scholarly journals RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase as a Target for COVID-19 Drug Discovery

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (10) ◽  
pp. 1141-1151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wei Zhu ◽  
Catherine Z. Chen ◽  
Kirill Gorshkov ◽  
Miao Xu ◽  
Donald C. Lo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Host Proteins ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Global Health Issue ◽  
Repurposed Drugs ◽  
Viral Enzyme ◽  
Target Effects

COVID-19 respiratory disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has rapidly become a global health issue since it emerged in December 2019. While great global efforts are underway to develop vaccines and to discover or repurpose therapeutic agents for this disease, as of this writing only the nucleoside drug remdesivir has been approved under Emergency Use Authorization to treat COVID-19. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP), a viral enzyme for viral RNA replication in host cells, is one of the most intriguing and promising drug targets for SARS-CoV-2 drug development. Because RdRP is a viral enzyme with no host cell homologs, selective SARS-CoV-2 RdRP inhibitors can be developed that have improved potency and fewer off-target effects against human host proteins and thus are safer and more effective therapeutics for treating COVID-19. This review focuses on biochemical enzyme and cell-based assays for RdRPs that could be used in high-throughput screening to discover new and repurposed drugs against SARS-CoV-2.

Potential Candidates against COVID-19 Targeting RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase: A Comprehensive Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neetu Agrawal ◽  
Ahsas Goyal
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
In Vivo Experiments ◽  
Contagious Nature ◽  
In Silico Studies ◽  
Viral Enzyme

: Due to the extremely contagious nature of SARS-COV-2, it presents a significant threat to humans worldwide. A plethora of studies are going on all over the world to discover the drug to fight SARS-COV-2. One of the most promising targets is RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), responsible for viral RNA replication in host cells. Since RdRp is a viral enzyme with no host cell homologs, it allows the development of selective SARS-COV-2 RdRp inhibitors. A variety of studies used in silico approaches for virtual screening, molecular docking, and repurposing of already existing drugs and phytochemicals against SARS-COV-2 RdRp. This review focuses on collating compounds possessing the potential to inhibit SARS-COV-2 RdRp based on in silico studies to give medicinal chemists food for thought so that the existing drugs can be repurposed for the control and treatment of ongoing COVID-19 pandemic after performing in vitro and in vivo experiments.

Recent Advances towards Drug Design Targeting the Protease of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV)

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sehrish Bano ◽  
Abdul Hameed ◽  
Mariya Al-Rashida ◽  
Shafia Iftikhar ◽  
Jamshed Iqbal
Keyword(s):  
Drug Design ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Antiviral Drugs ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Mortality And Morbidity ◽  
Functional Relationships ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Background: The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), also known as coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) acute respiratory syndrome has recently emerged and continued to spread rapidly with high level of mortality and morbidity rates. Currently, no efficacious therapy is available to relieve coronavirus infections. As new drug design and development takes much time, there is a possibility to find an effective treatment from existing antiviral agents. Objective: In this case, there is a need to find out the relationship between possible drug targets and mechanism of action of antiviral drugs. This review discusses about the efforts to develop drug from known or new molecules. Methods: Viruses usually have two structural integrities, proteins and nucleic acids, both of which can be possible drug targets. Herein, we systemically discuss the structural-functional relationships of the spike, 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), papain like protease (PLpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), as these are prominent structural features of corona virus. Certain antiviral drugs such as Remdesivir are RNA dependent RNA polymerase inhibitor. It has the ability to terminate RNA replication by inhibiting ATP. Results: It is reported that ATP is involved in synthesis of coronavirus non-structural proteins from 3CLpro and PLpro. Similarly, mechanisms of action of many other antiviral agents has been discussed in this review. It will provide new insights into the mechanism of inhibition, and let us develop new therapeutic antiviral approaches against novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Conclusion: In conclusion, this review summarizes recent progress in developing protease inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2.

scholarly journals Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Antiviral Compounds by Screening for Small Molecule Inhibitors of Nsp12/7/8 RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustina P. Bertolin ◽  
Florian Weissmann ◽  
Jingkun Zeng ◽  
Viktor Posse ◽  
Jennifer C. Milligan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
Etiologic Agent ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Rdrp Activity ◽  
Chemical Library ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase

SummaryThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has turned into the largest public health and economic crisis in recent history impacting virtually all sectors of society. There is a need for effective therapeutics to battle the ongoing pandemic. Repurposing existing drugs with known pharmacological safety profiles is a fast and cost-effective approach to identify novel treatments. The COVID-19 etiologic agent is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Coronaviruses rely on the enzymatic activity of the replication-transcription complex (RTC) to multiply inside host cells. The RTC core catalytic component is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) holoenzyme. The RdRp is one of the key druggable targets for CoVs due to its essential role in viral replication, high degree of sequence and structural conservation and the lack of homologs in human cells. Here, we have expressed, purified and biochemically characterised active SARS-CoV-2 RdRp complexes. We developed a novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based strand displacement assay for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 RdRp activity suitable for a high-throughput format. As part of a larger research project to identify inhibitors for all the enzymatic activities encoded by SARS-CoV-2, we used this assay to screen a custom chemical library of over 5000 approved and investigational compounds for novel SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors. We identified 3 novel compounds (GSK-650394, C646 and BH3I-1) and confirmed suramin and suramin-like compounds as in vitro SARS-CoV-2 RdRp activity inhibitors. We also characterised the antiviral efficacy of these drugs in cell-based assays that we developed to monitor SARS-CoV-2 growth.

scholarly journals Nonnucleoside Inhibitor of Measles Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase Complex Activity

2007 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 2293-2303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura K. White ◽  
Jeong-Joong Yoon ◽  
Jin K. Lee ◽  
Aiming Sun ◽  
Yuhong Du ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Measles Virus ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Cross Resistance ◽  
Complex Activity ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Developmental Potential ◽  
Polymerase Complex ◽  
Fusion Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Paramyxoviruses comprise several major human pathogens. Although a live-attenuated vaccine protects against measles virus (MV), a member of the paramyxovirus family, the virus remains a principal cause of worldwide mortality and accounts for approximately 21 million cases and 300,000 to 400,000 deaths annually. The development of novel antivirals that allow improved case management of severe measles and silence viral outbreaks is thus highly desirable. We have previously described the development of novel MV fusion inhibitors. The potential for preexisting or emerging resistance in the field constitutes the rationale for the identification of additional MV inhibitors with a diverse target spectrum. Here, we report the development and implementation of a cell-based assay for high-throughput screening of MV antivirals, which has yielded several hit candidates. Following confirmation by secondary assays and chemical synthesis, the most potent hit was found to act as a target-specific inhibitor of MV replication with desirable drug-like properties. The compound proved highly active against multiple primary isolates of diverse MV genotypes currently circulating worldwide, showing active concentrations of 35 to 145 nM. Significantly, it does not interfere with viral entry and lacks cross-resistance with the MV fusion inhibitor class. Mechanistic characterization on a subinfection level revealed that the compound represents a first-in-class nonnucleoside inhibitor of MV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex activity. Singly or in combination with the fusion inhibitors, this novel compound class has high developmental potential as a potent therapeutic against MV and will likely further the mechanistic characterization of the viral polymerase complex.

scholarly journals Host Factors Associated with the Sindbis Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase: Role for G3BP1 and G3BP2 in Virus Replication

2010 ◽  
Vol 84 (13) ◽  
pp. 6720-6732 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ileana M. Cristea ◽  
Heather Rozjabek ◽  
Kelly R. Molloy ◽  
Sophiya Karki ◽  
Laura L. White ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Sindbis Virus ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Host Factors ◽  
Host Proteins ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Replication Process ◽  
Flag Epitope ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Host Interaction

ABSTRACT Sindbis virus (SINV) is the prototype member of the Alphavirus genus, whose members cause severe human diseases for which there is no specific treatment. To ascertain host factors important in the replication of the SINV RNA genome, we generated a SINV expressing nsP4, the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, with an in-frame 3×Flag epitope tag. Proteomic analysis of nsP4-containing complexes isolated from cells infected with the tagged virus revealed 29 associated host proteins. Of these, 10 proteins were associated only at a later time of infection (12 h), 14 were associated both early and late, and five were isolated only at the earlier time (6 h postinfection). These results demonstrate the dynamic nature of the virus-host interaction that occurs over the course of infection and suggest that different host proteins may be required for the multiple functions carried out by nsP4. Two related proteins found in association with nsP4 at both times of infection, GTPase-activating protein (SH3 domain) binding protein 1 (G3BP1) and G3BP2 were also previously identified as associated with SINV nsP2 and nsP3. We demonstrate a likely overlapping role for these host factors in limiting SINV replication events. The present study also identifies 10 host factors associated with nsP4 6 h after infection that were not found to be associated with nsP2 or nsP3. These factors are candidates for playing important roles in the RNA replication process. Identifying host factors essential for replication should lead to new strategies to interrupt alphavirus replication.

scholarly journals Current Trends in SPR Biosensing of SARS-CoV-2 Entry Inhibitors

Chemosensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 330
Author(s):  
Elba Mauriz ◽  
Laura M. Lechuga
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Binding Affinities ◽  
Entry Inhibitors ◽  
Antiviral Compounds ◽  
Current Trends ◽  
Main Protease ◽  
Emerging Risk ◽  
Repurposed Drugs

The emerging risk of viral diseases has triggered the search for preventive and therapeutic agents. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, greater efforts have been devoted to investigating virus entry mechanisms into host cells. The feasibility of plasmonic sensing technologies for screening interactions of small molecules in real time, while providing the pharmacokinetic drug profiling of potential antiviral compounds, offers an advantageous approach over other biophysical methods. This review summarizes recent advancements in the drug discovery process of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) inhibitors using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) biosensors. A variety of SPR assay formats are discussed according to the binding kinetics and drug efficacies of both natural products and repurposed drugs. Special attention has been given to the targeting of antiviral agents that block the receptor binding domain of the spike protein (RBD-S) and the main protease (3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2. The functionality of plasmonic biosensors for high-throughput screening of entry virus inhibitors was also reviewed taking into account experimental parameters (binding affinities, selectivity, stability), potential limitations and future applications.

scholarly journals Computationally repurposed drugs and natural products against RNA dependent RNA polymerase as potential COVID-19 therapies

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sakshi Piplani ◽  
Puneet Kumar Singh ◽  
David A. Winkler ◽  
Nikolai Petrovsky
Keyword(s):  
Natural Products ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Kinase Inhibitor ◽  
Binding Energies ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Potential Activity ◽  
Repurposed Drugs ◽  
Multiple Drugs

AbstractRepurposing of existing drugs and drug candidates is an ideal approach to identify new potential therapies for SARS-CoV-2 that can be tested without delay in human trials of infected patients. Here we applied a virtual screening approach using Autodock Vina and molecular dynamics simulation in tandem to calculate binding energies for repurposed drugs against the SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). We thereby identified 80 promising compounds with potential activity against SARS-Cov2, consisting of a mixture of antiviral drugs, natural products and drugs with diverse modes of action. A substantial proportion of the top 80 compounds identified in this study had been shown by others to have SARS-CoV-2 antiviral effects in vitro or in vivo, thereby validating our approach. Amongst our top hits not previously reported to have SARS-CoV-2 activity, were eribulin, a macrocyclic ketone analogue of the marine compound halichondrin B and an anticancer drug, the AXL receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor bemcentinib. Our top hits from our RdRp drug screen may not only have utility in treating COVID-19 but may provide a useful starting point for therapeutics against other coronaviruses. Hence, our modelling approach successfully identified multiple drugs with potential activity against SARS-CoV-2 RdRp.

scholarly journals A Fluorescence-Based Alkaline Phosphatase–Coupled Polymerase Assay for Identification of Inhibitors of Dengue Virus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pornwaratt Niyomrattanakit ◽  
Siti Nurdiana Abas ◽  
Chin Chin Lim ◽  
David Beer ◽  
Pei-Yong Shi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Alkaline Phosphatase ◽  
Dengue Virus ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Drug Target ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Signal Stability ◽  
Nucleotide Analogue ◽  
Virus Rna ◽  
Adenosine Nucleotide

The flaviviral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) is an attractive drug target. To discover new inhibitors of dengue virus RdRp, the authors have developed a fluorescence-based alkaline phosphatase–coupled polymerase assay (FAPA) for high-throughput screening (HTS). A modified nucleotide analogue (2′-[2-benzothiazoyl]-6′-hydroxybenzothiazole) conjugated adenosine triphosphate (BBT-ATP) and 3′UTR-U30 RNA were used as substrates. After the polymerase reaction, treatment with alkaline phosphatase liberates the BBT fluorophore from the polymerase reaction by-product, BBTPPi, which can be detected at excitation and emission wavelengths of 422 and 566 nm, respectively. The assay was evaluated by examining the time dependency, assay reagent effects, reaction kinetics, and signal stability and was validated with 3′dATP and an adenosine-nucleotide triphosphate inhibitor, giving IC50 values of 0.13 µM and 0.01 µM, respectively. A pilot screen of a diverse compound library of 40,572 compounds at 20 µM demonstrated good performance with an average Z factor of 0.81. The versatility and robustness of FAPA were evaluated with another substrate system, BBT-GTP paired with 3′UTR-C30 RNA. The FAPA method presented here can be readily adapted for other nucleotide-dependent enzymes that generate PPi.

scholarly journals Identifying SARS-CoV-2 antiviral compounds by screening for small molecule inhibitors of nsp12/7/8 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase

2021 ◽  
Vol 478 (13) ◽  
pp. 2425-2443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Agustina P. Bertolin ◽  
Florian Weissmann ◽  
Jingkun Zeng ◽  
Viktor Posse ◽  
Jennifer C. Milligan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Rna Virus ◽  
Resonance Energy Transfer ◽  
Resonance Energy ◽  
Etiologic Agent ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Rdrp Activity ◽  
Chemical Library ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic has turned into the largest public health and economic crisis in recent history impacting virtually all sectors of society. There is a need for effective therapeutics to battle the ongoing pandemic. Repurposing existing drugs with known pharmacological safety profiles is a fast and cost-effective approach to identify novel treatments. The COVID-19 etiologic agent is the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a single-stranded positive-sense RNA virus. Coronaviruses rely on the enzymatic activity of the replication–transcription complex (RTC) to multiply inside host cells. The RTC core catalytic component is the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) holoenzyme. The RdRp is one of the key druggable targets for CoVs due to its essential role in viral replication, high degree of sequence and structural conservation and the lack of homologues in human cells. Here, we have expressed, purified and biochemically characterised active SARS-CoV-2 RdRp complexes. We developed a novel fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based strand displacement assay for monitoring SARS-CoV-2 RdRp activity suitable for a high-throughput format. As part of a larger research project to identify inhibitors for all the enzymatic activities encoded by SARS-CoV-2, we used this assay to screen a custom chemical library of over 5000 approved and investigational compounds for novel SARS-CoV-2 RdRp inhibitors. We identified three novel compounds (GSK-650394, C646 and BH3I-1) and confirmed suramin and suramin-like compounds as in vitro SARS-CoV-2 RdRp activity inhibitors. We also characterised the antiviral efficacy of these drugs in cell-based assays that we developed to monitor SARS-CoV-2 growth.

scholarly journals RNA-dependent RNA polymerase complex of Brome mosaic virus: analysis of the molecular structure with monoclonal antibodies

2002 ◽  
Vol 83 (11) ◽  
pp. 2879-2890 ◽  
Author(s):  
Koji Dohi ◽  
Kazuyuki Mise ◽  
Iwao Furusawa ◽  
Tetsuro Okuno
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibodies ◽  
Rna Polymerase ◽  
Mosaic Virus ◽  
Membrane Structure ◽  
Brome Mosaic Virus ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Intermediate Region ◽  
Rna Dependent Rna Polymerase ◽  
Cellular Factors ◽  
Membrane Bound

Viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) plays crucial roles in the genomic replication and subgenomic transcription of Brome mosaic virus (BMV), a positive-stranded RNA plant virus. BMV RdRp is a complex of virus-encoded 1a and 2a proteins and some cellular factors, and associates with the endoplasmic reticulum at an infection-specific structure in the cytoplasm of host cells. In this study, we investigate the gross structure of the active BMV RdRp complex using monoclonal antibodies raised against the 1a and 2a proteins. Immunoprecipitation experiments showed that the intermediate region between the N-terminal methyltransferase-like domain and the C-terminal helicase-like domain of 1a protein, and the N terminus region of 2a protein are exposed on the surface of the solubilized RdRp complex. Inhibition assays for membrane-bound RdRp suggested that the intermediate region between the methyltransferase-like and the helicase-like domains of 1a protein is located at the border of the region buried within a membrane structure or with membrane-associated material.

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