scholarly journals 3D Molecular Modelling Study of the H7N9 RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase as an Emerging Pharmacological Target

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dimitrios Vlachakis ◽  
Argiro Karozou ◽  
Sophia Kossida

Currently not much is known about the H7N9 strain, and this is the major drawback for a scientific strategy to tackle this virus. Herein, the 3D complex structure of the H7N9 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase has been established using a repertoire of molecular modelling techniques including homology modelling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Strikingly, it was found that the oligonucleotide cleft and tunnel in the H7N9 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase are structurally very similar to the corresponding region on the hepatitis C virus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase crystal structure. A direct comparison and a 3D postdynamics analysis of the 3D complex of the H7N9 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase provide invaluable clues and insight regarding the role and mode of action of a series of interacting residues on the latter enzyme. Our study provides a novel and efficiently intergraded platform with structural insights for the H7N9 RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase. We propose that future use and exploitation of these insights may prove invaluable in the fight against this lethal, ongoing epidemic.

Hepatology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noémie Oechslin ◽  
Nathalie Da Silva ◽  
Dagmara Szkolnicka ◽  
François‐Xavier Cantrelle ◽  
Xavier Hanoulle ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sten Ilmjärv ◽  
Fabien Abdul ◽  
Silvia Acosta-Gutiérrez ◽  
Carolina Estarellas ◽  
Ioannis Galdadas ◽  
...  

AbstractThe D614G mutation in the Spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 has effectively replaced the early pandemic-causing variant. Using pseudotyped lentivectors, we confirmed that the aspartate replacement by glycine in position 614 is markedly more infectious. Molecular modelling suggests that the G614 mutation facilitates transition towards an open state of the Spike protein. To explain the epidemiological success of D614G, we analysed the evolution of 27,086 high-quality SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from GISAID. We observed striking coevolution of D614G with the P323L mutation in the viral polymerase. Importantly, the exclusive presence of G614 or L323 did not become epidemiologically relevant. In contrast, the combination of the two mutations gave rise to a viral G/L variant that has all but replaced the initial D/P variant. Our results suggest that the P323L mutation, located in the interface domain of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, is a necessary alteration that led to the epidemiological success of the present variant of SARS-CoV-2. However, we did not observe a significant correlation between reported COVID-19 mortality in different countries and the prevalence of the Wuhan versus G/L variant. Nevertheless, when comparing the speed of emergence and the ultimate predominance in individual countries, it is clear that the G/L variant displays major epidemiological supremacy over the original variant.


2016 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaofei Lu ◽  
Gregory R. Bluemling ◽  
Paul Collop ◽  
Michael Hager ◽  
Damien Kuiper ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging human pathogen that is spreading rapidly through the Americas and has been linked to the development of microcephaly and to a dramatically increased number of Guillain-Barré syndrome cases. Currently, no vaccine or therapeutic options for the prevention or treatment of ZIKV infections exist. In the study described in this report, we expressed, purified, and characterized full-length nonstructural protein 5 (NS5) and the NS5 polymerase domain (NS5pol) of ZIKV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. Using purified NS5, we developed an in vitro nonradioactive primer extension assay employing a fluorescently labeled primer-template pair. Both purified NS5 and NS5pol can carry out in vitro RNA-dependent RNA synthesis in this assay. Our results show that Mn2+ is required for enzymatic activity, while Mg2+ is not. We found that ZIKV NS5 can utilize single-stranded DNA but not double-stranded DNA as a template or a primer to synthesize RNA. The assay was used to compare the efficiency of incorporation of analog 5′-triphosphates by the ZIKV polymerase and to calculate their discrimination versus that of natural ribonucleotide triphosphates (rNTPs). The 50% inhibitory concentrations for analog rNTPs were determined in an alternative nonradioactive coupled-enzyme assay. We determined that, in general, 2′-C-methyl- and 2′-C-ethynyl-substituted analog 5′-triphosphates were efficiently incorporated by the ZIKV polymerase and were also efficient chain terminators. Derivatives of these molecules may serve as potential antiviral compounds to be developed to combat ZIKV infection. This report provides the first characterization of ZIKV polymerase and demonstrates the utility of in vitro polymerase assays in the identification of potential ZIKV inhibitors.


2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shabana Bibi ◽  
Mohammad Mehedi Hasan ◽  
Yuan-Bing Wang ◽  
Stavros P. Papadakos ◽  
Hong Yu

Background: SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in Wuhan, China, is a new global threat that has killed millions of people and continues to do so. This pandemic has not only threatened human life but has also triggered economic downturns across the world. Researchers have made significant strides in discovering molecular insights into SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and developing vaccines, but there is still no successful cure for SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Objective: The present study has proposed a drug-repositioning pipeline for the design and discovery of an effective fungal-derived bioactive metabolite as a drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2. Methods: Fungal derivative “Cordycepin” was selected for this study to investigate the inhibitory properties against RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) (PDB ID: 6M71) of SARS-CoV-2. The pharmacological profile, intermolecular interactions, binding energy, and stability of the compound were determined utilizing cheminformatic approaches. Subsequently, molecular dynamic simulation was performed to better understand the binding mechanism of cordycepin to RdRp. Results: The pharmacological data and retrieved molecular dynamics simulations trajectories suggest excellent drug-likeliness and greater structural stability of cordycepin, while the catalytic residues (Asp760, Asp761), as well as other active site residues (Trp617, Asp618, Tyr619, Trp800, Glu811) of RdRp, showed better stability during the overall simulation span. Conclusion: Promising results of pharmacological investigation along with molecular simulations revealed that cordycepin exhibited strong inhibitory potential against SARS-CoV-2 polymerase enzyme (RdRp). Hence, cordycepin should be highly recommended to test in a laboratory to confirm its inhibitory potential against the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase enzyme (RdRp).


2013 ◽  
Vol 06 (01) ◽  
pp. 1250062
Author(s):  
YONG-HONG HU ◽  
BAO-HUA ZHANG

In this paper, we take naturally occurring 2-benzylidenebenzofuran-3-ones (aurones) inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) as an example to study the Multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) method for structure-activity relationship. By analyzing training set molecules, our MDS method combined with a PROXSCAL algorithm can predict inhibitory activity of most compounds correctly. Thus, a new sample's activity can be estimated and judged conveniently, and whether it should be synthesized can be known. The MDS method is applicable to optimize the structure for a compound and to provide suggestions for drug design.


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