614G mutant shows the highest cell entry, as supported by structural observations. Nevertheless, the D614G mutant remains susceptible to neutralization by antisera against prototypic viruses. Taken together, these data indicate that the D614G mutation enhances viral infectivity while maintaining neutralization susceptibility.


Hypertension ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 78 (Suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa A Cassis ◽  
Christopher M Waters ◽  
Robin C Shoemaker ◽  
Jamie Sturgill ◽  
Yasir AlSiraj ◽  
...  

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the SARS-CoV-2 receptor and an enzyme of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is on the X chromosome and stimulated by estrogen. Male sex is a risk factor for SARS-CoV-2 severity. Previous investigators demonstrated that the SARs-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein decreases tissue ACE2 by protein internalization or shedding. This study defined sex differences in tissue ACE2 expression and their impact on SARS-CoV-2 S protein regulation of ACE2 activity and AngII levels. Male and female intact or gonadectomized (GDX) low density lipoprotein receptor deficient ( Ldlr -/- ) mice, and Four Core Genotype (FCG) male (XY or XX) or female (XX or XY) mice were fed a Western diet for 4 months. In lung, ACE2 mRNA abundance was similar in male and female mice and reduced by GDX (Male XY intact: 1.04 ± 0.15; Female XX intact: 1.13 ± 0.13; Male XY GDX: 0.11 ± 0.03; Female XX GDX: 0.18 ± 0.04 ΔΔCt; P<0.05). Lungs from XX mice had higher ACE2 mRNA abundance than XY mice regardless of gonadal sex (P<0.05), and GDX reduced ACE2 mRNA abundance in lungs of XX, but not XY females (XX Female GDX: 0.18 ± 0.04; XY Female GDX: 0.38 ± 0.09; P<0.05). In adipose, XX females had higher ACE2 mRNA abundance than XY males (XX female: 5.4 ± 0.7; XY male: 1.0 ± 0.1; P<0.05), regardless of gonadal sex (XY females: 3.3 ± 0.7; XX males: 1.5 ± 0.3; P<0.05). Male XY and female XX Ldlr -/- mice were administered vehicle or SARS-CoV-2 S protein (2 nmol/kg, ip, 3 doses) with tissue harvest six hours later. In lung, AngII levels were increased by S protein in male, but not female mice (Male, vehicle: 12.3 ± 2.3; Male, S protein: 33.6 ± 7.1; Female, vehicle: 16.1 ± 2.0; Female, S protein: 20.2 ± 1.3 pg/μg protein; P<0.05). In adipose, ACE2 activity was reduced by S protein in male, but not female mice (Male, vehicle: 63.6 ± 13.9; Male, S protein: 26.1 ± 1.9; Female, vehicle: 32.5 ± 1.9; Female, S protein: 25.1 ± 1.3 RFU/hr/mg tissue; P<0.05). SARS-CoV-2 S protein (35 nM) decreased ACE2 activity in type II lung alveolar cells (Vehicle: 2.0 x 10 4 ; S protein: 1.2 x 10 4 RFU/10 6 cells) and 3T3-L1 adipocytes (Vehicle: 2.1 x 10 4 ± 0.3 x 10 4 ; S protein: 1.1 x 10 4 ± 0.8 x 10 3 RFU/10 5 cells; P<0.05). Biologic sex regulation of ACE2 may protect females from SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated ACE2 reductions and activation of the local RAS.


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