scholarly journals Mutagenic Distinction between the Receptor-Binding and Fusion Subunits of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and Its Upshot

Vaccines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 1509
Author(s):  
Robert Clark Penner

We observe that a residue R of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 that has mutated in one or more of the current variants of concern or interest, or under monitoring, rarely participates in a backbone hydrogen bond if R lies in the S1 subunit and usually participates in one if R lies in the S2 subunit. A partial explanation for this based upon free energy is explored as a potentially general principle in the mutagenesis of viral glycoproteins. This observation could help target future vaccine cargos for the evolving coronavirus as well as more generally. A related study of the Delta and Omicron variants suggests that Delta was an energetically necessary intermediary in the evolution from Wuhan-Hu-1 to Omicron.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Clark Penner

We observe that a residue R of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 which has mutated in one or more of the current Variants of Concern or Interest and under Monitoring rarely participates in a backbone hydrogen bond if R lies in the S1 subunit and usually participates in one if R lies in the S2 subunit. A possible explanation for this based upon free energy is explored as a potentially general principle in the mutagenesis of viral glycoproteins. This observation could help target future vaccine cargos for the evolving coronavirus as well as more generally.


Author(s):  
Angelo Spinello ◽  
Andrea Saltalamacchia ◽  
Alessandra Magistrato

<p>The latest outbreak of a new pathogenic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is provoking a global health, economic and societal crisis. All-atom simulations enabled us to uncover the key molecular traits underlying the high affinity of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein towards its human receptor, providing a rationale to its high infectivity. Harnessing this knowledge can boost developing effective medical countermeasures to fight the current global pandemic.</p>


Author(s):  
Bipin Singh

: The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV) and its worldwide spread is posing one of the major threats to human health and the world economy. It has been suggested that SARS-CoV-2 is similar to SARSCoV based on the comparison of the genome sequence. Despite the genomic similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and SARSCoV, the spike glycoprotein and receptor binding domain in SARS-CoV-2 shows the considerable difference compared to SARS-CoV, due to the presence of several point mutations. The analysis of receptor binding domain (RBD) from recently published 3D structures of spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (Yan, R., et al. (2020); Wrapp, D., et al. (2020); Walls, A. C., et al. (2020)) highlights the contribution of a few key point mutations in RBD of spike glycoprotein and molecular basis of its efficient binding with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-89
Author(s):  
Robert Penner

Abstract Tools developed by Moderna, BioNTech/Pfizer, and Oxford/Astrazeneca, among others, provide universal solutions to previously problematic aspects of drug or vaccine delivery, uptake and toxicity, portending new tools across the medical sciences. A novel method is presented based on estimating protein backbone free energy via geometry to predict effective antiviral targets, antigens and vaccine cargos that are resistant to viral mutation. This method is reviewed and reformulated in light of the recent proliferation of structural data on the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and its mutations in multiple lineages. Key findings include: collections of mutagenic residues reoccur across strains, suggesting cooperative convergent evolution; most mutagenic residues do not participate in backbone hydrogen bonds; metastability of the glyco-protein limits the change of free energy through mutation thereby constraining selective pressure; and there are mRNA or virus-vector cargos targeting low free energy peptides proximal to conserved high free energy peptides providing specific recipes for vaccines with greater specificity than the full-spike approach. These results serve to limit peptides in the spike glycoprotein with high mutagenic potential and thereby provide a priori constraints on viral and attendant vaccine evolution. Scientific and regulatory challenges to nucleic acid therapeutic and vaccine development and deployment are finally discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (18) ◽  
pp. 7339-7339
Author(s):  
Won‐Woo Park ◽  
Kyung Min Lee ◽  
Byeong Sung Lee ◽  
Young Jae Kim ◽  
Se Hun Joo ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blake M. Hauser ◽  
Maya Sangesland ◽  
Kerri St. Denis ◽  
Jared Feldman ◽  
Evan C. Lam ◽  
...  

Eliciting antibodies to surface-exposed viral glycoproteins can lead to protective responses that ultimately control and prevent future infections. Targeting functionally conserved epitopes may help reduce the likelihood of viral escape and aid in preventing the spread of related viruses with pandemic potential. One such functionally conserved viral epitope is the site to which a receptor must bind to facilitate viral entry. Here, we leveraged rational immunogen design strategies to focus humoral responses to the receptor binding motif (RBM) on the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Using glycan engineering and epitope scaffolding, we find an improved targeting of the serum response to the RBM in context of SARS-CoV-2 spike imprinting. Furthermore, we observed a robust SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing serum response with increased potency against related sarbecoviruses, SARS-CoV and WIV1-CoV. Thus, RBM focusing is a promising strategy to elicit breadth across emerging sarbecoviruses and represents an adaptable design approach for targeting conserved epitopes on other viral glycoproteins.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael O. Glocker ◽  
Kwabena F. M. Opuni ◽  
Hans-Juergen Thiesen

Our study focuses on free energy calculations of SARS-Cov2 spike protein receptor binding motives (RBMs) from wild type and variants-of-concern with particular emphasis on currently emerging SARS- CoV2 omicron variants of concern (VOC). Our computational free energy analysis underlines the occurrence of positive selection processes that specify omicron host adaption and bring changes on the molecular level into context with clinically relevant observations. Our free energy calculations studies regarding the interaction of omicron's RBM with human ACE2 shows weaker binding to ACE2 than alpha's, delta's, or wild type's RBM. Thus, less virus is predicted to be generated in time per infected cell. Our mutant analyses predict with focus on omicron variants a reduced spike-protein binding to ACE2--receptor protein possibly enhancing viral fitness / transmissibility and resulting in a delayed induction of danger signals as trade-off. Finally, more virus is produced but less per cell accompanied with delayed Covid-19 immunogenicity and pathogenicity. Regarding the latter, more virus is assumed to be required to initiate inflammatory immune responses.


1980 ◽  
Vol 58 (17) ◽  
pp. 1821-1828 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary D. Fallon ◽  
Bryan M. Gatehouse ◽  
Allan Pring ◽  
Ian D. Rae ◽  
Josephine A. Weigold

Ethyl-3-amino-2-benzoyl-2-butenoate crystallizes from pentane as either the E (mp 82–84 °C) or the Z-isomer (mp 95.5–96.5 °C). The E isomer is less stable, and changes spontaneously into the Z, which bas been identified by X-ray crystallography. The structure is characterised by an N–H/ester CO hydrogen bond and a very long C2—C3 bond (1.39 Å). Nuclear magnetic resonance methods have been used to measure the rate of [Formula: see text] isomerization at several temperatures, leading to the estimate that the free energy of activation at 268 K is 56 ± 8 kJ.


Tumor Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-196
Author(s):  
Lobna Al-Zaidan ◽  
Sarra Mestiri ◽  
Afsheen Raza ◽  
Maysaloun Merhi ◽  
Varghese Philipose Inchakalody ◽  
...  

Pneumonia cases of unknown etiology in Wuhan, Hubei province, China were reported to the World Health Organization on 31st of December 2019. Later the pathogen was reported to be a novel coronavirus designated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that causes Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The disease outspread was followed by WHO declaration of COVID-19 pandemic as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern”. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel pathogenic beta coronavirus that infects humans causing severe respiratory illness. However, multifarious factors can contribute to the susceptibility to COVID-19 related morbidity and mortality such as age, gender, and underlying comorbidities. Infection initiates when viral particles bind to the host cell surface receptors where SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein subunit 1 binds to the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). It is of importance to mention that SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 viruses’ mediate entry into the host cells via ACE2 receptor which might be correlated with the structural similarity of spike glycoprotein subunit 1 of both SARS viruses. However, the structural binding differs, whereas ACE2 receptor binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2 is 4 folds higher than that with SARS-CoV. Moreover, amino acids sequence divergence between the two S glycoproteins might be responsible for differential modulations of the specific immune response to both viruses. Identification of different aspects such as binding affinity, differential antigenic profiles of S-glycoproteins, and ACE2 mutations might influence the investigation of potential therapeutic strategies targeting SARS-CoV-2/ACE2 binding interface. In this review, we aim to elaborate on the expression of hACE2 receptor protein and its binding with SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit, the possible immunogenic sequences of spike protein, effect of ACE 2 polymorphism on viral binding, and infectivity/susceptibility to disease. Furthermore, targeting of hACE2 receptor binding with SARS-CoV-2 S1 subunit via various mechanisms will be discussed to understand its role in therapeutics.


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