query: What is the protein structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike?

positive: Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the heptad‐repeat complex of SARS coronavirus spike protein The aetiological agent of an emergent outbreak of atypical pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), is a positive‐stranded RNA virus (SARS‐CoV) belonging to the Coronaviridae family with a genome that differs substantially from those of other known coronaviruses. Highly conserved heptad‐repeat (HR1 and HR2) regions in class I viral fusion proteins, including spike protein from SARS coronavirus, interact with each other to form a six‐helix bundle, which is called a fusion core. The crystal structure of the fusion core is expected to greatly facilitate drug design. Crystals of the fusion core of SARS‐CoV spike protein have been grown at 291 K using PEG 4000 as precipitant. The diffraction pattern of the crystal extends to 2.8 Å resolution at 100 K in‐house. The crystals have unit‐cell parameters a = 121.2, b = 66.3, c = 70.0 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 107.4° and belong to space group C2. Assuming the presence of six molecules per asymmetric unit, the solvent content is estimated to be about 28%.

positive: In silico multi-epitope vaccine against covid19 showing effective interaction with HLA-B*15:03 The recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV)-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing coronavirus disease (covid19) has posed a great threat to human health. Previous outbreaks of SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory Syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV) from the same CoV family had posed similar threat to human health and economic growth. To date, not even a single drug specific to any of these CoVs has been developed nor any anti-viral vaccine is available for the treatment of diseases caused by CoVs. Subunits present in spike glycoproteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 are involved in binding to human ACE2 Receptor which is the primary method of viral invasion. As it has been observed in the previous studies that there are very minor differences in the spike glycoproteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 has an additional furin cleavage site that makes it different from SARS-CoV (Walls et al., 2020). In this study, we have analyzed spike glycoproteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV phylogenetically and subjected them to selection pressure analysis. Selection pressure analysis has revealed some important sites in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV spike glycoproteins that might be involved in their pathogenicity. Further, we have developed a potential multi-epitope vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 by analyzing its interactions with HLA-B*15:03 subtype. This vaccine consists of multiple T-helper (TH) cells, B-cells, and Cytotoxic T-cells (CTL) epitopes joined by linkers and an adjuvant to increase its immunogenicity. Conservation of selected epitopes in SARS, MERS, and human hosts, suggests that the designed vaccine could provide cross-protection. The vaccine is designed in silico by following a reverse vaccinology method acknowledging its antigenicity, immunogenicity, toxicity, and allergenicity. The vaccine candidate that we have designed as a result of this work shows promising result indicating its potential capability of simulating an immune response.

positive: Dissemination and co-circulation of SARS-CoV2 subclades exhibiting enhanced transmission associated with increased mortality in Western Europe and the United States Mechanisms underlying the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)-like clinical manifestations leading to deaths in patients who develop COVID-19 remain uncharacterized. While multiple factors could influence these clinical outcomes, we explored if differences in transmissibility and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV2 variants could contribute to these terminal clinical consequences of COVID-19. We analyzed 34,412 SARS-CoV2 sequences deposited in the Global Initiative for Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) SARS-CoV2 sequence database to determine if regional differences in circulating strain variants correlated with increased mortality in Europe, the United States, and California. We found two subclades descending from the Wuhan HU-1 strain that rapidly became dominant in Western Europe and the United States. These variants contained nonsynonymous nucleotide mutations in the Orf1ab segment encoding RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (C14408T), the spike protein gene (A23403G), and Orf1a (G25563T), which resulted in non-conservative amino acid substitutions P323L, D614G, and Q57H, respectively. In Western Europe, the A23403G-C14408T subclade dominated, while in the US, the A23403G-C14408T-G25563T mutant became the dominant strain in New York and parts of California. The high cumulative frequencies of both subclades showed inconsistent but significant association with high cumulative CFRs in some of the regions. When the frequencies of the subclades were analyzed by their 7-day moving averages across each epidemic, we found co-circulation of both subclades to temporally correlate with peak mortality periods. We postulate that in areas with high numbers of these co-circulating subclades, a person may get serially infected. The second infection may trigger a hyperinflammatory response similar to the antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) response, which could explain the ARDS-like manifestations observed in people with co-morbidity, who may not mount sufficient levels of neutralizing antibodies against the first infection. Further studies are necessary but the implication of such a mechanism will need to be considered for all current COVID-19 vaccine designs.

positive: Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA identified in Eastern India: Possible implications for the ongoing outbreak in India and impact on viral structure and host susceptibility. Direct massively parallel sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genome was undertaken from nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples of infected individuals in Eastern India. Seven of the isolates belonged to the A2a clade, while one belonged to the B4 clade. Specific mutations, characteristic of the A2a clade, were also detected, which included the P323L in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and D614G in the Spike glycoprotein. Further, our data revealed emergence of novel subclones harbouring nonsynonymous mutations, viz. G1124V in Spike (S) protein, R203K, and G204R in the nucleocapsid (N) protein. The N protein mutations reside in the SR-rich region involved in viral capsid formation and the S protein mutation is in the S2 domain, which is involved in triggering viral fusion with the host cell membrane. Interesting correlation was observed between these mutations and travel or contact history of COVID-19 positive cases. Consequent alterations of miRNA binding and structure were also predicted for these mutations. More importantly, the possible implications of mutation D614G (in SD domain) and G1124V (in S2 subunit) on the structural stability of S protein have also been discussed. Results report for the first time a bird's eye view on the accumulation of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genome in Eastern India.

positive: Drug repurposing using computational methods to identify therapeutic options for COVID-19 PURPOSE: Recently, the world has been dealing with a new type of coronavirus called COVID-19 that in terms of symptoms is similar to the SARS coronavirus. Unfortunately, researchers could not find a registered therapy to treat the infection related to the virus yet. Regarding the fact that drug repurposing is a good strategy for epidemic viral infection, we applied the drug repurposing strategy using virtual screening to identify therapeutic options for COVID-19. For this purpose, five proteins of COVID-19 (3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), Papain-Like protease (PLpro), cleavage site, HR1 and RBD in Spike protein) were selected as target proteins for drug repositioning. METHODS: First, five proteins of COVID-19 were built by homology modeling. Then FDA-approved drugs (2471 drugs) were screened against cleavage site and RBD in Spike protein via virtual screening. One hundred and twenty-eight FDA-approved drugs with the most favorable free-binding energy were attached to the cleavage site and RBD in Spike protein. Of these 128 drugs, 18 drugs have either been used currently as antiviral or have been reported to possess antiviral effects. Virtual screening was then performed for the 18 selected drugs with ACE2, 3CLpro and PLpro and HR1 and TMPRSS2. RESULTS: According to the results, glecaprevir, paritaprevir, simeprevir, ledipasvir, glycyrrhizic acid, TMC-310911, and hesperidin showed highly favorably free binding energies with all tested target proteins. CONCLUSION: The above-mentioned drugs can be regarded as candidates to treat COVID-19 infections, but further study on the efficiency of these drugs is also necessary.

positive: De novo design of protein peptides to block association of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with human ACE2 The outbreak of COVID-19 has now become a global pandemic that has severely impacted lives and economic stability. There is, however, no effective antiviral drug that can be used to treat COVID-19 to date. Built on the fact that SARS-CoV-2 initiates its entry into human cells by the receptor binding domain (RBD) of its spike protein binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), we extended a recently developed approach, EvoDesign, to design multiple peptide sequences that can competitively bind to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD to inhibit the virus from entering human cells. The protocol starts with the construction of a hybrid peptidic scaffold by linking two fragments grafted from the interface of the hACE2 protein (a.a. 22-44 and 351-357) with a linker glycine, which is followed by the redesign and refinement simulations of the peptide sequence to optimize its binding affinity to the interface of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. The binding experiment analyses showed that the designed peptides exhibited a significantly stronger binding potency to hACE2 than the wild-type hACE2 receptor (with -53.35 vs. -46.46 EvoEF2 energy unit scores for the top designed and wild-type peptides, respectively). This study demonstrates a new avenue to utilize computationally designed peptide motifs to treat the COVID-19 disease by blocking the critical spike-RBD and hACE2 interactions.

positive: The anti‐HIV drug nelfinavir mesylate (Viracept) is a potent inhibitor of cell fusion caused by the SARSCoV‐2 spike (S) glycoprotein warranting further evaluation as an antiviral against COVID‐19 infections Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS CoV‐2) is the causative agent of the coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. Coronaviruses enter cells via fusion of the viral envelope with the plasma membrane and/or via fusion of the viral envelope with endosomal membranes after virion endocytosis. The spike (S) glycoprotein is a major determinant of virus infectivity. Herein, we show that the transient expression of the SARS CoV‐2 S glycoprotein in Vero cells caused extensive cell fusion (formation of syncytia) in comparison to limited cell fusion caused by the SARS S glycoprotein. Both S glycoproteins were detected intracellularly and on transfected Vero cell surfaces. These results are in agreement with published pathology observations of extensive syncytia formation in lung tissues of patients with COVID‐19. These results suggest that SARS CoV‐2 is able to spread from cell‐to‐cell much more efficiently than SARS effectively avoiding extracellular neutralizing antibodies. A systematic screening of several drugs including cardiac glycosides and kinase inhibitors and inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry revealed that only the FDA‐approved HIV protease inhibitor, nelfinavir mesylate (Viracept) drastically inhibited S‐n‐ and S‐o‐mediated cell fusion with complete inhibition at a 10‐μM concentration. In‐silico docking experiments suggested the possibility that nelfinavir may bind inside the S trimer structure, proximal to the S2 amino terminus directly inhibiting S‐n‐ and S‐o‐mediated membrane fusion. Also, it is possible that nelfinavir may act to inhibit S proteolytic processing within cells. These results warrant further investigations of the potential of nelfinavir mesylate to inhibit virus spread at early times after SARS CoV‐2 symptoms appear.

positive: Cryo-EM structures of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV spike glycoproteins reveal the dynamic receptor binding domains The envelope spike (S) proteins of MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV determine the virus host tropism and entry into host cells, and constitute a promising target for the development of prophylactics and therapeutics. Here, we present high-resolution structures of the trimeric MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV S proteins in its pre-fusion conformation by single particle cryo-electron microscopy. The overall structures resemble that from other coronaviruses including HKU1, MHV and NL63 reported recently, with the exception of the receptor binding domain (RBD). We captured two states of the RBD with receptor binding region either buried (lying state) or exposed (standing state), demonstrating an inherently flexible RBD readily recognized by the receptor. Further sequence conservation analysis of six human-infecting coronaviruses revealed that the fusion peptide, HR1 region and the central helix are potential targets for eliciting broadly neutralizing antibodies.

positive: Covid-19, Coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 and the small bowel. Although SARS-CoV-2 may primarily enter the cells of the lungs, the small bowel may also be an important entry or interaction site, as the enterocytes are rich in angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-2 receptors. The initial gastrointestinal symptoms that appear early during the course of Covid-19 support this hypothesis. Furthermore, SARS-CoV virions are preferentially released apically and not at the basement of the airway cells. Thus, in the setting of a productive infection of conducting airway epithelia, the apically released SARS-CoV may be removed by mucociliary clearance and gain access to the GI tract via a luminal exposure. In addition, post-mortem studies of mice infected by SARS-CoV have demonstrated diffuse damage to the GI tract, with the small bowel showing signs of enterocyte desquamation, edema, small vessel dilation and lymphocyte infiltration, as well as mesenteric nodes with severe hemorrhage and necrosis. Finally, the small bowel is rich in furin, a serine protease which can separate the S-spike of the coronavirus into two "pinchers" (S1 and 2). The separation of the S-spike into S1 and S2 is essential for the attachment of the virion to both the ACE receptor and the cell membrane. In this special review, we describe the interaction of SARS-CoV-2 with the cell and enterocyte and its potential clinical implications.

positive: The 2019 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) surface protein (Spike) S1 Receptor Binding Domain undergoes conformational change upon heparin binding Many pathogens take advantage of the dependence of the host on the interaction of hundreds of extracellular proteins with the glycosaminoglycans heparan sulfate to regulate homeostasis and use heparan sulfate as a means to adhere and gain access to cells. Moreover, mucosal epithelia such as that of the respiratory tract are protected by a layer of mucin polysaccharides, which are usually sulfated. Consequently, the polydisperse, natural products of heparan sulfate and the allied polysaccharide, heparin have been found to be involved and prevent infection by a range of viruses including S-associated coronavirus strain HSR1. Here we use surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism to measure the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 protein receptor binding domain (SARS-CoV-2 S1 RBD) and heparin. The data demonstrate an interaction between the recombinant surface receptor binding domain and the polysaccharide. This has implications for the rapid development of a first-line therapeutic by repurposing heparin and for next-generation, tailor-made, GAG-based antivirals.

positive: Ligand‐centered assessment of SARS‐CoV‐2 drug target models in the Protein Data Bank A bright spot in the SARS‐CoV‐2 (CoV‐2) coronavirus pandemic has been the immediate mobilization of the biomedical community, working to develop treatments and vaccines for COVID‐19. Rational drug design against emerging threats depends on well‐established methodology, mainly utilizing X‐ray crystallography, to provide accurate structure models of the macromolecular drug targets and of their complexes with candidates for drug development. In the current crisis the structural biological community has responded by presenting structure models of CoV‐2 proteins and depositing them in the Protein Data Bank (PDB), usually without time embargo and before publication. Since the structures from the first‐line research are produced in an accelerated mode, there is an elevated chance of mistakes and errors, with the ultimate risk of hindering, rather than speeding‐up, drug development. In the present work, we have used model‐validation metrics and examined the electron density maps for the deposited models of CoV‐2 proteins and a sample of related proteins available in the PDB as of 1 April 2020. We present these results with the aim of helping the biomedical community establish a better‐validated pool of data. The proteins are divided into groups according to their structure and function. In most cases, no major corrections were necessary. However, in several cases significant revisions in the functionally sensitive area of protein‐inhibitor complexes or for bound ions justified correction, re‐refinement, and eventually re‐versioning in the PDB. The re‐refined coordinate files and a tool for facilitating model comparisons are available at https://covid-19.bioreproducibility.org.

positive: Identification of 22 N-glycosites on spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and accessible surface glycopeptide motifs: implications for vaccination and antibody therapeutics Coronaviruses hijack human enzymes to assemble the sugar coat on their spike glycoproteins. The mechanisms by which human antibodies may recognize the antigenic viral peptide epitopes hidden by the sugar coat are unknown. Glycosylation by insect cells differs from the native form produced in human cells, but insect cell-derived influenza vaccines have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In this study, we analyzed recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein secreted from BTI-Tn-5B1-4 insect cells, by trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion followed by mass spectrometry analysis. We acquired tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) spectrums for glycopeptides of all 22 predicted N-glycosylated sites. We further analyzed the surface accessibility of spike proteins according to cryogenic electron microscopy and homolog-modeled structures, and available antibodies that bind to SARS-CoV-1. All 22 N-glycosylated sites of SARS-CoV-2 are modified by high-mannose N-glycans. MS/MS fragmentation clearly established the glycopeptide identities. Electron densities of glycans cover most of the spike receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2, except YQAGSTPCNGVEGFNCYFPLQSYGFQPTNGVGYQ, similar to a region FSPDGKPCTPPALNCYWPLNDYGFYTTTGIGYQ in SARS-CoV-1. Other surface-exposed domains include those located on central helix, connecting region, heptad repeats, and N-terminal domain. Because the majority of antibody paratopes bind to the peptide portion with or without sugar modification, we propose a snake-catching model for predicted paratopes: a minimal length of peptide is first clamped by a paratope, and sugar modifications close to the peptide either strengthen or do not hinder the binding.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 amino acid substitutions widely spread in the human population are mainly located in highly conserved segments of the structural proteins The Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic offers a unique opportunity to study the introduction and evolution of a pathogen into a completely naïve human population. We identified and analysed the amino acid mutations that gained prominence worldwide in the early months of the pandemic. Eight mutations have been identified along the viral genome, mostly located in conserved segments of the structural proteins and showing low variability among coronavirus, which indicated that they might have a functional impact. At the moment of writing this paper, these mutations present a varied success in the SARS-CoV-2 virus population; ranging from a change in the spike protein that becomes absolutely prevalent, two mutations in the nucleocapsid protein showing frequencies around 25%, to a mutation in the matrix protein that nearly fades out after reaching a frequency of 20%.

positive: Structural features of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: Targets for vaccination Various human pathogenic viruses employ envelope glycoproteins for host cell receptor recognition and binding, membrane fusion and viral entry. The spike (S) glycoprotein of betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is a homotrimeric class I fusion protein that exists in a metastable conformation for cleavage by host cell proteases furin and TMPRSS2, thereby undergoing substantial structural rearrangement for ACE2 host cell receptor binding and subsequent viral entry by membrane fusion. The S protein is densely decorated with N-linked glycans protruding from the trimer surface that affect S protein folding, processing by host cell proteases and the elicitation of humoral immune response. Deep insight into the sophisticated structure of SARS-CoV-2 S protein may provide a blueprint for vaccination strategies, as reviewed herein.

positive: Rapid isolation and profiling of a diverse panel of human monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Antibodies are a principal determinant of immunity for most RNA viruses and have promise to reduce infection or disease during major epidemics. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths to date1,2. In response, we used a rapid antibody discovery platform to isolate hundreds of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. We stratify these mAbs into five major classes based on their reactivity to subdomains of S protein as well as their cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV. Many of these mAbs inhibit infection of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus, with most neutralizing mAbs recognizing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S. This work defines sites of vulnerability on SARS-CoV-2 S and demonstrates the speed and robustness of new antibody discovery methodologies.

positive: Genetic diversity and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Abstract COVID-19 is a viral respiratory illness caused by a new coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. The World Health Organization declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a global public health emergency. We performed genetic analyses of eighty-six complete or near-complete genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and revealed many mutations and deletions on coding and non-coding regions. These observations provided evidence of the genetic diversity and rapid evolution of this novel coronavirus.

positive: Prediction and analysis of key protein structures of 2019-nCoV Aim: The purpose of this study was to predict and analyze the structure and function of 2019-novel Coronavirus (nCoV) key proteins. Materials & methods: We obtained the structure and sequence of proteins from related databases and studied them through multiple sequence alignment, homology modeling, sequence analysis, virtual screening, reverse mutation, protein structure overlap and surface property analysis. Results & conclusion: We found no significant changes in envelope protein, membrane protein, nucleocapsid protein and key proteases in open reading frame 1ab, and predicted results of proteins and performed molecular dynamics simulations. Based on the surface properties of spike protein and docking results with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, we believe that the binding ability of spike protein to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 may be similar to SARS. These studies will help us in fighting 2019-nCoV.

positive: Palmitoylation of the cysteine-rich endodomain of the SARS–coronavirus spike glycoprotein is important for spike-mediated cell fusion Abstract The SARS–coronavirus (SARS–CoV) is the etiological agent of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The SARS–CoV spike (S) glycoprotein mediates membrane fusion events during virus entry and virus-induced cell-to-cell fusion. The cytoplasmic portion of the S glycoprotein contains four cysteine-rich amino acid clusters. Individual cysteine clusters were altered via cysteine-to-alanine amino acid replacement and the modified S glycoproteins were tested for their transport to cell-surfaces and ability to cause cell fusion in transient transfection assays. Mutagenesis of the cysteine cluster I, located immediately proximal to the predicted transmembrane, domain did not appreciably reduce cell-surface expression, although S-mediated cell fusion was reduced by more than 50% in comparison to the wild-type S. Similarly, mutagenesis of the cysteine cluster II located adjacent to cluster I reduced S-mediated cell fusion by more than 60% compared to the wild-type S, while cell-surface expression was reduced by less than 20%. Mutagenesis of cysteine clusters III and IV did not appreciably affect S cell-surface expression or S-mediated cell fusion. The wild-type S was palmitoylated as evidenced by the efficient incorporation of 3H-palmitic acid in wild-type S molecules. S glycoprotein palmitoylation was significantly reduced for mutant glycoproteins having cluster I and II cysteine changes, but was largely unaffected for cysteine cluster III and IV mutants. These results show that the S cytoplasmic domain is palmitoylated and that palmitoylation of the membrane proximal cysteine clusters I and II may be important for S-mediated cell fusion.

positive: Structure-based drug designing for potential antiviral activity of selected natural products from Ayurveda against SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and its cellular receptor The recent outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 brought a great global public health and economic concern. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped RNA virus, from the genus Betacoronavirus. Although few molecules have been tested and shown some efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in humans but a safe and cost-effective attachment inhibitors are still required for the treatment of COVID-19. Natural products are gaining attention because of the large therapeutic window and potent antiviral, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Therefore, this study was planned to screen natural products from Ayurveda that have the potential to modulate host immune system as well as block the virus entry in host cells by interfering its interaction with cellular receptor and may be used to develop an effective and broad-spectrum strategy for the management of COVID-19 as well as other coronavirus infections in coming future. To decipher the antiviral activity of the selected natural products, molecular docking was performed. Further, the drug-likeness, pharmacokinetics and toxicity parameters of the selected natural products were determined. Docking results suggest that curcumin and nimbin exhibits highest interaction with spike glycoprotein (MolDock score − 141.36 and − 148.621 kcal/mole) and ACE2 receptor (MolDock score − 142.647 and − 140.108 kcal/mole) as compared with other selected natural products/drugs and controls. Also, the pharmacokinetics data illustrated that all selected natural products have better pharmacological properties (low molecular weight; no violation of Lipinski rule of five, good absorption profiles, oral bioavailability, good blood–brain barrier penetration, and low toxicity risk). Our study exhibited that curcumin, nimbin, withaferin A, piperine, mangiferin, thebaine, berberine, and andrographolide have significant binding affinity towards spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 receptor and may be useful as a therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent for restricting viral attachment to the host cells. However, few other natural products like resveratrol, quercetin, luteolin, naringenin, zingiberene, and gallic acid has the significant binding affinity towards ACE2 receptor only and therefore may be used for ACE2-mediated attachment inhibition of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to ACE2 receptors from human, pets, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts The emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, resulted in a pandemic. Here, we used X-ray structures of human ACE2 bound to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S) from SARS-CoV-2 to predict its binding to ACE2 proteins from different animals, including pets, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2. Comparing the interaction sites of ACE2 proteins known to serve or not serve as receptor allows to define residues important for binding. From the 20 amino acids in ACE2 that contact S up to seven can be replaced and ACE2 can still function as the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. These variable amino acids are clustered at certain positions, mostly at the periphery of the binding site, while changes of the invariable residues prevent S-binding or infection of the respective animal. Some ACE2 proteins even tolerate the loss or the acquisition of N-glycosylation sites located near the S-interface. Of note, Pigs and dogs, which are not or not effectively infected and have only a few changes in the binding site, exhibit relatively low levels of ACE2 in the respiratory tract. Comparison of the RBD of S of SARS-CoV-2 with viruses from Bat-CoV-RaTG13 and Pangolin-CoV revealed that the latter contains only one substitution, whereas the Bat-CoV-RaTG13 exhibits five. However, ACE2 of pangolin exhibit seven changes relative to human ACE2, a similar number of substitutions is present in ACE2 of bats, raccoon, and civet suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 may not especially adapted to ACE2 of any of its putative intermediate hosts. These analyses provide new insight into the receptor usage and animal source/origin of SARS-CoV-2.IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is threatening people worldwide and there are no drugs or vaccines available to mitigate its spread. The origin of the virus is still unclear and whether pets and livestock can be infected and transmit SARS-CoV-2 are important and unknown scientific questions. Effective binding to the host receptor ACE2 is the first prerequisite for infection of cells and determines the host range. Our analysis provides a framework for the prediction of potential hosts of SARS-CoV-2. We found that ACE2 from species known to support SARS-CoV-2 infection tolerate many amino acid changes indicating that the species barrier might be low. An exception are dogs and especially pigs, which, however, revealed relatively low ACE2 expression levels in the respiratory tract. Monitoring of animals is necessary to prevent the generation of a new coronavirus reservoir. Finally, our analysis also showed that SARS-CoV-2 may not be specifically adapted to any of its putative intermediate hosts.

positive: Identification of two antigenic epitopes on SARS-CoV spike protein Abstract The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a major virion structural protein. It plays an important role in interaction with receptor and inducing neutralizing antibodies. In the study, six tentative antigenic epitopes (S1 S2 S3 S4 S5 S6) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV were predicted by bio-informatics analysis, and a multi-epitope chimeric gene of S1–S2–S3–S4–S5–S6 was synthesized and fused to downstream GST gene in pGEX-6p-1. The Western blotting demonstrated that SARS patient convalescent serum could recognize the recombinant fusion protein. A number of monoclonal antibodies were developed against the fusion protein. In further, the six predicted epitope genes were individually fused to GST of pGEX-6p-1 and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21, respectively. Among six fusion peptides, S5 reacted with monoclonal antibody D3C5 and S2 reacted with monoclonal antibody D3D1 against spike protein of SARS-CoV. The epitopes recognized by monoclonal antibodies D3C5 and D3D1 are linear, and correspond to 447–458 and 789–799 amino acids of spike protein of SARS-CoV, respectively. Identification of antigenic epitope of spike protein of SARS-CoV could provide the basis for the development of immunity-based prophylactic, therapeutic, and diagnostic techniques for the control of severe acute respiratory syndrome.

positive: Structural basis of a shared antibody response to SARS-CoV-2. Molecular understanding of neutralizing antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 could accelerate vaccine design and drug discovery. We analyzed 294 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and found that IGHV3-53 is the most frequently used IGHV gene for targeting the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. Co-crystal structures of two IGHV3-53 neutralizing antibodies with RBD, with or without Fab CR3022, at 2.33 to 3.20 Å resolution revealed that the germline-encoded residues dominate recognition of the ACE2 binding site. This binding mode limits the IGHV3-53 antibodies to short CDR H3 loops, but accommodates light-chain diversity. These IGHV3-53 antibodies show minimal affinity maturation and high potency, which is promising for vaccine design. Knowledge of these structural motifs and binding mode should facilitate design of antigens that elicit this type of neutralizing response.

positive: nSynergistic antiviral effect of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin in combination against SARS-CoV-2: what molecular dynamics studies of virus-host interactions reveal The emergence of SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for a global pandemic disease referred to as coronavirus disease 19 (Covid-19). Hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin combination therapy is currently tested for curing Covid-19, with promising results. However, the molecular mechanism of action of this combination is not established yet. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations we show that both drugs act in synergy to prevent any close contact between the virus and the plasma membrane of host cells. We reveal unexpected molecular similarity between azithromycin and the sugar moiety of GM1, a lipid raft ganglioside acting as a host attachment cofactor for respiratory viruses. Due to this mimicry, azithromycin interacts with the ganglioside-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This binding site shared by azithromycin and GM1 displays a conserved amino acid triad Q-134/F-135/N-137 located at the tip of the spike protein. We also show that hydroxychloroquine molecules can saturate virus attachment sites on gangliosides in the vicinity of the primary coronavirus receptor ACE-2. Taken together, these data show that azithromycin is directed against the virus, whereas hydroxychloroquine is directed against cellular attachment cofactors. We conclude that both drugs act as competitive inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 attachment to the host cell membrane. This is consistent with a synergistic antiviral mechanism at the plasma membrane level, where the most efficient therapeutic intervention probably stands. This molecular mechanism may explain the beneficial effects of hydroxychloroquine/azithromycin combination therapy in patients with Covid-19. Incidentally, our data suggest that the conserved Q-134/F-135/N-137 triad could be considered as a target for vaccine strategies.

positive: Protocol and Reagents for Pseudotyping Lentiviral Particles with SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein for Neutralization Assays SARS-CoV-2 enters cells using its Spike protein, which is also the main target of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, assays to measure how antibodies and sera affect Spike-mediated viral infection are important for studying immunity. Because SARS-CoV-2 is a biosafety-level-3 virus, one way to simplify such assays is to pseudotype biosafety-level-2 viral particles with Spike. Such pseudotyping has now been described for single-cycle lentiviral, retroviral, and vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) particles, but the reagents and protocols are not widely available. Here, we detailed how to effectively pseudotype lentiviral particles with SARS-CoV-2 Spike and infect 293T cells engineered to express the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2. We also made all the key experimental reagents available in the BEI Resources repository of ATCC and the NIH. Furthermore, we demonstrated how these pseudotyped lentiviral particles could be used to measure the neutralizing activity of human sera or plasma against SARS-CoV-2 in convenient luciferase-based assays, thereby providing a valuable complement to ELISA-based methods that measure antibody binding rather than neutralization.

positive: Immunological, structural, and preliminary X-ray diffraction characterizations of the fusion core of the SARS-coronavirus spike protein Abstract The SARS-CoV spike protein, a glycoprotein essential for viral entry, is a primary target for vaccine and drug development. Two peptides denoted HR-N(SN50) and HR-C(SC40), corresponding to the Leu/Ile/Val-rich heptad-repeat regions from the N-terminal and C-terminal segments of the SARS-CoV spike S2 sequence, respectively, were synthesized and predicted to form trimeric assembly of hairpin-like structures. The polyclonal antibodies produced by recombinant S2 protein were tested for antigenicity of the two heptad repeats. We report here the first crystallographic study of the SARS spike HR-N/HR-C complex. The crystal belongs to the triclinic space group P1 and the data-set collected to 2.98Å resolution showed noncrystallographic pseudo-222 and 3-fold symmetries. Based on these data, comparative modeling of the SARS-CoV fusion core was performed. The immunological and structural information presented herein may provide a more detailed understanding of the viral fusion mechanism as well as the development of effective therapy against SARS-CoV infection.

positive: Shielding and Beyond: The Roles of Glycans in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in more than 7,000,000 infections and 400,000 deaths worldwide to date. Antibody development efforts mainly revolve around the extensively glycosylated SARSCoV-2 spike (S) protein, which mediates the host cell entry by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In the context of vaccine design, similar to many other viruses, the SARS-CoV-2 spike utilizes a glycan shield to thwart the host immune response. Here, we built a full-length model of glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 S protein, both in the open and closed states, augmenting the available structural and biological data. Multiple microsecond-long, all-atom molecular dynamics simulations were used to provide an atomistic perspective on the glycan shield and the protein structure, stability, and dynamics. End-to-end accessibility analyses outline a complete overview of the vulnerabilities of the glycan shield of SARS-CoV-2 S protein, which can be harnessed for vaccine development. In addition, a dynamic analysis of the main antibody epitopes is provided. Finally, beyond shielding, a possible structural role of N-glycans at N165 and N234 is hypothesized to modulate and stabilize the conformational dynamics of the spike’s receptor binding domain, which is responsible for ACE2 recognition. Overall, this work presents hitherto unseen functional and structural insights into the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and its glycan coat, which may be exploited by therapeutic efforts targeting this essential molecular machine.

positive: Evolutionary relationships and sequence‐structure determinants in human SARS coronavirus‐2 spike proteins for host receptor recognition Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is a pandemic infectious disease caused by novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS CoV‐2). The SARS CoV‐2 is transmitted more rapidly and readily than SARS CoV. Both, SARS CoV and SARS CoV‐2 via their glycosylated spike proteins recognize the human angiotensin converting enzyme‐2 (ACE‐2) receptor. We generated multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees for representative spike proteins of SARS CoV and SARS CoV‐2 from various host sources in order to analyze the specificity in SARS CoV‐2 spike proteins required for causing infection in humans. Our results show that among the genomes analysed, two sequence regions in the N‐terminal domain (NTD); "MESEFR" and "SYLTPG" are specific to human SARS CoV‐2. In the receptor binding domain (RBD), two sequence regions; "VGGNY" and "EIYQAGSTPCNGV" and a disulfide bridge connecting 480C and 488C in the extended loop are structural determinants for the recognition of human ACE‐2 receptor. The complete genome analysis of representative SARS CoVs from bat, civet, human host sources and human SARS CoV‐2 identified the bat genome (GenBank code: MN996532.1) as closest to the recent novel human SARS CoV‐2 genomes. The bat SARS CoV genomes (GenBank codes: MG772933 and MG772934) are evolutionary intermediates in the mutagenesis progression towards becoming human SARS CoV‐2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

positive: In Silico Computational Screening of Kabasura Kudineer - Official Siddha Formulation and JACOM against SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein BACKGROUND: Siddha Medicine is a valuable therapeutic choice which is classically used for treating viral respiratory infections, this principle of medicine is proven to contain antiviral compounds. OBJECTIVE: The study is aimed to execute the In Silico computational studies of Phytoconstituents of Siddha Official Formulation Kabasura Kudineer and Novel Herbal Preparation - JACOM which are commonly used in treating viral fever and respiratory infectious diseases and could be affective against the ongoing pandemic novel coronavirus disease SARS-CoV-2. METHOD: Cresset Flare software was used for Molecular Docking studies against the Spike Protein SARS-COV-2 (PDB ID: 6VSB). Further, we also conducted In Silico prediction studies on the pharmacokinetics (ADME) properties and the safety profile in order to identify the best drug candidates by using online pkCSM and SwissADME web servers. RESULTS: Totally 37 compounds were screened, of these 9 compounds showed high binding affinity against SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein. All the Phytoconstituents were free from carcinogenic and tumorigenic properties. Based on these, we proposed the new formulation called as “SNACK–V” CONCLUSION: Based on further experiments and clinical trials, these formulations could be used for effective treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Reasoning of spike glycoproteins being more vulnerable to mutations among 158 coronavirus proteins from different species In this study, we used the probabilistic models developed by us over the last several years to analyze 158 proteins from coronaviruses in order to determine which protein is more vulnerable to mutations. The results provide three lines of evidence suggesting that the spike glycoprotein is different from the other coronavirus proteins: (1) the spike glycoprotein is more sensitive to mutations, this is the current state of the spike glycoprotein, (2) the spike glycoprotein has undergone more mutations in the past, this is the history of spike glycoprotein, and (3) the spike glycoprotein has a bigger potential towards future mutations, this is the future of spike glycoprotein. Furthermore, this study gives a clue on the species susceptibility regarding different proteins. Figure Predictable and unpredictable portions in coronavirus proteins. The data are presented as median with interquartile range. * the predictable and unpredictable portions in spike glycoprotein group are statistically different from any other protein groups at p<0.05 level, except for hemagglutinin-esterase precursor group. # the predictable and unpredictable portions in spike glycoprotein group are statistically different from hemagglutinin-esterase precursor, membrane protein and nucleocapsid protein groups at p<0.05 level. † the predictable and unpredictable portions in spike glycoprotein group are statistically different from hemagglutinin-esterase precursor, and membrane protein groups at p<0.05 level. Electronic Supplementary Material is available for this article if you access the article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00894-004-0210-0.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds heparan sulfate in a length- and sequence-dependent manner Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is causing an unprecedented global pandemic demanding the urgent development of therapeutic strategies. Microarray binding experiments using an extensive heparan sulfate (HS) oligosaccharide library showed the spike of SARS-CoV-2 can bind HS in a length- and sequence-dependent manner. Hexa- and octasaccharides composed of IdoA2S-GlcNS6S repeating units were identified as optimal ligands. Surface plasma resonance (SPR) showed the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binds with higher affinity to heparin (KD 55 nM) compared to the receptor binding domain (RBD, KD 1 µM) alone. An octasaccharide composed of IdoA2S-GlcNS6S could inhibit spike-heparin interaction with an IC50 of 38 nM. Our data supports a model in which the RBD of the spike of SARS-CoV-2 confers sequence specificity for HS expressed by target cells whereas an additional HS binding site in the S1/S2 proteolytic cleavage site enhances the avidity of binding. Collectively, our results highlight the potential of using HS oligosaccharides as a therapeutic agent by inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 binding to target cells.

positive: Comprehensive characterization of N- and O- glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 human receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 Emergence of COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 demanded development of new therapeutic strategies and thus the understanding the mode of viral attachment, entry and replication has become key aspect for such interventions. The coronavirus surface features a trimeric spike (S) protein that is essential in viral attachment, entry and membrane fusion. The S protein of SARS-CoV-2 binds to the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) for the entry and the serine protease TMPRSS2 for S protein priming. The heavily glycosylated S protein is comprised of two protein subunits (S1 and S2), and the receptor binding domain within S1 subunit binds with to the hACE2 receptor. Even though hACE2 has been known for two decades and has been recognized as the entry point of several human coronaviruses, no comprehensive glycosylation characterization of hACE2 has been reported. Herein, we describe the quantitative glycosylation mapping on hACE2 expressed in human cells by both glycoproteomics and glycomics. We observed heavy glycan occupancy at all the seven possible N-glycosylation sites and surprisingly, detected three novel O-glycosylation sites. In order to deduce the detailed structure of glycan epitopes on hACE2 involved with viral binding, we have characterized the terminal sialic acid linkages, presence of bisecting GlcNAc and also the pattern of N-glycan fucosylation. We have conducted extensive manual interpretation of each glycopeptide and glycan spectra in addition to the use of bioinformatics tools to validate the hACE2 glycosylation. Elucidation of the site-specific glycosylation and its terminal orientations on the hACE2 receptor can aid in understanding the intriguing virus-receptor interactions and help in the development of novel therapeutics to circumvent the viral entry.

positive: Comparing the Binding Interactions in the Receptor Binding Domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV [Image: see text] SARS-CoV-2, since emerging in Wuhan, China, has been a major concern because of its high infection rate and has left more than six million infected people around the world. Many studies endeavored to reveal the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 compared to the SARS-CoV, in order to find solutions to suppress this high infection rate. Some of these studies showed that the mutations in the SARS-CoV spike (S) protein might be responsible for its higher affinity to the ACE2 human cell receptor. In this work, we used molecular dynamics simulations and Monte Carlo sampling to compare the binding affinities of the S proteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2. Our results show that the protein surface of the ACE2 at the receptor binding domain (RBD) exhibits negative electrostatic potential, while a positive potential is observed for the S proteins of SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the binding energies at the interface are slightly higher for SARS-CoV-2 because of enhanced electrostatic interactions. The major contributions to the electrostatic binding energies result from the salt bridges forming between R426 and ACE-2-E329 in the case of SARS-CoV and K417 and ACE2-D30 in the SARS-CoV-2. In addition, our results indicate that the enhancement in the binding energy is not due to a single mutant but rather because of the sophisticated structural changes induced by all these mutations together. This finding suggests that it is implausible for the SARS-CoV-2 to be a lab-engineered virus.

positive: Comprehensive annotations of the mutational spectra of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: a fast and accurate pipeline In order to explore nonsynonymous mutations and deletions in the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2, we comprehensively analyzed 35,750 complete S protein gene sequences from across six continents and five climate zones around the world, as documented in the GISAID database as of June 24th, 2020. Through a custom Python-based pipeline for analyzing mutations, we identified 27,801 (77.77 % of spike sequences) mutated strains compared to Wuhan-Hu-1 strain. 84.40% of these strains had only single amino-acid (aa) substitution mutations, but an outlier strain from Bosnia and Herzegovina (EPI_ISL_463893) was found to possess six aa substitutions. The D614G variant of the major G clade was found to be predominant across circulating strains in all climates. We also identified 988 unique aa substitution mutations distributed across 660 positions within the spike protein, with eleven sites showing high variability – these sites had four types of aa variations at each position. Besides, 17 in-frame deletions at four major regions (three in N-terminal domain and one just downstream of the RBD) may have possible impact on attenuation. Moreover, the mutational frequency differed significantly (p= 0.003, Kruskal–Wallis test) among the SARS-CoV-2 strains worldwide. This study presents a fast and accurate pipeline for identifying nonsynonymous mutations and deletions from large dataset for any particular protein coding sequence and presents this S protein data as representative analysis. By using separate multi-sequence alignment with MAFFT, removing ambiguous sequences and in-frame stop codons, and utilizing pairwise alignment, this method can derive nonsynonymus mutations (Reference:Position:Strain). We believe this will aid in the surveillance of any proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2, and will prove to be crucial in tracking the ever-increasing variation of many other divergent RNA viruses in the future.

positive: From SARS and MERS CoVs to SARS-CoV-2: Moving toward more biased codon usage in viral structural and nonstructural genes BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an emerging disease with fatal outcomes. In this study, a fundamental knowledge gap question is to be resolved by evaluating the differences in biological and pathogenic aspects of SARS-CoV-2 and the changes in SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with the two prior major COV epidemics, SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses. METHODS: The genome composition, nucleotide analysis, codon usage indices, relative synonymous codons usage, and effective number of codons (ENc) were analyzed in the four structural genes; Spike (S), Envelope (E), membrane (M), and Nucleocapsid (N) genes, and two of the most important nonstructural genes comprising RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, Beta-CoV from pangolins, bat SARS, MERS, and SARS CoVs. RESULTS: SARS-CoV-2 prefers pyrimidine rich codons to purines. Most high-frequency codons were ending with A or T, while the low frequency and rare codons were ending with G or C. SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins showed 5 to 20 lower ENc values, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoVs. This implies higher codon bias and higher gene expression efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins. SARS-CoV-2 encoded the highest number of over-biased and negatively biased codons. Pangolin Beta-CoV showed little differences with SARS-CoV-2 ENc values, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoV. CONCLUSION: Extreme bias and lower ENc values of SARS-CoV-2, especially in Spike, Envelope, and Mpro genes, are suggestive for higher gene expression efficiency, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoVs.

positive: Review of COVID-19 Antibody Therapies Under the global health emergency caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), efficient and specific therapies are urgently needed. Compared with traditional small-molecular drugs, antibody therapies are relatively easy to develop and as specific as vaccines in targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and thus attract much attention in the past few months. This work reviews seven existing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein with three-dimensional (3D) structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Five antibody structures associated with SARS-CoV are evaluated for their potential in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. The interactions of these antibodies with the S protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) are compared with those of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and RBD complexes. Due to the orders of magnitude in the discrepancies of experimental binding affinities, we introduce topological data analysis (TDA), a variety of network models, and deep learning to analyze the binding strength and therapeutic potential of the aforementioned fourteen antibody-antigen complexes. The current COVID-19 antibody clinical trials, which are not limited to the S protein target, are also reviewed.

positive: A Multibasic Cleavage Site in the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Is Essential for Infection of Human Lung Cells Summary The pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 threatens public health worldwide. The viral spike protein mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells and harbors a S1/S2 cleavage site containing multiple arginine residues (multibasic) not found in closely related animal coronaviruses. However, the role of this multibasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. Here, we report that the cellular protease furin cleaves the spike protein at the S1/S2 site and that cleavage is essential for S-protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and entry into human lung cells. Moreover, optimizing the S1/S2 site increased cell-cell, but not virus-cell, fusion, suggesting that the corresponding viral variants might exhibit increased cell-cell spread and potentially altered virulence. Our results suggest that acquisition of a S1/S2 multibasic cleavage site was essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection of humans and identify furin as a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

positive: Composition and divergence of coronavirus spike proteins and host ACE2 receptors predict potential intermediate hosts of SARS‐CoV‐2 From the beginning of 2002 and 2012, severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) crossed the species barriers to infect humans, causing thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths, respectively. Currently, a novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2), which has become the cause of the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19), was discovered. Until 18 February 2020, there were 72 533 confirmed COVID‐19 cases (including 10 644 severe cases) and 1872 deaths in China. SARS‐CoV‐2 is spreading among the public and causing substantial burden due to its human‐to‐human transmission. However, the intermediate host of SARS‐CoV‐2 is still unclear. Finding the possible intermediate host of SARS‐CoV‐2 is imperative to prevent further spread of the epidemic. In this study, we used systematic comparison and analysis to predict the interaction between the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of coronavirus spike protein and the host receptor, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The interaction between the key amino acids of S protein RBD and ACE2 indicated that, other than pangolins and snakes, as previously suggested, turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii, Chelonia mydas, and Pelodiscus sinensis) may act as the potential intermediate hosts transmitting SARS‐CoV‐2 to humans.

positive: The MERS-CoV receptor DPP4 as a candidate binding target of the SARS-CoV-2 spike SUMMARY The ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia COVID-19 has caused great number of cases and deaths, but our understanding about the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unclear. The attachment of the virus with the cell-surface receptor and a co-factor is the first step for the infection. Here, bioinformatics approaches combining human-virus protein interaction prediction and protein docking based on crystal structures have revealed the high affinity between human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) and the spike (S) receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Intriguingly, the crucial binding residues of DPP4 are identical to those as bound to the MERS-CoV-S. Moreover, E484 insertion and adjacent substitutions should be most essential for this DPP4-binding ability acquirement of SARS-CoV-2-S compared with SARS-CoV-S. This potential utilization of DPP4 as a binding target for SARS-CoV-2 may offer novel insight into the viral pathogenesis, and help the surveillance and therapeutics strategy for meeting the challenge of COVID-19.

positive: Optimizing high-yield production of SARS-CoV-2 soluble spike trimers for serology assays The SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer is the primary antigen for several serology assays critical to determining the extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the population. Until stable cell lines are developed to increase the titer of this secreted protein in mammalian cell culture, the low yield of spike protein produced from transient transfection of HEK293 cells will be a limiting factor for these assays. To improve the yield of spike protein and support the high demand for antigens in serology assays, we investigated several recombinant protein expression variables by altering the incubation temperature, harvest time, chromatography strategy, and final protein manipulation. Through this investigation, we developed a simplified and robust purification strategy that consistently yields 5 mg of protein per liter of expression culture for two commonly used forms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We show that these proteins form well-behaved stable trimers and are consistently functional in serology assays across multiple protein production lots.

positive: Impact of Thiol–Disulfide Balance on the Binding of Covid-19 Spike Protein with Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 Receptor [Image: see text] The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which started in 2019. This is a member of Coronaviridae family in the genus Betacoronavirus, which also includes SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the functional receptor for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host cells. In particular, the interaction of viral spike proteins with ACE2 is a critical step in the viral replication cycle. The receptor-binding domain of the viral spike proteins and ACE2 have several cysteine residues. In this study, the role of thiol–disulfide balance on the interactions between SARS-CoV/CoV-2 spike proteins and ACE2 was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The study revealed that the binding affinity was significantly impaired when all of the disulfide bonds of both ACE2 and SARS-CoV/CoV-2 spike proteins were reduced to thiol groups. The impact on the binding affinity was less severe when the disulfide bridges of only one of the binding partners were reduced to thiols. This computational finding possibly provides a molecular basis for the differential COVID-19 cellular recognition due to the oxidative stress.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 Receptor Binding Domain undergoes Conformational Change upon Interaction with Low Molecular Weight Heparins The dependence of the host on the interaction of hundreds of extracellular proteins with the cell surface glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate (HS) for the regulation of homeostasis is exploited by many microbial pathogens as a means of adherence and invasion. The closely related polysaccharide heparin, the widely used anticoagulant drug, which is structurally similar to HS and is a common experimental proxy, can be expected to mimic the properties of HS. Heparin prevents infection by a range of viruses when added exogenously, including S-associated coronavirus strain HSR1 and inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2. We have previously demonstrated that unfractionated heparin binds to the Spike (S1) protein receptor binding domain, induces a conformational change and have reported the structural features of heparin on which this interaction depends. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that enoxaparin, a low molecular weight clinical anticoagulant, also binds the S1 RBD protein and induces conformational change. Here we expand upon these studies, to a wide range of low molecular weight heparins and demonstrate that they induce a variety of conformational changes in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. These findings may have further implications for the rapid development of a first-line therapeutic by repurposing low molecular weight heparins, as well as for next-generation, tailor-made, GAG-based antiviral agents, against SARS-CoV-2 and other members of the Coronaviridae.

positive: Structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and prediction of the human interactome Specific elements of viral genomes regulate interactions within host cells. Here, we calculated the secondary structure content of>2500 coronaviruses and computed>100000 human protein interactions with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We found that the 3 and 5 prime ends are the most structured elements in the viral genome and the 5 prime end has the strongest propensity to associate with human proteins. The domain encompassing nucleotides 23000-24000 is highly conserved both at the sequence and structural level, while the region upstream varies significantly. These two sequences code for a domain of the viral protein Spike S that interacts with the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and has the potential to bind sialic acids. Our predictions indicate that the first 1000 nucleotides in the 5 prime end can interact with proteins involved in viral RNA processing such as double-stranded RNA specific editases and ATP-dependent RNA-helicases, in addition to other high-confidence candidate partners. These interactions, previously reported to be also implicated in HIV, reveal important information on host-virus interactions. The list of transcriptional and post-transcriptional elements recruited by SARS-CoV-2 genome provides clues on the biological pathways associated with gene expression changes in human cells.

positive: Phylogenetic Analysis and Structural Modeling of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Reveals an Evolutionary Distinct and Proteolytically Sensitive Activation Loop The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2) originally arose as part of a major outbreak of respiratory disease centered on Hubei province, China. It is now a global pandemic and is a major public health concern. Taxonomically, SARS-CoV-2 was shown to be a Betacoronavirus (lineage B) closely related to SARS-CoV and SARS-related bat coronaviruses, and it has been reported to share a common receptor with SARS-CoV (ACE-2). Subsequently, betacoronaviruses from pangolins were identified as close relatives to SARS-CoV-2. Here, we perform structural modeling of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Our data provide support for the similar receptor utilization between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, despite a relatively low amino acid similarity in the receptor binding module. Compared to SARS-CoV and all other coronaviruses in Betacoronavirus lineage B, we identify an extended structural loop containing basic amino acids at the interface of the receptor binding (S1) and fusion (S2) domains. We suggest this loop confers fusion activation and entry properties more in line with betacoronaviruses in lineages A and C, and be a key component in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 with this structural loop affecting virus stability and transmission.

positive: SARS‐CoV‐2 viral spike G614 mutation exhibits higher case fatality rate AIM: The COVID pandemic is caused by infection with the SARS‐CoV‐2 virus. The major mutation detected to date in the SARS‐CoV‐2 viral envelope spike protein, which is responsible for virus attachment to the host and is also the main target for host antibodies, is a mutation of an aspartate (D) at position 614 found frequently in Chinese strains to a glycine (G). We sought to infer health impact of this mutation. RESULT: Increased case fatality rate correlated strongly with the proportion of viruses bearing G614 on a country by country basis. The amino acid at position 614 occurs at an internal protein interface of the viral spike, and the presence of G at this position was calculated to destabilize a specific conformation of the viral spike, within which the key host receptor binding site is more accessible. CONCLUSION: These results imply that G614 is a more pathogenic strain of SARS‐CoV‐2, which may influence vaccine design. The prevalence of this form of the virus should also be included in epidemiologic models predicting the COVID‐19 health burden and fatality over time in specific regions. Physicians should be aware of this characteristic of the virus to anticipate the clinical course of infection.

positive: Dynamical asymmetry exposes 2019-nCoV prefusion spike The novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) spike protein is a smart molecular machine that instigates the entry of coronavirus to the host cell causing the COVID-19 pandemic. In this study, a structural-topology based model Hamiltonian of C3 symmetric trimeric spike is developed to explore its complete conformational energy landscape using molecular dynamic simulations. The study finds 2019-nCoV to adopt a unique strategy by undertaking a dynamic conformational asymmetry induced by a few unique inter-chain interactions. This results in two prevalent asymmetric structures of spike where one or two spike heads lifted up undergoing a dynamic transition likely to enhance rapid recognition of the host-cell receptor turning on its high-infectivity. The crucial interactions identified in this study are anticipated to potentially affect the efficacy of therapeutic targets. One Sentence Summary Inter-chain-interaction driven rapid symmetry breaking strategy adopted by the prefusion trimeric spike protein likely to make 2019-nCoV highly infective.

positive: Elucidation of Cellular Targets and Exploitation of the Receptor Binding Domain of SARS‐CoV‐2 for vaccine and monoclonal antibody synthesis The pandemic caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV‐2) has resulted in over 452,822 deaths in the first twenty days of June 2020 due to the coronavirus virus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The SARS‐CoV‐2 uses the host angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to gain entry inside the human cells where it replicates by using the cell protein synthesis mechanisms. The knowledge of the tissue distribution of ACE2 in human organs is therefore important to predict the clinical course of the COVID‐19. Also important is the understanding of the viral receptor‐binding domain (RBD) a region within the spike (S) proteins that enable the entry of the virus into the host cells to synthesize vaccine and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We performed an exhaustive search of human protein databases to establish the tissues that express ACE2 and performed an in‐depth analysis like sequence alignments and homology modeling of the spike protein (S) of the SARS‐CoV‐2 to identify antigenic regions in the RBD that can be exploited to synthesize vaccine and mAbs. Our results show that ACE2 is widely expressed in human organs that may explain the pulmonary, systemic, and neurological deficits seen in COVID‐19 patients. We show that though the S protein of the SARS‐CoV‐2 is a homolog of S protein of SARS‐CoV‐1, it has regions of dissimilarities in the RBD and transmembrane segments. We show peptide sequences in the RBD of SARS‐CoV‐2 that can bind to the MHC alleles and serve as effective epitopes for vaccine and mAbs synthesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

positive: Considerations around the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein with particular attention to COVID-19 brain infection and neurological symptoms. Spike protein (S protein) is the virus 'key' to infect cells being able to strongly bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2), as it has been reported. In fact, Spike structure and function is known to be highly important for cell infection as well as entering the brain. Growing evidence indicates that different types of coronaviruses not only affect the respiratory system, but they might also invade the central nervous system (CNS). However, very few evidence have been so far reported on the presence of COVID-19 in the brain and the potential exploitation, by this virus, of lung to brain axis to reach neurons has not completely understood. In this article we assessed the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein sequence, structure and electrostatic potential using computational approaches. Our results showed that the S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV are highly similar, sharing a sequence identity of 77%. In addition, we found that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein is slightly more positively charged than that of SARS-CoV since it contains four more positively charged residues and five less negatively charged residues which may lead to an increased affinity to bind to negatively charged regions of other molecules through non-specific and specific interactions. Analyzing of the S protein binds to the host ACE2 receptor showed a 30% higher binding energy for SARS-CoV-2 than the SARS-CoV S protein. These results might be useful for understanding the mechanism of cell entry, blood brain barrier crossing and clinical features related to the CNS infection by SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Identification of a minimal peptide derived from heptad repeat (HR) 2 of spike protein of SARS-CoV and combination of HR1-derived peptides as fusion inhibitors Abstract The heptad repeats (HR1 and HR2) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV are highly conserved regions forming a critical 6-helix bundle during the fusion step of virus entry and are attractive targets of entry inhibitors. In this study, we report that a minimal HR2 peptide, P6 of 23-mer, can block the fusion of SARS-CoV with an IC50 of 1.04±0.22μM. This finding supports the structural prediction of the deep groove of HR1 trimer as a target for fusion inhibitors, and suggests P6 as a potential lead peptide for future drug development. Moreover, combination of an HR-1 peptide, N46, and its mutated version, N46eg, shows synergistic inhibition with an IC50 of 1.39±0.05μM and combination index of 0.75±0.15, suggesting a common strategy to achieve promising inhibition by HR1 peptide for other class I envelope viruses.

positive: Design of engineered surfaces for prospective detection of Sars-CoV-2 using quartz crystal microbalance based techniques INTRODUCTION: Rapid transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has affected the whole world and forced it to a halt (lockdown). A fast and label free detection method for the novel coronavirus needs to be developed along with the existing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based methods. AREAS COVERED: In this report, biophysical aspects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein are outlined based on its recent reported electron microscopy structure. Protein binding sites are analyzed theoretically, which consisted of hydrophobic and positive charged amino acid residues. Different strategies to form mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of hydrophobic (CH3) and negatively charged (COOH) groups are discussed to be used for the specific and strong interactions with spike protein. Bio-interfacial interactions between the spike protein and device (sensor) surface and its implications towards designing suitable engineered surfaces are summarized. EXPERT OPINION: Implementation of the engineered surfaces in quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) based detection techniques for the diagnosis of the novel coronavirus from oral swab samples is highlighted. The proposed strategy can be explored for the label free and real time detection with sensitivity up to ng level. These engineered surfaces can be reused after desorption.

positive: Structural insight into the putative role of novel SARS CoV-2 E protein in viral infection: a potential target for LAV development and therapeutic strategies The outbreak of COVID-19 across the world has posed unprecedented and global challenges on multiple fronts. Most of the vaccine and drug development has focused on the spike proteins and viral RNA-polymerases. Using the bioinformatics and structural modeling approach, we modeled the structure of the envelope (E)-protein of novel SARS-CoV-2. The E-protein of this virus shares sequence similarity with that of SARS-CoV-1, and is highly conserved in the N-terminal regions. Incidentally, compared to spike proteins, E proteins demonstrate lower disparity and mutability among the isolated sequences. Using homology modeling, we found that the most favorable structure could function as a gated proton channel. Combining pocket estimation and docking with water, we determined that GLU 8 and ASN 15 in the N-terminal region were in close proximity to form H-bonds. Additionally, two distinct “core” structures were visible, the hydrophobic core and the central core, which may regulate the opening/closing of the channel. We propose this as a mechanism of viral proton channeling activity which may play a critical role in viral infection. In addition, it provides a structural basis and additional avenues for LAV development and generating therapeutic interventions against the virus. Significance Statement Structural modeling of the novel SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein (E-protein) demonstrating its possible proton channeling activity

positive: Liquified protein vibrations, classification and cross-paradigm de novo image generation using deep neural networks In recent work we reported the vibrational spectrum of more than 100,000 known protein structures, and a self-consistent sonification method to render the spectrum in the audible range of frequencies (Extreme Mechanics Letters, 2019). Here we present a method to transform these molecular vibrations into materialized vibrations of thin water films using acoustic actuators, leading to complex patterns of surface waves, and using the resulting macroscopic images in further processing using deep convolutional neural networks. Specifically, the patterns of water surface waves for each protein structure is used to build training sets for neural networks, aimed to classify and further process the patterns. Once trained, the neural network model is capable of discerning different proteins solely by analyzing the macroscopic surface wave patterns in the water film. Not only can the method distinguish different types of proteins (e.g. alpha-helix vs hybrids of alpha-helices and beta-sheets), but it is also capable of determining different folding states of the same protein, or the binding events of proteins to ligands. Using the DeepDream algorithm, instances of key features of the deep neural network can be made visible in a range of images, allowing us to explore the inner workings of protein surface wave patter neural networks, as well as the creation of new images by finding and highlighting features of protein molecular spectra in a range of photographic input. The integration of the water-focused realization of cymatics, combined with neural networks and especially generative methods, offer a new direction to realize materiomusical"Inceptionism"as a possible direction in nano-inspired art. The method could have applications for detecting different protein structures, the effect of mutations, or uses in medical imaging and diagnostics, with broad impact in nano-to-macro transitions.

positive: A potential role for integrins in host cell entry by SARS-CoV-2 • Integrin may act as an alternative receptor for SARS-CoV-2 and could be implicated in its transmission and pathology. • The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 acquired a RGD motif known to bind integrins. This motif is absent from other coronaviruses. • The integrin-binding motif is present at the surface of the spike protein, close to the ACE2 receptor-binding region. • Integrin binding may be a promising therapeutics target, and should be tested experimentally.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Seroconversion in Humans: A Detailed Protocol for a Serological Assay, Antigen Production, and Test Setup In late 2019, cases of atypical pneumonia were detected in China. The etiological agent was quickly identified as a betacoronavirus (named SARS-CoV-2), which has since caused a pandemic. Several methods allowing for the specific detection of viral nucleic acids have been established, but these only allow detection of the virus during a short period of time, generally during acute infection. Serological assays are urgently needed to conduct serosurveys, to understand the antibody responses mounted in response to the virus, and to identify individuals who are potentially immune to re-infection. Here we describe a detailed protocol for expression of antigens derived from the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that can serve as a substrate for immunological assays, as well as a two-stage serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These assays can be used for research studies and for testing in clinical laboratories. © 2020 The Authors. Basic Protocol 1: Mammalian cell transfection and protein purification Basic Protocol 2: A two-stage ELISA for high-throughput screening of human serum samples for antibodies binding to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Computational methods to develop potential neutralizing antibody Fab region against SARS-CoV-2 as therapeutic and diagnostic tool SARS-CoV-2, a global pandemic originated from Wuhan city of China in the month of December 2019. There is an urgency to identify potential antibodies to neutralize the virus and also as a diagnostic tool candidate. At present palliative treatments using existing antiviral drugs are under trails to treat SARS-CoV-2.Whole Genome sequence of Wuhan market sample of SARS-CoV-2 was obtained from NCBI Gene ID MN908947.3.Spike protein sequence PDB ID 6VSB obtained from RCSB database. Spike protein sequence had shown top V gene match with IGLV1-44*01, IGLV1-47*02 and has VL type chain. Whole Genome sequence had shown top V gene match with IGHV1-38-4*01 and has VH type chain. VD chain had shown link to allele HLA-A0206 80%, HLA-A0217 80%, HLA-A2301 75%, HLA-A0203 75%, HLA-A0202 70% and HLA-A0201 55% of binding levels. Some conserved regions of spike protein had shown strong binding affinity with HLA-A-0*201, HLA-A24, HLA-B-5701 and HLA-B-5703 alpha chains. Synthetic Fab construct BCR type antibody IgG (CR5840) had shown Polyspecific binding activity with spike glycoprotein when compared with available Anti-SARS antibody CR3022.Thus we propose CR5840 Fab constructed antibody as potential neutralizing antibody for SARS-CoV-2. Based on germline analysis we also propose cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitope peptide selective system as effective tool for the development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.

positive: COVID-19: Drug Targets and Potential Treatments [Image: see text] Currently, humans are immersed in a pandemic caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which threatens public health worldwide. To date, no drug or vaccine has been approved to treat the severe disease caused by this coronavirus, COVID-19. In this paper, we will focus on the main virus-based and host-based targets that can guide efforts in medicinal chemistry to discover new drugs for this devastating disease. In principle, all CoV enzymes and proteins involved in viral replication and the control of host cellular machineries are potentially druggable targets in the search for therapeutic options for SARS-CoV-2. This Perspective provides an overview of the main targets from a structural point of view, together with reported therapeutic compounds with activity against SARS-CoV-2 and/or other CoVs. Also, the role of innate immune response to coronavirus infection and the related therapeutic options will be presented.

positive: Linear epitope landscape of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein constructed from 1,051 COVID-19 patients Neutralization antibodies and vaccines for treating COVID-19 are desperately needed. For precise development of antibodies and vaccines, the key is to understand which part of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein is highly immunogenic on a systematic way. We generate a linear epitope landscape of Spike protein by analyzing serum IgG response of 1,051 COVID-19 patients with a peptide microarray. We reveal two regions that rich of linear epitopes, i.e., CTD and a region close to the S2' cleavage site and fusion peptide. Unexpectedly, we find RBD is lack of linear epitope. Besides 3 moderate immunogenic peptides from RBD, 16 highly immunogenic peptides from other regions of Spike protein are determined. These peptides could serve as the base for precise development of antibodies and vaccines for COVID-19 on a systematic level.

positive: Is SARS-CoV-2 originated from laboratory? A rebuttal to the claim of formation via laboratory recombination

positive: A neutralizing human antibody binds to the N-terminal domain of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Developing therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 could be guided by the distribution of epitopes, not only on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein, but also across the full Spike (S) protein. We isolated and characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from ten convalescent COVID-19 patients. Three mAbs showed neutralizing activities against authentic SARS-CoV-2. An mAb, named 4A8, exhibits high neutralization potency against both authentic and pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2, but does not bind the RBD. We defined the epitope of 4A8 as the N terminal domain (NTD) of the S protein by determining its cryo-EM structure in complex with the S protein to an overall resolution of 3.1 Angstrom and local resolution of 3.3 Angstrom for the 4A8-NTD interface. This points to the NTD as a promising target for therapeutic mAbs against COVID-19.

positive: Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike S1-Fc fusion protein induced high levels of neutralizing responses in nonhuman primates Abstract The COVID-19 outbreak has become a global pandemic responsible for over 2,000,000 confirmed cases and over 126,000 deaths worldwide. In this study, we examined the immunogenicity of CHO-expressed recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc fusion protein in mice, rabbits, and monkeys as a potential candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine. We demonstrate that the S1-Fc fusion protein is extremely immunogenic, as evidenced by strong antibody titers observed by day 7. Strong virus neutralizing activity was observed on day 14 in rabbits immunized with the S1-Fc fusion protein using a pseudovirus neutralization assay. Most importantly, in less than 20 days and three injections of the S1-Fc fusion protein, two monkeys developed higher virus neutralizing titers than a recovered COVID-19 patient in a live SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Our data strongly suggests that the CHO-expressed SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc recombinant protein could be a strong candidate for vaccine development against COVID-19.

positive: Receptor-binding domain of SARS-Cov spike protein: soluble expression in E. coli, purification and functional characterization. AIM Spike protein of coronavirus is responsible for virus binding, fusion and entry, and is a major inducer of neutralizing antibodies. This paper was to find a soluble and functional recombinant receptor-binding domain of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-Cov), and to analyze its receptor binding ability. METHODS Three fusion tags (glutathione S-transferase, GST; thioredoxin, Trx; maltose-binding protein, MBP), which preferably contributes to increasing solubility and to facilitating the proper folding of heteroprotein, were used to acquire the soluble and functional expression of RBD protein in Escherichia coli (BL21(DE3) and Rosetta-gamiB(DE3) strains). The receptor binding ability of the purified soluble RBD protein was then detected by ELISA and flow cytometry assay. RESULTS RBD of SARS-Cov spike protein was expressed as inclusion body when fused as TrxA tag form in both BL21 (DE3) and Rosetta-gamiB (DE3) under many different cultures and induction conditions. And there was no visible expression band on SDS-PAGE when RBD was expressed as MBP tagged form. Only GST tagged RBD was soluble expressed in BL21(DE3), and the protein was purified by AKTA Prime Chromatography system. The ELISA data showed that GST/RBD antigen had positive reaction with anti-RBD mouse monoclonal antibody 1A5. Further flow cytometry assay demonstrated the high efficiency of RBD's binding ability to ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) positive Vero E6 cell. And ACE2 was proved as a cellular receptor that meditated an initial-affinity interaction with SARS-Cov spike protein. The geometrical mean of GST and GST/RBD binding to Vero E6 cells were 77.08 and 352.73 respectively. CONCLUSION In this paper, we get sufficient soluble N terminal GST tagged RBD protein expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3); data from ELISA and flow cytometry assay demonstrate that the recombinant protein is functional and binding to ACE2 positive Vero E6 cell efficiently. And the recombinant RBD derived from E.coli can be used to developing subunit vaccine to block S protein binding with receptor and to neutralizing SARS-Cov infection.

positive: Delving deep into the structural aspects of a furin cleavage site inserted into the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2: A structural biophysical perspective One notable feature of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 has a polybasic furin cleavage site (FCS) at its S1-S2 boundary through the insertion of 12 nucleotides encoding four amino acid residues PRRA. Quite intriguingly, this polybasic FCS is absent in coronaviruses of the same clade as SARS-CoV-2. Thus, with currently available experimental structural data for S protein, this short article presents a set of comprehensive structural characterization of the insertion of FCS into S protein, and argues against a hypothesis of the origin of SARS-CoV-2 from purposeful manipulation: (1), the inserted FCS is spatially located at a random coil loop region, mostly distantly solvent-exposed (instead of deeply buried), with no structural proximity to the other part of the S protein; (2), the insertion of FCS itself does not alter, neither stabilize nor de-stabilize, the three-dimensional structure of S; (3), the net result here is the insertion of a furin cleavage site into S protein, whose S1 and S2 subunits will still be strongly electrostatically bonded together from a structural and biophysical point of view, even if the polybasic FCS is actually cleaved by furin protease before or after viral cell entry.

positive: Potent Neutralizing Monoclonal Antibodies Directed to Multiple Epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic rages on with devasting consequences on human lives and the global economy. The discovery and development of virus-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies could be one approach to treat or prevent infection by this novel coronavirus. Here we report the isolation of 61 SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing monoclonal antibodies from 5 infected patients hospitalized with severe disease. Among these are 19 antibodies that potently neutralized the authentic SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, 9 of which exhibited exquisite potency, with 50% virus-inhibitory concentrations of 1 to 9 ng/mL. Epitope mapping showed this collection of 19 antibodies to be about equally divided between those directed to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and those to the N-terminal domain (NTD), indicating that both of these regions at the top of the viral spike are quite immunogenic. In addition, two other powerful neutralizing antibodies recognized quaternary epitopes that are overlapping with the domains at the top of the spike. Cyro-electron microscopy structures of one antibody targeting RBD, a second targeting NTD, and a third bridging RBD and NTD revealed recognition of the closed, “all RBD-down” conformation of the spike. Several of these monoclonal antibodies are promising candidates for clinical development as potential therapeutic and/or prophylactic agents against SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Identification of a druggable binding pocket in the spike protein reveals a key site for existing drugs potentially capable of combating Covid-19 infectivity BACKGROUND: Following the recent outbreak of the new coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19), the rapid determination of the structure of the homo-trimeric spike glycoprotein has prompted the study reported here. The aims were to identify potential “druggable” binding pockets in the protein and, if located, to virtual screen pharmaceutical agents currently in use for predicted affinity to these pockets which might be useful to restrict, reduce, or inhibit the infectivity of the virion. RESULTS: Our analyses of this structure have revealed a key potentially druggable pocket where it might be viable to bind pharmaceutical agents to inhibit its ability to infect human cells. This pocket is found at the inter-chain interface that exists between two domains prior to the virion binding to human Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein. One of these domains is the highly mobile receptor binding domain, which must move into position to interact with ACE2, which is an essential feature for viral entry to the host cell. Virtual screening with a library of purchasable drug molecules has identified pharmaceuticals currently in use as prescription and over the counter medications that, in silico, readily bind into this pocket. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights possible drugs already in use as pharmaceuticals that may act as agents to interfere with the movements of the domains within this protein essential for the infectivity processes and hence might slow, or even halt, the infection of host cells by this new coronavirus. As these are existing pharmaceuticals already approved for use in humans, this knowledge could accelerate their roll-out, through repurposing, for affected individuals and help guide the efforts of other researchers in finding effective treatments for the disease.

positive: Structural Basis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Priming by TMPRSS2 Entry of SARS-CoV-2, etiological agent of COVID-19, in the host cell is driven by the interaction of its spike protein with human ACE2 receptor and a serine protease, TMPRSS2. Although complex between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2 has been structurally resolved, the molecular details of the SARS-CoV-2 and TMPRSS2 complex are still elusive. TMPRSS2 is responsible for priming of the viral spike protein that entails cleavage of the spike protein at two potential sites, Arg685/Ser686 and Arg815/Ser816. The present study aims to investigate the conformational details of complex between TMPRSS2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, in order to discern the finer details of the priming of viral spike and to point candidate drug targets. Briefly, full length structural model of TMPRSS2 was developed and docked against the resolved structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with directional restraints of both cleavage sites. The docking simulations showed that TMPRSS2 interacts with the two different loops of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, each containing different cleavage sites. Key functional residues of TMPRSS2 (His296, Ser441 and Ser460) were found to interact with immediate flanking residues of cleavage sites of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Compared to the N-terminal cleavage site (Arg685/Ser686), TMPRSS2 region that interact with C-terminal cleavage site (Arg815/Ser816) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was predicted as relatively more druggable. In summary, the present study provide structural characteristics of molecular complex between human TMPRSS2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and points to the candidate drug targets that could further be exploited to direct structure base drug designing.

positive: Structural similarity between HIV-1 gp41 and SARS-CoV S2 proteins suggests an analogous membrane fusion mechanism Abstract SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has been identified as the causal agent of a new emerging disease: severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Its spike protein S2 is responsible for mediating fusion of viral and cellular membrane. In this study, we modeled the 3D structure of S2 subunit and compared this model with the core structure of gp41 from HIV-1. We found that SARS-CoV S2 and gp41 share the same two α helices, suggesting that the two viruses could follow an analogous membrane fusion mechanism. Further ligand-binding analysis showed that two inhibitors GGL and D-peptide from HIV-1 gp41 may serve as inhibitors for SARS-CoV entry.

positive: Role of the GTNGTKR motif in the N-terminal receptor-binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that emerged in China has been declared as public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization and the causative pathogen was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In this report, we analyzed the structural characteristics of the N-terminal domain of the S1 subunit (S1-NTD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in comparison to the SARS-CoV in particular, and to other viruses presenting similar characteristic in general. Given the severity and the wide and rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, it is very likely that the virus recognizes other receptors/co-receptors besides the ACE2. The NTD of the SARS-CoV-2 contains a receptor-binding motif different from that of SARS-CoV, with some insertions that could confer to the new coronavirus new receptor binding abilities. In particular, motifs similar to the insertion 72GTNGTKR78 have been found in structural proteins of other viruses; and these motifs were located in putative regions involved in recognizing protein and sugar receptors, suggesting therefore that similar binding abilities could be displayed by the SARS-CoV-2 S1-NTD. Moreover, concerning the origin of these NTD insertions, our findings point towards an evolutionary acquisition rather than the hypothesis of an engineered virus.

positive: Use of the informational spectrum methodology for rapid biological analysis of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV: prediction of potential receptor, natural reservoir, tropism and therapeutic/vaccine target A novel coronavirus recently identified in Wuhan, China (SARS-CoV-2) has expanded the number of highly pathogenic coronaviruses affecting humans. The SARS-CoV-2 represents a potential epidemic or pandemic threat, which requires a quick response for preparedness against this infection. The present report uses the informational spectrum methodology to identify the possible origin and natural host of the new virus, as well as putative therapeutic and vaccine targets. The performed in silico analysis indicates that the newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV and, to a lesser degree, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. Moreover, the well-known SARS-CoV receptor (ACE2) might be a putative receptor for the novel virus as well. Actin protein was also suggested as a host factor that participates in cell entry and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2; therefore, drugs modulating biological activity of this protein (e.g. ibuprofen) were suggested as potential candidates for treatment of this viral infection. Additional results indicated that civets and poultry are potential candidates for the natural reservoir of the SARS-CoV-2, and that domain 288-330 of S1 protein from the SARS-CoV-2 represents promising therapeutic and/or vaccine target.

positive: An insertion unique to SARS-CoV-2 exhibits superantigenic character strengthened by recent mutations Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly recognized condition in which children with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection present with a constellation of symptoms including hypotension, multiorgan involvement, and elevated inflammatory markers. These symptoms and the associated laboratory values strongly resemble toxic shock syndrome, an escalation of the cytotoxic adaptive immune response triggered upon the binding of pathogenic superantigens to MHCII molecules and T cell receptors (TCRs). Here, we used structure-based computational models to demonstrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) exhibits a high-affinity motif for binding TCR, interacting closely with both the α- and β-chains variable domains’ complementarity-determining regions. The binding epitope on S harbors a sequence motif unique to SARS-CoV-2 (not present in any other SARS coronavirus), which is highly similar in both sequence and structure to bacterial superantigens. Further examination revealed that this interaction between the virus and human T cells is strengthened in the context of a recently reported rare mutation (D839Y/N/E) from a European strain of SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the interfacial region includes selected residues from a motif shared between the SARS viruses from the 2003 and 2019 pandemics, which has intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-like character. These data suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 S may act as a superantigen to drive the development of MIS-C as well as cytokine storm in adult COVID-19 patients, with important implications for the development of therapeutic approaches.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 and bat RaTG13 spike glycoprotein structures inform on virus evolution and furin-cleavage effects SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have emerged from bats, possibly via a secondary host. Here, we investigate the relationship of spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 with the S protein of a closely related bat virus, RaTG13. We determined cryo-EM structures for RaTG13 S and for both furin-cleaved and uncleaved SARS-CoV-2 S; we compared these with recently reported structures for uncleaved SARS-CoV-2 S. We also biochemically characterized their relative stabilities and affinities for the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2. Although the overall structures of human and bat virus S proteins are similar, there are key differences in their properties, including a more stable precleavage form of human S and about 1,000-fold tighter binding of SARS-CoV-2 to human receptor. These observations suggest that cleavage at the furin-cleavage site decreases the overall stability of SARS-CoV-2 S and facilitates the adoption of the open conformation that is required for S to bind to the ACE2 receptor.

positive: Computational simulation of interactions between SARS coronavirus spike mutants and host species-specific receptors Abstract As a critical adaptive mechanism, amino acid replacements on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) spike protein could alter the receptor-binding specificity of this envelope glycoprotein and in turn lead to the emergence or reemergence of this viral zoonosis. Based on the X-ray structures of SARS-CoV spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) in complex with its functional receptor (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, ACE2), we perform computational simulations of interactions between three representative RBD mutants and four host species-specific receptors. The comparisons between computational predictions and experimental evidences validate our structural bioinformatics approaches. And the predictions further indicate that some viral prototypes might utilize the rat ACE2 while rats might serve as a vector or reservoir of SARS-CoV.

positive: Prefusion structure of a human coronavirus spike protein HKU1 is a human betacoronavirus that causes mild yet prevalent respiratory disease(1) and is related to the zoonotic SARS(2) and MERS(3) betacoronaviruses that have high fatality rates and pandemic potential. Cell tropism and host range is determined in part by the coronavirus spike (S) protein(4), which binds cellular receptors and mediates membrane fusion. As the largest known class I fusion protein, its size and extensive glycosylation have hindered structural studies of the full ectodomain, thus preventing a molecular understanding of its function and limiting development of effective interventions. Here we present the 4.0 Å resolution structure of the trimeric HKU1 S protein determined using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. In the prefusion conformation, the receptor-binding subunits, S1, rest atop the fusion-mediating subunits, S2, preventing their conformational rearrangement. Surprisingly, the S1 C-terminal domains are interdigitated and form extensive quaternary interactions that occlude surfaces known to bind protein receptors in other coronaviruses. These features, along with the location of the two protease sites known to be important for coronavirus entry, provide a structural basis to support a model of membrane fusion mediated by progressive S protein destabilization through receptor binding and proteolytic cleavage. Additionally, these studies should serve as a foundation for the structure-based design of betacoronavirus vaccine immunogens.

positive: Comparative genomic analysis revealed specific mutation pattern between human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and Bat-SARSr-CoV RaTG13 The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) is a member of the family coronaviridae and contains a single-stranded RNA genome with positive-polarity. To reveal the evolution mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 genome, we performed comprehensive genomic analysis with newly sequenced SARS-CoV-2 strains and 20 closely related coronavirus strains. Among 98 nucleotide mutations at 93 sites of the genome among different SARS-CoV-2 strains, 58 of them caused amino acid change, indicating a result of neutral evolution. However, the ratio of nucleotide substitutions to amino acid substitutions of spike gene (9.07) between SARS-CoV-2 WIV04 and Bat-SARSr-CoV RaTG13 was extensively higher than those from comparisons between other coronaviruses (range 1.29 - 4.81). The elevated synonymous mutations between SARS-CoV-2 and RaTG13, suggesting they underwent stronger purifying selection. Moreover, their nucleotide substitutions are enriched with T:C transition, which is consistent with the mutation signature caused by deactivity of RNA 3’-to-5’ exoribonuclease (ExoN). The codon usage was similar between SARS-CoV-2 and other strains in beta-coronavirus lineage B, suggesting it had small impact on the mutation pattern. In comparison of SARS-CoV-2 WIV04 with Bat-SARSr-CoV RaTG13, the ratios of non-synonymous to synonymous substitution rates (dN/dS) was the lowest among all performed comparisons, reconfirming the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 under stringent selective pressure. Moreover, some sites of spike protein might be subjected to positive selection. Therefore, our results will help understanding the evolutionary mechanisms contribute to viral pathogenicity and its adaptation with hosts.

positive: Immuno-informatics Characterization SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein for Prioritization of Epitope based Multivalent Peptide Vaccine The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a public-health emergency of international concern and thus calling for the development of safe and effective therapeutics and prophylactics particularly a vaccine to protect against the infection. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein is an attractive candidate for vaccine, antibodies and inhibitor development because of many roles it plays in attachment, fusion and entry into the host cell. In this study, we characterized the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein by immune-informatics techniques to put forward potential B and T cell epitopes, followed by the use of epitopes in construction of a multi-epitope peptide vaccine construct (MEPVC). The MEPVC revealed robust host immune system simulation with high production of immunoglobulins, cytokines and interleukins. Stable conformation of the MEPVC with a representative innate immune TLR3 receptor was observed involving strong hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemical interactions, along with enhanced contribution from salt-bridges towards inter-molecular stability. Molecular dynamics simulation in solution aided further in interpreting strong affinity of the MEPVC for TLR3. This stability is the attribute of several vital residues from both TLR3 and MEPVC as shown by radial distribution function (RDF) and a novel analytical tool axial frequency distribution (AFD). Comprehensive binding free energies estimation was provided at the end that concluded major domination by electrostatic and minor from van der Waals. Summing all, the designed MEPVC has tremendous potential of providing protective immunity against COVID-19 and thus has the potential to be considered in experimental studies.

positive: Monoclonal Antibody as a Potential Anti-COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is expanding rapidly, which made it as one of top priorities for scientists to develop novel treatment strategies. Researchers are racing to develop treatments based on antibodies to block and/or neutralize the coronavirus in affected patients. Initially, the genetic and structural similarity of the virus to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) created the potential for understanding disease pathogenesis. Researchers have published reports of specific monoclonal antibodies against to COVID-19 (B38, H4, 47D11) and hope that this method is effective. As well as studies on patients who are plasma therapy, the patient's condition shows improvement. The evidence for these studies is very promising and demonstrates the potential of monoclonal antibody therapy as a therapeutic approach and prevention of covid-19 infection.

positive: Genomic and protein structure modelling analysis depicts the origin and infectivity of 2019-nCoV, a new coronavirus which caused a pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, China Detailed genomic and structure-based analysis of a new coronavirus, namely 2019-nCoV, showed that the new virus is a new type of bat coronavirus and is genetically fairly distant from the human SARS coronavirus. Structure analysis of the spike (S) protein of this new virus showed that its S protein only binds weakly to the ACE2 receptor on human cells whereas the human SARS coronavirus exhibits strongly affinity to the ACE receptor. These findings suggest that the new virus does not readily transmit between humans and should theoretically not able to cause very serious human infection. These data are important to guide design of infection control policy and inform the public on the nature of threat imposed by 2019-nCov when results of direct laboratory tests on this virus are not expected to be available in the near future.

positive: Protein Structure and Sequence Reanalysis of 2019-nCoV Genome Refutes Snakes as Its Intermediate Host and the Unique Similarity between Its Spike Protein Insertions and HIV-1 [Image: see text] As the infection of 2019-nCoV coronavirus is quickly developing into a global pneumonia epidemic, the careful analysis of its transmission and cellular mechanisms is sorely needed. In this Communication, we first analyzed two recent studies that concluded that snakes are the intermediate hosts of 2019-nCoV and that the 2019-nCoV spike protein insertions share a unique similarity to HIV-1. However, the reimplementation of the analyses, built on larger scale data sets using state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods and databases, presents clear evidence that rebuts these conclusions. Next, using metagenomic samples from Manis javanica, we assembled a draft genome of the 2019-nCoV-like coronavirus, which shows 73% coverage and 91% sequence identity to the 2019-nCoV genome. In particular, the alignments of the spike surface glycoprotein receptor binding domain revealed four times more variations in the bat coronavirus RaTG13 than in the Manis coronavirus compared with 2019-nCoV, suggesting the pangolin as a missing link in the transmission of 2019-nCoV from bats to human.

positive: Functional prediction and frequency of coding variants in human ACE2 at binding sites with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein on different populations Hussain et al.(1) identified 17 natural coding variants for human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) that were found at important positions for binding of ACE2 with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein(1). They suggested that positive prognosis of COVID‐19 may be due to the existence of ACE2 variants like rs73635825 and rs143936283 in some individuals, and to screen frequencies of candidate alleles in different populations to predict the prognosis of COVID‐19(1). We contributed with further data for these 17 ACE2 variants using other function prediction tools. Moreover, we searched for the minor allele frequency (MAF) for these ACE2 variants as reported in different populations and debated regarding their use in population genetic studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

positive: Eltrombopag is a potential target for drug intervention in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a current global threat for which there is an urgent need to search for an effective therapy. The transmembrane spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 directly binds to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and mediates viral entrance, which is therefore considered as a promising drug target. Considering that new drug development is a time-consuming process, drug repositioning may facilitate rapid drug discovery dealing with sudden infectious diseases. Here, we compared the differences between the virtual structural proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, and selected a pocket mainly localizing in the fusion cores of S2 domain for drug screening. A virtual drug design algorithm screened the Food and Drug Administration-approved drug library of 1234 compounds, and 13 top scored compounds were obtained through manual screening. Through in vitro molecular interaction experiments, eltrombopag was further verified to possess a high binding affinity to S protein plus human ACE2 and could potentially affect the stability of the ACE2-S protein complex. Hence, it is worth further exploring eltrombopag as a potential drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Multivariate analyses of codon usage of SARS-CoV-2 and other betacoronaviruses Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health concern as it continues to spread within China and beyond. The causative agent of this disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus, which also includes severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (MERSr-CoV). Codon usage of viral genes are believed to be subjected to different selection pressures in different host environments. Previous studies on codon usage of influenza A viruses helped identify viral host origins and evolution trends, however, similar studies on coronaviruses are lacking. In this study, we compared the codon usage bias using global correspondence analysis (CA), within-group CA and between-group CA. We found that the bat RaTG13 virus best matched the overall codon usage pattern of SARS-CoV-2 in orf1ab, spike and nucleocapsid genes, while the pangolin P1E virus had a more similar codon usage in membrane gene. The amino acid usage pattern of SARS-CoV-2 was generally found similar to bat and human SARSr-CoVs. However, we found greater synonymous codon usage differences between SARS-CoV-2 and its phylogenetic relatives on spike and membrane genes, suggesting these two genes of SARS-CoV-2 are subjected to different evolutionary pressures.

positive: Clinical And Analytical Performance Of An Automated Serological Test That Identifies S1/S2 Neutralizing IgG In COVID-19 Patients Semiquantitatively. BACKGROUND In the COVID-19 pandemic, highly selective serological testing is essential to define exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many tests have been developed, yet with variable speed to first result, and of unknown quality, particularly when considering the prediction of neutralizing capacity. OBJECTIVES/METHODS The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay was designed to measure antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 native S1/S2 proteins in a standardized automated chemiluminescent assay. Clinical and analytical performance of the test were validated in an observational study using residual samples (>1500) with positive or negative COVID-19 diagnosis. RESULTS The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay proved to be highly selective and specific, and offers semiquantitative measures of serum or plasma levels of anti-S1/S2 IgG with neutralizing activity. The assay's diagnostic sensitivity was 91.3% and 95.7% at >5 or ≥15 days from diagnosis, respectively, and 100% when assessed against a neutralizing assay. The assay's specificity ranged between 97% and 98.5%. The average imprecision of the assay was <5 % coefficient of variation. Assay performance at 2 different cut-offs was evaluated to optimize predictive values. CONCLUSIONS The automated LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay brings efficient, sensitive, specific, and precise serological testing to the laboratory, with the capacity to test large amounts of samples per day: first results are available within 35 minutes with a throughput of 170 tests/hour. The semiquantitative results provided by the test also associate with the presence of neutralizing antibodies, and may provide a useful tool for the large scale screening of convalescent plasma for safe therapeutic use.

positive: Key residues of the receptor binding motif in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 that interact with ACE2 and neutralizing antibodies Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel human coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is currently a major threat to public health worldwide. The viral spike protein binds the host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) via the receptor-binding domain (RBD), and thus is believed to be a major target to block viral entry. Both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV share this mechanism. Here we functionally analyzed the key amino acid residues located within receptor binding motif of RBD that may interact with human ACE2 and available neutralizing antibodies. The in vivo experiments showed that immunization with either the SARS-CoV RBD or SARS-CoV-2 RBD was able to induce strong clade-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice; however, the cross-neutralizing activity was much weaker, indicating that there are distinct antigenic features in the RBDs of the two viruses. This finding was confirmed with the available neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2. It is worth noting that a newly developed SARS-CoV-2 human antibody, HA001, was able to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, but failed to recognize SARS-CoV. Moreover, the potential epitope residues of HA001 were identified as A475 and F486 in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, representing new binding sites for neutralizing antibodies. Overall, our study has revealed the presence of different key epitopes between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, which indicates the necessity to develop new prophylactic vaccine and antibody drugs for specific control of the COVID-19 pandemic although the available agents obtained from the SARS-CoV study are unneglectable.

positive: Unfractionated heparin potently inhibits the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to a human cell line The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is known to bind to the receptor, ACE2, on the surface of target cells. The spike protein is processed by membrane proteases, including TMPRSS2, and is either internalised or fuses directly with the cell, leading to infection. We identified a human cell line that expresses both ACE2 and TMPRSS2, the RT4 urinary bladder transitional carcinoma, and used it to develop a proxy assay for viral interactions with host cells. A tagged recombinant form of the spike protein, containing both the S1 and S2 domains, binds strongly to RT4 cells as determined by flow cytometry. Binding is temperature dependent and increases sharply at 37°C, suggesting that processing of the spike protein is likely to be important in the interaction. As the spike protein has previously been shown to bind heparin, a soluble glycosaminoglycan, we used a flow cytometry assay to determine the effect of heparin on spike protein binding to RT4 cells. Unfractionated heparin inhibited spike protein binding with an IC50 value of <0.05U/ml whereas two low molecular weight heparins were much less effective. This suggests that heparin, particularly unfractionated forms, could be considered to reduce clinical manifestations of COVID-19 by inhibiting continuing viral infection. Despite the sensitivity to heparin, we found no evidence that host cell glycosaminoglycans such as heparan and chondroitin sulphates play a major role in spike protein attachment.

positive: Composition and divergence of coronavirus spike proteins and host ACE2 receptors predict potential intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2 From the beginning of 2002 and 2012, severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) crossed the species barriers to infect humans, causing thousands of infections and hundreds of deaths, respectively. Currently, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which has become the cause of the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), was discovered. Until 18 February 2020, there were 72 533 confirmed COVID-19 cases (including 10 644 severe cases) and 1872 deaths in China. SARS-CoV-2 is spreading among the public and causing substantial burden due to its human-to-human transmission. However, the intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2 is still unclear. Finding the possible intermediate host of SARS-CoV-2 is imperative to prevent further spread of the epidemic. In this study, we used systematic comparison and analysis to predict the interaction between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of coronavirus spike protein and the host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The interaction between the key amino acids of S protein RBD and ACE2 indicated that, other than pangolins and snakes, as previously suggested, turtles (Chrysemys picta bellii, Chelonia mydas, and Pelodiscus sinensis) may act as the potential intermediate hosts transmitting SARS-CoV-2 to humans.

positive: The current understanding and potential therapeutic options to combat COVID-19 Abstract The ongoing wreaking global outbreak of the novel human beta coronavirus (CoV) pathogen was presumed to be from a seafood wholesale market in Wuhan, China, belongs to the Coronaviridae family in the Nidovirales order. The virus is highly contagious with potential human-human transmission which was named as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has spread across six continents and emerged as a global pandemic in short span with alarming levels of spread and severity. This virus associated symptoms and infectious respiratory illness is designated as coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). The SARS-CoV-2 possesses enveloped club-like spike protein projections with positive-sense large RNA genome and has a unique replication strategy. This virus was believed to have zoonotic origin with genetical identity to bat and pangolin CoV. In the current review, we introduce a general overview about the human CoVs and the associated diseases, the origin, structure, replication and key clinical events that occur in the COVID-19 pathogenicity. Furthermore, we focused on possible therapeutic options such as repurposing drugs including antimalarials, antivirals, antiparasitic drugs, and anti-HIV drugs, as well as monoclonal antibodies, vaccines as potential treatment options. Also we have summarized the latest research progress on the usage of stem cell therapy, human convalescent serum, interferon's, in the treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Gene of the month: the 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus spike protein. The year 2020 has seen a major and sustained outbreak of a novel betacoronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV)-2) infection that causes fever, severe respiratory illness and pneumonia, a disease called Covid-19. At the time of writing, the death toll was greater than 120 000 worldwide with more than 2 million documented infections. The genome of the CoV encodes a number of structural proteins that facilitate cellular entry and assembly of virions, of which the spike protein S appears to be critical for cellular entry. The spike protein guides the virus to attach to the host cell. The spike protein contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD), a fusion domain and a transmembrane domain. The RBD of spike protein S binds to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) to initiate cellular entry. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 shows more than 90% amino acid similarity to the pangolin and bat CoVs and these also use ACE2 as a receptor. Binding of the spike protein to ACE2 exposes the cleavage sites to cellular proteases. Cleavage of the spike protein by transmembrane protease serine 2 and other cellular proteases initiates fusion and endocytosis. The spike protein contains an addition furin cleavage site that may allow it to be 'preactivated' and highly infectious after replication. The fundamental role of the spike protein in infectivity suggests that it is an important target for vaccine development, blocking therapy with antibodies and diagnostic antigen-based tests. This review briefly outlines the structure and function of the 2019 novel CoV/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S.

positive: Mining of epitopes on spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 from COVID-19 patients

positive: Structural and Functional Implications of Spike Protein Mutational Landscape in SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic, is an RNA virus prone to mutations. Interaction of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein with the host cell receptor, Angiotensin-I Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) is pivotal for attachment and entry of the virus. Yet, natural mutations acquired on S protein during the pandemic and their impact on viral infectivity, transmission dynamics and disease pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Here, we analysed 2952 SARS-CoV-2 genomes across the globe, and identified a total of 1815 non-synonymous mutations in the S-protein that fall into 54 different types. We observed that six of these distinct mutations were located in the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) region that directly engages host ACE2. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed that these RBD mutations cluster into distinct phyletic clades among global subtypes of SARS-CoV-2 implying possible emergence of novel sublineages of the strain. Structure-guided homology modelling and docking analysis predicted key molecular rearrangements in the ACE2 binding interface of RBD mutants that could result in altered virus-host interactions. We propose that our findings could be significant in understanding disease dynamics and in developing vaccines, antibodies and therapeutics for COVID-19. Importance COVID-19 pandemic shows considerable variations in disease transmission and pathogenesis globally, yet reasons remain unknown. Our study identifies key S-protein mutations prevailing in SARS-CoV-2 strain that could alter viral attachment and infectivity. We propose that the interplay of these mutations could be one of the factors driving global variations in COVID-19 spread. In addition, the mutations identified in this study could be an important indicator in predicting efficacies of vaccines, antibodies and therapeutics that target SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 interface.

positive: A replication-competent vesicular stomatitis virus for studies of SARS-CoV-2 spike-mediated cell entry and its inhibition Summary There is an urgent need for vaccines and therapeutics to prevent and treat COVID-19. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 countermeasure development is contingent on the availability of robust, scalable, and readily deployable surrogate viral assays to screen antiviral humoral responses, define correlates of immune protection, and down-select candidate antivirals. Here, we generate a highly infectious recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) bearing the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein S as its sole entry glycoprotein and show that this recombinant virus, rVSV-SARS-CoV-2 S, closely resembles SARS-CoV-2 in its entry-related properties. The neutralizing activities of a large panel of COVID-19 convalescent sera can be assessed in a high-throughput fluorescent reporter assay with rVSV-SARS-CoV-2 S, and neutralization of rVSV-SARS-CoV-2 S and authentic SARS-CoV-2 by spike-specific antibodies in these antisera is highly correlated. Our findings underscore the utility of rVSV-SARS-CoV-2 S for the development of spike-specific therapeutics and for mechanistic studies of viral entry and its inhibition.

positive: Clinical And Analytical Performance Of An Automated Serological Test That Identifies S1/S2 Neutralizing IgG In Covid-19 Patients Semiquantitatively BACKGROUND In the Covid-19 pandemic, highly selective serological testing is essential to define exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many tests have been developed, yet with variable speed to first result, and of unknown quality, particularly when considering the prediction of neutralizing capacity. OBJECTIVES/METHODS The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay was designed to measure antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 native S1/S2 proteins in a standardized automated chemiluminescent assay. Clinical and analytical performance of the test were validated in an observational study using residual samples (>1500) with positive or negative Covid-19 diagnosis. RESULTS The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay proved highly selective and specific, and offers semiquantitative measures of serum or plasma levels of anti-S1/S2 IgG with neutralizing activity. The diagnostic sensitivity was 91.3% and 95.7% at >5 or ≥15 days from diagnosis respectively, and 100% when assessed against a neutralizing assay. The specificity ranged between 97% and 98.5%. The average imprecision of the assay was <5 % coefficient of variation. Assay performance at 2 different cut-offs was evaluated to optimize predictive values in settings with different % disease prevalence. CONCLUSIONS. The automated LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay brings efficient, sensitive, specific, and precise serological testing to the laboratory, with the capacity to test large amounts of samples per day: first results are available within 35 minutes with a throughput of 170 tests/hour. The test also provides a semiquantitative measure to identify samples with neutralizing antibodies, useful also for a large scale screening of convalescent plasma for safe therapeutic use. IMPORTANCE With the worldwide advance of the COVID-19 pandemic, efficient, reliable and accessible diagnostic tools are needed to support public health officials and healthcare providers in their efforts to deliver optimal medical care, and articulate sound demographic policy. DiaSorin has developed an automated serology based assay for the measurement of IgG specific to SARS CoV-2 Spike protein, and tested its clinical performance in collaboration with Italian health care professionals who provided access to large numbers of samples from infected and non-infected individuals. The assay delivers excellent sensitivity and specificity, and is able to identify samples with high levels of neutralizing antibodies. This will provide guidance in assessing the true immune status of subjects, as well as meeting the pressing need to screen donors for high titer convalescent sera for subsequent therapeutic and prophylactic use.

positive: Neutralizing nanobodies bind SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and block interaction with ACE2. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is more transmissible than previous coronaviruses and causes a more serious illness than influenza. The SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein binds to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor as a prelude to viral entry into the cell. Using a naive llama single-domain antibody library and PCR-based maturation, we have produced two closely related nanobodies, H11-D4 and H11-H4, that bind RBD (KD of 39 and 12 nM, respectively) and block its interaction with ACE2. Single-particle cryo-EM revealed that both nanobodies bind to all three RBDs in the spike trimer. Crystal structures of each nanobody-RBD complex revealed how both nanobodies recognize the same epitope, which partly overlaps with the ACE2 binding surface, explaining the blocking of the RBD-ACE2 interaction. Nanobody-Fc fusions showed neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 (4-6 nM for H11-H4, 18 nM for H11-D4) and additive neutralization with the SARS-CoV-1/2 antibody CR3022.

positive: The spike protein of SARS-CoV — a target for vaccine and therapeutic development Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerging infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The SARS-CoV spike (S) protein is composed of two subunits; the S1 subunit contains a receptor-binding domain that engages with the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and the S2 subunit mediates fusion between the viral and host cell membranes. The S protein plays key parts in the induction of neutralizing-antibody and T-cell responses, as well as protective immunity, during infection with SARS-CoV. In this Review, we highlight recent advances in the development of vaccines and therapeutics based on the S protein.

positive: Potent Neutralizing Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Identified by High-Throughput Single-Cell Sequencing of Convalescent Patients' B Cells The COVID-19 pandemic urgently needs therapeutic and prophylactic interventions. Here, we report the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies by high-throughput single-cell RNA and VDJ sequencing of antigen-enriched B cells from 60 convalescent patients. From 8,558 antigen-binding IgG1+ clonotypes, 14 potent neutralizing antibodies were identified, with the most potent one, BD-368-2, exhibiting an IC50 of 1.2 and 15 ng/mL against pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2, respectively. BD-368-2 also displayed strong therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy in SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2-transgenic mice. Additionally, the 3.8 Å cryo-EM structure of a neutralizing antibody in complex with the spike-ectodomain trimer revealed the antibody's epitope overlaps with the ACE2 binding site. Moreover, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies could be directly selected based on similarities of their predicted CDR3H structures to those of SARS-CoV-neutralizing antibodies. Altogether, we showed that human neutralizing antibodies could be efficiently discovered by high-throughput single B cell sequencing in response to pandemic infectious diseases.

positive: Extracellular vesicles containing ACE2 efficiently prevent infection by SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein-containing virus SARS-CoV-2 entry is mediated by binding of the spike protein (S) to the surface receptor ACE2 and subsequent priming by TMPRRS2 allowing membrane fusion. Here, we produced extracellular vesicles (EVs) exposing ACE2 and demonstrate that ACE2-EVs are efficient decoys for SARS-CoV-2 S protein-containing lentivirus. Reduction of infectivity positively correlates with the level of ACE2, is 500 to 1500 times more efficient than with soluble ACE2 and further enhanced by the inclusion of TMPRSS2.

positive: Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2 We have developed an analysis pipeline to facilitate real-time mutation tracking in SARS-CoV-2, focusing initially on the Spike (S) protein because it mediates infection of human cells and is the target of most vaccine strategies and antibody-based therapeutics. To date we have identified thirteen mutations in Spike that are accumulating. Mutations are considered in a broader phylogenetic context, geographically, and over time, to provide an early warning system to reveal mutations that may confer selective advantages in transmission or resistance to interventions. Each one is evaluated for evidence of positive selection, and the implications of the mutation are explored through structural modeling. The mutation Spike D614G is of urgent concern; it began spreading in Europe in early February, and when introduced to new regions it rapidly becomes the dominant form. Also, we present evidence of recombination between locally circulating strains, indicative of multiple strain infections. These finding have important implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission, pathogenesis and immune interventions.

positive: Strong evolutionary convergence of receptor-binding protein spike between COVID-19 and SARS-related coronaviruses Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-related coronaviruses (e.g., 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV) are phylogenetically distantly related, but both are capable of infecting human hosts via the same receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, and cause similar clinical and pathological features, suggesting their phenotypic convergence. Yet, the molecular basis that underlies their phenotypic convergence remains unknown. Here, we used a recently developed molecular phyloecological approach to examine the molecular basis leading to their phenotypic convergence. Our genome-level analyses show that the spike protein, which is responsible for receptor binding, has undergone significant Darwinian selection along the branches related to 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV. Further examination shows an unusually high proportion of evolutionary convergent amino acid sites in the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein between COVID-19 and SARS-related CoV clades, leading to the phylogenetic uniting of their RBD protein sequences. In addition to the spike protein, we also find the evolutionary convergence of its partner protein, ORF3a, suggesting their possible co-evolutionary convergence. Our results demonstrate a strong adaptive evolutionary convergence between COVID-19 and SARS-related CoV, possibly facilitating their adaptation to similar or identical receptors. Finally, it should be noted that many observed bat SARS-like CoVs that have an evolutionary convergent RBD sequence with 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV may be pre-adapted to human host receptor ACE2, and hence would be potential new coronavirus sources to infect humans in the future.

positive: Molecular structure analyses suggest strategies to therapeutically target SARS-CoV-2

positive: From SARS and MERS CoVs to SARS‐CoV‐2: Moving toward more biased codon usage in viral structural and nonstructural genes BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is an emerging disease with fatal outcomes. In this study, a fundamental knowledge gap question is to be resolved by evaluating the differences in biological and pathogenic aspects of SARS‐CoV‐2 and the changes in SARS‐CoV‐2 in comparison with the two prior major COV epidemics, SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses. METHODS: The genome composition, nucleotide analysis, codon usage indices, relative synonymous codons usage, and effective number of codons (ENc) were analyzed in the four structural genes; Spike (S), Envelope (E), membrane (M), and Nucleocapsid (N) genes, and two of the most important nonstructural genes comprising RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase and main protease (Mpro) of SARS‐CoV‐2, Beta‐CoV from pangolins, bat SARS, MERS, and SARS CoVs. RESULTS: SARS‐CoV‐2 prefers pyrimidine rich codons to purines. Most high‐frequency codons were ending with A or T, while the low frequency and rare codons were ending with G or C. SARS‐CoV‐2 structural proteins showed 5 to 20 lower ENc values, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoVs. This implies higher codon bias and higher gene expression efficiency of SARS‐CoV‐2 structural proteins. SARS‐CoV‐2 encoded the highest number of over‐biased and negatively biased codons. Pangolin Beta‐CoV showed little differences with SARS‐CoV‐2 ENc values, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoV. CONCLUSION: Extreme bias and lower ENc values of SARS‐CoV‐2, especially in Spike, Envelope, and Mpro genes, are suggestive for higher gene expression efficiency, compared with SARS, bat SARS, and MERS CoVs.

positive: Local computational methods to improve the interpretability and analysis of cryo-EM maps Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps usually show heterogeneous distributions of B-factors and electron density occupancies and are typically B-factor sharpened to improve their contrast and interpretability at high-resolutions. However, ‘over-sharpening’ due to the application of a single global B-factor can distort processed maps causing connected densities to appear broken and disconnected. This issue limits the interpretability of cryo-EM maps, i.e. ab initio modelling. In this work, we propose 1) approaches to enhance high-resolution features of cryo-EM maps, while preventing map distortions and 2) methods to obtain local B-factors and electron density occupancy maps. These algorithms have as common link the use of the spiral phase transformation and are called LocSpiral, LocBSharpen, LocBFactor and LocOccupancy. Our results, which include improved maps of recent SARS-CoV-2 structures, show that our methods can improve the interpretability and analysis of obtained reconstructions.

positive: On the interactions of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins with monoclonal antibodies and the receptor ACE2 A new betacoronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as a new threat to global health and economy. A promising target for both diagnosis and therapeutics treatments of the new disease named COVID-19 is the coronavirus (CoV) spike (S) glycoprotein. By constant-pH Monte Carlo simulations and the PROCEEDpKa method, we have mapped the electrostatic epitopes for four monoclonal antibodies and the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on both SARS-CoV-1 and the new SARS-CoV-2 S receptor binding domain (RBD) proteins. We also calculated free energy of interactions and shown that the S RBD proteins from both SARS viruses binds to ACE2 with similar affinities. However, the affinity between the S RBD protein from the new SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 is higher than for any studied antibody previously found complexed with SARS-CoV-1. Based on physical chemical analysis and free energies estimates, we can shed some light on the involved molecular recognition processes, their clinical aspects, the implications for drug developments, and suggest structural modifications on the CR3022 antibody that would improve its binding affinities for SARS-CoV-2 and contribute to address the ongoing international health crisis.

positive: Structural variations in human ACE2 may influence its binding with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein The recent pandemic of COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2, is unarguably the most fearsome compared with the earlier outbreaks caused by other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Human ACE2 is now established as a receptor for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Where variations in the viral spike protein, in turn, lead to the cross-species transmission of the virus, genetic variations in the host receptor ACE2 may also contribute to the susceptibility and/or resistance against the viral infection. This study aims to explore the binding of the proteins encoded by different human ACE2 allelic variants with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Briefly, coding variants of ACE2 corresponding to the reported binding sites for its attachment with coronavirus spike protein were selected and molecular models of these variants were constructed by homology modeling. The models were then superimposed over the native ACE2 and ACE2-spike protein complex, to observe structural changes in the ACE2 variants and their intermolecular interactions with SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, respectively. Despite strong overall structural similarities, the spatial orientation of the key interacting residues varies in the ACE2 variants compared with the wild-type molecule. Most ACE2 variants showed a similar binding affinity for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein as observed in the complex structure of wild-type ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. However, ACE2 alleles, rs73635825 (S19P) and rs143936283 (E329G) showed noticeable variations in their intermolecular interactions with the viral spike protein. In summary, our data provide a structural basis of potential resistance against SARS-CoV-2 infection driven by ACE2 allelic variants.

positive: Scientists have turned the structure of the coronavirus into music You’ve probably seen dozens of images of the novel coronavirus—now responsible for 1 million infections and tens of thousands of deaths Now, scientists have come up with a way for you to hear it: by translating the structure of its famous spike protein into music

positive: The discovery of potential natural products for targeting SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by virtual screening Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters into the cells through its spike proteins binding to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein and causes virus infection in host cells. Until now, there are no available antiviral drugs have been reported that can effectively block virus infection. The study aimed to discover the potential compounds to prevent viral spike proteins to bind to the human ACE2 proteins from Taiwan Database of Extracts and Compounds (TDEC) by structure-based virtual screening. In this study, to rapidly discover potential inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins, the molecular docking calculation was performed by AutoDock Vina program. Herein, we found that 39 potential compounds may have good binding affinities and can respectively bind to the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike protein in the prefusion conformation and spike-ACE2 complex protein in silico. Among those compounds, especially natural products thioflexibilolide A and candidine that were respectively isolated from the soft corals Sinularia flexibilis and Phaius mishmensis may have better binding affinity than others. This study provided the predictions that these compounds may have the potential to prevent SARS-CoV-2 spike protein from entry into cells.

positive: COVID‐19: Structural Predictions of Viral Success Since the beginning of the 21(st) century, three coronaviruses have crossed the species barrier and caused serious human disease: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) in November 2002 [1, 2], Middle‐East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) in 2012 [3, 4], and SARS‐CoV‐2 in 2019 [5, 6]. SARS‐CoV‐2 [7], initially called 2019‐nCoV, is the etiological agent of COVID‐19, a highly contagious infectious illness that was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China and subsequently spread globally [8]. As of May 24, 2020, COVID‐19 has caused >5,370,000 infections and >343,000 deaths worldwide [9].

positive: Receptor Recognition by the Novel Coronavirus from Wuhan: an Analysis Based on Decade-Long Structural Studies of SARS Coronavirus Recently, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has emerged from Wuhan, China, causing symptoms in humans similar to those caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Since the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002, extensive structural analyses have revealed key atomic-level interactions between the SARS-CoV spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which regulate both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV. Here, we analyzed the potential receptor usage by 2019-nCoV, based on the rich knowledge about SARS-CoV and the newly released sequence of 2019-nCoV. First, the sequence of 2019-nCoV RBD, including its receptor-binding motif (RBM) that directly contacts ACE2, is similar to that of SARS-CoV, strongly suggesting that 2019-nCoV uses ACE2 as its receptor. Second, several critical residues in 2019-nCoV RBM (particularly Gln493) provide favorable interactions with human ACE2, consistent with 2019-nCoV's capacity for human cell infection. Third, several other critical residues in 2019-nCoV RBM (particularly Asn501) are compatible with, but not ideal for, binding human ACE2, suggesting that 2019-nCoV has acquired some capacity for human-to-human transmission. Last, while phylogenetic analysis indicates a bat origin of 2019-nCoV, 2019-nCoV also potentially recognizes ACE2 from a diversity of animal species (except mice and rats), implicating these animal species as possible intermediate hosts or animal models for 2019-nCoV infections. These analyses provide insights into the receptor usage, cell entry, host cell infectivity and animal origin of 2019-nCoV and may help epidemic surveillance and preventive measures against 2019-nCoV.IMPORTANCE The recent emergence of Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV) puts the world on alert. 2019-nCoV is reminiscent of the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002 to 2003. Our decade-long structural studies on the receptor recognition by SARS-CoV have identified key interactions between SARS-CoV spike protein and its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which regulate both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV. One of the goals of SARS-CoV research was to build an atomic-level iterative framework of virus-receptor interactions to facilitate epidemic surveillance, predict species-specific receptor usage, and identify potential animal hosts and animal models of viruses. Based on the sequence of 2019-nCoV spike protein, we apply this predictive framework to provide novel insights into the receptor usage and likely host range of 2019-nCoV. This study provides a robust test of this reiterative framework, providing the basic, translational, and public health research communities with predictive insights that may help study and battle this novel 2019-nCoV.

positive: Structural and simulation analysis of hotspot residues interactions of SARS-CoV 2 with human ACE2 receptor The novel corona virus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV 2) pandemic outbreak was alarming. The binding of SARS-CoV (CoV) spike protein (S-Protein) Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) to Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor initiates the entry of corona virus into the host cells leading to the infection. However, considering the mutations reported in the SARS-CoV 2 (nCoV), the structural changes and the binding interactions of the S-protein RBD of nCoV were not clear. The present study was designed to elucidate the structural changes, hot spot binding residues and their interactions between the nCoV S-protein RBD and ACE2 receptor through computational approaches. Based on the sequence alignment, a total of 58 residues were found mutated in nCoV S-protein RBD. These mutations led to the structural changes in the nCoV S-protein RBD 3d structure with 4 helices, 10 sheets and intermittent loops. The nCoV RBD was found binding to ACE2 receptor with 11 hydrogen bonds and 1 salt bridge. The major hot spot amino acids involved in the binding identified by interaction analysis after simulations includes Glu 35, Tyr 83, Asp 38, Lys 31, Glu 37, His 34 amino acid residues of ACE2 receptor and Gln 493, Gln 498, Asn 487, Tyr 505 and Lys 417 residues in nCoV S-protein RBD. Based on the hydrogen bonding, RMSD and RMSF, total and potential energies, the nCoV was found binding to ACE2 receptor with higher stability and rigidity. Concluding, the hotspots information will be useful in designing blockers for the nCoV spike protein RBD. [Formula: see text]Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

positive: Conformational dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike glycoprotein in complex with receptor ACE2 revealed by cryo-EM The recent outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its rapid international spread pose a global health emergency. The trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein interacts with its receptor human ACE2 to mediate viral entry into host-cells. Here we present cryo-EM structures of an uncharacterized tightly closed SARS-CoV-2 S-trimer and the ACE2-bound-S-trimer at 2.7-Å and 3.8-Å-resolution, respectively. The tightly closed S-trimer with inactivated fusion peptide may represent the ground prefusion state. ACE2 binding to the up receptor-binding domain (RBD) within S-trimer triggers continuous swing-motions of ACE2-RBD, resulting in conformational dynamics of S1 subunits. Noteworthy, SARS-CoV-2 S-trimer appears much more sensitive to ACE2-receptor than SARS-CoV S-trimer in terms of receptor-triggered transformation from the closed prefusion state to the fusion-prone open state, potentially contributing to the superior infectivity of SARS-CoV-2. We defined the RBD T470-T478 loop and residue Y505 as viral determinants for specific recognition of SARS-CoV-2 RBD by ACE2, and provided structural basis of the spike D614G-mutation induced enhanced infectivity. Our findings offer a thorough picture on the mechanism of ACE2-induced conformational transitions of S-trimer from ground prefusion state towards postfusion state, thereby providing important information for development of vaccines and therapeutics aimed to block receptor binding.

positive: Network-based drug repurposing for novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 Human coronaviruses (HCoVs), including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, also known as SARS-CoV-2), lead global epidemics with high morbidity and mortality. However, there are currently no effective drugs targeting 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2. Drug repurposing, representing as an effective drug discovery strategy from existing drugs, could shorten the time and reduce the cost compared to de novo drug discovery. In this study, we present an integrative, antiviral drug repurposing methodology implementing a systems pharmacology-based network medicine platform, quantifying the interplay between the HCoV–host interactome and drug targets in the human protein–protein interaction network. Phylogenetic analyses of 15 HCoV whole genomes reveal that 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 shares the highest nucleotide sequence identity with SARS-CoV (79.7%). Specifically, the envelope and nucleocapsid proteins of 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 are two evolutionarily conserved regions, having the sequence identities of 96% and 89.6%, respectively, compared to SARS-CoV. Using network proximity analyses of drug targets and HCoV–host interactions in the human interactome, we prioritize 16 potential anti-HCoV repurposable drugs (e.g., melatonin, mercaptopurine, and sirolimus) that are further validated by enrichment analyses of drug-gene signatures and HCoV-induced transcriptomics data in human cell lines. We further identify three potential drug combinations (e.g., sirolimus plus dactinomycin, mercaptopurine plus melatonin, and toremifene plus emodin) captured by the “Complementary Exposure” pattern: the targets of the drugs both hit the HCoV–host subnetwork, but target separate neighborhoods in the human interactome network. In summary, this study offers powerful network-based methodologies for rapid identification of candidate repurposable drugs and potential drug combinations targeting 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Encodes a PPxY Late Domain Motif that is Known to Enhance Budding and Spread in Enveloped RNA Viruses Currently, the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease-2019) pandemic is affecting the health and/or socioeconomic life of almost each people in the world. Finding vaccines and therapeutics is urgent but without forgetting to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that allow some viruses to become dangerous for humans. Here, analysis of all proteins of SARS-CoV-2 revealed a unique PPxY Late (L) domain motif 25PPAY28 in spike protein inside hot disordered loop predicted subject to phosphorylation and binding. It was demonstrated in enveloped RNA viruses that PPxY motif recruits Nedd4 E3 ubiquitin ligases and ultimately the ESCRT complex to enhance virus budding and release that means a high viral load, hence facilitating new infections. Note that PPxY motif is not present in proteins of SARS-CoV. This suggests that PPxY motif by its role in enhancing the viral load could explain why SARS-CoV-2 is more contagious than SARS-CoV. Of course, after the experimental verifications showing that PPxY motif plays the same role as reported for other enveloped RNA viruses, it could become an interesting target for the development of novel host-oriented antivirals therapeutics for preventing S protein to recruit Nedd4 E3 ubiquitin ligases partners.

positive: Gene of the month: the 2019-nCoV/SARS-CoV-2 novel coronavirus spike protein The year 2020 has seen a major and sustained outbreak of a novel betacoronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-coronavirus (CoV)-2) infection that causes fever, severe respiratory illness and pneumonia, a disease called COVID-19. At the time of writing, the death toll was greater than 120 000 worldwide with more than 2 million documented infections. The genome of the CoV encodes a number of structural proteins that facilitate cellular entry and assembly of virions, of which the spike protein S appears to be critical for cellular entry. The spike protein guides the virus to attach to the host cell. The spike protein contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD), a fusion domain and a transmembrane domain. The RBD of spike protein S binds to Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) to initiate cellular entry. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 shows more than 90% amino acid similarity to the pangolin and bat CoVs and these also use ACE2 as a receptor. Binding of the spike protein to ACE2 exposes the cleavage sites to cellular proteases. Cleavage of the spike protein by transmembrane protease serine 2 and other cellular proteases initiates fusion and endocytosis. The spike protein contains an addition furin cleavage site that may allow it to be 'preactivated' and highly infectious after replication. The fundamental role of the spike protein in infectivity suggests that it is an important target for vaccine development, blocking therapy with antibodies and diagnostic antigen-based tests. This review briefly outlines the structure and function of the 2019 novel CoV/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S.

positive: The Discovery of a Putative Allosteric Site in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Using an Integrated Structural/Dynamic Approach SARS-CoV-2 has caused the largest pandemic of the twenty-first century (COVID-19), threatening the life and economy of all countries in the world. The identification of novel therapies and vaccines that can mitigate or control this global health threat is among the most important challenges facing biomedical sciences. To construct a long-term strategy to fight both SARS-CoV-2 and other possible future threats from coronaviruses, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the virus action. The viral entry and associated infectivity stems from the formation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein complex with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The detection of putative allosteric sites on the viral spike protein molecule can be used to elucidate the molecular pathways that can be targeted with allosteric drugs to weaken the spike-ACE2 interaction and, thus, reduce viral infectivity. In this study, we present the results of the application of different computational methods aimed at detecting allosteric sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The adopted tools consisted of the protein contact networks (PCNs), SEPAS (Affinity by Flexibility), and perturbation response scanning (PRS) based on elastic network modes. All of these methods were applied to the ACE2 complex with both the SARS-CoV2 and SARS-CoV spike proteins. All of the adopted analyses converged toward a specific region (allosteric modulation region [AMR]), present in both complexes and predicted to act as an allosteric site modulating the binding of the spike protein with ACE2. Preliminary results on hepcidin (a molecule with strong structural and sequence with AMR) indicated an inhibitory effect on the binding affinity of the spike protein toward the ACE2 protein.

positive: Bat-to-human: spike features determining ‘host jump’ of coronaviruses SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and beyond Both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) are zoonotic pathogens that crossed the species barriers to infect humans. The mechanism of viral interspecies transmission is an important scientific question to be addressed. These coronaviruses contain a surface-located spike (S) protein that initiates infection by mediating receptor-recognition and membrane fusion and is therefore a key factor in host specificity. In addition, the S protein needs to be cleaved by host proteases before executing fusion, making these proteases a second determinant of coronavirus interspecies infection. Here, we summarize the progress made in the past decade in understanding the cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV by focusing on the features of the S protein, its receptor-binding characteristics, and the cleavage process involved in priming.

positive: Evidence for a coiled-coil structure in the spike proteins of coronaviruses Abstract The amino acid sequences of the spike proteins from three distantly related coronaviruses have been deduced from cDNA sequences. In the C-terminal half, an homology of about 30% was found, while there was no detectable sequence conservation in the N-terminal regions. Hydrophobic “heptad” repeat patterns indicated the presence of two α-helices with predicted lengths of 100 and 50 Å, respectively. It is suggested that, in the spike oligomer. these α-helices form a complex coiled-coil, resembling the supersecondary structures in two other elongated membrane proteins, the haemagglutinin of influenza virus and the variable surface glycoprotein of trypanosomes.

positive: Protein Structure and Sequence Reanalysis of 2019-nCoV Genome Refutes Snakes as Its Intermediate Host and the Unique Similarity between Its Spike Protein Insertions and HIV-1 As the infection of 2019-nCoV coronavirus is quickly developing into a global pneumonia epidemic, the careful analysis of its transmission and cellular mechanisms is sorely needed. In this Communication, we first analyzed two recent studies that concluded that snakes are the intermediate hosts of 2019-nCoV and that the 2019-nCoV spike protein insertions share a unique similarity to HIV-1. However, the reimplementation of the analyses, built on larger scale data sets using state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods and databases, presents clear evidence that rebuts these conclusions. Next, using metagenomic samples from Manis javanica, we assembled a draft genome of the 2019-nCoV-like coronavirus, which shows 73% coverage and 91% sequence identity to the 2019-nCoV genome. In particular, the alignments of the spike surface glycoprotein receptor binding domain revealed four times more variations in the bat coronavirus RaTG13 than in the Manis coronavirus compared with 2019-nCoV, suggesting the pangolin as a missing link in the transmission of 2019-nCoV from bats to human.

positive: Dynamics of the ACE2 - SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interface reveal unique mechanisms The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a major public health concern. A handful of static structures now provide molecular insights into how SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV interact with its host target, which is the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Molecular recognition, binding and function are dynamic processes. To evaluate this, multiple all atom molecular dynamics simulations of at least 500 ns each were performed to better understand the structural stability and interfacial interactions between the receptor binding domain of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV bound to ACE2. Several contacts were observed to form, break and reform in the interface during the simulations. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 utilizes unique strategies to achieve stable binding to ACE2. Several differences were observed between the residues of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV that consistently interacted with ACE2. Notably, a stable salt bridge between Lys417 of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and Asp30 of ACE2 as well as three stable hydrogen bonds between Tyr449, Gln493, and Gln498 of SARS-CoV-2 and Asp38, Glu35, and Lys353 of ACE2 were observed, which were absent in the SARS-CoV-ACE2 interface. Some previously reported residues, which were suggested to enhance the binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2, were not observed to form stable interactions in these simulations. Stable binding to the host receptor is crucial for virus entry. Therefore, special consideration should be given to these stable interactions while designing potential drugs and treatment modalities to target or disrupt this interface.

positive: An engineered stable mini-protein to plug SARS-Cov-2 Spikes The novel betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent of the current pandemic COVID-19. Like other coronaviruses, this novel virus relies on the surface Spike glycoprotein to access the host cells, mainly through the interaction of its Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, molecular entities able to interfere with binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein to ACE2 have a great potential to inhibit viral entry. Starting from the available structural data on the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and the host ACE2 receptor, we here engineered a mini-protein with the aim of creating a soluble and stable Spike interactor. This mini-protein, which was recombinantly produced in high yields, possesses a stable α helical conformation and is able to interact with the RBD of glycosylated Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 with nanomolar affinity, as measured by microscale thermophoresis. By plugging the Spike protein, our mini-protein constitutes a valid tool for the development of treatments against different types of coronavirus.

positive: Identification of Human Single-Domain Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 The worldwide spread of COVID-19 highlights the need for an efficient approach to rapidly develop therapeutics and prophylactics against SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, containing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and S1 subunit involved in receptor engagement, is a potential therapeutic target. We describe the development of a phage-displayed single-domain antibody library by grafting naive complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) into framework regions of a human germline immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (IGHV) allele. Panning this library against SARS-CoV-2 RBD and S1 subunit identified fully human single-domain antibodies targeting five distinct epitopes on SARS-CoV-2 RBD with subnanomolar to low nanomolar affinities. Some of these antibodies neutralize SARS-CoV-2 by targeting a cryptic epitope located in the spike trimeric interface. Collectively, this work presents a versatile platform for rapid antibody isolation and identifies promising therapeutic anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies as well as the diverse immogneic profile of the spike protein.

positive: Evolutionary Trajectory for the Emergence of Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 Over the last two decades, the world experienced three outbreaks of coronaviruses with elevated morbidity rates. Currently, the global community is facing emerging virus SARS-CoV-2 belonging to Betacoronavirus, which appears to be more transmissible but less deadly than SARS-CoV. The current study aimed to track the evolutionary ancestors and different evolutionary strategies that were genetically adapted by SARS-CoV-2. Our whole-genome analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 was the descendant of Bat SARS/SARS-like CoVs and bats served as a natural reservoir. SARS-CoV-2 used mutations and recombination as crucial strategies in different genomic regions including the envelop, membrane, nucleocapsid, and spike glycoproteins to become a novel infectious agent. We confirmed that mutations in different genomic regions of SARS-CoV-2 have specific influence on virus reproductive adaptability, allowing for genotype adjustment and adaptations in rapidly changing environments. Moreover, for the first time we identified nine putative recombination patterns in SARS-CoV-2, which encompass spike glycoprotein, RdRp, helicase and ORF3a. Six recombination regions were spotted in the S gene and are undoubtedly important for evolutionary survival, meanwhile this permitted the virus to modify superficial antigenicity to find a way from immune reconnaissance in animals and adapt to a human host. With these combined natural selected strategies, SARS-CoV-2 emerged as a novel virus in human society.

positive: Identification of a common deletion in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Two notable features have been identified in the SARS-CoV-2 genome: (1) the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2; (2) a unique insertion of twelve nucleotide or four amino acids (PRRA) at the S1 and S2 boundary. For the first feature, the similar RBD identified in SARs-like virus from pangolin suggests the RBD in SARS-CoV-2 may already exist in animal host(s) before it transmitted into human. The left puzzle is the history and function of the insertion at S1/S2 boundary, which is uniquely identified in SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we identified two variants from the first Guangdong SARS-CoV-2 cell strain, with deletion mutations on polybasic cleavage site (PRRAR) and its flank sites. More extensive screening indicates the deletion at the flank sites of PRRAR could be detected in 3 of 68 clinical samples and half of 22 in vitro isolated viral strains. These data indicate (1) the deletion of QTQTN, at the flank of polybasic cleavage site, is likely benefit the SARS-CoV-2 replication or infection in vitro but under strong purification selection in vivo since it is rarely identified in clinical samples; (2) there could be a very efficient mechanism for deleting this region from viral genome as the variants losing 23585-23599 is commonly detected after two rounds of cell passage. The mechanistic explanation for this in vitro adaptation and in vivo purification processes (or reverse) that led to such genomic changes in SARS-CoV-2 requires further work. Nonetheless, this study has provided valuable clues to aid further investigation of spike protein function and virus evolution. The deletion mutation identified in vitro isolation should be also noted for current vaccine development.

positive: Immunoinformatics study to search epitopes of spike glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 as potential vaccine The Coronavirus disease named COVID-19 is caused by the virus reported in 2019 first identified in China. The cases of this disease have increased and as of June 1(st), 2020 there are more than 216 countries affected. Pharmacological treatments have been proposed based on the resemblance of the HIV virus. With regard to prevention there is no vaccine, thus, we proposed to explore the spike protein due to its presence on the viral surface, and it also contains the putative viral entry receptor as well as the fusion peptide (important in the genome release). In this work we have employed In Silico techniques such as immunoinformatics tools which permit the identification of potential immunogenic regions on the viral surface (spike glycoprotein). From these analyses, we identified four epitopes E332-370, E627-651, E440-464 and E694-715 that accomplish essential features such as promiscuity, conservation grade, exposure and universality, and they also form stable complexes with MHCII molecule. We suggest that these epitopes could generate a specific immune response, and thus, they could be used for future applications such as the design of new epitope vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

positive: Deciphering the Protein Motion of S1 Subunit in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Through Integrated Computational Methods The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a major worldwide public health emergency that has infected over $1.5$ million people. The partially open state of S1 subunit in spike glycoprotein is considered vital for its infection with host cell and is represented as a key target for neutralizing antibodies. However, the mechanism elucidating the transition from the closed state to the partially open state still remains unclear. Here, we applied a combination of Markov state model, transition path theory and random forest to analyze the S1 motion. Our results explored a promising complete conformational movement of receptor-binding domain, from buried, partially open, to detached states. We also numerically confirmed the transition probability between those states. Based on the asymmetry in both the dynamics behavior and backbone C$\alpha$ importance, we further suggested a relation between chains in the trimer spike protein, which may help in the vaccine design and antibody neutralization.

positive: Structural Genomics of SARS-CoV-2 Indicates Evolutionary Conserved Functional Regions of Viral Proteins During its first two and a half months, the recently emerged 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has already infected over one-hundred thousand people worldwide and has taken more than four thousand lives However, the swiftly spreading virus also caused an unprecedentedly rapid response from the research community facing the unknown health challenge of potentially enormous proportions Unfortunately, the experimental research to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the viral infection and to design a vaccine or antivirals is costly and takes months to develop To expedite the advancement of our knowledge, we leveraged data about the related coronaviruses that is readily available in public databases and integrated these data into a single computational pipeline As a result, we provide comprehensive structural genomics and interactomics roadmaps of SARS-CoV-2 and use this information to infer the possible functional differences and similarities with the related SARS coronavirus All data are made publicly available to the research community

positive: Assessing the impacts of mutations to the structure of COVID-19 spike protein via sequential Monte Carlo Proteins play a key role in facilitating the infectiousness of the 2019 novel coronavirus. A specific spike protein enables this virus to bind to human cells, and a thorough understanding of its 3-dimensional structure is therefore critical for developing effective therapeutic interventions. However, its structure may continue to evolve over time as a result of mutations. In this paper, we use a data science perspective to study the potential structural impacts due to ongoing mutations in its amino acid sequence. To do so, we identify a key segment of the protein and apply a sequential Monte Carlo sampling method to detect possible changes to the space of low-energy conformations for different amino acid sequences. Such computational approaches can further our understanding of this protein structure and complement laboratory efforts.

positive: AI334 and AQ806 antibodies recognize the spike S protein from SARS-CoV-2 by ELISA We tested 10 recombinant antibodies directed against the spike S protein from SARS-CoV-1. Among them, antibodies AI334 and AQ806 detect by ELISA the spike S protein from SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Structures of potent and convergent neutralizing antibodies bound to the SARS-CoV-2 spike unveil a unique epitope responsible for exceptional potency Understanding the mechanism of neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 is critical for effective vaccines and therapeutics development. We recently reported an exceptionally potent NAb, BD-368-2, and revealed the existence of VH3-53/VH3-66 convergent NAbs in COVID-19. Here we report the 3.5-Å cryo-EM structure of BD-368-2’s Fabs in complex with a mutation-induced prefusion-state-stabilized spike trimer. Unlike VH3-53/VH3-66 NAbs, BD-368-2 fully blocks ACE2 binding by occupying all three receptor-binding domains (RBDs) simultaneously, regardless of their “up” and “down” positions. BD-368-2 also triggers fusogenic-like structural rearrangements of the spike trimer, which could impede viral entry. Moreover, BD-368-2 completely avoids the common epitope of VH3-53/VH3-66 NAbs, evidenced by multiple crystal structures of their Fabs in tripartite complexes with RBD, suggesting a new way of pairing potent NAbs to prevent neutralization escape. Together, these results rationalize a unique epitope that leads to exceptional neutralization potency, and provide guidance for NAb therapeutics and vaccine designs against SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Site-specific analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 glycan shield The emergence of the betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19, represents a significant threat to global human health. Vaccine development is focused on the principal target of the humoral immune response, the spike (S) glycoprotein, that mediates cell entry and membrane fusion. SARS-CoV-2 S gene encodes 22 N-linked glycan sequons per protomer, which likely play a role in immune evasion and occluding immunogenic protein epitopes. Here, using a site-specific mass spectrometric approach, we reveal the glycan structures on a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S immunogen. This analysis enables mapping of the glycan-processing states across the trimeric viral spike. We show how SARS-CoV-2 S glycans differ from typical host glycan processing, which may have implications in viral pathobiology and vaccine design.

positive: Developing a Fully Glycosylated Full-Length SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Model in a Viral Membrane This technical study describes all-atom modeling and simulation of a fully glycosylated full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in a viral membrane. First, starting from PDB: 6VSB and 6VXX, full-length S protein structures were modeled using template-based modeling, de-novo protein structure prediction, and loop modeling techniques in GALAXY modeling suite. Then, using the recently determined most occupied glycoforms, 22 N-glycans and 1 O-glycan of each monomer were modeled using Glycan Reader & Modeler in CHARMM-GUI. These fully glycosylated full-length S protein model structures were assessed and further refined against the low-resolution data in their respective experimental maps using ISOLDE. We then used CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder to place the S proteins in a viral membrane and performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. All structures are available in CHARMM-GUI COVID-19 Archive (http://www.charmm-gui.org/docs/archive/covid19) so that researchers can use these models to carry out innovative and novel modeling and simulation research for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Structure analysis of the receptor binding of 2019-nCoV Abstract 2019-nCoV is a newly identified coronavirus with high similarity to SARS-CoV. We performed a structural analysis of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike glycoprotein responsible for entry of coronaviruses into host cells. The RBDs from the two viruses share 72% identity in amino acid sequences, and molecular simulation reveals highly similar ternary structures. However, 2019-nCoV has a distinct loop with flexible glycyl residues replacing rigid prolyl residues in SARS-CoV. Molecular modeling revealed that 2019-nCoV RBD has a stronger interaction with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). A unique phenylalanine F486 in the flexible loop likely plays a major role because its penetration into a deep hydrophobic pocket in ACE2. ACE2 is widely expressed with conserved primary structures throughout the animal kingdom from fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, to mammals. Structural analysis suggests that ACE2 from these animals can potentially bind RBD of 2019-nCoV, making them all possible natural hosts for the virus. 2019-nCoV is thought to be transmitted through respiratory droplets. However, since ACE2 is predominantly expressed in intestines, testis, and kidney, fecal-oral and other routes of transmission are also possible. Finally, antibodies and small molecular inhibitors that can block the interaction of ACE2 with RBD should be developed to combat the virus.

positive: Truncated human angiotensin converting enzyme 2; a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and potent COVID-19 therapeutic agent The current pandemic of Covid-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is continued to spread globally and no potential drug or vaccine against it is available. Spike (S) glycoprotein is the structural protein of SARS-CoV-2 located on the envelope surface, involve in interaction with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cell surface receptor, followed by entry into the host cell. Thereby, blocking the S glycoprotein through potential inhibitor may interfere its interaction with ACE2 and impede its entry into the host cell. Here, we present a truncated version of human ACE2 (tACE2), comprising the N terminus region of the intact ACE2 from amino acid position 21-119, involved in binding with receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed the in-silico potential of tACE2 to compete with intact ACE2 for binding with RBD. The protein-protein docking and molecular dynamic simulation showed that tACE2 has higher binding affinity for RBD and form more stabilized complex with RBD than the intact ACE2. Furthermore, prediction of tACE2 soluble expression in E. coli makes it a suitable candidate to be targeted for Covid-19 therapeutics. This is the first MD simulation based findings to provide a high affinity protein inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein, an important target for drug designing against this unprecedented challenge. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

positive: Learning from the Past: Possible Urgent Prevention and Treatment Options for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Caused by 2019‐nCoV With the current trajectory of the 2019‐nCoV outbreak unknown, public health and medicinal measures will both be needed to contain spreading of the virus and to optimize patient outcomes. Although little is known about the virus, an examination of the genome sequence shows strong homology with its better‐studied cousin, SARS‐CoV. The spike protein used for host cell infection shows key nonsynonymous mutations that might hamper the efficacy of previously developed therapeutics but remains a viable target for the development of biologics and macrocyclic peptides. Other key drug targets, including RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase and coronavirus main proteinase (3CLpro), share a strikingly high (>95 %) homology to SARS‐CoV. Herein, we suggest four potential drug candidates (an ACE2‐based peptide, remdesivir, 3CLpro‐1 and a novel vinylsulfone protease inhibitor) that could be used to treat patients suffering with the 2019‐nCoV. We also summarize previous efforts into drugging these targets and hope to help in the development of broad‐spectrum anti‐coronaviral agents for future epidemics.

positive: The inhibitory effect of a Corona virus spike protein fragment with ACE2 In this paper, we investigate the molecular assembly processes of a Coronavirus Spike protein fragment, the hexapeptide YKYRYL on the ACE2 receptor and its inhibitory effect on the aggregation and activation of the CoV-2 spike receptor protein at the same receptor protein. In agreement with an experimental study, we find a high affinity of the hexapeptide to the binding interface between the spike receptor protein and ACE2, which we investigate using 20 independent equilibrium MD simulations over a total of 1 μs and a 200 ns enhanced MD simulation. We then evaluate the effect of the hexapeptide on the aggregation process of the spike receptor protein to ACE2 in long-time enhanced MD simulations. In that set of simulations, we find that the spike receptor protein does not bind to ACE2 with the binding motif shown in experiments, but it rotates due to an electrostatic repulsion and forms a hydrophobic interface with ACE2. Surprisingly, we observe that the hexapeptide binds to the spike receptor domain, which has the effect that this protein only weakly attaches to ACE2, so that the activation of the spike protein receptor might be inhibited in this case. Our results indicate that the hexapeptide might be a possible treatment option which prevents the viral activation through the inhibition of the interaction between ACE2 and the spike receptor protein. SIGNIFICANCE A novel coronavirus, CoV-19 and a later phenotype CoV-2 were identified as primary cause for a severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS CoV-2). The spike (S) protein of CoV-2 is one target for the development of a vaccine to prevent the viral entry into human cells. The inhibition of the direct interaction between ACE2 and the S-protein could provides a suitable strategy to prevent the membrane fusion of CoV-2 and the viral entry into human cells. Using MD simulations, we investigate the assembly process of a Coronavirus Spike protein fragment, the hexapeptide YKYRYL on the ACE2 receptor and its inhibitzory effect on the aggregation and activation of the CoV-2 spike receptor protein at the same receptor protein.

positive: Mutations in SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA identified in Eastern India: Possible implications for the ongoing outbreak in India and impact on viral structure and host susceptibility Direct massively parallel sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 genome was undertaken from nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples of infected individuals in Eastern India. Seven of the isolates belonged to the A2a clade, while one belonged to the B4 clade. Specific mutations, characteristic of the A2a clade, were also detected, which included the P323L in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and D614G in the Spike glycoprotein. Further, our data revealed emergence of novel subclones harbouring nonsynonymous mutations, viz. G1124V in Spike (S) protein, R203K, and G204R in the nucleocapsid (N) protein. The N protein mutations reside in the SR-rich region involved in viral capsid formation and the S protein mutation is in the S(2) domain, which is involved in triggering viral fusion with the host cell membrane. Interesting correlation was observed between these mutations and travel or contact history of COVID-19 positive cases. Consequent alterations of miRNA binding and structure were also predicted for these mutations. More importantly, the possible implications of mutation D614G (in S(D) domain) and G1124V (in S(2) subunit) on the structural stability of S protein have also been discussed. Results report for the first time a bird’s eye view on the accumulation of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genome in Eastern India. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s12038-020-00046-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

positive: Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Glycans The pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 has caused a high number of deaths in the world. To combat it, it is necessary to develop a better understanding of how the virus infects host cells. Infection normally starts with the attachment of the virus to cell-surface glycans like heparan sulfate (HS) and sialic acid-containing oligosaccharides. In this study, we examined and compared the binding of the subunits and spike (S) proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV to these glycans. Our results revealed that the S proteins and subunits can bind to HS in a sulfation-dependent manner, the length of HS is not a critical factor for the binding, and no binding with sialic acid residues was detected. Overall, this work suggests that HS binding may be a general mechanism for the attachment of these coronaviruses to host cells, and supports the potential importance of HS in infection and in the development of antiviral agents against these viruses.

positive: A SARS-CoV-2 serological assay to determine the presence of blocking antibodies that compete for human ACE2 binding As SARS-CoV-2 continues to spread around the world, there is an urgent need for new assay formats to characterize the humoral response to infection. Convalescent serum is being used for treatment and for isolation of patient-derived antibodies. However, currently there is not a simple means to estimate serum bulk neutralizing capability. Here we present an efficient competitive serological assay that can simultaneously determine an individual’s seropositivity against the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and estimate the neutralizing capacity of anti-Spike antibodies to block interaction with the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) required for viral entry. In this ELISA-based assay, we present natively-folded viral Spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD)-containing antigens via avidin-biotin interactions. Sera are then supplemented with soluble ACE2-Fc to compete for RBD-binding serum antibodies, and antibody binding quantified. Comparison of signal from untreated serum and ACE2-Fc-treated serum reveals the presence of antibodies that compete with ACE2 for RBD binding, as evidenced by loss of signal with ACE2-Fc treatment. In our test cohort of nine convalescent SARS-CoV-2 patients, we found all patients had developed anti-RBD antibodies targeting the epitope responsible for ACE2 engagement. This assay provides a simple and high-throughput method to screen patient sera for potentially neutralizing anti-Spike antibodies to enable identification of candidate sera for therapeutic use.

positive: Identification of bioactive compounds from Glycyrrhiza glabra as possible inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and non-structural protein-15: a pharmacoinformatics study At present, the world is facing a pandemic named as COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2. Traditional Chinese medicine has recommended the use of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza species) in the treatment of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to identify the active molecule from the liquorice against different protein targets of COVID-19 using an in-silico approach. The molecular docking simulation study of 20 compounds along with two standard antiviral drugs (Lopinavir and Rivabirin) was carried out with the help of Autodock vina software using two protein targets from COVID-19 i.e. spike glycoprotein (PDB ID: 6VSB) and Non-structural Protein-15 (Nsp15) endoribonuclease (PDB ID: 6W01). From the observed binding energy and the binding interactions, glyasperin A showed high affinity towards Nsp15 endoribonuclease with uridine specificity, while glycyrrhizic acid was found to be best suited for the binding pocket of spike glycoprotein and also prohibited the entry of the virus into the host cell. Further, the dynamic behavior of the best-docked molecules inside the spike glycoprotein and Nsp15 endoribonuclease were explored through all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study. Several parameters from the MD simulation have substantiated the stability of protein-ligand stability. The binding free energy of both glyasperin A and glycyrrhizic acid was calculated from the entire MD simulation trajectory through the MM-PBSA approach and found to high binding affinity towards the respective protein receptor cavity. Thus, glyasperin A and glycyrrhizic acid could be considered as the best molecule from liquorice, which could find useful against COVID-19.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

positive: Identification of a Potential Peptide Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Targeting its Entry into the Host Cells BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to the incessant spread of the disease with substantial morbidity and mortality rates, there is an urgent demand for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control and diminish this pandemic. A critical step in the crosstalk between the virus and the host cell is the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor present on the surface of the host cells. Hence, inhibition of this interaction could be a promising strategy to combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Docking and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation studies revealed that designed peptide maintains their secondary structure and provide a highly specific and stable binding (blocking) to SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: We have designed a novel peptide that could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interaction with ACE2, thereby blocking the cellular entry of the virus. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that computationally developed inhibitory peptide may be developed as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We further plan to pursue the peptide in cell-based assays and eventually for clinical trials. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s40268-020-00312-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

positive: Structural basis of a public antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 Molecular-level understanding of human neutralizing antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 could accelerate vaccine design and facilitate drug discovery. We analyzed 294 SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and found that IGHV3–53 is the most frequently used IGHV gene for targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein. We determined crystal structures of two IGHV3–53 neutralizing antibodies +/− Fab CR3022 ranging from 2.33 to 3.11 Å resolution. The germline-encoded residues of IGHV3–53 dominate binding to the ACE2 binding site epitope with no overlap with the CR3022 epitope. Moreover, IGHV3–53 is used in combination with a very short CDR H3 and different light chains. Overall, IGHV3–53 represents a versatile public VH in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, where their specific germline features and minimal affinity maturation provide important insights for vaccine design and assessing outcomes.

positive: Structural and Functional Basis of SARS-CoV-2 Entry by Using Human ACE2 The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in China has caused significant public health concerns. Recently, ACE2 was reported as an entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we present the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2-CTD) spike (S) protein in complex with human ACE2 (hACE2), which reveals a hACE2-binding mode similar overall to that observed for SARS-CoV. However, atomic details at the binding interface demonstrate that key residue substitutions in SARS-CoV-2-CTD slightly strengthen the interaction and lead to higher affinity for receptor binding than SARS-RBD. Additionally, a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and polyclonal antibodies (pAbs) against SARS-CoV-S1/receptor-binding domain (RBD) were unable to interact with the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, indicating notable differences in antigenicity between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. These findings shed light on the viral pathogenesis and provide important structural information regarding development of therapeutic countermeasures against the emerging virus.

positive: Deducing the N- and O- glycosylation profile of the spike protein of novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 The current emergence of the novel coronavirus pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 demands the development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent rapid progress of mortalities. The coronavirus spike (S) protein, which facilitates viral attachment, entry and membrane fusion is heavily glycosylated and plays a critical role in the elicitation of the host immune response. The spike protein is comprised of two protein subunits (S1 and S2), which together possess 22 potential N-glycosylation sites. Herein, we report the glycosylation mapping on spike protein subunits S1 and S2 expressed on human cells through high resolution mass spectrometry. We have characterized the quantitative N-glycosylation profile on spike protein and interestingly, observed unexpected O-glycosylation modifications on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein subunit S1. Even though O-glycosylation has been predicted on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, this is the first report of experimental data for both the site of O-glycosylation and identity of the O-glycans attached on the subunit S1. Our data on the N- and O- glycosylation is strengthened by extensive manual interpretation of each glycopeptide spectra in addition to using bioinformatics tools to confirm the complexity of glycosylation in the spike protein. The elucidation of the glycan repertoire on the spike protein provides insights into the viral binding studies and more importantly, propels research towards the development of a suitable vaccine candidate.

positive: Computational investigation on Andrographis paniculata phytochemicals to evaluate their potency against SARS-CoV-2 in comparison to known antiviral compounds in drug trials The outbreak due to SARS-CoV-2 (or Covid-19) is spreading alarmingly and number of deaths due to infection is aggressively increasing every day. Due to the rapid human to human transmission of Covid-19, we are in need to find a potent drug at the earliest by ruling-out the traditional time-consuming approach of drug development. This is only possible if we use reliable computational approaches for screening compounds from chemical space or by drug repurposing or by finding the phytochemicals and nutraceuticals from plants as they can be immediately used without the need for carrying out drug-trials to test safety and efficacy. A number of plant products were routinely suggested as drugs in traditional Indian and Chinese medicine. Here using molecular docking approach, and combined molecular dynamics and MM-GBSA based free energy calculations approach, we study the potency of the four selected phytochemicals namely andrographolide (AGP1), 14-deoxy 11,12-didehydro andrographolide (AGP2), neoandrographolide (AGP3) and 14-deoxy andrographolide (AGP4) from A. paniculata plant against the four key targets including three non-structural proteins (3 L main protease (3CLpro), Papain-like proteinase (PLpro) and RNA-directed RNA polymerase (RdRp)) and a structural protein (spike protein (S)) of the virus which are responsible for replication, transcription and host cell recognition. The therapeutic potential of the selected phytochemicals against Covid-19 were also evaluated in comparison with a few commercially available drugs. The binding free energy data suggest that AGP3 could be used as a cost-effective drug-analog for treating covid-19 infection in developing countries. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

positive: Sensitivity in Detection of Antibodies to Nucleocapsid and Spike Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 in Patients With Coronavirus Disease 2019 BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is associated with respiratory-related disease and death. Assays to detect virus-specific antibodies are important to understand the prevalence of infection and the course of the immune response. METHODS: Quantitative measurements of plasma or serum antibodies to the nucleocapsid and spike proteins were analyzed using luciferase immunoprecipitation system assays in 100 cross-sectional or longitudinal samples from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. A subset of samples was tested both with and without heat inactivation. RESULTS: At >14 days after symptom onset, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity, whereas antibodies to spike protein were detected with 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Neither antibody levels nor the rate of seropositivity were significantly reduced by heat inactivation of samples. Analysis of daily samples from 6 patients with COVID-19 showed anti-nucleocapsid and spike protein antibodies appearing between days 8 and 14 after initial symptoms. Immunocompromised patients generally had a delayed antibody response to SARS-CoV-2, compared with immunocompetent patients. CONCLUSIONS: Antibody to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 is more sensitive than spike protein antibody for detecting early infection. Analyzing heat-inactivated samples with a luciferase immunoprecipitation system assay is a safe and sensitive method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

positive: Drug targets for corona virus: A systematic review The 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a major source of disaster in the 21(th) century. However, the lack of specific drugs to prevent/treat an attack is a major need at this current point of time. In this regard, we conducted a systematic review to identify major druggable targets in coronavirus (CoV). We searched PubMed and RCSB database with keywords HCoV, NCoV, corona virus, SERS-CoV, MERS-CoV, 2019-nCoV, crystal structure, X-ray crystallography structure, NMR structure, target, and drug target till Feb 3, 2020. The search identified seven major targets (spike protein, envelop protein, membrane protein, protease, nucleocapsid protein, hemagglutinin esterase, and helicase) for which drug design can be considered. There are other 16 nonstructural proteins (NSPs), which can also be considered from the drug design perspective. The major structural proteins and NSPs may serve an important role from drug design perspectives. However, the occurrence of frequent recombination events is a major deterrent factor toward the development of CoV-specific vaccines/drugs.

positive: Is the Rigidity of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Motif the Hallmark for Its Enhanced Infectivity? Insights from All-Atom Simulations The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is setting the global health crisis of our time, causing a devastating societal and economic burden. An idiosyncratic trait of coronaviruses is the presence of spike glycoproteins on the viral envelope, which mediate the virus binding to specific host receptor, enabling its entry into the human cells. In spite of the high sequence identity of SARS-CoV-2 with its closely related SARS-CoV emerged in 2002, the atomic-level determinants underlining the molecular recognition of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and, thus, the rapid virus spread into human body, remain unresolved. Here, multi-microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations enabled us to unprecedentedly dissect the key molecular traits liable of the higher affinity/specificity of SARS-CoV-2 toward ACE2 as compared to SARS-CoV. This supplies a minute per-residue contact map underlining its stunningly high infectivity. Harnessing this knowledge is pivotal for urgently developing effective medical countermeasures to face the ongoing global health crisis.

positive: Potent neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 identified by high-throughput single-cell sequencing of convalescent patients’ B cells Summary The COVID-19 pandemic urgently needs therapeutic and prophylactic interventions. Here we report the rapid identification of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies by high-throughput single-cell RNA and VDJ sequencing of antigen-enriched B cells from 60 convalescent patients. From 8,558 antigen-binding IgG1+ clonotypes, 14 potent neutralizing antibodies were identified with the most potent one, BD-368-2, exhibiting an IC50 of 1.2 ng/mL and 15 ng/mL against pseudotyped and authentic SARS-CoV-2, respectively. BD-368-2 also displayed strong therapeutic and prophylactic efficacy in SARS-CoV-2-infected hACE2-transgenic mice. Additionally, the 3.8Å Cryo-EM structure of a neutralizing antibody in complex with the spike-ectodomain trimer revealed the antibody’s epitope overlaps with the ACE2 binding site. Moreover, we demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies could be directly selected based on similarities of their predicted CDR3H structures to those of SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies. Altogether, we showed that human neutralizing antibodies could be efficiently discovered by high-throughput single B-cell sequencing in response to pandemic infectious diseases.

positive: ACE2 fragment as a decoy for novel SARS-Cov-2 virus Novel SARS-Cov-2 enters human cells via interaction between the surface spike (S) glycoprotein and the cellular membrane receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Using a combination of comparative structural analyses of the binding surface of the S protein to ACE2, docking experiments, and molecular dynamics simulations we computationally identified a minimal, stable fragment of ACE2. This fragment binds to the S protein, is soluble, and appears not to bind to the physiological ligand angiotensinII. These results suggest a possible use of the ACE2 fragment as a decoy that could interfere with viral binding by competition.

positive: Mapping the Immunodominance Landscape of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein for the Design of Vaccines against COVID-19 The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is a serious threat to global public health, and imposes severe burdens on the entire human society. The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can cause severe respiratory illness and death. Currently, there are no specific antiviral drugs that can treat COVID-19. Several vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are being actively developed by research groups around the world. The surface S (spike) protein and the highly expressed internal N (nucleocapsid) protein of SARS-CoV-2 are widely considered as promising candidates for vaccines. In order to guide the design of an effective vaccine, we need experimental data on these potential epitope candidates. In this study, we mapped the immunodominant (ID) sites of S protein using sera samples collected from recently discharged COVID-19 patients. The SARS-CoV-2 S protein-specific antibody levels in the sera of recovered COVID-19 patients were strongly correlated with the neutralising antibody titres. We used epitope mapping to determine the landscape of ID sites of S protein, which identified nine linearized B cell ID sites. Four out of the nine ID sites were found in the receptor-binding domain (RBD). Further analysis showed that these ID sites are potential high-affinity SARS-CoV-2 antibody binding sites. Peptides containing two out of the nine sites were tested as vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 in a mouse model. We detected epitope-specific antibodies and SARS-CoV-2-neutralising activity in the immunised mice. This study for the first time provides human serological data for the design of vaccines against COVID-19.

positive: Analysis of a SARS-CoV-2 infected individual reveals development of potent neutralizing antibodies to distinct epitopes with limited somatic mutation Abstract Antibody responses develop following SARS-CoV-2 infection, but little is known about their epitope specificities, clonality, binding affinities, epitopes and neutralizing activity. We isolated B cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 envelope glycoprotein spike (S) from a COVID-19-infected subject twenty-one days after the onset of clinical disease. Forty-five S-specific monoclonal antibodies were generated. They had undergone minimal somatic mutation, with limited clonal expansion and three bound the receptor binding domain (RBD). Two antibodies neutralized SARS-CoV-2. The most potent antibody bound the RBD and prevented binding to the ACE2 receptor, while the other bound outside the RBD. Thus, most anti-S antibodies that were generated in this patient during the first weeks of COVID-19 infection were non-neutralizing and target epitopes outside the RBD. Antibodies that disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 S-ACE2 interaction can potently neutralize the virus without undergoing extensive maturation. Such antibodies have potential preventive and/or therapeutic potential and can serve as templates for vaccine-design.

positive: Structural Proteins in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 Abstract What began with a sign of pneumonia-related respiratory disorders in China has now become a pandemic named by WHO as Covid-19 known to be caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 are newly emerged β coronaviruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family. SARS-CoV-2 has a positive viral RNA genome expressing open reading frames that code for structural and non-structural proteins. The spike, nucleocapsid, membrane, and envelope proteins are structural proteins. The S1 subunit of spike protein facilitates ACE2 mediated virus attachment and S2 subunit for membrane fusion. The presence of glutamine, asparagine, leucine, phenylalanine and serine amino in SARS-CoV-2 enhanced ACE2 binding. The N protein is composed of a serine-rich linker region sandwiched between N terminal (NTD) and C terminal (CTD). These terminals play a role in viral entry and its processing post entry. The NTD of SARS-CoV-2 N protein forms orthorhombic crystals and binds to the viral genome. The linker region contains phosphorylation sites that regulate its functioning. The CTD promotes nucleocapsid formation. Envelope proteins contain an NTD, hydrophobic domain and C terminal which form viroporins needed for viral assembly. Membrane proteins hydrophilic C terminal and amphipathic N terminal. Its long-form promotes spike incorporations and interaction with E facilitate virion production. As each protein is essential in viral functioning, this review describes the insights of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins that would help in developing therapeutic strategies by targeting each protein to curb the rapidly growing pandemic.

positive: Biochemical Analysis of Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Conformational Intermediates during Membrane Fusion A fusion protein expressed on the surface of enveloped viruses mediates fusion of the viral and cellular membranes to facilitate virus infection. Pre- and postfusion structures of viral fusion proteins have been characterized, but conformational changes between them remain poorly understood. Here, we examined the intermediate conformation of the murine coronavirus fusion protein, called the spike protein, which must be cleaved by a cellular protease following receptor binding. Western blot analysis of protease digestion products revealed that two subunits (67 and 69 kDa) are produced from a single spike protein (180 kDa). These two subunits were considered to be by-products derived from conformational changes and were useful for probing the intermediate conformation of the spike protein. Interaction with a heptad repeat (HR) peptide revealed that these subunits adopt packed and unpacked conformations, respectively, and two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed a trimeric assembly. Based on biochemical observations, we propose an asymmetric trimer model for the intermediate structure of the spike protein. Receptor binding induces the membrane-binding potential of the trimer, in which at least one HR motif forms a packed-hairpin structure, while membrane fusion subunits are covered by the receptor-binding subunit, thereby preventing the spike protein from forming the typical homotrimeric prehairpin structure predicted by the current model of class I viral fusion protein. Subsequent proteolysis induces simultaneous packing of the remaining unpacked HRs upon assembly of three HRs at the central axis to generate a six-helix bundle. Our model proposes a key mechanism for membrane fusion of enveloped viruses. IMPORTANCE Recent studies using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) revealed the mechanism underlying activation of viral fusion protein at the priming stage. However, characterizing the subsequent triggering stage underpinning transition from pre- to postfusion structures is difficult because single-particle cryoEM excludes unstable structures that appear as heterogeneous shapes. Therefore, population-based biochemical analysis is needed to capture features of unstable proteins. Here, we analyzed protease digestion products of a coronavirus fusion protein during activation; their sizes appear to be affected directly by the conformational state. We propose a model for the viral fusion protein in the intermediate state, which involves a compact structure and conformational changes that overcome steric hindrance within the three fusion protein subunits.

positive: Identification of bioactive compounds from Glycyrrhiza glabra as possible inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and non-structural protein-15: a pharmacoinformatics study At present, the world is facing a pandemic named as COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2. Traditional Chinese medicine has recommended the use of liquorice (Glycyrrhiza species) in the treatment of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, the present investigation was carried out to identify the active molecule from the liquorice against different protein targets of COVID-19 using an in-silico approach. The molecular docking simulation study of 20 compounds along with two standard antiviral drugs (Lopinavir and Rivabirin) was carried out with the help of Autodock vina software using two protein targets from COVID-19 i.e. spike glycoprotein (PDB ID: 6VSB) and Non-structural Protein-15 (Nsp15) endoribonuclease (PDB ID: 6W01). From the observed binding energy and the binding interactions, glyasperin A showed high affinity towards Nsp15 endoribonuclease with uridine specificity, while glycyrrhizic acid was found to be best suited for the binding pocket of spike glycoprotein and also prohibited the entry of the virus into the host cell. Further, the dynamic behavior of the best-docked molecules inside the spike glycoprotein and Nsp15 endoribonuclease were explored through all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study. Several parameters from the MD simulation have substantiated the stability of protein-ligand stability. The binding free energy of both glyasperin A and glycyrrhizic acid was calculated from the entire MD simulation trajectory through the MM-PBSA approach and found to high binding affinity towards the respective protein receptor cavity. Thus, glyasperin A and glycyrrhizic acid could be considered as the best molecule from liquorice, which could find useful against COVID-19. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

positive: Targeting Receptor Binding Domain and Cryptic Pocket of Spike glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 by biomolecular modeling SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the disease known as Covid-19, has so far reported around 3,435,000 cases of human infections, including more than 239,000 deaths in 187 countries, with no effective treatment currently available. For this reason, it is necessary to explore new approaches for the development of a drug capable of inhibiting the entry of the virus into the host cell. Therefore, this work includes the exploration of potential inhibitory compounds for the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (PDB ID: 6VSB), which were obtained from The Patogen Box. Later, they were filtered through virtual screening and molecular docking techniques, thus obtaining a top of 1000 compounds, which were used against a binding site located in the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) and a cryptic site located in the N-Terminal Domain (NTD), resulting in good pharmaceutical targets for the blocking the infection. From the top 1000, the best compound (TCMDC-124223) was selected for the binding site. It interacts with specific residues that intervene in the recognition and subsequent entry into the host cell, resulting in a more favorable binding free energy in comparison to the control compounds (Hesperidine and Emodine). In the same way, the compound TCMDC-133766 was selected for the cryptic site. These identified compounds are potential inhibitors that can be used for the development of new drugs that allow effective treatment for the disease.

positive: Energetics and IC50 based epitope screening in SARS CoV-2 (COVID 19) spike protein by immunoinformatic analysis implicating for a suitable vaccine development BACKGROUND: The recent outbreak by SARS-CoV-2 has generated a chaos in global health and economy and claimed/infected a large number of lives. Closely resembling with SARS CoV, the present strain has manifested exceptionally higher degree of spreadability, virulence and stability possibly due to some unidentified mutations. The viral spike glycoprotein is very likely to interact with host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmits its genetic materials and hijacks host machinery with extreme fidelity for self propagation. Few attempts have been made to develop a suitable vaccine or ACE2 blocker or virus-receptor inhibitor within this short period of time. METHODS: Here, attempt was taken to develop some therapeutic and vaccination strategies with a comparison of spike glycoproteins among SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and the SARS-CoV-2. We verified their structure quality (SWISS-MODEL, Phyre2, and Pymol) topology (ProFunc), motifs (MEME Suite, GLAM2Scan), gene ontology based conserved domain (InterPro database) and screened several epitopes (SVMTrip) of SARS CoV-2 based on their energetics, IC50 and antigenicity with regard to their possible glycosylation and MHC/paratope binding (Vaxigen v2.0, HawkDock, ZDOCK Server) effects. RESULTS: We screened here few pairs of spike protein epitopic regions and selected their energetic, Inhibitory Concentration50 (IC50), MHC II reactivity and found some of those to be very good target for vaccination. A possible role of glycosylation on epitopic region showed profound effects on epitopic recognition. CONCLUSION: The present work might be helpful for the urgent development of a suitable vaccination regimen against SARS CoV-2.

positive: Phylogenetic Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Genomes in Turkey COVID-19 has effectively spread worldwide. As of May 2020, Turkey is among the top ten countries with the most cases. A comprehensive genomic characterization of the virus isolates in Turkey is yet to be carried out. Here, we built a phylogenetic tree with globally obtained 15,277 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes. We identified the subtypes based on the phylogenetic clustering in comparison with the previously annotated classifications. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of the first thirty SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated and sequenced in Turkey. We suggest that the first introduction of the virus to the country is earlier than the first reported case of infection. Virus genomes isolated from Turkey are dispersed among most types in the phylogenetic tree. We find two of the seventeen sub-clusters enriched with the isolates of Turkey, which likely have spread expansively in the country. Finally, we traced virus genomes based on their phylogenetic placements. This analysis suggested multiple independent international introductions of the virus and revealed a hub for the inland transmission. We released a web application to track the global and interprovincial virus spread of the isolates from Turkey in comparison to thousands of genomes worldwide.

positive: Fusion core structure of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV): In search of potent SARS‐CoV entry inhibitors Severe acute respiratory coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) spike (S) glycoprotein fusion core consists of a six‐helix bundle with the three C‐terminal heptad repeat (HR2) helices packed against a central coiled‐coil of the other three N‐terminal heptad repeat (HR1) helices. Each of the three peripheral HR2 helices shows prominent contacts with the hydrophobic surface of the central HR1 coiled‐coil. The concerted protein–protein interactions among the HR helices are responsible for the fusion event that leads to the release of the SARS‐CoV nucleocapsid into the target host‐cell. In this investigation, we applied recombinant protein and synthetic peptide‐based biophysical assays to characterize the biological activities of the HR helices. In a parallel experiment, we employed a HIV‐luc/SARS pseudotyped virus entry inhibition assay to screen for potent inhibitory activities on HR peptides derived from the SARS‐CoV S protein HR regions and a series of other small‐molecule drugs. Three HR peptides and five small‐molecule drugs were identified as potential inhibitors. ADS‐J1, which has been used to interfere with the fusogenesis of HIV‐1 onto CD4(+) cells, demonstrated the highest HIV‐luc/SARS pseudotyped virus‐entry inhibition activity among the other small‐molecule drugs. Molecular modeling analysis suggested that ADS‐J1 may bind to the deep pocket of the hydrophobic groove on the surface of the central coiled‐coil of SARS‐CoV S HR protein and prevent the entrance of the SARS‐CoV into the host cells. J. Cell. Biochem. 104: 2335–2347, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

positive: Receptor binding and proteolysis do not induce large conformational changes in the SARS-CoV spike Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged in 2002 as a highly transmissible pathogenic human betacoronavirus. The viral spike glycoprotein (S) utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a host protein receptor and mediates fusion of the viral and host membranes, making S essential to viral entry into host cells and host species tropism. As SARS-CoV enters host cells, the viral S undergoes two proteolytic cleavages at S1/S2 and S2’ sites necessary for efficient membrane fusion. Here, we present a cryo-EM analysis of the trimeric SARS-CoV S interactions with ACE2 and of the trypsin-cleaved S. Surprisingly, neither binding to ACE2 nor cleavage by trypsin at the S1/S2 cleavage site impart large conformational changes within S or expose the secondary cleavage site, S2’. These observations suggest that S2’ cleavage does not occur in the S prefusion conformation and that additional triggers may be required.

positive: The potential SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor Outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan and has rapidly spread to almost all parts of world. In coronaviruses, the receptor binding domain (RBD) in the distal part of S1 subunit of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein can directly bind to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). RBD promote viral entry into the host cells and is an important therapeutic target. In this study, we discovered that theaflavin showed the lower idock score (idock score: −7.95 kcal/mol). To confirm the result, we discovered that theaflavin showed FullFitness score of −991.21 kcal/mol and estimated ΔG of −8.53 kcal/mol for the most favorable interaction with contact area of SARS-CoV-2 RBD by SwissDock service. Regarding contact modes, hydrophobic interactions contribute significantly in binding and additional hydrogen bonds were formed between theaflavin and Arg454, Phe456, Asn460, Cys480, Gln493, Asn501 and Val503 of SARS-CoV-2 RBD, near the direct contact area with ACE2. Our results suggest that theaflavin could be the candidate of SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor for further study.

positive: Spike protein fusion loop controls SARS-CoV-2 fusogenicity and infectivity The Spike is a hallmark coronavirus protein that determines virus fusion, entry and spread in the host, and thus holds clues for the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We have investigated the Spike from six β-coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV-2, and find that their surface-exposed fusion peptides constituting the fusion loop are spatially organized contiguous to each other to work synergistically for triggering the virus-host membrane fusion process. The SARS-CoV-2 fusion peptides have unique physicochemical properties, accrued in part from the presence of consecutive prolines that impart backbone rigidity which aids the virus fusogenicity. The specific contribution of these prolines has been inferred from comparative studies of their deletion mutant in a fellow murine β-coronavirus MHV-A59 that show significantly diminished fusogenicity in vitro and associated pathogenesis in vivo. The Spike cleavage-linked priming and fusogenic conformational transition steered by the fusion loop may be critical for the SARS-CoV-2 spread. Summary The Spike protein on the SARS-CoV-2 surface is the prime mediator of COVID-191 because of its central role in virus-host attachment, virus-entry, and virus-spread2. The contagious nature of SARS-CoV-2 infection has been attributed to dense glycosylation of the Spike glycoprotein3, its high affinity of binding to human ACE2 receptor4, and cleavage5. While these may be imperative, it does not explain the uncontrolled infectivity. Here we show that properties of the fusion peptides constituting the fusion loop of SARS-CoV-2 Spike that triggers the virus fusion, distinguishes it from the other five β-coronaviruses. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike trimer surface is relatively more hydrophobic, including the surface contributed by the fusion peptides. The fusion peptides are structurally rigid owing to its consecutive prolines, aromatic/hydrophobic clusters, a stretch of consecutive β-branched amino acids, and the hydrogen bonds. The role of rigidity accrued from the presence of consecutive prolines contributing to virus fusogenicity can be deciphered from our previous murine β-coronavirus, MHV-A59 studies6. The synergy brought about by the global location of the surface exposed fusion peptides, their physicochemical features, and the fusogenic conformational transition appears to drive the fusion process, which may explain the severity of the infection and widespread nature of the COVID-19 pandemic.

positive: Antibody repertoire induced by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunogens Multiple vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 based on viral spike protein are under development. However, there is limited information on the quality of antibody response generated following vaccination by these vaccine modalities. To better understand antibody response induced by spike protein-based vaccines, we immunized rabbits with various SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antigens: S-ectodomain (S1+S2) (aa 16-1213), which lacks the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains (CT-TM), the S1 domain (aa 16-685), the receptor-binding domain (RBD) (aa 319-541), and the S2 domain (aa 686-1213 as control). Antibody response was analyzed by ELISA, Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) against different Spike proteins in native conformation, and a pseudovirion neutralization assay to measure the quality and function of the antibodies elicited by the different Spike antigens. All three antigens (S1+S2 ectodomain, S1 domain, and RBD) generated strong neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination induced antibody repertoire was analyzed by SARS-CoV-2 spike Genome Fragment Phage Display Libraries (SARS-CoV-2 GFPDL), which identified immunodominant epitopes in the S1, S1-RBD and S2 domains. Furthermore, these analyses demonstrated that surprisingly the RBD immunogen elicited a higher antibody titer with 5-fold higher affinity antibodies to native spike antigens compared with other spike antigens. These findings may help guide rational vaccine design and facilitate development and evaluation of effective therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19 disease. One Sentence Summary SARS-CoV-2 Spike induced immune response

positive: Arbidol: A potential antiviral drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 by blocking trimerization of the spike glycoprotein The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is a global public health emergency, and new therapeutics are needed. This article reports the potential drug target and mechanism of action of Arbidol (umifenovir) to treat coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Molecular dynamics and structural analysis were used to show how Arbidol targets the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and impedes its trimerization, which is key for host cell adhesion and hijacking, indicating the potential of Arbidol to treat COVID-19. It is hoped that knowledge of the potential drug target and mechanism of action of Arbidol will help in the development of new therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Is the Rigidity of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Receptor-Binding Motif the Hallmark for Its Enhanced Infectivity? Insights from All-Atom Simulations [Image: see text] The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic is setting the global health crisis of our time, causing a devastating societal and economic burden. An idiosyncratic trait of coronaviruses is the presence of spike glycoproteins on the viral envelope, which mediate the virus binding to specific host receptor, enabling its entry into the human cells. In spite of the high sequence identity of SARS-CoV-2 with its closely related SARS-CoV emerged in 2002, the atomic-level determinants underlining the molecular recognition of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and, thus, the rapid virus spread into human body, remain unresolved. Here, multi-microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations enabled us to unprecedentedly dissect the key molecular traits liable of the higher affinity/specificity of SARS-CoV-2 toward ACE2 as compared to SARS-CoV. This supplies a minute per-residue contact map underlining its stunningly high infectivity. Harnessing this knowledge is pivotal for urgently developing effective medical countermeasures to face the ongoing global health crisis.

positive: Crystal structure of the receptor binding domain of the spike glycoprotein of human betacoronavirus HKU1 Human coronavirus (CoV) HKU1 is a pathogen causing acute respiratory illnesses and so far little is known about its biology. HKU1 virus uses its S1 subunit C-terminal domain (CTD) and not the N-terminal domain like other lineage A β-CoVs to bind to its yet unknown human receptor. Here we present the crystal structure of HKU1 CTD at 1.9 Å resolution. The structure consists of three subdomains: core, insertion and subdomain-1 (SD-1). While the structure of the core and SD-1 subdomains of HKU1 are highly similar to those of other β-CoVs, the insertion subdomain adopts a novel fold, which is largely invisible in the cryo-EM structure of the HKU1 S trimer. We identify five residues in the insertion subdomain that are critical for binding of neutralizing antibodies and two residues essential for receptor binding. Our study contributes to a better understanding of entry, immunity and evolution of CoV S proteins.

positive: Genomic determinants of pathogenicity in SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses an immediate, major threat to public health across the globe. Here we report an in-depth molecular analysis to reconstruct the evolutionary origins of the enhanced pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses that are severe human pathogens. Using integrated comparative genomics and machine learning techniques, we identify key genomic features that differentiate SARS-CoV-2 and the viruses behind the two previous deadly coronavirus outbreaks, SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), from less pathogenic coronaviruses. These features include enhancement of the nuclear localization signals in the nucleocapsid protein and distinct inserts in the spike glycoprotein that appear to be associated with high case fatality rate of these coronaviruses as well as the host switch from animals to humans. The identified features could be crucial contributors to coronavirus pathogenicity and possible targets for diagnostics, prognostication, and interventions.

positive: Receptor Recognition by the Novel Coronavirus from Wuhan: an Analysis Based on Decade-Long Structural Studies of SARS Coronavirus Recently, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has emerged from Wuhan, China, causing symptoms in humans similar to those caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Since the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002, extensive structural analyses have revealed key atomic-level interactions between the SARS-CoV spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which regulate both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV. Here, we analyzed the potential receptor usage by 2019-nCoV, based on the rich knowledge about SARS-CoV and the newly released sequence of 2019-nCoV. First, the sequence of 2019-nCoV RBD, including its receptor-binding motif (RBM) that directly contacts ACE2, is similar to that of SARS-CoV, strongly suggesting that 2019-nCoV uses ACE2 as its receptor. Second, several critical residues in 2019-nCoV RBM (particularly Gln493) provide favorable interactions with human ACE2, consistent with 2019-nCoV’s capacity for human cell infection. Third, several other critical residues in 2019-nCoV RBM (particularly Asn501) are compatible with, but not ideal for, binding human ACE2, suggesting that 2019-nCoV has acquired some capacity for human-to-human transmission. Last, while phylogenetic analysis indicates a bat origin of 2019-nCoV, 2019-nCoV also potentially recognizes ACE2 from a diversity of animal species (except mice and rats), implicating these animal species as possible intermediate hosts or animal models for 2019-nCoV infections. These analyses provide insights into the receptor usage, cell entry, host cell infectivity and animal origin of 2019-nCoV and may help epidemic surveillance and preventive measures against 2019-nCoV. IMPORTANCE The recent emergence of Wuhan coronavirus (2019-nCoV) puts the world on alert. 2019-nCoV is reminiscent of the SARS-CoV outbreak in 2002 to 2003. Our decade-long structural studies on the receptor recognition by SARS-CoV have identified key interactions between SARS-CoV spike protein and its host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which regulate both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV. One of the goals of SARS-CoV research was to build an atomic-level iterative framework of virus-receptor interactions to facilitate epidemic surveillance, predict species-specific receptor usage, and identify potential animal hosts and animal models of viruses. Based on the sequence of 2019-nCoV spike protein, we apply this predictive framework to provide novel insights into the receptor usage and likely host range of 2019-nCoV. This study provides a robust test of this reiterative framework, providing the basic, translational, and public health research communities with predictive insights that may help study and battle this novel 2019-nCoV.

positive: Characterizations of SARS-CoV-2 mutational profile, spike protein stability and viral transmission The recent pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 infection has affected more than 3.0 million people worldwide with more than 200 thousand reported deaths. The SARS-CoV-2 genome has a capability of gaining rapid mutations as the virus spreads. Whole genome sequencing data offers a wide range of opportunities to study the mutation dynamics. The advantage of increasing amount of whole genome sequence data of SARS-CoV-2 intrigued us to explore the mutation profile across the genome, to check the genome diversity and to investigate the implications of those mutations in protein stability and viral transmission. Four proteins, surface glycoprotein, nucleocapsid, ORF1ab and ORF8 showed frequent mutations, while envelop, membrane, ORF6 and ORF7a proteins showed conservation in terms of amino acid substitutions. Some of the mutations across different proteins showed co-occurrence, suggesting their functional cooperation in stability, transmission and adaptability. Combined analysis with the frequently mutated residues identified 20 viral variants, among which 12 specific combinations comprised more than 97% of the isolates considered for the analysis. Analysis of protein structure stability of surface glycoprotein mutants indicated viability of specific variants and are more prone to be temporally and spatially distributed across the globe. Similar empirical analysis of other proteins indicated existence of important functional implications of several variants. Analysis of co-occurred mutants indicated their structural and/or functional interaction among different SARS-COV-2 proteins. Identification of frequently mutated variants among COVID-19 patients might be useful for better clinical management, contact tracing and containment of the disease.

positive: Prefusion spike protein stabilization through computational mutagenesis A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged as a human pathogen, causing global pandemic and resulting in over 400,000 deaths worldwide. The surface spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 mediates the process of coronavirus entry into human cells by binding angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Due to the critical role in viral-host interaction and the exposure of spike protein, it has been a focus of most vaccines’ developments. However, the structural and biochemical studies of the spike protein are challenging because it is thermodynamically metastable1. Here, we develop a new pipeline that automatically identifies mutants that thermodynamically stabilize the spike protein. Our pipeline integrates bioinformatics analysis of conserved residues, motion dynamics from molecular dynamics simulations, and other structural analysis to identify residues that significantly contribute to the thermodynamic stability of the spike protein. We then utilize our previously developed protein design tool, Eris, to predict thermodynamically stabilizing mutations in proteins. We validate the ability of our pipeline to identify protein stabilization mutants through known prefusion spike protein mutants. We finally utilize the pipeline to identify new prefusion spike protein stabilization mutants.

positive: Structural modeling of 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) spike protein reveals a proteolytically-sensitive activation loop as a distinguishing feature compared to SARS-CoV and related SARS-like coronaviruses. The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is currently causing a widespread outbreak centered on Hubei province, China and is a major public health concern. Taxonomically 2019-nCoV is closely related to SARS-CoV and SARS-related bat coronaviruses, and it appears to share a common receptor with SARS-CoV (ACE-2). Here, we perform structural modeling of the 2019-nCoV spike glycoprotein. Our data provide support for the similar receptor utilization between 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV, despite a relatively low amino acid similarity in the receptor binding module. Compared to SARS-CoV, we identify an extended structural loop containing basic amino acids at the interface of the receptor binding (S1) and fusion (S2) domains, which we predict to be proteolytically-sensitive. We suggest this loop confers fusion activation and entry properties more in line with MERS-CoV and other coronaviruses, and that the presence of this structural loop in 2019-nCoV may affect virus stability and transmission.

positive: Potent synthetic nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2 and molecular basis for neutralization SARS-CoV-2, the Covid-19 causative virus, adheres to human cells through binding of its envelope Spike protein to the receptor ACE2. The Spike receptor-binding domain (S-RBD) mediates this key event and thus is a primary target for therapeutic neutralizing antibodies to mask the ACE2-interacting interface. Here, we generated 99 synthetic nanobodies (sybodies) using ribosome and phage display. The best sybody MR3 binds the RBD with KD of 1.0 nM and neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus with IC50 of 0.40 μg mL-1. Crystal structures of two sybody-RBD complexes reveal a common neutralizing mechanism through which the RBD-ACE2 interaction is competitively inhibited by sybodies. The structures allowed the rational design of a mutant with higher affinity and improved neutralization efficiency by ∼24-folds, lowering the IC50 from 12.32 to 0.50 μg mL-1. Further, the structures explain the selectivity of sybodies between SARS-CoV strains. Our work presents an alternative approach to generate neutralizers against newly emerged viruses. One sentence summary Structural and biochemical studies revealed the molecular basis for the neutralization mechanism of in vitro-selected and rationally designed nanobody neutralizers for SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus.

positive: Glycosaminoglycans induce conformational change in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 Receptor Binding Domain The glycosaminoglycan (GAG) class of polysaccharides are utilised by a plethora of microbial pathogens as receptors for adherence and invasion. The GAG heparin prevents infection by a range of viruses when added exogenously, including the S-associated coronavirus strain HSR1 and more recently we have demonstrated that heparin can block cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2. Heparin has found widespread clinical use as anticoagulant drug and this molecule is routinely used as a proxy for the GAG, heparan sulphate (HS), a structural analogue located on the cell surface, which is a known receptor for viral invasion. Previous work has demonstrated that unfractionated heparin and low molecular weight heparins binds to the Spike (S1) protein receptor binding domain, inducing distinct conformational change and we have further explored the structural features of heparin with regard to these interactions. In this article, previous research is expanded to now include a broader range of GAG family members, including heparan sulphate. This research demonstrates that GAGs, other than those of heparin (or its derivatives), can also interact with the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 receptor binding domain and induce distinct conformational changes within this region. These findings pave the way for future research into next-generation, tailor-made, GAG-based antiviral agents, against SARS-CoV-2 and other members of the Coronaviridae.

positive: Candidate targets for immune responses to 2019-Novel Coronavirus (nCoV): sequence homology- and bioinformatic-based predictions Effective countermeasures against the recent emergence and rapid expansion of the 2019-Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) require the development of data and tools to understand and monitor viral spread and immune responses. However, little information about the targets of immune responses to 2019-nCoV is available. We used the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB) resource to catalog available data related to other coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV, which has high sequence similarity to 2019-nCoV, and is the best-characterized coronavirus in terms of epitope responses. We identified multiple specific regions in 2019-nCoV that have high homology to SARS virus. Parallel bionformatic predictions identified a priori potential B and T cell epitopes for 2019-nCoV. The independent identification of the same regions using two approaches reflects the high probability that these regions are targets for immune recognition of 2019-nCoV. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY We identified potential targets for immune responses to 2019-nCoV and provide essential information for understanding human immune responses to this virus and evaluation of diagnostic and vaccine candidates.

positive: Site-specific N-glycosylation Characterization of Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 Spike Proteins The glycoprotein spike (S) on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 is a determinant for viral invasion and host immune response. Herein, we characterized the site-specific N-glycosylation of S protein at the level of intact glycopeptides. All 22 potential N-glycosites were identified in the S-protein protomer and were found to be preserved among the 753 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences. The glycosites exhibited glycoform heterogeneity as expected for a human cell-expressed protein subunits. We identified masses that correspond to 157 N-glycans, primarily of the complex type. In contrast, the insect cell-expressed S protein contained 38 N-glycans, primarily of the high-mannose type. Our results revealed that the glycan types were highly determined by the differential processing of N-glycans among human and insect cells. This N-glycosylation landscape and the differential N-glycan patterns among distinct host cells are expected to shed light on the infection mechanism and present a positive view for the development of vaccines and targeted drugs.

positive: COVID-19 Coronavirus spike protein analysis for synthetic vaccines, a peptidomimetic antagonist, and therapeutic drugs, and analysis of a proposed achilles' heel conserved region to minimize probability of escape mutations and drug resistance This paper continues a recent study of the spike protein sequence of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2). It is also in part an introductory review to relevant computational techniques for tackling viral threats, using COVID-19 as an example. Q-UEL tools for facilitating access to knowledge and bioinformatics tools were again used for efficiency, but the focus in this paper is even more on the virus. Subsequence KRSFIEDLLFNKV of the S2' spike glycoprotein proteolytic cleavage site continues to appear important. Here it is shown to be recognizable in the common cold coronaviruses, avian coronaviruses and possibly as traces in the nidoviruses of reptiles and fish. Its function or functions thus seem important to the coronaviruses. It might represent SARS-CoV-2 Achilles' heel, less likely to acquire resistance by mutation, as has happened in some early SARS vaccine studies discussed in the previous paper. Preliminary conformational analysis of the receptor (ACE2) binding site of the spike protein is carried out suggesting that while it is somewhat conserved, it appears to be more variable than KRSFIEDLLFNKV. However compounds like emodin that inhibit SARS entry, apparently by binding ACE2, might also have functions at several different human protein binding sites. The enzyme 11ß-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 is again argued to be a convenient model pharmacophore perhaps representing an ensemble of targets, and it is noted that it occurs both in lung and alimentary tract. Perhaps it benefits the virus to block an inflammatory response by inhibiting the dehydrogenase, but a fairly complex web involves several possible targets.

positive: Blocking Coronavirus 19 Infection via the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein: Initial Steps [Image: see text] Recent crystal structure data for protein–protein interactions featuring the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein will inevitably trigger a new wave of research in this area that was not possible before. This Viewpoint outlines a few of the ways that it is already happening.

positive: In silico detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific B-cell epitopes and validation in ELISA for serological diagnosis of COVID-19 Rapid generation of diagnostics is paramount to understand epidemiology and to control the spread of emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Computational methods to predict serodiagnostic epitopes that are specific for the pathogen could help accelerate the development of new diagnostics. A systematic survey of 27 SARS-CoV-2 proteins was conducted to assess whether existing B-cell epitope prediction methods, combined with comprehensive mining of sequence databases and structural data, could predict whether a particular protein would be suitable for serodiagnosis. Nine of the predictions were validated with recombinant SARS-CoV-2 proteins in the ELISA format using plasma and sera from patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, and a further 11 predictions were compared to the recent literature. Results appeared to be in agreement with 12 of the predictions, in disagreement with 3, while a further 5 were deemed inconclusive. We showed that two of our top five candidates, the N-terminal fragment of the nucleoprotein and the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein, have the highest sensitivity and specificity and signal-to-noise ratio for detecting COVID-19 sera/plasma by ELISA. Mixing the two antigens together for coating ELISA plates led to a sensitivity of 94% (N=80 samples from persons with RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV2 infection), and a specificity of 97.2% (N=106 control samples).

positive: A Sequence Homology and Bioinformatic Approach Can Predict Candidate Targets for Immune Responses to SARS-CoV-2 Effective countermeasures against the recent emergence and rapid expansion of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) require the development of data and tools to understand and monitor its spread and immune responses to it. However, little information is available about the targets of immune responses to SARS-CoV-2. We used the Immune Epitope Database and Analysis Resource (IEDB) to catalog available data related to other coronaviruses. This includes SARS-CoV, which has high sequence similarity to SARS-CoV-2 and is the best-characterized coronavirus in terms of epitope responses. We identified multiple specific regions in SARS-CoV-2 that have high homology to the SARS-CoV virus. Parallel bioinformatic predictions identified a priori potential B and T cell epitopes for SARS-CoV-2. The independent identification of the same regions using two approaches reflects the high probability that these regions are promising targets for immune recognition of SARS-CoV-2. These predictions can facilitate effective vaccine design against this virus of high priority.

positive: Spike protein recognition of mammalian ACE2 predicts the host range and an optimized ACE2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection Abstract SARS-CoV-2 causes the recent global COVID-19 public health emergency. ACE2 is the receptor for both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. To predict the potential host range of SARS-CoV-2, we analyzed the key residues of ACE2 for recognizing S protein. We found that most of the selected mammals including pets (dog and cat), pangolin and Circetidae mammals remained the most of key residues for association with S protein from SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. The interaction interface between cat/dog/pangolin/Chinese hamster ACE2 and SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 S protein was simulated through homology modeling. We identified that N82 in ACE2 showed a closer contact with SARS-CoV-2 S protein than M82 in human ACE2. Our finding will provide important insights into the host range of SARS-CoV-2 and a new strategy to design an optimized ACE2 for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Targeted Intracellular Degradation of SARS-CoV-2 RBD via Computationally-Optimized Peptide Fusions The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, has elicited a global health crisis of catastrophic proportions. With no approved cure or vaccine currently available, there is a critical need for effective antiviral strategies. In this study, we report a novel antiviral platform, through computational design of ACE2-derived peptides which both target the viral spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) and recruit E3 ubiquitin ligases for subsequent intracellular degradation of SARS-CoV-2 in the proteasome. Our engineered peptide fusions demonstrate robust RBD degradation capabilities in human cells, thus prompting their further experimental characterization and therapeutic development.

positive: Naturally mutated spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants show differential levels of cell entry The 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.

positive: Developing a Fully-glycosylated Full-length SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Model in a Viral Membrane This technical study describes all-atom modeling and simulation of a fully-glycosylated full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in a viral membrane. First, starting from PDB:6VSB and 6VXX, full-length S protein structures were modeled using template-based modeling, de-novo protein structure prediction, and loop modeling techniques in GALAXY modeling suite. Then, using the recently-determined most occupied glycoforms, 22 N-glycans and 1 O-glycan of each monomer were modeled using Glycan Reader & Modeler in CHARMM-GUI. These fully-glycosylated full-length S protein model structures were assessed and further refined against the low-resolution data in their respective experimental maps using ISOLDE. We then used CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder to place the S proteins in a viral membrane and performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. All structures are available in CHARMM-GUI COVID-19 Archive (http://www.charmm-gui.org/docs/archive/covid19), so researchers can use these models to carry out innovative and novel modeling and simulation research for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Corona virus versus existence of human on the earth: A computational and biophysical approach SARS-CoV-2 has a positive sense RNA genome of 29.9 kb in size, showing high sequence similarity to the BAT-CoV, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2 is composed of 14 open reading frames (ORFs), which encodes for a total of 27 proteins divided into structural and non-structural proteins (NSPs). The fundamental structural protein-encoding genes are a spike protein (S) gene, envelope protein (E) gene, a membrane protein (M) gene, and a nucleocapsid protein (N) gene. They make about 33% of the entire genome and are vital for the viral life cycle. Rest 67% is distributed among different NSPs (such as Mpro, helicase, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) encoding genes across the ORFs, which are involved in virus-cell receptor interactions during viral entry. Researchers are trying to formulate vaccines, therapeutic antibodies or protein-targeted antiviral drugs to control the spread. This review proceeds stepwise through the COVID-19 outbreak, structural and genomic organization, entry mechanism, pathogenesis, and finally highlighting the essential proteins involved at each step that might be potential targets for drug discovery. Currently, approved treatment modalities consist of only supportive care and oxygen supplementation. This review is established on the current knowledge that has expanded on structural motifs and topology of proteins and their functions.

positive: A pH-dependent switch mediates conformational masking of SARS-CoV-2 spike SARS-CoV-2 has emerged as a global pathogen(1,2), sparking urgent vaccine development efforts with the trimeric spike(3,4). However, the inability of antibodies like CR3022(5), which binds a cryptic spike epitope with nanomolar affinity(6), to neutralize virus, suggests a spike-based means of neutralization escape. Here, we show the SARS-CoV-2 spike to have 10% the unfolding enthalpy of a globular protein at physiological pH, where it is recognized by antibodies like CR3022, and up to 10-times more unfolding enthalpy at endosomal pH, where it sheds such antibodies, suggesting that the spike evades potentially neutralizing antibody through a pH-dependent mechanism of conformational masking. To understand the compatibility of this mechanism with ACE2-receptor interactions, we carried out binding measurements and determined cryo-EM structures of the spike recognizing up to three ACE2 molecules at both physiological and endosomal pH. In the absence of ACE2, cryo-EM analyses indicated lower pH to reduce conformational heterogeneity. Single-receptor binding domain (RBD)-up conformations dominated at pH 5.5, resolving into a locked all-down conformation at lower pH through lowering of RBD and refolding of a pH-dependent switch. Notably, the emerging Asp614Gly strain(7) partially destabilizes the switch that locks RBD down, thereby enhancing functional interactions with ACE2 while reducing evasion by conformational masking.

positive: Structural Proteins in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 What began with a sign of pneumonia-related respiratory disorders in China has now become a pandemic named by WHO as Covid-19 known to be caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The SARS-CoV-2 are newly emerged ß coronaviruses belonging to the Coronaviridae family. SARS-CoV-2 has a positive viral RNA genome expressing open reading frames that code for structural and non-structural proteins. The structural proteins include spike (S), nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and envelope (E) proteins. The S1 subunit of S protein facilitates ACE2 mediated virus attachment while S2 subunit promotes membrane fusion. The presence of glutamine, asparagine, leucine, phenylalanine and serine amino acids in SARS-CoV-2 enhances ACE2 binding. The N protein is composed of a serine-rich linker region sandwiched between N Terminal Domain (NTD) and C Terminal Domain (CTD). These terminals play a role in viral entry and its processing post entry. The NTD forms orthorhombic crystals and binds to the viral genome. The linker region contains phosphorylation sites that regulate its functioning. The CTD promotes nucleocapsid formation. The E protein contains a NTD, hydrophobic domain and CTD which form viroporins needed for viral assembly. The M protein possesses hydrophilic C terminal and amphipathic N terminal. Its long-form promotes spike incorporations and the interaction with E facilitates virion production. As each protein is essential in viral functioning, this review describes the insights of SARS-CoV-2 structural proteins that would help in developing therapeutic strategies by targeting each protein to curb the rapidly growing pandemic.

positive: Evolution of genomes, host shifts and the geographic spread of SARS‐CoV and related coronaviruses Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a novel human illness caused by a previously unrecognized coronavirus (CoV) termed SARS‐CoV. There are conflicting reports on the animal reservoir of SARS‐CoV. Many of the groups that argue carnivores are the original reservoir of SARS‐CoV use a phylogeny to support their argument. However, the phylogenies in these studies often lack outgroup and rooting criteria necessary to determine the origins of SARS‐CoV. Recently, SARS‐CoV has been isolated from various species of Chiroptera from China (e.g., Rhinolophus sinicus) thus leading to reconsideration of the original reservoir of SARS‐CoV. We evaluated the hypothesis that SARS‐CoV isolated from Chiroptera are the original zoonotic source for SARS‐CoV by sampling SARS‐CoV and non‐SARS‐CoV from diverse hosts including Chiroptera, as well as carnivores, artiodactyls, rodents, birds and humans. Regardless of alignment parameters, optimality criteria, or isolate sampling, the resulting phylogenies clearly show that the SARS‐CoV was transmitted to small carnivores well after the epidemic of SARS in humans that began in late 2002. The SARS‐CoV isolates from small carnivores in Shenzhen markets form a terminal clade that emerged recently from within the radiation of human SARS‐CoV. There is evidence of subsequent exchange of SARS‐CoV between humans and carnivores. In addition SARS‐CoV was transmitted independently from humans to farmed pigs (Sus scrofa). The position of SARS‐CoV isolates from Chiroptera are basal to the SARS‐CoV clade isolated from humans and carnivores. Although sequence data indicate that Chiroptera are a good candidate for the original reservoir of SARS‐CoV, the structural biology of the spike protein of SARS‐CoV isolated from Chiroptera suggests that these viruses are not able to interact with the human variant of the receptor of SARS‐CoV, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In SARS‐CoV we study, both visually and statistically, labile genomic fragments and, putative key mutations of the spike protein that may be associated with host shifts. We display host shifts and candidate mutations on trees projected in virtual globes depicting the spread of SARS‐CoV. These results suggest that more sampling of coronaviruses from diverse hosts, especially Chiroptera, carnivores and primates, will be required to understand the genomic and biochemical evolution of coronaviruses, including SARS‐CoV. © The Willi Hennig Society 2008.

positive: Identification of common deletions in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus first identified in December 2019. Notable features make SARS-CoV-2 distinct from most other previously-identified Betacoronaviruses, including the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 and a unique insertion of twelve nucleotide or four amino acids (PRRA) at the S1/S2 boundary. In this study, we identified two deletion variants of SARS-CoV-2 that either directly affect the polybasic cleavage site itself (NSPRRAR) or a flanking sequence (QTQTN). These deletions were verified by multiple sequencing methods. In vitro results showed that the deletion of NSPRRAR likely does not affect virus replication in Vero and Vero-E6 cells, however the deletion of QTQTN may restrict late phase viral replication. The deletion of QTQTN was detected in 3 of 68 clinical samples and half of 24 in vitro isolated viruses, whilst the deletion of NSPRRAR was identified in 3 in vitro isolated viruses. Our data indicate that (i) there may be distinct selection pressures on SARS-CoV-2 replication or infection in vitro and in vivo, (ii) an efficient mechanism for deleting this region from the viral genome may exist, given that the deletion variant is commonly detected after two rounds of cell passage, and (iii) the PRRA insertion, which is unique to SARS-CoV-2, is not fixed during virus replication in vitro These findings provide information to aid further investigation of SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and a better understanding of the NSPRRAR deletion variant observed here.Important notes The spike protein determines the infectivity and host range of coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 has two unique features in its spike protein, the receptor binding domain and an insertion of twelve nucleotides at the S1/S2 boundary resulting a furin-like cleavage site. Here, we identified two deletion variants of SARS-CoV-2 that either directly affect the furin-like cleavage site itself (NSPRRAR) or a flanking sequence (QTQTN) and investigated these deletions in cell isolates and clinical samples. The absence of the polybasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 did not affect virus replication in Vero or Vero-E6 cells. Our data indicate the PRRAR and its flanking sites are not fixed in vitro, thus there appears to be distinct selection pressures on SARS-CoV-2 sequences in vitro and in vivo Further investigation of the mechanism of generating these deletion variants and their infectivity in different animal models would improve our understanding of the origin and evolution of this virus.

positive: Evolutionary arms race between virus and host drives genetic diversity in bat SARS related coronavirus spike genes The Chinese horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus sinicus), reservoir host of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), carries many bat SARS-related CoVs (SARSr-CoVs) with high genetic diversity, particularly in the spike gene. Despite these variations, some bat SARSr-CoVs can utilize the orthologs of human SARS-CoV receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), for entry. It is speculated that the interaction between bat ACE2 and SARSr-CoV spike proteins drives diversity. Here, we have identified a series of R. sinicus ACE2 variants with some polymorphic sites involved in the interaction with the SARS-CoV spike protein. Pseudoviruses or SARSr-CoVs carrying different spike proteins showed different infection efficiency in cells transiently expressing bat ACE2 variants. Consistent results were observed by binding affinity assays between SARS- and SARSr-CoV spike proteins and receptor molecules from bats and humans. All tested bat SARSr-CoV spike proteins had a higher binding affinity to human ACE2 than to bat ACE2, although they showed a 10-fold lower binding affinity to human ACE2 compared with their SARS-CoV counterpart. Structure modeling revealed that the difference in binding affinity between spike and ACE2 might be caused by the alteration of some key residues in the interface of these two molecules. Molecular evolution analysis indicates that these residues were under strong positive selection. These results suggest that the SARSr-CoV spike protein and R. sinicus ACE2 may have coevolved over time and experienced selection pressure from each other, triggering the evolutionary arms race dynamics. It further proves that R. sinicus is the natural host of SARSr-CoVs. Importance Evolutionary arms race dynamics shape the diversity of viruses and their receptors. Identification of key residues which are involved in interspecies transmission is important to predict potential pathogen spillover from wildlife to humans. Previously, we have identified genetically diverse SARSr-CoV in Chinese horseshoe bats. Here, we show the highly polymorphic ACE2 in Chinese horseshoe bat populations. These ACE2 variants support SARS- and SARSr-CoV infection but with different binding affinity to different spike proteins. The higher binding affinity of SARSr-CoV spike to human ACE2 suggests that these viruses have the capacity of spillover to humans. The positive selection of residues at the interface between ACE2 and SARSr-CoV spike protein suggests a long-term and ongoing coevolutionary dynamics between them. Continued surveillance of this group of viruses in bats is necessary for the prevention of the next SARS-like disease.

positive: Erythema multiforme-like lesions in children and COVID-19 During examination of cases of chilblains in children and adolescents, we identified four patients who also showed skin lesions similar to erythema multiforme (EM). They had no other known triggers for EM. One of them had a positive PCR for SARS-CoV-2, while the other three were negative. Skin biopsies from two patients showed features not typical of EM, such as deep perivascular and perieccrine infiltrate and absence of necrosis of keratinocytes. Immunohistochemistry for SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein showed granular positivity in endothelial cells and epithelial cells of eccrine glands in both biopsies. All patients had an excellent outcome, and had minimal or no systemic symptoms. The coincidence of EM, a condition commonly related to viruses, and chilblains in the setting of COVID-19, and the positivity for SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by immunohistochemistry strongly suggest a link between EM-like lesions and SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Insight into vaccine development for Alpha-coronaviruses based on structural and immunological analyses of spike proteins Coronaviruses that infect humans belong to the Alpha-coronavirus (including HCoV-229E) and Beta-coronavirus (including SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) genera. In particular, SARS-CoV-2 is currently a major threat to public health worldwide. However, no commercial vaccines against the coronaviruses that can infect humans are available. The spike (S) homotrimers bind to their receptors through the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which is believed to be a major target to block viral entry. In this study, we selected Alpha-coronavirus (HCoV-229E) and Beta-coronavirus (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) as models. Their RBDs were observed to adopt two different conformational states (lying or standing). Then, structural and immunological analyses were used to explore differences in the immune response with RBDs among these coronaviruses. Our results showed that more RBD-specific antibodies were induced by the S trimer with the RBD in the “standing” state (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) than the S trimer with the RBD in the “lying” state (HCoV-229E), and the affinity between the RBD-specific antibodies and S trimer was also higher in the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. In addition, we found that the ability of the HCoV-229E RBD to induce neutralizing antibodies was much lower and the intact and stable S1 subunit was essential for producing efficient neutralizing antibodies against HCoV-229E. Importantly, our results reveal different vaccine strategies for coronaviruses, and S-trimer is better than RBD as a target for vaccine development in Alpha-coronavirus. Our findings will provide important implications for future development of coronavirus vaccines. Importance Outbreak of coronaviruses, especially SARS-CoV-2, poses a serious threat to global public health. Development of vaccines to prevent the coronaviruses that can infect humans has always been a top priority. Coronavirus spike (S) protein is considered as a major target for vaccine development. Currently, structural studies have shown that Alpha-coronavirus (HCoV-229E) and Beta-coronavirus (SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2) RBDs are in lying and standing state, respectively. Here, we tested the ability of S-trimer and RBD to induce neutralizing antibodies among these coronaviruses. Our results showed that Beta-CoVs RBDs are in a standing state, and their S proteins can induce more neutralizing antibodies targeting RBD. However, HCoV-229E RBD is in a lying state, and its S protein induces a low level of neutralizing antibody targeting RBD. Our results indicate that Alpha-coronavirus is more conducive to escape host immune recognition, and also provide novel ideas for the development of vaccines targeting S protein.

positive: Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 (previously 2019-nCoV) infection by a highly potent pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting its spike protein that harbors a high capacity to mediate membrane fusion The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in Wuhan, China has posed a serious threat to global public health. To develop specific anti-coronavirus therapeutics and prophylactics, the molecular mechanism that underlies viral infection must first be defined. Therefore, we herein established a SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein-mediated cell-cell fusion assay and found that SARS-CoV-2 showed a superior plasma membrane fusion capacity compared to that of SARS-CoV. We solved the X-ray crystal structure of six-helical bundle (6-HB) core of the HR1 and HR2 domains in the SARS-CoV-2 S protein S2 subunit, revealing that several mutated amino acid residues in the HR1 domain may be associated with enhanced interactions with the HR2 domain. We previously developed a pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor, EK1, which targeted the HR1 domain and could inhibit infection by divergent human coronaviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Here we generated a series of lipopeptides derived from EK1 and found that EK1C4 was the most potent fusion inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated membrane fusion and pseudovirus infection with IC50s of 1.3 and 15.8 nM, about 241- and 149-fold more potent than the original EK1 peptide, respectively. EK1C4 was also highly effective against membrane fusion and infection of other human coronavirus pseudoviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, as well as SARSr-CoVs, and potently inhibited the replication of 5 live human coronaviruses examined, including SARS-CoV-2. Intranasal application of EK1C4 before or after challenge with HCoV-OC43 protected mice from infection, suggesting that EK1C4 could be used for prevention and treatment of infection by the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging SARSr-CoVs.

positive: Receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV spike protein induces highly potent neutralizing antibodies: implication for developing subunit vaccine Abstract The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV), a type I transmembrane envelope glycoprotein, consists of S1 and S2 domains responsible for virus binding and fusion, respectively. The S1 contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD) that can specifically bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the receptor on target cells. Here we show that a recombinant fusion protein (designated RBD-Fc) containing 193-amino acid RBD (residues 318–510) and a human IgG1 Fc fragment can induce highly potent antibody responses in the immunized rabbits. The antibodies recognized RBD on S1 domain and completely inhibited SARS-CoV infection at a serum dilution of 1:10,240. Rabbit antisera effectively blocked binding of S1, which contains RBD, to ACE2. This suggests that RBD can induce highly potent neutralizing antibody responses and has potential to be developed as an effective and safe subunit vaccine for prevention of SARS.

positive: Cryo-EM Studies of Virus-Antibody Immune Complexes Antibodies play critical roles in neutralizing viral infections and are increasingly used as therapeutic drugs and diagnostic tools. Structural studies on virus-antibody immune complexes are important for better understanding the molecular mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization and also provide valuable information for structure-based vaccine design. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has recently matured as a powerful structural technique for studying bio-macromolecular complexes. When combined with X-ray crystallography, cryo-EM provides a routine approach for structurally characterizing the immune complexes formed between icosahedral viruses and their antibodies. In this review, recent advances in the structural understanding of virus-antibody interactions are outlined for whole virions with icosahedral T = pseudo 3 (picornaviruses) and T = 3 (flaviviruses) architectures, focusing on the dynamic nature of viral shells in different functional states. Glycoprotein complexes from pleomorphic enveloped viruses are also discussed as immune complex antigens. Improving our understanding of viral epitope structures using virus-based platforms would provide a fundamental road map for future vaccine development.

positive: In silico design of antiviral peptides targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 An outbreak caused by 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The new virus was later named SARS-CoV-2. The virus has affected tens of thousands of patients in the world. The infection of SARS-CoV-2 causes severe pneumonia and even death. It is urgently needed to find a therapeutic method to treat patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Studies showed that the surface spike (S) protein is essential for the coronavirus binding and entry of host cells. The heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1 and HR2) in the S protein play a decisive role in the fusion of the viral membrane with the host cell membrane. We predicted the HR1 and HR2 regions in S protein by sequence alignment. We simulated a computational model of HR1/2 regions and the fusion core. The binding energy of HR1 and HR2 of the fusion core was -33.4 kcal/mol. We then designed antivirus peptides by molecular dynamics simulation of the fusion core. The binding energy of HR2-based antiviral peptide to HR1 was -43.0 kcal/mol, which was stronger than the natural stage of the fusion core, suggesting that the predicted antiviral peptide can competitively bind with HR1 to prevent forming of the fusion core. The antiviral peptides can prevent SARS-CoV-2 membrane fusion and can potentially be used for the prevention and treatment of infections.

positive: Comparing the Binding Interactions in the Receptor Binding Domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV SARS-CoV-2, since emerging in Wuhan, China, has been a major concern because of its high infection rate and has left more than six million infected people around the world. Many studies endeavored to reveal the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 compared to the SARS-CoV, in order to find solutions to suppress this high infection rate. Some of these studies showed that the mutations in the SARS-CoV spike (S) protein might be responsible for its higher affinity to the ACE2 human cell receptor. In this work, we used molecular dynamics simulations and Monte Carlo sampling to compare the binding affinities of the S proteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2. Our results show that the protein surface of the ACE2 at the receptor binding domain (RBD) exhibits negative electrostatic potential, while a positive potential is observed for the S proteins of SARS-CoV/SARS-CoV-2. In addition, the binding energies at the interface are slightly higher for SARS-CoV-2 because of enhanced electrostatic interactions. The major contributions to the electrostatic binding energies result from the salt bridges forming between R426 and ACE-2-E329 in the case of SARS-CoV and K417 and ACE2-D30 in the SARS-CoV-2. In addition, our results indicate that the enhancement in the binding energy is not due to a single mutant but rather because of the sophisticated structural changes induced by all these mutations together. This finding suggests that it is implausible for the SARS-CoV-2 to be a lab-engineered virus.

positive: Computational evaluation of major components from plant essential oils as potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 has recently emerged as a global pandemic. Intense efforts are ongoing to find a vaccine or a drug to control the disease across the globe. Meanwhile, alternative therapies are also being explored to manage the disease. Phytochemicals present in essential oils are promising candidates which have been known to possess wide range of therapeutic activities. In this study, major components of several essential oils which are known for their antimicrobial properties have been docked against the S1 receptor binding domain of the spike (S) glycoprotein, which is the key target for novel antiviral drugs, to ascertain their inhibitory effects based on their binding affinities. It has been found that some monoterpenes, terpenoid phenols and phenyl propanoids such as anethole, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, geraniol, cinnamyl acetate, L-4-terpineol, thymol and pulegone from essential oils extracted from plants belonging to families such as Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae, Apiaceae, Geraniaceae and Fabaceae are effective antiviral agents that have potential to inhibit the viral spikeprotein.

positive: Genetic variants in TMPRSS2 and Structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and TMPRSS2 complex SARS-CoV-2, a highly transmittable pathogen has infected over 3.8 million people around the globe. The spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 engages host ACE2 for adhesion, TMPRSS2 for activation and entry. With the aid of whole-exome sequencing, we report a variant rs12329760 in TMPRSS2 gene and its mutant V160M, which might impede viral entry. Furthermore, we identified TMPRSS2 cleavage sites in S2 domain of spike glycoprotein and report the structure of TMPRSS2 in complex with spike glycoprotein. We also report the structures of protease inhibitors in complex with TMPRSS2, which could hamper the interaction with spike protein. These findings advance our understanding on the role of TMPRSS2 and in the development of potential therapeutics.

positive: Computational analysis on the ACE2-derived peptides for neutralizing the ACE2 binding to the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the COVID-19, is spreading globally and has infected more than 3 million people. It has been discovered that SARS-CoV-2 initiates the entry into cells by binding to human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) through the receptor binding domain (RBD) of its spike glycoprotein. Hence, drugs that can interfere the SARS-CoV-2-RBD binding to hACE2 potentially can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 from entering human cells. Here, based on the N-terminal helix α1 of human ACE2, we designed nine short peptides that have potential to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 binding. Molecular dynamics simulations of peptides in the their free and SARS-CoV-2 RBD-bound forms allow us to identify fragments that are stable in water and have strong binding affinity to the SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins. The important interactions between peptides and RBD are highlighted to provide guidance for the design of peptidomimetics against the SARS-CoV-2.

positive: The 3D structure analysis of SARS-CoV S1 protein reveals a link to influenza virus neuraminidase and implications for drug and antibody discovery Abstract The spike protein of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is an important target for anti-SARS drug discovery. Its S1 domain is responsible for receptor binding and SARS-CoV entry into cells. In this study, we constructed a rational 3D model for S1 domain of SARS-CoV spike protein by fold recognition and molecular modeling techniques. We found that there is a structure similarity between S1 protein and influenza virus neuraminidase. Our analyses suggest that the existing anti-influenza virus inhibitors and anti-neuraminidase antibody could be used as a starting point for designing anti-SARS drugs, vaccines and antibodies. Interestingly, our prediction for antibody is consistent with a recently experimental discovery of anti-SARS antibody.

positive: SARS‐CoV‐2: Structural diversity, phylogeny, and potential animal host identification of spike glycoprotein To investigate the evolutionary history of the current pandemic outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), a total of 137 genomes of coronavirus strains with release dates between January 2019 and 25 March 2020, were analyzed. To investigate the potential intermediate host of the SARS‐CoV‐2, we analyzed spike glycoprotein sequences from different animals, with particular emphasis on bats. We performed phylogenetic analysis and structural reconstruction of the spike glycoproteins with subsequent alignment and comparison. Our phylogenetic results revealed that SARS‐CoV‐2 was more similar to the bats' betacoronavirus isolates: HKU5‐related from Pipistrellus abramus and HKU4‐related from Tylonycteris pachypus. We also identified a yak betacoronavirus strain, YAK/HY24/CH/2017, as the closest match in the comparison of the structural models of spike glycoproteins. Interestingly, a set of unique features has been described for this particular strain of the yak betacoronavirus. Therefore, our results suggest that the human SARS‐CoV‐2, responsible for the current outbreak of COVID‐19, could also come from yak as an intermediate host.

positive: Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 (previously 2019-nCoV) infection by a highly potent pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting its spike protein that harbors a high capacity to mediate membrane fusion The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in Wuhan, China has posed a serious threat to global public health. To develop specific anti-coronavirus therapeutics and prophylactics, the molecular mechanism that underlies viral infection must first be defined. Therefore, we herein established a SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein-mediated cell–cell fusion assay and found that SARS-CoV-2 showed a superior plasma membrane fusion capacity compared to that of SARS-CoV. We solved the X-ray crystal structure of six-helical bundle (6-HB) core of the HR1 and HR2 domains in the SARS-CoV-2 S protein S2 subunit, revealing that several mutated amino acid residues in the HR1 domain may be associated with enhanced interactions with the HR2 domain. We previously developed a pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor, EK1, which targeted the HR1 domain and could inhibit infection by divergent human coronaviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Here we generated a series of lipopeptides derived from EK1 and found that EK1C4 was the most potent fusion inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated membrane fusion and pseudovirus infection with IC50s of 1.3 and 15.8 nM, about 241- and 149-fold more potent than the original EK1 peptide, respectively. EK1C4 was also highly effective against membrane fusion and infection of other human coronavirus pseudoviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, as well as SARSr-CoVs, and potently inhibited the replication of 5 live human coronaviruses examined, including SARS-CoV-2. Intranasal application of EK1C4 before or after challenge with HCoV-OC43 protected mice from infection, suggesting that EK1C4 could be used for prevention and treatment of infection by the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 and other emerging SARSr-CoVs.

positive: Characterization of heparin and severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein binding interactions Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a pandemic and continues to spread around the globe at an unprecedented rate. To date, no effective therapeutic is available to fight its associated disease, COVID-19. Our discovery of a novel insertion of glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding motif at S1/S2 proteolytic cleavage site (681–686 (PRRARS)) and two other GAG-binding-like motifs within SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (SGP) led us to hypothesize that host cell surface GAGs may interact SARS-CoV-2 SGPs to facilitate host cell entry. Using a surface plasmon resonance direct binding assay, we found that both monomeric and trimeric SARS-CoV-2 SGP bind more tightly to immobilized heparin (K(D) = 40 pM and 73 pM, respectively) than the SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV SGPs (500 nM and 1 nM, respectively). In competitive binding studies, the IC(50) of heparin, tri-sulfated non-anticoagulant heparan sulfate, and non-anticoagulant low molecular weight heparin against SARS-CoV-2 SGP binding to immobilized heparin were 0.056 μM, 0.12 μM, and 26.4 μM, respectively. Finally, unbiased computational ligand docking indicates that heparan sulfate interacts with the GAG-binding motif at the S1/S2 site on each monomer interface in the trimeric SARS-CoV-2 SGP, and at another site (453–459 (YRLFRKS)) when the receptor-binding domain is in an open conformation. The current study serves a foundation to further investigate biological roles of GAGs in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Furthermore, our findings may provide additional basis for further heparin-based interventions for COVID-19 patients exhibiting thrombotic complications.

positive: Structural, glycosylation and antigenic variation between 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) and SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) The emergence of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is of global concern and might have emerged from RNA recombination among existing coronaviruses. CoV spike (S) protein which is crucial for receptor binding, membrane fusion via conformational changes, internalization of the virus, host tissue tropism and comprises crucial targets for vaccine development, remain largely uncharacterized. Therefore, the present study has been planned to determine the sequence variation, structural and antigenic divergence of S glycoprotein which may be helpful for the management of 2019-nCoV infection. The sequences of spike glycoprotein of 2019-nCoV and SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) were used for the comparison. The sequence variations were determined using EMBOSS Needle pairwise sequence alignment tools. The variation in glycosylation sites was predicted by NetNGlyc 1.0 and validated by N-GlyDE server. Antigenicity was predicted by NetCTL 1.2 and validated by IEDB Analysis Resource server. The structural divergence was determined by using SuperPose Version 1.0 based on cryo-EM structure of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein. Our data suggests that 2019-nCoV is newly spilled coronavirus into humans in China is closely related to SARS-CoV, which has only 12.8% of difference with SARS-CoV in S protein and has 83.9% similarity in minimal receptor-binding domain with SARS-CoV. Addition of a novel glycosylation sites were observed in 2019-nCoV. In addition, antigenic analysis proposes that great antigenic differences exist between both the viral strains, but some of the epitopes were found to be similar between both the S proteins. In spite of the variation in S protein amino acid composition, we found no significant difference in their structures. Collectively, for the first time our results exhibit the emergence of human 2019-nCoV is closely related to predecessor SARS-CoV and provide the evidence that 2019-nCoV uses various novel glycosylation sites as SARS-CoV and may have a potential to become pandemic owing its antigenic discrepancy. Further, demonstration of novel Cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes may impart opportunities for the development of peptide based vaccine for the prevention of 2019-nCoV.

positive: Analysis of therapeutic targets for SARS-CoV-2 and discovery of potential drugs by computational methods SARS-CoV-2 has caused tens of thousands of infections and more than one thousand deaths. There are currently no registered therapies for treating coronavirus infections. Because of time consuming process of new drug development, drug repositioning may be the only solution to the epidemic of sudden infectious diseases. We systematically analyzed all the proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2 genes, compared them with proteins from other coronaviruses, predicted their structures, and built 19 structures that could be done by homology modeling. By performing target-based virtual ligand screening, a total of 21 targets (including two human targets) were screened against compound libraries including ZINC drug database and our own database of natural products. Structure and screening results of important targets such as 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro), Spike, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), and papain like protease (PLpro) were discussed in detail. In addition, a database of 78 commonly used anti-viral drugs including those currently on the market and undergoing clinical trials for SARS-CoV-2 was constructed. Possible targets of these compounds and potential drugs acting on a certain target were predicted. This study will provide new lead compounds and targets for further in vitro and in vivo studies of SARS-CoV-2, new insights for those drugs currently ongoing clinical studies, and also possible new strategies for drug repositioning to treat SARS-CoV-2 infections.

positive: A potent neutralizing human antibody reveals the N-terminal domain of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 as a site of vulnerability The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents a global public health threat. Most research on therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 focused on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein, whereas the vulnerable epitopes and functional mechanism of non-RBD regions are poorly understood. Here we isolated and characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from convalescent COVID-19 patients. An mAb targeting the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, named 4A8, exhibits high neutralization potency against both authentic and pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2, although it does not block the interaction between angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and S protein. The cryo-EM structure of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein in complex with 4A8 has been determined to an overall resolution of 3.1 Angstrom and local resolution of 3.4 Angstrom for the 4A8-NTD interface, revealing detailed interactions between the NTD and 4A8. Our functional and structural characterizations discover a new vulnerable epitope of the S protein and identify promising neutralizing mAbs as potential clinical therapy for COVID-19.

positive: Map of SARS-CoV-2 spike epitopes not shielded by glycans The severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, calls for the urgent development of a vaccine. The primary immunological target is the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. S is exposed on the viral surface to mediate viral entry into the host cell. To identify possible antibody binding sites not shielded by glycans, we performed multi-microsecond molecular dynamics simulations of a 4.1 million atom system containing a patch of viral membrane with four full-length, fully glycosylated and palmitoylated S proteins. By mapping steric accessibility, structural rigidity, sequence conservation and generic antibody binding signatures, we recover known epitopes on S and reveal promising epitope candidates for vaccine development. We find that the extensive and inherently flexible glycan coat shields a surface area larger than expected from static structures, highlighting the importance of structural dynamics in epitope mapping.

positive: Global Spread of SARS-CoV-2 Subtype with Spike Protein Mutation D614G is Shaped by Human Genomic Variations that Regulate Expression of TMPRSS2 and MX1 Genes COVID-19 pandemic is a major human tragedy. Worldwide, SARS-CoV-2 has already infected over 3 million and has killed about 230,000 people. SARS-CoV-2 originated in China and, within three months, has evolved to an additional 10 subtypes. One particular subtype with a non-silent (Aspartate to Glycine) mutation at 614th position of the Spike protein (D614G) rapidly outcompeted other pre-existing subtypes, including the ancestral. We assessed that D614G mutation generates an additional serine protease (Elastase) cleavage site near the S1-S2 junction of the Spike protein. We also identified that a single nucleotide deletion (delC) at a known variant site (rs35074065) in a cis-eQTL of TMPRSS2, is extremely rare in East Asians but is common in Europeans and North Americans. The delC allele facilitates entry of the 614G subtype into host cells, thus accelerating the spread of 614G subtype in Europe and North America where the delC allele is common. The delC allele at the cis-eQTL locus rs35074065 of TMPRSS2 leads to overexpression of both TMPRSS2 and a nearby gene MX1. The cis-eQTL site, rs35074065 overlaps with a transcription factor binding site of an activator (IRF1) and a repressor (IRF2). IRF1 activator can bind to variant delC allele, but IRF2 repressor fails to bind. Thus, in an individual carrying the delC allele, there is only activation, but no repression. On viral entry, IRF1 mediated upregulation of MX1 leads to neutrophil infiltration and processing of 614G mutated Spike protein by neutrophil Elastase. The simultaneous processing of 614G spike protein by TMPRSS2 and Elastase serine proteases facilitates the entry of the 614G subtype into host cells. Thus, SARS-CoV-2, particularly the 614G subtype, has spread more easily and with higher frequency to Europe and North America where the delC allele regulating expression of TMPRSS2 and MX1 host proteins is common, but not to East Asia where this allele is rare.

positive: Emerging WuHan (COVID-19) coronavirus: glycan shield and structure prediction of spike glycoprotein and its interaction with human CD26 The recent outbreak of pneumonia-causing COVID-19 in China is an urgent global public health issue with an increase in mortality and morbidity. Here we report our modelled homo-trimer structure of COVID-19 spike glycoprotein in both closed (ligand-free) and open (ligand-bound) conformation, which is involved in host cell adhesion. We also predict the unique N- and O-linked glycosylation sites of spike glycoprotein that distinguish it from the SARS and underlines shielding and camouflage of COVID-19 from the host the defence system. Furthermore, our study also highlights the key finding that the S1 domain of COVID-19 spike glycoprotein potentially interacts with the human CD26, a key immunoregulatory factor for hijacking and virulence. These findings accentuate the unique features of COVID-19 and assist in the development of new therapeutics.

positive: Emergence of multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 with signature structural changes This study explores the divergence pattern of SARS-CoV-2 using whole genome sequences of the isolates from various COVID-19 affected countries. The phylogenomic analysis indicates the presence of at least four distinct groups of the SARS-CoV-2 genomes. The emergent groups have been found to be associated with signature structural changes in specific proteins. Also, this study reveals the differential levels of divergence patterns for the protein coding regions. Moreover, we have predicted the impact of structural changes on a couple of important viral proteins via structural modelling techniques. This study further advocates for more viral genetic studies with associated clinical outcomes and hosts’ response for better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis enabling better mitigation of this pandemic situation.

positive: Two linear epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that elicit neutralising antibodies in COVID-19 patients Given the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, identification of immunogenic targets against the coronavirus spike glycoprotein will provide crucial advances towards the development of sensitive diagnostic tools and potential vaccine candidate targets. In this study, using pools of overlapping linear B-cell peptides, we report two IgG immunodominant regions on SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein that are recognised by sera from COVID-19 convalescent patients. Notably, one is specific to SARS-CoV-2, which is located in close proximity to the receptor binding domain. The other region, which is localised at the fusion peptide, could potentially function as a pan-SARS target. Functionally, antibody depletion assays demonstrate that antibodies targeting these immunodominant regions significantly alter virus neutralisation capacities. Taken together, identification and validation of these neutralising B-cell epitopes will provide insights towards the design of diagnostics and vaccine candidates against this high priority coronavirus.

positive: Optimizing high-yield production of SARS-CoV-2 soluble spike trimers for serology assays The SARS-CoV-2 spike trimer is the primary antigen for several serology assays critical to determining the extent of SARS-CoV-2 exposure in the population. Until stable cell lines are developed to increase the titer of this secreted protein in mammalian cell culture, the low yield of spike protein produced from transient transfection of HEK293 cells will be a limiting factor for these assays. To improve the yield of spike protein and support the high demand for antigens in serology assays, we investigated several recombinant protein expression variables by altering the incubation temperature, harvest time, chromatography strategy, and final protein manipulation. Through this investigation, we developed a simplified and robust purification strategy that consistently yields 5 mg of protein per liter of expression culture for two commonly used forms of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We show that these proteins form well-behaved stable trimers and are consistently functional in serology assays across multiple protein production lots. Highlights Improved yields of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein through modification of expression and purification parameters Yields of greater than 5 mg/l obtained for VRC spike under optimal conditions Spike protein quality was validated by QC methods to ensure utility in serology assays

positive: Pharmacological Therapeutics Targeting RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase, Proteinase and Spike Protein: From Mechanistic Studies to Clinical Trials for COVID-19 An outbreak of novel coronavirus-related pneumonia COVID-19, that was identified in December 2019, has expanded rapidly, with cases now confirmed in more than 211 countries or areas. This constant transmission of a novel coronavirus and its ability to spread from human to human have prompted scientists to develop new approaches for treatment of COVID-19. A recent study has shown that remdesivir and chloroquine effectively inhibit the replication and infection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2, 2019-nCov) in vitro. In the United States, one case of COVID-19 was successfully treated with compassionate use of remdesivir in January of 2020. In addition, a clinically proven protease inhibitor, camostat mesylate, has been demonstrated to inhibit Calu-3 infection with SARS-CoV-2 and prevent SARS-2-spike protein (S protein)-mediated entry into primary human lung cells. Here, we systemically discuss the pharmacological therapeutics targeting RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), proteinase and S protein for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. This review should shed light on the fundamental rationale behind inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 enzymes RdRp as new therapeutic approaches for management of patients with COVID-19. In addition, we will discuss the viability and challenges in targeting RdRp and proteinase, and application of natural product quinoline and its analog chloroquine for treatment of coronavirus infection. Finally, determining the structural-functional relationships of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 will provide new insights into inhibition of interactions between S protein and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and enable us to develop novel therapeutic approaches for novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Differential Antibody Recognition by Novel SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV Spike Protein Receptor Binding Domains: Mechanistic Insights and Implications for the Design of Diagnostics and Therapeutics The appearance of the novel betacoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 represents a major threat to human health, and its diffusion around the world is causing dramatic consequences. The knowledge of the 3D structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins can facilitate the development of therapeutic and diagnostic molecules. Specifically, comparative analyses of the structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and homologous proteins from previously characterized viruses, such as SARS-CoV, can reveal the common and/or distinctive traits that underlie the mechanisms of recognition of cell receptors and of molecules of the immune system. Herein, we apply our recently developed energy-based methods for the prediction of antibody-binding epitopes and protein-protein interaction regions to the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the Spike proteins from SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Our analysis focusses only on the study of the structure of RBDs in isolation, without making use of any previous knowledge of binding properties. Importantly, our results highlight structural and sequence differences among the regions that are predicted to be immunoreactive and bind/elicit antibodies. These results provide a rational basis to the observation that several SARS-CoV RDB-specific monoclonal antibodies fail to appreciably bind the SARS-CoV-2 counterpart. Furthermore, we correctly identify the region of SARS-CoV-2 RBD that is engaged by the cell receptor ACE2 during viral entry into host cells. The data, sequences and structures we present here can be useful for the development of novel therapeutic and diagnostic interventions.

positive: Closing coronavirus spike glycoproteins by structure-guided design The recent spillover of SARS-CoV-2 in the human population resulted in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic which has already caused 4.9 million infections and more than 326,000 fatalities. To initiate infection the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein promotes attachment to the host cell surface, determining host and tissue tropism, and fusion of the viral and host membranes. Although SARS-CoV-2 S is the main target of neutralizing antibodies and the focus of vaccine design, its stability and conformational dynamics are limiting factors for developing countermeasures against this virus. We report here the design of a prefusion SARS-CoV-2 S ectodomain trimer construct covalently stabilized in the closed conformation. Structural and antigenicity analysis showed we successfully shut S in the closed state without otherwise altering its architecture. Finally, we show that this engineering strategy is applicable to other β-coronavirus S glycoproteins and might become an important tool for vaccine design, structural biology, serology and immunology studies.

positive: The spike glycoprotein of the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV contains a furin-like cleavage site absent in CoV of the same clade In 2019, a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infecting Humans has emerged in Wuhan, China. Its genome has been sequenced and the genomic information promptly released. Despite a high similarity with the genome sequence of SARS-CoV and SARS-like CoVs, we identified a peculiar furin-like cleavage site in the Spike protein of the 2019-nCoV, lacking in the other SARS-like CoVs. In this article, we discuss the possible functional consequences of this cleavage site in the viral cycle, pathogenicity and its potential implication in the development of antivirals.

positive: Exploring the genomic and proteomic variations of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein: A computational biology approach The newly identified SARS-CoV-2 has now been reported from around 185 countries with more than a million confirmed human cases including more than 120,000 deaths. The genomes of SARS-COV-2 strains isolated from different parts of the world are now available and the unique features of constituent genes and proteins need to be explored to understand the biology of the virus. Spike glycoprotein is one of the major targets to be explored because of its role during the entry of coronaviruses into host cells. We analyzed 320 whole-genome sequences and 320 spike protein sequences of SARS-CoV-2 using multiple sequence alignment. In this study, 483 unique variations have been identified among the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 including 25 nonsynonymous mutations and one deletion in the spike (S) protein. Among the 26 variations detected in S, 12 variations were located at the N-terminal domain (NTD) and 6 variations at the receptor-binding domain (RBD) which might alter the interaction of S protein with the host receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Besides, 22 amino acid insertions were identified in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with that of SARS-CoV. Phylogenetic analyses of spike protein revealed that Bat coronavirus have a close evolutionary relationship with circulating SARS-CoV-2. The genetic variation analysis data presented in this study can help a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Based on results reported herein, potential inhibitors against S protein can be designed by considering these variations and their impact on protein structure.

positive: Corona virus versus existence of human on the earth: A computational and biophysical approach SARS-CoV-2 has a positive sense RNA genome of 29.9 kb in size, showing high sequence similarity to the BAT-CoV, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV. SARS-CoV-2 is composed of 14 open reading frames (ORFs), which encodes for a total of 27 proteins divided into structural and non-structural proteins (NSPs). The fundamental structural protein-encoding genes are a spike protein (S) gene, envelope protein (E) gene, a membrane protein (M) gene, and a nucleocapsid protein (N) gene. They make about 33% of the entire genome and are vital for the viral life cycle. Rest 67% is distributed among different NSPs (such as M(pro), helicase, and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase) encoding genes across the ORFs, which are involved in virus-cell receptor interactions during viral entry. Researchers are trying to formulate vaccines, therapeutic antibodies or protein-targeted antiviral drugs to control the spread. This review proceeds stepwise through the COVID-19 outbreak, structural and genomic organization, entry mechanism, pathogenesis, and finally highlighting the essential proteins involved at each step that might be potential targets for drug discovery. Currently, approved treatment modalities consist of only supportive care and oxygen supplementation. This review is established on the current knowledge that has expanded on structural motifs and topology of proteins and their functions.

positive: Understanding the B and T cells epitopes of spike protein of severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2: A computational way to predict the immunogens The 2019 novel severe respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak has caused a large number of deaths with thousands of confirmed cases worldwide. The present study followed computational approaches to identify B- and T-cell epitopes for spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 by its interactions with the human leukocyte antigen alleles. We identified twenty-four peptide stretches on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that are well conserved among the reported strains. The S protein structure further validated the presence of predicted peptides on the surface. Out of which twenty are surface exposed and predicted to have reasonable epitope binding efficiency. The work could be useful for understanding the immunodominant regions in the surface protein of SARS-CoV-2 and could potentially help in designing some peptide-based diagnostics.

positive: Critical Differences between the Binding Features of the Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV The COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally and caused tremendous loss of lives and properties, and it is of utmost urgency to understand its propagation process and to find ways to slow down the epidemic. In this work, we used a coarse-grained model to calculate the binding free energy of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV to their human receptor ACE2. The investigation of the free energy contribution of the interacting residues indicates that the residues located outside the receptor binding domain are the source of the stronger binding of the novel virus. Thus, the current results suggest that the essential evolution of SARS-CoV-2 happens remotely from the binding domain at the spike protein trimeric body. Such evolution may facilitate the conformational change and the infection process that occurs after the virus is bound to ACE2. By studying the binding pattern between SARS-CoV antibody m396 and SARS-CoV-2, it is found that the remote energetic contribution is missing, which might explain the absence of cross-reactivity of such antibodies.

positive: CoV3D: A database of high resolution coronavirus protein structures The SARS-CoV-2 virus is the cause of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and exemplifies the general threat to global health posed by coronaviruses. The urgent need for effective vaccines and therapies is leading to a rapid rise in the number of high resolution structures of SARS-CoV-2 proteins that collectively reveal a map of virus vulnerabilities. To assist structure-based design of vaccines and therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses, we developed CoV3D, a database and molecular viewer of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronavirus protein structures updated weekly. CoV3D annotates structures of coronavirus proteins and their complexes with antibodies, receptors, and small molecules. Additionally, CoV3D provides information on spike glycoprotein sequence variability and polymorphisms, and maps these features onto the spike structure in the integrated molecular viewer. In order to further aid structure-based design and analysis, CoV3D includes viewable and downloadable spike glycoprotein structures with modeled glycosylation from Rosetta. CoV3D is available at: https://cov3d.ibbr.umd.edu.

positive: Design of potent membrane fusion inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, an emerging coronavirus with high fusogenic activity The coronavirus disease COVID-19, caused by emerging SARS-CoV-2, has posed serious threats to global public health, economic and social stabilities, calling for the prompt development of therapeutics and prophylactics. In this study, we firstly verified that SARS-CoV-2 uses human ACE2 as a cell receptor and its spike (S) protein mediates high membrane fusion activity. Comparing to that of SARS-CoV, the heptad repeat 1 (HR1) sequence in the S2 fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2 possesses markedly increased α-helicity and thermostability, as well as a higher binding affinity with its corresponding heptad repeat 2 (HR1) site. Then, we designed a HR2 sequence-based lipopeptide fusion inhibitor, termed IPB02, which showed highly poent activities in inibibiting the SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and pseudovirus infection. IPB02 also inhibited the SARS-CoV pseudovirus efficiently. Moreover, the strcuture and activity relationship (SAR) of IPB02 were characterzized with a panel of truncated lipopeptides, revealing the amino acid motifs critical for its binding and antiviral capacities. Therefore, the presented results have provided important information for understanding the entry pathway of SARS-CoV-2 and the design of antivirals that target the membrane fusion step.

positive: Viral Architecture of SARS-CoV-2 with Post-Fusion Spike Revealed by Cryo-EM Since December 2019, the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) spread from Wuhan, China to the world, it has caused more than 87,000 diagnosed cases and more than 3,000 deaths globally. To fight against COVID-19, we carried out research for the near native SARS-CoV-2 and report here our preliminary results obtained. The pathogen of the COVID-19, the native SARS-CoV-2, was isolated, amplified and purified in a BSL-3 laboratory. The whole viral architecture of SARS-CoV-2 was examined by transmission electron microscopy (both negative staining and cryo-EM). We observed that the virion particles are roughly spherical or moderately pleiomorphic. Spikes have nail-like shape towards outside with a long body embedded in the envelope. The morphology of virion observed in our result indicates that the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 is in post-fusion state, with S1 disassociated. This state revealed by cryo-EM first time could provide an important information for the identification and relevant clinical research of this new coronavirus.

positive: De novo design of high-affinity antibody variable regions (Fv) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the pandemic of respiratory disease known as COVID-19, which emerged in the city of Wuhan, Hubei province, China in late 2019. Both vaccines and targeted therapeutics for treatment of this disease are currently lacking. Viral entry requires binding of the viral spike receptor binding domain (RBD) with the human angiotensin converting enzyme (hACE2). In an earlier paper1, we report on the specific residue interactions underpinning this event. Here we report on the de novo computational design of high affinity antibody variable regions through the recombination of VDJ genes targeting the most solvent-exposed hACE2-binding residues of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using the software tool OptMAVEn-2.02. Subsequently, we carry out computational affinity maturation of the designed prototype variable regions through point mutations for improved binding with the target epitope. Immunogenicity was restricted by preferring designs that match sequences from a 9-mer library of “human antibodies” based on H-score (human string content, HSC)3. We generated 106 different designs and report in detail on the top five that trade-off the greatest affinity for the spike RBD epitope (quantified using the Rosetta binding energies) with low H-scores. By grafting the designed Heavy (VH) and Light (VL) chain variable regions onto a human framework (Fc), high-affinity and potentially neutralizing full-length monoclonal antibodies (mAb) can be constructed. Having a potent antibody that can recognize the viral spike protein with high affinity would be enabling for both the design of sensitive SARS-CoV-2 detection devices and for their deployment as therapeutic antibodies.

positive: Dual nature of human ACE2 glycosylation in binding to SARS-CoV-2 spike Binding of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 to the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor triggers translocation of the virus into cells. Both the ACE2 receptor and the spike protein are heavily glycosylated, including at sites near their binding interface. We built fully glycosylated models of the ACE2 receptor bound to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Using atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we found that the glycosylation of the human ACE2 receptor contributes substantially to the binding of the virus. Interestingly, the glycans at two glycosylation sites, N90 and N322, have opposite effects on spike protein binding. The glycan at the N90 site partly covers the binding interface of the spike RBD. Therefore, this glycan can interfere with the binding of the spike protein and protect against docking of the virus to the cell. By contrast, the glycan at the N322 site interacts tightly with the RBD of the ACE2-bound spike protein and strengthens the complex. Remarkably, the N322 glycan binds into a conserved region of the spike protein identified previously as a cryptic epitope for a neutralizing antibody. By mapping the glycan binding sites, our MD simulations aid in the targeted development of neutralizing antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors.

positive: Naturally occurring SARS-CoV-2 gene deletions close to the spike S1/S2 cleavage site in the viral quasispecies of COVID19 patients The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein, the viral mediator for binding and entry into the host cell, has sparked great interest as a target for vaccine development and treatments with neutralizing antibodies. Initial data suggest that the virus has low mutation rates, but its large genome could facilitate recombination, insertions, and deletions, as has been described in other coronaviruses. Here, we deep-sequenced the complete SARS-CoV-2 S gene from 18 patients (10 with mild and 8 with severe COVID-19), and found that the virus accumulates deletions upstream and very close to the S1/S2 cleavage site, generating a frameshift with appearance of a stop codon. These deletions were found in a small percentage of the viral quasispecies (2.2%) in samples from all the mild and only half the severe COVID-19 patients. Our results suggest that the virus may generate free S1 protein released to the circulation. We propose that natural selection has favored a “Don’t burn down the house” strategy, in which free S1 protein may compete with viral particles for the ACE2 receptor, thus reducing the severity of the infection and tissue damage without losing transmission capability.

positive: Binding Ability Prediction between Spike Protein and Human ACE2 Reveals the Adaptive Strategy of SARS-CoV-2 in Humans SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) is a novel coronavirus causing an outbreak of COVID-19 globally in the past six months. A relatively higher divergence on the spike protein of SASR-CoV-2 enables it to transmit across species efficiently. We particularly believe that the adaptive mutations of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike protein in SARS-CoV-2 might be essential to its high transmissibility among humans. Thus here we collected 2,142 high-quality genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from 160 regions in over 50 countries and reconstructed their phylogeny, and also analyzed the interaction between the polymorphisms of spike protein and human ACE2 (hACE2). Phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and coronavirus in other hosts show SARS-CoV-2 is highly possible originated from Bat-CoV (RaTG13) found in horseshoe bat and a recombination event may occur on the spike protein of Pangolin-CoV to imbue it the ability to infect humans. Moreover, compared to the S gene of SARS-CoV-2, it is more conserved in the direct-binding sites of RBD and we noticed that spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 may under a consensus evolution to adapt to human hosts better. 3,860 amino acid mutations in spike protein RBD (T333-C525) of SARS-CoV-2 were simulated and their stability and affinity binding to hACE2 (S19-D615) were calculated. Our analysis indicates SARS-CoV-2 could infect humans from different populations with no preference, and a higher divergence in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 at the early stage of this pandemic may be a good indicator that could show the pathway of SARS-CoV-2 transmitting from the natural reservoir to human beings.

positive: Molecular simulation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to pangolin ACE2 or human ACE2 natural variants reveals altered susceptibility to infection. We constructed complex models of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to pangolin or human ACE2, the receptor for virus transmission, and estimated the binding free energy changes using molecular dynamics simulation. SARS-CoV-2 can bind to both pangolin and human ACE2, but has a significantly lower binding affinity for pangolin ACE2 due to the increased binding free energy (9.5 kcal mol-1). Human ACE2 is among the most polymorphous genes, for which we identified 317 missense single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) from the dbSNP database. Three SNVs, E329G (rs143936283), M82I (rs267606406) and K26R (rs4646116), had a significant reduction in binding free energy, which indicated higher binding affinity than wild-type ACE2 and greater susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection for people with them. Three other SNVs, D355N (rs961360700), E37K (rs146676783) and I21T (rs1244687367), had a significant increase in binding free energy, which indicated lower binding affinity and reduced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein prefusion conformation: virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations applied to the identification of potential fusion inhibitors The emergence of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a renewed interest in studying the role of the spike S glycoprotein in regulating coronavirus infections in the natural host. Taking advantage of the cryo-electron microscopy structure of SARS-CoV-2 S trimer in the prefusion conformation, we performed a virtual screening simulation with the aim to identify novel molecules that could be used as fusion inhibitors. The spike glycoprotein structure has been completed using modeling techniques and its inner cavity, needful for the postfusion transition of the trimer, has been scanned for the identification of strongly interacting available drugs. Finally, the stability of the protein-drug top complexes has been tested using classical molecular dynamics simulations. The free energy of interaction of the molecules to the spike protein has been evaluated through the MM/GBSA method and per-residue decomposition analysis. Results have been critically discussed considering previous scientific knowledge concerning the selected compounds and sequence alignments have been carried out to evaluate the spike glycoprotein similarity among the betacoronavirus family members. Finally, a cocktail of drugs that may be used as SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors has been suggested.

positive: Antibody cocktail to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein prevents rapid mutational escape seen with individual antibodies Antibodies targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 present a promising approach to combat the COVID19 pandemic; however, concerns remain that mutations can yield antibody resistance. We investigate the development of resistance against four antibodies to the spike protein that potently neutralize SARS-CoV-2, individually as well as when combined into cocktails. These antibodies remain effective against spike variants that have arisen in the human population. However, novel spike mutants rapidly appeared following in vitro passaging in the presence of individual antibodies, resulting in loss of neutralization; such escape also occurred with combinations of antibodies binding diverse but overlapping regions of the spike protein. Importantly, escape mutants were not generated following treatment with a non-competing antibody cocktail.

positive: SARS-CoV-2: Structural diversity, phylogeny, and potential animal host identification of spike glycoprotein To investigate the evolutionary history of the current pandemic outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a total of 137 genomes of coronavirus strains with release dates between January 2019 and 25 March 2020, were analyzed. To investigate the potential intermediate host of the SARS-CoV-2, we analyzed spike glycoprotein sequences from different animals, with particular emphasis on bats. We performed phylogenetic analysis and structural reconstruction of the spike glycoproteins with subsequent alignment and comparison. Our phylogenetic results revealed that SARS-CoV-2 was more similar to the bats' betacoronavirus isolates: HKU5-related from Pipistrellus abramus and HKU4-related from Tylonycteris pachypus. We also identified a yak betacoronavirus strain, YAK/HY24/CH/2017, as the closest match in the comparison of the structural models of spike glycoproteins. Interestingly, a set of unique features has been described for this particular strain of the yak betacoronavirus. Therefore, our results suggest that the human SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the current outbreak of COVID-19, could also come from yak as an intermediate host.

positive: Highly Conserved Homotrimer Cavity Formed by the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein: A Novel Binding Site An important stage in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) life cycle is the binding of the spike (S) protein to the angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) host cell receptor. Therefore, to explore conserved features in spike protein dynamics and to identify potentially novel regions for drugging, we measured spike protein variability derived from 791 viral genomes and studied its properties by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The findings indicated that S2 subunit (heptad-repeat 1 (HR1), central helix (CH), and connector domain (CD) domains) showed low variability, low fluctuations in MD, and displayed a trimer cavity. By contrast, the receptor binding domain (RBD) domain, which is typically targeted in drug discovery programs, exhibits more sequence variability and flexibility. Interpretations from MD simulations suggest that the monomer form of spike protein is in constant motion showing transitions between an “up” and “down” state. In addition, the trimer cavity may function as a “bouncing spring” that may facilitate the homotrimer spike protein interactions with the ACE2 receptor. The feasibility of the trimer cavity as a potential drug target was examined by structure based virtual screening. Several hits were identified that have already been validated or suggested to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 virus in published cell models. In particular, the data suggest an action mechanism for molecules including Chitosan and macrolides such as the mTOR (mammalian target of Rapamycin) pathway inhibitor Rapamycin. These findings identify a novel small molecule binding-site formed by the spike protein oligomer, that might assist in future drug discovery programs aimed at targeting the coronavirus (CoV) family of viruses.

positive: Potential host range of multiple SARS-like coronaviruses and an improved ACE2-Fc variant that is potent against both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a currently uncontrolled pandemic and the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It is important to study the host range of SARS-CoV-2 because some domestic species might harbor the virus and transmit it back to humans. In addition, insight into the ability of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-like viruses to utilize animal orthologs of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 might provide structural insight into improving ACE2-based viral entry inhibitors. Here we show that ACE2 orthologs of a wide range of domestic and wild animals support entry of SARS-CoV-2, as well as that of SARS-CoV-1, bat coronavirus RaTG13, and a coronavirus isolated from pangolins. Some of these species, including camels, cattle, horses, goats, sheep, pigs, cats, and rabbits may serve as potential intermediate hosts for new human transmission, and rabbits in particular may serve as a useful experimental model of COVID-19. We show that SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 entry could be potently blocked by recombinant IgG Fc-fusion proteins of viral spike protein receptor-binding domains (RBD-Fc) and soluble ACE2 (ACE2-Fc). Moreover, an ACE2-Fc variant, which carries a D30E mutation and has ACE2 truncated at its residue 740 but not 615, outperforms all the other ACE2-Fc variants on blocking entry of both viruses. Our data suggest that RBD-Fc and ACE2-Fc could be used to treat and prevent infection of SARS-CoV-2 and any new viral variants that emerge over the course of the pandemic.

positive: IgA MAb blocks SARS-CoV-2 Spike-ACE2 interaction providing mucosal immunity COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become a global pandemic requiring the development of interventions for the prevention or treatment to curtail mortality and morbidity. No vaccine to boost mucosal immunity or as a therapeutic has yet been developed to SARS-CoV-2. In this study we discover and characterize a cross-reactive human IgA monoclonal antibody, MAb362. MAb362 binds to both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and competitively blocks hACE2 receptor binding, by completely overlapping the hACE2 structural binding epitope. Furthermore, MAb362 IgA neutralizes both pseudotyped SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 in human epithelial cells expressing hACE2. SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA antibodies, such as MAb362, may provide effective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 by inducing mucosal immunity within the respiratory system, a potentially critical feature of an effective vaccine.

positive: Crystal structure of the 2019-nCoV spike receptor-binding domain bound with the ACE2 receptor A novel and highly pathogenic coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has caused an outbreak in Wuhan city, Hubei province of China since December 2019, and soon spread nationwide and spilled over to other countries around the world. To better understand the initial step of infection at atomic-level, we determined the crystal structure of the 2019-nCoV spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) bound with the cell receptor ACE2 at 2.45 Å resolution. The overall ACE2-binding mode of the 2019-nCoV RBD is nearly identical to that of the SARS-CoV RBD, which also utilizes ACE2 as the cell receptor. Structural analysis identified residues in 2019-nCoV RBD critical for ACE2 binding, and majority of which are either highly conserved or shared similar side chain properties with those in the SARS-CoV RBD. Such similarity in structure and sequence strongly argue for a convergent evolution between 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV RBD for improved binding to ACE2 despite of being segregated in different genetic lineages in the betacoronavirus genus. The epitopes of two SARS-CoV antibodies targeting the RBD are also analyzed with the 2019-nCoV RBD, providing insights into future identification of cross-reactive antibodies.

positive: Spike protein homology between the SARS-associated virus and murine hepatitis virus implies existence of a putative receptor-binding region Coronavirus has been determined to be the cause of the recent outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Human coronavirus 229E had been studied well and its receptor-binding domain was restricted to aa417–547 of S protein. However, this region has no homology with the newly separated SARS-associated virus (Hong Kong isolate CUHK-W1). Then we analyzed the phylogenesis of S1 subunit of the coronavirus spike protein (SARS-associated virus, Hong Kong isolate CUHK-W1). Interestingly, the highest homology between murine hepatitis virus (MHV) and SARS-associated coronavirus was found. And the important sites (aa62–65 and aa214–216) on the spike protein of MHV with receptor-binding capacity were highly conservative in comparison with the newly separated SARS-associated virus (the corresponding sites are aa51–54 and aal95–197). These results from bioinformatics analysis might help us to study the receptor-binding sites of SARS-associated virus and the mechanism of the virus entry into the target cell, and design antiviral drugs and potent vaccines.

positive: Cryo-EM analysis of a feline coronavirus spike protein reveals a unique structure and camouflaging glycans Feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) is an alphacoronavirus that causes a nearly 100% mortality rate without effective treatment. Here we report a 3.3-Å cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the serotype I FIPV spike (S) protein, which is responsible for host recognition and viral entry. Mass spectrometry provided site-specific compositions of densely distributed high-mannose and complex-type N-glycans that account for 1/4 of the total molecular mass; most of the N-glycans could be visualized by cryo-EM. Specifically, the N-glycans that wedge between 2 galectin-like domains within the S1 subunit of FIPV S protein result in a unique propeller-like conformation, underscoring the importance of glycosylation in maintaining protein structures. The cleavage site within the S2 subunit responsible for activation also showed distinct structural features and glycosylation. These structural insights provide a blueprint for a better molecular understanding of the pathogenesis of FIP.

positive: Novel antibody epitopes dominate the antigenicity of spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2 compared to SARS-CoV

positive: Insights into SARS-CoV-2 genome, structure, evolution, pathogenesis and therapies: Structural genomics approach The sudden emergence of severe respiratory disease, caused by a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), has recently become a public health emergency. Genome sequence analysis of SARS-CoV-2 revealed its close resemblance to the earlier reported SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). However, initial testing of the drugs used against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV has been ineffective in controlling SARS-CoV-2. The present review looks to highlight the differences in genomic, proteomic, pathogenesis, and therapeutic strategies of SARS-CoV-2. We have carried out sequence analysis of potential drug target proteins in SARS-CoV-2 and, compared them with SARS-CoV-1 and MERS viruses. Analysis of mutations in the coding and non-coding regions, genetic diversity, and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 has also been done. A detailed structural analysis of drug target proteins was performed to gain insights into the mechanism of pathogenesis, structure-function relationships, and the development of structure-guided therapeutic approaches. The cytokine profiling and inflammatory signalling are different in the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We also highlighted possible therapies and their mechanism of action followed by clinical manifestation. Our analysis suggests a minimal variation in the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2, may be responsible for a drastic change in the structures of target proteins, makes available drugs ineffective.

positive: In silico studies on the comparative characterization of the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein with ACE-2 receptor homologs and human TLRs Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) outbreak due to novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has come out as a major threat for mankind in recent times. It is continually taking an enormous toll on mankind by means of increasing number of deaths, associated comorbidities, and socioeconomic loss around the globe. Unavailability of chemotherapeutics/vaccine has posed tremendous challenges to scientists and doctors for developing an urgent therapeutic strategy. In this connection, the present in silico study aims to understand the sequence divergence of spike protein (the major infective protein of SARS-CoV-2), its mode of interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 receptor (ACE2) receptor of human and related animal hosts/reservoir. Moreover, the involvement of the human Toll-like receptors (TLRs) against the spike protein has also been demonstrated. Our data indicated that the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is phylogenetically close to bat coronavirus and strongly binds with ACE2 receptor protein from both human and bat origin. We have also found that cell surface TLRs, especially TLR4 is most likely to be involved in recognizing molecular patterns from SARS-CoV-2 to induce inflammatory responses. The present study supported the zoonotic origin of SARS-CoV-2 from a bat and also revealed that TLR4 may have a crucial role in the virus-induced inflammatory consequences associated with COVID-19. Therefore, selective targeting of TLR4-spike protein interaction by designing competitive TLR4-antagonists could pave a new way to treat COVID-19. Finally, this study is expected to improve our understanding on the immunobiology of SARS-CoV-2 and could be useful in adopting spike protein, ACE2, or TLR-guided intervention strategy against COVID-19 shortly.

positive: Structure analysis of the receptor binding of 2019-nCoV 2019-nCoV is a newly identified coronavirus with high similarity to SARS-CoV. We performed a structural analysis of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike glycoprotein responsible for entry of coronaviruses into host cells. The RBDs from the two viruses share 72% identity in amino acid sequences, and molecular simulation reveals highly similar ternary structures. However, 2019-nCoV has a distinct loop with flexible glycyl residues replacing rigid prolyl residues in SARS-CoV. Molecular modeling revealed that 2019-nCoV RBD has a stronger interaction with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). A unique phenylalanine F486 in the flexible loop likely plays a major role because its penetration into a deep hydrophobic pocket in ACE2. ACE2 is widely expressed with conserved primary structures throughout the animal kingdom from fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, to mammals. Structural analysis suggests that ACE2 from these animals can potentially bind RBD of 2019-nCoV, making them all possible natural hosts for the virus. 2019-nCoV is thought to be transmitted through respiratory droplets. However, since ACE2 is predominantly expressed in intestines, testis, and kidney, fecal-oral and other routes of transmission are also possible. Finally, antibodies and small molecular inhibitors that can block the interaction of ACE2 with RBD should be developed to combat the virus.

positive: Rapid Structure-Based Screening Informs Potential Agents for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Outbreak Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel coronavirus, has spread rapidly across China. Consequently, there is an urgent need to sort and develop novel agents for the prevention and treatment of viral infections. A rapid structure-based virtual screening is used for the evaluation of current commercial drugs, with structures of human angiotensin converting enzyme II (ACE2), and viral main protease, spike, envelope, membrane and nucleocapsid proteins. Our results reveal that the reported drugs Arbidol, Chloroquine and Remdesivir may hinder the entry and release of virions through the bindings with ACE2, spike and envelope proteins. Due to the similar binding patterns, NHC (β-d-N4-hydroxycytidine) and Triazavirin are also in prospects for clinical use. Main protease (3CLpro) is likely to be a feasible target of drug design. The screening results to target 3CL-pro reveal that Mitoguazone, Metformin, Biguanide Hydrochloride, Gallic acid, Caffeic acid, Sulfaguanidine and Acetylcysteine seem be possible inhibitors and have potential application in the clinical therapy of COVID-19.

positive: Characterization of spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 on virus entry and its immune cross-reactivity with SARS-CoV Since 2002, beta coronaviruses (CoV) have caused three zoonotic outbreaks, SARS-CoV in 2002–2003, MERS-CoV in 2012, and the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019. However, little is currently known about the biology of SARS-CoV-2. Here, using SARS-CoV-2 S protein pseudovirus system, we confirm that human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) is the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, find that SARS-CoV-2 enters 293/hACE2 cells mainly through endocytosis, that PIKfyve, TPC2, and cathepsin L are critical for entry, and that SARS-CoV-2 S protein is less stable than SARS-CoV S. Polyclonal anti-SARS S1 antibodies T62 inhibit entry of SARS-CoV S but not SARS-CoV-2 S pseudovirions. Further studies using recovered SARS and COVID-19 patients’ sera show limited cross-neutralization, suggesting that recovery from one infection might not protect against the other. Our results present potential targets for development of drugs and vaccines for SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Molecular structure analyses suggest strategies to therapeutically target SARS-CoV-2 Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists around the globe have been working resolutely to find therapies to treat patients and avert the spreading of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In this commentary, we highlight some of the latest studies that provide atomic-resolution structural details imperative for the development of vaccines and antiviral therapeutics.

positive: Spike protein binding prediction with neutralizing antibodies of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new emerging human infectious disease caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, also previously known as 2019-nCoV), originated in Wuhan seafood and animal market, China. Since December 2019, more than 69,000 cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in China and quickly spreads to other counties. Currently, researchers put their best efforts to identify effective drugs for COVID-19. The neutralizing antibody, which binds to viral capsid in a manner that inhibits cellular entry of virus and uncoating of the genome, is the specific defense against viral invaders. In this study, we investigate to identify neutralizing antibodies that can bind to SARS-CoV-2 Sipke (S) protein and interfere with the interaction between viral S protein and a host receptor by bioinformatic methods. The sequence analysis of S protein showed two major differences in the RBD region of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein compared to SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV related bat viruses (btSARS-CoV). The insertion regions were close to interacting residues with the human ACE2 receptor. Epitope analysis of neutralizing antibodies revealed that SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies used conformational epitopes, whereas MERS-CoV neutralizing antibodies used a common linear epitope region, which contributes to form the β-sheet structure in MERS-CoV S protein and deleted in SARS-CoV-2 S protein. To identify effective neutralizing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2, the binding affinities of neutralizing antibodies with SARS-CoV-2 S protein were predicted and compared by antibody-antigen docking simulation. The result showed that CR3022 neutralizing antibody from human may have higher binding affinity with SARS-CoV-2 S protein than SARS-CoV S protein. We also found that F26G19 and D12 mouse antibodies could bind to SARS-CoV S protein with high affinity. Our findings provide crucial clues towards the development of antigen diagnosis, therapeutic antibody, and the vaccine against SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Characterization of spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 on virus entry and its immune cross-reactivity with SARS-CoV Since 2002, beta coronaviruses (CoV) have caused three zoonotic outbreaks, SARS-CoV in 2002-2003, MERS-CoV in 2012, and the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019. However, little is currently known about the biology of SARS-CoV-2. Here, using SARS-CoV-2 S protein pseudovirus system, we confirm that human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) is the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, find that SARS-CoV-2 enters 293/hACE2 cells mainly through endocytosis, that PIKfyve, TPC2, and cathepsin L are critical for entry, and that SARS-CoV-2 S protein is less stable than SARS-CoV S. Polyclonal anti-SARS S1 antibodies T62 inhibit entry of SARS-CoV S but not SARS-CoV-2 S pseudovirions. Further studies using recovered SARS and COVID-19 patients' sera show limited cross-neutralization, suggesting that recovery from one infection might not protect against the other. Our results present potential targets for development of drugs and vaccines for SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Interfacial Water Molecules Make RBD of SPIKE Protein and Human ACE2 to Stick Together A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19) that initially originates from Wuhan province in China has emerged as a global pandemic, an outbreak that started at the end of 2019 which claims 431,192 (Date: 15th June 2020 (https://covid19.who.in) life till now. Since then scientists all over the world are engaged in developing new vaccines, antibodies, or drug molecules to combat this new threat. Here in this work, we performed an in-silico analysis on the protein-protein interactions between the receptor-binding (RBD) domain of viral SPIKE protein and human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor to highlight the key alteration that happened from SARS-CoV to SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed and compared the molecular differences between these two viruses by using various computational approaches such as binding affinity calculations, computational alanine, and molecular dynamics simulations. The binding affinity calculations show SARS-CoV-2 binds little more firmly to the hACE2 receptor than that of SARS-CoV. Analysis of simulation trajectories reveals that enhanced hydrophobic contacts or the van der Waals interaction play a major role in stabilizing the protein-protein interface. The major finding obtained from molecular dynamics simulations is that the RBD-ACE2 interface is populated with water molecules and interacts strongly with both RBD and ACE2 interfacial residues during the simulation periods. We also emphasize that the interfacial water molecules play a critical role in binding and maintaining the stability of the RBD/hACE2 complex. The water-mediated hydrogen bond by the bridge water molecules is crucial for stabilizing the RBD and ACE2 domains. The structural and dynamical features presented here may serve as a guide for developing new drug molecules, vaccines, or antibodies to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

positive: Computational Prediction of the Comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 vs. Human Interactome to Guide the Design of Therapeutics Understanding the disease pathogenesis of the novel coronavirus, denoted SARS-CoV-2, is critical to the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. The global propagation of the viral disease, denoted COVID-19 (“coronavirus disease 2019”), has unified the scientific community in searching for possible inhibitory small molecules or polypeptides. Given the known interaction between the human ACE2 (“Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2”) protein and the SARS-CoV virus (responsible for the coronavirus outbreak circa. 2003), considerable focus has been directed towards the putative interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein and ACE2. However, a more holistic understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 vs. human inter-species interactome promises additional putative protein-protein interactions (PPI) that may be considered targets for the development of inhibitory therapeutics. To that end, we leverage two state-of-the-art, sequence-based PPI predictors (PIPE4 & SPRINT) capable of generating the comprehensive SARS-CoV-2 vs. human interactome, comprising approximately 285,000 pairwise predictions. Of these, we identify the high-scoring subset of human proteins predicted to interact with each of the 14 SARS-CoV-2 proteins by both methods, comprising 279 high-confidence putative interactions involving 225 human proteins. Notably, the Spike-ACE2 interaction was the highest ranked for both the PIPE4 and SPRINT predictors, corroborating existing evidence for this PPI. Furthermore, the PIPE-Sites algorithm was used to predict the putative subsequence that might mediate each interaction and thereby inform the design of inhibitory polypeptides intended to disrupt the corresponding host-pathogen interactions. We hereby publicly release the comprehensive set of PPI predictions and their corresponding PIPE-Sites landscapes in the following DataVerse repository: 10.5683/SP2/JZ77XA. All data and metadata are released under a CC-BY 4.0 licence. The information provided represents theoretical modeling only and caution should be exercised in its use. It is intended as a resource for the scientific community at large in furthering our understanding of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: The MERS-CoV Receptor DPP4 as a Candidate Binding Target of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike The ongoing outbreak of the novel coronavirus pneumonia COVID-19 has caused great number of cases and deaths, but our understanding about the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 remains largely unclear. The attachment of the virus with the cell-surface receptor and a cofactor is the first step for the infection. Here, bioinformatics approaches combining human-virus protein interaction prediction and protein docking based on crystal structures have revealed the high affinity between human dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP4) and the spike (S) receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Intriguingly, the crucial binding residues of DPP4 are identical to those that are bound to the MERS-CoV-S. Moreover, E484 insertion and adjacent substitutions should be most essential for this DPP4-binding ability acquirement of SARS-CoV-2-S compared with SARS-CoV-S. This potential utilization of DPP4 as a binding target for SARS-CoV-2 may offer novel insight into the viral pathogenesis and help the surveillance and therapeutics strategy for meeting the challenge of COVID-19.

positive: Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins for sero-surveillance and epitope mapping The newly emergent SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is closely related to SARS-CoV which emerged in 2002. Studies on coronaviruses in general, and SARS in particular, have identified the virus spike protein (S) as being central to virus tropism, to the generation of a protective antibody response and to the unambiguous detection of past infections. As a result of this centrality SARS-CoV-2 S protein has a role in many aspects of research from vaccines to diagnostic tests. We describe a number of recombinant forms of SARS-CoV-2 S expressed in commonly available expression systems and their preliminary use in diagnostics and epitope mapping. These sources may find use in the current and future analysis of the virus and the Covid-19 disease it causes.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein variant D614G increases infectivity and retains sensitivity to antibodies that target the receptor binding domain Virus genome sequence variants that appear over the course of an outbreak can be exploited to map the trajectory of the virus from one susceptible host to another. While such variants are usually of no functional significance, in some cases they may allow the virus to transmit faster, change disease severity, or confer resistance to antiviral therapies. Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2 as the cause of COVID-19, the virus has spread around the globe, and thousands of SARS-CoV-2 genomes have been sequenced. The rate of sequence variation among SARS-CoV-2 isolates is modest for an RNA virus but the enormous number of human-to-human transmission events has provided abundant opportunity for selection of sequence variants. Among these, the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein variant, D614G, was not present in the presumptive common ancestor of this zoonotic virus but was first detected in late January in Germany and China. The D614G variant steadily increased in frequency and now constitutes >97% of isolates world-wide, raising the question whether D614G confers a replication advantage to SARS-CoV-2. Structural models predict that D614G would disrupt contacts between the S1 and S2 domains of the Spike protein and cause significant shifts in conformation. Using single-cycle vectors we showed that D614G is three to nine-fold more infectious than the ancestral form on human lung and colon cell lines, as well as on other human cell lines rendered permissive by ectopic expression of human ACE2 and TMPRSS2, or by ACE2 orthologues from pangolin, pig, dog, or cat. Nonetheless, monoclonal antibodies targeting the receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein retain full neutralization potency. These results suggest that D614G was selected for increased human-to-human transmission, that it contributed to the rapidity of SARS-CoV-2 spread around the world, and that it does not confer resistance to antiviral therapies targeting the receptor binding domain.

positive: A Cryptic Site of Vulnerability on the Receptor Binding Domain of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein SARS-CoV-2 is a zoonotic virus that has caused a pandemic of severe respiratory disease—COVID-19— within several months of its initial identification. Comparable to the first SARS-CoV, this novel coronavirus’s surface Spike (S) glycoprotein mediates cell entry via the human ACE-2 receptor, and, thus, is the principal target for the development of vaccines and immunotherapeutics. Molecular information on the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein remains limited. Here we report the crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 S receptor-binding-domain (RBD) at a the highest resolution to date, of 1.95 Å. We identified a set of SARS-reactive monoclonal antibodies with cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV-2 RBD and other betacoronavirus S glycoproteins. One of these antibodies, CR3022, was previously shown to synergize with antibodies that target the ACE-2 binding site on the SARS-CoV RBD and reduce viral escape capacity. We determined the structure of CR3022, in complex with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, and defined a broadly reactive epitope that is highly conserved across betacoronaviruses. This epitope is inaccessible in the “closed” prefusion S structure, but is accessible in “open” conformations. This first-ever resolution of a human antibody in complex with SARS-CoV-2 and the broad reactivity of this set of antibodies to a conserved betacoronavirus epitope will allow antigenic assessment of vaccine candidates, and provide a framework for accelerated vaccine, immunotherapeutic and diagnostic strategies against SARS-CoV-2 and related betacoronaviruses. HIGHLIGHTS High resolution structure of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding-Domain (RBD). Recognition of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD by SARS-CoV antibodies. Structure of the SARS-COV-2 RBD in complex with antibody CR3022. Identification of a cryptic site of vulnerability on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike.

positive: The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein has a broad tropism for mammalian ACE2 proteins SARS-CoV-2 emerged in late 2019, leading to the COVID-19 pandemic that continues to cause significant global mortality in human populations. Given its sequence similarity to SARS-CoV, as well as related coronaviruses circulating in bats, SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have originated in Chiroptera species in China. However, whether the virus spread directly to humans or through an intermediate host is currently unclear, as is the potential for this virus to infect companion animals, livestock and wildlife that could act as viral reservoirs. Using a combination of surrogate entry assays and live virus we demonstrate that, in addition to human ACE2, the Spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 has a broad host tropism for mammalian ACE2 receptors, despite divergence in the amino acids at the Spike receptor binding site on these proteins. Of the twenty-two different hosts we investigated, ACE2 proteins from dog, cat and rabbit were the most permissive to SARS-CoV-2, while bat and bird ACE2 proteins were the least efficiently used receptors. The absence of a significant tropism for any of the three genetically distinct bat ACE2 proteins we examined indicates that SARS-CoV-2 receptor usage likely shifted during zoonotic transmission from bats into people, possibly in an intermediate reservoir. Interestingly, while SARS-CoV-2 pseudoparticle entry was inefficient in cells bearing the ACE2 receptor from bats or birds the live virus was still able to enter these cells, albeit with markedly lower efficiency. The apparently broad tropism of SARS-CoV-2 at the point of viral entry confirms the potential risk of infection to a wide range of companion animals, livestock and wildlife.

positive: Arbidol: A potential antiviral drug for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 by blocking the trimerization of viral spike glycoprotein ? Abstract The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is an urgent global public health emergency and warrants investigating studies on bonafide antivirals for combat. Here we report the drug target and mechanism of action of potential antiviral drug Arbidol for SARS-CoV-2 infections. Our structural and molecular dynamics studies show how Arbidol targets the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and impede the trimerization of spike glycoprotein, which is a key for host cell adhesion and hijacking, thus placing Arbidol as a potential drug for repurposing. This study also abets in the development of other new therapeutics for COIVD-19 disease based on Arbidol binding mode and using structure-guided drug designing.

positive: Identification of 22 N-glycosites on spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 and accessible surface glycopeptide motifs: implications for vaccination and antibody therapeutics Coronaviruses hijack human enzymes to assemble the sugar coat on their spike glycoproteins. The mechanisms by which human antibodies may recognize the antigenic viral peptide epitopes hidden by the sugar coat are unknown. Glycosylation by insect cells differs from the native form produced in human cells, but insect cell–derived influenza vaccines have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. In this study, we analyzed recombinant severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein secreted from BTI-Tn-5B1–4 insect cells, by trypsin and chymotrypsin digestion followed by mass spectrometry analysis. We acquired tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) spectrums for glycopeptides of all 22 predicted N-glycosylated sites. We further analyzed the surface accessibility of spike proteins according to cryogenic electron microscopy and homolog-modeled structures, and available antibodies that bind to SARS-CoV-1. All 22 N-glycosylated sites of SARS-CoV-2 are modified by high-mannose N-glycans. MS/MS fragmentation clearly established the glycopeptide identities. Electron densities of glycans cover most of the spike receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2, except YQAGSTPCNGVEGFNCYFPLQSYGFQPTNGVGYQ, similar to a region FSPDGKPCTPPALNCYWPLNDYGFYTTTGIGYQ in SARS-CoV-1. Other surface-exposed domains include those located on central helix, connecting region, heptad repeats, and N-terminal domain. Because the majority of antibody paratopes bind to the peptide portion with or without sugar modification, we propose a snake-catching model for predicted paratopes: a minimal length of peptide is first clamped by a paratope, and sugar modifications close to the peptide either strengthen or do not hinder the binding.

positive: Structural basis for the recognition of the 2019-nCoV by human ACE2 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been suggested to be the cellular receptor for the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that is causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Like other coronaviruses such as the SARS-CoV, the 2019-nCoV uses the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the surface spike glycoprotein (S protein) to engage ACE2. We most recently determined the structure of the full-length human ACE2 in complex with a neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the full-length human ACE2 bound to the RBD of the 2019-nCoV at an overall resolution of 2.9 Å in the presence of B0AT1. The local resolution at the ACE2-RBD interface is 3.5 Å, allowing analysis of the detailed interactions between the RBD and the receptor. Similar to that for the SARS-CoV, the RBD of the 2019-nCoV is recognized by the extracellular peptidase domain (PD) of ACE2 mainly through polar residues. Pairwise comparison reveals a number of variations that may determine the different affinities between ACE2 and the RBDs from these two related viruses.

positive: Glycans on the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Control the Receptor Binding Domain Conformation The glycan shield of the beta-coronavirus (β-CoV) Spike (S) glycoprotein provides protection from host immune responses, acting as a steric block to potentially neutralizing antibody responses. The conformationally dynamic S-protein is the primary immunogenic target of vaccine design owing to its role in host-cell fusion, displaying multiple receptor binding domain (RBD) ‘up’ and ‘down’ state configurations. Here, we investigated the potential for RBD adjacent, N-terminal domain (NTD) glycans to influence the conformational equilibrium of these RBD states. Using a combination of antigenic screens and high-resolution cryo-EM structure determination, we show that an N-glycan deletion at position 234 results in a dramatically reduced population of the ‘up’ state RBD position. Conversely, glycan deletion at position N165 results in a discernable increase in ‘up’ state RBDs. This indicates the glycan shield acts not only as a passive hinderance to antibody meditated immunity but also as a conformational control element. Together, our results demonstrate this highly dynamic conformational machine is responsive to glycan modification with implications in viral escape and vaccine design.

positive: COVID-19 infection: the China and Italy perspectives The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Since its first report in December 2019, despite great efforts made in almost every country worldwide, this disease continues to spread globally, especially in most parts of Europe, Iran, and the United States. Here, we update the recent understanding in clinical characteristics, diagnosis strategies, as well as clinical management of COVID-19 in China as compared to Italy, with the purpose to integrate the China experience with the global efforts to outline references for prevention, basic research, treatment as well as final control of the disease. Being the first two countries we feel appropriate to evaluate the evolution of the disease as well as the early result of the treatment, in order to offer a different baseline to other countries. It is also interesting to compare two countries, with a very significant difference in population, where the morbidity and mortality has been so different, and unrelated to the size of the country.

positive: Cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SADS-CoV spike glycoprotein provides insights into an evolution of unique coronavirus spike proteins The outbreak of a novel betacoronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has aroused great public health concern. As a new coronavirus which was responsible for a large-scale outbreak of fatal disease in piglets in China, swine acute diarrhea syndrome coronavirus (SADS-CoV) originated from the same genus of horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus) as SARS-CoV and possesses a broad species tropism. In addition to human cells, it can also infect cell lines from diverse species. Given the importance of the spike glycoprotein (S) protein in viral entry and host immune responses, here we report the cryo-EM structure of the SADS-CoV S in the prefusion conformation at a resolution of 3.55 Å. Our studies reveal that SADS-CoV S structure takes an intra-subunit quaternary packing mode where the NTD and CTD from the same subunit pack together by facing each other. The comparison of NTD and CTD with that of the other four genera gives the suggestion of the evolutionary procedure of the SADS-CoV S. Moreover, SADS-CoV S has several characteristic structural features, i.e., more compact architecture of S trimer, masking of epitopes by glycan shielding, which may facilitate to viral immune evasion. These data provide new insights into the evolutionary relationships of SADS-CoV S and would deepen our understanding of their structural and functional diversity which will facilitate to vaccine development.

positive: Protein structure analysis of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor: from conformational changes to novel neutralizing antibodies The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread so much rapidly and severely to induce World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a state of emergency over the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While several countries have chosen the almost complete lock-down for slowing down SARS-CoV-2 spread, the scientific community is called to respond to the devastating outbreak by identifying new tools for diagnosis and treatment of the dangerous COVID-19. With this aim, we performed an in silico comparative modeling analysis, which allows gaining new insights into the main conformational changes occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, at the level of the receptor-binding domain (RBD), along interactions with human cells angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, that favor human cell invasion. Furthermore, our analysis provides (1) an ideal pipeline to identify already characterized antibodies that might target SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD, aiming to prevent interactions with the human ACE2, and (2) instructions for building new possible neutralizing antibodies, according to chemical/physical space restraints and complementary determining regions (CDR) mutagenesis of the identified existing antibodies. The proposed antibodies show in silico high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and can be used as reference antibodies also for building new high-affinity antibodies against present and future coronaviruses able to invade human cells through interactions of their spike proteins with the human ACE2. More in general, our analysis provides indications for the set-up of the right biological molecular context for investigating spike RBD–ACE2 interactions for the development of new vaccines, diagnostic kits, and other treatments based on the targeting of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00018-020-03580-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

positive: A Strategy for Searching Antigenic Regions in the SARS-CoV Spike Protein In the face of the worldwide threat of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) to human life, some of the most urgent challenges are to develop fast and accurate analytical methods for early diagnosis of this disease as well as to create a safe anti-viral vaccine for prevention. To these ends, we investigated the antigenicity of the spike protein (S protein), a major structural protein in the SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Based upon the theoretical analysis for hydrophobicity of the S protein, 18 peptides were synthesized. Using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA), these peptides were screened in the sera from SARS patients. According to these results, two fragments of the S gene were amplified by PCR and cloned into pET-32a. Both S fragments were expressed in the BL-21 strain and further purified with an affinity chromatography. These recombinant S fragments were confirmed to have positive cross-reactions with SARS sera, either by Western blot or by ELISA. Our results demonstrated that the potential epitope regions were located at Codons 469–882 in the S protein, and one epitope site was located at Codons 599–620. Identification of antigenic regions in the SARS-CoV S protein may be important for the functional studies of this virus or the development of clinical diagnosis.

positive: Structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and predictions of the human interactome Specific elements of viral genomes regulate interactions within host cells. Here, we calculated the secondary structure content of >2500 coronaviruses and computed >100000 human protein interactions with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We found that the 3’ and 5’ are the most structured elements in the viral genome and the 5’ has the strongest propensity to associate with human proteins. The domain encompassing nucleotides 23000 – 24000 is highly conserved both at the sequence and structural level, while the region upstream varies significantly. These two sequences code for a domain of the viral protein Spike S that interacts with the human receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and has the potential to bind sialic acids. Our predictions indicate that the first 1000 nucleotides in the 5’ can interact with proteins involved in viral RNA processing such as double-stranded RNA specific editases and ATP-dependent RNA-helicases, in addition to other high-confidence candidate partners. These interactions, previously reported to be also implicated in HIV, reveal important information on hostvirus interactions. The list of transcriptional and post-transcriptional elements recruited by SARS-CoV-2 genome provides clues on the biological pathways associated with gene expression changes in human cells.

positive: A highly conserved cryptic epitope in the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV The outbreak of COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus, continues to spread globally, but there is currently very little understanding of the epitopes on the virus. In this study, we have determined the crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in complex with CR3022, a neutralizing antibody previously isolated from a convalescent SARS patient. CR3022 targets a highly conserved epitope that enables cross-reactive binding between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Structural modeling further demonstrates that the binding site can only be accessed when at least two RBDs on the trimeric S protein are in the “up” conformation. Overall, this study provides structural and molecular insight into the antigenicity of SARS-CoV-2. ONE SENTENCE SUMMARY Structural study of a cross-reactive SARS antibody reveals a conserved epitope on the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain.

positive: Deducing the N- and O- glycosylation profile of the spike protein of novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 The current emergence of the novel coronavirus pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 demands the development of new therapeutic strategies to prevent rapid progress of mortalities. The coronavirus spike (S) protein, which facilitates viral attachment, entry and membrane fusion is heavily glycosylated and plays a critical role in the elicitation of the host immune response. The spike protein is comprised of two protein subunits (S1 and S2), which together possess 22 potential N-glycosylation sites. Herein, we report the glycosylation mapping on spike protein subunits S1 and S2 expressed on human cells through high resolution mass spectrometry. We have characterized the quantitative N-glycosylation profile on spike protein and interestingly, observed unexpected O-glycosylation modifications on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of spike protein subunit S1. Even though O-glycosylation has been predicted on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, this is the first report of experimental data for both the site of O-glycosylation and identity of the O-glycans attached on the subunit S1. Our data on the N- and O-glycosylation is strengthened by extensive manual interpretation of each glycopeptide spectra in addition to using bioinformatics tools to confirm the complexity of glycosylation in the spike protein. The elucidation of the glycan repertoire on the spike protein provides insights into the viral binding studies and more importantly, propels research towards the development of a suitable vaccine candidate.

positive: Understanding the B and T cell epitopes of spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2: A computational way to predict the immunogens The 2019 novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak has caused a large number of deaths, with thousands of confirmed cases worldwide. The present study followed computational approaches to identify B- and T-cell epitopes for the spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 by its interactions with the human leukocyte antigen alleles. We identified 24 peptide stretches on the SARS-CoV-2 S protein that are well conserved among the reported strains. The S protein structure further validated the presence of predicted peptides on the surface, of which 20 are surface exposed and predicted to have reasonable epitope binding efficiency. The work could be useful for understanding the immunodominant regions in the surface protein of SARS-CoV-2 and could potentially help in designing some peptide-based diagnostics. Also, identified T-cell epitopes might be considered for incorporation in vaccine designs.

positive: A novel bat coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2 contains natural insertions at the S1/S2 cleavage site of the spike protein Summary The unprecedented pandemic of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in China and beyond has had major public health impacts on a global scale [1,2]. Although bats are regarded as the most likely natural hosts for SARS-CoV-2 [3], the origins of the virus remain unclear. Here, we report a novel bat-derived coronavirus, denoted RmYN02, identified from a metagenomics analysis of samples from 227 bats collected from Yunnan Province in China between May and October, 2019. Notably, RmYN02 shares 93.3% nucleotide identity with SARS-CoV-2 at the scale of the complete virus genome and 97.2% identity in the 1ab gene, in which it is the closest relative of SARS-CoV-2 reported to date. In contrast, RmYN02 showed low sequence identity (61.3%) to SARS-CoV-2 in the receptor binding domain (RBD) and might not bind to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Critically, and in a similar manner to SARS-CoV-2, RmYN02 was characterized by the insertion of multiple amino acids at the junction site of the S1 and S2 subunits of the spike (S) protein. This provides strong evidence that such insertion events can occur naturally in animal betacoronaviruses.

positive: Impact of Thiol-Disulfide Balance on the Binding of Covid-19 Spike Protein with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 Receptor The novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), which started in 2019. This is a member of Coronaviridae family in the genus Betacoronavirus, which also includes SARS-CoV and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the functional receptor for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host cells. In particular, the interaction of viral spike proteins with ACE2 is a critical step in the viral replication cycle. The receptor binding domain of the viral spike proteins and ACE2 have several cysteine residues. In this study, the role of thiol-disulfide balance on the interactions between SARS-CoV/CoV-2 spike proteins and ACE2 was investigated using molecular dynamic simulations. The study revealed that the binding affinity was significantly impaired when all the disulfide bonds of both ACE2 and SARS-CoV/CoV-2 spike proteins were reduced to thiol groups. The impact on the binding affinity was less severe when the disulfide bridges of only one of the binding partners were reduced to thiols. This computational finding provides a molecular basis for the severity of COVID-19 infection due to the oxidative stress.

positive: A graph-based approach identifies dynamic H-bond communication networks in spike protein S of SARS-CoV-2 Corona virus spike protein S is a large homo-trimeric protein embedded in the membrane of the virion particle. Protein S binds to angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2, ACE2, of the host cell, followed by proteolysis of the spike protein, drastic protein conformational change with exposure of the fusion peptide of the virus, and entry of the virion into the host cell. The structural elements that govern conformational plasticity of the spike protein are largely unknown. Here, we present a methodology that relies upon graph and centrality analyses, augmented by bioinformatics, to identify and characterize large H-bond clusters in protein structures. We apply this methodology to protein S ectodomain and find that, in the closed conformation, the three protomers of protein S bring the same contribution to an extensive central network of H-bonds, has a relatively large H-bond cluster at the receptor binding domain, and a cluster near a protease cleavage site. Markedly different H-bonding at these three clusters in open and pre-fusion conformations suggest dynamic H-bond clusters could facilitate structural plasticity and selection of a protein S protomer for binding to the host receptor, and proteolytic cleavage. From analyses of spike protein sequences we identify patches of histidine and carboxylate groups that could be involved in transient proton binding.

positive: A spike with which to beat COVID-19? This month’s Under the Lens discusses how structural studies of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein might guide a path towards a vaccine.

positive: A hexapeptide of the receptor-binding domain of SARS corona virus spike protein blocks viral entry into host cells via the human receptor ACE2 Abstract In vitro infection of Vero E6 cells by SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is blocked by hexapeptide Tyr-Lys-Tyr-Arg-Tyr-Leu. The peptide also inhibits proliferation of coronavirus NL63. On human cells both viruses utilize angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as entry receptor. Blocking the viral entry is specific as alpha virus Sindbis shows no reduction in infectivity. Peptide 438YKYRYL443 is part of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV. Peptide libraries were screened by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) to identify RBD binding epitopes. 438YKYRYL443 carries the dominant binding epitope and binds to ACE2 with K D =46μM. The binding mode was further characterized by saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamic simulations. Based on this information the peptide can be used as lead structure to design potential entry inhibitors against SARS-CoV and related viruses.

positive: An exploration of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (RBD) – a complex palette of evolutionary and structural features SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) is associated with the entry of virus inside the host cell by recruiting its loop dominant receptor binding domain (RBD) and interacting with the host ACE2 receptor. Our study deploying a two-tier approach encompassing evolutionary and structural analysis provides a comprehensive picture of the RBD, which could be of potential use for better understanding the RBD and address its druggability issues. Resorting to an ensemble of sequence space exploratory tools including co-evolutionary analysis and deep mutational scans we provide a quantitative insight into the evolutionarily constrained subspace of the RBD sequence space. Guided by structure network analysis and Monte Carlo simulation we highlight regions inside the RBD, which are critical for providing structural integrity and conformational flexibility of the binding cleft. We further deployed fuzzy C-means clustering by plugging the evolutionary and structural features of discrete structure blocks of RBD to understand which structure blocks share maximum overlap based on their evolutionary and structural features. Deploying this multi-tier interlinked approach, which essentially distilled the evolutionary and structural features of RBD, we highlight discrete region, which could be a potential druggable pocket thereby destabilizing the structure and addressing evolutionary routes.

positive: Adding the missing sugars to coronavirus protein structures Protein structures solved by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) or X-ray crystallography often miss the sugar molecules known as glycans that cover large swaths of the proteins’ surfaces The recently reported structures of the spike protein on SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, are no different Researchers are now working to fill in some of those sugary blanks to better understand the virus’s biology and to help drugmakers develop vaccines and treatments “People usually go for what they can analyze” and focus mostly on the protein components of a structure, says Andrea Thorn, a structural biologist at the Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg She is a member of the Coronavirus Structural Task Force, a group of scientists who specialize in modeling and processing crystallographic and cryo-EM data Because structural biology measurements don’t reveal much about glycans on proteins, “we often fail to recognize what an important part of the structure they

positive: Antibody signature induced by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunogens in rabbits Multiple vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 based on viral spike protein are under development. However, there is limited information on the quality of antibody responses generated with these vaccine modalities. To better understand antibody responses induced by spike protein-based vaccines, we performed a qualitative study by immunizing rabbits with various SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antigens: S ectodomain (S1+S2; amino acids 16 to 1213), which lacks the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains (CT-TM), the S1 domain (amino acids 16 to 685), the receptor binding domain (RBD) (amino acids 319 to 541), and the S2 domain (amino acids 686 to 1213, lacking the RBD, as control). Resulting antibody quality and function were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), RBD competition assay, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) against different spike proteins in native conformation, and neutralization assays. All three antigens (S1+S2 ectodomain, S1 domain, and RBD), but not S2, generated strong neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination-induced antibody repertoire was analyzed by SARS-CoV-2 spike genome fragment phage display libraries (SARS-CoV-2 GFPDL), which identified immunodominant epitopes in the S1, S1-RBD, and S2 domains. Furthermore, these analyses demonstrated that the RBD immunogen elicited a higher antibody titer with five-fold higher affinity antibodies to native spike antigens compared with other spike antigens, and antibody affinity correlated strongly with neutralization titers. These findings may help guide rational vaccine design and facilitate development and evaluation of effective therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19 disease.

positive: Molecular simulation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to pangolin ACE2 or human ACE2 natural variants reveals altered susceptibility to infection We constructed complex models of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to pangolin or human ACE2, the receptor for virus transmission, and estimated the binding free energy changes using molecular dynamics simulation. SARS-CoV-2 can bind to both pangolin and human ACE2, but has a significantly lower binding affinity for pangolin ACE2 due to the increased binding free energy (9.5 kcal mol-1). Human ACE2 is among the most polymorphous genes, for which we identified 317 missense single-nucleotide variations (SNVs) from the dbSNP database. Three SNVs, E329G (rs143936283), M82I (rs267606406) and K26R (rs4646116), had a significant reduction in binding free energy, which indicated higher binding affinity than wild-type ACE2 and greater susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection for people with them. Three other SNVs, D355N (rs961360700), E37K (rs146676783) and I21T (rs1244687367), had a significant increase in binding free energy, which indicated lower binding affinity and reduced susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: The SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain elicits a potent neutralizing response without antibody-dependent enhancement The SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike (S) protein mediates entry of SARS-CoV-2 into cells expressing the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The S protein engages ACE2 through its receptor-binding domain (RBD), an independently folded 197-amino acid fragment of the 1273-amino acid S-protein protomer. Antibodies to the RBD domain of SARS-CoV (SARS-CoV-1), a closely related coronavirus which emerged in 2002-2003, have been shown to potently neutralize SARS-CoV-1 S-protein-mediated entry, and the presence of anti-RBD antibodies correlates with neutralization in SARS-CoV-2 convalescent sera. Here we show that immunization with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD elicits a robust neutralizing antibody response in rodents, comparable to 100 µg/ml of ACE2-Ig, a potent SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor. Importantly, anti-sera from immunized animals did not mediate antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of S-protein-mediated entry under conditions in which Zika virus ADE was readily observed. These data suggest that an RBD-based vaccine for SARS-CoV-2 could be safe and effective.

positive: Glycosaminoglycan binding motif at S1/S2 proteolytic cleavage site on spike glycoprotein may facilitate novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) host cell entry Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in a pandemic and continues to spread around the globe at an unprecedented rate. To date, no effective therapeutic is available to fight its associated disease, COVID-19. Our discovery of a novel insertion of glycosaminoglycan (GAG)-binding motif at S1/S2 proteolytic cleavage site (681-686 (PRRARS)) and two other GAG-binding-like motifs within SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein (SGP) led us to hypothesize that host cell surface GAGs might be involved in host cell entry of SARS-CoV-2. Using a surface plasmon resonance direct binding assay, we found that both monomeric and trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike more tightly bind to immobilized heparin (KD = 40 pM and 73 pM, respectively) than the SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV SGPs (500 nM and 1 nM, respectively). In competitive binding studies, the IC50 of heparin, tri-sulfated non-anticoagulant heparan sulfate, and non-anticoagulant low molecular weight heparin against SARS-CoV-2 SGP binding to immobilized heparin were 0.056 μM, 0.12 μM, and 26.4 μM, respectively. Finally, unbiased computational ligand docking indicates that heparan sulfate interacts with the GAG-binding motif at the S1/S2 site on each monomer interface in the trimeric SARS-CoV-2 SGP, and at another site (453-459 (YRLFRKS)) when the receptor-binding domain is in an open conformation. Our study augments our knowledge in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and advances carbohydrate-based COVID-19 therapeutic development.

positive: Molecular Investigation of SARS–CoV-2 Proteins and Their Interactions with Antiviral Drugs A new Coronavirus strain, named SARS-CoV-2, suddenly emerged in early December 2019. SARS-CoV-2 resulted in being dramatically infectious, with thousands of people infected. In this scenario, and without effective vaccines available, the importance of an immediate tool to support patients and against viral diffusion becomes evident. In this study, we exploit the molecular docking approach to analyze the affinity between different viral proteins and several inhibitors, originally developed for other viral infections. Our data show that, in some cases, a relevant binding can be detected. These findings support the hypothesis to develop new antiviral agents against COVID-19, on the basis of already established therapies.

positive: Predictions for the binding domain and potential new drug targets of 2019-nCoV An outbreak of new SARS-like viral in Wuhan, China has been named 2019-nCoV. The current state of the epidemic is increasingly serious, and there has been the urgent necessity to develop an effective new drug. In previous studies, it was found that the conformation change in CTD1 was the region where SARS-CoV bound to human ACE2. Although there are mutations of the 2019-nCoV, the binding energy of ACE2 remains high. The surface glycoprotein of 2019-nCoV was coincident with the CTD1 region of the S-protein by comparing the I-TASSER prediction model with the actual SARS model, which suggests that 2019-nCoV may bind to the ACE2 receptor through conformational changes. Furthermore, site prediction on the surface glycoprotein of 2019-nCoV suggests some core amino acid area may be a novel drug target against 2019-nCoV.

positive: Immunogenic profile of SARS-CoV-2 spike in individuals recovered from COVID-19 The rapid global spread of SARS-CoV-2 and resultant mortality and social disruption have highlighted the need to better understand coronavirus immunity to expedite vaccine development efforts. Multiple candidate vaccines, designed to elicit protective neutralising antibodies targeting the viral spike glycoprotein, are rapidly advancing to clinical trial. However, the immunogenic properties of the spike protein in humans are unresolved. To address this, we undertook an in-depth characterisation of humoral and cellular immunity against SARS-CoV-2 spike in humans following mild to moderate SARS-CoV-2 infection. We find serological antibody responses against spike are routinely elicited by infection and correlate with plasma neutralising activity and capacity to block ACE2/RBD interaction. Expanded populations of spike-specific memory B cells and circulating T follicular helper cells (cTFH) were detected within convalescent donors, while responses to the receptor binding domain (RBD) constitute a minor fraction. Using regression analysis, we find high plasma neutralisation activity was associated with increased spike-specific antibody, but notably also with the relative distribution of spike-specific cTFH subsets. Thus both qualitative and quantitative features of B and T cell immunity to spike constitute informative biomarkers of the protective potential of novel SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

positive: A virus that has gone viral: Amino acid mutation in S protein of Indian isolate of Coronavirus COVID-19 might impact receptor binding and thus infectivity Since 2002, beta coronaviruses (CoV) have caused three zoonotic outbreaks, SARS-CoV in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and the recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 late in 2019 (also named as COVID-19 or novel coronavirus 2019 or nCoV2019. Spike(S) protein, one of the structural proteins of this virus plays key role in receptor (ACE2) binding and thus virus entry. Thus, this protein has attracted scientists for detailed study and therapeutic targeting. As the 2019 novel coronavirus takes its course throughout the world, more and more sequence analyses are been done and genome sequences getting deposited in various databases. From India two clinical isolates have been sequenced and the full genome deposited in GenBank. We have performed sequence analyses of the spike protein of the Indian isolates and compared with that of the Wuhan, China (where the outbreak was first reported). While all the sequences of Wuhan isolates are identical, we found point mutations in the Indian isolates. Out of the two isolates one was found to harbour a mutation in its Receptor binding domain (RBD) at position 407. At this site arginine (a positively charged amino acid) was replaced by isoleucine (a hydrophobic amino acid that is also a C-beta branched amino acid). This mutation has been seen to change the secondary structure of the protein at that region and this can potentially alter receptor ding of the virus. Although this finding needs further validation and more sequencing, the information might be useful in rational drug designing and vaccine engineering.

positive: Virus-Receptor Interactions of Glycosylated SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human ACE2 Receptor The current COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 betacoronavirus, which utilizes its highly glycosylated trimeric Spike protein to bind to the cell surface receptor ACE2 glycoprotein and facilitate host cell entry. We utilized glycomics-informed glycoproteomics to characterize site-specific microheterogeneity of glycosylation for a recombinant trimer spike mimetic immunogen and for a soluble version of human ACE2. We combined this information with bioinformatic analyses of natural variants and with existing 3D-structures of both glycoproteins to generate molecular dynamic simulations of each glycoprotein alone and interacting with one another. Our results highlight roles for glycans in sterically masking polypeptide epitopes and directly modulating Spike-ACE2 interactions. Furthermore, our results illustrate the impact of viral evolution and divergence on Spike glycosylation, as well as the influence of natural variants on ACE2 receptor glycosylation that, taken together, can facilitate immunogen design to achieve antibody neutralization and inform therapeutic strategies to inhibit viral infection.

positive: Developing a Fully Glycosylated Full-Length SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Model in a Viral Membrane [Image: see text] This technical study describes all-atom modeling and simulation of a fully glycosylated full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in a viral membrane. First, starting from PDB: 6VSB and 6VXX, full-length S protein structures were modeled using template-based modeling, de-novo protein structure prediction, and loop modeling techniques in GALAXY modeling suite. Then, using the recently determined most occupied glycoforms, 22 N-glycans and 1 O-glycan of each monomer were modeled using Glycan Reader & Modeler in CHARMM-GUI. These fully glycosylated full-length S protein model structures were assessed and further refined against the low-resolution data in their respective experimental maps using ISOLDE. We then used CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder to place the S proteins in a viral membrane and performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. All structures are available in CHARMM-GUI COVID-19 Archive (http://www.charmm-gui.org/docs/archive/covid19) so that researchers can use these models to carry out innovative and novel modeling and simulation research for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Cryo-EM structure of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein in complex with its host cell receptor ACE2 The trimeric SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) surface spike (S) glycoprotein consisting of three S1-S2 heterodimers binds the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and mediates fusion of the viral and cellular membranes through a pre- to postfusion conformation transition. Here, we report the structure of the SARS-CoV S glycoprotein in complex with its host cell receptor ACE2 revealed by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). The complex structure shows that only one receptor-binding domain of the trimeric S glycoprotein binds ACE2 and adopts a protruding “up” conformation. In addition, we studied the structures of the SARS-CoV S glycoprotein and its complexes with ACE2 in different in vitro conditions, which may mimic different conformational states of the S glycoprotein during virus entry. Disassociation of the S1-ACE2 complex from some of the prefusion spikes was observed and characterized. We also characterized the rosette-like structures of the clustered SARS-CoV S2 trimers in the postfusion state observed on electron micrographs. Structural comparisons suggested that the SARS-CoV S glycoprotein retains a prefusion architecture after trypsin cleavage into the S1 and S2 subunits and acidic pH treatment. However, binding to the receptor opens up the receptor-binding domain of S1, which could promote the release of the S1-ACE2 complex and S1 monomers from the prefusion spike and trigger the pre- to postfusion conformational transition.

positive: Structures, conformations and distributions of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimers on intact virions Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virions are surrounded by a lipid bilayer from which spike (S) protein trimers protrude. Heavily glycosylated S trimers bind the ACE2 receptor and mediate entry of virions into target cells. S exhibits extensive conformational flexibility: it modulates the exposure of its receptor binding site and later undergoes complete structural rearrangement to drive fusion of viral and cellular membranes. The structures and conformations of soluble, overexpressed, purified S proteins have been studied in detail using cryo-electron microscopy. The structure and distribution of S on the virion surface, however, has not been characterised. Here we applied cryo-electron microscopy and tomography to image intact SARS-CoV-2 virions, determining the high-resolution structure, conformational flexibility and distributions of S trimers in situ on the virion surface. These results provide a basis for understanding the conformations of S present on the virion, and for studying their interactions with neutralizing antibodies.

positive: Structural modeling of 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) spike protein reveals a proteolytically-sensitive activation loop as a distinguishing feature compared to SARS-CoV and related SARS-like coronaviruses The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is currently causing a widespread outbreak centered on Hubei province, China and is a major public health concern. Taxonomically 2019-nCoV is closely related to SARS-CoV and SARS-related bat coronaviruses, and it appears to share a common receptor with SARS-CoV (ACE-2). Here, we perform structural modeling of the 2019-nCoV spike glycoprotein. Our data provide support for the similar receptor utilization between 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV, despite a relatively low amino acid similarity in the receptor binding module. Compared to SARS-CoV, we identify an extended structural loop containing basic amino acids at the interface of the receptor binding (S1) and fusion (S2) domains, which we predict to be proteolytically-sensitive. We suggest this loop confers fusion activation and entry properties more in line with MERS-CoV and other coronaviruses, and that the presence of this structural loop in 2019-nCoV may affect virus stability and transmission.

positive: Structure-based Design of Prefusion-stabilized SARS-CoV-2 Spikes The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has led to accelerated efforts to develop therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines to mitigate this public health emergency. A key target of these efforts is the spike (S) protein, a large trimeric class I fusion protein that is metastable and difficult to produce recombinantly in large quantities. Here, we designed and expressed over 100 structure-guided spike variants based upon a previously determined cryo-EM structure of the prefusion SARS-CoV-2 spike. Biochemical, biophysical and structural characterization of these variants identified numerous individual substitutions that increased protein yields and stability. The best variant, HexaPro, has six beneficial proline substitutions leading to ~10-fold higher expression than its parental construct and is able to withstand heat stress, storage at room temperature, and multiple freeze-thaws. A 3.2 Å-resolution cryo-EM structure of HexaPro confirmed that it retains the prefusion spike conformation. High-yield production of a stabilized prefusion spike protein will accelerate the development of vaccines and serological diagnostics for SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Structural basis for the recognition of SARS-CoV-2 by full-length human ACE2 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that is causing the serious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Here, we present cryo–electron microscopy structures of full-length human ACE2 in the presence of the neutral amino acid transporter B(0)AT1 with or without the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the surface spike glycoprotein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2, both at an overall resolution of 2.9 angstroms, with a local resolution of 3.5 angstroms at the ACE2-RBD interface. The ACE2-B(0)AT1 complex is assembled as a dimer of heterodimers, with the collectrin-like domain of ACE2 mediating homodimerization. The RBD is recognized by the extracellular peptidase domain of ACE2 mainly through polar residues. These findings provide important insights into the molecular basis for coronavirus recognition and infection.

positive: Structural and simulation analysis of hotspot residues interactions of SARS-CoV 2 with human ACE2 receptor The novel corona virus disease 2019 (SARS-CoV 2) pandemic outbreak was alarming. The binding of SARS-CoV (CoV) spike protein (S-Protein) Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) to Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor initiates the entry of corona virus into the host cells leading to the infection. However, considering the mutations reported in the SARS-CoV 2 (nCoV), the structural changes and the binding interactions of the S-protein RBD of nCoV were not clear. The present study was designed to elucidate the structural changes, hot spot binding residues and their interactions between the nCoV S-protein RBD and ACE2 receptor through computational approaches. Based on the sequence alignment, a total of 58 residues were found mutated in nCoV S-protein RBD. These mutations led to the structural changes in the nCoV S-protein RBD 3d structure with 4 helices, 10 sheets and intermittent loops. The nCoV RBD was found binding to ACE2 receptor with 11 hydrogen bonds and 1 salt bridge. The major hot spot amino acids involved in the binding identified by interaction analysis after simulations includes Glu 35, Tyr 83, Asp 38, Lys 31, Glu 37, His 34 amino acid residues of ACE2 receptor and Gln 493, Gln 498, Asn 487, Tyr 505 and Lys 417 residues in nCoV S-protein RBD. Based on the hydrogen bonding, RMSD and RMSF, total and potential energies, the nCoV was found binding to ACE2 receptor with higher stability and rigidity. Concluding, the hotspots information will be useful in designing blockers for the nCoV spike protein RBD. [Image: see text] Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

positive: Distant sequence similarity between hepcidin and the novel coronavirus spike glycoprotein: a potential hint at the possibility of local iron dysregulation in COVID-19 The spike glycoprotein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes COVID-19, has attracted attention for its vaccine potential and binding capacity to host cell surface receptors. Much of this research focus has centered on the ectodomain of the spike protein. The ectodomain is anchored to a transmembrane region, followed by a cytoplasmic tail. Here we report a distant sequence similarity between the cysteine-rich cytoplasmic tail of the coronavirus spike protein and the hepcidin protein that is found in humans and other vertebrates. Hepcidin is thought to be the key regulator of iron metabolism in humans. An implication of this preliminary observation is to suggest a potential route of investigation in the coronavirus research field making use of an already-established literature on the interplay of local and systemic iron regulation, cytokine-mediated inflammatory processes, respiratory infections and the hepcidin protein. The question of possible homology and an evolutionary connection between the viral spike protein and hepcidin is not assessed in this report, but some scenarios for its study are discussed.

positive: Truncated human angiotensin converting enzyme 2; a potential inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and potent COVID-19 therapeutic agent The current pandemic of Covid-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is continued to spread globally and no potential drug or vaccine against it is available. Spike (S) glycoprotein is the structural protein of SARS-CoV-2 located on the envelope surface, involve in interaction with angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a cell surface receptor, followed by entry into the host cell. Thereby, blocking the S glycoprotein through potential inhibitor may interfere its interaction with ACE2 and impede its entry into the host cell. Here, we present a truncated version of human ACE2 (tACE2), comprising the N terminus region of the intact ACE2 from amino acid position 21-119, involved in binding with receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2. We analyzed the in-silico potential of tACE2 to compete with intact ACE2 for binding with RBD. The protein-protein docking and molecular dynamic simulation showed that tACE2 has higher binding affinity for RBD and form more stabilized complex with RBD than the intact ACE2. Furthermore, prediction of tACE2 soluble expression in E. coli makes it a suitable candidate to be targeted for Covid-19 therapeutics. This is the first MD simulation based findings to provide a high affinity protein inhibitor for SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein, an important target for drug designing against this unprecedented challenge.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

positive: Analyses of spike protein from first deposited sequences of SARS-CoV2 from West Bengal, India India has recently started sequencing SARS-CoV2 genome from clinical isolates. Currently only few sequences are available from three states in India. Kerala was the first state to deposit complete sequence from two isolates followed by one from Gujarat. On April 27, 2020, the first five sequences from the state of West Bengal (Eastern India) were deposited on GISAID, a global initiative for sharing avian flu data. In this study, we have analysed the spike protein sequences from all five isolates and also compared their similarities or differences with other sequences reported in India and with isolates of Wuhan origin. We report one unique mutation at position 723 and another at 1124 in the S2 domain of spike protein of the isolates from West Bengal only. There was one mutation downstream of the receptor binding domain at position 614 in S1 domain which was common with the sequence from Gujarat (a state of western India). Mutation in the S2 domain showed changes in the secondary structure of the spike protein at region of the mutation. We also studied molecular dynamics using normal mode analyses and found that this mutation decreases the flexibility of S2 domain. Since both S1 and S2 are important in receptor binding followed by entry in the host cells, such mutations may define the affinity or avidity of receptor binding.

positive: Broad sarbecovirus neutralizing antibodies define a key site of vulnerability on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Broadly protective vaccines against known and pre-emergent coronaviruses are urgently needed. Critical to their development is a deeper understanding of cross-neutralizing antibody responses induced by natural human coronavirus (HCoV) infections. Here, we mined the memory B cell repertoire of a convalescent SARS donor and identified 200 SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies that target multiple conserved sites on the spike (S) protein. A large proportion of the antibodies display high levels of somatic hypermutation and cross-react with circulating HCoVs, suggesting recall of pre-existing memory B cells (MBCs) elicited by prior HCoV infections. Several antibodies potently cross-neutralize SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and the bat SARS-like virus WIV1 by blocking receptor attachment and inducing S1 shedding. These antibodies represent promising candidates for therapeutic intervention and reveal a new target for the rational design of pan-sarbecovirus vaccines.

positive: The UCSC SARS-CoV-2 Genome Browser Background Researchers are generating molecular data pertaining to the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome and its proteins at an unprecedented rate during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, there is a critical need for rapid and continuously updated access to the latest molecular data in a format in which all data can be quickly cross-referenced and compared. We adapted our genome browser visualization tool to the viral genome for this purpose. Molecular data, curated from published studies or from database submissions, are mapped to the viral genome and grouped together into “annotation tracks” where they can be visualized along the linear map of the viral genome sequence and programmatically downloaded in standard format for analysis. Results The UCSC Genome Browser for SARS-CoV-2 (https://genome.ucsc.edu/covid19.html) provides continuously updated access to the mutations in the many thousands of SARS-CoV-2 genomes deposited in GISAID and the international nucleotide sequencing databases, displayed alongside phylogenetic trees. These data are augmented with alignments of bat, pangolin, and other animal and human coronavirus genomes, including per-base evolutionary rate analysis. All available annotations are cross-referenced on the virus genome, including those from major databases (PDB, RFAM, IEDB, UniProt) as well as up-to-date individual results from preprints. Annotated data include predicted and validated immune epitopes, promising antibodies, RT-PCR and sequencing primers, CRISPR guides (from research, diagnostics, vaccines, and therapies), and points of interaction between human and viral genes. As a community resource, any user can add manual annotations which are quality checked and shared publicly on the browser the next day. Conclusions We invite all investigators to contribute additional data and annotations to this resource to accelerate research and development activities globally. Contact us at genome-www@soe.ucsc.edu with data suggestions or requests for support for adding data. Rapid sharing of data will accelerate SARS-CoV-2 research, especially when researchers take time to integrate their data with those from other labs on a widely-used community browser platform with standardized machine-readable data formats, such as the SARS-CoV-2 Genome Browser.

positive: Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by Destruction of the Prefusion Spike There are as yet no licensed therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic. The causal coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) binds host cells via a trimeric spike whose receptor binding domain (RBD) recognizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, initiating conformational changes that drive membrane fusion. We find that the monoclonal antibody CR3022 binds the RBD tightly, neutralizing SARS-CoV-2, and report the crystal structure at 2.4 Å of the Fab/RBD complex. Some crystals are suitable for screening for entry-blocking inhibitors. The highly conserved, structure-stabilizing CR3022 epitope is inaccessible in the prefusion spike, suggesting that CR3022 binding facilitates conversion to the fusion-incompetent post-fusion state. Cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) analysis confirms that incubation of spike with CR3022 Fab leads to destruction of the prefusion trimer. Presentation of this cryptic epitope in an RBD-based vaccine might advantageously focus immune responses. Binders at this epitope could be useful therapeutically, possibly in synergy with an antibody that blocks receptor attachment.

positive: Amino acid variation analysis of surface spike glycoprotein at 614 in SARS-CoV-2 strains Abstract As severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to disperse globally with worrisome speed, identifying amino acid variations in the virus could help to understand the characteristics of it. Here, we studied 489 SARS-CoV-2 genomes obtained from 32 countries from the Nextstrain database and performed phylogenetic tree analysis by clade, country, and genotype of the surface spike glycoprotein (S protein) at site 614. We found that virus strains from mainland China were mostly distributed in Clade B and Clade undefined in the phylogenetic tree, with very few found in Clade A. In contrast, Clades A2 (one case) and A2a (112 cases) predominantly contained strains from European regions. Moreover, Clades A2 and A2a differed significantly from those of mainland China in age of infected population (P = 0.0071, mean age 40.24 to 46.66), although such differences did not exist between the US and mainland China. Further analysis demonstrated that the variation of the S protein at site 614 (QHD43416.1: p.614D>G) was a characteristic of stains in Clades A2 and A2a. Importantly, this variation was predicted to have neutral or benign effects on the function of the S protein. In addition, global quality estimates and 3D protein structures tended to be different between the two S proteins. In summary, we identified different genomic epidemiology among SARS-CoV-2 strains in different clades, especially in an amino acid variation of the S protein at 614, revealing potential viral genome divergence in SARS-CoV-2 strains.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 and bat RaTG13 spike glycoprotein structures inform on virus evolution and furin-cleavage effects. SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have emerged from bats, possibly via a secondary host. Here, we investigate the relationship of spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 with the S protein of a closely related bat virus, RaTG13. We determined cryo-EM structures for RaTG13 S and for both furin-cleaved and uncleaved SARS-CoV-2 S; we compared these with recently reported structures for uncleaved SARS-CoV-2 S. We also biochemically characterized their relative stabilities and affinities for the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2. Although the overall structures of human and bat virus S proteins are similar, there are key differences in their properties, including a more stable precleavage form of human S and about 1,000-fold tighter binding of SARS-CoV-2 to human receptor. These observations suggest that cleavage at the furin-cleavage site decreases the overall stability of SARS-CoV-2 S and facilitates the adoption of the open conformation that is required for S to bind to the ACE2 receptor.

positive: Stabilized coronavirus spikes are resistant to conformational changes induced by receptor recognition or proteolysis Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged in 2002 as a highly transmissible pathogenic human betacoronavirus. The viral spike glycoprotein (S) utilizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a host protein receptor and mediates fusion of the viral and host membranes, making S essential to viral entry into host cells and host species tropism. As SARS-CoV enters host cells, the viral S is believed to undergo a number of conformational transitions as it is cleaved by host proteases and binds to host receptors. We recently developed stabilizing mutations for coronavirus spikes that prevent the transition from the pre-fusion to post-fusion states. Here, we present cryo-EM analyses of a stabilized trimeric SARS-CoV S, as well as the trypsin-cleaved, stabilized S, and its interactions with ACE2. Neither binding to ACE2 nor cleavage by trypsin at the S1/S2 cleavage site impart large conformational changes within stabilized SARS-CoV S or expose the secondary cleavage site, S2′.

positive: SARS‐CoV‐2, an evolutionary perspective of interaction with human ACE2 reveals undiscovered amino acids necessary for complex stability The emergence of SARS‐CoV‐2 has resulted in nearly 1,280,000 infections and 73,000 deaths globally so far. This novel virus acquired the ability to infect human cells using the SARS‐CoV cell receptor hACE2. Because of this, it is essential to improve our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics surrounding the SARS‐CoV‐2 hACE2 interaction. One way theory predicts selection pressures should shape viral evolution is to enhance binding with host cells. We first assessed evolutionary dynamics in select betacoronavirus spike protein genes to predict whether these genomic regions are under directional or purifying selection between divergent viral lineages, at various scales of relatedness. With this analysis, we determine a region inside the receptor‐binding domain with putative sites under positive selection interspersed among highly conserved sites, which are implicated in structural stability of the viral spike protein and its union with human receptor ACE2. Next, to gain further insights into factors associated with recognition of the human host receptor, we performed modeling studies of five different betacoronaviruses and their potential binding to hACE2. Modeling results indicate that interfering with the salt bridges at hot spot 353 could be an effective strategy for inhibiting binding, and hence for the prevention of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. We also propose that a glycine residue at the receptor‐binding domain of the spike glycoprotein can have a critical role in permitting bat SARS‐related coronaviruses to infect human cells.

positive: Structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain bound to the ACE2 receptor. A novel and highly pathogenic coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an outbreak in Wuhan city, Hubei province of China since December 2019, and soon spread nationwide and spilled over to other countries around the world1-3. To better understand the initial step of infection at an atomic level, we determined the crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain (RBD) bound to the cell receptor ACE2 at 2.45 Å resolution. The overall ACE2-binding mode of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD is nearly identical to that of the SARS-CoV RBD, which also utilizes ACE2 as the cell receptor4. Structural analysis identified residues in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD that are critical for ACE2 binding, the majority of which either are highly conserved or share similar side chain properties with those in the SARS-CoV RBD. Such similarity in structure and sequence strongly argue for convergent evolution between the SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV RBDs for improved binding to ACE2, although SARS-CoV-2 does not cluster within SARS and SARS-related coronaviruses1-3,5. The epitopes of two SARS-CoV antibodies targeting the RBD are also analysed with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, providing insights into the future identification of cross-reactive antibodies.

positive: Human monoclonal antibodies block the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor

positive: Stabilizing the Closed SARS-CoV-2 Spike Trimer The trimeric spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 is the primary focus of most vaccine design and development efforts. Due to intrinsic instability typical of class I fusion proteins, S tends to prematurely refold to the post-fusion conformation, compromising immunogenic properties and prefusion trimer yields. To support ongoing vaccine development efforts, we report the structure-based design of soluble S trimers, with increased yields and stabilities, based on introduction of single point mutations and disulfide-bridges. We identify two regions in the S-protein critical for the protein’s stability: the heptad repeat region 1 of the S2 subunit and subunit domain 1 at the interface with S2. We combined a minimal selection of mostly interprotomeric mutations to create a stable S-closed variant with a 6.4-fold higher expression than the parental construct while no longer containing a heterologous trimerization domain. The cryo-EM structure reveals a correctly folded, predominantly closed pre-fusion conformation. Highly stable and well producing S protein and the increased understanding of S protein structure will support vaccine development and serological diagnostics.

positive: Human neutralizing antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection The emerging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presents a global health emergency in urgent need of interventions1-3. SARS-CoV-2 entry into the target cells depends on binding between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral Spike protein and the ACE2 cell receptor2,4-6. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of 206 RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies derived from single B cells of eight SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. We identified antibodies with potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralization activity that correlates with their competitive capacity with ACE2 for RBD binding. Surprisingly, neither the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies nor the infected plasma cross-reacted with SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV RBDs, although substantial plasma cross-reactivity to their trimeric Spike proteins was found. Crystal structure analysis of RBD-bound antibody revealed steric hindrance that inhibits viral engagement with ACE2 and thereby blocks viral entry. These findings suggest that anti-RBD antibodies are viral species-specific inhibitors. The antibodies identified here may be candidates for the development of SARS-CoV-2 clinical interventions.

positive: The Structural Characterization and Antigenicity of the S Protein of SARS-CoV The corona-like spikes or peplomers on the surface of the virion under electronic microscope are the most striking features of coronaviruses. The S (spike) protein is the largest structural protein, with 1,255 amino acids, in the viral genome. Its structure can be divided into three regions: a long N-terminal region in the exterior, a characteristic transmembrane (TM) region, and a short C-terminus in the interior of a virion. We detected fifteen substitutions of nucleotides by comparisons with the seventeen published SARS-CoV genome sequences, eight (53.3%) of which are non-synonymous mutations leading to amino acid alternations with predicted physiochemical changes. The possible antigenic determinants of the S protein are predicted, and the result is confirmed by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) with synthesized peptides. Another profound finding is that three disulfide bonds are defined at the C-terminus with the N-terminus of the E (envelope) protein, based on the typical sequence and positions, thus establishing the structural connection with these two important structural proteins, if confirmed. Phylogenetic analysis reveals several conserved regions that might be potent drug targets.

positive: Designed peptides as potential fusion inhibitors against SARA-CoV-2 coronavirus infection Inspired by fusion-inhibitory peptides from heptad repeat 1 (HR1) and heptad repeat 2 (HR2) domains from human immuno-deficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein gp41 and severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) based on viral fusogenic mechanism in the present work, we provided a similar approach to design the synthesized peptides against the entry into host cells of SARA-CoV-2 virus that causes 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). These peptides derived from HR1 and HR2 of SARA-CoV-2 spike protein were further tested for their interaction and potential fusion possibility through circular dichroism spectrum. Here we used the peptide COVID-2019-HR1P1 (40 amino acids) as the target, which was derived from HR1 of SARA-CoV-2 spike protein, while the designed peptides including COVID-2019-HR2P1 (37 amino acids), COVID-2019-HR2P2 (32 amino acids) and others derived from HR2 of SARA-CoV-2 were tested for their binding to COVID-2019-HR1P1. Interestingly, results showed that both COVID-2019-HR2P1 and COVID-2019-HR2P2 can form the complex with COVID-2019-HR1P1, respectively. This implied that these designed peptides could play an important role in blocking SARA-CoV-2 entry into mammalian host cells via viral fusogenic mechanism, and thus could be used for preventing SARA-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Molecular mechanism of evolution and human infection with the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Since December, 2019, an outbreak of pneumonia caused by the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has hit the city of Wuhan in the Hubei Province. With the continuous development of the epidemic, it has become a national public health crisis and calls for urgent antiviral treatments or vaccines. The spike protein on the coronavirus envelope is critical for host cell infection and virus vitality. Previous studies showed that 2019-nCoV is highly homologous to human SARS-CoV and attaches host cells though the binding of the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) domain to the angiotensin-converting enzyme II (ACE2). However, the molecular mechanisms of 2019-nCoV binding to human ACE2 and evolution of 2019-nCoV remain unclear. In this study, we have extensively studied the RBD-ACE2 complex, spike protein, and free RBD systems of 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV using protein-protein docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. It was shown that the RBD-ACE2 binding free energy for 2019-nCoV is significantly lower than that for SARS-CoV, which is consistent with the fact that 2019-nCoV is much more infectious than SARS-CoV. In addition, the spike protein of 2019-nCoV shows a significantly lower free energy than that of SARS-CoV, suggesting that 2019-nCoV is more stable and able to survive a higher temperature than SARS-CoV. This may also provide insights into the evolution of 2019-nCoV because SARS-like coronaviruses are thought to have originated in bats that are known to have a higher body-temperature than humans. It was also revealed that the RBD of 2019-nCoV is much more flexible especially near the binding site and thus will have a higher entropy penalty upon binding ACE2, compared to the RBD of SARS-CoV. That means that 2019-nCoV will be much more temperature-sensitive in terms of human infection than SARS-CoV. With the rising temperature, 2019-nCoV is expected to decrease its infection ability much faster than SARS-CoV, and get controlled more easily. The present findings are expected to be helpful for the disease prevention and control as well as drug and vaccine development of 2019-nCoV.

positive: A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF GENOME COMPOSITION AND CODON USAGE PATTERNS OF EMERGING CORONAVIRUSES Abstract An outbreak of atypical pneumonia caused by a novel Betacoronavirus (βCoV), named SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. In order to gain insight into the emergence, evolution and adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 viruses, a comprehensive analysis of genome composition and codon usage of βCoV circulating in China was performed. A biased nucleotide composition was found for SARS-CoV-2 genome. This bias in genomic composition is reflected in its codon and amino acid usage patterns. The overall codon usage in SARS-CoV-2 is similar among themselves and slightly biased. Most of the highly frequent codons are A- and U-ending, which strongly suggests that mutational bias is the main force shaping codon usage in this virus. Significant differences in relative synonymous codon usage frequencies among SARS-CoV-2 and human cells were found. These differences are due to codon usage preferences.

positive: Efficient production of recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using the baculovirus-silkworm system In the case of a new viral disease outbreak, an immediate development of virus detection kits and vaccines is required. For COVID-19, we established a rapid production procedure for SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S protein) by using the baculovirus-silkworm expression system. The baculovirus vector-derived S proteins were successfully secreted to silkworm serum, whereas those formed insoluble structure in the larval fat body and the pupal cells. The ectodomain of S protein with the native sequence was cleaved by the host furin-protease, resulting in less recombinant protein production. The S protein modified in furin protease-target site was efficiently secreted to silkworm serum and was purified as oligomers, which showed immunoreactivity for anti-SARS-CoV-2 S2 antibody. By using the direct transfection of recombinant bacmid to silkworms, we achieved the efficient production of SARS-CoV-2 S protein as fetal bovine serum (FBS)-free system. The resultant purified S protein would be useful tools for the development of immunodetection kits, antigen for immunization for immunoglobulin production, and vaccines.

positive: Three-dimensional visualization of the rotavirus hemagglutinin structure Abstract Three-dimensional structures of a native simian and reassortant rotavirus have been determined by electron cryomicroscopy and computer image processing. The structural features of the native virus confirm that the hemagglutinin spike is a dimer of VP4, substantiated by in vivo radiolabeling studies. Exchange of native VP4 with a bovine strain equivalent results in a poorly infectious reassortant. No VP4 spikes are detected in the three-dimensional reconstruction of the reassortant. The difference map between the two structures reveals a novel large globular domain of VP4 buried within the virion that interacts extensively with the intermediate shell protein, VP6. Our results suggest that assembly of VP4 precedes that of VP7, the major outer shell protein, and that VP4 may play an important role in the receptor recognition and budding process through the rough endoplasmic reticulum during virus maturation.

positive: Subunit Vaccines Against Emerging Pathogenic Human Coronaviruses Seven coronaviruses (CoVs) have been isolated from humans so far. Among them, three emerging pathogenic CoVs, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), and a newly identified CoV (2019-nCoV), once caused or continue to cause severe infections in humans, posing significant threats to global public health. SARS-CoV infection in humans (with about 10% case fatality rate) was first reported from China in 2002, while MERS-CoV infection in humans (with about 34.4% case fatality rate) was first reported from Saudi Arabia in June 2012. 2019-nCoV was first reported from China in December 2019, and is currently infecting more than 70000 people (with about 2.7% case fatality rate). Both SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV are zoonotic viruses, using bats as their natural reservoirs, and then transmitting through intermediate hosts, leading to human infections. Nevertheless, the intermediate host for 2019-nCoV is still under investigation and the vaccines against this new CoV have not been available. Although a variety of vaccines have been developed against infections of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, none of them has been approved for use in humans. In this review, we have described the structure and function of key proteins of emerging human CoVs, overviewed the current vaccine types to be developed against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and summarized recent advances in subunit vaccines against these two pathogenic human CoVs. These subunit vaccines are introduced on the basis of full-length spike (S) protein, receptor-binding domain (RBD), non-RBD S protein fragments, and non-S structural proteins, and the potential factors affecting these subunit vaccines are also illustrated. Overall, this review will be helpful for rapid design and development of vaccines against the new 2019-nCoV and any future CoVs with pandemic potential. This review was written for the topic of Antivirals for Emerging Viruses: Vaccines and Therapeutics in the Virology section of Frontiers in Microbiology.

positive: Crystal structure of NL63 respiratory coronavirus receptor-binding domain complexed with its human receptor. NL63 coronavirus (NL63-CoV), a prevalent human respiratory virus, is the only group I coronavirus known to use angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as its receptor. Incidentally, ACE2 is also used by group II SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). We investigated how different groups of coronaviruses recognize the same receptor, whereas homologous group I coronaviruses recognize different receptors. We determined the crystal structure of NL63-CoV spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) complexed with human ACE2. NL63-CoV RBD has a novel beta-sandwich core structure consisting of 2 layers of beta-sheets, presenting 3 discontinuous receptor-binding motifs (RBMs) to bind ACE2. NL63-CoV and SARS-CoV have no structural homology in RBD cores or RBMs; yet the 2 viruses recognize common ACE2 regions, largely because of a "virus-binding hotspot" on ACE2. Among group I coronaviruses, RBD cores are conserved but RBMs are variable, explaining how these viruses recognize different receptors. These results provide a structural basis for understanding viral evolution and virus-receptor interactions.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein favors ACE2 from Bovidae and Cricetidae Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes the recent COVID-19 public health crisis. Bat is the widely believed original host of SARS-CoV-2. However, its intermediate host before transmitting to humans is not clear. Some studies proposed pangolin, snake, or turtle as the intermediate hosts. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for SARS-CoV-2, which determines the potential host range for SARS-CoV-2. On the basis of structural information of the complex of human ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD), we analyzed the affinity to S protein of the 20 key residues in ACE2 from mammal, bird, turtle, and snake. Several ACE2 proteins from Primates, Bovidae, Cricetidae, and Cetacea maintained the majority of key residues in ACE2 for associating with SARS-CoV-2 RBD. The simulated structures indicated that ACE2 proteins from Bovidae and Cricetidae were able to associate with SARS-CoV-2 RBD. We found that nearly half of the key residues in turtle, snake, and bird were changed. The simulated structures showed several key contacts with SARS-CoV-2 RBD in turtle and snake ACE2 were abolished. This study demonstrated that neither snake nor turtle was the intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2, which further reinforced the concept that the reptiles are resistant against infection of coronavirus. This study suggested that Bovidae and Cricetidae should be included in the screening of intermediate hosts for SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine candidate for COVID-19 The coronavirus family member, SARS-CoV-2 has been identified as the causal agent for the pandemic viral pneumonia disease, COVID-19. At this time, no vaccine is available to control further dissemination of the disease. We have previously engineered a synthetic DNA vaccine targeting the MERS coronavirus Spike (S) protein, the major surface antigen of coronaviruses, which is currently in clinical study. Here we build on this prior experience to generate a synthetic DNA-based vaccine candidate targeting SARS-CoV-2 S protein. The engineered construct, INO-4800, results in robust expression of the S protein in vitro. Following immunization of mice and guinea pigs with INO-4800 we measure antigen-specific T cell responses, functional antibodies which neutralize the SARS-CoV-2 infection and block Spike protein binding to the ACE2 receptor, and biodistribution of SARS-CoV-2 targeting antibodies to the lungs. This preliminary dataset identifies INO-4800 as a potential COVID-19 vaccine candidate, supporting further translational study.

positive: SARS-coronavirus spike S2 domain flanked by cysteine residues C822 and C833 is important for activation of membrane fusion Abstract The S2 domain of the coronavirus spike (S) protein is known to be responsible for mediating membrane fusion. In addition to a well-recognized cleavage site at the S1–S2 boundary, a second proteolytic cleavage site has been identified in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) S2 domain (R797). C-terminal to this S2 cleavage site is a conserved region flanked by cysteine residues C822 and C833. Here, we investigated the importance of this well conserved region for SARS-CoV S-mediated fusion activation. We show that the residues between C822–C833 are well conserved across all coronaviruses. Mutagenic analysis of SARS-CoV S, combined with cell–cell fusion and pseudotyped virion infectivity assays, showed a critical role for the core-conserved residues C822, D830, L831, and C833. Based on available predictive models, we propose that the conserved domain flanked by cysteines 822 and 833 forms a loop structure that interacts with components of the SARS-CoV S trimer to control the activation of membrane fusion.

positive: Critical Differences between the Binding Features of the Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV [Image: see text] The COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 has spread globally and caused tremendous loss of lives and properties, and it is of utmost urgency to understand its propagation process and to find ways to slow down the epidemic. In this work, we used a coarse-grained model to calculate the binding free energy of SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV to their human receptor ACE2. The investigation of the free energy contribution of the interacting residues indicates that the residues located outside the receptor binding domain are the source of the stronger binding of the novel virus. Thus, the current results suggest that the essential evolution of SARS-CoV-2 happens remotely from the binding domain at the spike protein trimeric body. Such evolution may facilitate the conformational change and the infection process that occurs after the virus is bound to ACE2. By studying the binding pattern between SARS-CoV antibody m396 and SARS-CoV-2, it is found that the remote energetic contribution is missing, which might explain the absence of cross-reactivity of such antibodies.

positive: Genomics of Indian SARS-CoV-2: Implications in genetic diversity, possible origin and spread of virus World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a pandemic disease on March 11, 2020. Comparison of genome sequences from diverse locations allows us to identify the genetic diversity among viruses which would help in ascertaining viral virulence, disease pathogenicity, origin and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 between countries. The aim of this study is to ascertain the genetic diversity among Indian SARS-CoV-2 isolates. Initial examination of the phylogenetic data of SARS-CoV-2 genomes (n=3123) from different continents deposited at GISAID (Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data) revealed multiple origin for Indian isolates. An in-depth analysis of 449 viral genomes derived from samples representing countries from USA, Europe, China, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, Middle East regions and India revealed that most Indian samples are divided into two clusters (A and B) with cluster A showing more similarity to samples from Oceania and Kuwait and the cluster B grouping with countries from Europe, Middle East and South Asia. Diversity analysis of viral clades, which are characterized by specific non-synonymous mutations in viral proteins, discovered that the cluster A Indian samples belong to I clade (V378I in ORF1ab), which is an Oceania clade with samples having Iran connections and the cluster B Indian samples belong to G clade (D614G in Spike protein), which is an European clade. Thus our study identifies that the Indian SARS-CoV-2 viruses belong to I and G clades with potential origin to be countries mainly from Oceania, Europe, Middle East and South Asia regions, which strongly implying the spread of virus through most travelled countries. The study also emphasizes the importance of pathogen genomics through phylogenetic analysis to discover viral genetic diversity and understand the viral transmission dynamics with eventual grasp on viral virulence and disease pathogenesis.

positive: Multi-epitope-based peptide vaccine design against SARS-CoV-2 using its spike protein SARS CoV-2 has particularly been efficient in ensuring that many countries are brought to a standstill. With repercussions ranging from rampant mortality, fear, paranoia and economic recession, the virus has brought together countries in order to look at possible therapeutic countermeasures. With prophylactic interventions possibly months away from being particularly effective, a slew of measures and possibilities concerning the design of vaccines are being worked upon. We attempted a structure-based approach utilizing a combination of epitope prediction servers to develop a multi-epitope-based subunit vaccine that involves the two major domains of the spike glycoprotein of SARS CoV-2 (S1 and S2) coupled with a substantially effective chimeric adjuvant to create stable vaccine constructs through MD simulations. The designed constructs were evaluated based on their docking with Toll Like Receptor (TLR) 4. Our findings provide an epitope-based peptide fragment; which can be a potential candidate for the development of a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Recent experimental studies based on determining immunodominant regions across the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 indicate the presence of the predicted epitopes included in this study.

positive: Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike in an Early Prefusion Conformation Pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), for which there are no efficacious vaccines or therapeutics that are urgently needed. We expressed three versions of spike (S) proteins—receptor binding domain (RBD), S1 subunit and S ectodomain—in insect cells. RBD appears monomer in solutions, whereas S1 and S associate into homotrimer with substantial glycosylation. The three proteins confer excellent antigenicity with six convalescent COVID-19 patient sera. Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) analyses indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 S trimer dominate in a unique conformation distinguished from the classic prefusion conformation of coronaviruses by the upper S1 region at lower position ~15 Å proximal to viral membrane. Such conformation is proposed as an early prefusion state for the SARS-CoV-2 spike that may broaden the knowledge of coronavirus and facilitate vaccine development.

positive: D936Y and Other Mutations in the Fusion Core of the SARS-Cov-2 Spike Protein Heptad Repeat 1 Undermine the Post-Fusion Assembly The iconic “red crown” of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is made of its spike (S) glycoprotein. The S protein is the Trojan horse of coronaviruses, mediating their entry into the host cells. While SARS-CoV-2 was becoming a global threat, scientists have been accumulating data on the virus at an impressive pace, both in terms of genomic sequences and of three-dimensional structures. On April 21st, the GISAID resource had collected 10,823 SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences. We extracted from them all the complete S protein sequences and identified point mutations thereof. Six mutations were located on a 14-residue segment (929-943) in the “fusion core” of the heptad repeat 1 (HR1). Our modeling in the pre- and post-fusion S protein conformations revealed, for three of them, the loss of interactions stabilizing the post-fusion assembly. On May 29th, the SARS-CoV-2 genomic sequences in GISAID were 34,805. An analysis of the occurrences of the HR1 mutations in this updated dataset revealed a significant increase for the S929I and S939F mutations and a dramatic increase for the D936Y mutation, which was particularly widespread in Sweden and Wales/England. We notice that this is also the mutation causing the loss of a strong inter-monomer interaction, the D936-R1185 salt bridge, thus clearly weakening the post-fusion assembly.

positive: Dynamics of antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 in a case with SARS-CoV-2 infection

positive: Structure, Function, and Antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in >90,000 infections and >3,000 deaths. Coronavirus spike (S) glycoproteins promote entry into cells and are the main target of antibodies. We show that SARS-CoV-2 S uses ACE2 to enter cells and that the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 S and SARS-CoV S bind with similar affinities to human ACE2, correlating with the efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. We found that the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein harbors a furin cleavage site at the boundary between the S1/S2 subunits, which is processed during biogenesis and sets this virus apart from SARS-CoV and SARS-related CoVs. We determined cryo-EM structures of the SARS-CoV-2 S ectodomain trimer, providing a blueprint for the design of vaccines and inhibitors of viral entry. Finally, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV S murine polyclonal antibodies potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 S mediated entry into cells, indicating that cross-neutralizing antibodies targeting conserved S epitopes can be elicited upon vaccination.

positive: Computational Design of Peptides to Block Binding of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Human ACE2 The outbreak of COVID-19 has now become a global pandemic and it continues to spread rapidly worldwide, severely threatening lives and economic stability. Making the problem worse, there is no specific antiviral drug that can be used to treat COVID-19 to date. SARS-CoV-2 initiates its entry into human cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) via the receptor binding domain (RBD) of its spike protein. Therefore, molecules that can block SARS-CoV-2 from binding to hACE2 may potentially prevent the virus from entering human cells and serve as an effective antiviral drug. Based on this idea, we designed a series of peptides that can strongly bind to SARS-CoV-2 RBD in computational experiments. Specifically, we first constructed a 31-mer peptidic scaffold by linking two fragments grafted from hACE2 (a.a. 22-44 and 351-357) with a linker glycine, and then redesigned the peptide sequence to enhance its binding affinity to SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Compared with several computational studies that failed to identify that SARS-CoV-2 shows higher binding affinity for hACE2 than SARS-CoV, our protein design scoring function, EvoEF2, makes a correct identification, which is consistent with the recently reported experimental data, implying its high accuracy. The top designed peptide binders exhibited much stronger binding potency to hACE2 than the wild-type (−53.35 vs. −46.46 EvoEF2 energy unit for design and wild-type, respectively). The extensive and detailed computational analyses support the high reasonability of the designed binders, which not only recapitulated the critical native binding interactions but also introduced new favorable interactions to enhance binding. Due to the urgent situation created by COVID-19, we share these computational data to the community, which should be helpful to develop potential antiviral peptide drugs to combat this pandemic.

positive: Sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific-antibodies in dried blood spot samples Abstract Importance: Population-wide serological testing is an essential component in understanding the COVID-19 pandemic. The logistical challenges of undertaking widespread serological testing could be eased through use of a reliable dried blood spot (DBS) sampling method. Objective: To validate the use of dried blood spot sampling for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. Design, setting and participants: Eighty-seven matched DBS and serum samples were obtained from eighty individuals, including thirty-one who were previously PCR-positive for SARS-CoV-2. DBS eluates and sera were used in an ELISA to detect antibodies to the viral spike protein. Results: Specific anti-SARS-Cov-2 spike glycoprotein antibodies were detectable in both serum and DBS eluate and there was a significant correlation between the antibody levels detected in matched samples (r = 0.96, p<0.0001). Using serum as the gold standard in the assay, matched DBS samples achieved a Cohens kappa coefficient of 0.975 (near-perfect agreement), a sensitivity of 98.1% and specificity of 100%, for detecting anti-spike glycoprotein antibodies. Conclusions and relevance: Eluates from DBS samples are a reliable and reproducible source of antibodies to be used for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. The use of DBS sampling could complement the use of venepuncture in the immunosurveillance of COVID-19 in both low and high income settings.

positive: Discovery of G-quadruplex-forming sequences in SARS-CoV-2 The outbreak caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has been declared a global health emergency. G-quadruplex structures in genomes have long been considered essential for regulating a number of biological processes in a plethora of organisms. We have analyzed and identified 25 four contiguous GG runs (G(2)N(x)G(2)N(y)G(2)N(z)G(2)) in the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome, suggesting putative G-quadruplex-forming sequences (PQSs). Detailed analysis of SARS-CoV-2 PQSs revealed their locations in the open reading frames of ORF1 ab, spike (S), ORF3a, membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) genes. Identical PQSs were also found in the other members of the Coronaviridae family. The top-ranked PQSs at positions 13385 and 24268 were confirmed to form RNA G-quadruplex structures in vitro by multiple spectroscopic assays. Furthermore, their direct interactions with viral helicase (nsp13) were determined by microscale thermophoresis. Molecular docking model suggests that nsp13 distorts the G-quadruplex structure by allowing the guanine bases to be flipped away from the guanine quartet planes. Targeting viral helicase and G-quadruplex structure represents an attractive approach for potentially inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

positive: Crystal structure of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein fusion core. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus is a newly emergent virus responsible for a recent outbreak of an atypical pneumonia. The coronavirus spike protein, an enveloped glycoprotein essential for viral entry, belongs to the class I fusion proteins and is characterized by the presence of two heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2. These two regions are understood to form a fusion-active conformation similar to those of other typical viral fusion proteins. This hairpin structure likely juxtaposes the viral and cellular membranes, thus facilitating membrane fusion and subsequent viral entry. The fusion core protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein was crystallized, and the structure was determined at 2.8 A of resolution. The fusion core is a six-helix bundle with three HR2 helices packed against the hydrophobic grooves on the surface of central coiled coil formed by three parallel HR1 helices in an oblique antiparallel manner. This structure shares significant similarity with the fusion core structure of mouse hepatitis virus spike protein and other viral fusion proteins, suggesting a conserved mechanism of membrane fusion. Drug discovery strategies aimed at inhibiting viral entry by blocking hairpin formation, which have been successfully used in human immunodeficiency virus 1 inhibitor development, may be applicable to the inhibition of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus on the basis of structural information provided here. The relatively deep grooves on the surface of the central coiled coil will be a good target site for the design of viral fusion inhibitors.

positive: Targets of T cell responses to SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus in humans with COVID-19 disease and unexposed individuals Summary Understanding adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 is important for vaccine development, interpreting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pathogenesis, and calibration of pandemic control measures. Using HLA class I and II predicted peptide ‘megapools’, circulating SARS-CoV-2−specific CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were identified in ∼70% and 100% of COVID-19 convalescent patients, respectively. CD4+ T cell responses to spike, the main target of most vaccine efforts, were robust and correlated with the magnitude of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgA titers. The M, spike and N proteins each accounted for 11-27% of the total CD4+ response, with additional responses commonly targeting nsp3, nsp4, ORF3a and ORF8, among others. For CD8+ T cells, spike and M were recognized, with at least eight SARS-CoV-2 ORFs targeted. Importantly, we detected SARS-CoV-2−reactive CD4+ T cells in ∼40-60% of unexposed individuals, suggesting cross-reactive T cell recognition between circulating ‘common cold’ coronaviruses and SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Protocol and reagents for pseudotyping lentiviral particles with SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein for neutralization assays SARS-CoV-2 enters cells using its Spike protein, which is also the main target of neutralizing antibodies. Therefore, assays to measure how antibodies and sera affect Spike-mediated viral infection are important for studying immunity. Because SARS-CoV-2 is a biosafety-level-3 virus, one way to simplify such assays is to pseudotype biosafety-level-2 viral particles with Spike. Such pseudotyping has now been described for single-cycle lentiviral, retroviral and VSV particles, but the reagents and protocols are not widely available. Here we detail how to effectively pseudotype lentiviral particles with SARS-CoV-2 Spike and infect 293T cells engineered to express the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, ACE2. We also make all the key experimental reagents available in the BEI Resources repository of ATCC and the NIH. Furthermore, we demonstrate how these pseudotyped lentiviral particles can be used to measure the neutralizing activity of human sera or plasma against SARS-CoV-2 in convenient luciferase-based assays, thereby providing a valuable complement to ELISA-based methods that measure antibody binding rather than neutralization.

positive: Energetics based epitope screening in SARS CoV-2 (COVID 19) spike glycoprotein by Immuno-informatic analysis aiming to a suitable vaccine development The recent outbreak by SARS-CoV-2 has generated a chaos in global health and economy and claimed/infected a large number of lives. Closely resembling with SARS CoV, the present strain has manifested exceptionally higher degree of spreadability, virulence and stability possibly due to some unidentified mutations. The viral spike glycoprotein is very likely to interact with host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmits its genetic materials and hijacks host machinery with extreme fidelity for self propagation. Few attempts have been made to develop a suitable vaccine or ACE2 blocker or virus-receptor inhibitor within this short period of time. Here, attempt was taken to develop some therapeutic and vaccination strategies with a comparison of spike glycoproteins among SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and the SARS-CoV-2. We verified their structure quality (SWISS-MODEL, Phyre2, Pymol) topology (ProFunc), motifs (MEME Suite, GLAM2Scan), gene ontology based conserved domain (InterPro database) and screened several epitopes (SVMTrip) of SARS CoV-2 based on their energetics, IC50 and antigenicity with regard to their possible glycosylation and MHC/paratopic binding (Vaxigen v2.0, HawkDock, ZDOCK Server) effects. We screened here few pairs of spike protein epitopic regions and selected their energetic, IC50, MHC II reactivity and found some of those to be very good target for vaccination. A possible role of glycosylation on epitopic region showed profound effects on epitopic recognition. The present work might be helpful for the urgent development of a suitable vaccination regimen against SARS CoV-2.

positive: Update on the target structures of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review Knowledge of structural details is very much essential from the drug-design perspective. In the systematic review, we systematically reviewed the structural basis of different target proteins of SARS-corona virus (CoV2) from a viral life cycle and from drug design perspective. We searched four literature (PubMed, EMBASE, NATURE, and Willey online library) databases and one structural database (RCSB.org) with appropriate keywords till April 18, and finally, 26 articles were included in the systematic review. The published literature mainly centered upon the structural details of “spike protein,” “main protease/M Pro/3CL pro,” “RNA-dependent RNA polymerase,” and “nonstructural protein 15 Endoribonuclease” of SARS-CoV-2. However, inhibitor bound structures were very less. We need better structures elucidating the interactions between different targets and their inhibitors which will help us in understanding the atomic level importance of different amino acid residues in the functionality of the target structures. To summarize, we need structures with fine resolution, co-crystallized structures with biologically validated inhibitors, and functional characterization of different target proteins. Some other routes of entry of SARS-CoV-2 are also mentioned (e.g., CD147); however, these findings are not structurally validated. This review may pave way for better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 life cycle from structural biology perspective.

positive: COVID-19 spike-host cell receptor GRP78 binding site prediction Summary Objectives Understanding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) mode of host cell recognition may help to fight the disease and save lives. The spike protein of coronaviruses is the main driving force for host cell recognition. Methods In this study, the COVID-19 spike binding site to the cell-surface receptor (Glucose Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78)) is predicted using combined molecular modeling docking and structural bioinformatics. The COVID-19 spike protein is modeled using its counterpart, the SARS spike. Results Sequence and structural alignments show that four regions, in addition to its cyclic nature have sequence and physicochemical similarities to the cyclic Pep42. Protein-protein docking was performed to test the four regions of the spike that fit tightly in the GRP78 Substrate Binding Domain β (SBDβ). The docking pose revealed the involvement of the SBDβ of GRP78 and the receptor-binding domain of the coronavirus spike protein in recognition of the host cell receptor. Conclusions We reveal that the binding is more favorable between regions III (C391-C525) and IV (C480-C488) of the spike protein model and GRP78. Region IV is the main driving force for GRP78 binding with the predicted binding affinity of -9.8 kcal/mol. These nine residues can be used to develop therapeutics specific against COVID-19.

positive: Detailed phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 reveals latent capacity to bind human ACE2 receptor SARS-CoV-2 is a once-in-a-century pandemic, having emerged suddenly as a highly infectious viral pathogen. Previous phylogenetic analyses show its closest known evolutionary relative to be a virus isolated from bats (RaTG13), with a common assumption that SARS-CoV-2 evolved from a zoonotic ancestor via recent genetic changes (likely in the Spike protein receptor binding domain – or RBD) that enabled it to infect humans. We used detailed phylogenetic analysis, ancestral sequence reconstruction, and molecular dynamics simulations to examine the Spike-RBD’s functional evolution, finding to our surprise that it has likely possessed high affinity for human cell targets since at least 2013.

positive: Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 infection (previously 2019-nCoV) by a highly potent pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor targeting its spike protein that harbors a high capacity to mediate membrane fusion The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection in Wuhan, China has posed a serious threat to global public health. To develop specific anti-coronavirus therapeutics and prophylactics, the molecular mechanism that underlies viral infection must first be confirmed. Therefore, we herein used a SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein-mediated cell-cell fusion assay and found that SARS-CoV-2 showed plasma membrane fusion capacity superior to that of SARS-CoV. We solved the X-ray crystal structure of six-helical bundle (6-HB) core of the HR1 and HR2 domains in SARS-CoV-2 S protein S2 subunit, revealing that several mutated amino acid residues in the HR1 domain may be associated with enhanced interactions with HR2 domain. We previously developed a pan-coronavirus fusion inhibitor, EK1, which targeted HR1 domain and could inhibit infection by divergent human coronaviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. We then generated a series of lipopeptides and found that the EK1C4 was the most potent fusion inhibitor against SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated membrane fusion and pseudovirus infection with IC50s of 1.3 and 15.8 nM, about 241- and 149-fold more potent than that of EK1 peptide, respectively. EK1C4 was also highly effective against membrane fusion and infection of other human coronavirus pseudoviruses tested, including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, as well as SARSr-CoVs, potently inhibiting replication of 4 live human coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2. Intranasal application of EK1C4 before or after challenge with HCoV-OC43 protected mice from infection, suggesting that EK1C4 could be used for prevention and treatment of infection by currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 and emerging SARSr-CoVs.

positive: Mass spectrometry analysis of newly emerging coronavirus HCoV-19 spike S protein and human ACE2 reveals camouflaging glycans and unique post-translational modifications The pneumonia-causing COVID-19 pandemia has prompt worldwide efforts to understand its biological and clinical traits of newly identified HCoV-19 virus. In this study, post-translational modification (PTM) of recombinant HCoV-19 S and hACE2 were characterized by LC-MSMS. We revealed that both proteins were highly decorated with specific proportions of N-glycan subtypes. Out of 21 possible glycosites in HCoV-19 S protein, 20 were confirmed completely occupied by N-glycans, with oligomannose glycans being the most abundant type. All 7 possible glycosylation sites in hACE2 were completely occupied mainly by complex type N-glycans. However, we showed that glycosylation did not directly contribute to the binding affinity between SARS-CoV spike protein and hACE2. Additionally, we also identified multiple sites methylated in both proteins, and multiple prolines in hACE2 were converted to hydroxylproline. Refined structural models were built by adding N-glycan and PTMs to recently published cryo-EM structure of the HCoV-19 S and hACE2 generated with glycosylation sites in the vicinity of binding surface. The PTM and glycan maps of both HCoV-19 S and hACE2 provide additional structural details to study mechanisms underlying host attachment, immune response mediated by S protein and hACE2, as well as knowledge to develop remedies and vaccines desperately needed nowadays.

positive: On the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 The SARS-CoV-2 epidemic started in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China, and has since impacted a large portion of China and raised major global concern. Herein, we investigated the extent of molecular divergence between SARS-CoV-2 and other related coronaviruses. Although we found only 4% variability in genomic nucleotides between SARS-CoV-2 and a bat SARS-related coronavirus (SARSr-CoV; RaTG13), the difference at neutral sites was 17%, suggesting the divergence between the two viruses is much larger than previously estimated. Our results suggest that the development of new variations in functional sites in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike seen in SARS-CoV-2 and viruses from pangolin SARSr-CoVs are likely caused by mutations and natural selection besides recombination. Population genetic analyses of 103 SARS-CoV-2 genomes indicated that these viruses evolved into two major types (designated L and S), that are well defined by two different SNPs that show nearly complete linkage across the viral strains sequenced to date. Although the L type (∼70%) is more prevalent than the S type (∼30%), the S type was found to be the ancestral version. Whereas the L type was more prevalent in the early stages of the outbreak in Wuhan, the frequency of the L type decreased after early January 2020. Human intervention may have placed more severe selective pressure on the L type, which might be more aggressive and spread more quickly. On the other hand, the S type, which is evolutionarily older and less aggressive, might have increased in relative frequency due to relatively weaker selective pressure. These findings strongly support an urgent need for further immediate, comprehensive studies that combine genomic data, epidemiological data, and chart records of the clinical symptoms of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

positive: Cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike glycoproteins provide insights into coronavirus evolution Porcine coronavirus SADS-CoV has been identified from suckling piglets with severe diarrhea in southern China in 2017. The SADS-CoV genome shares ~95% identity to that of bat α-coronavirus HKU2, suggesting that SADS-CoV may have emerged from a natural reservoir in bats. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein trimers at 2.38 Å and 2.83 Å resolution, respectively. We systematically compare the domains of HKU2 spike with those of α-, ß-, Î³-, and Î´-coronavirus spikes, showing that the S1 subunit N- and C-terminal domains of HKU2/SADS-CoV are ancestral domains in the evolution of coronavirus spike proteins. The connecting region after the fusion peptide in the S2 subunit of HKU2/SADS-CoV adopts a unique conformation. These results structurally demonstrate a close evolutionary relationship between HKU2/SADS-CoV and ß-coronavirus spikes and provide insights into the evolution and cross-species transmission of coronaviruses.

positive: The sequence of human ACE2 is suboptimal for binding the S spike protein of SARS coronavirus 2 The rapid and escalating spread of SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses an immediate public health emergency. The viral spike protein S binds ACE2 on host cells to initiate molecular events that release the viral genome intracellularly. Soluble ACE2 inhibits entry of both SARS and SARS-2 coronaviruses by acting as a decoy for S binding sites, and is a candidate for therapeutic, prophylactic and diagnostic development. Using deep mutagenesis, variants of ACE2 are identified with increased binding to the receptor binding domain of S. Mutations are found across the interface, in the N90-glycosylation motif, and at buried sites where they are predicted to enhance local folding and presentation of the interaction epitope. When single substitutions are combined, large increases in binding can be achieved. The mutational landscape offers a blueprint for engineering high affinity proteins and peptides that block receptor binding sites on S to meet this unprecedented challenge.

positive: Human ACE2 receptor polymorphisms predict SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that has resulted in a global pandemic. It is a highly contagious positive strand RNA virus and its clinical presentation includes severe to critical respiratory disease that appears to be fatal in ∼3-5% of the cases. The viral spike (S) coat protein engages the human angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) cell surface protein to invade the host cell. The SARS-CoV-2 S-protein has acquired mutations that increase its affinity to human ACE2 by ∼10-15-fold compared to SARS-CoV S-protein, making it highly infectious. In this study, we assessed if ACE2 polymorphisms might alter host susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 by affecting the ACE2 S-protein interaction. Our comprehensive analysis of several large genomic datasets that included over 290,000 samples representing >400 population groups identified multiple ACE2 protein-altering variants, some of which mapped to the S-protein-interacting ACE2 surface. Using recently reported structural data and a recent S-protein-interacting synthetic mutant map of ACE2, we have identified natural ACE2 variants that are predicted to alter the virus-host interaction and thereby potentially alter host susceptibility. In particular, human ACE2 variants S19P, I21V, E23K, K26R, T27A, N64K, T92I, Q102P and H378R are predicted to increase susceptibility. The T92I variant, part of a consensus NxS/T N-glycosylation motif, confirmed the role of N90 glycosylation in immunity from non-human CoVs. Other ACE2 variants K31R, N33I, H34R, E35K, E37K, D38V, Y50F, N51S, M62V, K68E, F72V, Y83H, G326E, G352V, D355N, Q388L and D509Y are putative protective variants predicted to show decreased binding to SARS-CoV-2 S-protein. Overall, ACE2 variants are rare, consistent with the lack of selection pressure given the recent history of SARS-CoV epidemics, however, are likely to play an important role in altering susceptibility to CoVs.

positive: Solution structure of the severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus heptad repeat 2 domain in the prefusion state. The envelope glycoprotein, termed the spike protein, of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is known to mediate viral entry. Similar to other class 1 viral fusion proteins, the heptad repeat regions of SARS-CoV spike are thought to undergo conformational changes from a prefusion form to a subsequent post-fusion form that enables fusion of the viral and host membranes. Recently, the structure of a post-fusion form of SARS-CoV spike, which consists of isolated domains of heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1 and HR2), has been determined by x-ray crystallography. To date there is no structural information for the prefusion conformations of SARS-CoV HR1 and HR2. In this work we present the NMR structure of the HR2 domain (residues 1141-1193) from SARS-CoV (termed S2-HR2) in the presence of the co-solvent trifluoroethanol. We find that in the absence of HR1, S2-HR2 forms a coiled coil symmetric trimer with a complex molecular mass of 18 kDa. The S2-HR2 structure, which is the first example of the prefusion form of coronavirus envelope, supports the current model of viral membrane fusion and gives insight into the design of structure-based antagonists of SARS.

positive: Molecular Evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Structural Genes: Evidence of Positive Selection in Spike Glycoprotein SARS-CoV-2 caused a global pandemic in early 2020 and has resulted in more than 8,000,000 infections as well as 430,000 deaths in the world so far. Four structural proteins, envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N) and spike (S) glycoprotein, play a key role in controlling the entry into human cells and virion assembly of SARS-CoV-2. However, how these genes evolve during its human to human transmission is largely unknown. In this study, we screened and analyzed roughly 3090 SARS-CoV-2 isolates from GenBank database. The distribution of the four gene alleles is determined:16 for E, 40 for M, 131 for N and 173 for S genes. Phylogenetic analysis shows that global SARS-CoV-2 isolates can be clustered into three to four major clades based on the protein sequences of these genes. Intragenic recombination event isn’t detected among different alleles. However, purifying selection has conducted on the evolution of these genes. By analyzing full genomic sequences of these alleles using codon-substitution models (M8, M3 and M2a) and likelihood ratio tests (LRTs) of codeML package, it reveals that codon 614 of S glycoprotein has subjected to strong positive selection pressure and a persistent D614G mutation is identified. The definitive positive selection of D614G mutation is further confirmed by internal fixed effects likelihood (IFEL) and Evolutionary Fingerprinting methods implemented in Hyphy package. In addition, another potential positive selection site at codon 5 in the signal sequence of the S protein is also identified. The allele containing D614G mutation has undergone significant expansion during SARS-CoV-2 global pandemic, implying a better adaptability of isolates with the mutation. However, L5F allele expansion is relatively restricted. The D614G mutation is located at the subdomain 2 (SD2) of C-terminal portion (CTP) of the S1 subunit. Protein structural modeling shows that the D614G mutation may cause the disruption of salt bridge among S protein monomers increase their flexibility, and in turn promote receptor binding domain (RBD) opening, virus attachment and entry into host cells. Located at the signal sequence of S protein as it is, L5F mutation may facilitate the protein folding, assembly, and secretion of the virus. This is the first evidence of positive Darwinian selection in the spike gene of SARS-CoV-2, which contributes to a better understanding of the adaptive mechanism of this virus and help to provide insights for developing novel therapeutic approaches as well as effective vaccines by targeting on mutation sites.

positive: Mutations, Recombination and Insertion in the Evolution of 2019-nCoV The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV or SARS-CoV-2) has spread more rapidly than any other betacoronavirus including SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. However, the mechanisms responsible for infection and molecular evolution of this virus remained unclear. We collected and analyzed 120 genomic sequences of 2019-nCoV including 11 novel genomes from patients in China. Through comprehensive analysis of the available genome sequences of 2019-nCoV strains, we have tracked multiple inheritable SNPs and determined the evolution of 2019-nCoV relative to other coronaviruses. Systematic analysis of 120 genomic sequences of 2019-nCoV revealed co-circulation of two genetic subgroups with distinct SNPs markers, which can be used to trace the 2019-nCoV spreading pathways to different regions and countries. Although 2019-nCoV, human and bat SARS-CoV share high homologous in overall genome structures, they evolved into two distinct groups with different receptor entry specificities through potential recombination in the receptor binding regions. In addition, 2019-nCoV has a unique four amino acid insertion between S1 and S2 domains of the spike protein, which created a potential furin or TMPRSS2 cleavage site. Our studies provided comprehensive insights into the evolution and spread of the 2019-nCoV. Our results provided evidence suggesting that 2019-nCoV may increase its infectivity through the receptor binding domain recombination and a cleavage site insertion. Novel 2019-nCoV sequences revealed the evolution and specificity of betacoronavirus with possible mechanisms of enhanced infectivity.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) by the numbers The COVID-19 pandemic is a harsh reminder of the fact that, whether in a single human host or a wave of infection across continents, viral dynamics is often a story about the numbers. In this article we provide a one-stop, curated graphical source for the key numbers (based mostly on the peer-reviewed literature) about the SARS-CoV-2 virus that is responsible for the pandemic. The discussion is framed around two broad themes: i) the biology of the virus itself; ii) the characteristics of the infection of a single human host.

positive: The SARS-CoV-2 exerts a distinctive strategy for interacting with the ACE2 human receptor The COVID-19 disease has plagued over 110 countries and has resulted in over 4,000 deaths within 10 weeks. We compare the interaction between the human ACE2 receptor and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with that of other pathogenic coronaviruses using molecular dynamics simulations. SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and HCoV-NL63 recognize ACE2 as the natural receptor but present a distinct binding interface to ACE2 and a different network of residue-residue contacts. SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have comparable binding affinities achieved by balancing energetics and dynamics. The SARS-CoV-2–ACE2 complex contains a higher number of contacts, a larger interface area, and decreased interface residue fluctuations relative to SARS-CoV. These findings expose an exceptional evolutionary exploration exerted by coronaviruses toward host recognition. We postulate that the versatility of cell receptor binding strategies has immediate implications on therapeutic strategies. One Sentence Summary Molecular dynamics simulations reveal a temporal dimension of coronaviruses interactions with the host receptor.

positive: Emergence and Reemergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronaviruses The positive-strand RNA viruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and recently emerged COVID-19 epidemics, demonstrated the transmission capability of the coronaviruses by crossing the species barrier and emergence in humans. The source of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), firstly reported in December 2019 at Wuhan, China. COVID-19 is a kind of viral pneumonia. The outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) has been reported as the introduction of the third highly pathogenic coronavirus which crossed the species barrier and spread into the human population. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) were the first two epidemic viruses, respectively, in the twenty-first century. Introduction of the 2019 novel coronaviruses (2019-nCoV) in human population is a worldwide concern, and this might have generated via RNA recombination among the previous reported coronaviruses. The COVID-19 is spreading in an alarming rate, and till date no vaccine or specific medicines are available in the market. The newly emerged coronavirus COVID-19 is strongly related to SARS-CoV except little dissimilarity. In this chapter, we will discuss about the alterations and variations in antigenicity, structural changes, and RNA recombination which might be responsible for the COVID-19 emergence.

positive: Design of recombinant protein-based SARS-CoV entry inhibitors targeting the heptad-repeat regions of the spike protein S2 domain Abstract Entry of SARS-CoV into a target cell is initiated by binding of the S1 domain of spike protein to a receptor, followed by conformational changes of the spike protein S2 domain, resulting in the formation of a six-helix bundle by the heptad-repeat (HR1 and HR2) regions. Our previous studies have demonstrated that peptides derived from HR2 region could inhibit SARS-CoV entry. However, synthesis of these peptides is at high cost. In this study, we designed two recombinant proteins, one containing two HR1 and one HR2 peptides (denoted HR121), and the other consisting of two HR2 and one HR1 peptides (designated HR212). These two proteins could be easily purified with the low cost of production, exhibiting high stability and potent inhibitory activity on entry of the HIV/SARS pseudoviruses with IC50 values of 4.13 and 0.95μM, respectively. These features suggest that HR121 and HR212 can serve as potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV entry.

positive: ACE2 Homo-dimerization, Human Genomic variants and Interaction of Host Proteins Explain High Population Specific Differences in Outcomes of COVID19 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive single-stranded RNA virus that causes a highly contagious Corona Virus Disease (COVID19). Entry of SARS-CoV-2 in human cells depends on binding of the viral spike (S) proteins to cellular receptor Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and on S-protein priming by host cell serine protease TMPRSS2. Recently, COVID19 has been declared pandemic by World Health Organization (WHO) yet high differences in disease outcomes across countries have been seen. We provide evidences to explain these population-level differences. One of the key factors of entry of the virus in host cells presumably is because of differential interaction of viral proteins with host cell proteins due to different genetic backgrounds. Based on our findings, we conclude that a higher expression of ACE2 is facilitated by natural variations, acting as Expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs), with different frequencies in different populations. We suggest that high expression of ACE2 results in homo-dimerization, proving disadvantageous for TMPRSS2 mediated cleavage of ACE2; whereas, the monomeric ACE2 has higher preferential binding with SARS-CoV-2 S-Protein vis-a-vis its dimerized counterpart. Further, eQTLs in TMPRSS2 and natural structural variations in the gene may also result in differential outcomes towards priming of viral S-protein, a critical step for entry of the Virus in host cells. In addition, we suggest that several key host genes, like SLC6A19, ADAM17, RPS6, HNRNPA1, SUMO1, NACA, BTF3 and some other proteases as Cathepsins, might have a critical role. To conclude, understanding population specific differences in these genes may help in developing appropriate management strategies for COVID19 with better therapeutic interventions.

positive: Systemic Effects of Missense Mutations on SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Stability and Receptor Binding Affinity The spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is responsible for the binding to the permissive cells. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 S protein directly interacts with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on the host cell membrane. In this study, we used computational saturation mutagenesis approaches, including structure-based energy calculations and sequence-based pathogenicity predictions, to quantify the systemic effects of missense mutations on SARS-CoV-2 S protein structure and function. A total of 18,354 mutations in S protein were analyzed and we discovered that most of these mutations could destabilize the entire S protein and its RBD. Specifically, residues G431 and S514 in SARS-CoV-2 RBD are important for S protein stability. We analyzed 384 experimentally verified S missense variations and revealed that the dominant pandemic form, D614G, can stabilize the entire S protein. Moreover, many mutations in N-linked glycosylation sites can increase the stability of the S protein. In addition, we investigated 3,705 mutations in SARS-CoV-2 RBD and 11,324 mutations in human ACE2 and found that SARS-CoV-2 neighbor residues G496 and F497 and ACE2 residues D355 and Y41 are critical for the RBD-ACE2 interaction. The findings comprehensively provide potential target sites in the development of drugs and vaccines against COVID-19.

positive: Genotyping coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: Methods and implications Abstract The emerging global infectious COVID-19 disease by novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents critical threats to global public health and the economy since it was identified in late December 2019 in China. The virus has gone through various pathways of evolution. To understand the evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2, genotyping of virus isolates is of great importance. This study presents an accurate method for effectively genotyping SARS-CoV-2 viruses using complete genomes. The method employs the multiple sequence alignments of the genome isolates with the SARS-CoV-2 reference genome. The single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes are then measured by Jaccard distances to track the relationship of virus isolates. The genotyping analysis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the globe reveals that specific multiple mutations are the predominated mutation type during the current epidemic. The proposed method serves an effective tool for monitoring and tracking the epidemic of pathogenic viruses in their global and local genetic variations. The genotyping analysis shows that the genes encoding the S proteins and RNA polymerase, RNA primase, and nucleoprotein, undergo frequent mutations. These mutations are critical for vaccine development in disease control.

positive: Production of a monoclonal antibody against SARS-CoV spike protein with single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly infectious disease caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV are vital for early diagnosis and pathological studies of SARS. Direct intrasplenic inoculation of plasmid DNA encoding antigen is an effective and fast approach to generate specific mAb when the protein antigen is difficult to prepare or dangerous in use. In this study, we selected one fragment of SARS-CoV spike protein (S1-3) as antigenic determinant by immunoinformatics. Single intrasplenic immunization of plasmid DNA encoding S1-3 induced anti-spike protein antibodies. We established one hybridoma cell line secreting specific mAb and evaluated this mAb with murine leukemia virus pseudotyped with SARS-CoV spike protein (MLV/SARS-CoV). The mAb could recognize the spike protein on the MLV/SARS-CoV-infected Vero E6 cells albeit with no neutralizing effect on the infectivity of the pseudotype virus. Our results show that a single-shot intrasplenic DNA immunization is efficient for the production of specific mAb against SARS spike protein, and a linear epitope of the spike protein is recognized in this study.

positive: The Current and Future State of Vaccines, Antivirals and Gene Therapies Against Emerging Coronaviruses Emerging coronaviruses (CoV) are constant global public health threats to society. Multiple ongoing clinical trials for vaccines and antivirals against CoVs showcase the availability of medical interventions to both prevent and treat the future emergence of highly pathogenic CoVs in human. However, given the diverse nature of CoVs and our close interactions with wild, domestic and companion animals, the next epidemic zoonotic CoV could resist the existing vaccines and antivirals developed, which are primarily focused on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS CoV). In late 2019, the novel CoV (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, causing global public health concern. In this review, we will summarize the key advancements of current vaccines and antivirals against SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV as well as discuss the challenge and opportunity in the current SARS-CoV-2 crisis. At the end, we advocate the development of a “plug-and-play” platform technologies that could allow quick manufacturing and administration of broad-spectrum countermeasures in an outbreak setting. We will discuss the potential of AAV-based gene therapy technology for in vivo therapeutic antibody delivery to combat SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and the future emergence of severe CoVs.

positive: Sensitivity of commercial Anti-SARS-CoV-2 serological assays in a high-prevalence setting We analysed SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses in 42 social and working contacts of a super-spreader from the Heinsberg area in Germany. Consistent with a high-prevalence setting 26 individuals had SARS-CoV-2 antibodies determined by in-house neutralisation testing. These results were compared with four commercial assays, suggesting limited sensitivity of the assays in such a high-prevalence setting. Although SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid restricted tests showed a better sensitivity, spike based assays had a stronger correlation with neutralisation capacity.

positive: Learning from the Past: Possible Urgent Prevention and Treatment Options for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Caused by 2019-nCoV With the current trajectory of the 2019-nCoV outbreak unknown, public health and medicinal measures will both be needed to contain spreading of the virus and to optimize patient outcomes. Although little is known about the virus, an examination of the genome sequence shows strong homology with its better-studied cousin, SARS-CoV. The spike protein used for host cell infection shows key nonsynonymous mutations that might hamper the efficacy of previously developed therapeutics but remains a viable target for the development of biologics and macrocyclic peptides. Other key drug targets, including RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and coronavirus main proteinase (3CLpro), share a strikingly high (>95 %) homology to SARS-CoV. Herein, we suggest four potential drug candidates (an ACE2-based peptide, remdesivir, 3CLpro-1 and a novel vinylsulfone protease inhibitor) that could be used to treat patients suffering with the 2019-nCoV. We also summarize previous efforts into drugging these targets and hope to help in the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronaviral agents for future epidemics.

positive: Characterization of neutralizing antibodies from a SARS-CoV-2 infected individual B cells specific for the SARS-CoV-2 S envelope glycoprotein spike were isolated from a COVID-19-infected subject using a stabilized spike-derived ectodomain (S2P) twenty-one days post-infection. Forty-four S2P-specific monoclonal antibodies were generated, three of which bound to the receptor binding domain (RBD). The antibodies were minimally mutated from germline and were derived from different B cell lineages. Only two antibodies displayed neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-virus. The most potent antibody bound the RBD in a manner that prevented binding to the ACE2 receptor, while the other bound outside the RBD. Our study indicates that the majority of antibodies against the viral envelope spike that were generated during the first weeks of COVID-19 infection are non-neutralizing and target epitopes outside the RBD. Antibodies that disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 spike-ACE2 interaction can potently neutralize the virus without undergoing extensive maturation. Such antibodies have potential preventive/therapeutic potential and can serve as templates for vaccine-design. IN BRIEF SARS-CoV-2 infection leads to expansion of diverse B cells clones against the viral spike glycoprotein (S). The antibodies bind S with high affinity despite being minimally mutated. Thus, the development of neutralizing antibody responses by vaccination will require the activation of certain naïve B cells without requiring extensive somatic mutation. Highlights Analysis of early B cell response to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Most antibodies target non-neutralizing epitopes Potent neutralizing mAb blocks the interaction of the S protein with ACE2 Neutralizing antibodies are minimally mutated

positive: Comparative analysis of coronavirus genomic RNA structure reveals conservation in SARS-like coronaviruses Coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 the etiological agent of COVID-19 disease, have caused multiple epidemic and pandemic outbreaks in the past 20 years(1–3). With no vaccines, and only recently developed antiviral therapeutics, we are ill equipped to handle coronavirus outbreaks(4). A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate coronavirus replication and pathogenesis is needed to guide the development of new antiviral therapeutics and vaccines. RNA secondary structures play critical roles in multiple aspects of coronavirus replication, but the extent and conservation of RNA secondary structure across coronavirus genomes is unknown(5). Here, we define highly structured RNA regions throughout the MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 genomes. We find that highly stable RNA structures are pervasive throughout coronavirus genomes, and are conserved between the SARS-like CoV. Our data suggests that selective pressure helps preserve RNA secondary structure in coronavirus genomes, suggesting that these structures may play important roles in virus replication and pathogenesis. Thus, disruption of conserved RNA secondary structures could be a novel strategy for the generation of attenuated SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for use against the current COVID-19 pandemic.

positive: A single dose of recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike vaccine provides protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 that emerged in December 2019 in China resulted in over 7.8 million infections and over 430,000 deaths worldwide, imposing an urgent need for rapid development of an efficient and cost-effective vaccine, suitable for mass immunization. Here, we generated a replication competent recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike vaccine, in which the glycoprotein of VSV was replaced by the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2. In vitro characterization of the recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike indicated expression and presentation of the spike protein on the viral membrane with antigenic similarity to SARS-CoV-2. A golden Syrian hamster in vivo model for COVID-19 was implemented. We show that vaccination of hamsters with recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike results in rapid and potent induction of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, single-dose vaccination was able to protect hamsters against SARS-CoV-2 challenge, as demonstrated by the abrogation of body weight loss of the immunized hamsters compared to unvaccinated hamsters. Furthermore, whereas lungs of infected hamsters displayed extensive tissue damage and high viral titers, immunized hamsters’ lungs showed only minor lung pathology, and no viral load. Taken together, we suggest recombinant VSV-ΔG-spike as a safe, efficacious and protective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Neutralizing Antibodies Isolated by a site-directed Screening have Potent Protection on SARS-CoV-2 Infection Neutralizing antibody is one of the most effective interventions for acute pathogenic infection. Currently, over three million people have been identified for SARS-CoV-2 infection but SARS-CoV-2-specific vaccines and neutralizing antibodies are still lacking. SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells by interacting with angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) via the S1 receptor-binding domain (RBD) of its surface spike glycoprotein. Therefore, blocking the interaction of SARS-CoV-2-RBD and ACE2 by antibody would cause a directly neutralizing effect against virus. In the current study, we selected the ACE2 interface of SARS-CoV-2-RBD as the targeting epitope for neutralizing antibody screening. We performed site-directed screening by phage display and finally obtained one IgG antibody (4A3) and several domain antibodies. Among them, 4A3 and three domain antibodies (4A12, 4D5, and 4A10) were identified to act as neutralizing antibodies due to their capabilities to block the interaction between SARS-CoV-2-RBD and ACE2-positive cells. The domain antibody 4A12 was predicted to have the best accessibility to all three ACE2-interfaces on the spike homotrimer. Pseudovirus and authentic SARS-CoV-2 neutralization assays showed that all four antibodies could potently protect host cells from virus infection. Overall, we isolated multiple formats of SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies via site-directed antibody screening, which could be promising candidate drugs for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Site-specific glycan analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike The emergence of the betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of COVID-19, represents a significant threat to global human health. Vaccine development is focused on the principal target of the humoral immune response, the spike (S) glycoprotein, which mediates cell entry and membrane fusion. SARS-CoV-2 S gene encodes 22 N-linked glycan sequons per protomer, which likely play a role in protein folding and immune evasion. Here, using a site-specific mass spectrometric approach, we reveal the glycan structures on a recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S immunogen. This analysis enables mapping of the glycan-processing states across the trimeric viral spike. We show how SARS-CoV-2 S glycans differ from typical host glycan processing, which may have implications in viral pathobiology and vaccine design.

positive: Rapid in silico design of antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 using machine learning and supercomputing Rapidly responding to novel pathogens, such as SARS-CoV-2, represents an extremely challenging and complex endeavor. Numerous promising therapeutic and vaccine research efforts to mitigate the catastrophic effects of COVID-19 pandemic are underway, yet an efficacious countermeasure is still not available. To support these global research efforts, we have used a novel computational pipeline combining machine learning, bioinformatics, and supercomputing to predict antibody structures capable of targeting the SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain (RBD). In 22 days, using just the SARS-CoV-2 sequence and previously published neutralizing antibody structures for SARS-CoV-1, we generated 20 initial antibody sequences predicted to target the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. As a first step in this process, we predicted (and publicly released) structures of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein using homology-based structural modeling. The predicted structures proved to be accurate within the targeted RBD region when compared to experimentally derived structures published weeks later. Next we used our in silico design platform to iteratively propose mutations to SARS-CoV-1 neutralizing antibodies (known not to bind SARS-Cov-2) to enable and optimize binding within the RBD of SARS-CoV-2. Starting from a calculated baseline free energy of −48.1 kcal/mol (± 8.3), our 20 selected first round antibody structures are predicted to have improved interaction with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD with free energies as low as −82.0 kcal/mole. The baseline SARS-CoV-1 antibody in complex with the SARS-CoV-1 RBD has a calculated interaction energy of −52.2 kcal/mole and neutralizes the virus by preventing it from binding and entering the human ACE2 receptor. These results suggest that our predicted antibody mutants may bind the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and potentially neutralize the virus. Additionally, our selected antibody mutants score well according to multiple antibody developability metrics. These antibody designs are being expressed and experimentally tested for binding to COVID-19 viral proteins, which will provide invaluable feedback to further improve the machine learning–driven designs. This technical report is a high-level description of that effort; the Supplementary Materials includes the homology-based structural models we developed and 178,856 in silico free energy calculations for 89,263 mutant antibodies derived from known SARS-CoV-1 neutralizing antibodies.

positive: Interaction of the spike protein RBD from SARS-CoV-2 with ACE2: Similarity with SARS-CoV, hot-spot analysis and effect of the receptor polymorphism The spread of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has been growing since its first identification in December 2019. The publishing of the first SARS-CoV-2 genome made a valuable source of data to study the details about its phylogeny, evolution, and interaction with the host. Protein-protein binding assays have confirmed that Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is more likely to be the cell receptor through which the virus invades the host cell. In the present work, we provide an insight into the interaction of the viral spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) from different coronavirus isolates with host ACE2 protein. By calculating the binding energy score between RBD and ACE2, we highlighted the putative jump in the affinity from a progenitor form of SARS-CoV-2 to the current virus responsible for COVID-19 outbreak. Our result was consistent with previously reported phylogenetic analysis and corroborates the opinion that the interface segment of the spike protein RBD might be acquired by SARS-CoV-2 via a complex evolutionary process rather than a progressive accumulation of mutations. We also highlighted the relevance of Q493 and P499 amino acid residues of SARS-CoV-2 RBD for binding to human ACE2 and maintaining the stability of the interface. Moreover, we show from the structural analysis that it is unlikely for the interface residues to be the result of genetic engineering. Finally, we studied the impact of eight different variants located at the interaction surface of ACE2, on the complex formation with SARS-CoV-2 RBD. We found that none of them is likely to disrupt the interaction with the viral RBD of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Computational simulations reveal the binding dynamics between human ACE2 and the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein A novel coronavirus (the SARS-CoV-2) has been identified in January 2020 as the causal pathogen for COVID-19 pneumonia, an outbreak started near the end of 2019 in Wuhan, China. The SARS-CoV-2 was found to be closely related to the SARS-CoV, based on the genomic analysis. The Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 protein (ACE2) utilized by the SARS-CoV as a receptor was found to facilitate the infection of SARS-CoV-2 as well, initiated by the binding of the spike protein to the human ACE2. Using homology modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods, we report here the detailed structure of the ACE2 in complex with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The predicted model is highly consistent with the experimentally determined complex structures. Plausible binding modes between human ACE2 and the RBD were revealed from all-atom MD simulations. The simulation data further revealed critical residues at the complex interface and provided more details about the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and human ACE2. Two mutants mimicking rat ACE2 were modeled to study the mutation effects on RBD binding to ACE2. The simulations showed that the N-terminal helix and the K353 of the human ACE2 alter the binding modes of the CoV2-RBD to the ACE2.

positive: Characterizations of SARS-CoV-2 mutational profile, spike protein stability and viral transmission The recent pandemic of SARS-CoV-2 infection has affected more than 3.0 million people worldwide with more than 200 thousand reported deaths. The SARS-CoV-2 genome has the capability of gaining rapid mutations as the virus spreads. Whole-genome sequencing data offers a wide range of opportunities to study mutation dynamics. The advantage of an increasing amount of whole-genome sequence data of SARS-CoV-2 intrigued us to explore the mutation profile across the genome, to check the genome diversity, and to investigate the implications of those mutations in protein stability and viral transmission. We have identified frequently mutated residues by aligning ~660 SARS-CoV-2 genomes and validated in 10,000 datasets available in GISAID Nextstrain. We further evaluated the potential of these frequently mutated residues in protein structure stability of spike glycoprotein and their possible functional consequences in other proteins. Among the 11 genes, surface glycoprotein, nucleocapsid, ORF1ab, and ORF8 showed frequent mutations, while envelop, membrane, ORF6, ORF7a and ORF7b showed conservation in terms of amino acid substitutions. Combined analysis with the frequently mutated residues identified 20 viral variants, among which 12 specific combinations comprised more than 97% of the isolates considered for the analysis. Some of the mutations across different proteins showed co-occurrences, suggesting their structural and/or functional interaction among different SARS-COV-2 proteins, and their involvement in adaptability and viral transmission. Analysis of protein structure stability of surface glycoprotein mutants indicated the viability of specific variants and are more prone to be temporally and spatially distributed across the globe. A similar empirical analysis of other proteins indicated the existence of important functional implications of several variants. Identification of frequently mutated variants among COVID-19 patients might be useful for better clinical management, contact tracing, and containment of the disease.

positive: Role and mechanism of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 in acute lung injury in coronavirus disease 2019 Coronavirus disease 2019 is a major threat to public health globally. Though its pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) has been recently identified as a receptor for the entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) into the cell. Here, we aimed to clarify the potential role of ACE2 in SARS-CoV-2-induced acute lung injury and its underlying mechanism. As a receptor for coronavirus, ACE2 mediates the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into cells in a similar way as for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The high binding affinity of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2 correlates with its efficient spread among humans. On the other hand, ACE2 negatively regulates the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) primarily by converting angiotensin II to angiotensin 1–7, which exerts a beneficial effect on coronavirus-induced acute lung injury. Human recombinant ACE2 has been considered as a potential therapy for SARS-CoV-2 by blocking virus entry and redressing the imbalance of RAAS in SARS-CoV-2 infection. The level of ACE2 expression can be upregulated by treatment with an ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor blocker (ARB). To date, no evidence shows that ACEIs or ARBs increase the susceptibility and mortality of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2, and hence, it is not advisable to discontinue such drugs in patients with cardiovascular disease.

positive: Distinct Structural Flexibility within SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Reveals Potential Therapeutic Targets The emergence and rapid worldwide spread of the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19, has prompted concerted efforts to find successful treatments. The causative virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), uses its spike (S) protein to gain entry into host cells. Therefore, the S protein presents a viable target to develop a directed therapy. Here, we deployed an integrated artificial intelligence with molecular dynamics simulation approach to provide new details of the S protein structure. Based on a comprehensive structural analysis of S proteins from SARS-CoV-2 and previous human coronaviruses, we found that the protomer state of S proteins is structurally flexible. Without the presence of a stabilizing beta sheet from another protomer chain, two regions in the S2 domain and the hinge connecting the S1 and S2 subunits lose their secondary structures. Interestingly, the region in the S2 domain was previously identified as an immunodominant site in the SARS-CoV-1 S protein. We anticipate that the molecular details elucidated here will assist in effective therapeutic development for COVID-19.

positive: The anti-HIV Drug Nelfinavir Mesylate (Viracept) is a Potent Inhibitor of Cell Fusion Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) Glycoprotein Warranting further Evaluation as an Antiviral against COVID-19 infections Coronaviruses belong to a group of enveloped, positive-single stranded RNA viruses that are known to cause severe respiratory distress in animals and humans. The current SARS coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) pandemic has caused more than 2,000,000 infections globally and nearly 200,000 deaths. Coronaviruses enter susceptible cells via fusion of the viral envelope with the plasma membrane and/or via fusion of the viral envelope with endosomal membranes after endocytosis of the virus into endosomes. Previous results with SARS and MERS CoV have shown that the Spike (S) glycoprotein is a major determinant of virus infectivity and immunogenicity. Herein, we show that expression of SARS CoV-2 S (S-n) glycoprotein after transient transfection of African green monkey kidney (Vero) cells caused extensive cell fusion in comparison to limited cell fusion caused by the SARS S (S-o) glycoprotein. S-n expression was detected intracellularly and on transfected Vero cell surfaces and caused the formation of very large multinucleated cells (syncytia) by 48 hours post transfection. These results are in agreement with published pathology observations of extensive syncytial formation in lung tissues of COVID-19 patients. This differential S-n versus S-o-mediated cell fusion suggests that SARS-CoV-2 is able to spread from cell-to-cell much more efficiently than SARS effectively avoiding extracellular spaces and neutralizing antibodies. A systematic screening of several drugs for ability to inhibit S-n and S-o cell fusion revealed that the FDA approved HIV-protease inhibitor, nelfinavir mesylate (Viracept) drastically inhibited S-n and S-o-mediated cell fusion in a dose-dependent manner. Complete inhibition of cell fusion was observed at a 10 micromolar concentration. Computational modeling and in silico docking experiments suggested the possibility that nelfinavir may bind inside the S trimer structure, proximal to the S2 amino terminus directly inhibiting S-n and S-o-mediated membrane fusion. Also, it is possible that nelfinavir mesylate acts on cellular processes to inhibit S proteolytic processing. These results warrant further investigations of the potential of nelfinavir mesylate as an antiviral drug, especially at early times after SARS-CoV-2 symptoms appear.

positive: Interactions Between Sars Coronavirus and its Receptor

positive: Development and simulation of fully glycosylated molecular models of ACE2-Fc fusion proteins and their interaction with the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding domain We develop fully glycosylated computational models of ACE2-Fc fusion proteins which are promising targets for a COVID-19 therapeutic. These models are tested in their interaction with fragments of the binding domain of the Spike Protein S1 of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We see that some ACE2 glycans interact with S1 and glycans are influencing the conformation of the ACE2 receptor. Additionally, we optimize algorithms for protein glycosylation modelling in order to expedite future model development. All models and algorithms are openly available.

positive: Design of multi-epitope vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2: a in-silico study The best therapeutic strategy to find an effective vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 is to explore the target structural protein. In the present study, a novel multi-epitope vaccine is designed using in silico tools that potentially trigger both CD4 and CD8 T-cell immune responses against the novel Coronavirus. The vaccine candidate was designed using B and T-cell epitopes that can act as an immunogen and elicits immune response in the host system. NCBI was used for the retrieval of surface spike glycoprotein, of novel corona virus (SARS-CoV-2) strains. VaxiJen server screens the most important immunogen of all the proteins and IEDB server gives the prediction and analysis of B and T cell epitopes. Final vaccine construct was designed in silico composed of 425 amino acids including the 50S ribosomal protein adjuvant and the construct was computationally validated in terms of antigenicity, allergenicity and stability on considering all critical parameters into consideration. The results subjected to the modeling and docking studies of vaccine were validated. Molecular docking study revealed the protein-protein binding interactions between the vaccine construct and TLR-3 immune receptor. The MD simulations confirmed stability of the binding pose. The immune simulation results showed significant response for immune cells. The findings of the study confirmed that the final vaccine construct of chimeric peptide could able to enhance the immune response against nCoV-19.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 structure and replication characterized by in situ cryo-electron tomography Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of the COVID19 pandemic, is a highly pathogenic β-coronavirus. As other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 is enveloped and remodels intracellular membranes for genome replication and assembly. Here, we report critical insights into the budding mechanism of the virus and provide structural details of virions and virus induced double-membrane vesicles by in situ cryo-electron tomography. We directly visualized double-stranded RNA within double-membrane vesicles, forming a loosely organized network with frequent RNA branching consistent with template-directed RNA synthesis intermediates. Our data indicate that membrane bending is orchestrated by the spike trimer and viral ribonucleoprotein complex recruitment into virion budding sites, suggesting the synergistic interplay of both viral components as a possible drug target for intervention.

positive: Receptor utilization of angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) indicates a narrower host range of SARS-CoV-2 than that of SARS-CoV Coronavirus 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.

positive: Cell entry mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is causing the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Understanding how SARS-CoV-2 enters human cells is a high priority for deciphering its mystery and curbing its spread. A virus surface spike protein mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry into cells. To fulfill its function, SARS-CoV-2 spike binds to its receptor human ACE2 (hACE2) through its receptor-binding domain (RBD) and is proteolytically activated by human proteases. Here we investigated receptor binding and protease activation of SARS-CoV-2 spike using biochemical and pseudovirus entry assays. Our findings have identified key cell entry mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2. First, SARS-CoV-2 RBD has higher hACE2 binding affinity than SARS-CoV RBD, supporting efficient cell entry. Second, paradoxically, the hACE2 binding affinity of the entire SARS-CoV-2 spike is comparable to or lower than that of SARS-CoV spike, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 RBD, albeit more potent, is less exposed than SARS-CoV RBD. Third, unlike SARS-CoV, cell entry of SARS-CoV-2 is preactivated by proprotein convertase furin, reducing its dependence on target cell proteases for entry. The high hACE2 binding affinity of the RBD, furin preactivation of the spike, and hidden RBD in the spike potentially allow SARS-CoV-2 to maintain efficient cell entry while evading immune surveillance. These features may contribute to the wide spread of the virus. Successful intervention strategies must target both the potency of SARS-CoV-2 and its evasiveness.

positive: Adenovirus-mediated expression of the C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV spike protein is sufficient to induce apoptosis in Vero E6 cells The pro-apoptotic properties of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) structural proteins were studied in vitro. By monitoring apoptosis indicators including chromatin condensation, cellular DNA fragmentation and cell membrane asymmetry, we demonstrated that the adenovirus-mediated over-expression of SARS-CoV spike (S) protein and its C-terminal domain (S2) induce apoptosis in Vero E6 cells in a time- and dosage-dependent manner, whereas the expression of its N-terminal domain (S1) and other structural proteins, including envelope (E), membrane (M) and nucleocapsid (N) protein do not. These findings suggest a possible role of S and S2 protein in SARS-CoV induced apoptosis and the molecular pathogenesis of SARS.

positive: Antibody signature induced by SARS-CoV-2 spike protein immunogens in rabbits Multiple vaccine candidates against SARS-CoV-2 based on viral spike protein are under development. However, there is limited information on the quality of antibody responses generated with these vaccine modalities. To better understand antibody responses induced by spike protein-based vaccines, we performed a qualitative study by immunizing rabbits with various SARS-CoV-2 spike protein antigens: S-ectodomain (S1+S2) (aa 16-1213), which lacks the cytoplasmic and transmembrane domains (CT-TM), the S1 domain (aa 16-685), the receptor-binding domain (RBD) (aa 319-541), and the S2 domain (aa 686-1213, lacking the RBD, as control). Resulting antibody quality and function were analyzed by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), receptor binding domain (RBD) competition assay, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) against different spike proteins in native conformation, and neutralization assays. All three antigens (S1+S2 ectodomain, S1 domain, and RBD), but not S2, generated strong neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Vaccination-induced antibody repertoire was analyzed by SARS-CoV-2 spike genome fragment phage display libraries (SARS-CoV-2 GFPDL), which identified immunodominant epitopes in the S1, S1-RBD, and S2 domains. Furthermore, these analyses demonstrated that the RBD immunogen elicited a higher antibody titer with 5-fold higher affinity antibodies to native spike antigens compared with other spike antigens; and antibody affinity correlated strongly with neutralization titers. These findings may help guide rational vaccine design and facilitate development and evaluation of effective therapeutics and vaccines against COVID-19 disease.

positive: High Throughput Designing and Mutational Mapping of RBD-ACE2 Interface Guide Non-Conventional Therapeutic Strategies for COVID-19 Considering the current status of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, sequence variations and possibly structural changes in the rapidly evolving SARS-CoV-2 is highly expected in the coming months. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein is responsible for mediating viral attachment and fusion with cell membranes. Mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S-protein occur at the most variable part of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and specific sites of S-protein have undergone positive selection impacting the viral pathogenicity. In the present work, we used high-throughput computation to design 100,000 mutants in RBD interfacial residues and identify novel affinity-enhancing and affinity-weakening mutations. Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can establish a higher rate of infectivity and pathogenesis when it acquires combinatorial mutations at the interfacial residues in RBD. Mapping of the mutational landscape of the interaction site suggests that a few of these residues are the hot-spot residues with a very high tendency to undergo positive selection. Knowledge of the affinity-enhancing mutations may guide the identification of potential cold-spots for this mutation as targets for developing a possible therapeutic strategy instead of hot-spots, and vice versa. Understanding of the molecular interactions between the virus and host protein presents a detailed systems view of viral infection mechanisms. The applications of the present research can be explored in multiple antiviral strategies, including monoclonal antibody therapy, vaccine design, and importantly in understanding the clinical pathogenesis of the virus itself. Our work presents research directions for the exploitation of non-conventional solutions for COVID-19.

positive: Identification of a Potential Peptide Inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 Targeting its Entry into the Host Cells BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Due to the incessant spread of the disease with substantial morbidity and mortality rates, there is an urgent demand for effective therapeutics and vaccines to control and diminish this pandemic. A critical step in the crosstalk between the virus and the host cell is the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor present on the surface of the host cells. Hence, inhibition of this interaction could be a promising strategy to combat the SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS: Docking and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulation studies revealed that designed peptide maintains their secondary structure and provide a highly specific and stable binding (blocking) to SARS-CoV-2. RESULTS: We have designed a novel peptide that could inhibit SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interaction with ACE2, thereby blocking the cellular entry of the virus. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that computationally developed inhibitory peptide may be developed as an anti-SARS-CoV-2 agent for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. We further plan to pursue the peptide in cell-based assays and eventually for clinical trials.

positive: Preliminary Virtual Screening Studies to Identify GRP78 Inhibitors Which May Interfere with SARS-CoV-2 Infection SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein was predicted by molecular docking to bind the host cell surface GRP78, which was suggested as a putative good molecular target to inhibit Covid-19. We aimed to confirm that GRP78 gene expression was increased in blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients. In addition, we aimed to identify drugs that could be repurposed to inhibit GRP78, thus with potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Gene expression studies were performed in 10 SARS-CoV-2 (−) and 24 SARS-CoV-2 (+) pneumonia patients. A structure-based virtual screen was performed with 10,761 small molecules retrieved from DrugBank, using the GRP78 nucleotide binding domain and substrate binding domain as molecular targets. Results indicated that GRP78 mRNA levels were approximately four times higher in the blood of SARS-CoV-2 (+) versus SARS-CoV-2 (−) pneumonia patients, further suggesting that GRP78 might be a good molecular target to treat Covid-19. In addition, a total of 409 compounds were identified with potential as GRP78 inhibitors. In conclusion, we found preliminary evidence that further proposes GRP78 as a possible molecular target to treat Covid-19 and that many clinically approved drugs bind GRP78 as an off-target effect. We suggest that further work should be urgently carried out to confirm if GRP78 is indeed a good molecular target and if some of those drugs have potential to be repurposed for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral activity.

positive: Infectivity, virulence, pathogenicity, host-pathogen interactions of SARS and SARS-CoV-2 in experimental animals: a systematic review The outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 in mainland China with subsequent human to human transmission worldwide had taken up the shape of a devastating pandemic. The ability of the virus to infect multiple species other than humans has currently been reported in experimental conditions. Non-human primates, felines, ferrets, rodents and host of other animals could previously be infected in experimental conditions with SARS-CoV and recently with SARS-CoV-2, both virus using Angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2 receptor for cellular entry. The variations in sequence homology of ACE2 receptor across species is identified as one of the factors determining virulence and pathogenicity in animals. The infection in experimental animals with SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 on most occasions are asymptomatic, however, the virus could multiply within the respiratory tract and extra-pulmonary organs in most of the species. Here, we discuss about the pathogenicity, transmission, variations in angiotensin-converting-enzyme 2 receptor-binding across species and host pathogen interactions of SARS and SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory animals used in research.

positive: Role of changes in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the interaction with the human ACE2 receptor: An in silico analysis Many human viral diseases are a consequence of a zoonotic event. Some of the diseases caused by these zoonotic events have affected millions of people around the world, some of which have resulted in high rates of morbidity/mortality in humans. Changes in the viral proteins that function as ligands of the host receptor may promote the spillover between species. The most recent of these zoonotic events that have caused an ongoing epidemic of high magnitude is the Covid-19 epidemics caused by SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this study was to determine the mutation(s) in the sequence of the spike protein of the SARS-CoV-2 that might be favoring human to human transmission. An in silico approach was performed, and changes were detected in the S1 subunit of the receptor-binding domain of spike. The observed changes have significant effect on SARS-CoV-2 spike/ACE2 interaction and produce a reduction in the binding energy, compared to the one of the Bat-CoV to this receptor. The data presented in this study suggest a higher affinity of the SARS-Cov-2 spike protein to the human ACE2 receptor, compared to the one of Bat-CoV spike and ACE2. This could be the cause of the rapid viral spread of SARS-CoV-2 in humans.

positive: Genomic analysis of early SARS-CoV-2 strains introduced in Mexico The COVID-19 pandemic has affected most countries in the world. Studying the evolution and transmission patterns in different countries is crucial to implement effective strategies for disease control and prevention. In this work, we present the full genome sequence for 17 SARS-CoV-2 isolates corresponding to the earliest sampled cases in Mexico. Global and local phylogenomics, coupled with mutational analysis, consistently revealed that these viral sequences are distributed within 2 known lineages, the SARS-CoV-2 lineage A/G, containing mostly sequences from North America, and the lineage B/S containing mainly sequences from Europe. Based on the exposure history of the cases and on the phylogenomic analysis, we characterized fourteen independent introduction events. Additionally, three cases with no travel history were identified. We found evidence that two of these cases represent local transmission cases occurring in Mexico during mid-March 2020, denoting the earliest events described in the country. Within this Mexican cluster, we also identified an H49Y amino acid change in the spike protein. This mutation is a homoplasy occurring independently through time and space, and may function as a molecular marker to follow on any further spread of these viral variants throughout the country. Our results depict the general picture of the SARS-CoV-2 variants introduced at the beginning of the outbreak in Mexico, setting the foundation for future surveillance efforts. This work is the result of the collaboration of five institutions into one research consortium: three public health institutes and two universities. From the beginning of this work, it was agreed that the experimental leader of each institution would share the first authorship. Those were the criteria followed to assign first co-first authorship in this manuscript. The order of the other authors was randomly assigned. IMPORTANCE Understanding the introduction, spread and establishment of SARS-CoV-2 within distinct human populations is crucial to implement effective control strategies as well as the evolution of the pandemics. In this work, we describe that the initial virus strains introduced in Mexico came from Europe and the United States and the virus was circulating locally in the country as early as mid-March. We also found evidence for early local transmission of strains having the mutation H49Y in the Spike protein, that could be further used as a molecular marker to follow viral spread within the country and the region.

positive: Identification of conserved epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid protein Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which first occurred in Wuhan (China) in December 2019, is a novel virus that causes a severe acute respiratory disease. The virus spike glycoproteins and nucleocapsid proteins are the main targets for the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs, to control the disease spread. We herein study the structural order-disorder propensity and the rates of evolution of these two proteins to characterize their B cell and T cell epitopes, previously suggested to contribute to immune response caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections. We first analyzed the rates of evolution along the sequences of spike and nucleocapsid proteins in relation to the spatial locations of their epitopes. For this purpose, we compared orthologs from seven human coronaviruses: SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, and HCoV-HKU1. We then focus on the local, structural order-disorder propensities of the protein regions where the SARS-CoV-2 epitopes are located. We show that the vast majority of nucleocapsid protein epitopes overlap the RNA-binding and dimerization domains and some of them are characterized by low rates of evolutions. Similarly, spike protein epitopes are preferentially located in regions that are predicted to be ordered and well-conserved, in correspondence of the heptad repeats 1 and 2. Interestingly, both the receptor-binding motif to ACE2 and the fusion peptide of spike protein are characterized by high rates of evolution, probably to overcome host immunity. In conclusion, our results provide evidence for conserved epitopes that may help to develop long-lasting, broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

positive: Human neutralizing antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection. The emerging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic presents a global health emergency in urgent need of interventions1-3. SARS-CoV-2 entry into the target cells depends on binding between the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the viral Spike protein and the ACE2 cell receptor2,4-6. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of 206 RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies derived from single B cells of eight SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. We identified antibodies with potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralization activity that correlates with their competitive capacity with ACE2 for RBD binding. Surprisingly, neither the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies nor the infected plasma cross-reacted with SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV RBDs, although substantial plasma cross-reactivity to their trimeric Spike proteins was found. Crystal structure analysis of RBD-bound antibody revealed steric hindrance that inhibits viral engagement with ACE2 and thereby blocks viral entry. These findings suggest that anti-RBD antibodies are viral species-specific inhibitors. The antibodies identified here may be candidates for the development of SARS-CoV-2 clinical interventions.

positive: Evaluation of Nucleocapsid and Spike Protein-based ELISAs for detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 Background: At present, PCR-based nucleic acid detection cannot meet the demands for coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) diagnosis. Methods: 214 confirmed COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized in the General Hospital of Central Theater Command of the People's Liberation Army between January 18 and February 26, 2020, were recruited. Two Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits based on recombinant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (rN) and spike protein (rS) were used for detecting IgM and IgG antibodies, and their diagnostic feasibility was evaluated. Results: Among the 214 patients, 146 (68.2%) and 150 (70.1%) were successfully diagnosed with the rN-based IgM and IgG ELISAs, respectively; 165 (77.1%) and 159 (74.3%) were successfully diagnosed with the rS-based IgM and IgG ELISAs, respectively. The positive rates of the rN-based and rS-based ELISAs for antibody (IgM and/or IgG) detection were 80.4% and 82.2%, respectively. The sensitivity of the rS-based ELISA for IgM detection was significantly higher than that of the rN-based ELISA. We observed an increase in the positive rate for IgM and IgG with an increasing number of days post-disease onset (d.p.o.), but the positive rate of IgM dropped after 35 d.p.o. The positive rate of rN-based and rS-based IgM and IgG ELISAs was less than 60% during the early stage of the illness 0-10 d.p.o., and that of IgM and IgG was obviously increased after 10 d.p.o. Conclusions: ELISA has a high sensitivity, especially for the detection of serum samples from patients after 10 d.p.o, it can be an important supplementary method for COVID-19 diagnosis.

positive: Door to the cell for COVID-19 opened, leading way to therapies

positive: Dinucleotide repeats in coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 genome: evolutionary implications The ongoing global pandemic of infection disease COVID-19 caused by the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2, formerly 2019-nCoV) presents critical threats to public health and the economy since it was identified in China, December 2019. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 had been sequenced and structurally annotated, yet little is known of the intrinsic organization and evolution of the genome. To this end, we present a mathematical method for the genomic spectrum, a kind of barcode, of SARS-CoV-2 and common human coronaviruses. The genomic spectrum is constructed according to the periodic distributions of nucleotides, and therefore reflects the unique characteristics of the genome. The results demonstrate that coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 exhibits dinucleotide TT islands in the non-structural proteins 3, 4, 5, and 6. Further analysis of the dinucleotide regions suggests that the dinucleotide repeats are increased during evolution and may confer the evolutionary fitness of the virus. The special dinucleotide regions in the SARS-CoV-2 genome identified in this study may become diagnostic and pharmaceutical targets in monitoring and curing the COVID-19 disease.

positive: Antibody detection of SARS-CoV spike and nucleocapsid protein Abstract Early detection and identification of SARS-CoV-infected patients and actions to prevent transmission are absolutely critical to prevent another SARS outbreak. Antibodies that specifically recognize the SARS-CoV spike and nucleocapsid proteins may provide a rapid screening method to allow accurate identification and isolation of patients with the virus early in their infection. For this reason, we raised peptide-induced polyclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV spike protein and polyclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein using 6× His nucleocapsid recombinant protein. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescent staining showed that these antibodies specifically recognized SARS-CoV.

positive: Biophysical characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding with the ACE2 receptor and implications for infectivity SARS-CoV-2 is a novel highly virulent pathogen which gains entry to human cells by binding with the cell surface receptor – angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE2). We computationally contrasted the binding interactions between human ACE2 and coronavirus spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD) of the 2002 epidemic-causing SARS-CoV-1, SARS-CoV-2, and bat coronavirus RaTG13 using the Rosetta energy function. We find that the RBD of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is highly optimized to achieve very strong binding with human ACE2 (hACE2) which is consistent with its enhanced infectivity. SARS-CoV-2 forms the most stable complex with hACE2 compared to SARS-CoV-1 (23% less stable) or RaTG13 (11% less stable) while occupying the greatest number of residues in the ATR1 binding site. Notably, the SARS-CoV-2 RBD out-competes the angiotensin 2 receptor type I (ATR1) which is the native binding partner of ACE2 by 35% in terms of the calculated binding affinity. Strong binding is mediated through strong electrostatic attachments with every fourth residue on the N-terminus alpha-helix (starting from Ser19 to Asn53) as the turn of the helix makes these residues solvent accessible. By contrasting the spike protein SARS-CoV-2 Rosetta binding energy with ACE2 of different livestock and pet species we find strongest binding with bat ACE2 followed by human, feline, equine, canine and finally chicken. This is consistent with the hypothesis that bats are the viral origin and reservoir species. These results offer a computational explanation for the increased infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 and allude to therapeutic modalities by identifying and rank-ordering the ACE2 residues involved in binding with the virus.

positive: Recombinant SARS-CoV-2 spike S1-Fc fusion protein induced high levels of neutralizing responses in nonhuman primates The COVID-19 outbreak has become a global pandemic responsible for over 2,000,000 confirmed cases and over 126,000 deaths worldwide. In this study, we examined the immunogenicity of CHO-expressed recombinant SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc fusion protein in mice, rabbits, and monkeys as a potential candidate for a COVID-19 vaccine. We demonstrate that the S1-Fc fusion protein is extremely immunogenic, as evidenced by strong antibody titers observed by day 7. Strong virus neutralizing activity was observed on day 14 in rabbits immunized with the S1-Fc fusion protein using a pseudovirus neutralization assay. Most importantly, in less than 20 days and three injections of the S1-Fc fusion protein, two monkeys developed higher virus neutralizing titers than a recovered COVID-19 patient in a live SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Our data strongly suggests that the CHO-expressed SARS-CoV-2 S1-Fc recombinant protein could be a strong candidate for vaccine development against COVID-19. Highlights CHO-expressed S1-Fc protein is very immunogenic in various animals and can rapidly induce strong antibody production S1-Fc protein solicits strong neutralizing activities against live virus Stable CHO cell line expressing 50 mg/L of S1-Fc and a 3,000 L Bioreactor can produce 3 million doses of human COVID-19 vaccine every 10 days, making it an accessible and affordable option for worldwide vaccination

positive: Potent binding of 2019 novel coronavirus spike protein by a SARS coronavirus-specific human monoclonal antibody The newly identified 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has caused more than 800 laboratory-confirmed human infections, including 25 deaths, posing a serious threat to human health. Currently, however, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine. Considering the relatively high identity of receptor binding domain (RBD) in 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV, it is urgent to assess the cross-reactivity of anti-SARS-CoV antibodies with 2019-nCoV spike protein, which could have important implications for rapid development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against 2019-nCoV. Here, we report for the first time that a SARS-CoV-specific human monoclonal antibody, CR3022, could bind potently with 2019-nCoV RBD (KD of 6.3 nM). The epitope of CR3022 does not overlap with the ACE2 binding site within 2019-nCoV RBD. Therefore, CR3022 has the potential to be developed as candidate therapeutics, alone or in combination with other neutralizing antibodies, for the prevention and treatment of 2019-nCoV infections. Interestingly, some of the most potent SARS-CoV-specific neutralizing antibodies (e.g., m396, CR3014) that target the ACE2 binding site of SARS-CoV failed to bind 2019-nCoV spike protein, indicating that the difference in the RBD of SARS-CoV and 2019-nCoV has a critical impact for the cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibodies, and that it is still necessary to develop novel monoclonal antibodies that could bind specifically to 2019-nCoV RBD.

positive: Structural variations in human ACE2 may influence its binding with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein The recent pandemic of COVID‐19, caused by SARS‐CoV‐2, is unarguably the most fearsome compared with the earlier outbreaks caused by other coronaviruses, SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV. Human ACE2 is now established as a receptor for the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein. Where variations in the viral spike protein, in turn, lead to the cross‐species transmission of the virus, genetic variations in the host receptor ACE2 may also contribute to the susceptibility and/or resistance against the viral infection. This study aims to explore the binding of the proteins encoded by different human ACE2 allelic variants with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein. Briefly, coding variants of ACE2 corresponding to the reported binding sites for its attachment with coronavirus spike protein were selected and molecular models of these variants were constructed by homology modeling. The models were then superimposed over the native ACE2 and ACE2‐spike protein complex, to observe structural changes in the ACE2 variants and their intermolecular interactions with SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein, respectively. Despite strong overall structural similarities, the spatial orientation of the key interacting residues varies in the ACE2 variants compared with the wild‐type molecule. Most ACE2 variants showed a similar binding affinity for SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein as observed in the complex structure of wild‐type ACE2 and SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein. However, ACE2 alleles, rs73635825 (S19P) and rs143936283 (E329G) showed noticeable variations in their intermolecular interactions with the viral spike protein. In summary, our data provide a structural basis of potential resistance against SARS‐CoV‐2 infection driven by ACE2 allelic variants.

positive: D614G Spike Variant Does Not Alter IgG, IgM, or IgA Spike Seroassay Performance Emergence of a new variant of spike protein (D614G) with increased infectivity and transmissibility has prompted many to analyze the potential role of this variant in the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. When a new variant emerges, there is a concern regarding whether an individual exposed to one variant of a virus will have cross-reactive immune memory to the second variant. Accordingly, we analyzed the serologic reactivity of D614 (original) and G614 variant spike proteins. We found that antibodies from a high-incidence population in New York City reacted both toward the original D614 spike and the G614 spike variant. These data suggest that patients who have been exposed to either SARS-CoV-2 variant have humoral immunity that can respond against both variants. This is an important finding both for SARS-CoV-2 disease biology and for potential antibody-based therapeutics.

positive: Drug targets for corona virus: A systematic review The 2019-novel coronavirus (nCoV) is a major source of disaster in the 21th century. However, the lack of specific drugs to prevent/treat an attack is a major need at this current point of time. In this regard, we conducted a systematic review to identify major druggable targets in coronavirus (CoV). We searched PubMed and RCSB database with keywords HCoV, NCoV, corona virus, SERS-CoV, MERS-CoV, 2019-nCoV, crystal structure, X-ray crystallography structure, NMR structure, target, and drug target till Feb 3, 2020. The search identified seven major targets (spike protein, envelop protein, membrane protein, protease, nucleocapsid protein, hemagglutinin esterase, and helicase) for which drug design can be considered. There are other 16 nonstructural proteins (NSPs), which can also be considered from the drug design perspective. The major structural proteins and NSPs may serve an important role from drug design perspectives. However, the occurrence of frequent recombination events is a major deterrent factor toward the development of CoV-specific vaccines/drugs.

positive: Insights into the Recent 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Light of Past Human Coronavirus Outbreaks Coronaviruses (CoVs) are RNA viruses that have become a major public health concern since the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-CoV (SARS-CoV) outbreak in 2002. The continuous evolution of coronaviruses was further highlighted with the emergence of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome-CoV (MERS-CoV) outbreak in 2012. Currently, the world is concerned about the 2019 novel CoV (SARS-CoV-2) that was initially identified in the city of Wuhan, China in December 2019. Patients presented with severe viral pneumonia and respiratory illness. The number of cases has been mounting since then. As of late February 2020, tens of thousands of cases and several thousand deaths have been reported in China alone, in addition to thousands of cases in other countries. Although the fatality rate of SARS-CoV-2 is currently lower than SARS-CoV, the virus seems to be highly contagious based on the number of infected cases to date. In this review, we discuss structure, genome organization, entry of CoVs into target cells, and provide insights into past and present outbreaks. The future of human CoV outbreaks will not only depend on how the viruses will evolve, but will also depend on how we develop efficient prevention and treatment strategies to deal with this continuous threat.

positive: Molecular Mechanism of Evolution and Human Infection with SARS-CoV-2 The outbreak of a novel coronavirus, which was later formally named the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has caused a worldwide public health crisis. Previous studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 is highly homologous to SARS-CoV and infects humans through the binding of the spike protein to ACE2. Here, we have systematically studied the molecular mechanisms of human infection with SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV by protein-protein docking and MD simulations. It was found that SARS-CoV-2 binds ACE2 with a higher affinity than SARS-CoV, which may partly explain that SARS-CoV-2 is much more infectious than SARS-CoV. In addition, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 has a significantly lower free energy than that of SARS-CoV, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 is more stable and may survive a higher temperature than SARS-CoV. This provides insights into the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 because SARS-like coronaviruses have originated in bats. Our computation also suggested that the RBD-ACE2 binding for SARS-CoV-2 is much more temperature-sensitive than that for SARS-CoV. Thus, it is expected that SARS-CoV-2 would decrease its infection ability much faster than SARS-CoV when the temperature rises. These findings would be beneficial for the disease prevention and drug/vaccine development of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Structure of the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain bound to the ACE2 receptor A new and highly pathogenic coronavirus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2, SARS-CoV-2) caused an outbreak in Wuhan city, Hubei province, China, starting from December 2019 that quickly spread nationwide and to other countries around the world1-3. Here, to better understand the initial step of infection at an atomic level, we determined the crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 bound to the cell receptor ACE2. The overall ACE2-binding mode of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD is nearly identical to that of the SARS-CoV RBD, which also uses ACE2 as the cell receptor4. Structural analysis identified residues in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD that are essential for ACE2 binding, the majority of which either are highly conserved or share similar side chain properties with those in the SARS-CoV RBD. Such similarity in structure and sequence strongly indicate convergent evolution between the SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV RBDs for improved binding to ACE2, although SARS-CoV-2 does not cluster within SARS and SARS-related coronaviruses1-3,5. The epitopes of two SARS-CoV antibodies that target the RBD are also analysed for binding to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD, providing insights into the future identification of cross-reactive antibodies.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Receptor Binding Domain is Subject to Negative Selection with Predicted Positive Selection Mutations COVID-19 is a highly contagious disease caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The interaction between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the host cell surface receptor ACE2 is responsible for mediating SARS-CoV-2 infection. By analyzing the spike-hACE2 interacting surface, we predicted many hot spot residues that make major contributions to the binding affinity. Mutations on most of these residues are likely to be deleterious, leading to less infectious virus strains that may suffer from negative selection. Meanwhile, several residues with mostly advantageous mutations have been predicted. It is more probable that mutations on these residues increase the transmission ability of the virus by enhancing spike-hACE2 interaction. So far, only a limited number of mutations has been reported in this region. However, the list of hot spot residues with predicted downstream effects from this study can still serve as a tracking list for SARS-CoV-2 evolution studies. Coincidentally, one advantageous mutation, p.476G>S, started to surge in the last couple of weeks based on the data submitted to the public domain, indicating that virus strains with increased transmission ability may have already spread.

positive: Conformational Reorganization of the SARS Coronavirus Spike Following Receptor Binding: Implications for Membrane Fusion The SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) spike is the largest known viral spike molecule, and shares a similar function with all class 1 viral fusion proteins. Previous structural studies of membrane fusion proteins have largely used crystallography of static molecular fragments, in isolation of their transmembrane domains. In this study we have produced purified, irradiated SARS-CoV virions that retain their morphology, and are fusogenic in cell culture. We used cryo-electron microscopy and image processing to investigate conformational changes that occur in the entire spike of intact virions when they bind to the viral receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). We have shown that ACE2 binding results in structural changes that appear to be the initial step in viral membrane fusion, and precisely localized the receptor-binding and fusion core domains within the entire spike. Furthermore, our results show that receptor binding and subsequent membrane fusion are distinct steps, and that each spike can bind up to three ACE2 molecules. The SARS-CoV spike provides an ideal model system to study receptor binding and membrane fusion in the native state, employing cryo-electron microscopy and single-particle image analysis.

positive: In-Silico evidence for two receptors based strategy of SARS-CoV-2 We propose a novel numerical method able to determine efficiently and effectively the relationship of complementarity between portions of proteins surfaces. This innovative and general procedure, based on the representation of the molecular iso-electron density surface in terms of 2D Zernike polynomials, allows the rapid and quantitative assessment of the geometrical shape complementarity between interacting proteins, that was unfeasible with previous methods. We first tested the method with a large dataset of known protein complexes obtaining an overall area under the ROC curve of 0.76 in the blind recognition of binding sites and then applied it to investigate the features of the interaction between the Spike protein of SARS-Cov-2 and human cellular receptors. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 uses a dual strategy: its spike protein could also interact with sialic acid receptors of the cells in the upper airways, in addition to the known interaction with Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.

positive: Computational screening of antagonist against the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) coronavirus by molecular docking Abstract In the current episode of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) spreads, antiviral drug discovery is of great importance. Auto dock vina was used to screen potential drugs by molecular docking with the structure protein and non-structure protein sites of new coronavirus. Ribavirin, a common antiviral drug, as well as remdesivir, chloroquine and luteolin, were all studied. Honeysuckle is generally believed to have antiviral effect in traditional Chinese medicine, the main flavonoid in which is Luteolin. In the study, it was found luteolin could bind to the same sites of main protease of SARS-CoV-2 as the control molecular with a high affinity. Chloroquine, was proved clinically effective, can bind to the main protease, which may be the possible antiviral mechanism. And the study was restricted to molecular docking without validation by MD simulations. Interactions with the main protease may play a key role in in fighting against viruses. Luteolin is a potential antiviral molecule worthy of attention.

positive: Human antibodies can neutralize SARS-CoV-2

positive: A highly conserved cryptic epitope in the receptor binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has now become a pandemic, but there is currently very little understanding of the antigenicity of the virus. We therefore determined the crystal structure of CR3022, a neutralizing antibody previously isolated from a convalescent SARS patient, in complex with the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein at 3.1-angstrom resolution. CR3022 targets a highly conserved epitope, distal from the receptor binding site, that enables cross-reactive binding between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Structural modeling further demonstrates that the binding epitope can only be accessed by CR3022 when at least two RBDs on the trimeric S protein are in the "up" conformation and slightly rotated. These results provide molecular insights into antibody recognition of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Core structure of S2 from the human coronavirus NL63 spike glycoprotein. Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) has recently been identified as a causative agent of acute respiratory tract illnesses in infants and young children. The HCoV-NL63 spike (S) protein mediates virion attachment to cells and subsequent fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. This viral entry process is a primary target for vaccine and drug development. HCoV-NL63 S is expressed as a single-chain glycoprotein and consists of an N-terminal receptor-binding domain (S1) and a C-terminal transmembrane fusion domain (S2). The latter contains two highly conserved heptad-repeat (HR) sequences that are each extended by 14 amino acids relative to those of the SARS coronavirus or the prototypic murine coronavirus, mouse hepatitis virus. Limited proteolysis studies of the HCoV-NL63 S2 fusion core identify an alpha-helical domain composed of a trimer of the HR segments N57 and C42. The crystal structure of this complex reveals three C42 helices entwined in an oblique and antiparallel manner around a central triple-stranded coiled coil formed by three N57 helices. The overall geometry comprises distinctive high-affinity conformations of interacting cross-sectional layers of the six helices. As a result, this structure is unusually stable, with an apparent melting temperature of 78 degrees C in the presence of the denaturant guanidine hydrochloride at 5 M concentration. The extended HR regions may therefore be required to prime the group 1 S glycoproteins for their fusion-activating conformational changes during viral entry. Our results provide an initial basis for understanding an intriguing interplay between the presence or absence of proteolytic maturation among the coronavirus groups and the membrane fusion activity of their S glycoproteins. This study also suggests a potential strategy for the development of improved HCoV-NL63 fusion inhibitors.

positive: Potent neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients define multiple targets of vulnerability The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 has a significant impact on global health, travel and economy. Therefore, preventative and therapeutic measures are urgently needed. Here, we isolated monoclonal antibodies from three convalescent COVID-19 patients using a SARS-CoV-2 stabilized prefusion spike protein. These antibodies had low levels of somatic hypermutation and showed a strong enrichment in VH1-69, VH3-30-3 and VH1-24 gene usage. A subset of the antibodies were able to potently inhibit authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection as low as 0.007 μg/mL. Competition and electron microscopy studies illustrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein contains multiple distinct antigenic sites, including several receptor-binding domain (RBD) epitopes as well as non-RBD epitopes. In addition to providing guidance for vaccine design, the antibodies described here are promising candidates for COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

positive: N-glycosylation network construction and analysis to modify glycans on the spike S glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 Background The spike S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 is N-glycosylated. The N-glycan structure and composition of this glycoprotein influence how the virus interacts with host cells. Objective To identify a putative N-glycan biosynthesis pathway of SARS-CoV-2 (HEK293 cell recombinant) from previously published mass spectrometric studies, and to identify what effect blocking some enzymes has on the overall glycoprotein profile. Finally, our goal was to provide the biosynthesis network, and glycans in easy-to-use format for further glycoinformatics work. Methods We reconstructed the glycosylation network based on previously published empirical data using GNAT, a glycosylation network analysis tool. Our compilation of the network tool had 23 glycosyltransferase and glucosidase enzymes, and could infer the pathway of glycosylation machinery based on glycans identified in the virus spike protein. Once the glycan biosynthesis pathway was generated, we simulated the effect of blocking specific enzymes - Mannosidase-II and alpha-1,6-fucosyltransferase to see how they would affect the biosynthesis network. Results Of the 23 enzymes, a total of 12 were involved in glycosylation of SARS-CoV-2 - Man-Ia, MGAT1, MGAT2, MGAT4, MGAT5, B4GalT, B4GalT, Man II, SiaT, ST3GalI, ST3GalVI and FucT8. Blocking enzymes resulted in a substantially modified glycan profile of the protein. Conclusions A network analysis of N-glycan biosynthesis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein shows an elaborate enzymatic pathway with several intermediate glycans, along with the ones identified by mass spectrometric studies. Variations in the final N-glycan profile of the virus, given its site-specific microheterogeneity, could be a factor in the host response to the infection and response to antibodies. Here we provide all the resources generated - the glycans derived from mass spectrometry and intermediate glycans in glycoCT xml format, and the biosynthesis network for future drug and vaccine development work.

positive: Spiking Pandemic Potential: Structural and Immunological Aspects of SARS-CoV-2 SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious respiratory disease causing thousands of deaths and overwhelming public health systems. The international spread of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the ease of global travel, and societal dynamics, immunologic naiveté of the host population, and muted innate immune responses. Based on these factors and the expanding geographic scale of the disease, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic-the first caused by a coronavirus. In this review, we summarize the current epidemiological status of COVID-19 and consider the virological and immunological lessons, animal models, and tools developed in response to prior SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV outbreaks that can serve as resources for development of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and vaccines. In particular, we discuss structural insights into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, a major determinant of transmissibility, and discuss key molecular aspects that will aid in understanding and fighting this new global threat.

positive: Protein structure analysis of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor: from conformational changes to novel neutralizing antibodies The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread so much rapidly and severely to induce World Health Organization (WHO) to declare state of emergency over the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While several countries have chosen the almost complete lock-down for slowing down SARS-CoV-2 spread, scientific community is called to respond to the devastating outbreak by identifying new tools for diagnosis and treatment of the dangerous COVID-19. With this aim we performed an in silico comparative modeling analysis, which allows to gain new insights about the main conformational changes occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, at the level of the receptor binding domain (RBD), along interactions with human cells angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, that favour human cell invasion. Furthermore, our analysis provides i) an ideal pipeline to identify already characterized antibodies that might target SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD, for preventing interactions with the human ACE2, and ii) instructions for building new possible neutralizing antibodies, according to chemical/physical space restraints and complementary determining regions (CDR) mutagenesis of the identified existing antibodies. The proposed antibodies show in silico a high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and can be used as reference antibodies also for building new high affinity antibodies against present and future coronavirus able to invade human cells through interactions of their spike proteins with the human ACE2. More in general, our analysis provides indications for the set-up of the right biological molecular context for investigating spike RBD-ACE2 interactions for the development of new vaccines, diagnosis kits and other treatments based on the usage or the targeting of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

positive: Protein structure and sequence re-analysis of 2019-nCoV genome does not indicate snakes as its intermediate host or the unique similarity between its spike protein insertions and HIV-1 As the infection of 2019-nCoV coronavirus is quickly developing into a global pneumonia epidemic, careful analysis of its transmission and cellular mechanisms is sorely needed. In this report, we re-analyzed the computational approaches and findings presented in two recent manuscripts by Ji et al. (https://doi.org/10.1002/jmv.25682) and by Pradhan et al. (https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.01.30.927871), which concluded that snakes are the intermediate hosts of 2019-nCoV and that the 2019-nCoV spike protein insertions shared a unique similarity to HIV-1. Results from our re-implementation of the analyses, built on larger-scale datasets using state-of-the-art bioinformatics methods and databases, do not support the conclusions proposed by these manuscripts. Based on our analyses and existing data of coronaviruses, we concluded that the intermediate hosts of 2019-nCoV are more likely to be mammals and birds than snakes, and that the “novel insertions” observed in the spike protein are naturally evolved from bat coronaviruses.

positive: Distinct conformational states of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) pandemic has created urgent needs for intervention strategies to control the crisis. The spike (S) protein of the virus forms a trimer and catalyzes fusion between viral and target cell membranes - the first key step of viral infection. Here we report two cryo-EM structures, both derived from a single preparation of the full-length S protein, representing the prefusion (3.1Å resolution) and postfusion (3.3Å resolution) conformations, respectively. The spontaneous structural transition to the postfusion state under mild conditions is independent of target cells. The prefusion trimer forms a tightly packed structure with three receptor-binding domains clamped down by a segment adjacent to the fusion peptide, significantly different from recently published structures of a stabilized S ectodomain trimer. The postfusion conformation is a rigid tower-like trimer, but decorated by N-linked glycans along its long axis with almost even spacing, suggesting possible involvement in a mechanism protecting the virus from host immune responses and harsh external conditions. These findings advance our understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 enters a host cell and may guide development of vaccines and therapeutics.

positive: Structural characterization of the SARS-coronavirus spike S fusion protein core. The spike (S) glycoprotein of coronaviruses mediates viral entry into host cells. It is a type 1 viral fusion protein that characteristically contains two heptad repeat regions, denoted HR-N and HR-C, that form coiled-coil structures within the ectodomain of the protein. Previous studies have shown that the two heptad repeat regions can undergo a conformational change from their native state to a 6-helix bundle (trimer of dimers), which mediates fusion of viral and host cell membranes. Here we describe the biophysical analysis of the two predicted heptad repeat regions within the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus S protein. Our results show that in isolation the HR-N region forms a stable alpha-helical coiled coil that associates in a tetrameric state. The HR-C region in isolation formed a weakly stable trimeric coiled coil. When mixed together, the two peptide regions (HR-N and HR-C) associated to form a very stable alpha-helical 6-stranded structure (trimer of heterodimers). Systematic peptide mapping showed that the site of interaction between the HR-N and HR-C regions is between residues 916-950 of HR-N and residues 1151-1185 of HR-C. Additionally, interchain disulfide bridge experiments showed that the relative orientation of the HR-N and HR-C helices in the complex was antiparallel. Overall, the structure of the hetero-stranded complex is consistent with the structures observed for other type 1 viral fusion proteins in their fusion-competent state.

positive: Short linear motif candidates in the cell entry system used by SARS-CoV-2 and their potential therapeutic implications The primary cell surface receptor for SARS-CoV-2 is the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Recently it has been noticed that the viral Spike protein has an RGD motif, suggesting that cell surface integrins may be co-receptors. We examined the sequences of ACE2 and integrins with the Eukaryotic Linear Motif resource, ELM, and were presented with candidate short linear motifs (SLiMs) in their short, unstructured, cytosolic tails with potential roles in endocytosis, membrane dynamics, autophagy, cytoskeleton and cell signalling. These SLiM candidates are highly conserved in vertebrates. They suggest potential interactions with the AP2 mu2 subunit as well as I-BAR, LC3, PDZ, PTB and SH2 domains found in signalling and regulatory proteins present in epithelial lung cells. Several motifs overlap in the tail sequences, suggesting that they may act as molecular switches, often involving tyrosine phosphorylation status. Candidate LIR motifs are present in the tails of ACE2 and integrin beta3, suggesting that these proteins can directly recruit autophagy components. We also noticed that the extracellular part of ACE2 has a conserved MIDAS structural motif, which are commonly used by beta integrins for ligand binding, potentially supporting the proposal that integrins and ACE2 share common ligands. The findings presented here identify several molecular links and testable hypotheses that might help uncover the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 attachment, entry and replication, and strengthen the possibility that it might be possible to develop host-directed therapies to dampen the efficiency of viral entry and hamper disease progression. The strong sequence conservation means that these putative SLiMs are good candidates: Nevertheless, SLiMs must always be validated by experimentation before they can be stated to be functional.

positive: Déjà vu: Stimulating open drug discovery for SARS-CoV-2 In the past decade we have seen two major Ebola virus outbreaks in Africa, the Zika virus in Brazil and the Americas and the current pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is a strong sense of déjà vu because there are still no effective treatments. In the COVID-19 pandemic, despite being a new virus, there are already drugs suggested as active in in vitro assays that are being repurposed in clinical trials. Promising SARS-CoV-2 viral targets and computational approaches are described and discussed. Here, we propose, based on open antiviral drug discovery approaches for previous outbreaks, that there could still be gaps in our approach to drug discovery.

positive: Folding of the mouse hepatitis virus spike protein and its association with the membrane protein. Coronaviruses are assembled by budding into pre-Golgi membranes. Using different approaches we have demonstrated that the spike (S) protein and the membrane (M) protein of mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) associate to form large complexes. Newly synthesized M was found in these complexes almost immediately after its synthesis, whereas the S protein started to appear in heterocomplexes after 10-20 min. This is consistent with the slow rate of folding of S and with the observation that folding of S preceeds its association with M. While the folding of S involves the formation of multiple disulfide bonds, folding of M is disulfide-independent. This contrast was reflected by the differential sensitivity of the two proteins to reduction with dithiothreitol (DTT). Addition of DTT to the culture medium of MHV-infected cells drastically impaired the folding of S, but not of M. Consequently, the S protein was unable to interact with M. Under these conditions, S stayed in the ER while M was transported efficiently beyond the site of budding to the Golgi complex. We conclude that the association of S with M is an essential step in the formation of the viral envelope and in the accumulation of both proteins at the site of virus assembly.

positive: When Darkness Becomes a Ray of Light in the Dark Times: Understanding the COVID-19 via the Comparative Analysis of the Dark Proteomes of SARS-CoV-2, Human SARS and Bat SARS-Like Coronaviruses Recently emerged coronavirus designated as SARS-CoV-2 (also known as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) or Wuhan coronavirus) is a causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is rapidly spreading throughout the world now. More than 9,00,000 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection and more than 47,000 COVID-19-associated mortalities have been reported worldwide till the writing of this article, and these numbers are increasing every passing hour. World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the SARS-CoV-2 spread as a global public health emergency and admitted that the COVID-19 is a pandemic now. The multiple sequence alignment data correlated with the already published reports on the SARS-CoV-2 evolution and indicated that this virus is closely related to the bat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-like coronavirus (bat SARS-like CoV) and the well-studied Human SARS coronavirus (SARS CoV). The disordered regions in viral proteins are associated with the viral infectivity and pathogenicity. Therefore, in this study, we have exploited a set of complementary computational approaches to examine the dark proteomes of SARS-CoV-2, bat SARS-like, and human SARS CoVs by analysing the prevalence of intrinsic disorder in their proteins. According to our findings, SARS-CoV-2 proteome contains very significant levels of structural order. In fact, except for Nucleocapsid, Nsp8, and ORF6, the vast majority of SARS-CoV-2 proteins are mostly ordered proteins containing less intrinsically disordered protein regions (IDPRs). However, IDPRs found in SARS-CoV-2 proteins are functionally important. For example, cleavage sites in its replicase 1ab polyprotein are found to be highly disordered, and almost all SARS-CoV-2 proteins were shown to contain molecular recognition features (MoRFs), which are intrinsic disorder-based protein-protein interaction sites that are commonly utilized by proteins for interaction with specific partners. The results of our extensive investigation of the dark side of the SARS-CoV-2 proteome will have important implications for the structural and non-structural biology of SARS or SARS-like coronaviruses. Significance The infection caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes severe respiratory disease with pneumonia-like symptoms in humans is responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic. No in-depth information on structures and functions of SARS-CoV-2 proteins is currently available in the public domain, and no effective anti-viral drugs and/or vaccines are designed for the treatment of this infection. Our study provides the first comparative analysis of the order- and disorder-based features of the SARS-CoV-2 proteome relative to human SARS and bat CoV that may be useful for structure-based drug discovery.

positive: Early data on the performance of a combined SARS-CoV-2 spike-nucleocapsid antibody lateral flow device compared to a nucleocapsid-only device Background There is a critical need for reliable antibody detection methods in order to study and evaluate the public health and clinical response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) devices offer the prospect of rapid point-of-care testing (POCT), but the performance of these devices must be evaluated for robustness before they can be adopted for routine clinical and public health use. Methods Plasma and serum specimens from SARS-CoV-2 RNA-positive (n = 131) and RNA-negative (n = 16) patients were taken from various time points with respect to the onset of symptoms. All 147 anonymised specimens were tested for IgM and IgG using the Hangzhou AllTest 2019-nCoV IgG/IgM Rapid Test Cassette and the Abbexa COVID-19 IgG/IgM Rapid Test Kit. Results IgM sensitivity ranged from 13% to 68%, depending on the date of symptom onset and the device. Regarding IgG, the Abbexa device outperformed the Hangzhou device at all cumulative timeline brackets, with sensitivity of 97·87% (Abbexa) versus 68·09% (Hangzhou) for samples beyond 21 days from symptom onset. Day 21 was therefore chosen as the cut-off for ascertaining test performance characteristics, beyond which the specificity was 100% for both devices and negative predictive value was 0·94 (Abbexa) versus 0·50 (Hangzhou). Discussion Based on this limited dataset, the performance characteristics of the Abbexa LFIA device were substantially better than those of the Hangzhou device. Applying a 21-day cut-off for the Abbexa device meets the minimum (98%) sensitivity and specificity thresholds set by the UK Medicine & Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. The Abbexa device captures antibodies against both SARS-CoV-2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins, as opposed to Hangzhou that targets only the nucleocapsid protein. We therefore propose that spike glycoprotein antibodies be considered as part of the standard diagnostic approach towards SARS-CoV-2 antibody profiling to improve clinical sensitivity and potentially specificity, pending follow-up studies to confirm this approach.

positive: Evolutionary relationships and sequence-structure determinants in human SARS coronavirus-2 spike proteins for host receptor recognition Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a pandemic infectious disease caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2). The SARS CoV-2 is transmitted more rapidly and readily than SARS CoV. Both, SARS CoV and SARS CoV-2 via their glycosylated spike proteins recognize the human angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor. We generated multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic trees for representative spike proteins of SARS CoV and SARS CoV-2 from various host sources in order to analyze the specificity in SARS CoV-2 spike proteins required for causing infection in humans. Our results show that among the genomes analyzed, two sequence regions in the N-terminal domain "MESEFR" and "SYLTPG" are specific to human SARS CoV-2. In the receptor-binding domain, two sequence regions "VGGNY" and "EIYQAGSTPCNGV" and a disulfide bridge connecting 480C and 488C in the extended loop are structural determinants for the recognition of human ACE-2 receptor. The complete genome analysis of representative SARS CoVs from bat, civet, human host sources, and human SARS CoV-2 identified the bat genome (GenBank code: MN996532.1) as closest to the recent novel human SARS CoV-2 genomes. The bat SARS CoV genomes (GenBank codes: MG772933 and MG772934) are evolutionary intermediates in the mutagenesis progression toward becoming human SARS CoV-2.

positive: Comparison of the COVID-2019 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogenesis with SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was first identified in several patients who traveled to Wuhan or went to a seafood wholesale market in Wuhan. The phylogenetic tree showed that SARS-CoV-2 was 96.2% identical to bat β-coronaviruses from lineage B. Also, several studies reported that SARS-CoV-2 uses the SARS-CoV receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, for entry to target cells. Lung alveolar and small intestine are potential targets for SARS-CoV-2 due to the high expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor. In this review, we focused on the zoonotic β-coronaviruses and given there is no specific drug or vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019, we reviewed the literature on the therapy options for SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection, in order to discover their possible use in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

positive: D614G mutation of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein enhances viral infectivity Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The spike (S) protein that mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is a major target for vaccines and therapeutics. Thus, insights into its sequence variations are key to understanding the infection and antigenicity of SARS-CoV-2. A dominant mutational variant at position 614 of the S protein (aspartate to glycine, D614G mutation) was observed in the SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence obtained from the Nextstrain database. Using a pseudovirus-based assay, we identified that S-D614 and S-G614 protein pseudotyped viruses share a common receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which could be blocked by recombinant ACE2 with the fused Fc region of human IgG1. However, S-D614 and S-G614 protein demonstrated functional differences. First, S-G614 protein could be cleaved by serine protease elastase-2 more efficiently. Second, S-G614 pseudovirus infected 293T-ACE2 cells significantly more efficiently than did the S-D614 pseudovirus, especially in the presence of elastase-2. Third, an elastase inhibitor approved for clinical use blocked elastase-enhanced S-G614 pseudovirus infection. Moreover, 93% (65/70) convalescent sera from patients with COVID-19 could neutralize both S-D614 and S-G614 pseudoviruses with comparable efficiencies, but about 7% (5/70) convalescent sera showed reduced neutralizing activity against the S-G614 pseudovirus. These findings have important implications for SARS-CoV-2 transmission and immune interventions.

positive: Missense variants in ACE2 are predicted to encourage and inhibit interaction with SARS-CoV-2 Spike and contribute to genetic risk in COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 invades host cells via an endocytic pathway that begins with the interaction of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike glycoprotein (S-protein) and human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Genetic variability in ACE2 may be one factor that mediates the broad-spectrum severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 outcomes. We investigated the capacity of ACE2 variation to influence SARS-CoV-2 infection with a focus on predicting the effect of missense variants on the ACE2 SARS-CoV-2 S-protein interaction. We validated the mCSM-PPI2 variant effect prediction algorithm with 26 published ACE2 mutant SARS-CoV S-protein binding assays and found it performed well in this closely related system (True Positive Rate = 0.7, True Negative Rate = 1). Application of mCSM-PPI2 to ACE2 missense variants from the Genome Aggregation Consortium Database (gnomAD) identified three that are predicted to strongly inhibit or abolish the S-protein ACE2 interaction altogether (p.Glu37Lys, p.Gly352Val and p.Asp355Asn) and one that is predicted to promote the interaction (p.Gly326Glu). The S-protein ACE2 inhibitory variants are expected to confer a high degree of resistance to SARS-CoV-2 infection whilst the S-protein ACE2 affinity enhancing variant may lead to additional susceptibility and severity. We also performed in silico saturation mutagenesis of the S-protein ACE2 interface and identified a further 38 potential missense mutations that could strongly inhibit binding and one more that is likely to enhance binding (Thr27Arg). A conservative estimate places the prevalence of the strongly protective variants between 12-70 per 100,000 population but there is the possibility of higher prevalence in local populations or those underrepresented in gnomAD. The probable interplay between these ACE2 affinity variants and ACE2 expression polymorphisms is highlighted as well as gender differences in penetrance arising from ACE2’s situation on the X-chromosome. It is also described how our data can help power future genetic association studies of COVID-19 phenotypes and how the saturation mutant predictions can help design a mutant ACE2 with tailored S-protein affinity, which may be an improvement over a current recombinant ACE2 that is undergoing clinical trial. Key results 1 ACE2 gnomAD missense variant (p.Gly326Glu) and one unobserved missense mutation (Thr27Arg) are predicted to enhance ACE2 binding with SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, which could result in increased susceptibility and severity of COVID-19 3 ACE2 missense variants in gnomAD plus another 38 unobserved missense mutations are predicted to inhibit Spike binding, these are expected to confer a high degree of resistance to infection The prevalence of the strongly protective variants is estimated between 12-70 per 100,000 population but higher prevalence may exist in local populations or those underrepresented in gnomAD A strategy to design a recombinant ACE2 with tailored affinity towards Spike and its potential therapeutic value is presented The predictions were extensively validated against published ACE2 mutant binding assays for SARS-CoV Spike protein

positive: Structural basis of receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2 A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) recently emerged and is rapidly spreading in humans, causing COVID-191,2. A key to tackling this pandemic is to understand the receptor recognition mechanism of the virus, which regulates its infectivity, pathogenesis and host range. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV recognize the same receptor-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-in humans3,4. Here we determined the crystal structure of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (engineered to facilitate crystallization) in complex with ACE2. In comparison with the SARS-CoV RBD, an ACE2-binding ridge in SARS-CoV-2 RBD has a more compact conformation; moreover, several residue changes in the SARS-CoV-2 RBD stabilize two virus-binding hotspots at the RBD-ACE2 interface. These structural features of SARS-CoV-2 RBD increase its ACE2-binding affinity. Additionally, we show that RaTG13, a bat coronavirus that is closely related to SARS-CoV-2, also uses human ACE2 as its receptor. The differences among SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and RaTG13 in ACE2 recognition shed light on the potential animal-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This study provides guidance for intervention strategies that target receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Neutralisation of SARS-CoV-2 by destruction of the prefusion Spike Summary There are as yet no licenced therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic. The causal coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) binds host cells via a trimeric Spike whose receptor binding domain (RBD) recognises angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), initiating conformational changes that drive membrane fusion. We find that the monoclonal antibody CR3022 binds the RBD tightly, neutralising SARS-CoV-2 and report the crystal structure at 2.4 Å of the Fab/RBD complex. Some crystals are suitable for screening for entry-blocking inhibitors. The highly conserved, structure-stabilising, CR3022 epitope is inaccessible in the prefusion Spike, suggesting that CR3022 binding facilitates conversion to the fusion-incompetent post-fusion state. Cryo-EM analysis confirms that incubation of Spike with CR3022 Fab leads to destruction of the prefusion trimer. Presentation of this cryptic epitope in an RBD-based vaccine might advantageously focus immune responses. Binders at this epitope may be useful therapeutically, possibly in synergy with an antibody blocking receptor attachment.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV Spike-RBD Structure and Receptor Binding Comparison and Potential Implications on Neutralizing Antibody and Vaccine Development SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV share a common human receptor ACE2. Protein-protein interaction structure modeling indicates that spike-RBD of the two viruses also has similar overall binding conformation and binding free energy to ACE2. In vitro assays using recombinant ACE2 proteins and ACE2 expressing cells confirmed the two coronaviruses’ similar binding affinities to ACE2. The above studies provide experimental supporting evidences and possible explanation for the high transmissibility observed in the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak. Potent ACE2-blocking SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies showed limited cross-binding and neutralizing activities to SARS-CoV-2. ACE2-non-blocking SARS-CoV RBD antibodies, though with weaker neutralizing activities against SARS-CoV, showed positive cross-neutralizing activities to SARS-CoV-2 with an unknown mechanism. These findings suggest a trade-off between the efficacy and spectrum for therapeutic antibodies to different coronaviruses, and hence highlight the possibilities and challenges in developing broadly protecting antibodies and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and its future mutants.

positive: LIPS method for the detection of SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies to spike and nucleocapsid proteins Profiling antibodies to SARS‐CoV‐2 can help to assess potential immune response after COVID‐19 disease. Luciferase IP system (LIPS) assay is a sensitive method for quantitative detection of antibodies to antigens in their native conformation. We here describe LIPS to detect antibody responses to SARS‐CoV‐2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins in COVID‐19 patients. The antibodies targeted both S and N fragments and gave a high assay sensitivity by identifying 26 out of 26 COVID‐19 patients with N antigen or with three protein fragments when combined into a single reaction. The assay correlated well with ELISA method and was specific to COVID‐19 as we saw no reactivity among uninfected healthy controls. Our results show that LIPS is a rapid and measurable method to screen antibody responses against SARS‐CoV‐2 antigens.

positive: Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib as a potential drug for COVID-19 The rapid geographic expansion of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the infectious agent of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, poses an immediate need for potent drugs that can help contain the outbreak. Enveloped viruses infect the host cell by cellular membrane fusion, a crucial mechanism required for virus replication. The SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein, due to its primary interaction with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) cell-surface receptor, is considered as a potential target for drug development. Based on in silico screening followed by in vitro studies, here we report that the existing FDA-approved Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib, inhibits SARS-CoV-2 with an IC50 of 130 nM. We provide initial evidence that inhibition of virus fusion may explain the antiviral action of imatinib. This finding is significant since pinpointing the mode of action allows evaluating the drug’s affinity to the SARS-CoV-2-specific target protein, and in turn, helps make inferences on the potency of the drug and evidence-based recommendations on its dosage. To this end, we provide evidence that imatinib binds to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with an affinity at micromolar, i.e., 2.32 ± 0.9 µM, levels. We also show that imatinib inhibits other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, possibly via fusion inhibition. Based on promising in vitro results, we propose the Abl kinase inhibitor (ATKI), imatinib, to be a viable repurposable drug candidate for further clinical validation against COVID-19.

positive: A glycan cluster on the SARS-CoV-2 spike ectodomain is recognized by Fab-dimerized glycan-reactive antibodies The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has escalated into a global crisis. The spike (S) protein that mediates cell entry and membrane fusion is the current focus of vaccine and therapeutic antibody development efforts. The S protein, like many other viral fusion proteins such as HIV-1 envelope (Env) and influenza hemagglutinin, is glycosylated with both complex and high mannose glycans. Here we demonstrate binding to the SARS-CoV-2 S protein by a category of Fab-dimerized glycan-reactive (FDG) HIV-1-induced broadly neutralizing antibodies (bnAbs). A 3.1 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of the S protein ectodomain bound to glycan-dependent HIV-1 bnAb 2G12 revealed a quaternary glycan epitope on the spike S2 domain involving multiple protomers. These data reveal a new epitope on the SARS-CoV-2 spike that can be targeted for vaccine design. Highlights Fab-dimerized, glycan-reactive (FDG) HIV-1 bnAbs cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 spike. 3.1 Å resolution cryo-EM structure reveals quaternary S2 epitope for HIV-1 bnAb 2G12. 2G12 targets glycans, at positions 709, 717 and 801, in the SARS-CoV-2 spike. Our studies suggest a common epitope for FDG antibodies centered around glycan 709.

positive: Serology of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Implications for Surveillance and Outcome Background. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a novel infectious disease. No information is currently available on host-specific immunity against the SARS coronavirus (CoV), and detailed characteristics of the epidemiology of SARS CoV infection have not been identified. Methods. ELISA was used to detect antibody to SARS CoV. Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to detect SARS CoV RNA. T cells in peripheral blood of patients were quantified by flow cytometry. Results. Of 36 patients with probable SARS CoV infection, 30 (83.3%) were positive for IgG antibody to SARS CoV; in contrast, only 3 of 48 patients with suspected SARS CoV infection, 0 of 112 patients with fever but without SARS, and 0 of 96 healthy control individuals were positive for it. IgG antibody to SARS CoV was first detected between day 5 and day 47 after onset of illness (mean ± SD, 18.7±10.4). Conclusion. Detection of antibody to SARS CoV is useful in the diagnosis of SARS; however, at the incubation and initial phases of the illness, serological assay is of little value, because of late seroconversion in most patients.

positive: Mapping active allosteric loci SARS-CoV Spike Proteins by means of Protein Contact Networks Coronaviruses are a class of virus responsible of the recent outbreak of Human Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome. The molecular machinery behind the viral entry and thus infectivity is based on the formation of the complex of virus spike protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The detection of putative allosteric sites on the viral spike protein can trace the path to develop allosteric drugs to weaken the strength of the spike-ACE2 interface and, thus, reduce the viral infectivity. In this work we present results of the application of the Protein Contact Network (PCN) paradigm to the complex SARS-CoV spike - ACE2 relative to both 2003 SARS and the recent 2019 - CoV. Results point to a specific region, present in both structures, that is predicted to act as allosteric site modulating the binding of the spike protein with ACE2.

positive: Investigation of the effect of temperature on the structure of SARS-Cov-2 Spike Protein by Molecular Dynamics Simulations Statistical and epidemiological data imply temperature sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. However, the molecular level understanding of the virus structure at different temperature is still not clear. Spike protein is the outermost structural protein of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which interacts with the Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2), a human receptor, and enters the respiratory system. In this study, we performed an all atom molecular dynamics simulation to study the effect of temperature on the structure of the Spike protein. After 200ns of simulation at different temperatures, we came across some interesting phenomena exhibited by the protein. We found that the solvent exposed domain of Spike protein, namely S1, is more mobile than the transmembrane domain, S2. Structural studies implied the presence of several charged residues on the surface of N-terminal Domain of S1 which are optimally oriented at 10-30 °C. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that it is capable of binding to other human receptors and should not be disregarded. Additionally, we found that receptor binding motif (RBM), present on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of S1, begins to close around temperature of 40 °C and attains a completely closed conformation at 50 °C. The closed conformation disables its ability to bind to ACE2, due to the burying of its receptor binding residues. Our results clearly show that there are active and inactive states of the protein at different temperatures. This would not only prove beneficial for understanding the fundamental nature of the virus, but would be also useful in the development of vaccines and therapeutics. Graphical Abstract Highlights Statistical and epidemiological evidence show that external climatic conditions influence the SARS-CoV infectivity, but we still lack a molecular level understanding of the same. Here, we study the influence of temperature on the structure of the Spike glycoprotein, the outermost structural protein, of the virus which binds to the human receptor ACE2. Results show that the Spike’s S1 domain is very sensitive to external atmospheric conditions compared to the S2 transmembrane domain. The N-terminal domain comprises of several solvent exposed charged residues that are capable of binding to human proteins. The region is specifically stable at temperatures ranging around 10-30° C. The Receptor Binding Motif adopts a closed conformation at 40°C and completely closes at higher temperatures making it unsuitable of binding to human receptors

positive: A serological assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion in humans SARS-Cov-2 (severe acute respiratory disease coronavirus 2), which causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID19) was first detected in China in late 2019 and has since then caused a global pandemic. While molecular assays to directly detect the viral genetic material are available for the diagnosis of acute infection, we currently lack serological assays suitable to specifically detect SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. Here we describe serological enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) that we developed using recombinant antigens derived from the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Using negative control samples representing pre-COVID 19 background immunity in the general adult population as well as samples from COVID19 patients, we demonstrate that these assays are sensitive and specific, allowing for screening and identification of COVID19 seroconverters using human plasma/serum as early as two days post COVID19 symptoms onset. Importantly, these assays do not require handling of infectious virus, can be adjusted to detect different antibody types and are amendable to scaling. Such serological assays are of critical importance to determine seroprevalence in a given population, define previous exposure and identify highly reactive human donors for the generation of convalescent serum as therapeutic. Sensitive and specific identification of coronavirus SARS-Cov-2 antibody titers may, in the future, also support screening of health care workers to identify those who are already immune and can be deployed to care for infected patients minimizing the risk of viral spread to colleagues and other patients.

positive: Development and validation of IMMUNO-COV™: a high-throughput clinical assay for detecting antibodies that neutralize SARS-CoV-2 We here describe the development and validation of IMMUNO-COV™, a high-throughput clinical test to quantitatively measure SARS-CoV-2-neutralizing antibodies, the specific subset of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that block viral infection. The test measures the capacity of serum or purified antibodies to neutralize a recombinant Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV) encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. This recombinant virus (VSV-SARS-CoV-2-S-Δ19CT) induces fusion in Vero cell monolayers, which is detected as luciferase signal using a dual split protein (DSP) reporter system. VSV-SARS-CoV-2-S-Δ19CT infection was blocked by monoclonal α-SARS-CoV-2-spike antibodies and by plasma or serum from SARS-CoV-2 convalescing individuals. The assay exhibited 100% specificity in validation tests, and across all tests zero false positives were detected. In blinded analyses of 230 serum samples, only two unexpected results were observed based on available clinical data. We observed a perfect correlation between results from our assay and 80 samples that were also assayed using a commercially available ELISA. To quantify the magnitude of the anti-viral response, we generated a calibration curve by adding stepped concentrations of α-SARS-CoV-2-spike monoclonal antibody to pooled SARS-CoV-2 seronegative serum. Using the calibration curve and a single optimal 1:100 serum test dilution, we reliably measured neutralizing antibody levels in each test sample. Virus neutralization units (VNUs) calculated from the assay correlated closely (p < 0.0001) with PRNTEC50 values determined by plaque reduction neutralization test against a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the IMMUNO-COV™ assay accurately quantitates SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in human sera and therefore is a potentially valuable addition to the currently available serological tests. The assay can provide vital information for comparing immune responses to the various SARS-CoV-2 vaccines that are currently in development, or for evaluating donor eligibility in convalescent plasma therapy studies.

positive: A comparative analysis for SARS-CoV-2 COVID-19 has affected the world tremendously. It is critical that biological experiments and clinical designs are informed by computational approaches for time- and cost-effective solutions. Comparative analyses particularly can play a key role to reveal structural changes in proteins due to mutations, which can lead to behavioural changes, such as the increased binding of the SARS-CoV-2 surface glycoprotein to human ACE2 receptors. The aim of this report is to provide an easy to follow tutorial for biologists and others without delving into different bioinformatics tools. More complex analyses such as the use of large-scale computational methods can then be utilised. Starting with a SARS-CoV-2 genome sequence, the report shows visualising DNA sequence features, deriving amino acid sequences, and aligning different genomes to analyse mutations and differences. The report provides further insights into how the SARS-CoV-2 surface glycoprotein mutated for higher binding affinity to human ACE2 receptors, compared to the SARS-CoV protein, by integrating existing 3D protein models.

positive: Exploring Conformational Transition of 2019 Novel Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein Between Its Closed and Open States Using Molecular Dynamics Simulations Since its first recorded appearance in December 2019, a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causing the disease COVID-19 has resulted in more than 2,000,000 infections and 128,000 deaths. Currently there is no proven treatment for COVID-19 and there is an urgent need for the development of vaccines and therapeutics. Coronavirus spike glycoproteins play a critical role in coronavirus entry into the host cells, as they provide host cell recognition and membrane fusion between virus and host cell. Thus, they emerged as popular and promising drug targets. Crystal structures of spike protein in its closed and open states were resolved very recently in March 2020. These structures comprise 77% of the sequence and provide almost the complete protein structure. Based on down and up positions of receptor binding domain (RBD), spike protein can be in a receptor inaccessible closed or receptor accessible open state, respectively. Starting from closed and open state crystal structures, and also 16 intermediate conformations, an extensive set of all-atom molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in the presence of explicit water and ions were performed. Simulations show that in its down position, RBD has significantly lower mobility compared to its up position; probably caused by the 6 interdomain salt bridges of RBD in down position compared to 3 in up position. Free energy landscapes based on MD simulations revealed a semi-open state located between closed and open states. Minimum energy pathway between down and up positions comprised a gradual salt bridge switching mechanism. Furthermore, although significantly lower than open state, ACE2 binding surface of RBD contained a partial solvent accessibility in its closed state.

positive: In silico studies on the comparative characterization of the interactions of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike glycoprotein with ACE‐2 receptor homologs and human TLRs Coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) outbreak due to novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection has come out as a major threat for mankind in recent times. It is continually taking an enormous toll on mankind by means of increasing number of deaths, associated comorbidities, and socioeconomic loss around the globe. Unavailability of chemotherapeutics/vaccine has posed tremendous challenges to scientists and doctors for developing an urgent therapeutic strategy. In this connection, the present in silico study aims to understand the sequence divergence of spike protein (the major infective protein of SARS‐CoV‐2), its mode of interaction with the angiotensin‐converting enzyme‐2 receptor (ACE2) receptor of human and related animal hosts/reservoir. Moreover, the involvement of the human Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) against the spike protein has also been demonstrated. Our data indicated that the spike glycoprotein of SARS‐CoV‐2 is phylogenetically close to bat coronavirus and strongly binds with ACE2 receptor protein from both human and bat origin. We have also found that cell surface TLRs, especially TLR4 is most likely to be involved in recognizing molecular patterns from SARS‐CoV‐2 to induce inflammatory responses. The present study supported the zoonotic origin of SARS‐CoV‐2 from a bat and also revealed that TLR4 may have a crucial role in the virus‐induced inflammatory consequences associated with COVID‐19. Therefore, selective targeting of TLR4‐spike protein interaction by designing competitive TLR4‐antagonists could pave a new way to treat COVID‐19. Finally, this study is expected to improve our understanding on the immunobiology of SARS‐CoV‐2 and could be useful in adopting spike protein, ACE2, or TLR‐guided intervention strategy against COVID‐19 shortly.

positive: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus membrane protein interacts with nucleocapsid protein mostly through their carboxyl termini by electrostatic attraction Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) membrane protein is an abundant virion protein, and its interaction with the nucleocapsid protein is crucial for viral assembly and morphogenesis. Although the interacting region in the nucleocapsid protein was mapped to residues 168–208, the interacting region in the membrane protein and the interaction nature are still unclear. In this work, by using yeast two-hybrid and surface plasmon resonance techniques, the residues 197–221 of the membrane protein and the residues 351–422 of the nucleocapsid protein were determined to be involved in their interaction. Sequence analysis revealed that these two fragments are highly charged at neutral pH, suggesting that their interaction may be of ionic nature. Kinetic assays indicated that the endodomain (aa102–221) of the membrane protein interacts with the nucleocapsid protein with high affinity (K D =0.55±0.04μM), however, this interaction could be weakened greatly by acidification, higher salt concentration (400mM NaCl) and divalent cation (50mM Ca2+), which suggests that electrostatic attraction might play an important role in this interaction. In addition, it is noted that two highly conserved amino acids (L218 and L219) in the membrane protein are not involved in this interaction. Here, we show that electrostatic interactions between the carboxyl termini of SARS-CoV membrane protein and nucleocapsid protein largely mediate the interaction of these two proteins. These results might facilitate therapeutic strategies aiming at the disruption of the association between SARS-CoV membrane and nucleocapsid proteins.

positive: A virus that has gone viral: amino acid mutation in S protein of Indian isolate of Coronavirus COVID-19 might impact receptor binding, and thus, infectivity Since 2002, β coronaviruses (CoVs) have caused three zoonotic outbreaks, SARS-CoV in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and the recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 late in 2019 (also named as COVID-19 or novel coronavirus 2019 or nCoV2019). Spike (S) protein, one of the structural proteins of this virus plays key role in receptor (ACE2) binding and thus virus entry. Thus, this protein has attracted scientists for detailed study and therapeutic targeting. As the nCoV2019 takes its course throughout the world, more and more sequence analyses are being done and genome sequences are being deposited in various databases. From India, two clinical isolates have been sequenced and the full genome has been deposited in GenBank. We have performed sequence analyses of the Spike protein of the Indian isolates and compared with that of the Wuhan, China (where the outbreak was first reported). While all the sequences of Wuhan isolates are identical, we found point mutations in the Indian isolates. Out of the two isolates, one was found to harbor a mutation in its receptor-binding domain (RBD) at position 407. At this site, arginine (a positively charged amino acid) was replaced by isoleucine (a hydrophobic amino acid that is also a C-β branched amino acid). This mutation has been seen to change the secondary structure of the protein at that region and this can potentially alter receptor binding of the virus. Although this finding needs further validation and more sequencing, the information might be useful in rational drug designing and vaccine engineering.

positive: Laboratory Diagnosis of Novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Infection Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infection caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The infection manifests as a mild flu to severe acute respiratory infection. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. The disease spreads by droplet infection from person to person. Early diagnosis is the key for prompt management of cases and control of the spread of the virus. Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 is based on nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) like real-time reverse transcriptase (RT-PCR). Various genes like E, N, S, ORF and RdRp are targeted as a part of screening and confirmation of cases. Furthermore, nucleic acid sequencing may be done for the identification of mutation in the genome of SARS-CoV-2. The development of serological assays and point of care molecular test will further intensify the diagnostic modalities of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Identification of SARS-CoV RBD-targeting monoclonal antibodies with cross-reactive or neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2-caused COVID-19 cases are growing globally, calling for developing effective therapeutics to control the current pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV recognize angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor via the receptor-binding domain (RBD). Here, we identified six SARS-CoV RBD-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (nAbs) that cross-reacted with SARS-CoV-2 RBD, two of which, 18F3 and 7B11, neutralized SARS-CoV-2 infection. 18F3 recognized conserved epitopes on SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 RBDs, whereas 7B11 recognized epitopes on SARS-CoV RBD not fully conserved in SARS-CoV-2 RBD. The 18F3-recognizing epitopes on RBD did not overlap with the ACE2-binding sites, whereas those recognized by 7B11 were close to the ACE2-binding sites, explaining why 7B11 could, but 18F3 could not, block SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 RBD binding to ACE2 receptor. Our study provides an alternative approach to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection using anti-SARS-CoV nAbs.

positive: Continuous flexibility analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Spike prefusion structures With the help of novel processing workflows and algorithms, we have obtained a better understanding of the flexibility and conformational dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 spike in the prefusion state. We have re-analyzed previous cryo-EM data combining 3D clustering approaches with ways to explore a continuous flexibility space based on 3D Principal Component Analysis. These advanced analyses revealed a concerted motion involving the receptor-binding domain (RBD), N-terminal domain (NTD), and subdomain 1 and 2 (SD1 & SD2) around the previously characterized 1-RBD-up state, which have been modeled as elastic deformations. We show that in this dataset there are not well-defined, stable, spike conformations, but virtually a continuum of states moving in a concerted fashion. We obtained an improved resolution ensemble map with minimum bias, from which we model by flexible fitting the extremes of the change along the direction of maximal variance. Moreover, a high-resolution structure of a recently described biochemically stabilized form of the spike is shown to greatly reduce the dynamics observed for the wild-type spike. Our results provide new detailed avenues to potentially restrain the spike dynamics for structure-based drug and vaccine design and at the same time give a warning of the potential image processing classification instability of these complicated datasets, having a direct impact on the interpretability of the results.

positive: Genomic Mutations and Changes in Protein Secondary Structure and Solvent Accessibility of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19 Virus) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a highly pathogenic virus that has caused the global COVID-19 pandemic. Tracing the evolution and transmission of the virus is crucial to respond to and control the pandemic through appropriate intervention strategies. This paper reports and analyses genomic mutations in the coding regions of SARS-CoV-2 and their probable protein secondary structure and solvent accessibility changes, which are predicted using deep learning models. Prediction results suggest that mutation D614G in the virus spike protein, which has attracted much attention from researchers, is unlikely to make changes in protein secondary structure and relative solvent accessibility. Based on 6,324 viral genome sequences, we create a spreadsheet dataset of point mutations that can facilitate the investigation of SARS-CoV-2 in many perspectives, especially in tracing the evolution and worldwide spread of the virus. Our analysis results also show that coding genes E, M, ORF6, ORF7a, ORF7b and ORF10 are most stable, potentially suitable to be targeted for vaccine and drug development.

positive: In-Silico evidence for two receptors based strategy of SARS-CoV-2 We propose a novel numerical method able to determine efficiently and effectively the relationship of complementarity between portions of protein surfaces. This innovative and general procedure, based on the representation of the molecular iso-electron density surface in terms of 2D Zernike polynomials, allows the rapid and quantitative assessment of the geometrical shape complementarity between interacting proteins, that was unfeasible with previous methods. We first tested the method with a large dataset of known protein complexes obtaining an overall area under the ROC curve of 0.76 in the blind recognition of binding sites and then applied it to investigate the features of the interaction between the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and human cellular receptors. Our results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 uses a dual strategy: its spike protein could also interact with sialic acid receptors of the cells in the upper airways, in addition to the known interaction with Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing human recombinant antibodies selected from pre-pandemic healthy donors binding at RBD-ACE2 interface COVID-19 is a severe acute respiratory disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, a novel betacoronavirus discovered in December 2019 and closely related to the SARS coronavirus (CoV). Both viruses use the human ACE2 receptor for cell entry, recognizing it with the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of the S1 subunit of the viral spike (S) protein. The S2 domain mediates viral fusion with the host cell membrane. Experience with SARS and MERS coronavirus has shown that potent monoclonal neutralizing antibodies against the RBD can inhibit the interaction with the virus cellular receptor (ACE2 for SARS) and block the virus cell entry. Assuming that a similar strategy would be successful against SARS-CoV-2, we used phage display to select from the human naïve universal antibody gene libraries HAL9/10 anti SARS2 spike antibodies capable of inhibiting interaction with ACE2. 309 unique fully human antibodies against S1 were identified. 17 showed more than 75% inhibition of spike binding to cells expressing ACE2, assessed by flow cytometry and several antibodies showed even an 50% inhibition at a molar ratio of the antibody to spike protein or RBD of 1:1. Furthermore, these antibodies neutralized active SARS-Cov-2 virus infection of VeroE6 cells. All 17 were all able to bind the isolated RBD, four of them with sub-nanomolar EC50. Epitope analysis of the antibodies revealed that six bind at the RBD-ACE2 interface and two on the opposite side of the domain. Universal libraries from healthy donors offer the advantage that antibodies can be generated quickly and independent from the availability of material from recovered patients in a pandemic situation.

positive: Recombinant Protein Targeting and Opsonizing Spike Glycoprotein for Enhancing SARS-CoV-2 Phagocytosis The present hypothesis suggests an innovative therapeutic strategy to cease Covid 19 infection. It is based on the inhibition of Spike glycoprotein and ACE-2 receptor interaction that provides the entry of virus in human host cells, by targeting the S protein with a recombinant molecule made of the ACE-2 receptor ectodomain and an opsonin, the formed complex would enhance its phagocytosis.

positive: Proteolytic cleavage of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the role of the novel S1/S2 site Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread to the entire world within a few months. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been related to the lineage B Betacoronavirus SARS-CoV and SARS-related coronaviruses found in bats. Early characterizations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome revealed the existence of a distinct 4 amino acid insert within the spike (S) protein (underlined, SPRRAR↓S), at the S1/S2 site located at the interface between the S1 receptor binding subunit and the S2 fusion subunit. Notably, this insert appears to be a distinguishing feature among SARS-related sequences and introduces a potential cleavage site for the protease furin. Here, we investigate the potential role of this novel S1/S2 cleavage site and present direct biochemical evidence for proteolytic processing by a variety of proteases. We discuss these findings in the context of the origin of SARS-CoV-2, viral stability and transmission.

positive: In silico ADMET and molecular docking study on searching potential inhibitors from limonoids and triterpenoids for COVID-19 The computational strategies like molecular docking, simulation, in silico ADMET and drug-likeness prediction were adopted to search potential compounds that can inhibit the effects of SARS-CoV-2. Considering the published literatures on medicinal importance, total 154 phytochemicals with analogous structure from limonoids and triterpenoids were selected to search potential inhibitors for the five protein targets of SARS-CoV-2, i.e., 3CLpro (main protease), PLpro (papain like protease), SGp-RBD (spike glycoprotein-receptor binding domain), RdRp (RNA dependent RNA polymerase, ACE2 (angiotensin converting enzyme 2). Analyses of the in silico computational results and reported medicinal uses, the phytochemicals such as 7-deacetyl-7-benzoylgedunin, epoxyazadiradione, limonin, maslinic acid, glycyrrhizic acid and ursolic acid were found to be effective against the target proteins of SARS-CoV-2. The protein-ligand interaction study revealed that these phytochemicals bind at the main active site of the target proteins. Therefore, the core structure of these potential hits can be used for further lead optimization to design drugs for SARS-CoV-2. Also, the plants extracts like neem, tulsi, citrus and olives containing these phytochemicals can be used to formulate suitable therapeutics approaches in traditional medicines.

positive: Molecular architecture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an enveloped virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite recent advances in the structural elucidation of SARS-CoV-2 proteins and the complexes of the spike (S) proteins with the cellular receptor ACE2 or neutralizing antibodies, detailed architecture of the intact virus remains to be unveiled. Here we report the molecular assembly of the authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus using cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and subtomogram averaging (STA). Native structures of the S proteins in both pre- and postfusion conformations were determined to average resolutions of 9-11 Å. Compositions of the N-linked glycans from the native spikes were analyzed by mass spectrometry, which revealed highly similar overall processing states of the native glycans to that of the recombinant glycoprotein glycans. The in situ architecture of the ribonucleoproteins (RNP) and its higher-order assemblies were revealed. These characterizations have revealed the architecture of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to an unprecedented resolution, and shed lights on how the virus packs its ~30 Kb long single-segmented RNA in the ~80 nm diameter lumen. Overall, the results unveiled the molecular architecture and assembly of the SARS-CoV-2 in native context.

positive: Structure of novel coronavirus’s spike protein solved n a piece of research accomplished with astonishing speed, scientists from the University of Texas at Austin and the National Institutes of Health have released a cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of part of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the novel coronavirus that has infected tens of thousands of people and killed more than 2,000 since the end of December (Science 2020, DOI: 10 1126/science abb2507) The part of the virus imaged, called the spike protein, helps the virus attach to and infect human cells, and the determination of its structure comes just weeks after the virus’s genome sequence was published The breakthrough is a huge step toward developing a vaccine against the virus as well as treatments for COVID-19, the disease that it causes, the researchers say UT Austin’s Jason McLellan and his colleagues, who have spent many years studying other coronaviruses, had already figured out how to use select

positive: A thermostable, closed, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein trimer The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 mediates receptor binding and cell entry and is the dominant target of the immune system. S exhibits substantial conformational flexibility. It transitions from closed to open conformations to expose its receptor binding site, and subsequently from prefusion to postfusion conformations to mediate fusion of viral and cellular membranes. S protein derivatives are components of vaccine candidates and diagnostic assays, as well as tools for research into the biology and immunology of SARS-CoV-2. Here we have designed mutations in S which allow production of thermostable, crosslinked, S protein trimers that are trapped in the closed, pre-fusion, state. We have determined the structures of crosslinked and non-crosslinked proteins, identifying two distinct closed conformations of the S trimer. We demonstrate that the designed, thermostable, closed S trimer can be used in serological assays. This protein has potential applications as a reagent for serology, virology and as an immunogen.

positive: Coronavirus in Continuous Flux: From SARS‐CoV to SARS‐CoV‐2 The world is currently experiencing a global pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), which causes severe respiratory disease similar to SARS. Previous studies have suggested that SARS‐CoV‐2 shares 79% and 96% sequence identity to SARS‐CoV and to bat coronavirus RaTG13, respectively at the whole‐genome level. Furthermore, a series of studies have shown that SARS‐CoV‐2 induces clusters of severe respiratory illnesses (i.e., pneumonia, acute lung injury (ALI), acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)) resembling SARS‐CoV. Moreover, the pathological syndrome may, in part, be caused by cytokine storms and dysregulated immune responses. Thus, in this work the recent literature surrounding the biology, clinical manifestations, and immunology of SARS‐CoV‐2 is summarized, with the aim of aiding prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved

positive: In situ structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 spike reveals flexibility mediated by three hinges The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is required for cell entry and is the major focus for vaccine development. We combine cryo electron tomography, subtomogram averaging and molecular dynamics simulations to structurally analyze S in situ. Compared to recombinant S, the viral S is more heavily glycosylated and occurs predominantly in a closed pre-fusion conformation. We show that the stalk domain of S contains three hinges that give the globular domain unexpected orientational freedom. We propose that the hinges allow S to scan the host cell surface, shielded from antibodies by an extensive glycan coat. The structure of native S contributes to our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of safe vaccines. The large scale tomography data set of SARS-CoV-2 used for this study is therefore sufficient to resolve structural features to below 5 Ångstrom, and is publicly available at EMPIAR-10453.

positive: Standardization of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for serosurveys of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic using clinical and at-home blood sampling The extent of SARS-CoV-2 infection throughout the United States population is currently unknown. High quality serology is a key tool to understanding the spread of infection, immunity against the virus, and correlates of protection. Limited validation and testing of serology assays used for serosurveys can lead to unreliable or misleading data, and clinical testing using such unvalidated assays can lead to medically costly diagnostic errors and improperly informed public health decisions. Estimating prevalence and clinical decision making is highly dependent on specificity. Here, we present an optimized ELISA-based serology protocol from antigen production to data analysis. This protocol defines thresholds for IgG and IgM for determination of seropositivity with estimated specificity well above 99%. Validation was performed using both traditionally collected serum and dried blood on mail-in blood sampling kits, using archival (pre-2019) negative controls and known PCR-diagnosed positive patient controls. Minimal cross-reactivity was observed for the spike proteins of MERS, SARS1, OC43 and HKU1 viruses and no cross reactivity was observed with anti-influenza A H1N1 HAI titer during validation. This strategy is highly specific and is designed to provide good estimates of seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 seropositivity in a population, providing specific and reliable data from serosurveys and clinical testing which can be used to better evaluate and understand SARS-CoV-2 immunity and correlates of protection.

positive: Virtual Screening of Plant Metabolites against Main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2: Therapeutics option of COVID-19 Covid-19, a serious respiratory complications caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become one of the global threat to human healthcare system. The present study evaluated the possibility of plant originated approved 117 therapeutics against the main protease protein (MPP), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and spike protein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 including drug surface analysis by using molecular docking through drug repurposing approaches. The molecular interaction study revealed that Rifampin (-16.3 kcal/mol) were topmost inhibitor of MPP where Azobechalcone were found most potent plant therapeutics for blocking the RdRp (-15.9 kcal /mol) and S (-14.4 kcal/mol) protein of SARS-CoV-2. After the comparative analysis of all docking results, Azobechalcone, Rifampin, Isolophirachalcone, Tetrandrine and Fangchinoline were exhibited as the most potential inhibitory plant compounds for targeting the key proteins of SARS-CoV-2. However, amino acid positions; H41, C145, and M165 of MPP played crucial roles for the drug surface interaction where F368, L371, L372, A375, W509, L514, Y515 were pivotal for RdRP. In addition, the drug interaction surface of S proteins also showed similar patterns with all of its maximum inhibitors. ADME analysis also strengthened the possibility of screened plant therapeutics as the potent drug candidates against SARS-C with the highest drug friendliness.

positive: Genotype and phenotype of COVID-19: Their roles in pathogenesis Abstract COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus with an outbreak of unusual viral pneumonia in Wuhan, China, and then pandemic. Based on its phylogenetic relationships and genomic structures the COVID-19 belongs to genera Betacoronavirus. Human Betacoronaviruses (SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV) have many similarities, but also have differences in their genomic and phenotypic structure that can influence their pathogenesis. COVID-19 is containing single-stranded (positive-sense) RNA associated with a nucleoprotein within a capsid comprised of matrix protein. A typical CoV contains at least six ORFs in its genome. All the structural and accessory proteins are translated from the sgRNAs of CoVs. Four main structural proteins are encoded by ORFs 10, 11 on the one-third of the genome near the 3′-terminus. The genetic and phenotypic structure of COVID-19 in pathogenesis is important. This article highlights the most important of these features compared to other Betacoronaviruses.

positive: Phylogenetic Analysis and Structural Perspectives of RNA-Dependent RNA-Polymerase Inhibition from SARs-CoV-2 with Natural Products ABSTRACT: Most recently, an outbreak of severe pneumonia caused by the infection of SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus first identified in Wuhan, China, imposes serious threats to public health. Upon infecting host cells, coronaviruses assemble a multi-subunit RNA-synthesis complex of viral non-structural proteins (nsp) responsible for the replication and transcription of the viral genome. Therefore, the role and inhibition of nsp12 are indispensable. A cryo-EM structure of RdRp from SARs-CoV-2 was used to identify novel drugs from Northern South African medicinal compounds database (NANPDB) by using computational virtual screening and molecular docking approaches. Considering Remdesivir as the control, 42 compounds were shortlisted to have docking score better than Remdesivir. The top 5 hits were validated by using molecular dynamics simulation approach and free energy calculations possess strong inhibitory properties than the Remdesivir. Thus, this study paved a way for designing novel drugs by decoding the architecture of an important enzyme and its inhibition with compounds from natural resources. This disclosing of necessary knowledge regarding the screening and the identification of top hits could help to design effective therapeutic candidates against the coronaviruses and design robust preventive measurements. GRAPHIC ABSTRACT: [Image: see text]

positive: An approach towards development of monoclonal IgY antibodies against SARS CoV-2 spike protein (S) using phage display method: A review The present state of diagnostic and therapeutic developmental race for vaccines against the SARS CoV-2 (nCOVID-19) focuses on prevention and control of this global pandemic which also represents a critical challenge to the global health community. Although development of novel vaccines can prevent the SARS CoV-2 infections, it is still impeded by several other factors and therefore novel approaches towards treatment and management of this disease is the urgent need. Passive immunotherapy plays a vital role as a possible alternative to meet this challenge and among various antibody sources, chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) can be used as an alternative to mammalian antibodies which have been previously studied against SARS CoV outbreak in China. In this review, we discuss the strategies for the use of chicken egg yolk (IgY) antibodies in the development of rapid diagnosis and immunotherapy against SARS CoV-2. Also, IgY antibodies have previously been used against various respiratory bacterial and viral infections in humans and animals. Compared to mammalian antibodies (IgG), chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) have greater binding affinity to specific antigens, ease of extraction and lower production costs, hence possessing remarkable pathogen-neutralizing activity of pathogens in respiratory and lungs. We provide an overall importance for the use of monoclonal chicken egg yolk antibodies (IgY) using phage display method describing their potential passive immunotherapeutic application for the treatment and prevention of SARS CoV-2 infection which is simple, fast and safe way of approach for treating patients effectively.

positive: Expression of SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 and the spike protein processing enzymes in developing human embryos The novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19 caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in thousands of critically ill patients and poses a serious threat globally. To investigate if SARS-CoV-2 can affect early human embryos, we analysed scRNA-seq datasets of human embryos for the SARS-CoV-2 receptors ACE2 and BSG (CD147), the serine protease TMPRSS2 for viral spike protein priming, and the endosomal protease CTSL for spike protein activation via the endosomal route. The results reveal that ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are co-expressed in a proportion of epiblast cells, and both BSG and CTSL are expressed in all the stages of embryonic development. The cells of the blastocysts express genes encoding for other coronavirus receptors such as DPP4 and ANPEP as well. Interestingly, the cells of the epiblast also express genes involved in viral endocytosis and replication. We further identified 194 genes that are differentially expressed in ACE2- and TMPRSS2-positive cells as compared to ACE2- and TMPRSS2-negative cells of the epiblast. Our results show that developing human embryos express the receptors for SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses; embryos also harbour the necessary machinery for viral internalization and replication. We suggest that couples be advised to avoid conceiving during the pandemic and that IVF procedures be kept to a minimum to prevent any possible hazard to the developing embryos.

positive: Prediction of quaternary assembly of SARS coronavirus peplomer Abstract The tertiary structures of the S1 and S2 domains of the spike protein of the coronavirus which is responsible of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have been recently predicted. Here a molecular assembly of SARS coronavirus peplomer which accounts for the available functional data is suggested. The interaction between S1 and S2 appears to be stabilised by a large hydrophobic network of aromatic side chains present in both domains. This feature results to be common to all coronaviruses, suggesting potential targeting for drugs preventing coronavirus-related infections.

positive: Imaging analysis of human metapneumovirus-infected cells provides evidence for the involvement of F-actin and the raft-lipid microdomains in virus morphogenesis BACKGOUND: Due to difficulties of culturing Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) much of the current understanding of HMPV replication can be inferred from other closely related viruses. The slow rates of virus replication prevent many biochemical analyses of HMPV particles. In this study imaging was used to examine the process of HMPV morphogenesis in individually infected LLC-MK2 cells, and to better characterise the sites of HMPV assembly. This strategy has circumvented the problems associated with slow replication rates and allowed us to characterise both the HMPV particles and the sites of HMPV morphogenesis. METHODS: HMPV-infected LLC-MK2 cells were stained with antibodies that recognised the HMPV fusion protein (F protein), attachment protein (G protein) and matrix protein (M protein), and fluorescent probes that detect GM1 within lipid-raft membranes (CTX-B-AF488) and F-actin (Phalloidin-FITC). The stained cells were examined by confocal microscopy, which allowed imaging of F-actin, GM1 and virus particles in HMPV-infected cells. Cells co-expressing recombinant HMPV G and F proteins formed virus-like particles and were co-stained with antibodies that recognise the recombinant G and F proteins and phalloidin-FITC and CTX-B-AF594, and the distribution of the G and F proteins, GM1 and F-actin determined. RESULTS: HMPV-infected cells stained with anti-F, anti-G or anti-M revealed a filamentous staining pattern, indicating that the HMPV particles have a filamentous morphology. Staining of HMPV-infected cells with anti-G and either phalloidin-FITC or CTX-B-AF488 exhibited extensive co-localisation of these cellular probes within the HMPV filaments. This suggested that lipid-raft membrane domains and F-actin structures are present at the site of the virus morphogenesis, and are subsequently incorporated into the HMPV filaments. Furthermore, the filamentous virus-like particles that form in cells expressing the G protein formed in cellular structures containing GM1 and F-actin, suggesting the G protein contains intrinsic targeting signals to the sites of virus assembly. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that HMPV matures as filamentous particles and that virus morphogenesis occurs within lipid-raft microdomains containing localized concentrations of F-actin. The similarity between HMPV morphogenesis and the closely related human respiratory syncytial virus suggests that involvement of F-actin and lipid-raft microdomains in virus morphogenesis may be a common feature of the Pneumovirinae. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12985-014-0198-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

positive: A highly conserved cryptic epitope in the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV The outbreak of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus has now become a pandemic, but there is currently very little understanding of the antigenicity of the virus. We therefore determined the crystal structure of CR3022, a neutralizing antibody previously isolated from a convalescent SARS patient, in complex with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein to 3.1 Å. CR3022 targets a highly conserved epitope, distal from the receptor-binding site, that enables cross-reactive binding between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Structural modeling further demonstrates that the binding epitope can only be accessed by CR3022 when at least two RBD on the trimeric S protein are in the “up” conformation and slightly rotated. Overall, this study provides molecular insights into antibody recognition of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: The insert sequence in SARS-CoV-2 enhances spike protein cleavage by TMPRSS At the end of 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 induces an ongoing outbreak of pneumonia in China1, even more spread than SARS-CoV infection2. The entry of SARS-CoV into host cells mainly depends on the cell receptor (ACE2) recognition and spike protein cleavage-induced cell membrane fusion3,4. The spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 also binds to ACE2 with a similar affinity, whereas its spike protein cleavage remains unclear5,6. Here we show that an insertion sequence in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 enhances the cleavage efficiency, and besides pulmonary alveoli, intestinal and esophagus epithelium were also the target tissues of SARS-CoV-2. Compared with SARS-CoV, we found a SPRR insertion in the S1/S2 protease cleavage sites of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein increasing the cleavage efficiency by the protein sequence aligment and furin score calculation. Additionally, the insertion sequence facilitates the formation of an extended loop which was more suitable for protease recognition by the homology modeling and molicular docking. Furthermore, the single-cell transcriptomes identified that ACE2 and TMPRSSs are highly coexpressed in AT2 cells of lung, along with esophageal upper epithelial cells and absorptive enterocytes. Our results provide the bioinformatics evidence for the increased spike protein cleavage of SARS-CoV-2 and indicate its potential target cells.

positive: Identification of a peptide derived from the heptad repeat 2 region of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) spike glycoprotein that is capable of suppressing PEDV entry and inducing neutralizing antibodies Abstract Heptad repeat (HR) regions are highly conserved motifs located in the glycoproteins of enveloped viruses that form a six-helix bundle structure and is important in the process of virus fusion. Peptides derived from the HR regions of some viruses have also been shown to inhibit viral entry. Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) was predicted to have HR regions (HR1 and HR2) in the spike glycoprotein S2 subunit. Based on this analysis, six peptides derived from HR1 and HR2 were selected, expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized. Three peptides (HR2M, HR2L and HR2P) were identified as potential competitive inhibitors in PEDV in vitro infection assays, with the HR2P peptide representing the most potent inhibitor. Further study indicated that immunization of HR2P in mice elicited antibodies capable of neutralizing PEDV infection in vitro. These results demonstrate that the HR2P peptide and anti-HR2P antibody can serve as a tool for dissecting the fusion mechanism of PEDV, guiding the search for potent inhibitors with therapeutic value against PEDV infection.

positive: Crucial steps in the structure determination of a coronavirus spike glycoprotein using cryo‐electron microscopy The tremendous pandemic potential of coronaviruses was demonstrated twice in the last 15 years by two global outbreaks of deadly pneumonia. Entry of coronaviruses into cells is mediated by the transmembrane spike glycoprotein S, which forms a trimer carrying receptor‐binding and membrane fusion functions. Despite their biomedical importance, coronavirus S glycoproteins have proven difficult targets for structural characterization, precluding high‐resolution studies of the biologically relevant trimer. Recent technological developments in single particle cryo‐electron microscopy allowed us to determine the first structure of a coronavirus S glycoprotein trimer which provided a framework to understand the mechanisms of viral entry and suggested potential inhibition strategies for this family of viruses. Here, we describe the key factors that enabled this breakthrough.

positive: The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comprehensive Review of Taxonomy, Genetics, Epidemiology, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Control A pneumonia outbreak with unknown etiology was reported in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December 2019, associated with the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market. The causative agent of the outbreak was identified by the WHO as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), producing the disease named coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). The virus is closely related (96.3%) to bat coronavirus RaTG13, based on phylogenetic analysis. Human-to-human transmission has been confirmed even from asymptomatic carriers. The virus has spread to at least 200 countries, and more than 1,700,000 confirmed cases and 111,600 deaths have been recorded, with massive global increases in the number of cases daily. Therefore, the WHO has declared COVID-19 a pandemic. The disease is characterized by fever, dry cough, and chest pain with pneumonia in severe cases. In the beginning, the world public health authorities tried to eradicate the disease in China through quarantine but are now transitioning to prevention strategies worldwide to delay its spread. To date, there are no available vaccines or specific therapeutic drugs to treat the virus. There are many knowledge gaps about the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2, leading to misinformation. Therefore, in this review, we provide recent information about the COVID-19 pandemic. This review also provides insights for the control of pathogenic infections in humans such as SARS-CoV-2 infection and future spillovers.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 pathophysiology and assessment of coronaviruses in CNS diseases with a focus on therapeutic targets The novel Coronavirus disease of 2019 (nCOV-19) is a viral outbreak noted first in Wuhan, China. This disease is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) Coronavirus (CoV)-2. In the past, other members of the coronavirus family, such as SARS and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), have made an impact in China and the Arabian peninsula respectively. Both SARS and COVID-19 share similar symptoms such as fever, cough, and difficulty in breathing that can become fatal in later stages. However, SARS and MERS infections were epidemic diseases constrained to limited regions. By March 2020 the SARS-CoV-2 had spread across the globe and on March 11th, 2020 the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 as pandemic disease. In severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, many patients succumbed to pneumonia. Higher rates of deaths were seen in older patients who had co-morbidities such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and dementia. In this review paper, we discuss the effect of SARS-CoV-2 on CNS diseases, such as Alzheimer's-like dementia, and diabetes mellitus. We also focus on the virus genome, pathophysiology, theranostics, and autophagy mechanisms. We will assess the multiorgan failure reported in advanced stages of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our paper will provide mechanistic clues and therapeutic targets for physicians and investigators to combat COVID-19.

positive: Whole-genome sequence analysis and homology modelling of the main protease and non-structural protein 3 of SARS-CoV-2 reveal an aza-peptide and a lead inhibitor with possible antiviral properties Viruses belonging to the family Coronaviridae consist of virulent pathogens that have a zoonotic property. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (SARS-CoVs) and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (MERS-CoVs) of this family have emerged before and SARS-CoV-2 has emerged now globally. The characterization of spike glycoproteins, polyproteins and other viral proteins from viruses is important for antiviral drug development. Homology modelling of these proteins with known templates offers the opportunity to discover ligand-binding sites and explore the possible antiviral properties of these protein-ligand complexes. In this study, we performed a complete bioinformatic analysis, sequence alignment, comparison of multiple sequences and modelling of the SARS-CoV-2 whole-genome sequences, the spike protein and the polyproteins for homology with known proteins. We also analysed binding sites in these models for possible binding with ligands that exhibit antiviral properties. Our results indicated that the sequence of the polyprotein isolate SARS-CoV-2_HKU-SZ-001_2020 showed 98.94 percent identity to SARS-coronavirus NSP12 bound to NSP7 and NSP8 co-factors. The results also indicated that a part of the viral genome (residues 3268-3573 in Frame 2 with 306 amino acids) of the SARS-CoV-2 isolate Wuhan-Hu-1 (GenBank Accession Number MN908947.3) when modelled with templateof the PDB database showed 96 percent identity to a 3C-like peptidase of SARS-CoVs, which has the ability to bind with an aza-peptide epoxide (APE) known for the irreversible inhibition of SARS-CoV main peptidase. A docking profile with 9 different conformations of the ligand with the protein model using Autodock Vina showed an affinity of −7.1 kcal mol−1. This region was conserved in 831 genomes of SARS-CoV-2. The part of the genome (residues 1568-1882 in Frame 2 with 315 amino acids) when modelled with template of the PDB database showed 82 percent identity to a papain-like protease/deubiquitinase, which when complexed with ligand GRL0617 acts as an inhibitor and can block SARS-CoV replication. A docking profile with 9 different conformations of the ligand with the protein model using Autodock Vina showed an affinity of −7.9 kcal mol−1. This region was conserved in 831 genomes of SARS-CoV-2. It is possible that these ligands can be used as antivirals of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Cryo-EM Structure of the 2019-nCoV Spike in the Prefusion Conformation The outbreak of a novel betacoronavirus (2019-nCov) represents a pandemic threat that has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The CoV spike (S) glycoprotein is a key target for urgently needed vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and diagnostics. To facilitate medical countermeasure (MCM) development we determined a 3.5 Å-resolution cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV S trimer in the prefusion conformation. The predominant state of the trimer has one of the three receptor-binding domains (RBDs) rotated up in a receptor-accessible conformation. We also show biophysical and structural evidence that the 2019-nCoV S binds ACE2 with higher affinity than SARS-CoV S. Additionally we tested several published SARS-CoV RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies and found that they do not have appreciable binding to nCoV-2019 S, suggesting antibody cross-reactivity may be limited between the two virus RBDs. The atomic-resolution structure of 2019-nCoV S should enable rapid development and evaluation of MCMs to address the ongoing public health crisis.

positive: Structural basis for coronavirus-mediated membrane fusion. Crystal structure of mouse hepatitis virus spike protein fusion core. The surface transmembrane glycoprotein is responsible for mediating virion attachment to cell and subsequent virus-cell membrane fusion. However, the molecular mechanisms for the viral entry of coronaviruses remain poorly understood. The crystal structure of the fusion core of mouse hepatitis virus S protein, which represents the first fusion core structure of any coronavirus, reveals a central hydrophobic coiled coil trimer surrounded by three helices in an oblique, antiparallel manner. This structure shares significant similarity with both the low pH-induced conformation of influenza hemagglutinin and fusion core of HIV gp41, indicating that the structure represents a fusion-active state formed after several conformational changes. Our results also indicate that the mechanisms for the viral fusion of coronaviruses are similar to those of influenza virus and HIV. The coiled coil structure has unique features, which are different from other viral fusion cores. Highly conserved heptad repeat 1 (HR1) and HR2 regions in coronavirus spike proteins indicate a similar three-dimensional structure among these fusion cores and common mechanisms for the viral fusion. We have proposed the binding regions of HR1 and HR2 of other coronaviruses and a structure model of their fusion core based on our mouse hepatitis virus fusion core structure and sequence alignment. Drug discovery strategies aimed at inhibiting viral entry by blocking hairpin formation may be applied to the inhibition of a number of emerging infectious diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome.

positive: A single dose SARS-CoV-2 simulating particle vaccine induces potent neutralizing activities Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for which a vaccine is urgently needed to control its spreading. To facilitate the representation of a native-like immunogen without being infectious, here, we reported a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate (designated ShaCoVacc) by incorporating spike-encoding mRNA inside and decorating spike protein on the surface of the virus simulating particles (VSPs) derived from lentiviral particles. We characterized the mRNA copy number, glycosylation status, transduction efficiency, and innate immune property of the new vaccine platform. Importantly, we showed the ShaCoVacc induced strong spike-specific humoral immune responses and potent neutralizing activities by a single injection. Additionally, we disclosed the epitopes of spike-specific antibodies using peptide microarray and revealed epitopes susceptible to specific neutralizing antibodies. These results support further development of ShaCoVacc as a candidate vaccine for COVID-19 and VSP may serve as a new vaccine platform for emerging infectious diseases.

positive: In silico comparison of spike protein-ACE2 binding affinities across species; significance for the possible origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus The devastating impact of the COVID19 pandemic caused by SARS coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV2) has raised important questions on the origins of this virus, the mechanisms of any zoonotic transfer from exotic animals to humans, whether companion animals or those used for commercial purposes can act as reservoirs for infection, and the reasons for the large variations in susceptibilities across animal species. Traditional lab-based methods will ultimately answer many of these questions but take considerable time. In silico modeling methods provide the opportunity to rapidly generate information on newly emerged pathogens to aid countermeasure development and also to predict potential future behaviors. We used a structural homology modeling approach to characterize the SARSCoV2 spike protein and predict its binding strength to the human ACE2 receptor. We then explored the possible transmission path by which SARSCoV2 might have crossed to humans by constructing models of ACE2 receptors of relevant species, and calculating the binding energy of SARSCoV2 spike protein to each. Notably, SARSCoV2 spike protein had the highest overall binding energy for human ACE2, greater than all the other tested species including bat, the postulated source of the virus. This indicates that SARSCoV2 is a highly adapted human pathogen. Of the species studied, the next highest binding affinity after human was pangolin, which is most likely explained by a process of convergent evolution. Binding of SARSCoV2 for dog and cat ACE2 was similar to affinity for bat ACE2, all being lower than for human ACE2, and is consistent with only occasional observations of infections of these domestic animals. Overall, the data indicates that SARSCoV2 is uniquely adapted to infect humans, raising questions as to whether it arose in nature by a rare chance event or whether its origins lie elsewhere.

positive: The Dynamic Changes of Antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 during the Infection and Recovery of COVID-19 Deciphering the dynamic changes of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 is essential for understanding the immune response in COVID-19 patients. By comprehensively analyzing the laboratory findings of 1,850 patients, we describe the dynamic changes of the total antibody, spike protein (S)-, receptor-binding domain (RBD)-, and nucleoprotein (N)- specific IgM and IgG levels during SARS-CoV-2 infection and recovery. Our results indicate that the S-, RBD-, and N- specific IgG generation of severe/critical COVID-19 patients is one week later than mild/moderate cases, while the levels of these antibodies are 1.5-fold higher in severe/critical patients during hospitalization (P<0.01). The decrease of these IgG levels indicates the poor outcome of severe/critical patients. The RBD- and S-specific IgG levels are 2-fold higher in virus-free patients (P<0.05). Notably, we found that the patients who got re-infected had a low level of protective antibody on discharge. Therefore, our evidence proves that the dynamic changes of antibodies could provide an important reference for diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment, and shed new light on the precise management of COVID-19.

positive: Genomic determinants of pathogenicity in SARS-CoV-2 and other human coronaviruses SARS-CoV-2 poses an immediate, major threat to public health across the globe. Here we report an in-depth molecular analysis to reconstruct the evolutionary origins of the enhanced pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses that are severe human pathogens. Using integrated comparative genomics and machine learning techniques, we identify key genomic features that differentiate SARS-CoV-2 and the viruses behind the two previous deadly coronavirus outbreaks, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, from less pathogenic coronaviruses. These features include enhancement of the nuclear localization signals in the nucleocapsid protein and distinct inserts in the spike glycoprotein that appear to be associated with high case fatality rate of these coronaviruses as well as the host switch from animals to humans. The identified features could be crucial elements of coronavirus pathogenicity and possible targets for diagnostics, prognostication and interventions.

positive: [Spike protein in the detection and treatment of novel coronavirus] Recently a COVID-19 pneumonia pandemic caused by a novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV has broken out over the world. In order to better control the spread of the pandemic, there's an urgent need to extensively study the virus' origin and the mechanisms for its infectivity and pathogenicity. Spike protein is a special structural protein on the surface of coronavirus. It contains important information about the evolution of the virus and plays critical roles in the processes of cellular recognition and entry. In the past decades, spike protein has always been one of the most important objects in research works on coronaviruses closely related to human life. In this review we introduce these research works related to spike proteins, hoping it will provide reasonable ideas for the control of the current pandemic, as well as for the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Structures of human antibodies bound to SARS-CoV-2 spike reveal common epitopes and recurrent features of antibodies Neutralizing antibody responses to coronaviruses focus on the trimeric spike, with most against the receptor-binding domain (RBD). Here we characterized polyclonal IgGs and Fabs from COVID-19 convalescent individuals for recognition of coronavirus spikes. Plasma IgGs differed in their degree of focus on RBD epitopes, recognition of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and mild coronaviruses, and how avidity effects contributed to increased binding/neutralization of IgGs over Fabs. Electron microscopy reconstructions of polyclonal plasma Fab-spike complexes showed recognition of both S1(A) and RBD epitopes. A 3.4Å cryo-EM structure of a neutralizing monoclonal Fab-S complex revealed an epitope that blocks ACE2 receptor-binding on “up” RBDs. Modeling suggested that IgGs targeting these sites have different potentials for inter-spike crosslinking on viruses and would not be greatly affected by identified SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations. These studies structurally define a recurrent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody class derived from VH3–53/VH3–66 and similarity to a SARS-CoV VH3–30 antibody, providing criteria for evaluating vaccine-elicited antibodies.

positive: Transmission electron microscopy imaging of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Potent neutralizing antibodies from COVID-19 patients define multiple targets of vulnerability The rapid spread of SARS-CoV-2 has a significant impact on global health, travel and economy. Therefore, preventative and therapeutic measures are urgently needed. Here, we isolated monoclonal antibodies from three convalescent COVID-19 patients using a SARS-CoV-2 stabilized prefusion spike protein. These antibodies had low levels of somatic hypermutation and showed a strong enrichment in VH1-69, VH3-30-3 and VH1-24 gene usage. A subset of the antibodies were able to potently inhibit authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection as low as 0.007 µg/mL. Competition and electron microscopy studies illustrate that the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein contains multiple distinct antigenic sites, including several receptor-binding domain (RBD) epitopes as well as non-RBD epitopes. In addition to providing guidance for vaccine design, the antibodies described here are promising candidates for COVID-19 treatment and prevention.

positive: Rapid isolation and profiling of a diverse panel of human monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Antibodies are a principal determinant of immunity for most RNA viruses and have promise to reduce infection or disease during major epidemics. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths to date1,2. In response, we used a rapid antibody discovery platform to isolate hundreds of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. We stratify these mAbs into five major classes on the basis of their reactivity to subdomains of S protein as well as their cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV. Many of these mAbs inhibit infection of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus, with most neutralizing mAbs recognizing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S. This work defines sites of vulnerability on SARS-CoV-2 S and demonstrates the speed and robustness of advanced antibody discovery platforms.

positive: LIPS method for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to spike and nucleocapsid proteins Profiling antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 can help to assess potential immune response after COVID-19 disease. Luciferase IP system (LIPS) assay is a sensitive method for quantitative detection of antibodies to antigens in their native conformation. We here describe LIPS to detect antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins in COVID-19 patients. The antibodies targeted both S and N fragments and gave a high assay sensitivity by identifying 26 out of 26 COVID-19 patients with N antigen or with three protein fragments when combined into a single reaction. The assay correlated well with ELISA method and was specific to COVID-19 as we saw no reactivity among uninfected healthy controls. Our results show that LIPS is a rapid and measurable method to screen antibody responses against SARS-CoV-2 antigens.

positive: How related is SARS-CoV-2 to other coronaviruses?

positive: Broad and strong memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cells induced by SARS-CoV-2 in UK convalescent COVID-19 patients COVID-19 is an ongoing global crisis in which the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics will depend critically on understanding the natural immunity to the virus, including the role of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells. We have conducted a study of 42 patients following recovery from COVID-19, including 28 mild and 14 severe cases, comparing their T cell responses to those of 16 control donors. We assessed the immune memory of T cell responses using IFNγ based assays with overlapping peptides spanning SARS-CoV-2 apart from ORF1. We found the breadth, magnitude and frequency of memory T cell responses from COVID-19 were significantly higher in severe compared to mild COVID-19 cases, and this effect was most marked in response to spike, membrane, and ORF3a proteins. Total and spike-specific T cell responses correlated with the anti-Spike, anti-Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) as well as anti-Nucleoprotein (NP) endpoint antibody titre (p<0.001, <0.001 and =0.002). We identified 39 separate peptides containing CD4+ and/or CD8+ epitopes, which strikingly included six immunodominant epitope clusters targeted by T cells in many donors, including 3 clusters in spike (recognised by 29%, 24%, 18% donors), two in the membrane protein (M, 32%, 47%) and one in the nucleoprotein (Np, 35%). CD8+ responses were further defined for their HLA restriction, including B*4001-restricted T cells showing central memory and effector memory phenotype. In mild cases, higher frequencies of multi-cytokine producing M- and NP-specific CD8+ T cells than spike-specific CD8+ T cells were observed. They furthermore showed a higher ratio of SARS-CoV-2-specific CD8+ to CD4+ T cell responses. Immunodominant epitope clusters and peptides containing T cell epitopes identified in this study will provide critical tools to study the role of virus-specific T cells in control and resolution of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The identification of T cell specificity and functionality associated with milder disease, highlights the potential importance of including non-spike proteins within future COVID-19 vaccine design.

positive: Trimeric SARS-CoV-2 Spike interacts with dimeric ACE2 with limited intra-Spike avidity A serious public health crisis is currently unfolding due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 viral entry depends on an interaction between the receptor binding domain of the trimeric viral Spike protein (Spike-RBD) and the dimeric human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. While it is clear that strategies to block the Spike/ACE2 interaction are promising as anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics, our current understanding is insufficient for the rational design of maximally effective therapeutic molecules. Here, we investigated the mechanism of Spike/ACE2 interaction by characterizing the binding affinity and kinetics of different multimeric forms of recombinant ACE2 and Spike-RBD domain. We also engineered ACE2 into a split Nanoluciferase-based reporter system to probe the conformational landscape of Spike-RBDs in the context of the Spike trimer. Interestingly, a dimeric form of ACE2, but not monomeric ACE2, binds with high affinity to Spike and blocks viral entry in pseudotyped virus and live SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization assays. We show that dimeric ACE2 interacts with an RBD on Spike with limited intra-Spike avidity, which nonetheless contributes to the affinity of this interaction. Additionally, we demonstrate that a proportion of Spike can simultaneously interact with multiple ACE2 dimers, indicating that more than one RBD domain in a Spike trimer can adopt an ACE2-accessible “up” conformation. Our findings have significant implications on the design strategies of therapeutic molecules that block the Spike/ACE2 interaction. The constructs we describe are freely available to the research community as molecular tools to further our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 biology.

positive: Cryo-Electron Microscopy Structure of Porcine Deltacoronavirus Spike Protein in the Prefusion State Coronavirus spike proteins from different genera are divergent, although they all mediate coronavirus entry into cells by binding to host receptors and fusing viral and cell membranes. Here, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of porcine deltacoronavirus (PdCoV) spike protein at 3.3-Å resolution. The trimeric protein contains three receptor-binding S1 subunits that tightly pack into a crown-like structure and three membrane fusion S2 subunits that form a stalk. Each S1 subunit contains two domains, an N-terminal domain (S1-NTD) and C-terminal domain (S1-CTD). PdCoV S1-NTD has the same structural fold as alpha- and betacoronavirus S1-NTDs as well as host galectins, and it recognizes sugar as its potential receptor. PdCoV S1-CTD has the same structural fold as alphacoronavirus S1-CTDs, but its structure differs from that of betacoronavirus S1-CTDs. PdCoV S1-CTD binds to an unidentified receptor on host cell surfaces. PdCoV S2 is locked in the prefusion conformation by structural restraint of S1 from a different monomeric subunit. PdCoV spike possesses several structural features that may facilitate immune evasion by the virus, such as its compact structure, concealed receptor-binding sites, and shielded critical epitopes. Overall, this study reveals that deltacoronavirus spikes are structurally and evolutionally more closely related to alphacoronavirus spikes than to betacoronavirus spikes; it also has implications for the receptor recognition, membrane fusion, and immune evasion by deltacoronaviruses as well as coronaviruses in general. IMPORTANCE In this study, we determined the cryo-electron microscopy structure of porcine deltacoronavirus (PdCoV) spike protein at a 3.3-Å resolution. This is the first atomic structure of a spike protein from the deltacoronavirus genus, which is divergent in amino acid sequences from the well-studied alpha- and betacoronavirus spike proteins. Here, we described the overall structure of the PdCoV spike and the detailed structure of each of its structural elements. Moreover, we analyzed the functions of each of the structural elements. Based on the structures and functions of these structural elements, we discussed the evolution of PdCoV spike protein in relation to the spike proteins from other coronavirus genera. This study combines the structure, function, and evolution of PdCoV spike protein and provides many insights into its receptor recognition, membrane fusion, and immune evasion.

positive: Structural basis of receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2. A novel SARS-like coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) recently emerged and is rapidly spreading in humans1,2. A key to tackling this epidemic is to understand the virus's receptor recognition mechanism, which regulates its infectivity, pathogenesis and host range. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV recognize the same receptor - human ACE2 (hACE2)3,4. Here we determined the crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) (engineered to facilitate crystallization) in complex with hACE2. Compared with the SARS-CoV RBD, a hACE2-binding ridge in SARS-CoV-2 RBD takes a more compact conformation; moreover, several residue changes in SARS-CoV-2 RBD stabilize two virus-binding hotspots at the RBD/hACE2 interface. These structural features of SARS-CoV-2 RBD enhance its hACE2-binding affinity. Additionally, we show that RaTG13, a bat coronavirus closely related to SARS-CoV-2, also uses hACE2 as its receptor. The differences among SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and RaTG13 in hACE2 recognition shed light on potential animal-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This study provides guidance for intervention strategies targeting receptor recognition by SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Different residues in the SARS-CoV spike protein determine cleavage and activation by the host cell protease TMPRSS2 The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediates viral entry into target cells. Cleavage and activation of SARS S by a host cell protease is essential for infectious viral entry and the responsible enzymes are potential targets for antiviral intervention. The type II transmembrane serine protease TMPRSS2 cleaves and activates SARS S in cell culture and potentially also in the infected host. Here, we investigated which determinants in SARS S control cleavage and activation by TMPRSS2. We found that SARS S residue R667, a previously identified trypsin cleavage site, is also required for S protein cleavage by TMPRSS2. The cleavage fragments produced by trypsin and TMPRSS2 differed in their decoration with N-glycans, suggesting that these proteases cleave different SARS S glycoforms. Although R667 was required for SARS S cleavage by TMPRSS2, this residue was dispensable for TMPRSS2-mediated S protein activation. Conversely, residue R797, previously reported to be required for SARS S activation by trypsin, was dispensable for S protein cleavage but required for S protein activation by TMPRSS2. Collectively, these results show that different residues in SARS S control cleavage and activation by TMPRSS2, suggesting that these processes are more complex than initially appreciated.

positive: Highlight of Immune Pathogenic Response and Hematopathologic Effect in SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-Cov-2 Infection A sudden outbreak of COVID-19 caused by a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, in Wuhan, China in December 2019 quickly grew into a global pandemic, putting at risk not only the global healthcare system, but also the world economy. As the disease continues to spread rapidly, the development of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches is urgently required. Although some progress has been made in understanding the viral structure and invasion mechanism of coronaviruses that may cause severe cases of the syndrome, due to the limited understanding of the immune effects caused by SARS-CoV-2, it is difficult for us to prevent patients from developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and pulmonary fibrosis (PF), the major complications of coronavirus infection. Therefore, any potential treatments should focus not only on direct killing of coronaviruses and prevention strategies by vaccine development, but also on keeping in check the acute immune/inflammatory responses, resulting in ARDS and PF. In addition, potential treatments currently under clinical trials focusing on killing coronaviruses or on developing vaccines preventing coronavirus infection largely ignore the host immune response. However, taking care of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients with ARDS and PF is considered to be the major difficulty. Therefore, further understanding of the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 is extremely important for clinical resolution and saving medication cost. In addition to a breif overview of the structure, infection mechanism, and possible therapeutic approaches, we summarized and compared the hematopathologic effect and immune responses to SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. We also discussed the indirect immune response caused by SARS and direct infection, replication, and destroying of immune cells by MERS-CoV. The molecular mechanisms of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infection-induced lymphopenia or cytokine storm may provide some hint toward fight against SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus. This may provide guidance over using immune therapy as a combined treatment to prevent patients developing severe respiratory syndrome and largely reduce complications.

positive: Structures of human antibodies bound to SARS-CoV-2 spike reveal common epitopes and recurrent features of antibodies Summary Neutralizing antibody responses to coronaviruses mainly target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the trimeric spike. Here, we characterized polyclonal IgGs and Fabs from COVID-19 convalescent individuals for recognition of coronavirus spikes. Plasma IgGs differed in their focus on RBD epitopes, recognition of alpha- and beta-coronaviruses, and contributions of avidity to increased binding/neutralization of IgGs over Fabs. Using electron microscopy, we examined specificities of polyclonal plasma Fabs, revealing recognition of both S1A and RBD epitopes on SARS-CoV-2 spike. Moreover, a 3.4Å cryo-EM structure of a neutralizing monoclonal Fab-spike complex revealed an epitope that blocks ACE2 receptor binding. Modeling based on these structures suggested different potentials for inter-spike crosslinking by IgGs on viruses and that characterized IgGs would not be affected by identified SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations. Overall, our studies structurally define a recurrent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody class derived from VH3-53/VH3-66 and similarity to a SARS-CoV VH3-30 antibody, providing criteria for evaluating vaccine-elicited antibodies.

positive: Modeling and Simulation of a Fully-glycosylated Full-length SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein in a Viral Membrane This technical study describes all-atom modeling and simulation of a fully-glycosylated full-length SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein in a viral membrane. First, starting from PDB:6VSB and 6VXX, full-length S protein structures were modeled using template-based modeling, de-novo protein structure prediction, and loop modeling techniques in GALAXY modeling suite. Then, using the recently-determined most occupied glycoforms, 22 N-glycans and 1 O-glycan of each monomer were modeled using Glycan Reader & Modeler in CHARMM-GUI. These fully-glycosylated full-length S protein model structures were assessed and further refined against the low-resolution data in their respective experimental maps using ISOLDE. We then used CHARMM-GUI Membrane Builder to place the S proteins in a viral membrane and performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. All structures are available in CHARMM-GUI COVID-19 Archive (http://www.charmm-gui.org/docs/archive/covid19), so researchers can use these models to carry out innovative and novel modeling and simulation research for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

positive: A rational roadmap for SARS‐CoV‐2/COVID‐19 pharmacotherapeutic research and development. IUPHAR Review 29 In this review, we identify opportunities for drug discovery in the treatment of COVID‐19 and in so doing, provide a rational roadmap whereby pharmacology and pharmacologists can mitigate against the global pandemic. We assess the scope for targetting key host and viral targets in the mid‐term, by first screening these targets against drugs already licensed; an agenda for drug re‐purposing, which should allow rapid translation to clinical trials. A simultaneous, multi‐pronged approach using conventional drug discovery methodologies aimed at discovering novel chemical and biological means targetting a short‐list of host and viral entities should extend the arsenal of anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 agents. This longer‐term strategy would provide a deeper pool of drug choices for future‐proofing against acquired drug resistance. Second, there will be further viral threats, which will inevitably evade existing vaccines. This will require a coherent therapeutic strategy which pharmacology and pharmacologists are best placed to provide.

positive: Development of a Portable, Ultra-Rapid and Ultra-Sensitive Cell-Based Biosensor for the Direct Detection of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 Spike Protein Antigen One of the key challenges of the recent COVID-19 pandemic is the ability to accurately estimate the number of infected individuals, particularly asymptomatic and/or early-stage patients. We herewith report the proof-of-concept development of a biosensor able to detect the SARS-CoV-2 S1 spike protein expressed on the surface of the virus. The biosensor is based on membrane-engineered mammalian cells bearing the human chimeric spike S1 antibody. We demonstrate that the attachment of the protein to the membrane-bound antibodies resulted in a selective and considerable change in the cellular bioelectric properties measured by means of a Bioelectric Recognition Assay. The novel biosensor provided results in an ultra-rapid manner (3 min), with a detection limit of 1 fg/mL and a semi-linear range of response between 10 fg and 1 μg/mL. In addition, no cross-reactivity was observed against the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Furthermore, the biosensor was configured as a ready-to-use platform, including a portable read-out device operated via smartphone/tablet. In this way, we demonstrate that the novel biosensor can be potentially applied for the mass screening of SARS-CoV-2 surface antigens without prior sample processing, therefore offering a possible solution for the timely monitoring and eventual control of the global coronavirus pandemic.

positive: Sars-CoV-2 Envelope and Membrane Proteins: Structural Differences Linked to Virus Characteristics? The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a new viral infection caused by the severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Genomic analyses have revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is related to Pangolin and Bat coronaviruses. In this report, a structural comparison between the Sars-CoV-2 Envelope and Membrane proteins from different human isolates with homologous proteins from closely related viruses is described. The analyses here reported show the high structural similarity of Envelope and Membrane proteins to the counterparts from Pangolin and Bat coronavirus isolates. However, the comparisons have also highlighted structural differences specific of Sars-CoV-2 proteins which may be correlated to the cross-species transmission and/or to the properties of the virus. Structural modelling has been applied to map the variant sites onto the predicted three-dimensional structure of the Envelope and Membrane proteins.

positive: Computational Electrostatics Predict Variations in SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Human ACE2 Interactions SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus that is presumed to have emerged from bats to crossover into humans in late 2019. As the global pandemic ensues, scientist are working to evaluate the virus and develop a vaccine to counteract the deadly disease that has impacted lives across the entire globe. We perform computational electrostatic simulations on multiple variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein s1 in complex with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) variants to examine differences in electrostatic interactions across the various complexes. Calculations are performed across the physiological pH range to also examine the impact of pH on these interactions. Two of six spike protein s1 variations having greater electric forces at pH levels consistent with nasal secretions and significant variations in force across all five variants of ACE2. Five out of six spike protein s1 variations have relatively consistent forces at pH levels of the lung, and one spike protein s1 variant that has low potential across a wide range of pH. These predictions indicate that variants of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins and human ACE2 in certain combinations could potentially play a role in increased binding efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo.

positive: The spike glycoprotein of the new coronavirus 2019-nCoV contains a furin-like cleavage site absent in CoV of the same clade Abstract In 2019, a new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) infecting Humans has emerged in Wuhan, China. Its genome has been sequenced and the genomic information promptly released. Despite a high similarity with the genome sequence of SARS-CoV and SARS-like CoVs, we identified a peculiar furin-like cleavage site in the Spike protein of the 2019-nCoV, lacking in the other SARS-like CoVs. In this article, we discuss the possible functional consequences of this cleavage site in the viral cycle, pathogenicity and its potential implication in the development of antivirals.

positive: Functional and Genetic Analysis of Viral Receptor ACE2 Orthologs Reveals a Broad Potential Host Range of SARS-CoV-2 The pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a major global health threat. Epidemiological studies suggest that bats are the natural zoonotic reservoir for SARS-CoV-2. However, the host range of SARS-CoV-2 and intermediate hosts that facilitate its transmission to humans remain unknown. The interaction of coronavirus with its host receptor is a key genetic determinant of host range and cross-species transmission. SARS-CoV-2 uses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as the receptor to enter host cells in a species-dependent manner. It has been shown that human, palm civet, pig and bat ACE2 can support virus entry, while the murine ortholog cannot. In this study, we characterized the ability of ACE2 from diverse species to support viral entry. We found that ACE2 is expressed in a wide range of species, with especially high conservation in mammals. By analyzing amino acid residues of ACE2 critical for virus entry, based on structure of SARS-CoV spike protein interaction with human, bat, palm civet, pig and ferret ACE2, we identified approximately eighty ACE2 proteins from mammals that could potentially mediate SARS-CoV-2 entry. Functional assays showed that 44 of these mammalian ACE2 orthologs, including those of domestic animals, pets, livestock, and animals commonly found in zoos and aquaria, could bind SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and support viral entry. In contrast, New World monkey ACE2 orthologs could not bind SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and support viral entry. We further identified the genetic determinant of New World monkey ACE2 that restricts viral entry using genetic and functional analyses. In summary, our study demonstrates that ACE2 from a remarkably broad range of species can facilitate SARS-CoV-2 entry. These findings highlight a potentially broad host tropism of SARS-CoV-2 and suggest that SARS-CoV-2 might be distributed much more widely than previously recognized, underscoring the necessity to monitor susceptible hosts to prevent future outbreaks.

positive: Considerations for Management of Acute Coronary Syndromes During the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) Pandemic Accumulating evidence suggests that influenza and influenza-like illnesses can act as a trigger for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Despite these unprecedented times providers should not overlook ACS guidelines, but may choose to modify the recommended approach in situations with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 disease. In this document, we suggest recommendations as to how to triage patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and provide with algorithms of how to manage the patients and decide the appropriate treatment options in the era of COVID-19 pandemic. We also address the inpatient logistics and discharge to follow-up considerations for the function of already established ACS network during the pandemic.

positive: Shared Antigen-specific CD8+ T cell Responses Against the SARS-COV-2 Spike Protein in HLA A*02:01 COVID-19 Participants We report here on antigens from the SARS-CoV-2 virus spike protein, that when presented by Class I MHC, can lead to cytotoxic CD8+ T cell anti-viral responses in COVID-19 patients. We present a method in which the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is converted into a library of peptide antigen-Major Histocompatibility Complexes (pMHCs) as single chain trimers that contain the peptide antigen, the MHC HLA allele, and the {beta}-2 microglobulin sub-unit. That library is used to detect the evolution of virus-specific T cell populations from two COVID-19 patients, at two time points over the course of infection. Both patients exhibit similar virus-specific T cell populations, but very different time-trajectories of those populations. These results can be used to track those virus-specific T cell populations over the course of an infection, thus providing deep insight into the variations in immune system trajectories observed in different COVID-19 patients.

positive: Cryo-electron microscopy structures of the SARS-CoV spike glycoprotein reveal a prerequisite conformational state for receptor binding The global outbreak of SARS in 2002-2003 was caused by the infection of a new human coronavirus SARS-CoV. The infection of SARS-CoV is mediated mainly through the viral surface glycoproteins, which consist of S1 and S2 subunits and form trimer spikes on the envelope of the virions. Here we report the ectodomain structures of the SARS-CoV surface spike trimer in different conformational states determined by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. The conformation 1 determined at 4.3 Å resolution is three-fold symmetric and has all the three receptor-binding C-terminal domain 1 (CTD1s) of the S1 subunits in “down” positions. The binding of the “down” CTD1s to the SARS-CoV receptor ACE2 is not possible due to steric clashes, suggesting that the conformation 1 represents a receptor-binding inactive state. Conformations 2-4 determined at 7.3, 5.7 and 6.8 Å resolutions are all asymmetric, in which one RBD rotates away from the “down” position by different angles to an “up” position. The “up” CTD1 exposes the receptor-binding site for ACE2 engagement, suggesting that the conformations 2-4 represent a receptor-binding active state. This conformational change is also required for the binding of SARS-CoV neutralizing antibodies targeting the CTD1. This phenomenon could be extended to other betacoronaviruses utilizing CTD1 of the S1 subunit for receptor binding, which provides new insights into the intermediate states of coronavirus pre-fusion spike trimer during infection.

positive: The novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) uses the SARS-coronavirus receptor ACE2 and the cellular protease TMPRSS2 for entry into target cells The emergence of a novel, highly pathogenic coronavirus, 2019-nCoV, in China, and its rapid national and international spread pose a global health emergency. Coronaviruses use their spike proteins to select and enter target cells and insights into nCoV-2019 spike (S)-driven entry might facilitate assessment of pandemic potential and reveal therapeutic targets. Here, we demonstrate that 2019-nCoV-S uses the SARS-coronavirus receptor, ACE2, for entry and the cellular protease TMPRSS2 for 2019-nCoV-S priming. A TMPRSS2 inhibitor blocked entry and might constitute a treatment option. Finally, we show that the serum form a convalescent SARS patient neutralized 2019-nCoV-S-driven entry. Our results reveal important commonalities between 2019-nCoV and SARS-coronavirus infection, which might translate into similar transmissibility and disease pathogenesis. Moreover, they identify a target for antiviral intervention. One sentence summary The novel 2019 coronavirus and the SARS-coronavirus share central biological properties which can guide risk assessment and intervention.

positive: Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein glycan shield: implications for immune recognition Here we have generated 3D structures of glycoforms of the spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2, based on reported 3D structures and glycomics data for the protein produced in HEK293 cells. We also analyze structures for glycoforms representing those present in the nascent glycoproteins (prior to enzymatic modifications in the Golgi), as well as those that are commonly observed on antigens present in other viruses. These models were subjected to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to determine the extent to which glycan microheterogeneity impacts the antigenicity of the S glycoprotein. Lastly, we have identified peptides in the S glycoprotein that are likely to be presented in human leukocyte antigen (HLA) complexes, and discuss the role of S protein glycosylation in potentially modulating the adaptive immune response to the SARS-CoV-2 virus or to a related vaccine. The 3D structures show that the protein surface is extensively shielded from antibody recognition by glycans, with the exception of the ACE2 receptor binding domain, and also that the degree of shielding is largely insensitive to the specific glycoform. Despite the relatively modest contribution of the glycans to the total molecular weight (17% for the HEK293 glycoform) the level of surface shielding is disproportionately high at 42%.

positive: Coarse-grained molecular simulations of the binding of the SARS-CoV 2 spike protein RBD to the ACE2 cell receptor Since it was first observed in late 2019, the COVID-19 pandemic has created a global emergency for national health systems due to millions of confirmed cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths. At a molecular level, the bottleneck for the infection is the binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike protein to ACE2, an enzyme exposed on human cell membranes. Several experimental structures of the ACE2:RBD complex have been made available, however they offer only a static description of the arrangements of the molecules in either the free or bound states. In order to gain a dynamic description of the binding process that is key to infection, we use molecular simulations with a coarse grained model of the RBD and ACE2. We find that binding occurs in an all-or-none way, without intermediates, and that even in the bound state, the RBD exhibits a highly dynamic behaviour. From short equilibrium simulations started in the unbound state we provide snapshots that result in a tentative mechanism of binding. Our findings may be important for the development of drug discovery strategies that target the RBD.

positive: Making sense of mutation: what D614G means for the COVID-19 pandemic remains unclear Abstract Korber et al. (2020) found that a SARS-CoV-2 variant in the spike protein, D614G, rapidly became dominant around the world. While clinical and in vitro data suggest that D614G changes the virus phenotype, the impact of the mutation on transmission, disease, and vaccine and therapeutic development are largely unknown.

positive: Rigidity, normal modes and flexible motion of a SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) protease structure The rigidity and flexibility of two recently reported crystal structures (PDB entries 6Y2E and 6LU7) of a protease from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the infectious agent of the COVID-19 respiratory disease, has been investigated using pebble-game rigidity analysis, elastic network model normal mode analysis, and all-atom geometric simulations. This computational investigation of the viral protease follows protocols that have been effective in studying other homodimeric enzymes. The protease is predicted to display flexible motions in vivo which directly affect the geometry of a known inhibitor binding site and which open new potential binding sites elsewhere in the structure. A database of generated PDB files representing natural flexible variations on the crystal structures has been produced and made available for download from an institutional data archive. This information may inform structure-based drug design and fragment screening efforts aimed at identifying specific antiviral therapies for the treatment of COVID-19.

positive: Cryo-EM structure of infectious bronchitis coronavirus spike protein reveals structural and functional evolution of coronavirus spike proteins As cell-invading molecular machinery, coronavirus spike proteins pose an evolutionary conundrum due to their high divergence. In this study, we determined the cryo-EM structure of avian infectious bronchitis coronavirus (IBV) spike protein from the γ-genus. The trimeric IBV spike ectodomain contains three receptor-binding S1 heads and a trimeric membrane-fusion S2 stalk. While IBV S2 is structurally similar to those from the other genera, IBV S1 possesses structural features that are unique to different other genera, thereby bridging these diverse spikes into an evolutionary spectrum. Specifically, among different genera, the two domains of S1, the N-terminal domain (S1-NTD) and C-terminal domain (S1-CTD), diverge from simpler tertiary structures and quaternary packing to more complex ones, leading to different functions of the spikes in receptor usage and membrane fusion. Based on the above structural and functional comparisons, we propose that the evolutionary spectrum of coronavirus spikes follows the order of α-, δ-, γ-, and β-genus. This study has provided insight into the evolutionary relationships among coronavirus spikes and deepened our understanding of their structural and functional diversity.

positive: Enhanced receptor binding of SARS-CoV-2 through networks of hydrogen-bonding and hydrophobic interactions Molecular dynamics and free energy simulations have been carried out to elucidate the structural origin of differential protein–protein interactions between the common receptor protein angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and the receptor binding domains of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) [A. E. Gorbalenya et al., Nat. Microbiol. 5, 536–544 (2020)] that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) [P. Zhou et al., Nature 579, 270–273 (2020)] and the SARS coronavirus in the 2002–2003 (SARS-CoV) [T. Kuiken et al., Lancet 362, 263–270 (2003)] outbreak. Analysis of the dynamic trajectories reveals that the binding interface consists of a primarily hydrophobic region and a delicate hydrogen-bonding network in the 2019 novel coronavirus. A key mutation from a hydrophobic residue in the SARS-CoV sequence to Lys417 in SARS-CoV-2 creates a salt bridge across the central hydrophobic contact region, which along with polar residue mutations results in greater electrostatic complementarity than that of the SARS-CoV complex. Furthermore, both electrostatic effects and enhanced hydrophobic packing due to removal of four out of five proline residues in a short 12-residue loop lead to conformation shift toward a more tilted binding groove in the complex in comparison with the SARS-CoV complex. On the other hand, hydrophobic contacts in the complex of the SARS-CoV–neutralizing antibody 80R are disrupted in the SARS-CoV-2 homology complex model, which is attributed to failure of recognition of SARS-CoV-2 by 80R.

positive: Clinical And Analytical Performance Of An Automated Serological Test That Identifies S1/S2 Neutralizing IgG In COVID-19 Patients Semiquantitatively BACKGROUND: In the COVID-19 pandemic, highly selective serological testing is essential to define exposure to SARS-CoV-2 virus. Many tests have been developed, yet with variable speed to first result, and of unknown quality, particularly when considering the prediction of neutralizing capacity. OBJECTIVES/METHODS: The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay was designed to measure antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 native S1/S2 proteins in a standardized automated chemiluminescent assay. Clinical and analytical performance of the test were validated in an observational study using residual samples (>1500) with positive or negative COVID-19 diagnosis. RESULTS: The LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay proved to be highly selective and specific, and offers semiquantitative measures of serum or plasma levels of anti-S1/S2 IgG with neutralizing activity. The assay's diagnostic sensitivity was 91.3% and 95.7% at >5 or ≥15 days from diagnosis, respectively, and 100% when assessed against a neutralizing assay. The assay's specificity ranged between 97% and 98.5%. The average imprecision of the assay was <5 % coefficient of variation. Assay performance at 2 different cut-offs was evaluated to optimize predictive values. CONCLUSIONS: The automated LIAISON® SARS-CoV-2 S1/S2 IgG assay brings efficient, sensitive, specific, and precise serological testing to the laboratory, with the capacity to test large amounts of samples per day: first results are available within 35 minutes with a throughput of 170 tests/hour. The semiquantitative results provided by the test also associate with the presence of neutralizing antibodies, and may provide a useful tool for the large scale screening of convalescent plasma for safe therapeutic use.

positive: LxxIxE-like Motif in Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 that is Known to Recruit the Host PP2A-B56 Phosphatase Mimics Artepillin C, an Immunomodulator, of Brazilian Green Propolis SARS-CoV-2 is highly contagious and can cause acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and multiple organ failure that are largely attributed to the cytokine storm. The surface coronavirus spike (S) glycoprotein is considered as a key factor in host specificity because it mediates infection by receptor-recognition and membrane fusion. Here, the analysis of SARS-CoV-2 S protein revealed two B56-binding LxxIxE-like motifs in S1 and S2 subunits that could recruit the host protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). The motif in S1 subunit is absent in SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Phosphatases and kinases are major players in the regulation of pro-inflammatory responses during pathogenic infections. Moreover, studies have shown that viruses target PP2A in order to manipulate host’s antiviral responses. Recent researches have indicated that SARS-CoV-2 is involved in sustained host inflammation. Therefore, by controlling acute inflammation, it is possible to eliminate its dangerous effects on the host. Among efforts to fight COVID-19, the interaction between LxxIxE-like motif and the PP2A-B56-binding pocket could be a target for the discovery and/or development of a bioactive ligand inhibitor for therapeutic purposes. Indeed, a small molecule called Artepillin C (ArtC), a main compound in Brazilian honeybee green propolis, mimics the side chains of LxxLxE motif. Importantly, ArtC is known, among other effects, to have anti-inflammatory activity that makes it an excellent candidate for future clinical trials in COVID-19 patients.

positive: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2): Should we target the virus, the cell or the disease?

positive: Mapping of the coronavirus membrane protein domains involved in interaction with the spike protein. The coronavirus membrane (M) protein is the key player in virion assembly. One of its functions is to mediate the incorporation of the spikes into the viral envelope. Heterotypic interactions between M and the spike (S) protein can be demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation and by immunofluorescence colocalization, after coexpression of their genes in eukaryotic cells. Using these assays in a mutagenetic approach, we have mapped the domains in the M protein that are involved in complex formation between M and S. It appeared that the 25-residue luminally exposed amino-terminal domain of the M protein is not important for M-S interaction. A 15-residue deletion, the insertion of a His tag, and replacement of the ectodomain by that of another coronavirus M protein did not affect the ability of the M protein to associate with the S protein. However, complex formation was sensitive to changes in the transmembrane domains of this triple-spanning protein. Deletion of either the first two or the last two transmembrane domains, known not to affect the topology of the protein, led to a considerable decrease in complex formation, but association was not completely abrogated. Various effects of changes in the part of the M protein that is located at the cytoplasmic face of the membrane were observed. Deletions of the extreme carboxy-terminal tail appeared not to interfere with M-S complex formation. However, deletions in the amphipathic domain severely affected M-S interaction. Interestingly, changes in the amino-terminal and extreme carboxy-terminal domains of M, which did not disrupt the interaction with S, are known to be fatal to the ability of the protein to engage in virus particle formation (C. A. M. de Haan, L. Kuo, P. S. Masters, H. Vennema, and P. J. M. Rottier, J. Virol. 72:6838-6850, 1998). Apparently, the structural requirements of the M protein for virus particle assembly differ from the requirements for the formation of M-S complexes.

positive: Synergistic antiviral effect of hydroxychloroquine and azithromycin in combination against SARS-CoV-2: What molecular dynamics studies of virus-host interactions reveal The emergence of SARS-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to a global pandemic disease referred to as coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Hydroxychloroquine (CLQ-OH)/azithromycin (ATM) combination therapy is currently being tested for the treatment of COVID-19, with promising results. However, the molecular mechanism of action of this combination is not yet established. Using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, this study shows that the drugs act in synergy to prevent any close contact between the virus and the plasma membrane of host cells. Unexpected molecular similarity is shown between ATM and the sugar moiety of GM1, a lipid raft ganglioside acting as a host attachment cofactor for respiratory viruses. Due to this mimicry, ATM interacts with the ganglioside-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. This binding site shared by ATM and GM1 displays a conserved amino acid triad Q-134/F-135/N-137 located at the tip of the spike protein. CLQ-OH molecules are shown to saturate virus attachment sites on gangliosides in the vicinity of the primary coronavirus receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2). Taken together, these data show that ATM is directed against the virus, whereas CLQ-OH is directed against cellular attachment cofactors. We conclude that both drugs act as competitive inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 attachment to the host-cell membrane. This is consistent with a synergistic antiviral mechanism at the plasma membrane level, where therapeutic intervention is likely to be most efficient. This molecular mechanism may explain the beneficial effects of CLQ-OH/ATM combination therapy in patients with COVID-19. Incidentally, the data also indicate that the conserved Q-134/F-135/N-137 triad could be considered as a target for vaccine strategies.

positive: Immune and bioinformatics identification of T cell and B cell epitopes in the protein structure of SARS-CoV-2: A Systematic Review The beginning of 2020 was marked as the emergence of a COVID-19 outbreak caused by a new coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Currently, there is no vaccine or approved treatment for this infectious virus so the invention of an efficient vaccine is certainly a high priority. Some studies have employed several techniques to facilitate the combination of the immunoinformatics approach and comparative genomic approach in order to determine the potential peptides for designing the T-cell epitope-based peptide vaccine using the 2019-nCoV envelope protein as a target. Via screening the bioimmunoinformatic SARS-CoV2 derived B-cell and T-cell epitopes within the basic immunogenic of SARS-CoV2 proteins, we presented a set of inferred B-cell and T-cell epitopes from the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins with high antigenicity and without allergenic property or toxic effects. Our findings provide a screened set of epitopes that can be introduced as potential targets for developing peptide vaccines against the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 is well adapted for humans. What does this mean for re-emergence? In a side-by-side comparison of evolutionary dynamics between the 2019/2020 SARS-CoV-2 and the 2003 SARS-CoV, we were surprised to find that SARS-CoV-2 resembles SARS-CoV in the late phase of the 2003 epidemic after SARS-CoV had developed several advantageous adaptations for human transmission. Our observations suggest that by the time SARS-CoV-2 was first detected in late 2019, it was already pre-adapted to human transmission to an extent similar to late epidemic SARS-CoV. However, no precursors or branches of evolution stemming from a less human-adapted SARS-CoV-2-like virus have been detected. The sudden appearance of a highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 presents a major cause for concern that should motivate stronger international efforts to identify the source and prevent near future re-emergence. Any existing pools of SARS-CoV-2 progenitors would be particularly dangerous if similarly well adapted for human transmission. To look for clues regarding intermediate hosts, we analyze recent key findings relating to how SARS-CoV-2 could have evolved and adapted for human transmission, and examine the environmental samples from the Wuhan Huanan seafood market. Importantly, the market samples are genetically identical to human SARS-CoV-2 isolates and were therefore most likely from human sources. We conclude by describing and advocating for measured and effective approaches implemented in the 2002-2004 SARS outbreaks to identify lingering population(s) of progenitor virus.

positive: Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by destruction of the prefusion Spike There are as yet no licenced therapeutics for the COVID-19 pandemic. The causal coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) binds host cells via a trimeric Spike whose receptor binding domain (RBD) recognizes angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), initiating conformational changes that drive membrane fusion. We find that monoclonal antibody CR3022 binds the RBD tightly, neutralising SARS-CoV-2 and report the crystal structure at 2.4 Å of the Fab/RBD complex. Some crystals are suitable for screening for entry-blocking inhibitors. The highly conserved, structure-stabilising, CR3022 epitope is inaccessible in the prefusion Spike, suggesting that CR3022 binding would facilitate conversion to the fusion-incompetent post-fusion state. Cryo-EM analysis confirms that incubation of Spike with CR3022 Fab leads to destruction of the prefusion trimer. Presentation of this cryptic epitope in an RBD-based vaccine might advantageously focus immune responses. Binders at this epitope may be useful therapeutically, possibly in synergy with an antibody blocking receptor attachment. Highlights CR3022 neutralises SARS-CoV-2 Neutralisation is by destroying the prefusion SPIKE conformation This antibody may have therapeutic potential alone or with one blocking receptor attachment

positive: N and O glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Covid-19 pandemic outbreak is the reason of the current world health crisis. The development of effective antiviral compounds and vaccines requires detailed descriptive studies of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein mediates virion binding to the human cells through its interaction with the ACE2 cell surface receptor and is one of the prime immunization targets. A functional virion is composed of three S1 and three S2 subunits created by furin cleavage of the spike protein at R682, a polybasic cleavage sites that differs from the SARS-CoV spike protein of 2002. We observe that the spike protein is O-glycosylated on a threonine (T678) near the furin cleavage site occupied by core-1 and core-2 structures. In addition, we have identified eight additional O-glycopeptides on the spike glycoprotein and we confirmed that the spike protein is heavily N-glycosylated. Our recently developed LC-MS/MS methodology allowed us to identify LacdiNAc structural motifs on all occupied N-glycopeptides and polyLacNAc structures on six glycopeptides of the spike protein. In conclusion, our study substantially expands the current knowledge of the spike protein’s glycosylation and enables the investigation of the influence of the O-glycosylation on its proteolytic activation.

positive: Structure of dimeric full-length human ACE2 in complex with B0AT1 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the surface receptor for SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV), directly interacting with the spike glycoprotein (S protein). ACE2 is also suggested to be the receptor for the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV), which is causing a serious epidemic in China manifested with severe respiratory syndrome. B0AT1 (SLC6A19) is a neutral amino acid transporter whose surface expression in intestinal cells requires ACE2. Here we present the 2.9 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of full-length human ACE2 in complex with B0AT1. The complex, assembled as a dimer of ACE2-B0AT1 heterodimers, exhibits open and closed conformations due to the shifts of the peptidase domains (PDs) of ACE2. A newly resolved Collectrin-like domain (CLD) on ACE2 mediates homo-dimerization. Structural modelling suggests that the ACE2-B0AT1 complex can bind two S proteins simultaneously, providing important clues to the molecular basis for coronavirus recognition and infection.

positive: Inhibition of SARS Pseudovirus Cell Entry by Lactoferrin Binding to Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans It has been reported that lactoferrin (LF) participates in the host immune response against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) invasion by enhancing NK cell activity and stimulating neutrophil aggregation and adhesion. We further investigated the role of LF in the entry of SARS pseudovirus into HEK293E/ACE2-Myc cells. Our results reveal that LF inhibits SARS pseudovirus infection in a dose-dependent manner. Further analysis suggested that LF was able to block the binding of spike protein to host cells at 4°C, indicating that LF exerted its inhibitory function at the viral attachment stage. However, LF did not disrupt the interaction of spike protein with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the functional receptor of SARS-CoV. Previous studies have shown that LF colocalizes with the widely distributed cell-surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs). Our experiments have also confirmed this conclusion. Treatment of the cells with heparinase or exogenous heparin prevented binding of spike protein to host cells and inhibited SARS pseudovirus infection, demonstrating that HSPGs provide the binding sites for SARS-CoV invasion at the early attachment phase. Taken together, our results suggest that, in addition to ACE2, HSPGs are essential cell-surface molecules involved in SARS-CoV cell entry. LF may play a protective role in host defense against SARS-CoV infection through binding to HSPGs and blocking the preliminary interaction between SARS-CoV and host cells. Our findings may provide further understanding of SARS-CoV pathogenesis and aid in treatment of this deadly disease.

positive: Ultra-sensitive nanozyme-based chemiluminescence paper test for rapid diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection The recently emerged coronavirus disease COVID-19 has now evolved into a global pandemic. Early detection is crucial for its effective control. Nucleic acid testing for viral pathogen and serological testing for host antibodies are playing important roles in current COVID-19 diagnosis. However, while nucleic acid testing is complicated, facility-restricted and time-consuming, antibody testing may result in high rates of false-negative diagnoses, especially during the early stages of viral infection. Thus, a more rapid and reliable test for both early COVID-19 diagnosis and whole-population screening is urgently needed. Here, we developed a novel nanozyme-based chemiluminescence paper assay for rapid and high-sensitive testing of SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen. Our paper test uses a newly established peroxidase-mimic Co-Fe@hemin nanozyme instead of natural HRP that catalytically amplifies the chemiluminescent signal, allowing for target concentrations to be as low as 0.1 ng/ml. Furthermore, our nanozyme-based chemiluminescence test exhibits a linear range that is 32-fold wider compared to ELISA tests. Importantly, testing is completed in less than 16 min, compared to 1-2 h required for ELISA or nucleic acid tests. Critically, signal detection is feasible using a smartphone camera. Ingredients for our test are simple and readily available, rendering overall cost considerably lower than those used in current diagnoses. In conclusion, our novel test provides a high-sensitive, point-of-care testing (POCT) approach for SARS-CoV-2 antigen detection, which should greatly increase current early screening capacities for suspected infections, and considerably lower demand for national healthcare resources.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 spike protein predicted to form complexes with host receptor protein orthologues from a broad range of mammals SARS-CoV-2 has a zoonotic origin and was transmitted to humans via an undetermined intermediate host, leading to infections in humans and other mammals. To enter host cells, the viral spike protein (S-protein) binds to its receptor, ACE2, and is then processed by TMPRSS2. Whilst receptor binding contributes to the viral host range, S-protein:ACE2 complexes from other animals have not been investigated widely. To predict infection risks, we modelled S-protein:ACE2 complexes from 215 vertebrate species, calculated changes in the energy of the complex caused by mutations in each species, relative to human ACE2, and correlated these changes with COVID-19 infection data. We also analysed structural interactions to better understand the key residues contributing to affinity. We predict that mutations are more detrimental in ACE2 than TMPRSS2. Finally, we demonstrate phylogenetically that human SARS-CoV-2 strains have been isolated in animals. Our results suggest that SARS-CoV-2 can infect a broad range of mammals, but few fish, birds or reptiles. Susceptible animals could serve as reservoirs of the virus, necessitating careful ongoing animal management and surveillance.

positive: COVID-19 spike-host cell receptor GRP78 binding site prediction OBJECTIVES: Understanding the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) mode of host cell recognition may help to fight the disease and save lives. The spike protein of coronaviruses is the main driving force for host cell recognition. METHODS: In this study, the COVID-19 spike binding site to the cell-surface receptor (Glucose Regulated Protein 78 (GRP78)) is predicted using combined molecular modeling docking and structural bioinformatics. The COVID-19 spike protein is modeled using its counterpart, the SARS spike. RESULTS: Sequence and structural alignments show that four regions, in addition to its cyclic nature have sequence and physicochemical similarities to the cyclic Pep42. Protein-protein docking was performed to test the four regions of the spike that fit tightly in the GRP78 Substrate Binding Domain ß (SBDß). The docking pose revealed the involvement of the SBDß of GRP78 and the receptor-binding domain of the coronavirus spike protein in recognition of the host cell receptor. CONCLUSIONS: We reveal that the binding is more favorable between regions III (C391-C525) and IV (C480-C488) of the spike protein model and GRP78. Region IV is the main driving force for GRP78 binding with the predicted binding affinity of -9.8â¯kcal/mol. These nine residues can be used to develop therapeutics specific against COVID-19.

positive: High affinity binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein enhances ACE2 carboxypeptidase activity A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has emerged to a global pandemic and caused significant damages to public health. Human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2(ACE2) was identified as the entry receptor for SARS-CoV-2. As a carboxypeptidase, ACE2 cleaves many biological substrates besides Ang II to control vasodilatation and permeability. Given the nanomolar high affinity between ACE2 and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we wonder how this interaction would affect the enzymatic activity of ACE2. Surprisingly, SARS-CoV-2 trimeric spike protein increased ACE2 proteolytic activity ~3-10 fold when fluorogenic caspase-1 substrate and Bradykinin-analog peptides were used to characterize ACE2 activity. In addition, the enhancement was mediated by ACE2 binding of RBD domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike. These results highlighted the altered activity of ACE2 during SARS-CoV-2 infection and would shed new lights on the pathogenesis of COVID-19 and its complications for better treatments.

positive: In Silico Design of Antiviral Peptides Targeting the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 An outbreak caused by 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was first identified in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. The new virus was later named SARS-CoV-2. The virus has affected tens of thousands of patients in the world. The infection of SARS-CoV-2 causes severe pneumonia and even death. It is urgently needed to find a therapeutic method to treat patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Studies showed that the surface spike (S) protein is essential for the coronavirus binding and entry of host cells. The heptad repeats 1 and 2 (HR1 and HR2) in the S protein play a decisive role in the fusion of the viral membrane with the host cell membrane. We predicted the HR1 and HR2 regions in S protein by sequence alignment. We simulated a computational model of HR1/2 regions and the fusion core. The binding energy of HR1 and HR2 of the fusion core was -33.4kCal/mol. We then designed antivirus peptides by molecular dynamics simulation of the fusion core. The binding energy of HR2-based antiviral peptide to HR1 was -43.0kCal/mol, which was stronger than the natural stage of the fusion core, suggesting that the predicted antiviral peptide can competitively bind with HR1 to prevent forming of the fusion core. The antiviral peptides can prevent SARS-CoV-2 membrane fusion and can potentially be used for the prevention and treatment of infections.

positive: Considerations around the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein with particular attention to COVID-19 brain infection and neurological symptoms Spike protein (S protein) is the virus 'key' to infect cells being able to strongly bind to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2), as it has been reported. In fact, Spike structure and function is known to be highly important for cell infection as well as entering the brain. Growing evidence indicates that different types of coronaviruses not only affect the respiratory system, but they might also invade the central nervous system (CNS). However, very few evidence have been so far reported on the presence of COVID-19 in the brain and the potential exploitation, by this virus, of lung to brain axis to reach neurons has not completely understood. In this article we assessed the SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein sequence, structure and electrostatic potential using computational approaches. Our results showed that the S proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV are highly similar, sharing a sequence identity of 77%. In addition, we found that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein is slightly more positively charged than that of SARS-CoV since it contains four more positively charged residues and five less negatively charged residues which may lead to an increased affinity to bind to negatively charged regions of other molecules through non-specific and specific interactions. Analyzing of the S protein binds to the host ACE2 receptor showed a 30% higher binding energy for SARS-CoV-2 than the SARS-CoV S protein. These results might be useful for understanding the mechanism of cell entry, blood brain barrier crossing and clinical features related to the CNS infection by SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Human H-ferritin presenting RBM of spike glycoprotein as potential vaccine of SARS-CoV-2 The outbreak of COVID-19 has so far inflicted millions of people all around the world and will have a long lasting effect on every aspect of everyone’s life. Yet there is no effective approved treatment for the disease. In an effort of utilizing human ferritin as nanoplatform for drug delivery, we engineered a fusion protein by presenting receptor-binding motif (RBM) of SARS-CoV-2 virus spike glycoprotein on the N-terminus of ferritin subunits. The designed fusion protein with a cage-like structure, similar to that of corona virus, is a potential anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. We hereby show the construction, preparation, and characterization of the fusion protein RBM-HFtn. Our initial affinity study confirmed its biological activity towards ACE2 receptor which suggests its mode of action against SARS-CoV-2 could be either through vaccine therapy or blocking the cellular entry of virus as antagonist of ACE2 receptor.

positive: Rapid isolation and profiling of a diverse panel of human monoclonal antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Antibodies are a principal determinant of immunity for most RNA viruses and have promise to reduce infection or disease during major epidemics. The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused a global pandemic with millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths to date1,2. In response, we used a rapid antibody discovery platform to isolate hundreds of human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. We stratify these mAbs into five major classes on the basis of their reactivity to subdomains of S protein as well as their cross-reactivity to SARS-CoV. Many of these mAbs inhibit infection of authentic SARS-CoV-2 virus, with most neutralizing mAbs recognizing the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of S. This work defines sites of vulnerability on SARS-CoV-2 S and demonstrates the speed and robustness of advanced antibody discovery platforms.

positive: Characterization of accessory genes in coronavirus genomes The Covid19 infection is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, a novel member of the coronavirus (CoV) family. CoV genomes code for a ORF1a / ORF1ab polyprotein and four structural proteins widely studied as major drug targets. The genomes also contain a variable number of open reading frames (ORFs) coding for accessory proteins that are not essential for virus replication, but appear to have a role in pathogenesis. The accessory proteins have been less well characterized and are difficult to predict by classical bioinformatics methods. We propose a computational tool GOFIX to characterize potential ORFs in virus genomes. In particular, ORF coding potential is estimated by searching for enrichment in motifs of the X circular code, that is known to be over-represented in the reading frames of viral genes. We applied GOFIX to study the SARS-CoV-2 and related genomes including SARS-CoV and SARS-like viruses from bat, civet and pangolin hosts, focusing on the accessory proteins. Our analysis provides evidence supporting the presence of overlapping ORFs 7b, 9b and 9c in all the genomes and thus helps to resolve some differences in current genome annotations. In contrast, we predict that ORF3b is not functional in all genomes. Novel putative ORFs were also predicted, including a truncated form of the ORF10 previously identified in SARS-CoV-2 and a little known ORF overlapping the Spike protein in Civet-CoV and SARS-CoV. Our findings contribute to characterizing sequence properties of accessory genes of SARS coronaviruses, and especially the newly acquired genes making use of overlapping reading frames.

positive: Analysis of the mutation dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 reveals the spread history and emergence of RBD mutant with lower ACE2 binding affinity Monitoring the mutation dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 is critical for the development of effective approaches to contain the pathogen. By analyzing 106 SARS-CoV-2 and 39 SARS genome sequences, we provided direct genetic evidence that SARS-CoV-2 has a much lower mutation rate than SARS. Minimum Evolution phylogeny analysis revealed the putative original status of SARS-CoV-2 and the early-stage spread history. The discrepant phylogenies for the spike protein and its receptor binding domain proved a previously reported structural rearrangement prior to the emergence of SARS-CoV-2. Despite that we found the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is particularly more conserved, we identified a mutation that leads to weaker receptor binding capability, which concerns a SARS-CoV-2 sample collected on 27th January 2020 from India. This represents the first report of a significant SARS-CoV-2 mutant, and raises the alarm that the ongoing vaccine development may become futile in future epidemic if more mutations were identified. Highlights Based on the currently available genome sequence data, we proved that SARS-COV-2 genome has a much lower mutation rate and genetic diversity than SARS during the 2002-2003 outbreak. The spike (S) protein encoding gene of SARS-COV-2 is found relatively more conserved than other protein-encoding genes, which is a good indication for the ongoing antiviral drug and vaccine development. Minimum Evolution phylogeny analysis revealed the putative original status of SARS-CoV-2 and the early-stage spread history. We confirmed a previously reported rearrangement in the S protein arrangement of SARS-COV-2, and propose that this rearrangement should have occurred between human SARS-CoV and a bat SARS-CoV, at a time point much earlier before SARS-COV-2 transmission to human. We provided first evidence that a mutated SARS-COV-2 with reduced human ACE2 receptor binding affinity have emerged in India based on a sample collected on 27th January 2020.

positive: The biological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein Pro330-Leu650 SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 that has been characterized as a pandemic by the WHO. Since the first report of COVID-19 on December 31, 2019, 179,111 cases were confirmed in 160 countries/regions with 7426 deaths as of March 17, 2020. However, there have been no vaccines approved in the world to date. In this study, we analyzed the biological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, Pro330-Leu650 (SARS-CoV-2-SPL), using biostatistical methods. SARS-CoV-2-SPL possesses a receptor-binding region (RBD) and important B (Ser438-Gln506, Thr553-Glu583, Gly404-Aps427, Thr345-Ala352, and Lys529-Lys535) and T (9 CD4 and 11 CD8 T cell antigenic determinants) cell epitopes. High homology in this region between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV amounted to 87.7%, after taking the biological similarity of the amino acids into account and eliminating the receptor-binding motif (RBM). The overall topology indicated that the complete structure of SARS-CoV-2-SPL was with RBM as the head, and RBD as the trunk and the tail region. SARS-CoV-2-SPL was found to have the potential to elicit effective B and T cell responses. Our findings may provide meaningful guidance for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design.

positive: The receptor binding domain of the viral spike protein is an immunodominant and highly specific target of antibodies in SARS-CoV-2 patients The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that first emerged in late 2019 is responsible for a pandemic of severe respiratory illness. People infected with this highly contagious virus can present with clinically inapparent, mild, or severe disease. Currently, the virus infection in individuals and at the population level is being monitored by PCR testing of symptomatic patients for the presence of viral RNA. There is an urgent need for SARS-CoV-2 serologic tests to identify all infected individuals, irrespective of clinical symptoms, to conduct surveillance and implement strategies to contain spread. As the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein is poorly conserved between SARS-CoVs and other pathogenic human coronaviruses, the RBD represents a promising antigen for detecting CoV-specific antibodies in people. Here we use a large panel of human sera (63 SARS-CoV-2 patients and 71 control subjects) and hyperimmune sera from animals exposed to zoonotic CoVs to evaluate RBD's performance as an antigen for reliable detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. By day 9 after the onset of symptoms, the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD antigen was highly sensitive (98%) and specific (100%) for antibodies induced by SARS-CoVs. We observed a strong correlation between levels of RBD binding antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in patients. Our results, which reveal the early kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses, support using the RBD antigen in serological diagnostic assays and RBD-specific antibody levels as a correlate of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in people.

positive: Ultra-Sensitive High-Resolution Profiling of Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies for Detecting Early Seroconversion in COVID-19 Patients The COVID-19 pandemic continues to infect millions of people worldwide. In order to curb its spread and reduce morbidity and mortality, it is essential to develop sensitive and quantitative methods that identify infected individuals and enable accurate population-wide screening of both past and present infection. Here we show that Single Molecule Array assays detect seroconversion in COVID-19 patients as soon as one day after symptom onset using less than a microliter of blood. This multiplexed assay format allows us to quantitate IgG, IgM and IgA immunoglobulins against four SARS-CoV-2 targets, thereby interrogating 12 antibody isotype-viral protein interactions to give a high resolution profile of the immune response. Using a cohort of samples collected prior to the outbreak as well as samples collected during the pandemic, we demonstrate a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 100% during the first week of infection, and 100% sensitivity and specificity thereafter. This assay should become the gold standard for COVID19 serological profiling and will be a valuable tool for answering important questions about the heterogeneity of clinical presentation seen in the ongoing pandemic.

positive: Spiking Pandemic Potential: Structural and Immunological aspects of SARS-CoV-2 SUMMARY SARS-Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), an infectious respiratory disease causing thousands of deaths and overwhelming public health systems. The international spread of SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the ease of global travel, and societal dynamics, immunologic naiveté of the host population, and muted innate immune responses. Based on these factors and the expanding geographic scale of the disease, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic–the first caused by a coronavirus. In this review, we summarize the current epidemiological status of COVID-19 and consider the virological and immunological lessons, animal models, and tools developed in response to prior SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV outbreaks that can serve as resources for development of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and vaccines. In particular, we discuss structural insights into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, a major determinant of transmissibility, and discuss key molecular aspects that will aid in understanding and fighting this new global threat.

positive: Coronaviruses: Molecular Biology Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses with characteristic spike glycoproteins that project outward like the rays of the sun (corona – Latin for ‘crown’), when visualized by electron microscopy. CoV are classified, together with the toroviruses, in the family Coronaviridae and the order Nidovirales. All nidoviruses have a common genome organization and generate a nested set (nido – Latin for ‘nest’) of 3′ co-terminal mRNAs. CoVs have been isolated from a variety of species, including birds, livestock, domestic animals, and humans. CoV infections can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurologic disease, depending on the strain of the virus and the site of infection. Importantly, CoVs have been shown to cross species barriers and have emerged from animal reservoirs to infect humans and cause severe disease. The CoV responsible for an outbreak of severe acute respiratory disease (SARS-CoV) in 2002–03 likely originated as a bat coronavirus which, during replication in an intermediate host (such as the palm civet), evolved to be able to infect humans efficiently. SARS-CoV infected over 8000 people with approximately 10% mortality rate. The SARS-CoV outbreak was controlled by public health measures alone. However, emergence or re-emergence of CoV from animal reservoirs is a potential concern for public health.

positive: Activity profiling and structures of inhibitor-bound SARS-CoV-2-PLpro protease provides a framework for anti-COVID-19 drug design In December 2019, the first cases of a novel coronavirus infection causing COVID-19 were diagnosed in Wuhan, China. Viral Papain-Like cysteine protease (PLpro, NSP3) is essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and represents a promising target for the development of antiviral drugs. Here, we used a combinatorial substrate library containing natural and a wide variety of nonproteinogenic amino acids and performed comprehensive activity profiling of SARS-CoV-2-PLpro. On the scaffold of best hits from positional scanning we designed optimal fluorogenic substrates and irreversible inhibitors with a high degree of selectivity for SARS PLpro variants versus other proteases. We determined crystal structures of two of these inhibitors (VIR250 and VIR251) in complex with SARS-CoV-2-PLpro which reveals their inhibitory mechanisms and provides a structural basis for the observed substrate specificity profiles. Lastly, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2-PLpro harbors deISGylating activities similar to SARS-CoV-1-PLpro but its ability to hydrolyze K48-linked Ub chains is diminished, which our sequence and structure analysis provides a basis for. Altogether this work has revealed the molecular rules governing PLpro substrate specificity and provides a framework for development of inhibitors with potential therapeutic value or drug repositioning.

positive: Architecture of the SARS coronavirus prefusion spike The emergence in 2003 of a new coronavirus (CoV) responsible for the atypical pneumonia termed severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) was a stark reminder that hitherto unknown viruses have the potential to cross species barriers to become new human pathogens. Here we describe the SARS-CoV 'spike' structure determined by single-particle cryo-EM, along with the docked atomic structures of the receptor-binding domain and prefusion core. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nsmb1123) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

positive: COVID-19: viral–host interactome analyzed by network based-approach model to study pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 infection BACKGROUND: Epidemiological, virological and pathogenetic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection are under evaluation. A better understanding of the pathophysiology associated with COVID-19 is crucial to improve treatment modalities and to develop effective prevention strategies. Transcriptomic and proteomic data on the host response against SARS-CoV-2 still have anecdotic character; currently available data from other coronavirus infections are therefore a key source of information. METHODS: We investigated selected molecular aspects of three human coronavirus (HCoV) infections, namely SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and HCoV-229E, through a network based-approach. A functional analysis of HCoV–host interactome was carried out in order to provide a theoretic host–pathogen interaction model for HCoV infections and in order to translate the results in prediction for SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. The 3D model of S-glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 was compared to the structure of the corresponding SARS-CoV, HCoV-229E and MERS-CoV S-glycoprotein. SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E and the host interactome were inferred through published protein–protein interactions (PPI) as well as gene co-expression, triggered by HCoV S-glycoprotein in host cells. RESULTS: Although the amino acid sequences of the S-glycoprotein were found to be different between the various HCoV, the structures showed high similarity, but the best 3D structural overlap shared by SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, consistent with the shared ACE2 predicted receptor. The host interactome, linked to the S-glycoprotein of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, mainly highlighted innate immunity pathway components, such as Toll Like receptors, cytokines and chemokines. CONCLUSIONS: In this paper, we developed a network-based model with the aim to define molecular aspects of pathogenic phenotypes in HCoV infections. The resulting pattern may facilitate the process of structure-guided pharmaceutical and diagnostic research with the prospect to identify potential new biological targets.

positive: Structure, Function, and Antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in >90,000 infections and >3,000 deaths. Coronavirus spike (S) glycoproteins promote entry into cells and are the main target of antibodies. We show that SARS-CoV-2 S uses ACE2 to enter cells and that the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 S and SARS-CoV S bind with similar affinities to human ACE2, correlating with the efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. We found that the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein harbors a furin cleavage site at the boundary between the S(1)/S(2) subunits, which is processed during biogenesis and sets this virus apart from SARS-CoV and SARS-related CoVs. We determined cryo-EM structures of the SARS-CoV-2 S ectodomain trimer, providing a blueprint for the design of vaccines and inhibitors of viral entry. Finally, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV S murine polyclonal antibodies potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 S mediated entry into cells, indicating that cross-neutralizing antibodies targeting conserved S epitopes can be elicited upon vaccination.

positive: Proteolytic Cleavage of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein and the Role of the Novel S1/S2 Site Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has rapidly spread to the entire world within a few months. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been related to the lineage B Betacoronavirus SARS-CoV and SARS-related coronaviruses found in bats. Early characterizations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome revealed the existence of a distinct four amino acid insert within the spike (S) protein (underlined, SPRRAR↓S), at the S1/S2 site located at the interface between the S1 receptor binding subunit and the S2 fusion subunit. Notably, this insert appears to be a distinguishing feature among SARS-related sequences and introduces a potential cleavage site for the protease furin. Here, we investigate the potential role of this novel S1/S2 cleavage site and present direct biochemical evidence for proteolytic processing by a variety of proteases. We discuss these findings in the context of the origin of SARS-CoV-2, viral stability, and transmission.

positive: Investigating the genomic landscape of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to identify non-synonymous mutations for use in diagnosis and drug design This study presents a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV2 isolates to understand discrete mutations that are occurring between patient samples. The analysis unravel various amino acid mutations in the viral proteins which may provide an explanation for varying treatment efficacies of different inhibitory drugs and a future direction towards a combinatorial treatment therapies based on the kind of mutation in the viral genome.

positive: Structure-Based Design with Tag-Based Purification and In-Process Biotinylation Enable Streamlined Development of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Molecular Probes Biotin-labeled molecular probes, comprising specific regions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike, would be helpful in the isolation and characterization of antibodies targeting this recently emerged pathogen. To develop such probes, we designed constructs incorporating an N-terminal purification tag, a site-specific protease-cleavage site, the probe region of interest, and a C-terminal sequence targeted by biotin ligase. Probe regions included full-length spike ectodomain as well as various subregions, and we also designed mutants to eliminate recognition of the ACE2 receptor. Yields of biotin-labeled probes from transient transfection ranged from ∼0.5 mg/L for the complete ectodomain to >5 mg/L for several subregions. Probes were characterized for antigenicity and ACE2 recognition, and the structure of the spike ectodomain probe was determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We also characterized antibody-binding specificities and cell-sorting capabilities of the biotinylated probes. Altogether, structure-based design coupled to efficient purification and biotinylation processes can thus enable streamlined development of SARS-CoV-2 spike-ectodomain probes.

positive: Molecular mechanisms behind anti SARS-CoV-2 action of lactoferrin Despite the huge effort to contain the infection, the novel SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has rapidly become pandemics, mainly due to its extremely high human-to-human transmission capability, and a surprisingly high viral charge of symptom-less people. While the seek of a vaccine is still ongoing, promising results have been obtained with antiviral compounds. In particular, lactoferrin is found to have beneficial effects both in preventing and soothing the infection. Here, we explore the possible molecular mechanisms with which lactoferrin interferes with SARS-CoV-2 cell invasion, preventing attachment and/or entry of the virus. To this aim, we search for possible interactions lactoferrin may have with virus structural proteins and host receptors. Representing the molecular iso-electron surface of proteins in terms of 2D-Zernike descriptors, we (i) identified putative regions on the lactoferrin surface able to bind sialic acid receptors on the host cell membrane, sheltering the cell from the virus attachment; (ii) showed that no significant shape complementarity is present between lactoferrin and the ACE2 receptor, while (iii) two high complementarity regions are found on the N- and C-terminal domains of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, hinting at a possible competition between lactoferrin and ACE2 for the binding to the spike protein.

positive: Crystal structure of the post-fusion core of the Human coronavirus 229E spike protein at 1.86 Å resolution Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) usually causes mild upper respiratory infections in heathy adults, but may lead to severe complications or mortality in individuals with weakened immune systems. Virus entry of HCoV-229E is mediated by its spike (S) protein, where the S1 domain facilitates attachment to host cells and the S2 domain is involved in subsequent fusion of the virus and host membranes. During the fusion process, two heptad repeats, HR1 and HR2, in the S2 domain assemble into a six-helix membrane-fusion structure termed the fusion core. Here, the complete fusion-core structure of HCoV-229E has been determined at 1.86 Å resolution, representing the most complete post-fusion conformation thus far among published human alphacoronavirus (α-HCoV) fusion-core structures. The overall structure of the HCoV-229E fusion core is similar to those of SARS, MERS and HCoV-NL63, but the packing of its 3HR1 core differs from those of SARS and MERS in that it contains more noncanonical ‘x’ and ‘da’ layers. Side-by-side electrostatic surface comparisons reveal that the electrostatic surface potentials are opposite in α-HCoVs and β-HCoVs at certain positions and that the HCoV-229E surface also appears to be the most hydrophobic among the various HCoVs. In addition to the highly conserved hydrophobic interactions between HR1 and HR2, some polar and electrostatic interactions are also well preserved across different HCoVs. This study adds to the structural profiling of HCoVs to aid in the structure-based design of pan-coronavirus small molecules or peptides to inhibit viral fusion.

positive: Immunoinformatics characterization of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein for prioritization of epitope based multivalent peptide vaccine The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a public health emergency of international concern and thus calling for the development of effective and safe therapeutics and prophylactics particularly a vaccine to protect against the infection. SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein is an attractive candidate for a vaccine, antibodies, and inhibitors development because of the many roles it plays in attachment, fusion and entry into the host cell. In the present investigation, we characterized the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein by immunoinformatics techniques to put forward potential B and T cell epitopes, followed by the use of epitopes in construction of a multi-epitope peptide vaccine construct (MEPVC). The MEPVC revealed robust host immune system simulation with high production of immunoglobulins, cytokines and interleukins. Stable conformation of the MEPVC with a representative innate immune TLR3 receptor was observed involving strong hydrophobic and hydrophilic chemical interactions, along with enhanced contribution from salt-bridges towards inter-molecular stability. Molecular dynamics simulation in aqueous milieu aided further in interpreting strong affinity of the MEPVC for TLR3. This stability is the attribute of several vital residues from both TLR3 and MEPVC as shown by radial distribution function (RDF) and a novel axial frequency distribution (AFD) analytical tool. Comprehensive binding free energies estimation was provided at the end that concluded major domination by electrostatic and minor from van der Waals. Summing all, the designed MEPVC has tremendous potential of providing protective immunity against COVID-19 and thus could be considered in experimental studies.

positive: Chapter 4 Coronavirus Pathogenesis Abstract Coronaviruses infect many species of animals including humans, causing acute and chronic diseases. This review focuses primarily on the pathogenesis of murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and severe acute respiratory coronavirus (SARS-CoV). MHV is a collection of strains, which provide models systems for the study of viral tropism and pathogenesis in several organs systems, including the central nervous system, the liver, and the lung, and has been cited as providing one of the few animal models for the study of chronic demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. SARS-CoV emerged in the human population in China in 2002, causing a worldwide epidemic with severe morbidity and high mortality rates, particularly in older individuals. We review the pathogenesis of both viruses and the several reverse genetics systems that made much of these studies possible. We also review the functions of coronavirus proteins, structural, enzymatic, and accessory, with an emphasis on roles in pathogenesis. Structural proteins in addition to their roles in virion structure and morphogenesis also contribute significantly to viral spread in vivo and in antagonizing host cell responses. Nonstructural proteins include the small accessory proteins that are not at all conserved between MHV and SARS-CoV and the 16 conserved proteins encoded in the replicase locus, many of which have enzymatic activities in RNA metabolism or protein processing in addition to functions in antagonizing host response.

positive: Emergence of RBD mutations in circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains enhancing the structural stability and human ACE2 receptor affinity of the spike protein A novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is associated with the current global pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 is the critical determinant of viral tropism and infectivity. To investigate whether the mutations in the RBD have altered the receptor binding affinity and caused these strains more infectious, we performed molecular dynamics simulations of the binding affinity between the mutant SARS-CoV-2 RBDs to date and the human ACE2 receptor. Among 1609 genomes of global SARS-CoV-2 strains, 32 non-synonymous RBD mutants were identified and clustered into 9 mutant types under high positive selection pressure. Three mutant types (V367F, W436R, and D364Y) emerging in Wuhan, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and France, displayed higher human ACE2 affinity, and probably higher infectivity. This is due to the enhanced structural stabilization of the RBD beta-sheet scaffold. High frequencies of RBD mutations were identified: V367F from five France and one Hong Kong mutants, 13 V483A and 7 G476S mutants from the U.S.A. This suggested they originated as novel sub-lineages. The enhancement of the binding affinity of the mutant type (V367F) was further validated by the receptor-ligand binding ELISA assay. The molecular dynamics simulations also indicated that it would be difficult for bat SARS-like CoV to infect humans. However, the pangolin CoV is potentially infectious to humans. The analysis of critical RBD mutations provides further insights into the evolutionary history of SARS-CoV-2 under high selection pressure. An enhancement of the SARS-CoV-2 binding affinity to human ACE2 receptor reveals higher infectivity of the mutant strains. Importance A novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has caused the pandemic of COVID-19. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 was associated with zoonotic infections. The spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) is identified as the critical determinant of viral tropism and infectivity. Thus, whether the mutations in the RBD of the circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains have altered the receptor binding affinity and caused these strains more infectious, should be paid more attentions to. Here, 32 non-synonymous RBD mutants were identified and clustered into 9 mutant types under high positive selection pressure, suggesting they originated as novel sub-lineages. Three mutant types displayed higher human ACE2 affinity, and probably higher infectivity, one of which (V367F) was validated by wet bench. The RBD mutation analysis provides insights into SARS-CoV-2 evolution. The emergence of RBD mutations with increased human ACE2 affinity reveals higher risk of severe morbidity and mortality during a sustained COVID-19 pandemic, particularly if no effective precautions are implemented.

positive: The SARS-CoV-2 Exerts a Distinctive Strategy for Interacting with the ACE2 Human Receptor The COVID-19 disease has plagued over 200 countries with over three million cases and has resulted in over 200,000 deaths within 3 months. To gain insight into the high infection rate of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, we compare the interaction between the human ACE2 receptor and the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with that of other pathogenic coronaviruses using molecular dynamics simulations. SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and HCoV-NL63 recognize ACE2 as the natural receptor but present a distinct binding interface to ACE2 and a different network of residue–residue contacts. SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 have comparable binding affinities achieved by balancing energetics and dynamics. The SARS-CoV-2–ACE2 complex contains a higher number of contacts, a larger interface area, and decreased interface residue fluctuations relative to the SARS-CoV–ACE2 complex. These findings expose an exceptional evolutionary exploration exerted by coronaviruses toward host recognition. We postulate that the versatility of cell receptor binding strategies has immediate implications for therapeutic strategies.

positive: Comparative genomics suggests limited variability and similar evolutionary patterns between major clades of SARS-CoV-2 Phylogenomic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 as available from publicly available repositories suggests the presence of 3 prevalent groups of viral episomes (super-clades), which are mostly associated with outbreaks in distinct geographic locations (China, USA and Europe). While levels of genomic variability between SARS-CoV-2 isolates are limited, to our knowledge, it is not clear whether the observed patterns of variability in viral super-clades reflect ongoing adaptation of SARS-CoV-2, or merely genetic drift and founder effects. Here, we analyze more than 1100 complete, high quality SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences, and provide evidence for the absence of distinct evolutionary patterns/signatures in the genomes of the currently known major clades of SARS-CoV-2. Our analyses suggest that the presence of distinct viral episomes at different geographic locations are consistent with founder effects, coupled with the rapid spread of this novel virus. We observe that while cross species adaptation of the virus is associated with hypervariability of specific protein coding regions (including the RDB domain of the spike protein), the more variable genomic regions between extant SARS-CoV-2 episomes correspond with the 3’ and 5’ UTRs, suggesting that at present viral protein coding genes should not be subjected to different adaptive evolutionary pressures in different viral strains. Although this study can not be conclusive, we believe that the evidence presented here is strongly consistent with the notion that the biased geographic distribution of SARS-CoV-2 isolates should not be associated with adaptive evolution of this novel pathogen.

positive: Structural interactions between pandemic SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and human Furin protease The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is an urgent global public health emergency and warrants investigating molecular and structural studies addressing the dynamics of viral proteins involved in host cell adhesion. The recent comparative genomic studies highlight the insertion of Furin protease site in the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein alerting possible modification in the viral spike protein and its eventual entry to host cell and presence of Furin site implicated to virulence. Here we structurally show how Furin interacts with the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein homotrimer at S1/S2 region, which underlined the mechanism and mode of action, which is a key for host cell entry. Unravelling the structural features of biding site opens the arena in rising bonafide antibodies targeting to block the Furin cleavage and have great implications in the development of Furin inhibitors or therapeutics.

positive: A virus that has gone viral: amino acid mutation in S protein of Indian isolate of Coronavirus COVID-19 might impact receptor binding, and thus, infectivity Since 2002, ß coronaviruses (CoVs) have caused three zoonotic outbreaks, SARS-CoV in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and the recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 late in 2019 (also named as COVID-19 or novel coronavirus 2019 or nCoV2019). Spike (S) protein, one of the structural proteins of this virus plays key role in receptor (ACE2) binding and thus virus entry. Thus, this protein has attracted scientists for detailed study and therapeutic targeting. As the nCoV2019 takes its course throughout the world, more and more sequence analyses are being done and genome sequences are being deposited in various databases. From India, two clinical isolates have been sequenced and the full genome has been deposited in GenBank. We have performed sequence analyses of the Spike protein of the Indian isolates and compared with that of the Wuhan, China (where the outbreak was first reported). While all the sequences of Wuhan isolates are identical, we found point mutations in the Indian isolates. Out of the two isolates, one was found to harbor a mutation in its receptor-binding domain (RBD) at position 407. At this site, arginine (a positively charged amino acid) was replaced by isoleucine (a hydrophobic amino acid that is also a C-ß branched amino acid). This mutation has been seen to change the secondary structure of the protein at that region and this can potentially alter receptor binding of the virus. Although this finding needs further validation and more sequencing, the information might be useful in rational drug designing and vaccine engineering.

positive: Molecular Architecture of Early Dissemination and Evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Metropolitan Houston, Texas We sequenced the genomes of 320 SARS-CoV-2 strains from COVID-19 patients in metropolitan Houston, Texas, an ethnically diverse region with seven million residents. These genomes were from the viruses causing infections in the earliest recognized phase of the pandemic affecting Houston. Substantial viral genomic diversity was identified, which we interpret to mean that the virus was introduced into Houston many times independently by individuals who had traveled from different parts of the country and the world. The majority of viruses are apparent progeny of strains derived from Europe and Asia. We found no significant evidence of more virulent viral types, stressing the linkage between severe disease, underlying medical conditions, and perhaps host genetics. We discovered a signal of selection acting on the spike protein, the primary target of massive vaccine efforts worldwide. The data provide a critical resource for assessing virus evolution, the origin of new outbreaks, and the effect of host immune response. Significance COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, is a global pandemic. To better understand the first phase of virus spread in metropolitan Houston, Texas, we sequenced the genomes of 320 SARS-CoV-2 strains recovered from COVID-19 patients early in the Houston viral arc. We identified no evidence that a particular strain or its progeny causes more severe disease, underscoring the connection between severe disease, underlying health conditions, and host genetics. Some amino acid replacements in the spike protein suggest positive immune selection is at work in shaping variation in this protein. Our analysis traces the early molecular architecture of SARS-CoV-2 in Houston, and will help us to understand the origin and trajectory of future infection spikes.

positive: Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus Summary A SARS-CoV-2 variant carrying the Spike protein amino acid change D614G has become the most prevalent form in the global pandemic. Dynamic tracking of variant frequencies revealed a recurrent pattern of G614 increase at multiple geographic levels: national, regional and municipal. The shift occurred even in local epidemics where the original D614 form was well established prior to the introduction of the G614 variant. The consistency of this pattern was highly statistically significant, suggesting that the G614 variant may have a fitness advantage. We found that the G614 variant grows to higher titer as pseudotyped virions. In infected individuals G614 is associated with lower RT-PCR cycle thresholds, suggestive of higher upper respiratory tract viral loads, although not with increased disease severity. These findings illuminate changes important for a mechanistic understanding of the virus, and support continuing surveillance of Spike mutations to aid in the development of immunological interventions.

positive: Glycan shield and epitope masking of a coronavirus spike protein observed by cryo-electron microscopy The threat of a major coronavirus pandemic urges the development of suitable strategies to combat these pathogens. HCoV-NL63 is an α-coronavirus that can cause severe lower respiratory tract infections requiring hospitalization. We report here the 3.4 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the HCoV-NL63 coronavirus spike glycoprotein trimer, which is the conformational machine responsible for entry into host cells and the sole target of neutralizing antibodies during infection. The map resolves the extensive glycan shield obstructing the protein surface and, in combination with mass-spectrometry, provides a structural framework to understand accessibility to antibodies. The structure also reveals a remarkable modular architecture of the receptor-binding subunit and the complete architecture of the fusion machinery including the triggering loop and the C-terminal domains, which contribute to anchoring the trimer to the viral membrane. Our data further suggest that HCoV-NL63 and other coronaviruses use molecular trickery, based on masking of epitopes with glycans and activating conformational changes, to evade the immune system of infected hosts.

positive: Structures of Human Antibodies Bound to SARS-CoV-2 Spike Reveal Common Epitopes and Recurrent Features of Antibodies Neutralizing antibody responses to coronaviruses mainly target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the trimeric spike. Here, we characterized polyclonal immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) and Fabs from COVID-19 convalescent individuals for recognition of coronavirus spikes. Plasma IgGs differed in their focus on RBD epitopes, recognition of alpha- and beta-coronaviruses, and contributions of avidity to increased binding/neutralization of IgGs over Fabs. Using electron microscopy, we examined specificities of polyclonal plasma Fabs, revealing recognition of both S1A and RBD epitopes on SARS-CoV-2 spike. Moreover, a 3.4 Å cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of a neutralizing monoclonal Fab-spike complex revealed an epitope that blocks ACE2 receptor binding. Modeling based on these structures suggested different potentials for inter-spike crosslinking by IgGs on viruses, and characterized IgGs would not be affected by identified SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations. Overall, our studies structurally define a recurrent anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody class derived from VH3-53/VH3-66 and similarity to a SARS-CoV VH3-30 antibody, providing criteria for evaluating vaccine-elicited antibodies.

positive: Exploring the genomic and proteomic variations of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein: a computational biology approach The newly identified SARS-CoV-2 has now been reported from around 183 countries with more than a million confirmed human cases including more than 68000 deaths. The genomes of SARS-COV-2 strains isolated from different parts of the world are now available and the unique features of constituent genes and proteins have gotten substantial attention recently. Spike glycoprotein is widely considered as a possible target to be explored because of its role during the entry of coronaviruses into host cells. We analyzed 320 whole-genome sequences and 320 spike protein sequences of SARS-CoV-2 using multiple sequence alignment tools. In this study, 483 unique variations have been identified among the genomes including 25 non-synonymous mutations and one deletion in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Among the 26 variations detected, 12 variations were located at the N-terminal domain and 6 variations at the receptor-binding domain (RBD) which might alter the interaction with receptor molecules. In addition, 22 amino acid insertions were identified in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with that of SARS-CoV. Phylogenetic analyses of spike protein revealed that Bat coronavirus have a close evolutionary relationship with circulating SARS-CoV-2. The genetic variation analysis data presented in this study can help a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Based on our findings, potential inhibitors can be designed and tested targeting these proposed sites of variation.

positive: Involvement of Spike Protein, Furin, and ACE2 in SARS-CoV-2-Related Cardiovascular Complications The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global epidemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 has a similar structure to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-1(SARS-CoV-1). The S protein on the surface of the virus is cleaved by host proprotein convertases (PCs) to expose the active N-terminal S1 extracellular domain. Its receptors are angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and the C-terminal S2 membrane anchoring protein is responsible for translocating the virus into the cell. Among patients with COVID-19, there is a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease, and more than 7% of patients have suffered myocardial damage due to the infection, but the internal mechanism is still poorly understood. There is currently no specific and effective targeted treatment. Reduction of the patient’s morbidity and mortality is an urgent problem that needs to be solved clinically. By exploring the theoretical analysis of PCs and ACE2 in COVID-19 cardiovascular susceptibility, some insights on how to prevent and alleviate adverse cardiovascular prognosis have been provided in this study.

positive: The biological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein Pro330-Leu650 SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 that has been characterized as a pandemic by the WHO. Since the first report of COVID-19 on December 31, 2019, 179,111 cases were confirmed in 160 countries/regions with 7,426 deaths as of March 17, 2020. However, there have been no vaccines approved in the world to date. In this study, we analyzed the biological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein, Pro330-Leu650 (SARS-CoV-2-SPL), using biostatistical methods. SARS-CoV-2-SPL possesses a receptor-binding region (RBD) and important B (Ser438-Gln506, Thr553-Glu583, Gly404-Aps427, Thr345-Ala352, and Lys529-Lys535) and T (9 CD4 and 11 CD8 T cell antigenic determinants) cell epitopes. High homology in this region between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV amounted to 87.7%, after taking the biological similarity of the amino acids into account and eliminating the receptor-binding motif (RBM). The overall topology indicated that the complete structure of SARS-CoV-2-SPL was with RBM as the head, and RBD as the trunk and the tail region. SARS-CoV-2-SPL was found to have the potential to elicit effective B and T cell responses. Our findings may provide meaningful guidance for SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design.

positive: Tryptophan-dependent membrane interaction and heteromerization with the internal fusion peptide by the membrane proximal external region of SARS-CoV spike protein. The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated CoV (SARS-CoV) mediates membrane fusion and viral entry. These events involve structural rearrangements, including heteromerization between two heptad repeats (HR1 and HR2) to form a trimer of dimers as a six-helix bundle (6-HB), a quaternary protein structure that brings two distant clusters of hydrophobic sequences into the proximity of each other, the internal fusion peptide (IFP) preceding HR1, and the highly conserved tryptophan (Trp)-rich membrane proximal external region (MPER) following HR2. Here, we show that MPER can undergo self-oligomerization and heteromerization with IFP, events that are Trp-dependent. To delineate the roles of Trp residues of MPER in forming these quaternary structures and interacting with membranes, we employed a panel of synthetic peptides: MPER peptide (M-wt) and its alanine (Ala) and phenylalanine (Phe) analogues. Ala substitutions of Trp inhibited its association with cellular membranes. Chemical cross-linking experiments showed that M-wt can self-interact to form oligomers and cross-interact with IFP23, a synthetic IFP peptide, to form a heterohexamer. In comparison, little high-order oligomer was formed between M-wt and fusion peptide. The specific interaction between M-wt and IFP23 was confirmed by immunofluorescence staining experiments. In aqueous solutions, both M-wt and IFP23 displayed random secondary structures that became helical in hydrophobic solvents. Triple-Ala substitutions of Trp in M-wt, but not the corresponding triple-Phe analogue, disrupted oligomerization of M-wt and hetero-oligomerization of M-wt with IFP23. Overall, our results show that Trp residues of MPER play a key role in maintaining the structure and functions of MPER, allowing it to interact with IFP to form a MPER-IFP heteromer, a putative quaternary structure extending from the 6-HB, and function in membrane fusion. Finally, we showed that a MPER peptide could serve as an inhibitor in the entry process.

positive: Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation The outbreak of a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) represents a pandemic threat that has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The CoV spike (S) glycoprotein is a key target for vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and diagnostics. To facilitate medical countermeasure development, we determined a 3.5-angstrom-resolution cryo–electron microscopy structure of the 2019-nCoV S trimer in the prefusion conformation. The predominant state of the trimer has one of the three receptor-binding domains (RBDs) rotated up in a receptor-accessible conformation. We also provide biophysical and structural evidence that the 2019-nCoV S protein binds angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with higher affinity than does severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV S. Additionally, we tested several published SARS-CoV RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies and found that they do not have appreciable binding to 2019-nCoV S, suggesting that antibody cross-reactivity may be limited between the two RBDs. The structure of 2019-nCoV S should enable the rapid development and evaluation of medical countermeasures to address the ongoing public health crisis.

positive: Plasma from recovered COVID19 subjects inhibits spike protein binding to ACE2 in a microsphere-based inhibition assay High throughput serological tests that can establish the presence and functional activity of anti-SARS-COV2 antibodies are urgently needed. Here we present microsphere-based Flow Cytometry assays that quantify both anti-spike IgGs in plasma, and the ability of plasma to inhibit the binding of spike protein to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). First, we detected anti-trimer IgGs in 22/24 and anti-RBD IgGs in 21/24 COVID+ subjects at a median of 36 (range 14-73) days following documented SARS-CoV-2 RNA (+) secretions. Next, we find that plasma from all 22/24 subjects with anti-trimer IgGs inhibited ACE2-trimer binding to a greater degree than controls, and that the degree of inhibition correlated with anti-trimer IgG levels. Depletion of trimer-reactive Igs from plasma reduced ACE2-trimer inhibitory capacity to a greater degree than depletion of RBD-reactive Igs, suggesting that inhibitory antibodies act by binding both within and outside of the RBD. Amongst the 24 subjects, presence of fever was associated with higher levels of anti-trimer IgG and inhibition of binding to human ACE2. This inhibition assay may be broadly useful to quantify the functional antibody response of recovered COVID19 patients or vaccine recipients in a cell-free assay system.

positive: Identification of N-linked glycosylation sites in the spike protein and their functional impact on the replication and infectivity of coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus in cell culture Abstract Spike (S) glycoprotein on the viral envelope is the main determinant of infectivity. The S protein of coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) contains 29 putative asparagine(N)-linked glycosylation sites. These post-translational modifications may assist in protein folding and play important roles in the functionality of S protein. In this study, we used bioinformatics tools to predict N-linked glycosylation sites and to analyze their distribution in IBV strains and variants. Among these sites, 8 sites were confirmed in the S protein extracted from partially purified virus particles by proteomics approaches. N-D and N-Q substitutions at 13 predicted sites were introduced into an infectious clone system. The impact on S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion, viral recovery and infectivity was assessed, leading to the identification of sites essential for the functions of IBV S protein. Further characterization of these and other uncharacterized sites may reveal novel aspects of N-linked glycosylation in coronavirus replication and pathogenesis.

positive: A Genomic Perspective on the Origin and Emergence of SARS-CoV-2 The ongoing pandemic of a new human coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has generated enormous global concern. We and others in China were involved in the initial genome sequencing of the virus. Herein, we describe what genomic data reveal about the emergence SARS-CoV-2 and discuss the gaps in our understanding of its origins.

positive: Unveiling diffusion pattern and structural impact of the most invasive SARS-CoV-2 spike mutation Starting in Wuhan, China, SARS-CoV-2 epidemics quickly propagated worldwide in less than three months, geographically sorting genomic variants in newly established propagules of infections. Stochasticity in transmission within and between countries and/or actual advantage in virus transmissibility could explain the high frequency reached by some genomic variants during the course of the outbreak. Using a suite of statistical, population genetics, and theoretical approaches, we show that the globally most represented spike protein variant (i.e., the G clade, A → G nucleotide change at genomic position 23,403; D → G amino acid change at spike protein position 614) i) underwent a significant demographic expansion in most countries not explained by stochastic effects or enhanced pathogenicity; ii) affects the spike S1/S2 furin-like site increasing its conformational plasticity (short range effect), and iii) modifies the internal motion of the receptor-binding domain affecting its cross-connection with other functional domains (long-range effect). Our study unambiguously links the spread of the G614 with a non-random process, and we hypothesize that this process is related to the selective advantage produced by a specific structural modification of the spike protein. We conclude that the different conformation of the S1/S2 proteolytic site is at the basis of the higher transmission rate of this invasive SARS-CoV-2 variant, and provide structural information to guide the design of selective and efficient drugs.

positive: Monoclonal antibodies for the S2 subunit of spike of SARS-CoV cross-react with the newly-emerged SARS-CoV-2 The emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, at the end of 2019 has resulted in widespread human infections across the globe. While genetically distinct from SARS-CoV, the etiological agent that caused an outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in 2003, both coronaviruses exhibit receptor binding domain (RBD) conservation and utilize the same host cell receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), for virus entry. Therefore, it will be important to test the cross-reactivity of antibodies that have been previously generated against the surface spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV in order to aid research on the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2. Here, we show that an immunogenic domain in the S2 subunit of SARS-CoV S is highly conserved in multiple strains of SARS-CoV-2. Consistently, four murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) raised against this immunogenic SARS-CoV fragment were able to recognise the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 expressed in a mammalian cell line. Importantly, one of them (mAb 1A9) was demonstrated to detect S in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells. To our knowledge, this is the first study showing that mAbs targeting the S2 domain of SARS-CoV can cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 and this observation is consistent with the high sequence conservation in the S2 subunit. These cross-reactive mAbs may serve as tools useful for SARS-CoV-2 research as well as for the development of diagnostic assays for its associated coronavirus disease COVID-19.

positive: Characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 S Protein: Biophysical, Biochemical, Structural, and Antigenic Analysis Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global health crisis caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and there is a critical need to produce large quantities of high-quality SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein for use in both clinical and basic science settings. To address this need, we have evaluated the expression and purification of two previously reported S protein constructs in Expi293F™ and ExpiCHO-S™ cells, two different cell lines selected for increased expression of secreted glycoproteins. We show that ExpiCHO-S™ cells produce enhanced yields of both SARS-CoV-2 S proteins. Biochemical, biophysical, and structural (cryo-EM) characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 S proteins produced in both cell lines demonstrate that the reported purification strategy yields high quality S protein (non-aggregated, uniform material with appropriate biochemical and biophysical properties). Importantly, we show that multiple preparations of these two recombinant S proteins from either cell line exhibit identical behavior in two different serology assays. We also evaluate the specificity of S protein-mediated host cell binding by examining interactions with proposed binding partners in the human secretome. In addition, the antigenicity of these proteins is demonstrated by standard ELISAs, and in a flexible protein microarray format. Collectively, we establish an array of metrics for ensuring the production of high-quality S protein to support clinical, biological, biochemical, structural and mechanistic studies to combat the global pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Elucidation of Cellular Targets and Exploitation of the Receptor Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 for vaccine and monoclonal antibody synthesis The pandemic caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in over 452,822 deaths in the first twenty days of June 2020 due to the coronavirus virus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The SARS-CoV-2 uses the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to gain entry inside the human cells where it replicates by using the cell protein synthesis mechanisms. The knowledge of the tissue distribution of ACE2 in human organs is therefore important to predict the clinical course of the COVID-19. Also important is the understanding of the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD) a region within the spike (S) proteins that enable the entry of the virus into the host cells to synthesize vaccine and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). We performed an exhaustive search of human protein databases to establish the tissues that express ACE2 and performed an in-depth analysis like sequence alignments and homology modeling of the spike protein (S) of the SARS-CoV-2 to identify antigenic regions in the RBD that can be exploited to synthesize vaccine and mAbs. Our results show that ACE2 is widely expressed in human organs that may explain the pulmonary, systemic, and neurological deficits seen in COVID-19 patients. We show that though the S protein of the SARS-CoV-2 is a homolog of S protein of SARS-CoV-1, it has regions of dissimilarities in the RBD and transmembrane segments. We show peptide sequences in the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 that can bind to the MHC alleles and serve as effective epitopes for vaccine and mAbs synthesis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

positive: Learning from the Past: Possible Urgent Prevention and Treatment Options for Severe Acute Respiratory Infections Caused by 2019-nCoV. With the current trajectory of the 2019-nCoV outbreak unknown, public health and medicinal measures will both be needed to contain spreading of the virus and to optimize patient outcomes. While little is known about the virus, an examination of the genome sequence shows strong homology with its more well-studied cousin, SARS-CoV. The spike protein used for host cell infection shows key nonsynonymous mutations which may hamper efficacy of previously developed therapeutics but remains a viable target for the development of biologics and macrocyclic peptides. Other key drug targets, including RdRp and 3CLpro, share a strikingly high (>95%) homology to SARS-CoV. Herein, we suggest 4 potential drug candidates (an ACE2-based peptide, remdesivir, 3CLpro-1 and a novel vinylsulfone protease inhibitor) that can be used to treat patients suffering with the 2019-nCoV. We also summarize previous efforts into drugging these targets and hope to help in the development of broad spectrum anti-coronaviral agents for future epidemics.

positive: Prediction of TGEV Spike Protein Secondary Structure and B Cell Epitopes The spike gene of TGEV TH98 strain was translated into amino sequence by Editseq. The secondary structure and B cell epitope of spike protein of TGEV TH98 strain were predicted by Protean. Combining the results according to these methods, the spike protein of TGEV TH98 strain has complicated secondary structure. There are several epitopes of the B-cells in spike protein, including 43-56aa, 97-104aa, 117-128aa, 132-173aa, 238-257aa, 391-398aa, 535-706aa, 779-799aa, 918-987aa, 1165-1200aa, 1257-1266aa and 1430-1446aa.

positive: Structural and biochemical characterization of nsp12-nsp7-nsp8 core polymerase complex from SARS-CoV-2 Summary The ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused a huge number of human deaths. Currently, there are no specific drugs or vaccines available for this virus (SARS-CoV-2). The viral polymerase is a promising antiviral target. Here, we describe the near-atomic resolution structure of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase complex, consisting of nsp12 catalytic subunit and nsp7-nsp8 cofactors. This structure highly resembles the counterpart of SARS-CoV with conserved motifs for all viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases, and suggests the mechanism for activation by cofactors. Biochemical studies reveal reduced activity of the core polymerase complex and lower thermostability of individual subunits of SARS-CoV-2 as compared to that of SARS-CoV. These findings provide important insights into RNA synthesis by coronavirus polymerase and indicate a well adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 towards humans with relatively lower body temperatures than the natural bat hosts.

positive: A recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum strain expressing the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic in the past four months and causes respiratory disease in humans of almost all ages. Although several drugs have been announced to be partially effective treatments for this disease, no approved vaccine is available. Here, we described the construction of a recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum strain expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The results showed that the spike gene with optimized codons could be efficiently expressed on the surface of recombinant L. plantarum and exhibited high antigenicity. The highest protein yield was obtained under the following conditions: cells were induced with 50 ng/mL SppIP at 37 °C for 6-10 h. The recombinant spike (S) protein was stable under normal conditions and at 50 °C, pH = 1.5, or a high salt concentration. Recombinant L. plantarum may provide a promising food-grade oral vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Structural Molecular Insights into SARS Coronavirus Cellular Attachment, Entry and Morphogenesis Coronavirus spikes have the largest mass of any known viral spike molecule. The spike is a type 1 viral fusion protein, a class of trimeric surface glycoprotein proteins from diverse viral families that share many common structural and functional characteristics. Fusion proteins are mainly responsible for host cell receptor recognition and subsequent membrane fusion, and may perform other roles such as virus assembly and release via budding. The conformational changes that occur in the spike of intact SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) when it binds to the viral receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are described. Clues to the structural/functional relationships of membrane fusion have been made possible by the development of viral purification and inactivation methods, along with cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and three-dimensional (3D) image processing of many different images containing multiple views of the spikes. These methods have allowed study of the spikes while still attached to virions that are noninfectious, but fusionally competent. The receptor-binding and fusion core domains within the SARS-CoV spike have been precisely localized within the spike. Receptor binding results in structural changes that have been observed in the spike molecule, and these appear to be the initial step in viral membrane fusion. A working model for the stepwise process of receptor binding, and subsequent membrane fusion in SARS-CoV is presented. Uniquely, the large size of the SARS-CoV spike allows structural changes to be observed by cryo-EM in the native state. This provides a useful model for studying the basic process of membrane fusion in general, which forms an essential part of the function of many cellular processes.

positive: Exploring the genomic and proteomic variations of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein: A computational biology approach The newly identified SARS-CoV-2 has now been reported from around 185 countries with more than a million confirmed human cases including more than 120,000 deaths. The genomes of SARS-COV-2 strains isolated from different parts of the world are now available and the unique features of constituent genes and proteins need to be explored to understand the biology of the virus. Spike glycoprotein is one of the major targets to be explored because of its role during the entry of coronaviruses into host cells. We analyzed 320 whole-genome sequences and 320 spike protein sequences of SARS-CoV-2 using multiple sequence alignment. In this study, 483 unique variations have been identified among the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 including 25 nonsynonymous mutations and one deletion in the spike (S) protein. Among the 26 variations detected, 12 variations were located at the N-terminal domain and 6 variations at the receptor-binding domain (RBD) which might alter the interaction of S protein with the host receptor angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). Besides, 22 amino acid insertions were identified in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with that of SARS-CoV. Phylogenetic analyses of spike protein revealed that Bat coronavirus have a close evolutionary relationship with circulating SARS-CoV-2. The genetic variation analysis data presented in this study can help a better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis. Based on results reported herein, potential inhibitors against S protein can be designed by considering these variations and their impact on protein structure.

positive: Flexibility and mobility of SARS-CoV-2-related protein structures The worldwide CoVid-19 pandemic has led to an unprecedented push across the whole of the scientific community to develop a potent antiviral drug and vaccine as soon as possible. Existing academic, governmental and industrial institutions and companies have engaged in large-scale screening of existing drugs, in vitro, in vivo and in silico. Here, we are using in silico modelling of SARS-CoV-2 drug targets, i.e. SARS-CoV-2 protein structures as deposited on the Protein Databank (PDB). We study their flexibility, rigidity and mobility, an important first step in trying to ascertain their dynamics for further drug-related docking studies. We are using a recent protein flexibility modelling approach, combining protein structural rigidity with possible motion consistent with chemical bonds and sterics. For example, for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in the open configuration, our method identifies a possible further opening and closing of the S1 subunit through movement of SB domain. With full structural information of this process available, docking studies with possible drug structures are then possible in silico. In our study, we present full results for the more than 200 thus far published SARS-CoV-2-related protein structures in the PDB.

positive: Bioinformatics studies on a function of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein as the binding of host sialic acid glycans SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 do not appear to have functions of a hemagglutinin and neuraminidase. This is a mystery, because sugar binding activities appear essential to many other viruses including influenza and even most other coronaviruses in order to bind to and escape from the glycans (sugars, oligosaccharides or polysaccharides) characteristic of cell surfaces and saliva and mucin. The S1 N terminal Domains (S1-NTD) of the spike protein, largely responsible for the bulk of the characteristic knobs at the end of the spikes of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2, are here predicted to be “hiding” sites for recognizing and binding glycans containing sialic acid. This may be important for infection and the ability of the virus to locate ACE2 as its known main host cell surface receptor, and if so it becomes a pharmaceutical target. It might even open up the possibility of an alternative receptor to ACE2. The prediction method developed, which uses amino acid residue sequence alone to predict domains or proteins that bind to sialic acids, is naïve, and will be advanced in future work. Nonetheless, it was surprising that such a very simple approach was so useful, and it can easily be reproduced in a very few lines of computer program to help make quick comparisons between SARS-CoV-2 sequences and to consider the effects of viral mutations.

positive: High seroreactivity against SARS-CoV-2 Spike epitopes in a pre SARS-CoV-2 cohort: implications for antibody testing and vaccine design Little is known about the quality of polyclonal antibody responses in COVID-19 patients, and how it correlates with disease severity or patients' prior exposure to other pathogens. The whole polyclonal antibody repertoire in a retrospective cohort of 538 individuals was mapped against SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein, the main target of antibody immune responses in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Bioinformatic predictions identified 15 major B cell epitopes for S of SARS-CoV-2. Several epitopes localised in RBD of S including those spanning the ACE2-binding site, the highly conserved cryptic epitope of the neutralizing antibody of SARS-CoV, and fusion/entry domains of HR1 and HR2 of S protein of SARS-CoV-2. Intriguingly, some of these epitopes have cross-reactivity to antigens of common pathogens, potentially affecting SARS-CoV-2 infection outcome. High level of anti-Spike SARS-CoV-2 seroreactivity in populations with no history of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 is of clinical relevance and could underpin better understanding of COVID-19 pathophysiology in different populations and provide a blueprint for design of effective vaccines and developing better strategies for antibody testing.

positive: Peptide-Protein Interaction Studies of Antimicrobial Peptides Targeting Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Protein: An In Silico Approach There is no effective therapeutic or vaccine for Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and this study attempts to find therapy using peptide by establishing a basis for the peptide-protein interactions through in silico docking studies for the spike protein of MERS-CoV. The antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) were retrieved from the antimicrobial peptide database (APD3) and shortlisted based on certain important physicochemical properties. The binding mode of the shortlisted peptides was measured based on the number of clusters which forms in a protein-peptide docking using Piper. As a result, we identified a list of putative AMPs which binds to the spike protein of MERS-CoV, which may be crucial in providing the inhibitory action. It is observed that seven putative peptides have good binding score based on cluster size cutoff of 208. We conclude that seven peptides, namely, AP00225, AP00180, AP00549, AP00744, AP00729, AP00764, and AP00223, could possibly have binding with the active site of the MERS-CoV spike protein. These seven AMPs could serve as a therapeutic option for MERS and enhance its treatment outcome.

positive: Update on the target structures of SARS-CoV-2: A systematic review Knowledge of structural details is very much essential from the drug-design perspective. In the systematic review, we systematically reviewed the structural basis of different target proteins of SARS-corona virus (CoV2) from a viral life cycle and from drug design perspective. We searched four literature (PubMed, EMBASE, NATURE, and Willey online library) databases and one structural database (RCSB.org) with appropriate keywords till April 18, and finally, 26 articles were included in the systematic review. The published literature mainly centered upon the structural details of "spike protein," "main protease/M Pro/3CL pro," "RNA-dependent RNA polymerase," and "nonstructural protein 15 Endoribonuclease" of SARS-CoV-2. However, inhibitor bound structures were very less. We need better structures elucidating the interactions between different targets and their inhibitors which will help us in understanding the atomic level importance of different amino acid residues in the functionality of the target structures. To summarize, we need structures with fine resolution, co-crystallized structures with biologically validated inhibitors, and functional characterization of different target proteins. Some other routes of entry of SARS-CoV-2 are also mentioned (e.g., CD147); however, these findings are not structurally validated. This review may pave way for better understanding of SARS-CoV-2 life cycle from structural biology perspective.

positive: Analyses of spike protein from first deposited sequences of SARS-CoV2 from West Bengal, India India has recently started sequencing SARS-CoV2 genome from clinical isolates. Currently only few sequences are available from three states in India. Kerala was the first state to deposit complete sequence from two isolates followed by one from Gujarat. On April 27, 2020, the first five sequences from the state of West Bengal (Eastern India) were deposited on ‘a global initiative on sharing avian flu data’ (GISAID) platform. In this paper we have analysed the spike protein sequences from all these five isolates and also compared for their similarities or differences with other sequences reported in India and with isolates of Wuhan origin. We report one unique mutation at position 723 and the other at 1124 in the S2 domain of spike protein of the isolates from West Bengal only and one mutation downstream of the receptor binding domain at position 614 in S1 domain which was common with the sequence from Gujarat (a state of western part of India). Mutation in the S2 domain showed changes in the secondary structure of the spike protein at region of mutation. We also studied molecular dynamics using normal mode analyses and found that this mutation decreases the flexibility of S2 domain. Since both S1 and S2 are important in receptor binding followed by entry in the host cells, such mutations may define the affinity or avidity of receptor binding.

positive: Structural basis for the neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 by an antibody from a convalescent patient The COVID-19 pandemic has had unprecedented health and economic impact, but currently there are no approved therapies. We have isolated an antibody, EY6A, from a late-stage COVID-19 patient and show it neutralises SARS-CoV-2 and cross-reacts with SARS-CoV-1. EY6A Fab binds tightly (KD of 2 nM) the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral Spike glycoprotein and a 2.6Å crystal structure of an RBD/EY6A Fab complex identifies the highly conserved epitope, away from the ACE2 receptor binding site. Residues of this epitope are key to stabilising the pre-fusion Spike. Cryo-EM analyses of the pre-fusion Spike incubated with EY6A Fab reveal a complex of the intact trimer with three Fabs bound and two further multimeric forms comprising destabilized Spike attached to Fab. EY6A binds what is probably a major neutralising epitope, making it a candidate therapeutic for COVID-19.

positive: Minireview of progress in the structural study of SARS-CoV-2 proteins Abstract A severe form of pneumonia, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization, broke out in China and rapidly developed into a global pandemic, with millions of cases and hundreds of thousands of deaths reported globally. The novel coronavirus, which was designated as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified as the etiological agent of COVID-19. On the basis of experience accumulated following previous SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV outbreaks and research, a series of studies have been conducted rapidly, and major progress has been achieved with regard to the understanding of the phylogeny and genomic organization of SARS-CoV-2 in addition its molecular mechanisms of infection and replication. In the present review, we summarized crucial developments in the elucidation of the structure and function of key SARS-CoV-2 proteins, especially the main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, spike glycoprotein, and nucleocapsid protein. Results of studies on their associated inhibitors and drugs have also been highlighted.

positive: Endocytosis of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV spike protein together with virus receptor ACE2 Abstract Cell entry of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is mediated by the viral spike (S) protein. Amino acids 319–510 on the S protein have been mapped as the receptor-binding domain (RBD), which mediates binding to the SARS-CoV receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) on SARS-CoV susceptible cells. In this study, we expressed a fusion protein containing the human codon-optimized RBD of the SARS-CoV spike protein linked to the Fc portion of human IgG1 (named RBD-Fc) in HEK293 cells. The RBD-Fc protein was purified by affinity chromatography. The flow cytometry assay showed that the purified RBD-Fc protein could bind to ACE2. We demonstrated that the RBD spike protein alone could be internalized into SARS-CoV susceptible cells together with ACE2. We also showed that the removal of N-glycans from the RBD spike protein did not abolish this phenomenon. Our discoveries may have some implications for the development of the SARS vaccine.

positive: Scientific report on the effects of farming systems on dairy cow welfare and disease

positive: Receptor recognition and cross-species infections of SARS coronavirus Abstract Receptor recognition is a major determinant of the host range, cross-species infections, and pathogenesis of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). A defined receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the SARS-CoV spike protein specifically recognizes its host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). This article reviews the latest knowledge about how RBDs from different SARS-CoV strains interact with ACE2 from several animal species. Detailed research on these RBD/ACE2 interactions has established important principles on host receptor adaptations, cross-species infections, and future evolution of SARS-CoV. These principles may apply to other emerging animal viruses, including the recently emerged Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This paper forms part of a series of invited articles in Antiviral Research on “From SARS to MERS: 10years of research on highly pathogenic human coronaviruses”.

positive: A recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum strain expressing the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global pandemic in the past four months and causes respiratory disease in humans of almost all ages. Although several drugs have been announced to be partially effective treatments for this disease, no approved vaccine is available. Here, we described the construction of a recombinant Lactobacillus plantarum strain expressing the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The results showed that the spike gene with optimized codons could be efficiently expressed on the surface of recombinant L. plantarum and exhibited high antigenicity. The highest protein yield was obtained under the following conditions: cells were induced with 50 ng/mL SppIP at 37 °C for 6–10 h. The recombinant spike (S) protein was stable under normal conditions and at 50 °C, pH = 1.5, or a high salt concentration. Recombinant L. plantarum may provide a promising food-grade oral vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

positive: Heparin inhibits cellular invasion by SARS-CoV-2: structural dependence of the interaction of the surface protein (spike) S1 receptor binding domain with heparin The dependence of the host on the interaction of hundreds of extracellular proteins with the cell surface glycosaminoglycan heparan sulphate (HS) for the regulation of homeostasis is exploited by many microbial pathogens as a means of adherence and invasion. The closely related polysaccharide heparin, the widely used anticoagulant drug, which is structurally similar to HS and is a common experimental proxy, can be expected to mimic the properties of HS. Heparin prevents infection by a range of viruses if added exogenously, including S-associated coronavirus strain HSR1. Heparin prevents infection by a range of viruses if added exogenously, including S-associated coronavirus strain HSR1. Here, we show that the addition of heparin to Vero cells between 6.25 - 200 μg.ml−1, which spans the concentration of heparin in therapeutic use, and inhibits invasion by SARS-CoV-2 at between 44 and 80%. We also demonstrate that heparin binds to the Spike (S1) protein receptor binding domain and induces a conformational change, illustrated by surface plasmon resonance and circular dichroism spectroscopy studies. The structural features of heparin on which this interaction depends were investigated using a library of heparin derivatives and size-defined fragments. Binding is more strongly dependent on the presence of 2-O or 6-O sulphation, and the consequent conformational consequences in the heparin structure, than on N-sulphation. A hexasaccharide is required for conformational changes to be induced in the secondary structure that are comparable to those that arise from heparin binding. Enoxaparin, a low molecular weight clinical anticoagulant, also binds the S1 RBD protein and induces conformational change. These findings have implications for the rapid development of a first-line therapeutic by repurposing heparin as well as for next-generation, tailor-made, GAG-based antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 and other members of the Coronaviridae.

positive: Coronavirus membrane fusion mechanism offers a potential target for antiviral development The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has focused attention on the need to develop effective therapies against the causative agent, SARS-CoV-2, and also against other pathogenic coronaviruses (CoV) that have emerged in the past or might appear in future. Researchers are therefore focusing on steps in the CoV replication cycle that may be vulnerable to inhibition by broad-spectrum or specific antiviral agents. The conserved nature of the fusion domain and mechanism across the CoV family make it a valuable target to elucidate and develop pan-CoV therapeutics. In this article, we review the role of the CoV spike protein in mediating fusion of the viral and host cell membranes, summarizing the results of research on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and recent peer-reviewed studies of SARS-CoV-2, and suggest that the fusion mechanism be investigated as a potential antiviral target. We also provide a supplemental file containing background information on the biology, epidemiology, and clinical features of all human-infecting coronaviruses, along with a phylogenetic tree of these coronaviruses.

positive: Interaction of the spike protein RBD from SARS-CoV-2 with ACE2: similarity with SARS-CoV, hot-spot analysis and effect of the receptor polymorphism The spread of COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has been growing since its first identification in December 2019. The publishing of the first SARS-CoV-2 genome made a valuable source of data to study the details about its phylogeny, evolution, and interaction with the host. Protein-protein binding assays have confirmed that Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is more likely to be the cell receptor through which the virus invades the host cell. In the present work, we provide an insight into the interaction of the viral spike Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) from different coronavirus isolates with host ACE2 protein. By calculating the binding energy score between RBD and ACE2, we highlighted the putative jump in the affinity from a progenitor form of SARS-CoV-2 to the current virus responsible for COVID-19 outbreak. Our result was consistent with previously reported phylogenetic analysis and corroborates the opinion that the interface segment of the spike protein RBD might be acquired by SARS-CoV-2 via a complex evolutionary process rather than a progressive accumulation of mutations. We also highlighted the relevance of Q493 and P499 amino acid residues of SARS-CoV-2 RBD for binding to human ACE2 and maintaining the stability of the interface. Moreover, we show from the structural analysis that it is unlikely for the interface residues to be the result of genetic engineering. Finally, we studied the impact of eight different variants located at the interaction surface of ACE2, on the complex formation with SARS-CoV-2 RBD. We found that none of them is likely to disrupt the interaction with the viral RBD of SARS-CoV-2.

positive: [A preliminary study of the structure prediction and expression of SARS-CoV spike protein]. In this study, the encoding sequences of SARS-CoV spike protein were analyzed by bioinformatics methods, the structural characteristics and functions were forecasted based on available data. It suggests that the fragment of spike glycoprotein (S401-659) may be crucial for viral attachment and may be a major immunodominant epitope. Then the fragment was amplified and subcloned into expression vector pET28a(+) and pPIC9K. These two plasmids pET28a(+)-S and pPIC9K-S were transformed to E.coli strain BL21(DE3)-star and Pichia pastoris, respectively. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis showed that the recombinant protein was successfully expressed. The denatured inclusion bodies were purified with Ni-NTA chelate agarose and its purity can reach 90%.

positive: Folding of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein immunological fragment (SARS_S1b): thermodynamic and kinetic investigation correlating with three-dimensional structural modeling. Spike glycoprotein of SARS coronavirus (S protein) plays a pivotal role in SARS coronavirus (SARS_CoV) infection. The immunological fragment of the S protein (Ala251-His641, SARS_S1b) is believed to be essential for SARS_CoV entering the host cell through S protein-ACE-2 interaction. We have quantitatively characterized the thermally induced and GuHCl-induced unfolding features of SARS_S1b using circular dichroism (CD), tryptophan fluorescence, and stopped-flow spectral techniques. For the thermally induced unfolding at pH 7.4, the apparent activation energy (E(app)) and transition midpoint temperature (Tm) were determined to be 16.3 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol and 52.5 +/- 0.4 degrees C, respectively. The CD spectra are not dependent on temperature, suggesting that the secondary structure of SARS_S1b has a relatively high thermal stability. GuHCl strongly affected SARS_S1b structure. Both the CD and fluorescent spectra resulted in consistent values of the transition middle concentration of the denaturant (Cm, ranging from 2.30 to 2.45 M) and the standard free energy change (deltaG(o), ranging from 2.1 to 2.5 kcal/mol) for the SARS_S1b unfolding reaction. Moreover, the kinetic features of the chemical unfolding and refolding of SARS_S1b were also characterized using a stopped-flow CD spectral technique. The obvious unfolding reaction rates and relaxation times were determined at various GuHCl concentrations, and the Cm value was obtained, which is very close to the data that resulted from CD and fluorescent spectral determinations. Secondary and three-dimensional structural predictions by homology modeling indicated that SARS_S1b folded as a globular-like structure by beta-sheets and loops; two of the four tryptophans are located on the protein surface, which is in agreement with the tryptophan fluorescence result. The three-dimensional model was also used to explain the recently published experimental results of S1-ACE-2 binding and immunizations.

positive: Temporal evolution and adaptation of SARS-COV 2 codon usage The outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused an unprecedented pandemic. Since the first sequenced whole-genome of SARS-CoV-2 on January 2020, the identification of its genetic variants has become crucial in tracking and evaluating their spread across the globe. In this study, we compared 15,259 SARS-CoV-2 genomes isolated from 60 countries since the outbreak of this novel coronavirus with the first sequenced genome in Wuhan to quantify the evolutionary divergence of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, we compared the codon usage patterns, every two weeks, of 13 of SARS-CoV-2 genes encoding for the membrane protein (M), envelope (E), spike surface glycoprotein (S), nucleoprotein (N), non-structural 3C-like proteinase (3CLpro), ssRNA-binding protein (RBP), 2’-O-ribose methyltransferase (OMT), endoRNase (RNase), helicase, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), Nsp7, Nsp8, and exonuclease ExoN. As a general rule, we find that SARS-CoV-2 genome tends to diverge over time by accumulating mutations on its genome and, specifically, on the coding sequences for proteins N and S. Interestingly, different patterns of codon usage were observed among these genes. Genes S, Nsp7, NSp8, tend to use a norrower set of synonymous codons that are better optimized to the human host. Conversely, genes E and M consistently use a broader set of synonymous codons, which does not vary with respect to the reference genome. We identified key SARS-CoV-2 genes (S, N, ExoN, RNase, RdRp, Nsp7 and Nsp8) suggested to be causally implicated in the virus adaptation to the human host.

positive: Comparing the binding interactions in the receptor binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV COVID-19, since emerged in Wuhan, China, has been a major concern due to its high infection rate, leaving more than one million infected people around the world. Huge number of studies tried to reveal the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 compared to the SARS-CoV-1, in order to suppress this high infection rate. Some of these studies showed that the mutations in the SARS-CoV-1 Spike protein might be responsible for its higher affinity to the ACE2 human cell receptor. In this work, we used molecular dynamics simulations and Monte Carlo sampling to compare the binding affinities of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to the ACE2. We found that the SARS-CoV-2 binds to ACE2 stronger than SARS-CoV by 7 kcal/mol, due to enhanced electrostatic interactions. The major contributions to the electrostatic binding energies are resulting from the salt-bridges formed between R426 and ACE2-E329 in case of SARS-CoV and K417 and ACE2-D30 for SARS-CoV2. In addition, there is no significant contribution from a single mutant to the binding energies. However, these mutations induce sophisticated structural changes that enhance the binding energies. Our results also indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely a lab engineered virus.

positive: Template-based coiled-coil antigens elicit neutralizing antibodies to the SARS-coronavirus Abstract The Spike (S) glycoprotein of coronaviruses (CoV) mediates viral entry into host cells. It contains two hydrophobic heptad repeat (HR) regions, denoted HRN and HRC, which oligomerize the S glycoprotein into a trimer in the native state and when activated collapse into a six-helix bundle structure driving fusion of the host and viral membranes. Previous studies have shown that peptides of the HR regions can inhibit viral infectivity. These studies imply that the HR regions are accessible and that agents which can interact with them may prevent viral entry. In the present study, we have investigated an approach to generate antibodies that specifically recognize the HRN and HRC regions of the SARS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein in order to evaluate whether these antibodies can inhibit viral infectivity and thus neutralize the SARS-CoV. In this regard, we incorporated HRN and HRC coiled-coil surface residues into a de novo designed two-stranded α-helical coiled-coil template for generating conformation-specific antibodies that recognize α-helices in proteins (Lu, S.M., Hodges, R.S., 2002. J. Biol. Chem. 277, 23515–23524). Eighteen surface residues from two regions of HRN and HRC were incorporated into the template and used to generate four anti-sera, HRN1, HRN2, HRC1, and HRC2. Our results show that all of the elicited anti-sera can specifically recognize HRN or HRC peptides and the native SARS-CoV S protein in an ELISA format. Flow cytometry (FACS) analysis, however, showed only HRC1 and HRC2 anti-sera could bind to native S protein expressed on the cell surface of Chinese hamster ovary cells, i.e., the cell surface structure of the S glycoprotein precluded the ability of the HRN1 or HRN2 anti-sera to see their respective epitope sites. In in vitro viral infectivity assays, no inhibition was observed for either HRN1 or HRN2 anti-serum, whereas both HRC1 and HRC2 anti-sera could inhibit SARS-CoV infection in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, the HRC1 anti-serum, which was a more effective inhibitor of viral infectivity compared to HRC2 anti-serum, could only bind the pre-fusogenic state of HRC, i.e., the HRC1 anti-serum did not recognize the six-helix bundle conformation (fusion state) whereas HRC2 anti-serum did. These results suggest that antibodies that are more specific for the pre-fusogenic state of HRC may be better neutralizing antibodies. Overall, these results clearly demonstrate that the two-stranded coiled-coil template acts as an excellent presentation system for eliciting helix-specific antibodies against highly conserved viral antigens and HRC1 and HRC2 peptides may represent potential candidates for use in a peptide vaccine against the SARS-CoV.

positive: Recombination and purifying selection preserves covariant movements of mosaic SARS-CoV-2 protein S In depth evolutionary and structural analyses of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) isolated from bats, pangolins, and humans are necessary to assess the role of natural selection and recombination in the emergence of the current pandemic strain. The SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein unique features have been associated with efficient viral spread in the human population. Phylogeny-based and genetic algorithm methods clearly show that recombination events between viral progenitors infecting animal hosts led to a mosaic structure in the S gene. We identified recombination coldspots in the S glycoprotein and strong purifying selection. Moreover, although there is little evidence of diversifying positive selection during host-switching, structural analysis suggests that some of the residues emerged along the ancestral lineage of current pandemic strains may contribute to enhanced ability to infect human cells. Interestingly, recombination did not affect the long-range covariant movements of SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein monomer in pre-fusion conformation but, on the contrary, could contribute to the observed overall viral efficiency. Our dynamic simulations revealed that the movements between the host cell receptor binding domain (RBD) and the novel furin-like cleavage site are correlated. We identified threonine 333 (under purifying selection), at the beginning of the RBD, as the hinge of the opening/closing mechanism of the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein monomer functional to hACE2 binding. Our findings support a scenario where ancestral recombination and fixation of amino acid residues in the RBD of the S glycoprotein generated a virus with unique features, capable of extremely efficient infection of the human host.

positive: Elucidating the differences in the molecular mechanism of receptor binding between 2019-nCoV and the SARS-CoV viruses using computational tools The outbreak of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome which can be fatal, especially in elderly population, has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Many biotechnology laboratories are rushing to develop therapeutic antibodies and antiviral drugs for treatment of this viral disease. The viral CoV spike (S) glycoprotein is one of the main targets for pharmacological intervention. Its receptor-binding domain (RBD) interacts with the human ACE2 receptor ensuring the entry of the viral genomes into the host cell. In this work, we report on the differences in the binding of the RBD of the previous coronavirus SARS-CoV and of the newer 2019-nCoV coronavirus to the human ACE2 receptor using atomistic molecular dynamics techniques. Our results show major mutations in the 2019-nCoV RBD with respect to the SARS-CoV RBD occurring at the interface of RBD-ACE2 complex. These mutations make the 2019-nCoV RBD protein backbone much more flexible, hydrophobic interactions are reduced and additional polar/charged residues appear at the interface. We observe that higher flexibility of the 2019-nCoV RBD with respect to the SARS-CoV RBD leads to a bigger binding interface between the 2019-nCoV RBD and ACE2 and to about 20% more contacts between them in comparison with SARS-CoV. Taken together, the 2019-nCoV RBD shows more stable binding interface and higher binding affinity for the ACE2 receptor. The mutations not only stabilize the binding interface, they also lead to overall more stable 2019-nCoV RBD protein structure, even far from the binding interface. Our results on the molecular differences in the binding between the two viruses can provide important inputs for development of appropriate antiviral treatments of the new viruses, addressing the necessity of ongoing pandemics.

positive: COVID-19 Coronavirus spike protein analysis for synthetic vaccines, a peptidomimetic antagonist, and therapeutic drugs, and analysis of a proposed achilles’ heel conserved region to minimize probability of escape mutations and drug resistance Abstract This paper continues a recent study of the spike protein sequence of the COVID-19 virus (SARS-CoV-2). It is also in part an introductory review to relevant computational techniques for tackling viral threats, using COVID-19 as an example. Q-UEL tools for facilitating access to knowledge and bioinformatics tools were again used for efficiency, but the focus in this paper is even more on the virus. Subsequence KRSFIEDLLFNKV of the S2′ spike glycoprotein proteolytic cleavage site continues to appear important. Here it is shown to be recognizable in the common cold coronaviruses, avian coronaviruses and possibly as traces in the nidoviruses of reptiles and fish. Its function or functions thus seem important to the coronaviruses. It might represent SARS-CoV-2 Achilles’ Heel, less likely to acquire resistance by mutation, as has happened in some early SARS vaccine studies discussed in the previous paper. Preliminary conformational analysis of the receptor (ACE2) binding site of the spike protein is carried suggesting that while it is somewhat conserved, it appears to be more variable than KRSFIEDLLFNKV. However compounds like emodin that inhibit SARS entry, apparently by binding ACE2, might also have functions at several different human protein binding studies. The enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 is again argued to be a convenient model pharmacophore perhaps representing an ensemble of targets, and it is noted that it occurs both in lung and alimentary tract. Perhaps it benefits the virus to block an inflammatory response by inhibiting the dehydrogenase, but a fairly complex web involves several possible targets.

positive: Computational View toward the Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and the 3CL Protease Since the outbreak of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the medical research community is vigorously seeking a treatment to control the infection and save the lives of severely infected patients. The main potential candidates for the control of viruses are virally targeted agents. In this short letter, we report our calculations on the inhibitors for the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease and the spike protein for the potential treatment of COVID-19. The results show that the most potent inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease include saquinavir, tadalafil, rivaroxaban, sildenafil, dasatinib, etc. Ergotamine, amphotericin b, and vancomycin are most promising to block the interaction of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein with human ACE-2.

positive: The Discovery of a Putative Allosteric Site in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Using an Integrated Structural/Dynamic Approach [Image: see text] SARS-CoV-2 has caused the largest pandemic of the twenty-first century (COVID-19), threatening the life and economy of all countries in the world. The identification of novel therapies and vaccines that can mitigate or control this global health threat is among the most important challenges facing biomedical sciences. To construct a long-term strategy to fight both SARS-CoV-2 and other possible future threats from coronaviruses, it is critical to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the virus action. The viral entry and associated infectivity stems from the formation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein complex with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The detection of putative allosteric sites on the viral spike protein molecule can be used to elucidate the molecular pathways that can be targeted with allosteric drugs to weaken the spike-ACE2 interaction and, thus, reduce viral infectivity. In this study, we present the results of the application of different computational methods aimed at detecting allosteric sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The adopted tools consisted of the protein contact networks (PCNs), SEPAS (Affinity by Flexibility), and perturbation response scanning (PRS) based on elastic network modes. All of these methods were applied to the ACE2 complex with both the SARS-CoV2 and SARS-CoV spike proteins. All of the adopted analyses converged toward a specific region (allosteric modulation region [AMR]), present in both complexes and predicted to act as an allosteric site modulating the binding of the spike protein with ACE2. Preliminary results on hepcidin (a molecule with strong structural and sequence with AMR) indicated an inhibitory effect on the binding affinity of the spike protein toward the ACE2 protein.

positive: Identification of IgG antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its receptor binding domain does not predict rapid recovery from COVID-19 Diagnostic testing and evaluation of patient immunity against the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) corona virus that emerged last year (SARS-CoV-2) are essential for health and economic crisis recovery of the world. It is suggested that potential acquired immunity against SARS-CoV-2 from prior exposure may be determined by detecting the presence of circulating IgG antibodies against viral antigens, such as the spike glycoprotein and its receptor binding domain (RBD). Testing our asymptomatic population for evidence of COVID-19 immunity would also offer valuable epidemiologic data to aid health care policies and health care management. Currently, there are over 100 antibody tests that are being used around the world without approval from the FDA or similar regulatory bodies, and they are mostly for rapid and qualitative assessment, with different degrees of error rates. ELISA-based testing for sensitive and rigorous quantitative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies can potentially offer mechanistic insights into the COVID-19 disease and aid communities uniquely challenged by limited financial resources and access to commercial testing products. Employing recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD and spike protein generated in the laboratory, we devised a quantitative ELISA for the detection of circulating serum antibodies. Serum from twenty SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR confirmed COVID-19 hospitalized patients were used to detect circulating IgG titers against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and RBD. Quantitative detection of IgG antibodies to the spike glycoprotein or the RBD in patient samples was not always associated with faster recovery, compared to patients with borderline antibody response to the RBD. One patient who did not develop antibodies to the RBD completely recovered from COVID-19. In surveying 99 healthy donor samples (procured between 2017-February 2020), we detected RBD antibodies in one donor from February 2020 collection with three others exhibiting antibodies to the spike protein but not the RBD. Collectively, our study suggests that more rigorous and quantitative analysis, employing large scale sample sets, is required to determine whether antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or RBD is associated with protection from COVID-19 disease. It is also conceivable that humoral response to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or RBD works in association with adaptive T cell response to determine clinical sequela and severity of COVID-19 disease.

positive: Novel SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody and neutralization assays reveal wide range of humoral immune response during COVID-19 Development of antibody protection during SARS-CoV-2 (CoV-2) infection is a pressing question for public health and for vaccine development. We developed highly sensitive CoV-2-specific antibody and neutralization assays. CoV-2 Spike protein or Nucleocapsid protein specific IgG antibodies at titers more than 1:100,000 were detectable in all PCR+ subjects (n=87) and were absent in the negative controls. Other isotype antibodies (IgA, IgG1-4) were also detected. CoV-2 neutralization was determined in COVID-19 and convalescent plasma up to 10,000-fold dilution, using Spike protein pseudotyped lentiviruses, which was also blocked by neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Hospitalized patients had up to 3000-fold higher antibody and neutralization titers compared to outpatients or convalescent plasma donors. Further, subjects who donated plasma further out from the diagnosis of COVID-19 appeared to have lower titers. Interestingly, some COVID-19 patients also contained NAbs against SARS Spike protein pseudovirus. Together these results demonstrate the high specificity and sensitivity of our assays, which may impact understanding the quality or duration of the antibody response during COVID-19 and in determining the effectiveness of potential vaccines.

positive: Structure, function and antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus associated with an ongoing outbreak of pneumonia (Covid-2019) resulted in infections of more than 72,000 people and claimed over 1,800 lives. Coronavirus spike (S) glycoprotein trimers promote entry into cells and are the main target of the humoral immune response. We show here that SARS-CoV-2 S mediates entry in VeroE6 cells and in BHK cells transiently transfected with human ACE2, establishing ACE2 as a functional receptor for this novel coronavirus. We further demonstrate that the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 S and SARS-CoV S bind with similar affinities to human ACE2, which correlates with the efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. We found that the SARS-CoV-2 S glycoprotein harbors a furin cleavage site at the boundary between the S1/S2 subunits, which is processed during biogenesis and sets this virus apart from SARS-CoV and other SARS-related CoVs. We determined a cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SARS-CoV-2 S ectodomain trimer, demonstrating spontaneous opening of the receptor-binding domain, and providing a blueprint for the design of vaccines and inhibitors of viral entry. Finally, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV S murine polyclonal sera potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 S-mediated entry into target cells, thereby indicating that cross-neutralizing antibodies targeting conserved S epitopes can be elicited upon vaccination.

positive: SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and ACE2 interaction reveals modulation of viral entry in different hosts Background SARS-CoV-2 is a viral pathogen causing life threatening disease in human. Interaction between spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 receptor on the cells is a potential factor in the infectivity of a host. The interaction of SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain with its receptor - ACE2, in different hosts was evaluated to understand and predict viral entry. The protein and nucleotide sequences of ACE2 were initially compared across different species to identify key differences among them. The ACE2 receptor of various species was homology modeled (6LZG as a reference) and its binding ability to the spike receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 was assessed. Initially, the spike binding properties of ACE2 of known infected and uninfected species was compared with each Order (of animals) as a group. Finally, a logistic regression model vis-a-vis the spike binding properties of ACE2 (Interaction energy, entropy sidechain and entropy mainchain) was constructed to predict the probability of viral entry in different hosts. Results Phylogeny and alignment comparison did not lead to any meaningful conclusion on viral entry in different hosts. Out of several spike binding properties of ACE2, a significant difference between the known infected and uninfected species was observed for five spike binding properties of ACE2. However, these parameters did not specifically categorize the animals into infected or uninfected, for all the Orders (of animals). The logistic regression model constructed revealed that in the mammalian class, most of the species of Carnivores, Artiodactyls, Perissodactyls, Pholidota, and Primates had high probability of viral entry. However, among the primates, baboons have very low probability of viral entry. Among rodents, hamsters were highly probable for viral entry with rats and mice having a very low probability. Rabbits have a medium probability of viral entry. In Birds, ducks have a very low probability, while chickens seemed to have medium probability and turkey showed the highest probability of viral entry. Conclusions Most of the species considered in this study showed high probability of viral entry. This study would prompt us to closely follow certain species of animals for determining pathogenic insult by SARS-CoV-2 and for determining their ability to act as a carrier and/or disseminator.

positive: Structural basis of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein induced by ACE2 Motivation The recent emergence of the novel SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its international spread pose a global health emergency. The viral spike (S) glycoprotein binds the receptor (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) ACE2 and promotes SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells. The trimeric S protein binds the receptor using the distal receptor-binding domain (RBD) causing conformational changes in S protein that allow priming by host cell proteases. Unravelling the dynamic structural features used by SARS-CoV-2 for entry might provide insights into viral transmission and reveal novel therapeutic targets. Using structures determined by X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM, we performed structural analysis and atomic comparisons of the different conformational states adopted by the SARS-CoV-2-RBD. Results Here, we determined the key structural components induced by the receptor and characterized their intramolecular interactions. We show that κ-helix (also known as polyproline II) is a predominant structure in the binding interface and in facilitating the conversion to the active form of the S protein. We demonstrate a series of conversions between switch-like κ-helix and β-strand, and conformational variations in a set of short α-helices which affect the proximal hinge region. This conformational changes lead to an alternating pattern in conserved disulfide bond configurations positioned at the hinge, indicating a possible disulfide exchange, an important allosteric switch implicated in viral entry of various viruses, including HIV and murine coronavirus. The structural information presented herein enables us to inspect and understand the important dynamic features of SARS-CoV-2-RBD and propose a novel potential therapeutic strategy to block viral entry. Overall, this study provides guidance for the design and optimization of structure-based intervention strategies that target SARS-CoV-2.

positive: Immunization with the receptor–binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 elicits antibodies cross-neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV without antibody-dependent enhancement Recently emerged severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the pathogen responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Currently, there is no vaccine available for preventing SARS-CoV-2 infection. Like closely related severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), SARS-CoV-2 also uses its receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the spike (S) protein to engage the host receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), facilitating subsequent viral entry. Here we report the immunogenicity and vaccine potential of SARS-CoV-2 RBD (SARS2-RBD)-based recombinant proteins. Immunization with SARS2-RBD recombinant proteins potently induced a multi-functional antibody response in mice. The resulting antisera could efficiently block the interaction between SARS2-RBD and ACE2, inhibit S-mediated cell-cell fusion, and neutralize both SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry and authentic SARS-CoV-2 infection. In addition, the anti-RBD sera also exhibited cross binding, ACE2-blockade, and neutralization effects towards SARS-CoV. More importantly, we found that the anti-RBD sera did not promote antibody-dependent enhancement of either SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirus entry or authentic virus infection of Fc receptor-bearing cells. These findings provide a solid foundation for developing RBD-based subunit vaccines for SARS-CoV2.

positive: Investigation of ACE2 N-terminal fragments binding to SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is an emerging global health crisis. With over 7 million confirmed cases to date, this pandemic continues to expand, spurring research to discover vaccines and therapies. SARS-CoV-2 is the novel coronavirus responsible for this disease. It initiates entry into human cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) via the receptor binding domain (RBD) of its spike protein (S). Disrupting the SARS-CoV-2-RBD binding to ACE2 with designer drugs has the potential to inhibit the virus from entering human cells, presenting a new modality for therapeutic intervention. Peptide-based binders are an attractive solution to inhibit the RBD-ACE2 interaction by adequately covering the extended protein contact interface. Using molecular dynamics simulations based on the recently solved cryo-EM structure of ACE2 in complex with SARS-CoV-2-RBD, we observed that the ACE2 peptidase domain (PD) α1 helix is important for binding SARS-CoV-2-RBD. Using automated fast-flow peptide synthesis, we chemically synthesized a 23-mer peptide fragment of the ACE2 PD α1 helix (SBP1) composed entirely of proteinogenic amino acids. Chemical synthesis of SBP1 was complete in 1.5 hours, and after work up and isolation >20 milligrams of pure material was obtained. Bio-layer interferometry (BLI) revealed that SBP1 associates with micromolar affinity to insect-derived SARS-CoV-2-RBD protein obtained from Sino Biological. Association of SBP1 was not observed to an appreciable extent to HEK cell-expressed SARS-CoV-2-RBD proteins and insect-derived variants acquired from other vendors. Moreover, competitive BLI assays showed SBP1 does not outcompete ACE2 binding to Sino Biological insect-derived SARS-CoV-2-RBD. Further investigations are ongoing to gain insight into the molecular and structural determinants of the variable binding behavior to different SARS-CoV-2-RBD protein variants.

positive: Unexpected free fatty acid binding pocket in the cryo-EM structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), represents a global crisis. Key to SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic development is unraveling the mechanisms driving high infectivity, broad tissue tropism and severe pathology. Our cryo-EM structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein reveals that the receptor binding domains (RBDs) tightly and specifically bind the essential free fatty acid (FFA) linoleic acid (LA) in three composite binding pockets. The pocket also appears to be present in the highly pathogenic coronaviruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Lipid metabolome remodeling is a key feature of coronavirus infection, with LA at its core. LA metabolic pathways are central to inflammation, immune modulation and membrane fluidity. Our structure directly links LA and S, setting the stage for interventions targeting LA binding and metabolic remodeling by SARS-CoV-2. One Sentence Summary A direct structural link between SARS-CoV-2 spike and linoleic acid, a key molecule in inflammation, immune modulation and membrane fluidity.

positive: Controlling the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein Conformation The coronavirus (CoV) viral host cell fusion spike (S) protein is the primary immunogenic target for virus neutralization and the current focus of many vaccine design efforts. The highly flexible S-protein, with its mobile domains, presents a moving target to the immune system. Here, to better understand S-protein mobility, we implemented a structure-based vector analysis of available β-CoV S-protein structures. We found that despite overall similarity in domain organization, different β-CoV strains display distinct S-protein configurations. Based on this analysis, we developed two soluble ectodomain constructs in which the highly immunogenic and mobile receptor binding domain (RBD) is locked in either the all-RBDs ‘down’ position or is induced to display a previously unobserved in SARS-CoV-2 2-RBDs ‘up’ configuration. These results demonstrate that the conformation of the S-protein can be controlled via rational design and provide a framework for the development of engineered coronavirus spike proteins for vaccine applications.

positive: Crystal structure of murine sCEACAM1a[1,4]: a coronavirus receptor in the CEA family CEACAM1 is a member of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) family. Isoforms of murine CEACAM1 serve as receptors for mouse hepatitis virus (MHV), a murine coronavirus. Here we report the crystal structure of soluble murine sCEACAM1a[1,4], which is composed of two Ig-like domains and has MHV neutralizing activity. Its N-terminal domain has a uniquely folded CC′ loop that encompasses key virus-binding residues. This is the first atomic structure of any member of the CEA family, and provides a prototypic architecture for functional exploration of CEA family members. We discuss the structural basis of virus receptor activities of murine CEACAM1 proteins, binding of Neisseria to human CEACAM1, and other homophilic and heterophilic interactions of CEA family members.

positive: Immunoinformatic identification of B cell and T cell epitopes in the SARS-CoV-2 proteome A novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged from China in late 2019 and rapidly spread across the globe, infecting millions of people and generating societal disruption on a level not seen since the 1918 influenza pandemic. A safe and effective vaccine is desperately needed to prevent the continued spread of SARS-CoV-2; yet, rational vaccine design efforts are currently hampered by the lack of knowledge regarding viral epitopes targeted during an immune response, and the need for more in-depth knowledge on betacoronavirus immunology. To that end, we developed a computational workflow using a series of open-source algorithms and webtools to analyze the proteome of SARS-CoV-2 and identify putative T cell and B cell epitopes. Using increasingly stringent selection criteria to select peptides with significant HLA promiscuity and predicted antigenicity, we identified 41 potential T cell epitopes (5 HLA class I, 36 HLA class II) and 6 potential B cell epitopes, respectively. Docking analysis and binding predictions demonstrated enrichment for peptide binding to HLA-B (class I) and HLA-DRB1 (class II) molecules. Overlays of predicted B cell epitopes with the structure of the viral spike (S) glycoprotein revealed that 4 of 6 epitopes were located in the receptor-binding domain of the S protein. To our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively analyze all 10 (structural, non-structural and accessory) proteins from SARS-CoV-2 using predictive algorithms to identify potential targets for vaccine development. Significance Statement The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 recently emerged from China, rapidly spreading and ushering in a global pandemic. Despite intensive research efforts, our knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 immunology and the proteins targeted by the immune response remains relatively limited, making it difficult to rationally design candidate vaccines. We employed a suite of bioinformatic tools, computational algorithms, and structural modeling to comprehensively analyze the entire SARS-CoV-2 proteome for potential T cell and B cell epitopes. Utilizing a set of stringent selection criteria to filter peptide epitopes, we identified 41 T cell epitopes (5 HLA class I, 36 HLA class II) and 6 B cell epitopes that could serve as promising targets for peptide-based vaccine development against this emerging global pathogen.

positive: Antigenic evolution on global scale reveals potential natural selection of SARS-CoV-2 by pre-existing cross-reactive T cell immunity The mutation pattern of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is constantly changing with the places of transmission, but the reason remains to be revealed. Here, we presented the study that comprehensively analyzed the potential selective pressure of immune system restriction, which can drive mutations in circulating SARS-CoV-2 isolates. The results showed that the most common mutation sites of SARS-CoV-2 proteins were located on the non-structural protein ORF1ab and the structural protein Spike. Further analysis revealed mutations in cross-reactive epitopes between SARS-CoV-2 and seasonal coronavirus may help SARS-CoV-2 to escape cellular immunity under the long-term and large-scale community transmission. Meanwhile, the mutations on Spike protein may enhance the ability of SARS-CoV-2 to enter the host cells and escape the recognition of B-cell immunity. This study will increase the understanding of the evolutionary direction and warn about the potential immune escape ability of SARS-CoV-2, which may provide important guidance for the potential vaccine design.

positive: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to human, pet, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts ACE2 and ACE2 receptors The emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, resulted in a pandemic. Here, we used recently released X-ray structures of human ACE2 bound to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S) from SARS-CoV-2 to predict its binding to ACE2 proteins from different animals, including pets, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2. Comparing the interaction sites of ACE2 proteins known to serve or not serve as receptor allows to define residues important for binding. From the 20 amino acids in ACE2 that contact S up to seven can be replaced and ACE2 can still function as the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. These variable amino acids are clustered at certain positions, mostly at the periphery of the binding site, while changes of the invariable residues prevent S-binding or infection of the respective animal. Some ACE2 proteins even tolerate the loss or the acquisition of N-glycosylation sites located near the S-interface. Of note, pigs and dogs which are not or not effectively infected, respectively, have only a few changes in the binding site have relatively low levels of ACE2 in the respiratory tract. Comparison of the RBD of S of SARS-CoV-2 with viruses from bat and pangolin revealed that the latter contains only one substitution, whereas the bat virus exhibits five. However, ACE2 of pangolin exhibit seven changes relative to human ACE2, a similar number of substitutions is present in ACE2 of bats, raccoon, and civet suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 may not especially adapted to ACE2 of any of its putative intermediate hosts. These analyses provide new insight into the receptor usage and animal source/origin of SARS-COV-2. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is threatening people worldwide and there are no drugs or vaccines available to mitigate its spread. The origin of the virus is still unclear and whether pets and livestock can be infected and transmit SARS-CoV-2 are important and unknown scientific questions. Effective binding to the host receptor ACE2 is the first prerequisite for infection of cells and determines the host range. Our analysis provides a framework for the prediction of potential hosts of SARS-CoV-2. We found that ACE2 from species known to support SARS-CoV-2 infection tolerate many amino acid changes indicating that the species barrier might be low. However, the lower expression of ACE2 in the upper respiratory tract of some pets and livestock means more research and monitoring should be done to explore the animal source of infection and the risk of potential cross-species transmission. Finally, the analysis also showed that SARS-CoV-2 may not specifically adapted to any of its putative intermediate hosts.

positive: Neutralizing antibody and soluble ACE2 inhibition of a replication-competent VSV-SARS-CoV-2 and a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2. Abstract Antibody-based interventions against SARS-CoV-2 could limit morbidity, mortality, and possibly transmission. An anticipated correlate of such countermeasures is the level of neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which engages with host ACE2 receptor for entry. Using an infectious molecular clone of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) expressing eGFP as a marker of infection, we replaced the glycoprotein gene (G) with the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 (VSV-eGFP-SARS-CoV-2) and developed a high-throughput imaging-based neutralization assay at biosafety level 2. We also developed a focus-reduction neutralization test with a clinical isolate of SARS-CoV-2 at biosafety level 3. Comparing the neutralizing activities of various antibodies and ACE2-Fc soluble decoy protein in both assays revealed a high degree of concordance. These assays will help define correlates of protection for antibody-based countermeasures and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. Additionally, replication-competent VSV-eGFP-SARS-CoV-2 provides a tool for testing inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 mediated entry under reduced biosafety containment.

positive: Static All-Atom Energetic Mappings of the SARS-Cov-2 Spike Protein with Potential Latch Identification of the Down State Protomer The SARS-Cov-2 virion responsible for the current world-wide pandemic Covid-19 has a characteristic Spike protein (S) on its surface that embellishes both a prefusion state and fusion state. The prefusion Spike protein (S) is a large trimeric protein where each protomer may be in a so-called Up state or Down state, depending on the configuration of its receptor binding domain (RBD). The Up state is believed to allow binding of the virion to ACE-2 receptors on human epithelial cells, whereas the Down state is believed to be relatively inactive or reduced in its binding behavior. We have performed detailed all-atom, dominant energy landscape mappings for noncovalent interactions (charge, partial charge, and van der Waals) of the SARS-Cov-2 Spike protein in its static prefusion state based on recent structural information. We included both interchain interactions and intrachain (domain) interactions in our mappings in order to determine any telling differences (different so-called “glue” points or “hot spots”) between residues in the Up and Down state protomers. In general, the S2 or fusion machinery domain of S is relatively rigid with strong noncovalent interactions facilitated by helical secondary structures, whereas the S1 domain, which contains the RBD and N-terminal domain (NTD), is relatively more flexible and characterized by beta strand structural motifs. The S2 domain demonstrated no appreciable energetic differences between Up and Down protomers, including interchain as well as each protomer’s intrachain, S1–S2 interactions. However, the S1 domain interactions across neighboring protomers, which include the RBD-NTD cross chain interactions, showed energetic differences between Up-Down and Down-Down neighboring protomers. Surprisingly, the Up-Down, RBD-NTD interactions were overall stronger and more numerous than the Down-Down cross chain interactions, including the appearance of the three residue sequence ALA520-PRO521-ALA522 associated with a turn structure in the RBD of the Up state. Additionally, our intrachain dominant energy mappings within each protomer, identified a significant “glue” point or possible latch for the Down state protomer between the S1 subdomain, SD1 and the RBD domain of the same protomer that was completely missing in the Up state protomer analysis. Ironically, this dominant energetic interaction in the Down state protomer involved the backbone atoms of the same three residue sequence ALA520-PRO521-ALA522 of the RBD with the R-group of GLN564 in the SD1 domain. Thus, this same three residue sequence acts as a stabilizer of the RBD in the Up conformation through its interactions with its neighboring NTD chain and a kind of latch in the Down state conformation through its interactions with its own SD1 domain. The dominant interaction energy residues identified here are also conserved across reported variations of SARS-Cov-2, as well as the closely related virions SARS-Cov and the bat corona virus RatG13. However, these results are all based on static structure analysis and large scale dynamic simulations will be necessary to further investigate these findings. Nonetheless, static dominant energy landscape mappings represents a starting point for more detailed dynamic analyses and hopefully an improved understanding at the structure-function relationship of this highly complex protein.

positive: An alpaca nanobody neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by blocking receptor interaction SARS-CoV-2 is the etiologic agent of COVID-19, currently causing a devastating pandemic for which pharmacological interventions are urgently needed. The virus enters host cells through an interaction between the spike glycoprotein and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Directly preventing this interaction presents an attractive possibility for suppressing SARS-CoV-2 replication. Here we report the isolation and characterization of an alpaca-derived single domain antibody fragment, Ty1, that specifically targets the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike, directly preventing ACE2 engagement. The nanobody binds with high affinity in the low nM range to the RBD, occluding ACE2. A cryo-electron microscopy structure of the bound complex at 2.9 Å resolution reveals that Ty1 binds to an epitope on the RBD accessible in both the ‘up’ and ‘down’ conformations and that Ty1 sterically hinders RBD-ACE2 binding. This 12.8 kDa nanobody does not need an Fc domain to neutralize SARS-CoV-2, and can be expressed in high quantities in bacteria, presenting opportunities for manufacturing at scale. Ty1 is therefore an excellent candidate as an intervention against COVID-19.

positive: The Distal Polybasic Cleavage Sites of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Enhance Spike Protein-ACE2 Binding The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein plays a crucial role in binding the human cell receptor ACE2 that is required for viral entry. Many studies have been conducted to target the structures of RBD-ACE2 binding and to design RBD-targeting vaccines and drugs. Nevertheless, mutations distal from the SARS-CoV-2 RBD also impact its transmissibility and antibody can target non-RBD regions, suggesting the incomplete role of the RBD region in the spike protein-ACE2 binding. Here, in order to elucidate distant binding mechanisms, we analyze complexes of ACE2 with the wild type spike protein and with key mutants via large-scale all-atom explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations. We find that though distributed approximately 10 nm away from the RBD, the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic cleavage sites enhance, via electrostatic interactions and hydration, the RBD-ACE2 binding affinity. A negatively charged tetrapeptide (GluGluLeuGlu) is then designed to neutralize the positively charged arginine on the polybasic cleavage sites. We find that the tetrapeptide GluGluLeuGlu binds to one of the three polybasic cleavage sites of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein lessening by 34% the RBD-ACE2 binding strength. This significant binding energy reduction demonstrates the feasibility to neutralize RBD-ACE2 binding by targeting this specific polybasic cleavage site. Our work enhances understanding of the binding mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 to ACE2, which may aid the design of therapeutics for COVID-19 infection. TOC: The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein-ACE2 complex showing the polybasic cleavage sites

positive: Clinical population genetic analysis of variants in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor ACE2 Purpose: SARS-CoV-2 infects cells via the human Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) protein. The genetic variation of ACE2 function and expression across populations is still poorly understood. This study aims at better understanding the genetic basis of COVID-19 outcomes by studying association between genetic variation in ACE2 and disease severity in the Iranian population. Methods: We analyzed two large Iranian cohorts and several publicly available human population variant databases to identify novel and previously known ACE2 exonic variants present in the Iranian population and considered those as candidate variants for association between genetic variation and disease severity. We genotyped these variants across three groups of COVID-19 patients with different clinical outcomes (mild disease, severe disease, and death) and evaluated this genetic variation with regard to clinical outcomes. Results: We identified 32 exonic variants present in Iranian cohorts or other public variant databases. Among those, 11 variants are novel and have thus not been described in other populations previously. Following genotyping of these 32 candidate variants, only the synonymous polymorphism (c.2247G>A) was detected across the three groups of COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: Genetic variability of known and novel exonic variants was low among our COVID-19 patients. Our results do not provide support for the hypothesis that exonic variation in ACE2 has a sizeable impact on COVID-19 severity across the Iranian population.

positive: An effective approach to reduce the penetration potential of Sars-Cov-2 and other viruses by spike protein: Through surface particle electrostatic charge negotiation The objective of this paper is to provide a mathematical model to construct a barrier that may be useful to prevent the penetration of different viruses (Eg. SARS-COV-2) as well as charged aerosols through the concept of electrostatic charge negotiation. (Fusion for the opposite types of charges and repulsion for the similar types of charges). Reviewing the works of different authors, regarding charges, surface charge densities ({\sigma}), charge mobility ({\mu}) and electrostatic potentials of different aerosols under varied experimental conditions, a similar intensive study has also been carried out to investigate the electron donating and accepting (hole donating) properties of the spike proteins (S-proteins) of different RNA and DNA viruses, including SARS-COV-2. Based upon the above transport properties of electrons of different particles having different dimensions, a mathematical model has been established to find out the penetration potential of those particles under different electrostatic fields. An intensive study have been carried out to find out the generation of electrostatic charges due to the surface emission of electrons (SEE), when a conducting material like silk, nylon or wool makes a friction with the Gr IV elements like Germanium or Silicon, it creates an opposite layer of charges in the outer conducting surface and the inner semiconducting surface separated by a dielectric materials. This opposite charge barriers may be considered as Inversion layers (IL). The electrostatic charges accumulated in the layers between the Gr IV Ge is sufficient enough to either fuse or repel the charges of the spike proteins of the RNA, DNA viruses including SARS-Cov-2 (RNA virus) or the aerosols.

positive: Design of Potent Membrane Fusion Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2, an Emerging Coronavirus with High Fusogenic Activity The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has posed serious threats to global public health and economic and social stabilities, calling for the prompt development of therapeutics and prophylactics. In this study, we first verified that SARS-CoV-2 uses human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a cell receptor and that its spike (S) protein mediates high membrane fusion activity. The heptad repeat 1 (HR1) sequence in the S2 fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2 possesses markedly increased α-helicity and thermostability, as well as a higher binding affinity with its corresponding heptad repeat 2 (HR2) site, than the HR1 sequence in S2 of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Then, we designed an HR2 sequence-based lipopeptide fusion inhibitor, termed IPB02, which showed highly potent activities in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 S protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and pseudovirus transduction. IPB02 also inhibited the SARS-CoV pseudovirus efficiently. Moreover, the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of IPB02 was characterized with a panel of truncated lipopeptides, revealing the amino acid motifs critical for its binding and antiviral capacities. Therefore, the results presented here provide important information for understanding the entry pathway of SARS-CoV-2 and the design of antivirals that target the membrane fusion step.IMPORTANCE The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, presents a serious global public health emergency in urgent need of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. The S protein of coronaviruses mediates viral receptor binding and membrane fusion, thus being considered a critical target for antivirals. Herein, we report that the SARS-CoV-2 S protein has evolved a high level of activity to mediate cell-cell fusion, significantly differing from the S protein of SARS-CoV that emerged previously. The HR1 sequence in the fusion protein of SARS-CoV-2 adopts a much higher helical stability than the HR1 sequence in the fusion protein of SARS-CoV and can interact with the HR2 site to form a six-helical bundle structure more efficiently, underlying the mechanism of the enhanced fusion capacity. Also, importantly, the design of membrane fusion inhibitors with high potencies against both SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV has provided potential arsenals to combat the pandemic and tools to exploit the fusion mechanism.

positive: Prediction of amino acid pairs sensitive to mutations in the spike protein from SARS related coronavirus In this study, we analyzed the amino acid pairs affected by mutations in two spike proteins from human coronavirus strains 229E and OC43 by means of random analysis in order to gain some insight into the possible mutations in the spike protein from SARS-CoV. The results demonstrate that the randomly unpredictable amino acid pairs are more sensitive to the mutations. The larger is the difference between actual and predicted frequencies, the higher is the chance of mutation occurring. The effect induced by mutations is to reduce the difference between actual and predicted frequencies. The amino acid pairs whose actual frequencies are larger than their predicted frequencies are more likely to be targeted by mutations, whereas the amino acid pairs whose actual frequencies are smaller than their predicted frequencies are more likely to be formed after mutations. These findings are identical to our several recent studies, i.e. the mutations represent a process of degeneration inducing human diseases.

positive: Current strategies for protein production and purification enabling membrane protein structural biology. Membrane proteins are still heavily under-represented in the protein data bank (PDB), owing to multiple bottlenecks. The typical low abundance of membrane proteins in their natural hosts makes it necessary to overexpress these proteins either in heterologous systems or through in vitro translation/cell-free expression. Heterologous expression of proteins, in turn, leads to multiple obstacles, owing to the unpredictability of compatibility of the target protein for expression in a given host. The highly hydrophobic and (or) amphipathic nature of membrane proteins also leads to challenges in producing a homogeneous, stable, and pure sample for structural studies. Circumventing these hurdles has become possible through the introduction of novel protein production protocols; efficient protein isolation and sample preparation methods; and, improvement in hardware and software for structural characterization. Combined, these advances have made the past 10-15 years very exciting and eventful for the field of membrane protein structural biology, with an exponential growth in the number of solved membrane protein structures. In this review, we focus on both the advances and diversity of protein production and purification methods that have allowed this growth in structural knowledge of membrane proteins through X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM).

positive: Brief Communication: Magnetic Immuno-Detection of SARS-CoV-2 specific Antibodies SARS-CoV-2 causes ongoing infections worldwide, and identifying people with immunity is becoming increasingly important. Available point-of-care diagnostic systems as lateral flow assays have high potential for fast and easy on-site antibody testing but are lacking specificity, sensitivity or possibility for quantitative measurements. Here, a new point-of-care approach for SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody detection in human serum based on magnetic immuno-detection is described and compared to standard ELISA. For magnetic immuno-detection, immunofiltration columns were coated with a SARS-CoV-2 spike protein peptide. SARS-CoV-2 peptide reactive antibodies, spiked at different concentrations into PBS and human serum, were rinsed through immunofiltration columns. Specific antibodies were retained within the IFC and labelled with an isotype specific biotinylated antibody. Streptavidin-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles were applied to label the secondary antibodies. Enriched magnetic nanoparticles were then detected by means of frequency magnetic mixing detection technology, using a portable magnetic read-out device. Measuring signals corresponded to the amount of SARS-CoV-2 specific antibodies in the sample. Our preliminary magnetic immuno-detection setup resulted in a higher sensitivity and broader detection range and was four times faster than ELISA. Further optimizations could reduce assay times to that of a typical lateral flow assay, enabling a fast and easy approach, well suited for point-of-care measurements without expensive lab equipment.

positive: Protein structure analysis of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor: from conformational changes to novel neutralizing antibodies The recent severe acute respiratory syndrome, known as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread so much rapidly and severely to induce World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a state of emergency over the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. While several countries have chosen the almost complete lock-down for slowing down SARS-CoV-2 spread, the scientific community is called to respond to the devastating outbreak by identifying new tools for diagnosis and treatment of the dangerous COVID-19. With this aim, we performed an in silico comparative modeling analysis, which allows gaining new insights into the main conformational changes occurring in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, at the level of the receptor-binding domain (RBD), along interactions with human cells angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor, that favor human cell invasion. Furthermore, our analysis provides (1) an ideal pipeline to identify already characterized antibodies that might target SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD, aiming to prevent interactions with the human ACE2, and (2) instructions for building new possible neutralizing antibodies, according to chemical/physical space restraints and complementary determining regions (CDR) mutagenesis of the identified existing antibodies. The proposed antibodies show in silico high affinity for SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD and can be used as reference antibodies also for building new high-affinity antibodies against present and future coronaviruses able to invade human cells through interactions of their spike proteins with the human ACE2. More in general, our analysis provides indications for the set-up of the right biological molecular context for investigating spike RBD-ACE2 interactions for the development of new vaccines, diagnostic kits, and other treatments based on the targeting of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.

positive: The impact of protein characterization in structural proteomics Protein characterization plays a role in two key aspects of structural proteomics. The first is the quality assessment of the produced protein preparations. Obtaining well diffracting crystals is one of the major bottlenecks in the structure‐determination pipeline. Often, this is caused by the poor quality of the protein preparation used for crystallization trials. Hence, it is essential to perform an extensive quality assessment of the protein preparations prior to crystallization and to use the results in the evaluation of the process. Here, a protein‐production and crystallization strategy is proposed with threshold values for protein purity (95%) and monodispersity (85%) below which a further optimization of the protein‐production process is strongly recommended. The second aspect is the determination of protein characteristics such as domains, oligomeric state, post‐translational modifications and protein–protein and protein–ligand interactions. In this paper, applications and new developments of protein‐characterization methods using MS, fluorescence spectroscopy, static light scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation and small‐angle X‐ray scattering within the EC Structural Proteomics in Europe contract are described. Examples of the application of the various methods are given.

positive: Evolutionary and structural analyses of SARS-CoV-2 D614G spike protein mutation now documented worldwide The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was declared on March 11, 2020 by the World Health Organization. As of the 31st of May, 2020, there have been more than 6 million COVID-19 cases diagnosed worldwide and over 370,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins. Thousands of SARS-CoV-2 strains have been sequenced to date, providing a valuable opportunity to investigate the evolution of the virus on a global scale. We performed a phylogenetic analysis of over 1,225 SARS-CoV-2 genomes spanning from late December 2019 to mid-March 2020. We identified a missense mutation, D614G, in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, which has emerged as a predominant clade in Europe (954 of 1,449 (66%) sequences) and is spreading worldwide (1,237 of 2,795 (44%) sequences). Molecular dating analysis estimated the emergence of this clade around mid-to-late January (10 - 25 January) 2020. We also applied structural bioinformatics to assess D614G potential impact on the virulence and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2. In silico analyses on the spike protein structure suggests that the mutation is most likely neutral to protein function as it relates to its interaction with the human ACE2 receptor. The lack of clinical metadata available prevented our investigation of association between viral clade and disease severity phenotype. Future work that can leverage clinical outcome data with both viral and human genomic diversity is needed to monitor the pandemic.

positive: The dimer interface of the SARS coronavirus nucleocapsid protein adapts a porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus-like structure We have employed NMR to investigate the structure of SARS coronavirus nucleocapsid protein dimer. We found that the secondary structure of the dimerization domain consists of five α helices and a β-hairpin. The dimer interface consists of a continuous four-stranded β-sheet superposed by two long α helices, reminiscent of that found in the nucleocapsid protein of porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus. Extensive hydrogen bond formation between the two hairpins and hydrophobic interactions between the β-sheet and the α helices render the interface highly stable. Sequence alignment suggests that other coronavirus may share the same structural topology.

positive: The global and local distribution of RNA structure throughout the SARS-CoV-2 genome SARS-CoV-2 is the causative viral agent of COVID-19, the disease at the center of the current global pandemic. While knowledge of highly structured regions is integral for mechanistic insights into the viral infection cycle, very little is known about the location and folding stability of functional elements within the massive, ~30kb SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome. In this study, we analyze the folding stability of this RNA genome relative to the structural landscape of other well-known viral RNAs. We present an in-silico pipeline to locate regions of high base pair content across this long genome and also identify well-defined RNA structures, a method that allows for direct comparisons of RNA structural complexity within the several domains in SARS-CoV-2 genome. We report that the SARS-CoV-2 genomic propensity to stable RNA folding is exceptional among RNA viruses, superseding even that of HCV, one of the most highly structured viral RNAs in nature. Furthermore, our analysis reveals varying levels of RNA structure across genomic functional regions, with accessory and structural ORFs containing the highest structural density in the viral genome. Finally, we take a step further to examine how individual RNA structures formed by these ORFs are affected by the differences in genomic and subgenomic contexts. The conclusions reported in this study provide a foundation for structure-function hypotheses in SARS-CoV-2 biology, and in turn, may guide the 3D structural characterization of potential RNA drug targets for COVID-19 therapeutics.

negative: Visualizing an unseen enemy; mobilizing structural biology to counter COVID-19 Crystallography in its broadest sense has a crucial role to play in addressing the current COVID-19 pandemic. An outpouring of structural information on key viral proteins has resulted and importantly these data have immediately been shared with researchers round the world to speed the discovery of effective therapeutic agents.

negative: Molecular Basis for ADP-ribose Binding to the Macro-X Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp3 The virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, has a large RNA genome that encodes numerous proteins that might be targets for antiviral drugs. Some of these proteins, such as the RNA-dependent RNA polymers, helicase and main protease, are well conserved between SARS-CoV-2 and the original SARS virus, but several others are not. This study examines one of the proteins encoded by SARS-CoV-2 that is most different, a macrodomain of nonstructural protein 3 (nsp3). Although 26% of the amino acids in this SARS-CoV-2 macrodomain differ from those seen in other coronaviruses, biochemical and structural data reveal that the protein retains the ability to bind ADP-ribose, which is an important characteristic of beta coronaviruses, and potential therapeutic target.

negative: A novel human coronavirus: Middle East respiratory syndrome human coronavirus In 2012, a novel coronavirus, initially named as human coronavirus EMC (HCoV-EMC) but recently renamed as Middle East respiratory syndrome human coronavirus (MERS-CoV), was identified in patients who suffered severe acute respiratory infection and subsequent renal failure that resulted in death. Ongoing epidemiological investigations together with retrospective studies have found 61 laboratory-confirmed cases of infection with this novel coronavirus, including 34 deaths to date. This novel coronavirus is culturable and two complete genome sequences are now available. Furthermore, molecular detection and indirect immunofluorescence assay have been developed. The present paper summarises the limited recent advances of this novel human coronavirus, including its discovery, genomic characterisation and detection.

negative: Immunoinformatic analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 Envelope protein as a strategy to assess cross-protection against COVID-19 Envelope protein of coronaviruses is a structural protein existing in both monomeric and homo-pentameric form. It has been related to a multitude of roles including virus infection, replication, dissemination and immune response stimulation. In the present study, we employed an immunoinformatic approach to investigate the major immunogenic domains of the SARS-CoV-2 envelope protein and map them among the homologue proteins of coronaviruses with tropism for animal species that are closely inter-related with the human beings population all over the world. Also, when not available, we predicted the envelope protein structural folding and mapped SARS-CoV-2 epitopes. Envelope sequences alignment provides evidence of high sequence homology for some of the investigated virus specimens; while the structural mapping of epitopes resulted in the interesting maintenance of the structural folding and epitope sequence localization also in the envelope proteins scoring a lower alignment score. In line with the One-Health approach, our evidences provide a molecular structural rationale for a potential role of taxonomically related coronaviruses in conferring protection from SARS-CoV-2 infection and identifying potential candidates for the development of diagnostic tools and prophylactic-oriented strategies.

negative: Assembly of human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-like particles Abstract Viral particles of human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS CoV) consist of three virion structural proteins, including spike protein, membrane protein, and envelope protein. In this report, virus-like particles were assembled in insect cells by the co-infection with recombinant baculoviruses, which separately express one of these three virion proteins. We found that the membrane and envelope proteins are sufficient for the efficient formation of virus-like particles and could be visualized by electron microscopy. Sucrose gradient purification followed by Western blot analysis and immunogold labeling showed that the spike protein could be incorporated into the virus like particle also. The construction of engineered virus-like particles bearing resemblance to the authentic one is an important step towards the development of an effective vaccine against infection of SARS CoV.

negative: COVID-19 Outbreak in Malaysia In 2020 a significant threat to public health emerged. The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) epidemic outbreak emerged in December 2019 from Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and spread to the rest of the world. This disease was named COVID-19 by World Health Organization. To date (17(th) April 2020) a total of 2,230,439 cases of COVID-19; 150,810 cases of deaths and 564,210 recovered cases have been reported worldwide. In this review the SARS-CoV-2 morphology, pathogenic mechanism, similarities and differences between SARS-CoV and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and severe acute respiratory syndrome, transmission mode, diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures were investigated. The outbreak of COVID-19 from a Malaysian perspective was explored and mental health care during the COVID-19 outbreak was explored. To date, there is no vaccine or no specific treatment for COVID-19. Therefore, preventive measures are very important to prevent and control the rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Preparedness should be a priority for future pandemic outbreaks.

negative: Applications of isothermal titration calorimetry in protein folding and molecular recognition During the past decade, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) has developed from a specialist method to a major, commercially available tool in the arsenal directed at understanding molecular interactions. At present, ITC is used to study all types of binding reactions, including protein-protein, protein-ligand, DNA-drug, DNA-protein, receptor-target, and enzyme kinetics, and it is becoming the method of choice for the determination of the thermodynamic parameters associated with the structure transformation of one molecule or non-covalent interaction of two (or more) molecules. Here, the new applications of ITC in protein folding/unfolding and misfolding, as well as its traditional application in molecular interaction/recognition are reviewed, providing an overview of what can be achieved in these fields using this method and what developments are likely to occur in the near future.

negative: A Guide to COVID‐19: a global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus SARS‐CoV‐2 The emergence of the SARS‐CoV‐2 strain of the human coronavirus has thrown the world into the midst of a new pandemic. In the human body, the virus causes COVID‐19, a disease characterized by shortness of breath, fever, and pneumonia, which can be fatal in vulnerable individuals. SARS‐CoV‐2 has characteristics of past human coronaviruses, with close genomic similarities to SARS‐CoV, the virus that causes the disease SARS. Like these related coronaviruses, SARS‐CoV‐2 is transmitted through the inhalation of droplets and interaction with contaminated surfaces. Across the world, laboratories are developing candidate vaccines for the virus – with vaccine trials underway in the US and the United Kingdom ‐ and considering various drugs for possible treatments and prophylaxis. Here, we provide an overview of SARS‐CoV‐2 by analyzing its virology, epidemiology, and modes of transmission while examining the current progress of testing procedures and possible treatments through drugs and vaccines.

negative: Structural elucidation of SARS-CoV-2 vital proteins: Computational methods reveal potential drug candidates against main protease, Nsp12 polymerase and Nsp13 helicase Abstract The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 caused a major outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and instigated a widespread fear, threatening global health security. To date, no licensed antiviral drugs or vaccines are available against COVID-19 although several clinical trials are underway to test possible therapies. During this urgency situation, computational drug discovery methods provide an alternative to tiresome high-throughput screening, particularly in the hit-to-lead-optimization stage. Identification of small molecules that specifically target viral replication apparatus has indicated highest potential towards antiviral drug discovery. In this work, we present potential compounds that specifically target SARS-CoV-2 vital proteins, including the main protease, Nsp12 RNA polymerase and Nsp13 helicase. An integrative virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations approach led to the identification of potential binding modes and favourable molecular interaction profile of corresponding compounds. Moreover, the identification of structurally important binding site residues in conserved motifs located inside the active site highlights relative importance of ligand binding based on residual energy decomposition analysis. Although the current study lacks experimental validation, the structural information obtained from this computational study has paved way for the design of targeted inhibitors to combat COVID-19 outbreak.

negative: Humoral immune response and prolonged PCR positivity in a cohort of 1343 SARS-CoV 2 patients in the New York City region Background: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a global pandemic. The percentage of infected individuals who seroconvert is still an open question. In addition, it has been shown in some individuals that viral genome can still be detected at considerable time post symptom resolution. Here we investigated both seroconversion and PCR-positivity in a large cohort of convalescent serum donors in New York City. Methods: Individuals with confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection were screened via PCR for presence of viral genome and via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for presence of anti SARS-CoV-2 spike antibodies. Results: All but three confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients seroconverted to the SARS-CoV-2 spike while only 37.4% of suspected SARS-CoV-2 patients seroconverted. PCR-positivity was detected up to 28 days from symptom resolution. Conclusions: Here we show that the vast majority of confirmed COVID19 patients seroconvert, potentially providing immunity to reinfection. We also report that in a large proportion of individuals, viral genome can be detected via PCR in the upper respiratory tract for weeks post symptom resolution, but it is unclear if this signal represents infectious virus.

negative: How the SARS vaccine effort can learn from HIV—speeding towards the future, learning from the past A remarkable collaborative effort coordinated by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) team at WHO resulted in discovery of the etiologic agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome less than 2 months after the announcement of global alert. The development of a vaccine to prevent SARS should be pursued with the same urgency and cooperative spirit, as SARS is highly lethal and, if not controlled during the first few generations of transmission, is likely to become endemic in regions of the world where health-care infrastructure is underdeveloped and epidemiological control measures are weak. The scientific community already learned many important lessons from HIV vaccine development; these should be heeded. For example, consideration should be given to the development of a vaccine that will protect across regional strains of SARS, as the newly emergent coronavirus SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is proving to be variable and may be mutating in response to immune pressure. SARS-specific research reagents should also be collected and shared. These would include SARS peptides, adjuvants, DNA vaccine vectors and clinical grade viral vectors. Rapidly developing a collaborative approach to developing a SARS vaccine that will be both effective and safe is the only way to go. This article reviews parallels between HIV and SARS and proposes an approach that would accelerate the development of a SARS vaccine.

negative: The Nucleocapsid Protein of SARS-CoV Induces Transcription of hfgl2 Prothrombinase Gene Dependent on C/EBP Alpha Fibrin deposition was universal in the lungs of SARS patients and fgl2 prothrombinase gene, a novel procoagulant, was demonstrated to express highly in a clinically relevant SARS model. To investigate whether and which structural protein of SARS-CoV induced transcription of hfgl2 prothrombinase gene, three eukaryotic expression plasmids expressing nucleocapsid protein (N), membrane protein (M) and spike protein 2 (S2) of SARS-CoV were co-transfected with hfgl2 promoter luciferase-reporter plasmids and β-galactosidase plasmid in CHO cells, respectively. M, N and S2 protein of SARS-CoV were detected by western blotting and immunohistochemistry analysis. Further assays demonstrated that expression of hfgl2 gene was related with N protein, but not with M or S2 protein in THP-1 cells and Vero cells. N protein significantly induced functional procoagulant activity in comparison with control group. Luciferase assay showed that N protein of SARS-CoV could activate the transcription of hfgl2 promoter compared with the pcDNA3.1 empty vector. Site-directed mutagenesis and EMSA assay further demonstrated that transcription factor C/EBP alpha band with its cognate cis-element in hfgl2 promoter. The results showed that N protein of SARS-CoV induced hfgl2 gene transcription dependent on the transcription factor C/EBP alpha, which maybe contribute to the development of thrombosis in SARS.

negative: Association of national Bacille Calmette-Guerin vaccination policy with COVID-19 epidemiology: an ecological study in 78 countries A possible association between national Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination policy and lower COVID-19 incidence has been suggested in some preprint papers. Using publicly accessible databases, I explored associations of national BCG vaccination policy with COVID-19 epidemiology in 78 countries. Data collection was conducted from April 25 to May 5, 2020. I compared countries that have a current universal BCG vaccination policy (BCG countries), with countries that currently lack such a policy (non-BCG countries). The mixed effect model revealed national BCG policy decreases in the country-specific risk of death by COVID-19, correspond to odds ratio of 0.446 (95% confidence intervals 0.323 - 0.614, P =1x10-5). In BCG countries, the case increase rate was attenuated marginally by 25.4% (95% CI 3.0 to 42.7, P=0.029) as compared with those of the non-BCG countries. Although the protective mechanism of BCG vaccination against COVID-19 remains unknown, further laboratory and clinical research should be warranted.

negative: Nucleotide sugar transporters of the Golgi apparatus The Golgi apparatus is the major site of protein, lipid and proteoglycan glycosylation. The glycosylation enzymes, as well as kinases and sulfatases that catalyze phosphorylation and sulfation, are localized within the Golgi cisternae in characteristic distributions that frequently reflect their order in a particular pathway (Kornfeld and Kornfeld 1985; Colley 1997). The glycosyl-transferases, sulfotransferases and kinases are “transferases” that require activated donor molecules for the reactions they catalyze. For eukaryotic, fungal and protozoan glycosyltransferases these are the nucleotide sugars UDP-N-acetylglucosamine (UDP-GlcNAc), UDP-galactose (UDP-Gal), GDP-fucose (GDP-Fuc), CMP-sialicacid (CMP-Sia), UDP-glucuronicacid (UDP-GlcA), GDP-mannose (GDP-Man), and UDP-xylose (UDP-Xyl) (Hirschberg et al. 1998). For the kinases, ATP functions as the donor, while for the sulfotransferases, adenosine 3′-phosphate 5′-phosphate (PAPS) acts as the donor (Hirschberg et al. 1998). The active sites of all these enzymes are oriented towards the lumen of the Golgi cisternae. This necessitates the translocation of their donors from the cytosol into the lumenal Golgi compartments. In this chapter we will focus on the structure, function and localization of the Golgi nucleotide sugar transporters (NSTs), and highlight the diseases and developmental defects associated with defective transporters. We direct the reader to several excellent reviews on Golgi transporters for additional details and references (Hirschberg et al. 1998; Berninsone and Hirschberg 2000; Gerardy-Schahn et al. 2001; Handford et al. 2006; Caffaro and Hirschberg 2006).

negative: Putative Receptor Binding Domain of Bat-Derived Coronavirus HKU9 Spike Protein: Evolution of Betacoronavirus Receptor Binding Motifs [Image: see text] The suggested bat origin for Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has revitalized the studies of other bat-derived coronaviruses with respect to interspecies transmission potential. Bat coronavirus (BatCoV) HKU9 is an important betacoronavirus (betaCoV) that is phylogenetically affiliated with the same genus as MERS-CoV. The bat surveillance data indicated that BatCoV HKU9 has been widely spreading and circulating in bats. This highlights the necessity of characterizing the virus for its potential to cross species barriers. The receptor binding domain (RBD) of the coronavirus spike (S) protein recognizes host receptors to mediate virus entry and is therefore a key factor determining the viral tropism and transmission capacity. In this study, the putative S RBD of BatCoV HKU9 (HKU9-RBD), which is homologous to other betaCoV RBDs that have been structurally and functionally defined, was characterized via a series of biophysical and crystallographic methods. By using surface plasmon resonance, we demonstrated that HKU9-RBD binds to neither SARS-CoV receptor ACE2 nor MERS-CoV receptor CD26. We further determined the atomic structure of HKU9-RBD, which as expected is composed of a core and an external subdomain. The core subdomain fold resembles those of other betaCoV RBDs, whereas the external subdomain is structurally unique with a single helix, explaining the inability of HKU9-RBD to react with either ACE2 or CD26. Via comparison of the available RBD structures, we further proposed a homologous intersubdomain binding mode in betaCoV RBDs that anchors the external subdomain to the core subdomain. The revealed RBD features would shed light on the evolution route of betaCoV.

negative: Response to “Visualization of Putative Coronavirus in Kidney”

negative: RNA genome conservation and secondary structure in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-related viruses: a first look. As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads, there is a growing need for a compilation of conserved RNA genome regions in the SARS-CoV-2 virus along with their structural propensities to guide development of antivirals and diagnostics. Here we present a first look at RNA sequence conservation and structural propensities in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Using sequence alignments spanning a range of betacoronaviruses, we rank genomic regions by RNA sequence conservation, identifying 79 regions of length at least 15 nucleotides as exactly conserved over SARS-related complete genome sequences available near the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. We then confirm the conservation of the majority of these genome regions across 739 SARS-CoV-2 sequences subsequently reported from the COVID-19 outbreak, and we present a curated list of 30 'SARS-related-conserved' regions. We find that known RNA structured elements curated as Rfam families and in prior literature are enriched in these conserved genome regions, and we predict additional conserved, stable secondary structures across the viral genome. We provide 106 'SARS-CoV-2-conserved-structured' regions as potential targets for antivirals that bind to structured RNA. We further provide detailed secondary structure models for the extended 5' UTR, frame-shifting element, and 3' UTR. Last, we predict regions of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome that have low propensity for RNA secondary structure and are conserved within SARS-CoV-2 strains. These 59 'SARS-CoV-2-conserved-unstructured' genomic regions may be most easily targeted in primer-based diagnostic and oligonucleotide-based therapeutic strategies.

negative: Origin, Potential Therapeutic Targets and Treatment for Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) The ongoing episode of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has imposed a serious threat to global health and the world economy. The disease has rapidly acquired a pandemic status affecting almost all populated areas of the planet. The causative agent of COVID-19 is a novel coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2. The virus has an approximate 30 kb single-stranded positive-sense RNA genome, which is 74.5% to 99% identical to that of SARS-CoV, CoV-pangolin, and the coronavirus the from horseshoe bat. According to available information, SARS-CoV-2 is inferred to be a recombinant virus that originated from bats and was transmitted to humans, possibly using the pangolin as the intermediate host. The interaction of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with the human ACE2 (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2) receptor, and its subsequent cleavage by serine protease and fusion, are the main events in the pathophysiology. The serine protease inhibitors, spike protein-based vaccines, or ACE2 blockers may have therapeutic potential in the near future. At present, no vaccine is available against COVID-19. The disease is being treated with antiviral, antimalarial, anti-inflammatory, herbal medicines, and active plasma antibodies. In this context, the present review article provides a cumulative account of the recent information regarding the viral characteristics, potential therapeutic targets, treatment options, and prospective research questions.

negative: A structural analysis of M protein in coronavirus assembly and morphology The M protein of coronavirus plays a central role in virus assembly, turning cellular membranes into workshops where virus and host factors come together to make new virus particles. We investigated how M structure and organization is related to virus shape and size using cryo-electron microscopy, tomography and statistical analysis. We present evidence that suggests M can adopt two conformations and that membrane curvature is regulated by one M conformer. Elongated M protein is associated with rigidity, clusters of spikes and a relatively narrow range of membrane curvature. In contrast, compact M protein is associated with flexibility and low spike density. Analysis of several types of virus-like particles and virions revealed that S protein, N protein and genomic RNA each help to regulate virion size and variation, presumably through interactions with M. These findings provide insight into how M protein functions to promote virus assembly.

negative: Structural basis for translational shutdown and immune evasion by the Nsp1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of the current COVID-19 pandemic. A major virulence factor of SARS-CoVs is the nonstructural protein 1 (Nsp1) which suppresses host gene expression by ribosome association via an unknown mechanism. Here, we show that Nsp1 from SARS-CoV-2 binds to 40S and 80S ribosomes, resulting in shutdown of capped mRNA translation both in vitro and in cells. Structural analysis by cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) of in vitro reconstituted Nsp1-40S and of native human Nsp1-ribosome complexes revealed that the Nsp1 C-terminus binds to and obstructs the mRNA entry tunnel. Thereby, Nsp1 effectively blocks RIG-I-dependent innate immune responses that would otherwise facilitate clearance of the infection. Thus, the structural characterization of the inhibitory mechanism of Nsp1 may aid structure-based drug design against SARS-CoV-2.

negative: First antibody against COVID-19 spike protein enters phase I

negative: COVID-19 infection: Origin, transmission, and characteristics of human coronaviruses The coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) is a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which emerged in Wuhan, China and spread around the world. Genomic analysis revealed that SARS-CoV-2 is phylogenetically related to severe acute respiratory syndrome-like (SARS-like) bat viruses, therefore bats could be the possible primary reservoir. The intermediate source of origin and transfer to humans is not known, however, the rapid human to human transfer has been confirmed widely. There is no clinically approved antiviral drug or vaccine available to be used against COVID-19. However, few broad-spectrum antiviral drugs have been evaluated against COVID-19 in clinical trials, resulted in clinical recovery. In the current review, we summarize and comparatively analyze the emergence and pathogenicity of COVID-19 infection and previous human coronaviruses severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV). We also discuss the approaches for developing effective vaccines and therapeutic combinations to cope with this viral outbreak.

negative: Novel Coronavirus Polymerase and Nucleotidyl-Transferase Structures: Potential to Target New Outbreaks The pandemic outbreak of a new coronavirus (CoV), SARS-CoV-2, has captured the world's attention, demonstrating that CoVs represent a continuous global threat. As this is a highly contagious virus, it is imperative to understand RNA-dependent-RNA-polymerase (RdRp), the key component in virus replication. Although the SARS-CoV-2 genome shares 80% sequence identity with severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV, their RdRps and nucleotidyl-transferases (NiRAN) share 98.1% and 93.2% identity, respectively. Sequence alignment of six coronaviruses demonstrated higher identity among their RdRps (60.9%-98.1%) and lower identity among their Spike proteins (27%-77%). Thus, a 3D structural model of RdRp, NiRAN, non-structural protein 7 (nsp7), and nsp8 of SARS-CoV-2 was generated by modeling starting from the SARS counterpart structures. Furthermore, we demonstrate the binding poses of three viral RdRp inhibitors (Galidesivir, Favipiravir, and Penciclovir), which were recently reported to have clinical significance for SARS-CoV-2. The network of interactions established by these drug molecules affirms their efficacy to inhibit viral RNA replication and provides an insight into their structure-based rational optimization for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition.

negative: Membrane fusion process of Semliki Forest virus. I: Low pH-induced rearrangement in spike protein quaternary structure precedes virus penetration into cells The Semliki Forest virus (SFV) directs the synthesis of a heterodimeric membrane protein complex which is used for virus membrane assembly during budding at the surface of the infected cell, as well as for low pH-induced membrane fusion in the endosomes when particles enter new host cells. Existing evidence suggests that the E1 protein subunit carries the fusion potential of the heterodimer, whereas the E2 subunit, or its intracellular precursor p62, is required for binding to the nucleocapsid. We show here that during virus uptake into acidic endosomes the original E2E1 heterodimer is destabilized and the E1 proteins form new oligomers, presumably homooligomers, with altered E1 structure. This altered structure of E1 is specifically recognized by a monoclonal antibody which can also inhibit penetration of SFV into host cells as well as SFV-mediated cell-cell fusion, thus suggesting that the altered E1 structure is important for the membrane fusion. These results give further support for a membrane protein oligomerization- mediated control mechanism for the membrane fusion potential in alphaviruses.

negative: What to expect from antibody assays of SARS-CoV-2?

negative: In silico identification of potential natural product inhibitors of human proteases key to SARS-CoV-2 infection Presently, there are no approved drugs or vaccines to treat COVID-19 which has spread to over 200 countries and is responsible for over 3,65,000 deaths worldwide. Recent studies have shown that two human proteases, TMPRSS2 and cathepsin L, play a key role in host cell entry of SARS-CoV-2. Importantly, inhibitors of these proteases were shown to block SARS-CoV-2 infection. Here, we perform virtual screening of 14010 phytochemicals produced by Indian medicinal plants to identify natural product inhibitors of TMPRSS2 and cathepsin L. We built a homology model of TMPRSS2 as an experimentally determined structure is not available. AutoDock Vina was used to perform molecular docking of phytochemicals against TMPRSS2 model structure and cathepsin L crystal structure. Potential phytochemical inhibitors were filtered by comparing their docked binding energies with those of known inhibitors of TMPRSS2 and cathepsin L. Further, the ligand binding site residues and non-covalent protein-ligand interactions were used as an additional filter to identify phytochemical inhibitors that either bind to or form interactions with residues important for the specificity of the target proteases. We have identified 96 inhibitors of TMPRSS2 and 9 inhibitors of cathepsin L among phytochemicals of Indian medicinal plants. The top inhibitors of TMPRSS2 are Edgeworoside C, Adlumidine and Qingdainone, and of cathepsin L is Ararobinol. Interestingly, several herbal sources of identified phytochemical inhibitors have antiviral or anti-inflammatory use in traditional medicine. Further in vitro and in vivo testing is needed before clinical trials of the promising phytochemical inhibitors identified here.

negative: Electron microscopic observations on structures resembling myxovirus in human sarcomas Human tumors of mesenchymal origin contain cytoplasmic structures resembling ribonucleoprotein strands of paramyxoviruses. Similar structures have previously been reported in collagen diseases. The nature and function of these structures remain unresolved.

negative: Cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike glycoproteins and insights into coronavirus evolution A new porcine coronavirus SADS-CoV was recently identified from suckling piglets with severe diarrhea in southern China and its genome sequence is most identical (~95% identity) to that of bat α-coronavirus HKU2. It again indicates bats are the natural reservoir of many coronaviruses that have great potential for cross-species transmission to animals and humans by recombination and/or mutation. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike glycoprotein trimers at 2.38 Å and 2.83 Å resolution, respectively. HKU2 and SADS-CoV spikes exhibit very high structural similarity, with subtle differences mainly distributed in the NTD and CTD of the S1 subunit responsible for cell attachment and receptor binding. We systematically analyzed and compared the NTD, CTD, SD1 and SD2 domains of the S1 subunit and the S2 subunit of HKU2 spike with those of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-coronavirus spikes. The results show that the NTD and CTD of HKU2/SADS-CoV are probably the most ancestral in the evolution of spike. Although the S2 subunit mediating membrane fusion is highly conserved, the connecting region after fusion peptide in HKU2/SADS-CoV S2 subunit also adopts a conformation distinct from other coronaviruses. These results structurally demonstrate a close evolutionary relationship between HKU2 /SADS-CoV and β-coronavirus spikes and provide new insights into the evolution and cross-species transmission of coronaviruses.

negative: Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation The outbreak of a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) represents a pandemic threat that has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The CoV spike (S) glycoprotein is a key target for vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and diagnostics. To facilitate medical countermeasure development, we determined a 3.5-angstrom-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the 2019-nCoV S trimer in the prefusion conformation. The predominant state of the trimer has one of the three receptor-binding domains (RBDs) rotated up in a receptor-accessible conformation. We also provide biophysical and structural evidence that the 2019-nCoV S protein binds angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with higher affinity than does severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV S. Additionally, we tested several published SARS-CoV RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies and found that they do not have appreciable binding to 2019-nCoV S, suggesting that antibody cross-reactivity may be limited between the two RBDs. The structure of 2019-nCoV S should enable the rapid development and evaluation of medical countermeasures to address the ongoing public health crisis.

negative: Programmed ‘disarming’ of the neutrophil proteome reduces the magnitude of inflammation The antimicrobial functions of neutrophils are facilitated by a defensive armamentarium of proteins stored in granules, and by the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). However, the toxic nature of these structures poses a threat to highly vascularized tissues, such as the lungs. Here, we identified a cell-intrinsic program that modified the neutrophil proteome in the circulation and caused the progressive loss of granule content and reduction of the NET-forming capacity. This program was driven by the receptor CXCR2 and by regulators of circadian cycles. As a consequence, lungs were protected from inflammatory injury at times of day or in mouse mutants in which granule content was low. Changes in the proteome, granule content and NET formation also occurred in human neutrophils, and correlated with the incidence and severity of respiratory distress in pneumonia patients. Our findings unveil a ‘disarming’ strategy of neutrophils that depletes protein stores to reduce the magnitude of inflammation.

negative: Amino acids 1 to 422 of the spike protein of SARS associated coronavirus are required for induction of cyclooxygenase-2 The causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been identified as SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). To evaluate the molecular mechanisms involved in the viral infection, in this study, we investigated the role of SARS-CoV Spike (S) protein in the regulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Expression of COX-2 stimulated by the S protein was verified by RT-PCR and western blot assay. To explore the relationship between S and COX-2, we constructed a series of plasmids containing truncated N-terminal fragments of the SARS-CoV S gene (designated from Sa to Si), which encoded truncated S proteins, and investigated whether these truncated proteins could induce effective expression of COX-2 in 293T cells. Our results showed that S(d) that encoded a truncated S protein with 422 amino acid residues (from 1 to 422 aa), a part of 672 amino-acid S1 subunit is crucial for the induction of COX-2 expression. Immunofluorescence examinations also give the evidence that these N terminal 422 amino acids of the S protein were also required for the correct localization of the protein. We also compared S protein sequences of SARS-CoV isolated during the SARS break with that from palm civets, a possible source of SARS-CoV found in humans. S protein residues (344, 360), which mutated in the epitome from palm civet to human being were characterized in 3D modeling of 252–375 amino acid fragment. Collectively, these results indicate that S protein of SARS-CoV induces the expression of COX-2 and an N-terminal fragment of the Spike protein is crucial for the induction. Our finding may provide clue for the induction of inflammation by SARS-CoV and cast insight into the severity of the SARS epidemic.

negative: Cumulative Merging Percolation and the Epidemic Transition of the Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible Model in Networks We consider cumulative merging percolation (CMP), a long-range percolation process describing the iterative merging of clusters in networks, depending on their mass and mutual distance. For a specific class of CMP processes, which represents a generalization of degree-ordered percolation, we derive a scaling solution on uncorrelated complex networks, unveiling the existence of diverse mechanisms leading to the formation of a percolating cluster. The scaling solution accurately reproduces universal properties of the transition. This finding is used to infer the critical properties of the susceptible-infected-susceptible model for epidemics in infinite and finite power-law distributed networks. Here, discrepancies between analytical approaches and numerical results regarding the finite-size scaling of the epidemic threshold are a crucial open issue in the literature. We find that the scaling exponent assumes a nontrivial value during a long preasymptotic regime. We calculate this value, finding good agreement with numerical evidence. We also show that the crossover to the true asymptotic regime occurs for sizes much beyond currently feasible simulations. Our findings allow us to rationalize and reconcile all previously published results (both analytical and numerical), thus ending a long-standing debate.

negative: Potent binding of 2019 novel coronavirus spike protein by a SARS coronavirus-specific human monoclonal antibody The newly identified 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) has caused more than 11,900 laboratory-confirmed human infections, including 259 deaths, posing a serious threat to human health. Currently, however, there is no specific antiviral treatment or vaccine. Considering the relatively high identity of receptor-binding domain (RBD) in 2019-nCoV and SARS-CoV, it is urgent to assess the cross-reactivity of anti-SARS CoV antibodies with 2019-nCoV spike protein, which could have important implications for rapid development of vaccines and therapeutic antibodies against 2019-nCoV. Here, we report for the first time that a SARS-CoV-specific human monoclonal antibody, CR3022, could bind potently with 2019-nCoV RBD (KD of 6.3 nM). The epitope of CR3022 does not overlap with the ACE2 binding site within 2019-nCoV RBD. These results suggest that CR3022 may have the potential to be developed as candidate therapeutics, alone or in combination with other neutralizing antibodies, for the prevention and treatment of 2019-nCoV infections. Interestingly, some of the most potent SARS-CoV-specific neutralizing antibodies (e.g. m396, CR3014) that target the ACE2 binding site of SARS-CoV failed to bind 2019-nCoV spike protein, implying that the difference in the RBD of SARS-CoV and 2019-nCoV has a critical impact for the cross-reactivity of neutralizing antibodies, and that it is still necessary to develop novel monoclonal antibodies that could bind specifically to 2019-nCoV RBD.

negative: Chloroquine: A Potential Drug in the COVID-19 Scenario Today, the whole world is fighting a public health emergency called ‘COVID-19’ caused by a new infectious virus called SARS-CoV2. Any person can catch COVID-19 from an infected person via aerosol droplets when the person coughs, sneezes, or speaks. To limit such a transmission, World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended people to wear masks and physically distance themselves by staying at least 1 m (3 feet) away from others. As aerosol droplets (by cough or sneeze) land on objects and surfaces around the person such as tables, doorknobs and handrails, and remain active on these surfaces for hours to days, people are advised to use soaps for at least 20 s. and alcohol-based sanitizers as well. As the public made efforts, clinicians and researchers investigated and found that drugs which were initially used to treat other diseases may work as a treatment option for COVID-19. One of those drugs was Chloroquine and its related derivative called hydroxychloroquine. In this review article, we have systematically searched for details of COVID-19 pandemic till May 2020 and assembled few data pertaining to (i) Corona viruses; (ii) SARS-CoV2, the virus that causes COVID-19’ and (iii) How chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine mediates anti-viral effect in both prophylactic and therapeutic setting. These data have been acquired mostly from PubMed and websites of WHO and Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR). We did a systematic search and found that the properties of chloroquine are very much essential for the COVID-19 scenario. We also bring to you some evidence that the anti-lysosomal activity of chloroquine may be increased by botanicals like betulinic acid.

negative: Antisense downregulation of SARS‐CoV gene expression in Vero E6 cells BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a novel coronavirus (SARS‐CoV). It is an enveloped, single‐stranded, plus‐sense RNA virus with a genome of ∼30 kb. The structural proteins E, M and N of SARS‐CoV play important roles during host cell entry and viral morphogenesis and release. Therefore, we have studied whether expression of these structural proteins can be down‐regulated using an antisense technique. METHODS: Vero E6 cells were transfected with plasmid constructs containing exons of the SARS‐CoV structural protein E, M or N genes or their exons in frame with the reporter protein EGFP. The transfected cell cultures were treated with antisense phosphorothioated oligonucleotides (antisense PS‐ODN, 20mer) or a control oligonucleotide by addition to the culture medium. RESULTS: Among a total of 26 antisense PS‐ODNs targeting E, M and N genes, we obtained six antisense PS‐ODNs which could sequence‐specifically reduce target genes expression by over 90% at the concentration of 50 µM in the cell culture medium tested by RT‐PCR. The antisense effect was further proved by down‐regulating the expression of the fusion proteins containing the structural proteins E, M or N in frame with the reporter protein EGFP. In Vero E6 cells, the antisense effect was dependent on the concentrations of the antisense PS‐ODNs in a range of 0–10 µM or 0–30 µM. CONCLUSIONS: The antisense PS‐ODNs are effective in downregulation of SARS. The findings indicate that antisense knockdown of SARS could be a useful strategy for treatment of SARS, and could also be suitable for studies of the pathological function of SARS genes in a cellular model system. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

negative: Bioinformatics Why is sequence, structure, and biological pathway information relevant to medicine? Where on the Internet should you look for a DNA sequence, a protein sequence, or a protein structure? What are two problems encountered in analyzing biological sequence, structure, and function? How has the age of genomics changed the landscape of bioinformatics? What two changes should we anticipate in the medical record as a result of these new information sources? What are two computational challenges in bioinformatics for the future?

negative: A small molecule drug candidate targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease A new coronavirus identified as SARS-CoV-2 virus has brought the world to a state of crisis, causing a major pandemic, claiming more than 433,000 lives and instigating major financial damage to the global economy. Despite current efforts, developing safe and effective treatments remains a major challenge. Moreover, new strains of the virus are likely to emerge in the future. To prevent future pandemics, several drugs with various mechanisms of action are required. Drug discovery efforts against the virus fall into two main categories: (a) monoclonal antibodies targeting the spike protein of the virus and blocking it from entry; (b) small molecule inhibitors targeting key proteins of the virus, interfering with replication and translation of the virus. In this study, we are presenting a computational investigation of a potential drug candidate that targets SARS-CoV-2 protease, a viral protein critical for replication and translation of the virus.

negative: Preliminary Identification of Potential Vaccine Targets for the COVID-19 Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Based on SARS-CoV Immunological Studies The beginning of 2020 has seen the emergence of COVID-19 outbreak caused by a novel coronavirus, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). There is an imminent need to better understand this new virus and to develop ways to control its spread. In this study, we sought to gain insights for vaccine design against SARS-CoV-2 by considering the high genetic similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, which caused the outbreak in 2003, and leveraging existing immunological studies of SARS-CoV. By screening the experimentally-determined SARS-CoV-derived B cell and T cell epitopes in the immunogenic structural proteins of SARS-CoV, we identified a set of B cell and T cell epitopes derived from the spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) proteins that map identically to SARS-CoV-2 proteins. As no mutation has been observed in these identified epitopes among the 120 available SARS-CoV-2 sequences (as of 21 February 2020), immune targeting of these epitopes may potentially offer protection against this novel virus. For the T cell epitopes, we performed a population coverage analysis of the associated MHC alleles and proposed a set of epitopes that is estimated to provide broad coverage globally, as well as in China. Our findings provide a screened set of epitopes that can help guide experimental efforts towards the development of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 is sensitive to type I interferon pretreatment. SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus (CoV), has recently emerged causing an ongoing outbreak of viral pneumonia around the world. While genetically distinct from the original SARS-CoV, both group 2B CoVs share similar genome organization and origins to coronaviruses harbored in bats. Importantly, initial guidance has used insights from SARS-CoV infection to inform treatment and public health strategies. In this report, we evaluate type-I Interferon (IFN-I) sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 relative to the original SARS-CoV. Our results indicate that while SARS-CoV-2 maintains similar viral replication kinetics to SARS-CoV in Vero cell, the novel CoV is much more sensitive to IFN-I pretreatment. Examining transcriptional factor activation and interferon stimulated gene (ISG) induction, SARS-CoV-2 in the context of type I IFN induces phosphorylation of STAT1 and increased ISG proteins. In contrast, the original SARS-CoV has no evidence for STAT1 phosphorylation or ISG protein increases even in the presence of type I IFN pretreatment. Next, we examined IFN competent Calu3 2B4 cells finding SARS-CoV-2 had reduced viral replication relative to SARS-CoV and induced STAT1 phosphorylation late during infection. Finally, we examined homology between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 in viral proteins shown to be interferon antagonist. The absence of open reading frame (ORF) 3b and significant changes to ORF6 suggest the two key IFN antagonists may not maintain equivalent function in SARS-CoV-2. Together, the results identify key differences in susceptibility to the IFN-I response between SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. that could help inform disease progression, treatment options, and animal model development.

negative: Polypropylene, polyester or polytetrafluoroethylene-is there an ideal material for mesh augmentation at the esophageal hiatus? Results from an experimental study in a porcine model. PURPOSE Knowledge about the influence of underlying biomaterial on behavior of surgical meshes at the esophageal hiatus is rare, but essential for safe and effective hiatal hernia surgery. This study aimed to characterize the influence of polymer material on mesh behavior at the hiatus. METHODS 24 pigs in three groups of eight underwent implantation of either polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET) or polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) mesh placed circularly at the esophageal hiatus. After 8 weeks, necropsy and measurements were performed evaluating mesh deformation, adhesion formation, fixation of the esophagogastric junction and mesh position. Foreign body reaction was assessed by mononuclear cell count and immunostaining of Ki-67. Tissue integration was evaluated by immunostaining of type I and type III collagen fibers. RESULTS Mesh shrinkage was the highest for PTFE, lower for PP and the lowest for PET (34.9 vs. 19.8 vs. 12.1 %; p = 0.002). Mesh aperture for the esophagus showed an enlargement within all groups, which was highest for PTFE compared to PP and PET (100.8 vs. 47.0 vs. 35.9 %; p = 0.001). The adhesion score was highest for PP, lower for PTFE and the lowest for PET (11.0 vs. 9.5 vs. 5.0; p = 0.001) and correlated positively with the score of esophagogastric fixation (r s = 0.784, p < 0.001). No mesh migration, erosion or stenosis of the esophagus occurred. Evaluation of foreign body reaction and tissue integration showed no significant differences. CONCLUSIONS In this experimental setting, PP-meshes showed the most appropriate characteristics for augmentation at the hiatus. Due to solid fixation of the esophagogastric junction and low shrinkage tendency, PP-meshes may be effective in preventing hiatal hernia recurrence. The use of PTFE-mesh at the hiatus may be disadvantageous due to high shrinkage rates and correlating enlargement of the aperture for the esophagus.

negative: Budding of enveloped viruses from the plasma membrane Many enveloped viruses are released from infected cells by maturing and budding at the plasma membrane. During this process, viral core components are incorporated into membrane vesicles that contain viral transmembrane proteins, termed ‘spike’ proteins. For many years these spike proteins, which are required for infectivity, were believed to be incorporated into virions via a direct interaction between their cytoplasmic domains and viral core components. More recent evidence shows that, while such direct interactions drive budding of alphaviruses, this may not be the case for negative strand RNA viruses and retroviruses. These viruses can bud particles in the absence of spike proteins, using only viral core components to drive the process. In some cases the spike proteins, without the viral core, can be released as virus‐like particles. Optimal budding and release may, therefore, depend on a ‘push‐and‐pull’ concerted action of core and spike, where oligomerization of both components plays a crucial role.

negative: Differential Diagnosis of Common Acute Toxicologic Versus Nontoxicologic Illness This table outlines common toxicologic versus nontoxicologic rule outs based on clinical abnormalities seen in an acutely ill animal. The purpose is to provide an initial guideline for considering toxicologic versus nontoxicologic rule outs when a patient is presented to a practicing veterinarian. Major clinical abnormalities followed by common toxicologic rule outs and non-toxicologic rule outs have been listed so that practicing veterinarians can narrow down an etiology quickly. Based on history, physical examination findings, and blood work changes, once a reasonable etiology has been narrowed down or established, the reader is encouraged to review a more detailed discussion on management of the particular poisoning or disease listed in this or other references.

negative: Nucleocapsid protein from porcine epidemic diarrhea virus isolates can antagonize interferon-λ production by blocking the nuclear factor-κB nuclear translocation Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is a highly infectious pathogen that can cause severe diseases in pigs and result in enormous economic losses in the worldwide swine industry. Previous studies revealed that PEDV exhibits an obvious capacity for modulating interferon (IFN) signaling or expression. The newly discovered type III IFN, which plays a crucial role in antiviral immunity, has strong antiviral activity against PEDV proliferation in IPEC-J2 cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of PEDV nucleocapsid (N) protein on type III IFN-λ. We found that the N proteins of ten PEDV strains isolated between 2013 and 2017 from different local farms shared high nucleotide identities, while the N protein of the CV777 vaccine strain formed a monophyletic branch in the phylogenetic tree. The N protein of the epidemic strain could antagonize type III IFN, but not type I or type II IFN expression induced by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)) in IPEC-J2 cells. Subsequently, we demonstrated that the inhibition of poly(I:C)- induced IFN-λ3 production by PEDV N protein was dependent on the blocking of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) nuclear translocation. These findings might help increase understanding of the pathogenesis of PEDV and its mechanisms for evading the host immune response.

negative: Functional assessment of cell entry and receptor usage for SARS-CoV-2 and other lineage B betacoronaviruses Over the past 20 years, several coronaviruses have crossed the species barrier into humans, causing outbreaks of severe, and often fatal, respiratory illness. Since SARS-CoV was first identified in animal markets, global viromics projects have discovered thousands of coronavirus sequences in diverse animals and geographic regions. Unfortunately, there are few tools available to functionally test these viruses for their ability to infect humans, which has severely hampered efforts to predict the next zoonotic viral outbreak. Here, we developed an approach to rapidly screen lineage B betacoronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV and the recent SARS-CoV-2, for receptor usage and their ability to infect cell types from different species. We show that host protease processing during viral entry is a significant barrier for several lineage B viruses and that bypassing this barrier allows several lineage B viruses to enter human cells through an unknown receptor. We also demonstrate how different lineage B viruses can recombine to gain entry into human cells, and confirm that human ACE2 is the receptor for the recently emerging SARS-CoV-2.

negative: Beyond protein structure determination with MicroED Microcrystal electron diffraction (MicroED) was first coined and developed in 2013 at the Janelia Research Campus as a new modality in electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM). Since then, MicroED has not only made important contributions in pushing the resolution limits of cryoEM protein structure characterization but also of peptides, small-organic and inorganic molecules, and natural-products that have resisted structure determination by other methods. This review showcases important recent developments in MicroED, highlighting the importance of the technique in fields of studies beyond protein structure determination where MicroED is beginning to have paradigm shifting roles.

negative: Early Diagnosis of Colonic Anastomotic Leak With Peritoneal Endoscopy. BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES At present, we do not have a reliable method for the early diagnosis of colorectal anastomotic leakage (AL). We tested peritoneal flexible endoscopy through a port placed in the abdominal wall in the early postoperative course, as a new diagnostic method for detection of this complication and evaluated the suggested method for safety, feasibility, and accuracy. METHODS Ten swine were randomized into 2 groups: group A, colorectal anastomosis without leakage; and group B, colorectal anastomosis with leakage. A button gastrostomy feeding tube was inserted percutaneously into the peritoneal cavity. Colorectal anastomosis (with or without defect) was created 48 hours after the first operation. The swine were examined by peritoneal flexible endoscopy 8 and 24 hours after the colonic operation, by a consultant surgeon who was blinded to both the presence and the allocated location of the of the anastomotic defect. RESULTS None of the animals showed signs of illness 48 hours after the intraperitoneal gastrostomy tube placement. More than half of the anastomosis circumference was identified in 60 and 10% of the animals at endoscopy 8 and 24 hours, respectively, after the anastomosis was created. Excessive adhesion formation was observed in all animals, irrespective of AL. The sensitivity and specificity of endoscopy in detecting peritonitis 24 hours after AL were both 60%. CONCLUSIONS Peritoneal endoscopy is a safe and simple procedure. Visualization of the peritoneal cavity in the early postoperative course was limited due to adhesion formation. Further studies are needed to clarify the accuracy of the procedure and to address additional methodological concerns.

negative: Systematic Identification of Novel, Essential Host Genes Affecting Bromovirus RNA Replication Positive-strand RNA virus replication involves viral proteins and cellular proteins at nearly every replication step. Brome mosaic virus (BMV) is a well-established model for dissecting virus-host interactions and is one of very few viruses whose RNA replication, gene expression and encapsidation have been reproduced in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Previously, our laboratory identified ∼100 non-essential host genes whose loss inhibited or enhanced BMV replication at least 3-fold. However, our isolation of additional BMV-modulating host genes by classical genetics and other results underscore that genes essential for cell growth also contribute to BMV RNA replication at a frequency that may be greater than that of non-essential genes. To systematically identify novel, essential host genes affecting BMV RNA replication, we tested a collection of ∼900 yeast strains, each with a single essential gene promoter replaced by a doxycycline-repressible promoter, allowing repression of gene expression by adding doxycycline to the growth medium. Using this strain array of ∼81% of essential yeast genes, we identified 24 essential host genes whose depleted expression reproducibly inhibited or enhanced BMV RNA replication. Relevant host genes are involved in ribosome biosynthesis, cell cycle regulation and protein homeostasis, among other cellular processes. BMV 2a(Pol) levels were significantly increased in strains depleted for a heat shock protein (HSF1) or proteasome components (PRE1 and RPT6), suggesting these genes may affect BMV RNA replication by directly or indirectly modulating 2a(Pol) localization, post-translational modification or interacting partners. Investigating the diverse functions of these newly identified essential host genes should advance our understanding of BMV-host interactions and normal cellular pathways, and suggest new modes of virus control.

negative: Structure of the equine arteritis virus nucleocapsid protein reveals a dimer–dimer arrangement Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is an enveloped positive‐sense RNA virus belonging to the Arteriviridae family, which also includes the porcine pathogen PRRSV and is genetically and structurally related to the coronaviruses. EAV is an important equine pathogen that has caused significant economic losses to the horse‐breeding industry and has been difficult to control. The EAV virion consists of a genome‐containing nucleocapsid core made of nucleocapsid (N) protein surrounded by a lipid envelope containing several membrane proteins. Here, the crystal structure of the capsid‐forming domain of the EAV N protein is presented at 2.0 Å resolution. The dimeric N‐protein structure is similar to the previously determined structure of the N protein from PRRSV, with most differences localized to the terminal helices and flexible loops. The N protein is organized as dimers of dimers in the crystal, which may reflect the arrangement of the protein in the viral nucleocapsid.

negative: Emerging phylogenetic structure of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic Since spilling over into humans, SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread across the globe, accumulating significant genetic diversity. The structure of this genetic diversity, and whether it reveals epidemiological insights, are fundamental questions for understanding the evolutionary trajectory of this virus. Here we use a recently developed phylodynamic approach to uncover phylogenetic structures underlying the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We find support for three SARS-CoV-2 lineages co-circulating, each with significantly different demographic dynamics concordant with known epidemiological factors. For example, Lineage C emerged in Europe with a high growth rate in late February, just prior to the exponential increase in cases in several European countries. Mutations that characterize Lineage C in particular are non-synonymous and occur in functionally important gene regions responsible for viral replication and cell entry. Even though Lineages A and B had distinct demographic patterns, they were much more difficult to distinguish. Continuous application of phylogenetic approaches to track the evolutionary epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 lineages will be increasingly important to validate the efficacy of control efforts and monitor significant evolutionary events in the future.

negative: Detection of Nucleocapsid Antibody to SARS-CoV-2 is More Sensitive than Antibody to Spike Protein in COVID-19 Patients Background: SARS-CoV-2, the cause of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is associated with respiratory-related morbidity and mortality. Assays to detect virus-specific antibodies are important to understand the prevalence of infection and the course of the immune response. Methodology: Quantitative measurements of plasma or serum antibodies by luciferase immunoprecipitation assay systems (LIPS) to the nucleocapsid and spike proteins were analyzed in 100 cross-sectional or longitudinal samples from SARS-CoV-2-infected patients. A subset of samples was tested with and without heat inactivation. Results: Fifteen or more days after symptom onset, antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein showed 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity, while antibodies to spike protein were detected with 91% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Neither antibody levels nor the rate of seropositivity were significantly reduced by heat inactivation of samples. Analysis of daily samples from six patients with COVID-19 showed anti-nucleocapsid and spike antibodies appearing between day 8 to day 14 after initial symptoms. Immunocompromised patients generally had a delayed antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 compared to immunocompetent patients. Conclusions: Antibody to the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-CoV-2 is more sensitive than spike protein antibody for detecting early infection. Analyzing heat-inactivated samples by LIPS is a safe and sensitive method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

negative: Retinal pathology in multiple sclerosis: insight into the mechanisms of neuronal pathology

negative: Dissecting Virus Infectious Cycles by Cryo-Electron Microscopy

negative: RNA structure: the long and the short of it The database of RNA structure has grown tremendously since the crystal structure analyses of ribosomal subunits in 2000–2001. During the past year, the trend toward determining the structure of large, complex biological RNAs has accelerated, with the analysis of three intact group I introns, A- and B-type ribonuclease P RNAs, a riboswitch–substrate complex and other structures. The growing database of RNA structures, coupled with efforts directed at the standardization of nomenclature and classification of motifs, has resulted in the identification and characterization of numerous RNA secondary and tertiary structure motifs. Because a large proportion of RNA structure can now be shown to be composed of these recurring structural motifs, a view of RNA as a modular structure built from a combination of these building blocks and tertiary linkers is beginning to emerge. At the same time, however, more detailed analysis of water, metal, ligand and protein binding to RNA is revealing the effect of these moieties on folding and structure formation. The balance between the views of RNA structure either as strictly a construct of preformed building blocks linked in a limited number of ways or as a flexible polymer assuming a global fold influenced by its environment will be the focus of current and future RNA structural biology.

negative: Central ions and lateral asparagine/glutamine zippers stabilize the post-fusion hairpin conformation of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein Abstract The coronavirus spike glycoprotein is a class I membrane fusion protein with two characteristic heptad repeat regions (HR1 and HR2) in its ectodomain. Here, we report the X-ray structure of a previously characterized HR1/HR2 complex of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein. As expected, the HR1 and HR2 segments are organized in antiparallel orientations within a rod-like molecule. The HR1 helices form an exceptionally long (120 Å) internal coiled coil stabilized by hydrophobic and polar interactions. A striking arrangement of conserved asparagine and glutamine residues of HR1 propagates from two central chloride ions, providing hydrogen-bonding “zippers” that strongly constrain the path of the HR2 main chain, forcing it to adopt an extended conformation at either end of a short HR2 α-helix.

negative: Molecular basis of binding between novel human coronavirus MERS-CoV and its receptor CD26 The newly emergent Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) can cause severe pulmonary disease in humans(1,2), representing the second example of a highly pathogenic coronavirus, the first being SARS-CoV(3). CD26 (also known as dipeptidyl peptidase 4, DPP4) was recently identified as the cellular receptor for MERS-CoV(4). The engagement of the MERS-CoV spike protein with CD26 mediates viral attachment to host cells and virus–cell fusion, thereby initiating infection. Here we delineate the molecular basis of this specific interaction by presenting the first crystal structures of both the free receptor binding domain (RBD) of the MERS-CoV spike protein and its complex with CD26. Furthermore, binding between the RBD and CD26 is measured using real-time surface plasmon resonance with a dissociation constant of 16.7 nM. The viral RBD is composed of a core subdomain homologous to that of the SARS-CoV spike protein, and a unique strand-dominated external receptor binding motif that recognizes blades IV and V of the CD26 β-propeller. The atomic details at the interface between the two binding entities reveal a surprising protein–protein contact mediated mainly by hydrophilic residues. Sequence alignment indicates, among betacoronaviruses, a possible structural conservation for the region homologous to the MERS-CoV RBD core, but a high variation in the external receptor binding motif region for virus-specific pathogenesis such as receptor recognition. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nature12328) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: Identification of novel mutations in RNA-dependent RNA polymerases of SARS-CoV-2 and their implications on its protein structure The rapid development of SARS-CoV-2 mediated COVID-19 pandemic has been the cause of significant health concern, highlighting the immediate need for the effective antivirals. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that has an inherent high mutation rate. These mutations drive viral evolution and genome variability, thereby, facilitating viruses to have rapid antigenic shifting to evade host immunity and to develop drug resistance. Viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerases (RdRp) perform viral genome duplication and RNA synthesis. Therefore, we compared the available RdRp sequences of SARS-CoV-2 from Indian isolates and ‘Wuhan wet sea food market virus’ sequence to identify, if any, variation between them. We report seven mutations observed in Indian SARS-CoV-2 isolates and three unique mutations that showed changes in the secondary structure of the RdRp protein at region of mutation. We also studied molecular dynamics using normal mode analyses and found that these mutations alter the stability of RdRp protein. Therefore, we propose that RdRp mutations in Indian SARS-CoV-2 isolates might have functional consequences that can interfere with RdRp targeting pharmacological agents.

negative: The SARS-CoV-2 conserved macrodomain is a highly efficient ADP-ribosylhydrolase Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and other SARS-like-CoVs encode 3 tandem macrodomains within non-structural protein 3 (nsp3). The first macrodomain, Mac1, is conserved throughout CoVs, binds to and hydrolyzes mono-ADP-ribose (MAR) from target proteins. Mac1 likely counters host-mediated anti-viral ADP-ribosylation, a posttranslational modification that is part of the host response to viral infections. Mac1 is essential for pathogenesis in multiple animal models of CoV infection, implicating it as a virulence factor and potential therapeutic target. Here we report the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 Mac1 in complex with ADP-ribose. SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Mac1 exhibit similar structural folds and all 3 proteins bound to ADP-ribose with low μM affinities. In contrast, we found that only the MERS-CoV Mac1 protein bound to poly-ADP-ribose (PAR), and none of these enzymes could hydrolyze PAR. Importantly, using ADP-ribose detecting antibodies and both gel-based assay and novel ELISA assays, we demonstrated highly efficient de-MARylating activity for all 3 CoV Mac1 proteins. We conclude that the SARS-CoV-2 and other CoV Mac1 proteins are highly efficient MAR-hydrolases with strikingly similar activity, indicating that compounds targeting CoV Mac1 proteins may have broad anti-CoV activity. IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 has recently emerged into the human population and has led to a worldwide pandemic of COVID-19 that has caused nearly 350 thousand deaths worldwide. With, no currently approved treatments, novel therapeutic strategies are desperately needed. All coronaviruses encode for a highly conserved macrodomain (Mac1) that binds to and removes ADP-ribose adducts from proteins in a dynamic post-translational process increasingly recognized as an important factor that regulates viral infection. The macrodomain is essential for CoV pathogenesis and may be a novel therapeutic target. Thus, understanding its biochemistry and enzyme activity are critical first steps for these efforts. Here we report the crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 Mac1 in complex with ADP-ribose, and describe its ADP-ribose binding and hydrolysis activities in direct comparison to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV Mac1 proteins. These results are an important first step for the design and testing of potential therapies targeting this unique protein domain.

negative: Ostavimir is ineffective against COVID-19: in silico assessment, in vitro and retrospective study As a neuraminidase inhibitor, oseltamivir has effectively combated the pandemic influenza A and B, so it is a first-line commonly used antiviral drug, especially in primary hospitals. At the same time, oseltamivir, as an over-the-counter drug, is also a popular antiviral drug. As healthcare workers fighting against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), we have found that many patients experiencing discomfort or considered to be infected with a virus take oseltamivir. From severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2003 to middle east respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012, and now the current COVID-19 epidemic, there is not plenty of evidence showing that oseltamivir is effective against coronavirus. Still, there is also no sufficient evidence to refute its ineffectiveness. We cannot predict whether there will be a pandemic of respiratory coronavirus in the future, so we hope to initiate such research and preliminarily explore whether oseltamivir is effective for COVID-19, which can better guide healthcare workers in the selection of appropriate antiviral drugs in the face of coronavirus epidemics. If oseltamivir is effective, then a wide promotion of its application often can achieve a double effect with half the effort. If it is not effective, then considering the side effects of oseltamivir, it is not necessary to use unreasonable drugs that will not slow the progression of the disease but can cause adverse reactions. We found that oseltamivir is not suitable for fighting against COVID-19 through the method of computer aided drug design and in vitro study and retrospective case study. Meanwhile it was high-occurrence seasons for the influenza, COVID-19 should be highly suspected in patients who did not benefit from oseltamivir. We hope that the result of our study could be shared with the frontline physicians in fighting against COVID-19.

negative: C-terminal domain of SARS-CoV main protease can form a 3D domain-swapped dimer SARS coronavirus main protease (M(pro)) plays an essential role in the extensive proteolytic processing of the viral polyproteins (pp1a and pp1ab), and it is an important target for anti-SARS drug development. We have reported that both the M(pro) C-terminal domain alone (M(pro)-C) and the N-finger deletion mutant of M(pro) (M(pro)-Δ7) exist as a stable dimer and a stable monomer (Zhong et al., J Virol 2008; 82:4227-4234). Here, we report structures of both M(pro)-C monomer and dimer. The structure of the M(pro)-C monomer is almost identical to that of the C-terminal domain in the crystal structure of M(pro). Interestingly, the M(pro)-C dimer structure is characterized by 3D domain-swapping, in which the first helices of the two protomers are interchanged and each is enwrapped by four other helices from the other protomer. Each folding subunit of the M(pro)-C domain-swapped dimer still has the same general fold as that of the M(pro)-C monomer. This special dimerization elucidates the structural basis for the observation that there is no exchange between monomeric and dimeric forms of M(pro)-C and M(pro)-Δ7.

negative: Structure-based preliminary analysis of immunity and virulence of SARS coronavirus. The research on SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has not stopped since its discovery, but the pathogenesis of SARS is still unclear. To explore the possible molecular mechanisms of the invasion and virulence of SARS-CoV, we investigated the structural basis of the viral proteins using computational biology. Forty-five motifs relating to superantigens, toxins and other bioactive molecules were detected in the proteins of SARS-CoV. The results showed that the distribution of the motifs varied in different proteins. Enzyme-like motifs were located in the R protein, while ICAM- 1-like and toxin-like molecules were located in the spike, envelop, nucleocapsid, PUP1, PUP 2 and PUP 4 proteins. Comparison of SARS-CoV with other viruses (OC43, PEDV, HRSV, HHerpV and HAdenoV) showed that each group of motifs was different for each type of virus. Data suggest that the proteins of SARS-CoV with toxic motifs might play crucial roles in targeting host cells and interfering with the immune system. This study provides new information for drug and vaccine design, as well as therapeutic strategies against SARS.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 infects and induces cytotoxic effects in human cardiomyocytes Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has emerged as global pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 infection can lead to elevated markers of cardiac injury associated with higher risk of mortality in COVID-19 patients. It is unclear whether cardiac injury may have been caused by direct infection of cardiomyocytes or is mainly secondary to lung injury and inflammation. Here we investigate whether human cardiomyocytes are permissive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods Infection was induced by two strains of SARS-CoV-2 (FFM1 and FFM2) in human induced pluripotent stem cells-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CM) and in two models of human cardiac tissue. Results We show that SARS-CoV-2 infects hiPS-CM as demonstrated by detection of intracellular double strand viral RNA and viral spike glycoprotein protein expression. Increasing concentrations of virus RNA are detected in supernatants of infected cardiomyocytes, which induced infections in CaCo-2 cell lines documenting productive infections. SARS-COV-2 infection induced cytotoxic and pro-apoptotic effects and abolished cardiomyocyte beating. RNA sequencing confirmed a transcriptional response to viral infection as demonstrated by the up-regulation of genes associated with pathways related to viral response and interferon signaling, apoptosis and reactive oxygen stress. SARS-CoV-2 infection and cardiotoxicity was confirmed in a iPS-derived human 3D cardiosphere tissue models. Importantly, viral spike protein and viral particles were detected in living human heart slices after infection with SARS-CoV-2. Conclusions The demonstration that cardiomyocytes are permissive for SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro warrants the further in depth monitoring of cardiotoxic effects in COVID-19 patients. Clinical Perspective What is New? This study demonstrates that human cardiac myocytes are permissive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. The study documents that SARS-CoV-2 undergoes a full replicatory circle and induces a cytotoxic response in cardiomyocytes. Infection was confirmed in two cardiac tissue models, including living human heart slices. What are the Clinical Implications? The study may provide a rational to explain part of the cardiotoxicity observed in COVID-19 patients The demonstration of direct cardiotoxicity induced by SARS-CoV-2 warrants an in depth further analysis of cardiac tissue of COVID-19 patients and a close monitoring for putative direct cardiomyocyte injury. The established models can be used to test novel therapeutic approaches targeting COVID-19.

negative: Abstracts of the EPSM-ABEC 2008 conference

negative: Structure of replicating SARS-CoV-2 polymerase The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 uses an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) for the replication of its genome and the transcription of its genes. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopic structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp in its replicating form. The structure comprises the viral proteins nsp12, nsp8, and nsp7, and over two turns of RNA template-product duplex. The active site cleft of nsp12 binds the first turn of RNA and mediates RdRp activity with conserved residues. Two copies of nsp8 bind to opposite sides of the cleft and position the RNA duplex as it exits. Long helical extensions in nsp8 protrude along exiting RNA, forming positively charged ‘sliding poles’ that may enable processive replication of the long coronavirus genome. Our results will allow for a detailed analysis of the inhibitory mechanisms used by antivirals such as remdesivir, which is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

negative: Robustness and fragility of the susceptible-infected-susceptible epidemic models on complex networks We analyze two alterations of the standard susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) dynamics that preserve the central properties of spontaneous healing and infection capacity of a vertex increasing unlimitedly with its degree. All models have the same epidemic thresholds in mean-field theories but depending on the network properties, simulations yield a dual scenario, in which the epidemic thresholds of the modified SIS models can be either dramatically altered or remain unchanged in comparison with the standard dynamics. For uncorrelated synthetic networks having a power-law degree distribution with exponent [Formula: see text] , the SIS dynamics are robust exhibiting essentially the same outcomes for all investigated models. A threshold in better agreement with the heterogeneous rather than quenched mean-field theory is observed in the modified dynamics for exponent [Formula: see text]. Differences are more remarkable for [Formula: see text] , where a finite threshold is found in the modified models in contrast with the vanishing threshold of the original one. This duality is elucidated in terms of epidemic lifespan on star graphs. We verify that the activation of the modified SIS models is triggered in the innermost component of the network given by a [Formula: see text]-core decomposition for [Formula: see text] while it happens only for [Formula: see text] in the standard model. For [Formula: see text] , the activation in the modified dynamics is collective involving essentially the whole network while it is triggered by hubs in the standard SIS. The duality also appears in the finite-size scaling of the critical quantities where mean-field behaviors are observed for the modified but not for the original dynamics. Our results feed the discussions about the most proper conceptions of epidemic models to describe real systems and the choices of the most suitable theoretical approaches to deal with these models.

negative: Preliminary Estimates of the Prevalence of Selected Underlying Health Conditions Among Patients with Coronavirus Disease 2019 — United States, February 12–March 28, 2020 On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization declared Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic (1). As of March 28, 2020, a total of 571,678 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 26,494 deaths have been reported worldwide (2). Reports from China and Italy suggest that risk factors for severe disease include older age and the presence of at least one of several underlying health conditions (3,4). U.S. older adults, including those aged ≥65 years and particularly those aged ≥85 years, also appear to be at higher risk for severe COVID-19-associated outcomes; however, data describing underlying health conditions among U.S. COVID-19 patients have not yet been reported (5). As of March 28, 2020, U.S. states and territories have reported 122,653 U.S. COVID-19 cases to CDC, including 7,162 (5.8%) for whom data on underlying health conditions and other known risk factors for severe outcomes from respiratory infections were reported. Among these 7,162 cases, 2,692 (37.6%) patients had one or more underlying health condition or risk factor, and 4,470 (62.4%) had none of these conditions reported. The percentage of COVID-19 patients with at least one underlying health condition or risk factor was higher among those requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission (358 of 457, 78%) and those requiring hospitalization without ICU admission (732 of 1,037, 71%) than that among those who were not hospitalized (1,388 of 5,143, 27%). The most commonly reported conditions were diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease. These preliminary findings suggest that in the United States, persons with underlying health conditions or other recognized risk factors for severe outcomes from respiratory infections appear to be at a higher risk for severe disease from COVID-19 than are persons without these conditions.

negative: Implications of SARS-CoV-2 mutations for genomic RNA structure and host microRNA targeting The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a recently-emerged zoonotic pathogen already well adapted to transmission and replication in humans. Although the mutation rate is limited, recently introduced mutations in SARS-CoV-2 have the potential to alter viral fitness. In addition to amino acid changes, mutations could affect RNA secondary structure critical to viral life cycle, or interfere with sequences targeted by host miRNAs. We have analysed subsets of genomes from SARS-CoV-2 isolates from around the globe and show that several mutations introduce changes in Watson-Crick pairing, with resultant changes in predicted secondary structure. Filtering to targets matching miRNAs expressed in SARS-CoV-2 permissive host cells, we identified twelve separate target sequences in the SARS-CoV-2 genome; eight of these targets have been lost through conserved mutations. A genomic site targeted by the highly abundant miR-197-5p, overexpressed in patients with cardiovascular disease, is lost by a conserved mutation. Our results are compatible with a model that SARS-CoV-2 replication within the human host could be constrained by host miRNA defence. The impact of these and further mutations on secondary structures, miRNA targets or potential splice sites offers a new context in which to view future SARS-CoV-2 evolution, and a potential platform for engineered viral attenuation and antigen presentation.

negative: Mutagenesis of the transmembrane domain of the SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein: refinement of the requirements for SARS coronavirus cell entry BACKGROUND: The spike protein (S) of SARS Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediates entry of the virus into target cells, including receptor binding and membrane fusion. Close to or in the viral membrane, the S protein contains three distinct motifs: a juxtamembrane aromatic part, a central highly hydrophobic stretch and a cysteine rich motif. Here, we investigate the role of aromatic and hydrophobic parts of S in the entry of SARS CoV and in cell-cell fusion. This was investigated using the previously described SARS pseudotyped particles system (SARSpp) and by fluorescence-based cell-cell fusion assays. RESULTS: Mutagenesis showed that the aromatic domain was crucial for SARSpp entry into cells, with a likely role in pore enlargement. Introduction of lysine residues in the hydrophobic stretch of S also resulted in a block of entry, suggesting the borders of the actual transmembrane domain. Surprisingly, replacement of a glycine residue, situated close to the aromatic domain, with a lysine residue was tolerated, whereas the introduction of a lysine adjacent to the glycine, was not. In a model, we propose that during fusion, the lateral flexibility of the transmembrane domain plays a critical role, as do the tryptophans and the cysteines. CONCLUSIONS: The aromatic domain plays a crucial role in the entry of SARS CoV into target cells. The positioning of the aromatic domain and the hydrophobic domain relative to each other is another essential characteristic of this membrane fusion process.

negative: A “Deep Dive” into the SARS-Cov-2 Polymerase Assembly: Identifying Novel Allosteric Sites and Analyzing the Hydrogen Bond Networks and Correlated Dynamics Replication of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is a fundamental step in the virus life cycle and inhibiting the SARS-CoV2 replicase machinery has been proven recently as a promising approach in combating the virus. Despite this recent success, there are still several aspects related to the structure, function and dynamics of the CoV-2 polymerase that still need to be addressed. This includes understanding the dynamicity of the various polymerase subdomains, analyzing the hydrogen bond networks at the active site and at the template entry in the presence of water, studying the binding modes of the nucleotides at the active site, highlighting positions for acceptable nucleotides’ substitutions that can be tolerated at different positions within the nascent RNA strand, identifying possible allosteric sites within the polymerase structure and studying their correlated dynamics relative to the catalytic site. Here, we combined various cutting-edge modelling tools with the recently resolved SARS-CoV-2 cryo-EM polymerase structures to fill this gap in knowledge. Our findings provide a detailed analysis of the hydrogen bond networks at various parts of the polymerase structure and suggest possible nucleotides’ substitutions that can be tolerated by the polymerase complex. We also report here three “druggable” allosteric sites within the nsp12 RdRp that can be targeted by small molecule inhibitors. Our correlated motion analysis shows that the dynamics within one of the newly identified sites are linked to the active site, indicating that targeting this site can significantly impact the catalytic activity of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase.

negative: Informational needs assessment of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma survivors and their physicians

negative: Comparison of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein binding to ACE2 receptors from human, pets, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts. The emergence of a novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, resulted in a pandemic. Here, we used X-ray structures of human ACE2 bound to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein (S) from SARS-CoV-2 to predict its binding to ACE2 proteins from different animals, including pets, farm animals, and putative intermediate hosts of SARS-CoV-2. Comparing the interaction sites of ACE2 proteins known to serve or not serve as receptor allows to define residues important for binding. From the 20 amino acids in ACE2 that contact S up to seven can be replaced and ACE2 can still function as the SARS-CoV-2 receptor. These variable amino acids are clustered at certain positions, mostly at the periphery of the binding site, while changes of the invariable residues prevent S-binding or infection of the respective animal. Some ACE2 proteins even tolerate the loss or the acquisition of N-glycosylation sites located near the S-interface. Of note, Pigs and dogs, which are not or not effectively infected and have only a few changes in the binding site, exhibit relatively low levels of ACE2 in the respiratory tract. Comparison of the RBD of S of SARS-CoV-2 with viruses from Bat-CoV-RaTG13 and Pangolin-CoV revealed that the latter contains only one substitution, whereas the Bat-CoV-RaTG13 exhibits five. However, ACE2 of pangolin exhibit seven changes relative to human ACE2, a similar number of substitutions is present in ACE2 of bats, raccoon, and civet suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 may not especially adapted to ACE2 of any of its putative intermediate hosts. These analyses provide new insight into the receptor usage and animal source/origin of SARS-CoV-2.IMPORTANCE SARS-CoV-2 is threatening people worldwide and there are no drugs or vaccines available to mitigate its spread. The origin of the virus is still unclear and whether pets and livestock can be infected and transmit SARS-CoV-2 are important and unknown scientific questions. Effective binding to the host receptor ACE2 is the first prerequisite for infection of cells and determines the host range. Our analysis provides a framework for the prediction of potential hosts of SARS-CoV-2. We found that ACE2 from species known to support SARS-CoV-2 infection tolerate many amino acid changes indicating that the species barrier might be low. An exception are dogs and especially pigs, which, however, revealed relatively low ACE2 expression levels in the respiratory tract. Monitoring of animals is necessary to prevent the generation of a new coronavirus reservoir. Finally, our analysis also showed that SARS-CoV-2 may not be specifically adapted to any of its putative intermediate hosts.

negative: Stilbene-based Natural Compounds as Promising Drug Candidates against COVID-19. The pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents a great threat to public health. Currently, no potent medicine is available to treat COVID-19. Quest for new drugs especially from natural plant sources is an area of immense potential. The current study aimed to repurpose stilbenoid analogs, reported for some other biological activities, against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2 receptor complex for their affinity and stability using molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy analysis based on molecular docking. Four compounds in total were probed for their binding affinity using molecular docking. All of the compounds showed good affinity (> -7 kcal/mol). However, fifty nanoseconds molecular dynamic simulation in aqueous solution revealed highly stable bound conformation of resveratrol to the viral protein: ACE2 receptor complex. Net free energy of binding using MM-PBSA also affirmed the stability of the resveratrol-protein complex. Based on the results, we report that stilbene based compounds in general and resveratrol, in particular, can be promising anti-COVID-19 drug candidates acting through disruption of the spike protein. Our findings in this study are promising and call for further in vitro and in vivo testing of stiblenoids, especially resveratrol against the COVID-19.

negative: The coding capacity of SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 is a coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to understand its pathogenicity, antigenic potential and to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools, it is essential to portray the full repertoire of its expressed proteins. The SARS-CoV-2 coding capacity map is currently based on computational predictions and relies on homology to other coronaviruses. Since coronaviruses differ in their protein array, especially in the variety of accessory proteins, it is crucial to characterize the specific collection of SARS-CoV-2 translated open reading frames (ORF)s in an unbiased and open-ended manner. Utilizing a suit of ribosome profiling techniques, we present a high-resolution map of the SARS-CoV-2 coding regions, allowing us to accurately quantify the expression of canonical viral ORFs and to identify 23 novel unannotated viral ORFs. These ORFs include several in-frame internal ORFs lying within existing ORFs, resulting in N-terminally truncated products, as well as internal out-of-frame ORFs, which generate novel polypeptides. Finally, we detected a prominent initiation at a CUG codon located in the 5’UTR. Although this codon is shared by all SARS-CoV-2 transcripts, the initiation was specific to the genomic RNA, indicating that the genomic RNA harbors unique features that may affect ribosome engagement. Overall, our work reveals the full coding capacity of SARS-CoV-2 genome, providing a rich resource, which will form the basis of future functional studies and diagnostic efforts.

negative: Genomic and single nucleotide polymorphism analysis of infectious bronchitis coronavirus Abstract Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) is a Gammacoronavirus that causes a highly contagious respiratory disease in chickens. A QX-like strain was analysed by high-throughput Illumina sequencing and genetic variation across the entire viral genome was explored at the sub-consensus level by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. Thirteen open reading frames (ORFs) in the order 5′-UTR-1a-1ab-S-3a-3b-E-M-4b-4c-5a-5b-N-6b-3′UTR were predicted. The relative frequencies of missense: silent SNPs were calculated to obtain a comparative measure of variability in specific genes. The most variable ORFs in descending order were E, 3b, 5′UTR, N, 1a, S, 1ab, M, 4c, 5a, 6b. The E and 3b protein products play key roles in coronavirus virulence, and RNA folding demonstrated that the mutations in the 5′UTR did not alter the predicted secondary structure. The frequency of SNPs in the Spike (S) protein ORF of 0.67% was below the genomic average of 0.76%. Only three SNPS were identified in the S1 subunit, none of which were located in hypervariable region (HVR) 1 or HVR2. The S2 subunit was considerably more variable containing 87% of the polymorphisms detected across the entire S protein. The S2 subunit also contained a previously unreported multi-A insertion site and a stretch of four consecutive mutated amino acids, which mapped to the stalk region of the spike protein. Template-based protein structure modelling produced the first theoretical model of the IBV spike monomer. Given the lack of diversity observed at the sub-consensus level, the tenet that the HVRs in the S1 subunit are very tolerant of amino acid changes produced by genetic drift is questioned.

negative: TensorCalculator: exploring the evolution of mechanical stress in the CCMV capsid A new computational methodology for the accurate numerical calculation of the Cauchy stress tensor, stress invariants, principal stress components, von Mises and Tresca tensors is developed. The methodology is based on the atomic stress approach which permits the calculation of stress tensors, widely used in continuum mechanics modeling of materials properties, using the output from the MD simulations of discrete atomic and [Formula: see text] -based coarse-grained structural models of biological particles. The methodology mapped into the software package TensorCalculator was successfully applied to the empty cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) shell to explore the evolution of mechanical stress in this mechanically-tested specific example of a soft virus capsid. We found an inhomogeneous stress distribution in various portions of the CCMV structure and stress transfer from one portion of the virus structure to another, which also points to the importance of entropic effects, often ignored in finite element analysis and elastic network modeling. We formulate a criterion for elastic deformation using the first principal stress components. Furthermore, we show that von Mises and Tresca stress tensors can be used to predict the onset of a viral capsid’s mechanical failure, which leads to total structural collapse. TensorCalculator can be used to study stress evolution and dynamics of defects in viral capsids and other large-size protein assemblies.

negative: Comparative analysis of non structural protein 1 of SARS-COV2 with SARS-COV1 and MERS-COV: An in silico study The recently emerged SARS-COV2 caused a major pandemic of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The main goal of this study is to elucidate the structural conformations of non structural protein 1(nsp1), prediction of epitope sites and identification of important residues for targeted therapy against COVID-19. In this study, molecular modelling coupled with molecular dynamics simulations were performed to analyse the conformational change of SARS-COV1, SARS-COV2 and MERS-COV at molecular level. Free energy landscape was constructed by using the first (PC1) and second (PC2) principle components. From the sequence alignment it was observed when compared to SERS-COV1 28 mutations are present in SERS-COV2 nsp1 protein. Several B-cell and T-cell epitopes were identified by immunoinformatics study. The ΔG values for SARS-COV1, SARS-COV2 and MERS-COV nsp1 proteins were 4.44, 5.82 and 6.15 kJ/mol respectively. SARS-COV2 nsp1 protein binds with the interface region of the palm and finger domain of POLA1 by using hydrogen bonds and salt bridges interactions. The present study provided a comprehensive structural model of nsp1 by threading process. The MD simulation parameters indicated that all three nsp1 proteins were stable during the simulation run. These findings can be used to develop therapeutics specific against COVID-19. Highlights Structural elucidation at molecular level of nsp1 of SARS-COV1, SARS-COV2, and MERS-COV Identifications of epitopes by immunoinformatics approach SARS-COV2 nsp1 cover a large conformational space due to greater flexibility Molecular docking between SARS-COV2 nsp1 and POLA1 to identify important residues Structural insights of nsp1 could be used in drug design process against COVID-19 Graphical abstract

negative: Alpha-1 antitrypsin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To identify factors of the respiratory tract that suppress SARS-CoV-2, we screened a peptide/protein library derived from bronchoalveolar lavage, and identified α1-antitrypsin (α1-AT) as specific inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. α1-AT targets the viral spike protein and blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection of human airway epithelium at physiological concentrations. Our findings show that endogenous α1-AT restricts SARS-CoV-2 and repurposes α1-AT-based drugs for COVID-19 therapy.

negative: Another coronavirus drug target imaged Researchers studying SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, have published another structure of a viral protein that could be a target for treatments, including Gilead Sciences’ remdesivir A team in China led by Zihe Rao at Tsinghua University reports the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), which is a key part of how the virus makes copies of its RNA genome (Science 2020, DOI: 10 1126/science abb7498) RdRp, along with the virus’s spike protein, which is involved in infecting human cells, and its main protease, which helps process viral protein production, is one of the main drug targets for SARS-CoV-2 Jason McLellan, the University of Texas at Austin researcher who in February published the first cryo-EM structure of the spike protein, says RdRp is the only other protein that he was interested in investigating But before he could start work on the protein, he saw that Rao’s

negative: [Preparation and characterization of the epitopes of SARS coronavirus spike protein]. AIM To prepare the recombinant epitopes of SARS-CoV spike protein and study their antigenic property to spike protein. METHODS The epitopes of SARS-CoV spike protein were analyzed by epitope prediction software. A novel gene, named Z, encoding 16 predicted epitopes of spike protein was designed and synthesized using chemical method. Z gene was cloned into vector pET-28a(+), expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3) and purified by Ni(2+) affinity method. Z protein was used as antigen to immunize the rabbit and anti-Z sera was collected. Then the antigenic property of Z protein to SARS-CoV spike protein was analyzed by dot-blot and ELISA assay. RESULTS Z gene was successfully designed and expressed in E.coli BL21(DE3). Dot blot analysis showed that SARS-CoV spike protein, which was expressed and purified from mammal cells, can be detected by anti-Z sera from rabbit. ELISA analysis indicated the SARS-CoV antigen prepared from SARS-CoV lysates can be detected by anti-Z sera. CONCLUSION The predicted epitopes of Z protein can induce the development of SARS-CoV spike protein antibody in rabbits, which provides a new protein for developing vaccine against SARS-CoV.

negative: Pleiomorphic viruses revealed by cryo tomography: the structure of coronaviruses Cryo-electron microscopy has provided in the last decades a wealth of three-dimensional information on viral structures. However, most of this knowledge stems from single particle methods, which rely on averaging and are therefore restricted to viral homogenous structures such as icosahedral capsids [1]. This type of analysis excludes pleiomorphic viruses, that is, viruses that, having defined general architectures, arrange their components into different shapes or sizes. Cryo-electron tomography, which provides three-dimensional reconstructions of unique specimens, is now starting to shed light into the structure of this type of viruses [2].

negative: Impact of the infectious period on epidemics The duration of the infectious period is a crucial determinant of the ability of an infectious disease to spread. We consider an epidemic model that is network based and non-Markovian, containing classic Kermack-McKendrick, pairwise, message passing, and spatial models as special cases. For this model, we prove a monotonic relationship between the variability of the infectious period (with fixed mean) and the probability that the infection will reach any given subset of the population by any given time. For certain families of distributions, this result implies that epidemic severity is decreasing with respect to the variance of the infectious period. The striking importance of this relationship is demonstrated numerically. We then prove, with a fixed basic reproductive ratio ([Formula: see text]), a monotonic relationship between the variability of the posterior transmission probability (which is a function of the infectious period) and the probability that the infection will reach any given subset of the population by any given time. Thus again, even when [Formula: see text] is fixed, variability of the infectious period tends to dampen the epidemic. Numerical results illustrate this but indicate the relationship is weaker. We then show how our results apply to message passing, pairwise, and Kermack-McKendrick epidemic models, even when they are not exactly consistent with the stochastic dynamics. For Poissonian contact processes, and arbitrarily distributed infectious periods, we demonstrate how systems of delay differential equations and ordinary differential equations can provide upper and lower bounds, respectively, for the probability that any given individual has been infected by any given time.

negative: LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 is upregulated in osteoarthritis and increases the methylation of miR-130a gene to inhibit chondrocyte proliferation OBJECTIVES: LncRNA CTBP1-AS2 has been reported to be involved in type 2 diabetes and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, while its roles in other human diseases are unknown. Our preliminary deep sequencing analysis showed altered expression of CTBP1-AS2 in osteoarthritis (OA). In addition, CTBP1-AS2 was inversely correlated with miR-130a. This study was therefore carried out to investigate the interactions between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in OA. METHODS: Synovial fluid was collected from 62 OA patients and 62 healthy controls. RT-qPCR was performed to determine the expression levels of CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in synovial fluid. Cell transfections were performed to investigate the interactions between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was performed to assess the effects of CTBP1-AS2 on the methylation of miR-130a. Cell counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate the roles of CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a in regulating proliferation of chondrocytes. RESULTS: The results showed that CTBP1-AS2 was upregulated in OA and inversely correlated with miR-130a. In chondrocytes of OA patients, overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 led to increased methylation of miR-130a gene and downregulated expression of miR-130a, while overexpression of miR-130a did not affect the expression of CTBP1-AS2. In contrast, no interaction between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a was observed in chondrocytes from healthy adults. Analysis of chondrocyte proliferation showed that overexpression of miR-130a led to increased proliferation rate of chondrocytes extracted from OA patients. Overexpression of CTBP1-AS2 led to decreased proliferation rate of chondrocytes and reversed the effects of overexpressing miR-130a. CONCLUSION: Therefore, CTBP1-AS2 is upregulated in OA and may increase the methylation of miR-130a gene to inhibit chondrocyte proliferation.Key Pointsâ¢ CTBP1-AS2 is overexpressed in OA and may downregulate miR-130a through methylation to suppress the proliferation of chondrocytes.â¢ The interaction between CTBP1-AS2 and miR-130a is indirect and mediated by certain pathological mediators.

negative: Overview of Taiwan-Japan joint symposium (2SDP) on structural biology using X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM at the 2019 BSJ meeting.

negative: Considerations for the Development of Nasal Dosage Forms The anatomy and physiology of the nasal cavity provide unique advantages for accessing targets for local, systemic, and potentially central nervous system drug delivery. This chapter discusses these advantages and the challenges that must be overcome to reach these targets. The chapter then comprehensively reviews nasal dosage forms, analytical testing, and regulatory requirements in the context of existing nasal spray products. Since nasal sprays are moving towards being preservative-free, the chapter covers specialized methods of achieving a sterile product, namely, formulation strategies, manufacturing strategies, and the device landscape that support this upcoming platform. Finally, the chapter reviews various pathways for regulatory approval around the world, for brand and generic, with particular emphasis on the growing acceptance of in vitro data for locally acting nasal spray products.

negative: Cryo-EM structure of coronavirus-HKU1 haemagglutinin esterase reveals architectural changes arising from prolonged circulation in humans The human betacoronaviruses HKU1 and OC43 (subgenus Embecovirus) arose from separate zoonotic introductions, OC43 relatively recently and HKU1 apparently much longer ago. Embecovirus particles are studded with two types of surface projections called S (for spike) and HE (for haemagglutinin-esterase), with S mediating receptor-binding and membrane fusion and HE acting as a receptor-destroying enzyme. Together, they promote dynamic virion attachment to glycan-based receptors with 9-O-acetylated sialic acid as main constituent. We recently showed that adaptation of HKU1 and OC43 to replication in the human respiratory tract involved loss-of-function mutations in the lectin domain of HE. Here we present the cryo-EM structure of the ∼80 kDa, heavily glycosylated HKU1 HE at a global resolution of 3.4 Å. Comparison to existing HE structures reveals a drastically truncated lectin domain, incompatible with sialic acid binding, but with the structure and function of the HE esterase domain left intact. Our cryo-EM structure, in combination with mass spectrometry analysis, also describes the extent of glycosylation on the now redundant lectin domain, which forms a putative glycan shield. The findings further our insight into the evolution and host adaptation of human embecoviruses and also demonstrate the utility of cryo-EM for studying small, heavily glycosylated proteins which are intractable to X-ray crystallography.

negative: Production and immunogenicity of Fubc subunit protein redesigned from DENV envelope protein Dengue virus (DENV) is a vector-borne human pathogen that usually causes dengue fever; however, sometime it leads to deadly complications such as dengue with warning signs (DWS+) and severe dengue (SD). Several studies have shown that fusion (Fu) and bc loop of DENV envelope domain II are highly conserved and consist some of the most dominant antigenic epitopes. Therefore, in this study, Fu and bc loops were joined together to develop a short recombinant protein as an alternative of whole DENV envelope protein, and its immunogenic potential as fusion peptide was estimated. For de novo designing of the antigen, Fu and bc peptides were linked with an optimised linker so that the three dimensional conformation was maintained as it is in DENV envelope protein. The redesigned Fubc protein was expressed in E. coli and purified. Subsequently, structural integrity of the purified protein was verified by CD spectroscopy. To characterise immune responses against recombinant Fubc protein, BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with emulsified antigen preparation. It was observed by ELISA that Fubc fusion protein elicited higher serum IgG antibody response either in the presence or in absence of Freund’s adjuvant in comparison to the immune response of Fu and bc peptides separately. Furthermore, the binding of Fubc protein with mice antisera was validated by SPR analysis. These results suggest that Fu and bc epitope-based recombinant fusion protein could be a potential candidate towards the development of the effective subunit vaccine against DENV. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s00253-020-10541-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: How the COVID-19 Overcomes the Battle? An Approach to Virus Structure. Coronaviruses primarily cause zoonotic infections, however in the past few decades several interspecies transmissions have occurred, the last one by SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19 pandemic, posing serious threat to global health. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein plays an important role in viral attachment, fusion and entry. However, other structural and non-structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins are potential influencers in virus pathogenicity. Among these proteins; Orf3, Orf8, and Orf10 show the least homology to SARSCoV proteins and therefore should be further studied for their abilities to modulate antiviral and inflammatory responses. Here, we discuss how SARS-COV-2 interacts with our immune system.

negative: How the COVID-19 Overcomes the Battle? An Approach to Virus Structure Coronaviruses primarily cause zoonotic infections, however in the past few decades several interspecies transmissions have occurred, the last one by SARS-CoV-2, causing COVID-19 pandemic, posing serious threat to global health. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein plays an important role in viral attachment, fusion and entry. However, other structural and non-structural SARS-CoV-2 proteins are potential influencers in virus pathogenicity. Among these proteins; Orf3, Orf8, and Orf10 show the least homology to SARSCoV proteins and therefore should be further studied for their abilities to modulate antiviral and inflammatory responses. Here, we discuss how SARS-COV-2 interacts with our immune system.

negative: The Effect of Turbulence on the Spreading of Infectious Airborne Droplets in Hospitals The dispersion of droplets plays an important role in the transmission of disease in a hospital environment. The challenge is that as they move, their properties change due to evaporation, the Wells (Am. J. Hyg. 20:611–618, 1934) droplet-nuclei hypothesis. In this paper we examine the effect of evaporation on their movement within a homogeneous turbulent environment. The effect of turbulence is to significantly increase the transmission distance and spread. These numerical results demonstrate that by reducing the level of turbulence, the potential for spreading diseases is reduced. This is in accordance with available experimental/in situ measurements.

negative: Are pangolins the intermediate host of the 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2)? The outbreak of a novel corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the city of Wuhan, China has resulted in more than 1.7 million laboratory confirmed cases all over the world. Recent studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 was likely originated from bats, but its intermediate hosts are still largely unknown. In this study, we assembled the complete genome of a coronavirus identified in 3 sick Malayan pangolins. The molecular and phylogenetic analyses showed that this pangolin coronavirus (pangolin-CoV-2020) is genetically related to the SARS-CoV-2 as well as a group of bat coronaviruses but do not support the SARS-CoV-2 emerged directly from the pangolin-CoV-2020. Our study suggests that pangolins are natural hosts of Betacoronaviruses. Large surveillance of coronaviruses in pangolins could improve our understanding of the spectrum of coronaviruses in pangolins. In addition to conservation of wildlife, minimizing the exposures of humans to wildlife will be important to reduce the spillover risks of coronaviruses from wild animals to humans.

negative: Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Infections in Engineered Human Tissues Using Clinical-Grade Soluble Human ACE2 Summary We have previously provided the first genetic evidence that angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the critical receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and ACE2 protects the lung from injury, providing a molecular explanation for the severe lung failure and death due to SARS-CoV infections. ACE2 has now also been identified as a key receptor for SARS-CoV-2 infections, and it has been proposed that inhibiting this interaction might be used in treating patients with COVID-19. However, it is not known whether human recombinant soluble ACE2 (hrsACE2) blocks growth of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we show that clinical grade hrsACE2 reduced SARS-CoV-2 recovery from Vero cells by a factor of 1,000–5,000. An equivalent mouse rsACE2 had no effect. We also show that SARS-CoV-2 can directly infect engineered human blood vessel organoids and human kidney organoids, which can be inhibited by hrsACE2. These data demonstrate that hrsACE2 can significantly block early stages of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

negative: Repurposing Antiviral Protease Inhibitors Using Extracellular Vesicles for Potential Therapy of COVID-19 In January 2020, Chinese health agencies reported an outbreak of a novel coronavirus-2 (CoV-2) which can lead to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The virus, which belongs to the coronavirus family (SARS-CoV-2), was named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Full-length genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 showed 79.6% sequence identity to SARS-CoV, with 96% identity to a bat coronavirus at the whole-genome level. COVID-19 has caused over 133,000 deaths and there are over 2 million total confirmed cases as of 15 April 2020. Current treatment plans are still under investigation due to a lack of understanding of COVID-19. One potential mechanism to slow disease progression is the use of antiviral drugs to either block the entry of the virus or interfere with viral replication and maturation. Currently, antiviral drugs, including chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and lopinavir/ritonavir, have shown effective inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 in vitro. Due to the high dose needed and narrow therapeutic window, many patients are experiencing severe side effects with the above drugs. Hence, repurposing these drugs with a proper formulation is needed to improve the safety and efficacy for COVID-19 treatment. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are a family of natural carriers in the human body. They play a critical role in cell-to-cell communications. EVs can be used as unique drug carriers to deliver protease inhibitors to treat COVID-19. EVs may provide targeted delivery of protease inhibitors, with fewer systemic side effects. More importantly, EVs are eligible for major aseptic processing and can be upscaled for mass production. Currently, the FDA is facilitating applications to treat COVID-19, which provides a very good chance to use EVs to contribute in this combat.

negative: The site of origin of the 1918 influenza pandemic and its public health implications

negative: RNA genome conservation and secondary structure in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-related viruses: a first look As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads, there is a growing need for a compilation of conserved RNA genome regions in the SARS-CoV-2 virus along with their structural propensities to guide development of antivirals and diagnostics. Here we present a first look at RNA sequence conservation and structural propensities in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Using sequence alignments spanning a range of betacoronaviruses, we rank genomic regions by RNA sequence conservation, identifying 79 regions of length at least 15 nucleotides as exactly conserved over SARS-related complete genome sequences available near the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. We then confirm the conservation of the majority of these genome regions across 739 SARS-CoV-2 sequences subsequently reported from the COVID-19 outbreak, and we present a curated list of 30 'SARS-related-conserved' regions. We find that known RNA structured elements curated as Rfam families and in prior literature are enriched in these conserved genome regions, and we predict additional conserved, stable secondary structures across the viral genome. We provide 106 'SARS-CoV-2-conserved-structured' regions as potential targets for antivirals that bind to structured RNA. We further provide detailed secondary structure models for the extended 5' UTR, frame-shifting element, and 3' UTR. Last, we predict regions of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome that have low propensity for RNA secondary structure and are conserved within SARS-CoV-2 strains. These 59 'SARS-CoV-2-conserved-unstructured' genomic regions may be most easily targeted in primer-based diagnostic and oligonucleotide-based therapeutic strategies.

negative: Single-Particle cryo-EM as a Pipeline for Obtaining Atomic Resolution Structures of Druggable Targets in Preclinical Structure-Based Drug Design Single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and three-dimensional (3D) image processing have gained importance in the last few years to obtain atomic structures of drug targets. Obtaining atomic-resolution 3D structure better than ~2.5 Å is a standard approach in pharma companies to design and optimize therapeutic compounds against drug targets like proteins. Protein crystallography is the main technique in solving the structures of drug targets at atomic resolution. However, this technique requires protein crystals which in turn is a major bottleneck. It was not possible to obtain the structure of proteins better than 2.5 Å resolution by any other methods apart from protein crystallography until 2015. Recent advances in single-particle cryo-EM and 3D image processing have led to a resolution revolution in the field of structural biology that has led to high-resolution protein structures, thus breaking the cryo-EM resolution barriers to facilitate drug discovery. There are 24 structures solved by single-particle cryo-EM with resolution 2.5 Å or better in the EMDataBank (EMDB) till date. Among these, five cryo-EM 3D reconstructions of proteins in the EMDB have their associated coordinates deposited in Protein Data Bank (PDB), with bound inhibitor/ ligand. Thus, for the first time, single-particle cryo-EM was included in the structure-based drug design (SBDD) pipeline for solving protein structures independently or where crystallography has failed to crystallize the protein. Further, this technique can be complementary and supplementary to protein crystallography field in solving 3D structures. Thus, single-particle cryo-EM can become a standard approach in pharmaceutical industry in the design, validation, and optimization of therapeutic compounds targeting therapeutically important protein molecules during preclinical drug discovery research. The present chapter will describe briefly the history and the principles of single-particle cryo-EM and 3D image processing to obtain atomic-resolution structure of proteins and their complex with their drug targets/ligands.

negative: MMDB: annotating protein sequences with Entrez's 3D-structure database Three-dimensional (3D) structure is now known for a large fraction of all protein families. Thus, it has become rather likely that one will find a homolog with known 3D structure when searching a sequence database with an arbitrary query sequence. Depending on the extent of similarity, such neighbor relationships may allow one to infer biological function and to identify functional sites such as binding motifs or catalytic centers. Entrez's 3D-structure database, the Molecular Modeling Database (MMDB), provides easy access to the richness of 3D structure data and its large potential for functional annotation. Entrez's search engine offers several tools to assist biologist users: (i) links between databases, such as between protein sequences and structures, (ii) pre-computed sequence and structure neighbors, (iii) visualization of structure and sequence/structure alignment. Here, we describe an annotation service that combines some of these tools automatically, Entrez's ‘Related Structure’ links. For all proteins in Entrez, similar sequences with known 3D structure are detected by BLAST and alignments are recorded. The ‘Related Structure’ service summarizes this information and presents 3D views mapping sequence residues onto all 3D structures available in MMDB ().

negative: The Nucleocapsid Protein of the SARS Coronavirus: Structure, Function and Therapeutic Potential As in other coronaviruses, the nucleocapsid protein is one of the core components of the SARS coronavirus (CoV). It oligomerizes to form a closed capsule, inside which the genomic RNA is securely stored thus providing the SARS-CoV genome with its first line of defense from the harsh conditions of the host environment and aiding in replication and propagation of the virus. In addition to this function, several reports have suggested that the SARS-CoV nucleocapsid protein modulates various host cellular processes, so as to make the internal milieu of the host more conducive for survival of the virus. This article will analyze and discuss the available literature regarding these different properties of the nucleocapsid protein. Towards the end of the article, we will also discuss some recent reports regarding the possible clinically relevant use of the nucleocapsid protein, as a candidate diagnostic tool and vaccine against SARS-CoV infection.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 SPIKE PROTEIN: an optimal immunological target for vaccines COVID-19 has rapidly spread all over the world, progressing into a pandemic. This situation has urgently impelled many companies and public research institutes to concentrate their efforts on research for effective therapeutics. Here, we outline the strategies and targets currently adopted in developing a vaccine against SARS-CoV-2. Based on previous evidence and experience with SARS and MERS, the primary focus has been the Spike protein, considered as the ideal target for COVID-19 immunotherapies.

negative: Foundations for the Study of Structure and Function of Proteins Proteins are the most abundant biological macromolecules, occurring in all cells and all parts of cells. Moreover, proteins exhibit enormous diversity of biological function and are the most final products of the information pathways. Protein is a major component of protoplasm, which is the basis of life. It is translated from RNA and composed of amino acid connected by peptide bonds. It participates in a series of complicated chemical reactions and finally leads to the phenomena of life. So we can say it is the workhorse molecule and a major player of life activity. Biologists focus on the diction of structure and function of proteins by the study of the primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary dimensional structures of proteins, posttranscriptional modifications, protein-protein interactions, the DNA-proteins interactions, and so on.

negative: Viral metagenomics, protein structure, and reverse genetics: Key strategies for investigating coronaviruses Abstract Viral metagenomics, modeling of protein structure, and manipulation of viral genetics are key approaches that have laid the foundations of our understanding of coronavirus biology. In this review, we discuss the major advances each method has provided and discuss how future studies should leverage these strategies synergistically to answer novel questions.

negative: Cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike glycoproteins provide insights into coronavirus evolution Porcine coronavirus SADS-CoV has been identified from suckling piglets with severe diarrhea in southern China in 2017. The SADS-CoV genome shares ~95% identity to that of bat α-coronavirus HKU2, suggesting that SADS-CoV may have emerged from a natural reservoir in bats. Here we report the cryo-EM structures of HKU2 and SADS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein trimers at 2.38 Å and 2.83 Å resolution, respectively. We systematically compare the domains of HKU2 spike with those of α-, β-, γ-, and δ-coronavirus spikes, showing that the S1 subunit N- and C-terminal domains of HKU2/SADS-CoV are ancestral domains in the evolution of coronavirus spike proteins. The connecting region after the fusion peptide in the S2 subunit of HKU2/SADS-CoV adopts a unique conformation. These results structurally demonstrate a close evolutionary relationship between HKU2/SADS-CoV and β-coronavirus spikes and provide insights into the evolution and cross-species transmission of coronaviruses.

negative: Properties of Coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2. were identified beginning with the discovery of SARS-CoV in 2002. With the recent detection of SARS-CoV-2, there are now seven human coronaviruses. Those that cause mild diseases are the 229E, OC43, NL63 and HKU1, and the pathogenic species are SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Coronaviruses (order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, and subfamily Orthocoronavirinae) are spherical (125nm diameter), and enveloped with club-shaped spikes on the surface giving the appearance of a solar corona. Within the helically symmetrical nucleocapsid is the large positive sense, single stranded RNA. Of the four coronavirus genera (α,β,γ,δ), human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are classified under α-CoV (HCoV-229E and NL63) and β-CoV (MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoVOC43 and HCoV-HKU1). SARS-CoV-2 is a β-CoV and shows fairly close relatedness with two bat-derived CoV-like coronaviruses, bat-SL-CoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21. Even so, its genome is similar to that of the typical CoVs. SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV originated in bats, and it appears to be so for SARS-CoV-2 as well. The possibility of an intermediate host facilitating the emergence of the virus in humans has already been shown with civet cats acting as intermediate hosts for SARS-CoVs, and dromedary camels for MERS-CoV. Human-to-human transmission is primarily achieved through close contact of respiratory droplets, direct contact with the infected individuals, or by contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. The coronaviral genome contains four major structural proteins: the spike (S), membrane (M), envelope (E) and the nucleocapsid (N) protein, all of which are encoded within the 3' end of the genome. The S protein mediates attachment of the virus to the host cell surface receptors resulting in fusion and subsequent viral entry. The M protein is the most abundant protein and defines the shape of the viral envelope. The E protein is the smallest of the major structural proteins and participates in viral assembly and budding. The N protein is the only one that binds to the RNA genome and is also involved in viral assembly and budding. Replication of coronaviruses begin with attachment and entry. Attachment of the virus to the host cell is initiated by interactions between the S protein and its specific receptor. Following receptor binding, the virus enters host cell cytosol via cleavage of S protein by a protease enzyme, followed by fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. The next step is the translation of the replicase gene from the virion genomic RNA and then translation and assembly of the viral replicase complexes. Following replication and subgenomic RNA synthesis, encapsidation occurs resulting in the formation of the mature virus. Following assembly, virions are transported to the cell surface in vesicles and released by exocytosis.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 orf1b Gene Sequence in the NTNG1 Gene on Human Chromosome 1 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus. It is contagious in humans and is the cause of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In the current analysis, we searched for SARS-CoV-2 sequences within the human genome. To compare the SARS-CoV-2 genome to the human genome, we used the blast-like alignment tool (BLAT) of the University of California, Santa Cruz Genome Browser. BLAT can align a user sequence of 25 bases or more to the genome. BLAT search results revealed a 117-base pair SARS-CoV-2 sequence in the human genome with 94.6% identity. The sequence was in chromosome 1p within an intronic region of the netrin G1 (NTNG1) gene. The sequence matched a sequence in the SARS-CoV-2 orf1b (open reading frames) gene. The SARS-CoV-2 human sequence lies within non-structural proteins 14 and 15 (NSP14 and NSP15), and is quite close to the viral spike sequence, separated only by NSP16, a 904-base pair sequence. The mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 infection is the binding of the virus spike protein to the membrane-bound form of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 and internalization of the complex by the host cell. It is probably no accident that a sequence from the SARS-CoV-2 orf1b gene is found in the human NTNG1 gene, implicated in schizophrenia, and that haloperidol, used to treat schizophrenia, may also be a treatment for COVID-19. We suggest, therefore, that it is important to investigate other haloperidol analogs. Among them are benperidol, bromperidol, bromperidol decanoate, droperidol, seperidol hydrochloride, and trifluperidol. These analogs might be valuable in the treatment of COVID-19 and other coronavirus infections.

negative: A SARS-CoV-2 vaccine candidate would likely match all currently circulating strains The magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic underscores the urgency for a safe and effective vaccine. Here we analyzed SARS-CoV-2 sequence diversity across 5,700 sequences sampled since December 2019. The Spike protein, which is the target immunogen of most vaccine candidates, showed 93 sites with shared polymorphisms; only one of these mutations was found in more than 1% of currently circulating sequences. The minimal diversity found among SARS-CoV-2 sequences can be explained by drift and bottleneck events as the virus spread away from its original epicenter in Wuhan, China. Importantly, there is little evidence that the virus has adapted to its human host since December 2019. Our findings suggest that a single vaccine should be efficacious against current global strains. One Sentence Summary The limited diversification of SARS-CoV-2 reflects drift and bottleneck events rather than adaptation to humans as the virus spread.

negative: Serum proteomics in COVID-19 patients: Altered coagulation and complement status as a function of IL-6 level Over 5 million people around the world have tested positive for the beta coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 as of May 29, 2020, a third of which in the United States alone. These infections are associated with the development of a disease known as COVID-19, which is characterized by several symptoms, including persistent dry cough, shortness of breath, chills, muscle pain, headache, loss of taste or smell, and gastrointestinal distress. COVID-19 has been characterized by elevated mortality (over 100 thousand people have already died in the US alone), mostly due to thromboinflammatory complications that impair lung perfusion and systemic oxygenation in the most severe cases. While the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) have been associated with the severity of the disease, little is known about the impact of IL-6 levels on the proteome of COVID-19 patients. The present study provides the first proteomics analysis of sera from COVID-19 patients, stratified by circulating levels of IL-6, and correlated to markers of inflammation and renal function. As a function of IL-6 levels, we identified significant dysregulation in serum levels of various coagulation factors, accompanied by increased levels of anti-fibrinolytic components, including several serine protease inhibitors (SERPINs). These were accompanied by up-regulation of the complement cascade and antimicrobial enzymes, especially in subjects with the highest levels of IL-6, which is consistent with an exacerbation of the acute phase response in these subjects. Although our results are observational, they highlight a clear increase in the levels of inhibitory components of the fibrinolytic cascade in severe COVID-19 disease, providing potential clues related to the etiology of coagulopathic complications in COVID-19 and paving the way for potential therapeutic interventions, such as the use of pro-fibrinolytic agents.

negative: Influenza and other emerging respiratory viruses Abstract Acute lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are a major worldwide health problem, particularly in childhood. About 30–50% of acute LRTIs are viral in origin with influenza A infection a key cause of explosive community outbreaks. Many different influenza A viruses occur naturally in animal reservoirs and present a constant threat of zoonotic infections and global pandemics. Since 2009, when pandemic (H1N1) influenza A emerged from a swine origin, there have been a number of different zoonotic influenza A transmissions into the human population, including H1N1 and H3N2 variant viruses in North America and H7N9 viruses in China. The segmented nature of the influenza A virus genome and the circulation of these viruses in wild bird, domestic poultry and mammalian reservoirs presents a continuous opportunity for reassortment of viral genes and the emergence of a novel pandemic virus. Constant vigilance is required. The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus in 2012, highlights the fact that other serious respiratory viral infections in humans may originate in animals. Enhanced awareness of the potential for serious human respiratory disease in association with travel, or animal exposure, should form part of clinical assessment. Rapid developments in genomic technology improve the ability to diagnose previously undetected pathogens. Preventative measures for influenza include annual vaccination and treatment with antiviral drugs such as neuraminidase inhibitors, oseltamivir and zanamivir. Subtype-dependent resistance to antivirals can develop and should be closely monitored.

negative: Rabies virus glycoprotein is a trimer The oligomerization state of the rabies virus envelope glycoprotein (G protein) was determined using electron microscopy and sedimentation analysis of detergent solubilized G. Most of the detergents used in this study solubilized G in a 4 S monomeric form. However, when CHAPS was used, G had a sedimentation coefficient of 9 S. This high sedimentation coefficient allowed its further separation from M1 and M2. Using electron microscopy of negatively stained samples, we studied the morphology of G on virus and after detergent extraction. End-on views of G on virus clearly showed triangles consisting of three dots indicating the trimeric nature of native G. End-on views of CHAPS-isolated G showed very similar triangles confirming that, using this detergent, G was solubilized in its native trimeric structure. Electron microscopy also showed that G had a “head” and a “stalk” and provided the basis for a low-resolution model of the glycoprotein structure.

negative: A virus-binding hot spot on human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is critical for binding of two different coronaviruses. How viruses evolve to select their receptor proteins for host cell entry is puzzling. We recently determined the crystal structures of NL63 coronavirus (NL63-CoV) and SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) receptor-binding domains (RBDs), each complexed with their common receptor, human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), and proposed the existence of a virus-binding hot spot on hACE2. Here we investigated the function of this hypothetical hot spot using structure-guided biochemical and functional assays. The hot spot consists of a salt bridge surrounded by hydrophobic tunnel walls. Mutations that disturb the hot spot structure have significant effects on virus/receptor interactions, revealing critical energy contributions from the hot spot structure. The tunnel structure at the NL63-CoV/hACE2 interface is more compact than that at the SARS-CoV/hACE2 interface, and hence RBD/hACE2 binding affinities are decreased either by NL63-CoV mutations decreasing the tunnel space or by SARS-CoV mutations increasing the tunnel space. Furthermore, NL63-CoV RBD inhibits hACE2-dependent transduction by SARS-CoV spike protein, a successful application of the hot spot theory that has the potential to become a new antiviral strategy against SARS-CoV infections. These results suggest that the structural features of the hot spot on hACE2 were among the driving forces for the convergent evolution of NL63-CoV and SARS-CoV.

negative: Cryo-EM structure of the SARS-CoV-2 3a ion channel in lipid nanodiscs SARS-CoV-2 encodes three putative ion channels: E, 8a, and 3a. In related SARS-CoV-1, 3a is implicated in viral release, inflammasome activation, and cell death and its deletion reduces viral titer and morbidity in animal models, suggesting 3a-targeted therapeutics could treat SARS and COVID-19. However, the structural basis for the function of 3a is unknown. Here, we show that SARS-CoV-2 forms large conductance cation channels and present cryo-EM structures of dimeric and tetrameric SARS-CoV-2 3a in lipid nanodiscs. 3a adopts a novel fold and is captured in a closed or inactivated state. A narrow bifurcated exterior pore precludes conduction and leads to a large polar cavity open to the cytosol. 3a function is conserved in a common variant among circulating SARS-CoV-2 that alters the channel pore. We identify 3a-like proteins in Alpha- and Beta-coronaviruses that infect bats and humans, suggesting therapeutics targeting 3a could treat a range of coronaviral diseases.

negative: Program and Abstracts for the 2007 Meeting of the Society for Glycobiology

negative: Crystal structures of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) spike protein Crystal structures of the MERS-CoV spike protein in complex with its receptor could aid the development of therapeutics and vaccines against the disease.

negative: ToGo-WF: prediction of RNA tertiary structures and RNA–RNA/protein interactions using the KNIME workflow Recent progress in molecular biology has revealed that many non-coding RNAs regulate gene expression or catalyze biochemical reactions in tumors, viruses and several other diseases. The tertiary structure of RNA molecules and RNA–RNA/protein interaction sites are of increasing importance as potential targets for new medicines that treat a broad array of human diseases. Current RNA drugs are split into two groups: antisense RNA molecules and aptamers. In this report, we present a novel workflow to predict RNA tertiary structures and RNA–RNA/protein interactions using the KNIME environment, which enabled us to assemble a combination of RNA-related analytical tools and databases. In this study, three analytical workflows for comprehensive structural analysis of RNA are introduced: (1) prediction of the tertiary structure of RNA; (2) prediction of the structure of RNA–RNA complexes and analysis of their interactions; and (3) prediction of the structure of RNA–protein complexes and analysis of their interactions. In an RNA–protein case study, we modeled the tertiary structure of pegaptanib, an aptamer drug, and performed docking calculations of the pegaptanib-vascular endothelial growth factor complex using a fragment of the interaction site of the aptamer. We also present molecular dynamics simulations of the RNA–protein complex to evaluate the affinity of the complex by mutating bases at the interaction interface. The results provide valuable information for designing novel features of aptamer-protein complexes. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s10822-019-00195-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: Identification of common deletions in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus first identified in December 2019. Notable features make SARS-CoV-2 distinct from most other previously-identified Betacoronaviruses, including the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 and a unique insertion of twelve nucleotide or four amino acids (PRRA) at the S1/S2 boundary. In this study, we identified two deletion variants of SARS-CoV-2 that either directly affect the polybasic cleavage site itself (NSPRRAR) or a flanking sequence (QTQTN). These deletions were verified by multiple sequencing methods. In vitro results showed that the deletion of NSPRRAR likely does not affect virus replication in Vero and Vero-E6 cells, however the deletion of QTQTN may restrict late phase viral replication. The deletion of QTQTN was detected in 3 of 68 clinical samples and half of 24 in vitro isolated viruses, whilst the deletion of NSPRRAR was identified in 3 in vitro isolated viruses. Our data indicate that (i) there may be distinct selection pressures on SARS-CoV-2 replication or infection in vitro and in vivo, (ii) an efficient mechanism for deleting this region from the viral genome may exist, given that the deletion variant is commonly detected after two rounds of cell passage, and (iii) the PRRA insertion, which is unique to SARS-CoV-2, is not fixed during virus replication in vitro These findings provide information to aid further investigation of SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and a better understanding of the NSPRRAR deletion variant observed here.Important notes The spike protein determines the infectivity and host range of coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 has two unique features in its spike protein, the receptor binding domain and an insertion of twelve nucleotides at the S1/S2 boundary resulting a furin-like cleavage site. Here, we identified two deletion variants of SARS-CoV-2 that either directly affect the furin-like cleavage site itself (NSPRRAR) or a flanking sequence (QTQTN) and investigated these deletions in cell isolates and clinical samples. The absence of the polybasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 did not affect virus replication in Vero or Vero-E6 cells. Our data indicate the PRRAR and its flanking sites are not fixed in vitro, thus there appears to be distinct selection pressures on SARS-CoV-2 sequences in vitro and in vivo Further investigation of the mechanism of generating these deletion variants and their infectivity in different animal models would improve our understanding of the origin and evolution of this virus.

negative: Pandemic Influenza Planning for the Mental Health Security of Survivors of Mass Deaths Influenza A pandemics have been documented to occur at 10- to 50-year intervals—an average of three events per century, dating back from the 16th century. Each recorded pandemic has resulted in an increase in annual mortality rates in the infected population, with mass deaths in one pandemic wave equalling fatalities sustained over six months of an epidemic season. This chapter aims to rectify the oversight in pandemic preparedness plans by presenting a compendium of guidelines and recommendations by international health organisations, pandemic fatality experts, and experienced mass death management professionals. Its objective is to have available a mass fatality framework to complement the WHO Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response (2009) guideline, from which individual national pandemic preparedness plans are based. It is written in a format that incorporates WHO’s emphasis on finding the ethical balance between human rights and successful plan implementation; the assimilation of national pandemic plans with existing national emergency measures; and the ‘whole group’ system of engaging individuals, families, localities, and business establishments in the process. This chapter is also written such that it can be made applicable to analogous infectious disease outbreaks such as SARS and Ebola, as well as comparable mass fatality events.

negative: Identification of the Mechanisms Causing Reversion to Virulence in an Attenuated SARS-CoV for the Design of a Genetically Stable Vaccine A SARS-CoV lacking the full-length E gene (SARS-CoV-∆E) was attenuated and an effective vaccine. Here, we show that this mutant virus regained fitness after serial passages in cell culture or in vivo, resulting in the partial duplication of the membrane gene or in the insertion of a new sequence in gene 8a, respectively. The chimeric proteins generated in cell culture increased virus fitness in vitro but remained attenuated in mice. In contrast, during SARS-CoV-∆E passage in mice, the virus incorporated a mutated variant of 8a protein, resulting in reversion to a virulent phenotype. When the full-length E protein was deleted or its PDZ-binding motif (PBM) was mutated, the revertant viruses either incorporated a novel chimeric protein with a PBM or restored the sequence of the PBM on the E protein, respectively. Similarly, after passage in mice, SARS-CoV-∆E protein 8a mutated, to now encode a PBM, and also regained virulence. These data indicated that the virus requires a PBM on a transmembrane protein to compensate for removal of this motif from the E protein. To increase the genetic stability of the vaccine candidate, we introduced small attenuating deletions in E gene that did not affect the endogenous PBM, preventing the incorporation of novel chimeric proteins in the virus genome. In addition, to increase vaccine biosafety, we introduced additional attenuating mutations into the nsp1 protein. Deletions in the carboxy-terminal region of nsp1 protein led to higher host interferon responses and virus attenuation. Recombinant viruses including attenuating mutations in E and nsp1 genes maintained their attenuation after passage in vitro and in vivo. Further, these viruses fully protected mice against challenge with the lethal parental virus, and are therefore safe and stable vaccine candidates for protection against SARS-CoV.

negative: SARS-CoV and Emergent Coronaviruses: Viral Determinants of Interspecies Transmission Most new emerging viruses are derived from strains circulating in zoonotic reservoirs. Coronaviruses, which had an established potential for cross-species transmission within domesticated animals, suddenly became relevant with the unexpected emergence of the highly pathogenic human SARS-CoV strain from zoonotic reservoirs in 2002. SARS-CoV infected approximately 8000 people worldwide before public health measures halted the epidemic. Supported by robust time-ordered sequence variation, structural biology, well-characterized patient pools, and biological data, the emergence of SARS-CoV represents one of the best studied natural models of viral disease emergence from zoonotic sources. This review article summarizes previous and more recent advances into the molecular and structural characteristics, with particular emphasis on host-receptor interactions, that drove this remarkable virus disease outbreak in human populations.

negative: Structures and Polymorphic Interactions of Two Heptad-Repeat Regions of the SARS Virus S2 Protein Summary Entry of SARS coronavirus into its target cell requires large-scale structural transitions in the viral spike (S) glycoprotein in order to induce fusion of the virus and cell membranes. Here we describe the identification and crystal structures of four distinct α-helical domains derived from the highly conserved heptad-repeat (HR) regions of the S2 fusion subunit. The four domains are an antiparallel four-stranded coiled coil, a parallel trimeric coiled coil, a four-helix bundle, and a six-helix bundle that is likely the final fusogenic form of the protein. When considered together, the structural and thermodynamic features of the four domains suggest a possible mechanism whereby the HR regions, initially sequestered in the native S glycoprotein spike, are released and refold sequentially to promote membrane fusion. Our results provide a structural framework for understanding the control of membrane fusion and should guide efforts to intervene in the SARS coronavirus entry process.

negative: Structural basis for the recognition of SARS-CoV-2 by full-length human ACE2 Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the cellular receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that is causing the serious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of full-length human ACE2 in the presence of the neutral amino acid transporter B0AT1 with or without the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the surface spike glycoprotein (S protein) of SARS-CoV-2, both at an overall resolution of 2.9 angstroms, with a local resolution of 3.5 angstroms at the ACE2-RBD interface. The ACE2-B0AT1 complex is assembled as a dimer of heterodimers, with the collectrin-like domain of ACE2 mediating homodimerization. The RBD is recognized by the extracellular peptidase domain of ACE2 mainly through polar residues. These findings provide important insights into the molecular basis for coronavirus recognition and infection.

negative: Genetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 strains collected from North Africa: viral origins and mutational spectrum In Morocco two waves of SARS-CoV-2 infections have been recorded. The first one occurred from March 02, 2020 with infections mostly imported from Europe and the second one dominated by local infections. At the time of writing, the genetic diversity of Moroccan isolates of SARS-CoV-2 has not yet been reported. The present study aimed to analyze first the genomic variation of the twenty-eight Moroccan strains of SARS-CoV-2 isolated from March 03, 2020 to May 15, 2020, to compare their distributions with twelve other viral genomes from North Africa as well as to identify their possible sources. Our finding revealed 61 mutations in the Moroccan genomes of SARS-CoV-2 compared to the reference sequence Wuhan-Hu-1/2019, of them 23 (37.7%) were present in two or more genomes. Focusing on non-synonymous mutations, 29 (47.54%) were distributed in five genes (ORF1ab, spike, membrane, nucleocapsid and ORF3a) with variable frequencies. The non-structural protein coding regions nsp3-Multi domain and nsp12-RdRp of the ORF1ab gene harbored more mutations, with six for each. The comparison of genetic variants of fourty North African strains revealed that two non-synonymous mutations D614G (in spike) and Q57H (in ORF3a) were common in four countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt), with a prevalence of 92.5% (n = 37) and 42.5% (n = 17), respectively, of the total genomes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Moroccan and Tunisian SARS-CoV-2 strains were closely related to those from different origins (Asia, Europe, North and South America) and distributed in different distinct subclades. This could indicate different sources of infection with no specific strain dominating yet in in these countries. These results have the potential to lead to new comprehensive investigations combining genomic data, epidemiological information and the clinical characteristics of patients with SARS-CoV-2.

negative: Novel ACE2-IgG1 fusions with improved activity against SARS-CoV2 SARS-CoV2, the etiologic agent of COVID-19, uses ACE2 as a cell entry receptor. Soluble ACE2 has been shown to have neutralizing antiviral activity but has a short half-life and no active transport mechanism from the circulation into the alveolar spaces of the lung. To overcome this, we constructed an ACE2-human IgG1 fusion protein with mutations in the catalytic domain of ACE2. This fusion protein contained a LALA mutation that abrogates Fcrγ binding, but retains FcRN binding to prolong the half-life, as well as achieve therapeutic concentrations in the lung lavage. Interestingly, a mutation in the catalytic domain of ACE2, MDR504, completely abrogated catalytic activity, but significantly increased binding to SARS-CoV2 spike protein in vitro. This feature correlated with more potent viral neutralization in a plaque assay. Parental administration of the protein showed stable serum concentrations with a serum half-life of ~ 145 hours with excellent bioavailability in the epithelial lining fluid of the lung. These data support that the MDR504 hACE2-Fc is an excellent candidate for pre or post-exposure prophylaxis or treatment of COVID-19.

negative: A tug-of-war between severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and host antiviral defence: lessons from other pathogenic viruses World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The virus was named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. Human infection with SARS-CoV-2 leads to a wide range of clinical manifestations ranging from asymptomatic, mild, moderate to severe. The severe cases present with pneumonia, which can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome. The outbreak provides an opportunity for real-time tracking of an animal coronavirus that has just crossed species barrier to infect humans. The outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection is largely determined by virus-host interaction. Here, we review the discovery, zoonotic origin, animal hosts, transmissibility and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 in relation to its interplay with host antiviral defense. A comparison with SARS-CoV, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, community-acquired human coronaviruses and other pathogenic viruses including human immunodeficiency viruses is made. We summarize current understanding of the induction of a proinflammatory cytokine storm by other highly pathogenic human coronaviruses, their adaptation to humans and their usurpation of the cell death programmes. Important questions concerning the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 and host antiviral defence, including asymptomatic and presymptomatic virus shedding, are also discussed.

negative: Immunization with an attenuated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus deleted in E protein protects against lethal respiratory disease Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) caused substantial morbidity and mortality in 2002–2003. Deletion of the envelope (E) protein modestly diminished virus growth in tissue culture but abrogated virulence in animals. Here, we show that immunization with rSARS-CoV-ΔE or SARS-CoV-Δ[E,6-9b] (deleted in accessory proteins (6, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9b) in addition to E) nearly completely protected BALB/c mice from fatal respiratory disease caused by mouse-adapted SARS-CoV and partly protected hACE2 Tg mice from lethal disease. hACE2 Tg mice, which express the human SARS-CoV receptor, are extremely susceptible to infection. We also show that rSARS-CoV-ΔE and rSARS-CoV-Δ[E,6-9b] induced anti-virus T cell and antibody responses. Further, the E-deleted viruses were stable after 16 blind passages through tissue culture cells, with only a single mutation in the surface glycoprotein detected. The passaged virus remained avirulent in mice. These results suggest that rSARS-CoV-ΔE is an efficacious vaccine candidate that might be useful if SARS recurred.

negative: Early transmission patterns of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in travellers from Wuhan to Thailand, January 2020 We report two cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in travellers from Wuhan, China to Thailand. Both were independent introductions on separate flights, discovered with thermoscanners and confirmed with RT-PCR and genome sequencing. Both cases do not seem directly linked to the Huanan Seafood Market in Hubei but the viral genomes are identical to four other sequences from Wuhan, suggesting early spread within the city already in the first week of January.

negative: Neural Embedding-Based Metrics for Pre-retrieval Query Performance Prediction Query Performance Prediction (QPP) is concerned with estimating the effectiveness of a query within the context of a retrieval model. It allows for operations such as query routing and segmentation, leading to improved retrieval performance. Pre-retrieval QPP methods are oblivious to the performance of the retrieval model as they predict query difficulty prior to observing the set of documents retrieved for the query. Since neural embedding-based models are showing wider adoption in the Information Retrieval (IR) community, we propose a set of pre-retrieval QPP metrics based on the properties of pre-trained neural embeddings and show that such metrics are more effective for query performance prediction compared to the widely known QPP metrics such as SCQ, PMI and SCS. We report our findings based on Robust04, ClueWeb09 and Gov2 corpora and their associated TREC topics.

negative: Identification of the immunodominant neutralizing regions in the spike glycoprotein of porcine deltacoronavirus Abstract Porcine deltacoronavirus (PDCoV), is an emerging enteropathogenic coronavirus in pigs, that poses a novel threat to swine husbandry worldwide. Crucial to halting PDCoV transmission and infection is the development of effective therapies and vaccines. The spike (S) protein of coronavirus is the major target of host neutralizing antibodies, however the immunodominant neutralizing region in the S protein of PDCoV has not been defined. Here, three truncations of the PDCoV S protein were generated, the N-terminal domain of the S1 subunit (NTD, amino acids (aa) 50–286), the C-terminal domain of the S1 subunit (CTD, aa 278–616), and S2 subunit (aa 601–1087). The proteins were expressed using an E. coli expression system. Polyclonal antisera against the three recombinant proteins were produced in rabbits and mice. All three antisera were able to inhibit PDCoV infection in vitro, as determined by virus neutralization assay, fluorescent focus neutralization assay, and plaque-reduction neutralization. The CTD-specific antisera had the most potent PDCoV-neutralizing effect, indicating that the CTD region may contain the major neutralizing epitope(s) in the PDCoV S protein. Based on these findings, CTD may be a promising target for development of an effective vaccine against PDCoV infection in pigs.

negative: Mapping a Neutralizing Epitope on the SARS Coronavirus Spike Protein: Computational Prediction Based on Affinity-selected Peptides Rapid elucidation of neutralizing antibody epitopes on emerging viral pathogens like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) or highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus is of great importance for rational design of vaccines against these viruses. Here we combined screening of phage display random peptide libraries with a unique computer algorithm “Mapitope” to identify the discontinuous epitope of 80R, a potent neutralizing human anti-SARS monoclonal antibody against the spike protein. Using two different types of random peptide libraries which display cysteine-constrained loops or linear 13–15-mer peptides, independent panels containing 42 and 18 peptides were isolated, respectively. These peptides, which had no apparent homologous motif within or between the peptide pools and spike protein, were deconvoluted into amino acid pairs (AAPs) by Mapitope and the statistically significant pairs (SSPs) were defined. Mapitope analysis of the peptides was first performed on a theoretical model of the spike and later on the genuine crystal structure. Three clusters (A, B and C) were predicted on both structures with remarkable overlap. Cluster A ranked the highest in the algorithm in both models and coincided well with the sites of spike protein that are in contact with the receptor, consistent with the observation that 80R functions as a potent entry inhibitor. This study demonstrates that by using this novel strategy one can rapidly predict and identify a neutralizing antibody epitope, even in the absence of the crystal structure of its target protein.

negative: Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as ACE2 blockers to inhibit viropexis of COVID-19 Spike pseudotype virus The pandemic coronavirus COVID-19 affected global health from the end of 2019 to 2020 and may challenge global health in the future. There have been reports of Chloroquine (CQ) and Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) used in clinical treatment. In our study, we used CCK-8 stain, flow cytometry and immunofluorescent stain to evaluated the toxicity and autophagy of CQ and HCQ respectively on ACE2 high expressed HEK293T cells (ACE2hi cells). We further analysied the binding character of CQ and HCQ to ACE2 by molecular docking, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assays and molecule docking, COVID-19 spike pseudotype virus was also taken to investigate the suppression viropexis effect of CQ and HCQ. Results showed that HCQ is slightly more toxic to ACE2hi cells than CQ, both CQ and HCQ could bind to ACE2, and they also exhibit equivalent suppression effect for the entrance of COVID-19 Spike pseudotype virus into ACE2hi cells. Our finding provides a theoretical and experimental basis for the clinical treatment of CQ and HCQ for COVID-19.

negative: Did pangolins help spread SARS-CoV-2? Since the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, was first detected late last year, researchers have been trying to understand how the virus passed to humans in the first place Although bats are thought to be the origin of the virus, bat coronaviruses differ from SARS-CoV-2 in some key ways In particular, the spike proteins, which bind to receptors on the surface of cells to gain access, are different in the two viruses Authorities in China quickly shut down a market linked to the outbreak Closing the market prevented researchers from examining the animals sold there for coronaviruses So a team led by Yan-Ling Hu of Guangxi Medical University and Yi Guan of the University of Hong Kong turned to a small number of pangolins—also called scaly anteaters—seized in antismuggling raids in 2017 and 2018 The team found that coronavirus RNA isolated from those pangolins encodes spike proteins that are closely related to [truncated ]

negative: Modeling the Case of Early Detection of Ebola Virus Disease The most recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa highlighted critical weaknesses in the medical infrastructure of the affected countries, including effective diagnostics tools, sufficient isolation wards, and enough medical personnel. Here, we develop and analyze a mathematical model to assess the impact of early diagnosis of pre-symptomatic individuals on the transmission dynamics of Ebola virus disease in West Africa. Our findings highlight the importance of implementing integrated control measures of early diagnosis and isolation. The mathematical analysis shows a threshold where early diagnosis of pre-symptomatic individuals, combined with a sufficient level of effective isolation, can lead to an epidemic control of Ebola virus disease.

negative: Putative conformations of the receptor-binding domain in S protein of hCoV-EMC in complex with its receptor dipeptidyl peptidase-4

negative: Crystal Structure of the SARS-CoV-2 Non-structural Protein 9, Nsp9 Many of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins have related counterparts across the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) family. One such protein is non-structural protein 9 (Nsp9), which is thought to mediate viral replication, overall virulence, and viral genomic RNA reproduction. We sought to better characterize the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 and subsequently solved its X-ray crystal structure, in an apo form and, unexpectedly, in a peptide-bound form with a sequence originating from a rhinoviral 3C protease sequence (LEVL). The SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 structure revealed the high level of structural conservation within the Nsp9 family. The exogenous peptide binding site is close to the dimer interface and impacted the relative juxtapositioning of the monomers within the homodimer. We have established a protocol for the production of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9, determined its structure, and identified a peptide-binding site that warrants further study to understanding Nsp9 function.

negative: Achievements and highlights for Infection, Disease and Health

negative: Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein RNA binding domain reveals potential unique drug targeting sites Abstract The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus continually led to worldwide human infections and deaths. Currently, there is no specific viral protein-targeted therapeutics. Viral nucleocapsid protein is a potential antiviral drug target, serving multiple critical functions during the viral life cycle. However, the structural information of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein remains unclear. Herein, we have determined the 2.7 Å crystal structure of the N-terminal RNA binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Although the overall structure is similar as other reported coronavirus nucleocapsid protein N-terminal domain, the surface electrostatic potential characteristics between them are distinct. Further comparison with mild virus type HCoV-OC43 equivalent domain demonstrates a unique potential RNA binding pocket alongside the β-sheet core. Complemented by in vitro binding studies, our data provide several atomic resolution features of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein N-terminal domain, guiding the design of novel antiviral agents specific targeting to SARS-CoV-2.

negative: Field-deployable, rapid diagnostic testing of saliva samples for SARS-CoV-2. Abstract Rapid, scalable, point-of-need, COVID-19 diagnostic testing is necessary to safely re-open economies and prevent future outbreaks. We developed an assay that detects single copies of SARS-CoV-2 virus directly from saliva and swab samples in 30 min using a simple, one-step protocol that utilizes only a heat block and microcentrifuge tube prefilled with a mixture containing the necessary reagents and has a sensitivity and specificity of 97% and 100%, respectively.

negative: Cleavage of the Glycoprotein of Arenaviruses The arenaviruses are a large family of emerging negative-stranded RNA viruses that include several severe human pathogens causing hemorrhagic fevers with high mortality. During the arenavirus life cycle, processing of the viral envelope glycoprotein precursor (GPC) by the cellular subtilisin kexin isozyme-1 (SKI-1)/site-1 protease (S1P) is crucial for productive infection. The ability of newly emerging arenaviruses to hijack human SKI-1/S1P is a key factor for zoonotic transmission and human disease potential. Apart from being an essential host factor for arenavirus infection, SKI-1/S1P is involved in the regulation of important physiological processes and linked to major human diseases. This chapter provides an overview of the mechanisms of arenavirus GPC processing by SKI-1/S1P including recent findings. We will highlight to what extent the molecular mechanisms of SKI-1/S1P cleavage of viral GPC differ from processing of SKI-1/S1P’s cellular substrates and discuss the implications for virus-host interaction and coevolution. Moreover, we will show how the use of the viral GPC as a “molecular probe” uncovered novel and unusual aspects of SKI-1/S1P biosynthesis and maturation. The crucial role of SKI-1/S1P in arenavirus infection and other major human diseases combined with its nature as an enzyme makes SKI-1/S1P further an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. In the last part, we will therefore cover past and present efforts to identify specific SKI-1/S1P inhibitors.

negative: The novel Coronavirus enigma: Phylogeny and mutation analyses of SARS-CoV-2 viruses circulating in India during early 2020 Background This is a comprehensive analysis of 46 Indian SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences available from the NCBI and GISAID repository during early 2020. Evolutionary dynamics, gene-specific phylogeny and emergence of the novel co-evolving mutations in nine structural and non-structural genes among circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains in ten states of India have been assessed. Materials and methods 46 SARS-CoV-2 nucleotide sequences submitted from India were downloaded from the GISAID (39/46) or from NCBI (7/46) database. Phylogenetic study and analyses of mutation were based on the nine structural and non-structural genes of SARS-CoV-2 strains. Secondary structure of RdRP/NSP12 protein was predicted with respect to the novel A97V mutation. Results Phylogenetic analyses revealed the evolution of “genome-type clusters” and adaptive selection of “L” type SARS-CoV-2 strains with genetic closeness to the bat SARS-like coronaviruses than pangolin or MERS-CoVs. With regards to the novel co-evolving mutations, 2 groups are seen to circulate in India at present: the “major group” (52.2%) and the “minor group” (30.4%), harboring four and five co-existing mutations, respectively. The “major group” mutations fall in the A2a clade. All the minor group mutations, except 11083G>T (L37F, NSP6) were unique to the Indian isolates. Conclusion The study highlights rapidly evolving SARS-CoV-2 virus and co-circulation of multiple clades and sub-clades, driving this pandemic worldwide. This comprehensive study is a potential resource for monitoring the novel mutations in the viral genome, changes in viral pathogenesis, for designing vaccines and other therapeutics.

negative: A Structural View of SARS-CoV-2 RNA Replication Machinery: RNA Synthesis, Proofreading and Final Capping The current coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is due to the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The scientific community has mounted a strong response by accelerating research and innovation, and has quickly set the foundation for understanding the molecular determinants of the disease for the development of targeted therapeutic interventions. The replication of the viral genome within the infected cells is a key stage of the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. It is a complex process involving the action of several viral and host proteins in order to perform RNA polymerization, proofreading and final capping. This review provides an update of the structural and functional data on the key actors of the replicatory machinery of SARS-CoV-2, to fill the gaps in the currently available structural data, which is mainly obtained through homology modeling. Moreover, learning from similar viruses, we collect data from the literature to reconstruct the pattern of interactions among the protein actors of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA polymerase machinery. Here, an important role is played by co-factors such as Nsp8 and Nsp10, not only as allosteric activators but also as molecular connectors that hold the entire machinery together to enhance the efficiency of RNA replication.

negative: Functional role of the type 1 pilus rod structure in mediating host-pathogen interactions Uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC), which cause urinary tract infections (UTI), utilize type 1 pili, a chaperone usher pathway (CUP) pilus, to cause UTI and colonize the gut. The pilus rod, comprised of repeating FimA subunits, provides a structural scaffold for displaying the tip adhesin, FimH. We solved the 4.2 Å resolution structure of the type 1 pilus rod using cryo-electron microscopy. Residues forming the interactive surfaces that determine the mechanical properties of the rod were maintained by selection based on a global alignment of fimA sequences. We identified mutations that did not alter pilus production in vitro but reduced the force required to unwind the rod. UPEC expressing these mutant pili were significantly attenuated in bladder infection and intestinal colonization in mice. This study elucidates an unappreciated functional role for the molecular spring-like property of type 1 pilus rods in host-pathogen interactions and carries important implications for other pilus-mediated diseases.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 specific antibody responses in COVID-19 patients A new coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has recently emerged to cause a human pandemic. Whereas molecular diagnostic tests were rapidly developed, serologic assays are still lacking, yet urgently needed. Validated serologic assays are important for contact tracing, identifying the viral reservoir and epidemiological studies. Here, we developed serological assays for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing, spike- and nucleocapsid-specific antibodies. Using serum samples from patients with PCR-confirmed infections of SARS-CoV-2, other coronaviruses, or other respiratory pathogenic infections, we validated and tested various antigens in different in-house and commercial ELISAs. We demonstrate that most PCR-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals seroconverted, as revealed by sensitive and specific in-house ELISAs. We found that commercial S1 IgG or IgA ELISAs were of lower specificity while sensitivity varied between the two, with IgA showing higher sensitivity. Overall, the validated assays described here can be instrumental for the detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies for diagnostic, seroepidemiological and vaccine evaluation studies.

negative: Development of a risk assessment tool for contact tracing people after contact with infectious patients while travelling by bus or other public ground transport: a Delphi consensus approach BACKGROUND: Tracing persons who have been in contact with an infectious patient may be very effective in preventing the spread of communicable diseases. However, criteria to decide when to conduct contact tracing are not well established. We have investigated the available evidence for contact tracing with a focus on public ground transport aiming to give guidance in what situations contact tracing should be considered. METHODS: Relevant infectious diseases suitable for contact tracing in ground transport and a set of disease-specific epidemiological criteria were defined through literature search and structured multistep expert consultations. We developed continuous scales for each criterion to be rated for its relevance to contact tracing in ground transport. We used the Delphi method with an international expert panel to position the values of criteria on the respective scales. RESULTS: The study led to the development of the ‘Contact Tracing-Risk Assessment Profile’ (CT-RAP), a decision-making instrument, taking into account pathogen-specific as well as situation-specific criteria. This report describes the methodology of this instrument and presents two examples of ready-to-use CT-RAP for tuberculosis and for meningococcal disease in public ground transport. DISCUSSION: The systematic and transparent use of the CT-RAP for tuberculosis and meningococcal disease is likely to facilitate reasonable, efficient and user-friendly decisions with respect to contact tracing. New CT-RAPs for additional pathogens and different settings such as schools and kindergartens are being planned.

negative: The mechanistic overview of SARS-CoV-2 using angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 to enter the cell for replication: possible treatment options related to the renin–angiotensin system The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is a healthcare crisis caused by insufficient knowledge applicable to effectively combat the virus. Therefore, different scientific discovery strategies need to be connected, to generate a rational treatment which can be made available as rapidly as possible. This relies on a solid theoretical understanding of the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and host responses, which is coupled to the practical experience of clinicians that are treating patients. Because SARS-CoV-2 enters the cell by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), targeting ACE2 to prevent such binding seems an obvious strategy to combat infection. However, ACE2 performs its functions outside the cell and was found to enter the cell only by angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R)-induced endocytosis, after which ACE2 is destroyed. This means that preventing uptake of ACE2 into the cell by blocking AT1R would be a more logical approach to limit entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cell. Since ACE2 plays an important protective role in maintaining key biological processes, treatments should not disrupt the functional capacity of ACE2, to counterbalance the negative effects of the infection. Based on known mechanisms and knowledge of the characteristics of SARS-CoV we propose the hypothesis that the immune system facilitates SARS-CoV-2 replication which disrupts immune regulatory mechanisms. The proposed mechanism by which SARS-CoV-2 causes disease immediately suggests a possible treatment, since the AT1R is a key player in this whole process. AT1R antagonists appear to be the ideal candidate for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. AT1R antagonists counterbalance the negative consequences of angiotesnin II and, in addition, they might even be involved in preventing the cellular uptake of the virus without interfering with ACE2 function. AT1R antagonists are widely available, cheap, and safe. Therefore, we propose to consider using AT1R antagonists in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2.

negative: The rubella virus E2 and E1 spike glycoproteins are targeted to the Golgi complex Rubella virus (RV) has been reported to bud from intracellular membranes in certain cell types. In this study the intracellular site of targeting of RV envelope E2 and E1 glycoproteins has been investigated in three different cell types (CHO, BHK-21 and Vero cells) transfected with a cDNA encoding the two glycoproteins. By indirect immunofluorescence, E2 and E1 were localized to the Golgi region of all three cell types, and their distribution was disrupted by treatment with BFA or nocodazole. Immunogold labeling demonstrated that E2 and E1 were localized to Golgi cisternae and indicated that the glycoproteins were distributed across the Golgi stack. Analysis of immunoprecipitates obtained from stably transfected CHO cells revealed that E2 and E1 become endo H resistant and undergo sialylation without being transported to the cell surface. Transport of RV glycoproteins to the Golgi complex was relatively slow (t1/2 = 60-90 min). Coprecipitation experiments indicated that E2 and E1 form a heterodimer in the RER. E1 was found to fold much more slowly than E2, suggesting that the delay in transport of the heterodimer to the Golgi may be due to the slow maturation of E1 in the ER. These results indicate that RV glycoproteins behave as integral membrane proteins of the Golgi complex and thus provide a useful model to study targeting and turnover of type I membrane proteins in this organelle.

negative: Insights from molecular structure predictions of the infectious bronchitis virus S1 spike glycoprotein Abstract Infectious bronchitis virus is an important respiratory pathogen in chickens. The IBV S1 spike is a viral structural protein that is responsible for attachment to host receptors and is a major target for neutralizing antibodies. To date, there is no experimentally determined structure for the IBV S1 spike. In this study, we sought to find a predicted tertiary structure for IBV S1 using I-TASSER, which is an automated homology modeling platform. We found that the predicted structures obtained were robust and consistent with experimental data. For instance, we observed that all four residues (38, 43, 63, and 68) that have been shown to be critical for binding to host tissues, were found at the surface of the predicted structure of Massachusetts (Mass) S1 spike. Together with antigenicity index analysis, we were also able to show that Ma5 vaccine has higher antigenicity indices at residues close to the receptor-binding region than M41 vaccine, thereby providing a possible mechanism on how Ma5 achieves better protection against challenge. Examination of the predicted structure of the Arkansas IBV S1 spike also gave insights on the effect of polymorphisms at position 43 on the surface availability of receptor binding residues. This study showcases advancements in protein structure prediction and contributes useful, inexpensive tools to provide insights into the biology of IBV.

negative: Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Entry: Current and Future Opportunities [Image: see text] Recently, a novel coronavirus initially designated 2019-nCoV but now termed SARS-CoV-2 has emerged and raised global concerns due to its virulence. SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological agent of “coronavirus disease 2019”, abbreviated to COVID-19, which despite only being identified at the very end of 2019, has now been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). At this time, no specific prophylactic or postexposure therapy for COVID-19 are currently available. Viral entry is the first step in the SARS-CoV-2 lifecycle and is mediated by the trimeric spike protein. Being the first stage in infection, entry of SARS-CoV-2 into host cells is an extremely attractive therapeutic intervention point. Within this review, we highlight therapeutic intervention strategies for anti-SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and other coronaviruses and speculate upon future directions for SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor designs.

negative: Crystallization and Structural Determination of the Receptor-Binding Domain of MERS-CoV Spike Glycoprotein Three-dimensional structures of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein bound to cellular receptor and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been determined by X-ray crystallography, providing structural information about receptor recognition and neutralizing mechanisms of mAbs at the atomic level. In this chapter, we describe the purification, crystallization, and structure determination of the MERS-CoV RBD.

negative: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV) Publisher Summary Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is caused by a coronavirus (CoV), SARSCoV. SARS-CoV belongs to the family Coronaviridae, which are enveloped RNA viruses in the order Nidovirales. Global research efforts are continuing to increase the understanding of the virus, the pathogenesis of the disease it causes (SARS), and the “heterogeneity of individual infectiousness” as well as shedding light on how to prepare for other emerging viral diseases. Promising drugs and vaccines have been identified. The milestones achieved have resulted from a truly international effort. Molecular studies dissected the adaptation of this virus as it jumped from an intermediary animal, the civet, to humans, thus providing valuable insights into processes of molecular emergence.

negative: Modeling of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Proteins by Machine Learning and Physics-Based Refinement Protein structures are crucial for understanding their biological activities. Since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), there is an urgent need to understand the biological behavior of the virus and provide a basis for developing effective therapies. Since the proteome of the virus was determined, some of the protein structures could be determined experimentally, and others were predicted via template-based modeling approaches. However, tertiary structures for several proteins are still not available from experiment nor they could be accurately predicted by template-based modeling because of lack of close homolog structures. Previous efforts to predict structures for these proteins include efforts by DeepMind and the Zhang group via machine learning-based structure prediction methods, i.e. AlphaFold and C-I-TASSER. However, the predicted models vary greatly and have not yet been subjected to refinement. Here, we are reporting new predictions from our in-house structure prediction pipeline. The pipeline takes advantage of inter-residue contact predictions from trRosetta, a machine learning-based method. The predicted models were further improved by applying molecular dynamics simulation-based refinement. We also took the AlphaFold models and refined them by applying the same refinement method. Models based on our structure prediction pipeline and the refined AlphaFold models were analyzed and compared with the C-I-TASSER models. All of our models are available at https://github.com/feiglab/sars-cov-2-proteins.

negative: A collection of designed peptides to target SARS-Cov-2 – ACE2 interaction: PepI-Covid19 database The angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 is the cellular receptor used by SARS coronavirus SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 to enter the cell. Both coronavirus use the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of their viral spike protein to interact with ACE2. The structural basis of these interactions are already known, forming a dimer of ACE2 with a trimer of the spike protein, opening the door to target them to prevent the infection. Here we present PepI-Cov19 database, a repository of peptides designed to target the interaction between the RDB of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 as well as the dimerization of ACE2 monomers. The peptides were modelled using our method PiPreD that uses native elements of the interaction between the targeted protein and cognate partner that are subsequently included in the designed peptides. These peptides recapitulate stretches of residues present in the native interface plus novel and highly diverse conformations that preserve the key interactions on the interface. PepI-Covid19 database provides an easy and convenient access to this wealth of information to the scientific community with the view of maximizing its potential impact in the development of novel therapeutic agents.

negative: X-ray structure of the arenavirus glycoprotein GP2 in its postfusion hairpin conformation. Arenaviruses are important agents of zoonotic disease worldwide. The virions expose a tripartite envelope glycoprotein complex at their surface, formed by the glycoprotein subunits GP1, GP2 and the stable signal peptide. This complex is responsible for binding to target cells and for the subsequent fusion of viral and host-cell membranes for entry. During this process, the acidic environment of the endosome triggers a fusogenic conformational change in the transmembrane GP2 subunit of the complex. We report here the crystal structure of the recombinant GP2 ectodomain of the lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus, the arenavirus type species, at 1.8-Å resolution. The structure shows the characteristic trimeric coiled coil present in class I viral fusion proteins, with a central stutter that allows a close structural alignment with most of the available structures of class I and III viral fusion proteins. The structure further shows a number of intrachain salt bridges stabilizing the postfusion hairpin conformation, one of which involves an aspartic acid that appears released from a critical interaction with the stable signal peptide upon low pH activation.

negative: Prediction of RNA Pseudoknots Using Heuristic Modeling with Mapping and Sequential Folding Predicting RNA secondary structure is often the first step to determining the structure of RNA. Prediction approaches have historically avoided searching for pseudoknots because of the extreme combinatorial and time complexity of the problem. Yet neglecting pseudoknots limits the utility of such approaches. Here, an algorithm utilizing structure mapping and thermodynamics is introduced for RNA pseudoknot prediction that finds the minimum free energy and identifies information about the flexibility of the RNA. The heuristic approach takes advantage of the 5′ to 3′ folding direction of many biological RNA molecules and is consistent with the hierarchical folding hypothesis and the contact order model. Mapping methods are used to build and analyze the folded structure for pseudoknots and to add important 3D structural considerations. The program can predict some well known pseudoknot structures correctly. The results of this study suggest that many functional RNA sequences are optimized for proper folding. They also suggest directions we can proceed in the future to achieve even better results.

negative: Global stability and cost-effectiveness analysis of COVID-19 considering the impact of the environment:using data from Ghana COVID-19 potentially threatens the lives and livelihood of people all over the world. The disease is presently a major health concern in Ghana and the rest of the world. Although, human to human transmission dynamics has been established, not much research is done on the dynamics of the virus in the environment and the role human play by releasing the virus into the environment. Therefore, investigating the human-environment-human by use of mathematical analysis and optimal control theory is relatively necessary. The dynamics of COVID-19 for this study is segregated into compartments as: Susceptible (S), Exposed (E), Asymptomatic (A), symptomatic (I), Recovered (R) and the Virus in the environment/surfaces (V). The basic reproduction number [Formula: see text] without controls is computed. The application of Lyapunov’s function is used to analyse the global stability of the proposed model. We fit the model to real data from Ghana in the time window 12th March 2020 to 7th May 2020, with the aid of python programming language using the least-squares method. The average basic reproduction number without controls, [Formula: see text] is approximately 2.68. An optimal control is formulated based on the sensitivity analysis. Numerical simulation of the model is also done to verify the analytic results. The admissible control set such as: effective testing and quarantine when boarders are opened, the usage of masks and face shields through media education, cleaning of surfaces with home-based detergents, practising proper cough etiquette and fumigating commercial areas; health centers is simulated in MATLAB. We used forward-backward sweep Runge-Kutta scheme which gave interesting results in the main text, for example, the cost-effectiveness analysis shows that, Strategy 4 (cleaning of surfaces with home-based detergents) is the most cost-effective strategy among all the six control intervention strategies under consideration.

negative: Functional Analysis of Rift Valley Fever Virus NSs Encoding a Partial Truncation Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV), belongs to genus Phlebovirus of the family Bunyaviridae, causes high rates of abortion and fetal malformation in infected ruminants as well as causing neurological disorders, blindness, or lethal hemorrhagic fever in humans. RVFV is classified as a category A priority pathogen and a select agent in the U.S., and currently there are no therapeutics available for RVF patients. NSs protein, a major virulence factor of RVFV, inhibits host transcription including interferon (IFN)-β mRNA synthesis and promotes degradation of dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). NSs self-associates at the C-terminus 17 aa., while NSs at aa.210–230 binds to Sin3A-associated protein (SAP30) to inhibit the activation of IFN-β promoter. Thus, we hypothesize that NSs function(s) can be abolished by truncation of specific domains, and co-expression of nonfunctional NSs with intact NSs will result in the attenuation of NSs function by dominant-negative effect. Unexpectedly, we found that RVFV NSs truncated at aa. 6–30, 31–55, 56–80, 81–105, 106–130, 131–155, 156–180, 181–205, 206–230, 231–248 or 249–265 lack functions of IFN–β mRNA synthesis inhibition and degradation of PKR. Truncated NSs were less stable in infected cells, while nuclear localization was inhibited in NSs lacking either of aa.81–105, 106–130, 131–155, 156–180, 181–205, 206–230 or 231–248. Furthermore, none of truncated NSs had exhibited significant dominant-negative functions for NSs-mediated IFN-β suppression or PKR degradation upon co-expression in cells infected with RVFV. We also found that any of truncated NSs except for intact NSs does not interact with RVFV NSs even in the presence of intact C-terminus self-association domain. Our results suggest that conformational integrity of NSs is important for the stability, cellular localization and biological functions of RVFV NSs, and the co-expression of truncated NSs does not exhibit dominant-negative phenotype.

negative: Apolipoprotein M Gene (APOM) Polymorphism Modifies Metabolic and Disease Traits in Type 2 Diabetes This study aimed at substantiating the associations of the apolipoproein M gene (APOM) with type 2 diabetes (T2D) as well as with metabolic traits in Hong Kong Chinese. In addition, APOM gene function was further characterized to elucidate its activity in cholesterol metabolism. Seventeen APOM SNPs documented in the NCBI database were genotyped. Five SNPs were confirmed in our study cohort of 1234 T2D and 606 control participants. Three of the five SNPs rs707921(C+1871A), rs707922(G+1837T) and rs805264(G+203A) were in linkage disequilibrium (LD). We chose rs707922 to tag this LD region for down stream association analyses and characterized the function of this SNP at molecular level. No association between APOM and T2D susceptibility was detected in our Hong Kong Chinese cohort. Interestingly, the C allele of rs805297 was significantly associated with T2D duration of longer than 10 years (OR = 1.245, p = 0.015). The rs707922 TT genotype was significantly associated with elevated plasma total- and LDL- cholesterol levels (p = 0.006 and p = 0.009, respectively) in T2D patients. Molecular analyses of rs707922 lead to the discoveries of a novel transcript APOM5 as well as the cryptic nature of exon 5 of the gene. Ectopic expression of APOM5 transcript confirmed rs707922 allele-dependent activity of the transcript in modifying cholesterol homeostasis in vitro. In conclusion, the results here did not support APOM as a T2D susceptibility gene in Hong Kong Chinese. However, in T2D patients, a subset of APOM SNPs was associated with disease duration and metabolic traits. Further molecular analysis proved the functional activity of rs707922 in APOM expression and in regulation of cellular cholesterol content.

negative: SS3D: Sequence similarity in 3D for comparison of protein families Homologous proteins are often compared by pairwise sequence alignment, and structure superposition if the atomic coordinates are available. Unification of sequence and structure data is an important task in structural biology. Here, we present Sequence Similarity 3D (SS3D), a new method for integrating sequence and structure information for comparison of homologous proteins. SS3D quantifies the spatial similarity of residues within a given radius of homologous through-space contacts. The spatial alignments are scored using native BLOSUM and PAM substitution matrices. This work details the SS3D approach and demonstrates its utility through case studies comparing members of several protein families: GPCR, p53, kelch, SUMO, and SARS coronavirus spike protein. We show that SS3D can more clearly highlight biologically important regions of similarity and dissimilarity compared to pairwise sequence alignments or structure superposition alone. SS3D is written in C++, and is available with a manual and tutorial at https://github.com/0x462e41/SS3D/.

negative: Palmitoylation of the Alphacoronavirus TGEV spike protein S is essential for incorporation into virus-like particles but dispensable for S–M interaction Abstract The spike protein S of coronaviruses contains a highly conserved cytoplasmic cysteine-rich motif adjacent to the transmembrane region. This motif is palmitoylated in the Betacoronaviruses MHV and SARS-CoV. Here, we demonstrate by metabolic labeling with [3H]-palmitic acid that the S protein of transmissible gastroenteritis coronavirus (TGEV), an Alphacoronavirus, is palmitoylated as well. This is relevant for TGEV replication as virus growth was compromised by the general palmitoylation inhibitor 2-bromopalmitate. Mutation of individual cysteine clusters in the cysteine-rich motif of S revealed that all cysteines must be replaced to abolish acylation and incorporation of S into virus-like particles (VLP). Conversely, the interaction of S with the M protein, essential for VLP incorporation of S, was not impaired by lack of palmitoylation. Thus, palmitoylation of the S protein of Alphacoronaviruses is dispensable for S–M interaction, but required for the generation of progeny virions.

negative: Perspectives on therapeutic neutralizing antibodies against the Novel Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 A newly identified novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is causing pneumonia-associated respiratory syndrome across the world. Epidemiology, genomics, and pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 show high homology with that of SARS-CoV. Current efforts are focusing on development of specific antiviral drugs. Therapeutic neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 will be greatly important therapeutic agents for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Herein, the host immune responses against SARS-CoV discussed in this review provide implications for developing NAbs and understanding clinical interventions against SARS-CoV-2. Further, we describe the benefits, challenges and considerations of NAbs against SARS-CoV-2. Although many challenges exist, NAbs still offer a therapeutic option to control the current pandemic and the possible re-emergence of the virus in the future, and their development therefore remains a high priority.

negative: The New Coronavirus, the Current King of China

negative: From SARS to MERS: crystallographic studies on coronaviral proteases enable antiviral drug design This review focuses on the important contributions that macromolecular crystallography has made over the past 12 years to elucidating structures and mechanisms of the essential proteases of coronaviruses, the main protease (M(pro)) and the papain‐like protease (PL(pro)). The role of X‐ray crystallography in structure‐assisted drug discovery against these targets is discussed. Aspects dealt with in this review include the emergence of the SARS coronavirus in 2002–2003 and of the MERS coronavirus 10 years later and the origins of these viruses. The crystal structure of the free SARS coronavirus M(pro) and its dependence on pH is discussed, as are efforts to design inhibitors on the basis of these structures. The mechanism of maturation of the enzyme from the viral polyprotein is still a matter of debate. The crystal structure of the SARS coronavirus PL(pro) and its complex with ubiquitin is also discussed, as is its orthologue from MERS coronavirus. Efforts at predictive structure‐based inhibitor development for bat coronavirus M(pro)s to increase the preparedness against zoonotic transmission to man are described as well. The paper closes with a brief discussion of structure‐based discovery of antivirals in an academic setting.

negative: The 3.1-Angstrom Cryo-electron Microscopy Structure of the Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Spike Protein in the Prefusion Conformation Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) is an alphacoronavirus that has a significant agricultural and economic impact due to the high mortality rate associated with infection of neonatal piglets. Like other coronaviruses, PEDV makes use of a large, trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein to mediate membrane fusion and gain entry into host cells. Despite the importance of the spike protein in viral entry and host immune responses, high-resolution structural information concerning this large macromolecular machine has been difficult to obtain. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the PEDV S protein in the prefusion conformation at a resolution of 3.1 Å. Our studies revealed that the sialic acid-binding domain at the N terminus of the S1 subunit has an orientation that is substantially different from that observed in the previously determined spike structure from human alphacoronavirus NL63. We also observed dissociated S1 subunit trimers wherein the putative receptor-binding domains exist in a conformation differing from that observed in the intact spike proteins, suggesting that the PEDV receptor-binding domain undergoes conformational rearrangements akin to those that have been described in the related betacoronaviruses. Collectively, these data provide new insights into the biological processes that mediate alphacoronavirus attachment, receptor engagement, and fusion triggering while also identifying a source of conformational heterogeneity that could be manipulated to improve PEDV vaccine antigens. IMPORTANCE Coronavirus spike proteins are large, densely glycosylated macromolecular machines that mediate receptor binding and membrane fusion to facilitate entry into host cells. This report describes the atomic-resolution structure of the spike protein from porcine epidemic diarrhea virus, a pathogenic alphacoronavirus that causes severe agricultural damage. The structure reveals a novel position for the sialic acid-binding attachment domain in the intact spike. We also observed shed fusion-suppressive capping subunits that displayed the putative receptor-binding domain in an accessible conformation. These observations provide a basis for understanding the molecular mechanisms that drive the earliest stages of alphacoronavirus infection and will inform future efforts to rationally design vaccines.

negative: The Organisation of Ebola Virus Reveals a Capacity for Extensive, Modular Polyploidy BACKGROUND: Filoviruses, including Ebola virus, are unusual in being filamentous animal viruses. Structural data on the arrangement, stoichiometry and organisation of the component molecules of filoviruses has until now been lacking, partially due to the need to work under level 4 biological containment. The present study provides unique insights into the structure of this deadly pathogen. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have investigated the structure of Ebola virus using a combination of cryo-electron microscopy, cryo-electron tomography, sub-tomogram averaging, and single particle image processing. Here we report the three-dimensional structure and architecture of Ebola virus and establish that multiple copies of the RNA genome can be packaged to produce polyploid virus particles, through an extreme degree of length polymorphism. We show that the helical Ebola virus inner nucleocapsid containing RNA and nucleoprotein is stabilized by an outer layer of VP24-VP35 bridges. Elucidation of the structure of the membrane-associated glycoprotein in its native state indicates that the putative receptor-binding site is occluded within the molecule, while a major neutralizing epitope is exposed on its surface proximal to the viral envelope. The matrix protein VP40 forms a regular lattice within the envelope, although its contacts with the nucleocapsid are irregular. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study demonstrate a modular organization in Ebola virus that accommodates a well-ordered, symmetrical nucleocapsid within a flexible, tubular membrane envelope.

negative: Architecture and self-assembly of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein The COVID-2019 pandemic is the most severe acute public health threat of the twenty-first century. To properly address this crisis with both robust testing and novel treatments, we require a deep understanding of the life cycle of the causative agent, the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus. Here, we examine the architecture and self-assembly properties of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein, which binds viral RNA and assembles into a filament that is packaged into new virions. We determined a 1.4 Å resolution crystal structure of this protein’s N2b domain, revealing a compact, intertwined dimer very similar to that of related coronaviruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Using size exclusion chromatography and multi-angle light scattering, we find that this domain forms a dimer in solution, and that addition of the C-terminal spacer B/N3 domain mediates tetramer formation. Using hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry, we find evidence that at least part of this putatively disordered domain is structured, potentially forming an α-helix that either self-associates or docks against the N2b domain to mediate tetramer formation. Finally, we map the locations of over 4,400 individual amino acid substitutions in the N protein from (~)17,000 SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences, and find that they are strongly clustered in the protein’s N2a linker domain. The nearly 300 substitutions identified within the N1b and N2b domains cluster away from their functional RNA binding and dimerization interfaces. Overall, this work reveals the architecture and self-assembly properties of a key protein in the SARS-CoV-2 life cycle. As the N protein is a common target of patient antibodies, this work will also benefit ongoing efforts to develop robust and specific serological tests, and could also benefit the analysis of patient-derived antibodies.

negative: Crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 ADP-ribose phosphatase (ADRP): from the apo form to ligand complexes Among 15 nonstructural proteins (Nsps), the newly emerging SARS-CoV-2 encodes a large, multidomain Nsp3. One of its units is ADP-ribose phosphatase domain (ADRP, also known as macrodomain) which is believed to interfere with the host immune response. Such a function appears to be linked to the protein’s ability to remove ADP-ribose from ADP-ribosylated proteins and RNA, yet the precise role and molecular targets of the enzyme remains unknown. Here, we have determined five, high resolution (1.07 - 2.01 Å) crystal structures corresponding to the apo form of the protein and complexes with 2-(N-morpholino)ethanesulfonic acid (MES), AMP and ADPr. We show that the protein undergoes conformational changes to adapt to the ligand in a manner previously observed before for in close homologs from other viruses. We also identify a conserved water molecule that may participate in hydrolysis. This work builds foundations for future structure-based research of the ADRP, including search for potential antiviral therapeutics.

negative: SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein favors ACE2 from Bovidae and Cricetidae Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) causes the recent COVID‐19 public health crisis. Bat is the widely believed original host of SARS‐CoV‐2. However, its intermediate host before transmitting to humans is not clear. Some studies proposed pangolin, snake, or turtle as the intermediate hosts. Angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the receptor for SARS‐CoV‐2, which determines the potential host range for SARS‐CoV‐2. On the basis of structural information of the complex of human ACE2 and SARS‐CoV‐2 receptor‐binding domain (RBD), we analyzed the affinity to S protein of the 20 key residues in ACE2 from mammal, bird, turtle, and snake. Several ACE2 proteins from Primates, Bovidae, Cricetidae, and Cetacea maintained the majority of key residues in ACE2 for associating with SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD. The simulated structures indicated that ACE2 proteins from Bovidae and Cricetidae were able to associate with SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD. We found that nearly half of the key residues in turtle, snake, and bird were changed. The simulated structures showed several key contacts with SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD in turtle and snake ACE2 were abolished. This study demonstrated that neither snake nor turtle was the intermediate hosts for SARS‐CoV‐2, which further reinforced the concept that the reptiles are resistant against infection of coronavirus. This study suggested that Bovidae and Cricetidae should be included in the screening of intermediate hosts for SARS‐CoV‐2.

negative: A Fluorogenic Peptide Containing the Processing Site of Human SARS Corona Virus S‐Protein: Kinetic Evaluation and NMR Structure Elucidation Human severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (hSARS‐CoV) is the causative agent for SARS infection. Its surface glycoprotein (spike protein) is considered to be one of the prime targets for SARS therapeutics and intervention because its proteolytic maturation by a host protease is crucial for host–virus fusion. Using intramolecularly quenched fluorogenic (IQF) peptides based on hSARS‐CoV spike protein (Abz‐(755)Glu‐Gln‐Asp‐Arg‐Asn‐Thr‐Arg‐Glu‐Val‐Phe‐Ala‐Gln(766)‐Tyx‐NH(2)) and in vitro studies, we show that besides furin, other PCs, like PC5 and PC7, might also be involved in this cleavage event. Through kinetic measurements with recombinant PCs, we observed that the peptide was cleaved efficiently by both furin and PC5, but very poorly by PC7. The cleavage could be blocked by a PC‐inhibitor, α1‐PDX, in a dose‐dependent manner. Circular dichroism spectra indicated that this peptide possesses a high degree of sheet structure. Following cleavage by furin, the sheet content increased, possibly at the expense of turn and random structures. (1)H NMR spectra from 2D COSY and ROESY experiments under physiological buffer and pH conditions indicated that this peptide possesses a structure with a turn at its C‐terminal segment, close to the cleavage site. The data suggest that the cleavable peptide bond is located within the most exposed domain; this is supported by the nearby turn structure. Several strong to weak NMR ROESY correlations were detected, and a 3D structure of the spike IQF peptide that contains the crucial cleavage site R(761)↓E has been proposed.

negative: Common Features of Enveloped Viruses and Implications for Immunogen Design for Next-Generation Vaccines Enveloped viruses enter cells by inducing fusion of viral and cellular membranes, a process catalyzed by a specialized membrane-fusion protein expressed on their surface. This review focuses on recent structural studies of viral fusion proteins with an emphasis on their metastable prefusion form and on interactions with neutralizing antibodies. The fusion glycoproteins have been difficult to study because they are present in a labile, metastable form at the surface of infectious virions. Such metastability is a functional requirement, allowing these proteins to refold into a lower energy conformation while transferring the difference in energy to catalyze the membrane fusion reaction. Structural studies have shown that stable immunogens presenting the same antigenic sites as the labile wild-type proteins efficiently elicit potently neutralizing antibodies, providing a framework with which to engineer the antigens for stability, as well as identifying key vulnerability sites that can be used in next-generation subunit vaccine design.

negative: Investigating the genomic landscape of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to identify non-synonymous mutations for use in diagnosis and drug design Novel coronavirus has wrecked medical and health care facilities claiming â¼5% death tollsglobally. All efforts to contain the pathogenesis either using inhibitory drugs or vaccines largelyremained futile due to a lack of better understanding of the genomic feature of this virus. In thepresent study, we compared the 2019-nCoV with other coronaviruses, which indicated that batSARS like coronavirus could be a probable ancestor of the novel coronavirus. The proteinsequence similarity of pangolin-hCoV and bat-hCoV with human coronavirus was higher ascompared to their nucleotide similarity denoting the occurrence of more synonymous mutationsin the genome. Phylogenetic and alignment analysis of 591 novel coronaviruses of differentclades from Group I to Group V revealed several mutations and concomitant amino acidchanges. Detailed investigation on nucleotide substitution unfolded 100 substitutions in thecoding region of which 43 were synonymous and 57 were of non-synonymous type. The nonsynonymous substitutions resulting into 57 amino acid changes were found to be distributed overdifferent hCoV proteins with maximum on spike protein. An important di-amino acid change RGto KR was observed in ORF9 protein. Additionally, several interesting features of the novelcoronavirus genome have been highlighted in respect to various other human infecting viruseswhich may explain extreme pathogenicity, infectivity and simultaneously the reason behindfailure of the antiviral therapies. SUMMARY: This study presents a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV2 isolates to understand discrete mutations that are occurring between patient samples. The analysis unravel various amino acid mutations in the viral proteins which may provide an explanation for varying treatment efficacies of different inhibitory drugs and a future direction towards a combinatorial treatment therapies based on the kind of mutation in the viral genome.

negative: Cryo-electron Microscopy Structure of the Native Prototype Foamy Virus Glycoprotein and Virus Architecture Foamy viruses (FV) belong to the genus Spumavirus, which forms a distinct lineage in the Retroviridae family. Although the infection in natural hosts and zoonotic transmission to humans is asymptomatic, FVs can replicate well in human cells making it an attractive gene therapy vector candidate. Here we present cryo-electron microscopy and (cryo-)electron tomography ultrastructural data on purified prototype FV (PFV) and PFV infected cells. Mature PFV particles have a distinct morphology with a capsid of constant dimension as well as a less ordered shell of density between the capsid and the membrane likely formed by the Gag N-terminal domain and the cytoplasmic part of the Env leader peptide gp18(LP). The viral membrane contains trimeric Env glycoproteins partly arranged in interlocked hexagonal assemblies. In situ 3D reconstruction by subtomogram averaging of wild type Env and of a Env gp48(TM)- gp80(SU) cleavage site mutant showed a similar spike architecture as well as stabilization of the hexagonal lattice by clear connections between lower densities of neighboring trimers. Cryo-EM was employed to obtain a 9 Å resolution map of the glycoprotein in its pre-fusion state, which revealed extensive trimer interactions by the receptor binding subunit gp80(SU) at the top of the spike and three central helices derived from the fusion protein subunit gp48(TM). The lower part of Env, presumably composed of interlaced parts of gp48(TM), gp80(SU) and gp18(LP) anchors the spike at the membrane. We propose that the gp48(TM) density continues into three central transmembrane helices, which interact with three outer transmembrane helices derived from gp18(LP). Our ultrastructural data and 9 Å resolution glycoprotein structure provide important new insights into the molecular architecture of PFV and its distinct evolutionary relationship with other members of the Retroviridae.

negative: Characterization of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of 2019 novel coronavirus: implication for development of RBD protein as a viral attachment inhibitor and vaccine The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has posed a serious threat to global public health, calling for the development of safe and effective prophylactics and therapeutics against infection of its causative agent, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also known as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV). The CoV spike (S) protein plays the most important roles in viral attachment, fusion and entry, and serves as a target for development of antibodies, entry inhibitors and vaccines. Here, we identified the receptor-binding domain (RBD) in SARS-CoV-2 S protein and found that the RBD protein bound strongly to human and bat angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptors. SARS-CoV-2 RBD exhibited significantly higher binding affinity to ACE2 receptor than SARS-CoV RBD and could block the binding and, hence, attachment of SARS-CoV-2 RBD and SARS-CoV RBD to ACE2-expressing cells, thus inhibiting their infection to host cells. SARS-CoV RBD-specific antibodies could cross-react with SARS-CoV-2 RBD protein, and SARS-CoV RBD-induced antisera could cross-neutralize SARS-CoV-2, suggesting the potential to develop SARS-CoV RBD-based vaccines for prevention of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infection.

negative: Functional Polymorphisms of Interferon-gamma Affect Pneumonia-Induced Sepsis OBJECTIVE: Sepsis is an inflammatory syndrome caused by infection, and both its incidence and mortality are high. Because interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) plays an important role in inflammation, this work assessed IFN-γ single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) that may be associated with sepsis. METHODS: A total of 196 patients with pneumonia-induced sepsis and 213 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers participated in our study from July 2012 to July 2013 in Guangzhou, China. Patient clinical information was collected. Clinical pathology was assessed in subgroups defined based on clinical criteria, APACHE II (acute physiology and chronic health evaluation) and SOFA (sepsis-related organ failure assessment) scores and discharge rate. Four functional SNPs, −1616T/C (rs2069705), −764G/C (rs2069707), +874A/T (rs2430561) and +3234C/T (rs2069718), were genotyped by Snapshot in both sepsis patients and healthy controls. Pearson’s chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test were used to analyze the distribution of the SNPs, and the probability values (P values), odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: No mutations in the IFN-γ −764G/C SNP were detected among the participants in our study. The +874A/T and +3234C/T SNPs were in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD) (r(2) = 0.894). The −1616 TC+TT, +874 AT+AA genotype and the TAC haplotype were significantly associated with sepsis susceptibility, while the CTT haplotype was associated with protection against sepsis incidence. Genotype of −1616 TT wasn’t only protective against severity of sepsis, but also against higher APACHE II and SOFA scores as +874 AA and +3234 CC. The TAC haplotype was was protective against progression to severe sepsis either. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that functional IFN-γ SNPs and their haplotypes are associated with pneumonia-induced sepsis.

negative: Repurposing cefuroxime for treatment of COVID-19: a scoping review of in silico studies Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19), is a novel human Coronavirus that is responsible for about 300,000 deaths worldwide. To date, there is no confirmed treatment or vaccine prevention strategy against COVID-19. Due to the urgent need for effective treatment, drug repurposing is regarded as the immediate option. Potential drugs can often be identified via in silico drug screening experiments. Consequently, there has been an explosion of in silico experiments to find drug candidates or investigate anecdotal claims. One drug with several anecdotal accounts of benefit is Cefuroxime. The aim of this study was to identify and summarize in silico evidence for possible activity of Cefuroxime against SARS-CoV-2.To this end, we performed a scoping review of literature of in silico drug repurposing experiments for SARS-CoV-2 using PRISMA-ScR. We searched Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Google Scholar for original studies published between 1st Feb, 2020 and 15th May, 2020 that screened drug libraries, and identified Cefuroxime as a top-ranked potential inhibitor drug against SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Six studies were identified. These studies reported Cefuroxime as a potential inhibitor of 3 key SARS-CoV-2 proteins; main protease, RNA dependent RNA polymerase, and ACE2-Spike complex. We provided a summary of the methodology and findings of the identified studies. Our scoping review identified significant in silico evidence that Cefuroxime may be a potential multi-target inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are required to evaluate the potential of Cefuroxime for COVID-19. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

negative: Identification and characterization of novel neutralizing epitopes in the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV spike protein: Revealing the critical antigenic determinants in inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is considered as a major antigen for vaccine design. We previously demonstrated that the receptor-binding domain (RBD: residues 318–510) of S protein contains multiple conformation-dependent neutralizing epitopes (Conf I to VI) and serves as a major target of SARS-CoV neutralization. Here, we further characterized the antigenic structure in the RBD by a panel of novel mAbs isolated from the mice immunized with an inactivated SARS-CoV vaccine. Ten of the RBD-specific mAbs were mapped to four distinct groups of conformational epitopes (designated Group A to D), and all of which had potent neutralizing activity against S protein-pseudotyped SARS viruses. Group A, B, C mAbs target the epitopes that may overlap with the previously characterized Conf I, III, and VI respectively, but they display different capacity to block the receptor binding. Group D mAb (S25) was directed against a unique epitope by its competitive binding. Two anti-RBD mAbs recognizing the linear epitopes (Group E) were mapped to the RBD residues 335–352 and 442–458, respectively, and none of them inhibited the receptor binding and virus entry. Surprisingly, most neutralizing epitopes (Groups A to C) could be completely disrupted by single amino acid substitutions (e.g., D429A, R441A or D454A) or by deletions of several amino acids at the N-terminal or C-terminal region of the RBD; however, the Group D epitope was not sensitive to the mutations, highlighting its importance for vaccine development. These data provide important information for understanding the antigenicity and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV, and this panel of novel mAbs can be used as tools for studying the structure of S protein and for guiding SARS vaccine design.

negative: Phosphonic Acid Analogs of Fluorophenylalanines as Inhibitors of Human and Porcine Aminopeptidases N: Validation of the Importance of the Substitution of the Aromatic Ring A library of phosphonic acid analogs of phenylalanine substituted with fluorine, chlorine and trifluoromethyl moieties on the aromatic ring was synthesized and evaluated for inhibitory activity against human (hAPN) and porcine (pAPN) aminopeptidases. Fluorogenic screening indicated that these analogs are micromolar or submicromolar inhibitors, both enzymes being more active against hAPN. In order to better understand the mode of the action of the most active compounds, molecular modeling was used. It confirmed that aminophosphonic portion of the enzyme is bound nearly identically in the case of all the studied compounds, whereas the difference in activity results from the placement of aromatic side chain of an inhibitor. Interestingly, both enantiomers of the individual compounds are usually bound quite similarly.

negative: The neutralizing human recombinant antibodies to pathogenic Orthopoxviruses derived from a phage display immune library. A panel of recombinant human antibodies to orthopoxviruses was isolated from a combinatorial phage display library of human scFv antibodies constructed from the Vh and Vl genes cloned from the peripheral blood lymphocytes of Vaccinia virus (VACV) immune donors. Plaque-reduction neutralization tests showed that seven selected phage-displaying scFv antibodies (pdAbs) neutralized both CPXV and VACV, and five of them neutralized Monkeypox virus (MPXV). Western blot analysis of VACV and CPXV proteins demonstrated that seven neutralizing antibodies recognized a 35 kDa protein. To identify this target protein, we produced a recombinant J3L protein of CPXV and showed that all the selected neutralizing antibodies recognized this protein. Neutralizing pdAb b9 was converted into fully human mAb b9 (fh b9), and scFv b9 displayed high binding affinities (K(d) of 0.7 and 3.2 nM). The fh b9 reduced VACV plaque formation in a dose-dependent manner.

negative: Rapid Detection of COVID-19 Causative Virus (SARS-CoV-2) in Human Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens Using Field-Effect Transistor-Based Biosensor [Image: see text] Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a newly emerging human infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, previously called 2019-nCoV). Based on the rapid increase in the rate of human infection, the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified the COVID-19 outbreak as a pandemic. Because no specific drugs or vaccines for COVID-19 are yet available, early diagnosis and management are crucial for containing the outbreak. Here, we report a field-effect transistor (FET)-based biosensing device for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples. The sensor was produced by coating graphene sheets of the FET with a specific antibody against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. The performance of the sensor was determined using antigen protein, cultured virus, and nasopharyngeal swab specimens from COVID-19 patients. Our FET device could detect the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein at concentrations of 1 fg/mL in phosphate-buffered saline and 100 fg/mL clinical transport medium. In addition, the FET sensor successfully detected SARS-CoV-2 in culture medium (limit of detection [LOD]: 1.6 × 10(1) pfu/mL) and clinical samples (LOD: 2.42 × 10(2) copies/mL). Thus, we have successfully fabricated a promising FET biosensor for SARS-CoV-2; our device is a highly sensitive immunological diagnostic method for COVID-19 that requires no sample pretreatment or labeling.

negative: Chapter 17 Family Coronaviridae Abstract Members of the family Coronaviridae are large, enveloped, single-stranded RNA viruses. They are the largest known RNA viruses, with genomes ranging from 25 to 32kb and virions of 118–140nm in diameter. The family is divided into two subfamilies, the Coronavirinae and the Torovirinae. They can be distinguished on the basis of their nucleocapsids as the toroviruses have unique doughnut-shaped nucleocapsids. Virions are roughly spherical and are notable for the large spike (S) glycoprotein that extends from the virus envelope. Current taxonomy places the family in the order Nidovirales. Within the subfamily Coronavirinae are four genera, the alpha-, beta-, gamma-, and deltacoronaviruses. All family members share the same unique strategy for mRNA synthesis whereby the polymerase complex jumps or moves from one region of the template to a more distant region. The need for the polymerase complex to dissociate from the template may explain the high rate of RNA recombination that occurs during genome replication. Both the coronaviruses and toroviruses are enteric and respiratory tract pathogens, usually associated with only mild disease (or inapparent infection). However the human severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus cause severe respiratory diseases.

negative: Characterization of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies recognizing a 15-residues epitope on the spike protein HR2 region of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) The spike (S) glycoprotein is thought to play a complex and central role in the biology and pathogenesis of SARS coronavirus infection. In this study, a recombinant protein (rS268, corresponding to residues 268–1255 of SARS-CoV S protein) was expressed in Escherichia coli and was purified to near homogeneity. After immunization with rS268, S protein-specific BALB/c antisera and mAbs were induced and confirmed using ELISA, Western blot and IFA. Several BALB/c mAbs were found to be effectively to neutralize the infection of Vero E6 cells by SARS-CoV in a dose-dependent manner. Systematic epitope mapping showed that all these neutralizing mAbs recognized a 15-residues peptide (CB-119) corresponding to residues 1143–1157 (SPDVDLGDISGINAS) that was located to the second heptad repeat (HR2) region of the SARS-CoV spike protein. The peptide CB-119 could specifically inhibit the interaction of neutralizing mAbs and spike protein in a dose-dependent manner. Further, neutralizing mAbs, but not control mAbs, could specifically interact with CB-119 in a dose-dependent manner. Results implicated that the second heptad repeat region of spike protein could be a good target for vaccine development against SARS-CoV.

negative: Drug Development and Medicinal Chemistry Efforts toward SARS‐Coronavirus and Covid‐19 Therapeutics The COVID‐19 pandemic caused by SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is spreading at an alarming rate and has created an unprecedented health emergency around the globe. There is no effective vaccine or approved drug treatment against COVID‐19 and other pathogenic coronaviruses. The development of antiviral agents is an urgent priority. Biochemical events critical to the coronavirus replication cycle provided a number of attractive targets for drug development. These include, spike protein for binding to host cell‐surface receptors, proteolytic enzymes that are essential for processing polyproteins into mature viruses, and RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase for RNA replication. There has been a lot of ground work for drug discovery and development against these targets. Also, high‐throughput screening efforts have led to the identification of diverse lead structures, including natural product‐derived molecules. This review highlights past and present drug discovery and medicinal‐chemistry approaches against SARS‐CoV, MERS‐CoV and COVID‐19 targets. The review hopes to stimulate further research and will be a useful guide to the development of effective therapies against COVID‐19 and other pathogenic coronaviruses.

negative: Crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 9, Nsp9 Many of the proteins produced by SARS-CoV-2 have related counterparts across the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) family. One such protein is non-structural protein 9 (Nsp9), which is thought to mediate both viral replication and virulence. Current understanding suggests that Nsp9 is involved in viral genomic RNA reproduction. Nsp9 is thought to bind RNA via a fold that is unique to this class of betacoronoaviruses although the molecular basis for this remains ill-defined. We sought to better characterise the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 protein and subsequently solved its X-ray crystal structure, in an apo-form and, unexpectedly, in a peptide-bound form with a sequence originating from a rhinoviral 3C protease sequence (LEVL). The structure of the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 revealed the high level of structural conservation within the Nsp9 family. The exogenous peptide binding site is close to the dimer interface and impacted on the relative juxtaposition of the monomers within the homodimer. Together we have established a protocol for the production of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9, determined its structure and identified a peptide-binding site that may warrant further study from the perspective of understanding Nsp9 function.

negative: Spike protein of SARS-CoV stimulates cyclooxygenase-2 expression via both calcium-dependent and calcium-independent protein kinase C pathways. We have previously shown that the nucleocapsid protein of SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) activated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. In this study, we identified another viral protein, the spike of SARS-CoV, which played an important role in virus-stimulated COX-2 expression after screening all genes from the SARS-CoV genome. We found that an upstream calcium-dependent PKC isozyme PKC alpha that modulates the downstream ERK/NF-kappaB pathway through an influx of extracellular Ca2+ is induced by the spike protein of SARS-CoV. The ERK/NF-kappaB was identified to be involved in the activation of COX-2 promoter and production of COX-2 protein in HEK293T cells. We also demonstrated that another unusual pathway, the calcium-independent PI3K/PKC epsilon/JNK/CREB pathway, functioned in cooperation with the calcium-dependent pathway to induce COX-2 expression upon stimulation by spike protein. This pathway can be blocked by PKC epsilon-specific, small interfering RNA, PI3K/JNK kinase-specific inhibitors as well as dominant negative JNK. PKC epsilon-specific siRNA also attenuated the phosphorylation of JNK. Our results provide evidence that helps us understand the function of SRAS-CoV spike protein in SARS pathogenesis.

negative: Identification of a Druggable Intermediate along the Folding Pathway of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor ACE2 The steep climbing of victims caused by the new coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) throughout the planet is sparking an unprecedented effort to identify effective therapeutic regimens to tackle the pandemic. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is known to gain entry into various cell types through the binding of one of its surface proteins (spike) to the host Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Thus, the spike-ACE2 interaction represents a major target for vaccines and antiviral drugs. We recently described a novel method to pharmacologically down-regulate the expression of target proteins at the post-translational level. This technology builds on computational advancements in the simulation of folding mechanisms to rationally block protein expression by targeting folding intermediates, hence hampering the folding process. Here, we report the all-atom simulation of the entire sequence of events underlying the folding pathway of ACE2. Our data reveal the existence of a folding intermediate showing druggable pockets hidden in the native conformation. Both pockets were targeted by a virtual screening repurposing campaign aimed at quickly identifying drugs capable to decrease the expression of ACE2. Importantly, among the different virtual hits, we identified mefloquine, a quinoline-derivative belonging to a class of antimalaria agents (e.g. chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) recently described for their effects on ACE2 maturation. Thus, our results suggest that these drugs could act against SARS-CoV-2 by altering the folding pathway of its receptor ACE2.

negative: Properties of Coronavirus and SARS-CoV-2 were identified beginning with the discovery of SARS-CoV in 2002. With the recent detection of SARS-CoV-2, there are now seven human coronaviruses. Those that cause mild diseases are the 229E, OC43, NL63 and HKU1, and the pathogenic species are SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 Coronaviruses (order Nidovirales, family Coronaviridae, and subfamily Orthocoronavirinae) are spherical (125nm diameter), and enveloped with club-shaped spikes on the surface giving the appearance of a solar corona. Within the helically symmetrical nucleocapsid is the large positive sense, single stranded RNA. Of the four coronavirus genera (α,ß,Î³,Î´), human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are classified under α-CoV (HCoV-229E and NL63) and ß-CoV (MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoVOC43 and HCoV-HKU1). SARS-CoV-2 is a ß-CoV and shows fairly close relatedness with two bat-derived CoV-like coronaviruses, bat-SL-CoVZC45 and bat-SL-CoVZXC21. Even so, its genome is similar to that of the typical CoVs. SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV originated in bats, and it appears to be so for SARS-CoV-2 as well. The possibility of an intermediate host facilitating the emergence of the virus in humans has already been shown with civet cats acting as intermediate hosts for SARS-CoVs, and dromedary camels for MERS-CoV. Human-to-human transmission is primarily achieved through close contact of respiratory droplets, direct contact with the infected individuals, or by contact with contaminated objects and surfaces. The coronaviral genome contains four major structural proteins: the spike (S), membrane (M), envelope (E) and the nucleocapsid (N) protein, all of which are encoded within the 3' end of the genome. The S protein mediates attachment of the virus to the host cell surface receptors resulting in fusion and subsequent viral entry. The M protein is the most abundant protein and defines the shape of the viral envelope. The E protein is the smallest of the major structural proteins and participates in viral assembly and budding. The N protein is the only one that binds to the RNA genome and is also involved in viral assembly and budding. Replication of coronaviruses begin with attachment and entry. Attachment of the virus to the host cell is initiated by interactions between the S protein and its specific receptor. Following receptor binding, the virus enters host cell cytosol via cleavage of S protein by a protease enzyme, followed by fusion of the viral and cellular membranes. The next step is the translation of the replicase gene from the virion genomic RNA and then translation and assembly of the viral replicase complexes. Following replication and subgenomic RNA synthesis, encapsidation occurs resulting in the formation of the mature virus. Following assembly, virions are transported to the cell surface in vesicles and released by exocytosis.

negative: Neonatal Resuscitation Where the Mother Has a Suspected or Confirmed Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) Infection: Suggestion for a Pragmatic Action Plan Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, is rapidly spreading across the world. As the number of infections increases, those of infected pregnant women and children will rise as well. Controversy exists whether COVID-19 can be transmitted in utero and lead to disease in the newborn. As this chance cannot be ruled out, strict instructions for the management of mothers and newborn infants are mandatory. This perspective aims to be a practical support tool for the planning of delivery and neonatal resuscitation of infants born by mothers with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

negative: Emergence of genomic diversity and recurrent mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Abstract SARS-CoV-2 is a SARS-like coronavirus of likely zoonotic origin first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province. The virus has since spread globally, resulting in the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first whole genome sequence was published on January 52,020, and thousands of genomes have been sequenced since this date. This resource allows unprecedented insights into the past demography of SARS-CoV-2 but also monitoring of how the virus is adapting to its novel human host, providing information to direct drug and vaccine design. We curated a dataset of 7666 public genome assemblies and analysed the emergence of genomic diversity over time. Our results are in line with previous estimates and point to all sequences sharing a common ancestor towards the end of 2019, supporting this as the period when SARS-CoV-2 jumped into its human host. Due to extensive transmission, the genetic diversity of the virus in several countries recapitulates a large fraction of its worldwide genetic diversity. We identify regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome that have remained largely invariant to date, and others that have already accumulated diversity. By focusing on mutations which have emerged independently multiple times (homoplasies), we identify 198 filtered recurrent mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Nearly 80% of the recurrent mutations produced non-synonymous changes at the protein level, suggesting possible ongoing adaptation of SARS-CoV-2. Three sites in Orf1ab in the regions encoding Nsp6, Nsp11, Nsp13, and one in the Spike protein are characterised by a particularly large number of recurrent mutations (>15 events) which may signpost convergent evolution and are of particular interest in the context of adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 to the human host. We additionally provide an interactive user-friendly web-application to query the alignment of the 7666 SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

negative: Evolution of the novel coronavirus from the ongoing Wuhan outbreak and modeling of its spike protein for risk of human transmission

negative: Purification and Electron Cryomicroscopy of Coronavirus Particles Intact, enveloped coronavirus particles vary widely in size and contour, and are thus refractory to study by traditional structural means such as X-ray crystallography. Electron microscopy (EM) overcomes some problems associated with particle variability and has been an important tool for investigating coronavirus ultrastructure. However, EM sample preparation requires that the specimen be dried onto a carbon support film before imaging, collapsing internal particle structure in the case of coronaviruses. Moreover, conventional EM achieves image contrast by immersing the specimen briefly in heavy-metal-containing stain, which reveals some features while obscuring others. Electron cryomicroscopy (cryo-EM) instead employs a porous support film, to which the specimen is adsorbed and flash-frozen. Specimens preserved in vitreous ice over holes in the support film can then be imaged without additional staining. Cryo-EM, coupled with single-particle image analysis techniques, makes it possible to examine the size, structure and arrangement of coronavirus structural components in fully hydrated, native virions. Two virus purification procedures are described.

negative: Physicochemical properties of SARS‐CoV‐2 for drug targeting, virus inactivation and attenuation, vaccine formulation and quality control The material properties of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and its proteins are discussed. We review the viral structure, size, rigidity, lipophilicity, isoelectric point, buoyant density and centrifugation conditions, stability against pH, temperature, UV light, gamma radiation, and susceptibility to various chemical agents including solvents and detergents. Possible inactivation, downstream, and formulation conditions are given including suitable buffers and some first ideas for quality‐control methods. This information supports vaccine development and discussion with competent authorities during vaccine approval and is certainly related to drug‐targeting strategies and hygienics. Several instructive tables are given, including the pI and grand average of hydropathicity (GRAVY) of SARS‐CoV‐1 and ‐2 proteins in comparison. SARS‐CoV‐1 and SARS‐CoV‐2 are similar in many regards, so information can often be derived. Both are unusually stable, but sensitive at their lipophilic membranes. However, since seemingly small differences can have strong effects, for example, on immunologically relevant epitope settings, unevaluated knowledge transfer from SARS‐CoV‐1 to SARS‐CoV‐2 cannot be advised. Published knowledge regarding downstream processes, formulations and quality assuring methods is, as yet, limited. However, standard approaches employed for other viruses and vaccines seem to be feasible including virus inactivation, centrifugation conditions, and the use of adjuvants.

negative: Interaction between heptad repeat 1 and 2 regions in spike protein of SARS-associated coronavirus: implications for virus fusogenic mechanism and identification of fusion inhibitors Summary Background Studies on the fusion-inhibitory peptides derived from the heptad repeat 1 and 2 (HR1 and HR2) regions of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein gp41 provided crucial information on the viral fusogenic mechanism. We used a similar approach to study the fusogenic mechanism of severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Methods We tested the inhibitory activity against infection of two sets of peptides corresponding to sequences of SARS-CoV spike protein HR1 and HR2 regions and investigated the interactions between the HR1 and HR2 peptides by surface plasmon resonance, sedimentation equilibration analysis, circular dichroism, native polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis, size exclusion high-performance liquid chromatography, and computer-aided homology modelling and molecule docking analysis. Findings One peptide, CP-1, derived from the HR2 region, inhibited SARS-CoV infection in the micromolar range. CP-1 bound with high affinity to a peptide from the HR1 region, NP-1. CP-1 alone had low -helicity and self-associated to form a trimer in phosphate buffer (pH 7·2). CP-1 and NP-1 mixed in equimolar concentrations formed a six-helix bundle, similar to the fusogenic core structure of HIV-1 gp41. Interpretation After binding to the target cell, the transmembrane spike protein might change conformation by association between the HR1 and HR2 regions to form an oligomeric structure, leading to fusion between the viral and target-cell membranes. At the prefusion intermediate state, CP-1 could bind to the HR1 region and interfere with the conformational changes, resulting in inhibition of SARS-CoV fusion with the target cells. CP-1 might be modifiable to increase its anti-SARS-CoV activity and could be further developed as an antiviral agent for treatment or prophylaxis of SARS-CoV infection.

negative: Chapter One Supramolecular Architecture of the Coronavirus Particle Abstract Coronavirus particles serve three fundamentally important functions in infection. The virion provides the means to deliver the viral genome across the plasma membrane of a host cell. The virion is also a means of escape for newly synthesized genomes. Lastly, the virion is a durable vessel that protects the genome on its journey between cells. This review summarizes the available X-ray crystallography, NMR, and cryoelectron microscopy structural data for coronavirus structural proteins, and looks at the role of each of the major structural proteins in virus entry and assembly. The potential wider conservation of the nucleoprotein fold identified in the Arteriviridae and Coronaviridae families and a speculative model for the evolution of corona-like virus architecture are discussed.

negative: Predicting the receptor-binding domain usage of the coronavirus based on kmer frequency on spike protein

negative: Comprehensive in-vivo secondary structure of the SARS-CoV-2 genome reveals novel regulatory motifs and mechanisms SARS-CoV-2 is the positive-sense RNA virus that causes COVID-19, a disease that has triggered a major human health and economic crisis. The genome of SARS-CoV-2 is unique among viral RNAs in its vast potential to form stable RNA structures and yet, as much as 97% of its 30 kilobases have not been structurally explored in the context of a viral infection. Our limited knowledge of SARS-CoV-2 genomic architecture is a fundamental limitation to both our mechanistic understanding of coronavirus life cycle and the development of COVID-19 RNA-based therapeutics. Here, we apply a novel long amplicon strategy to determine for the first time the secondary structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome probed in infected cells. In addition to the conserved structural motifs at the viral termini, we report new structural features like a conformationally flexible programmed ribosomal frameshifting pseudoknot, and a host of novel RNA structures, each of which highlights the importance of studying viral structures in their native genomic context. Our in-depth structural analysis reveals extensive networks of well-folded RNA structures throughout Orf1ab and reveals new aspects of SARS-CoV-2 genome architecture that distinguish it from other single-stranded, positive-sense RNA viruses. Evolutionary analysis of RNA structures in SARS-CoV-2 shows that several features of its genomic structure are conserved across beta coronaviruses and we pinpoint individual regions of well-folded RNA structure that merit downstream functional analysis. The native, complete secondary structure of SAR-CoV-2 presented here is a roadmap that will facilitate focused studies on mechanisms of replication, translation and packaging, and guide the identification of new RNA drug targets against COVID-19.

negative: RNA genome conservation and secondary structure in SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-related viruses As the COVID-19 outbreak spreads, there is a growing need for a compilation of conserved RNA genome regions in the SARS-CoV-2 virus along with their structural propensities to guide development of antivirals and diagnostics. Using sequence alignments spanning a range of betacoronaviruses, we rank genomic regions by RNA sequence conservation, identifying 79 regions of length at least 15 nucleotides as exactly conserved over SARS-related complete genome sequences available near the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak. We then confirm the conservation of the majority of these genome regions across 739 SARS-CoV-2 sequences reported to date from the current COVID-19 outbreak, and we present a curated list of 30 ‘SARS-related-conserved’ regions. We find that known RNA structured elements curated as Rfam families and in prior literature are enriched in these conserved genome regions, and we predict additional conserved, stable secondary structures across the viral genome. We provide 106 ‘SARS-CoV-2-conserved-structured’ regions as potential targets for antivirals that bind to structured RNA. We further provide detailed secondary structure models for the 5’ UTR, frame-shifting element, and 3’ UTR. Last, we predict regions of the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome have low propensity for RNA secondary structure and are conserved within SARS-CoV-2 strains. These 59 ‘SARS-CoV-2-conserved-unstructured’ genomic regions may be most easily targeted in primer-based diagnostic and oligonucleotide-based therapeutic strategies.

negative: Models of transmission of COVID-19 with time under the influence of meteorological determinants Based on the statistical analyses of the data on the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and meteorological determinants in some of the severely affected cities in Spain, Italy and the USA, some models are constructed showing the relationship of I' (the number of infected individuals divided by the total population of a city) with temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity and time. Three models are based on the data before lockdown/travel restrictions in these cities, and the other three models are based on data both before and after lockdown/travel restrictions. These models, in general, indicate that the transmission of COVID-19 could be relatively high either for elevated temperatures with lower relative humidity or for lower temperatures with higher relative humidity conditions. Although one model indicates exponential increase in number of infection cases with time, the more statistically significant models show that the number of cases varies quadratically with time. We have discussed in short, how all these features could be linked with the alterations of structural characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Finally, the possibility of natutal disappearance of COVID-19 pandemic, at the global level, has been discussed in the context of the most statistically significant model.

negative: Specific mutations in SARS-CoV2 RNA dependent RNA polymerase and helicase alter protein structure, dynamics and thus function: Effect on viral RNA replication The open reading frame (ORF) 1ab of SARS-CoV2 encodes non-structural proteins involved in viral RNA functions like translation and replication including nsp1-4; 3C like proteinase; nsp6-10; RNA dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp); helicase and 3’-5’ exonuclease. Sequence analyses of ORF1ab unravelled emergence of mutations especially in the viral RdRp and helicase at specific positions, both of which are important in mediating viral RNA replication. Since proteins are dynamic in nature and their functions are governed by the molecular motions, we performed normal mode analyses of the SARS-CoV2 wild type and mutant RdRp and helicases to understand the effect of mutations on their structure, conformation, dynamics and thus function. Structural analyses revealed that mutation of RdRp (at position 4715 in the context of the polyprotein/ at position 323 of RdRp) leads to rigidification of structure and that mutation in the helicase (at position 5828 of polyprotein/ position 504) leads to destabilization increasing the flexibility of the protein structure. Such structural modifications and protein dynamics alterations might alter unwinding of complex RNA stem loop structures, the affinity/ avidity of polymerase RNA interactions and in turn the viral RNA replication. The mutation analyses of proteins of the SARS-CoV2 RNA replication complex would help targeting RdRp better for therapeutic intervention.

negative: Structural and dynamic characterization of the interaction of the putative fusion peptide of the S2 SARS-CoV virus protein with lipid membranes. The SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope spike (S) glycoprotein, a Class I viral fusion protein, is responsible for the fusion between the membranes of the virus and the target cell. In the present work, we report a study of the binding and interaction with model membranes of a peptide pertaining to the putative fusion domain of SARS-CoV, SARS FP, as well as the structural changes that take place in both the phospholipid and the peptide molecules upon this interaction. From fluorescence and infrared spectroscopies, the peptide ability to induce membrane leakage, aggregation and fusion, as well as its affinity toward specific phospholipids, was assessed. We demonstrate that SARS FP strongly partitions into phospholipid membranes, more specifically with those containing negatively charged phospholipids, increasing the water penetration depth and displaying membrane-activity modulated by the lipid composition of the membrane. Interestingly, peptide organization is different depending if SARS FP is in water or bound to the membrane. These data suggest that SARS FP could be involved in the merging of the viral and target cell membranes by perturbing the membrane outer leaflet phospholipids and specifically interacting with negatively charged phospholipids located in the inner leaflet.

negative: Comparison of risk factors for viral and nonviral asthma exacerbations

negative: Human mastadenovirus-B (HAdV-B)-specific E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ glycoproteins interact with each other and localize at the plasma membrane of non-polarized airway epithelial cells Abstract The E3 region of all simian and human types classified within species Human mastadenovirus B (HAdV-B) encodes two unique highly conserved ORFs of unknown function designated E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ. We generated a HAdV-3 mutant encoding small epitope tags at the N-termini of both E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ (HAdV-3 N-tag wt) and a double knock out (HAdV-3 N-tag DKO) mutant virus that does not express either protein. Our studies show that HAdV-3 E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ are type I transmembrane proteins that are produced predominantly at late times post infection, are glycosylated, co-localize at the plasma membrane of non-polarized epithelial cells, and interact with each other. At their extreme C-termini HAdV-B E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ possess a conserved di-leucine motif followed by a class II PDZ domain binding motif (PBM). HAdV-3 E3-CR1β and E3-CR1γ are dispensable for virus growth, progeny release, spread, and plaque formation in A549 cells.

negative: Malignant mesothelioma Malignant mesothelioma is a fatal asbestos-associated malignancy originating from the lining cells (mesothelium) of the pleural and peritoneal cavities, as well as the pericardium and the tunica vaginalis. The exact prevalence is unknown but it is estimated that mesotheliomas represent less than 1% of all cancers. Its incidence is increasing, with an expected peak in the next 10–20 years. Pleural malignant mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. Typical presenting features are those of chest pain and dyspnoea. Breathlessness due to a pleural effusion without chest pain is reported in about 30% of patients. A chest wall mass, weight loss, sweating, abdominal pain and ascites (due to peritoneal involvement) are less common presentations. Mesothelioma is directly attributable to occupational asbestos exposure with a history of exposure in over 90% of cases. There is also evidence that mesothelioma may result from both para-occupational exposure and non-occupational "environmental" exposure. Idiopathic or spontaneous mesothelioma can also occur in the absence of any exposure to asbestos, with a spontaneous rate in humans of around one per million. A combination of accurate exposure history, along with examination radiology and pathology are essential to make the diagnosis. Distinguishing malignant from benign pleural disease can be challenging. The most helpful CT findings suggesting malignant pleural disease are 1) a circumferential pleural rind, 2) nodular pleural thickening, 3) pleural thickening of > 1 cm and 4) mediastinal pleural involvement. Involvement of a multidisciplinary team is recommended to ensure prompt and appropriate management, using a framework of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and symptom palliation with end of life care. Compensation issues must also be considered. Life expectancy in malignant mesothelioma is poor, with a median survival of about one year following diagnosis.

negative: Human neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2: views and perspectives from Professor Linqi Zhang at Tsinghua University Professor Linqi Zhang’s laboratory has uncovered the structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain binding with cell receptor angiotensin converting enzyme 2, and isolated more than 200 receptor-binding domain-specific monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. The top SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies are now under development with partnership in pharmaceutical industry.

negative: Use of respiratory and facial protection. Infectious microorganisms can be transmitted by various routes. Respiratory and facial protection is needed to prevent infection with organisms that are usually transmitted through the droplet/airborne route, or when airborne particles have been artificially created, for example during aerosol-generating procedures. Recent experiences with severe acute respiratory syndrome and pandemic (H1N1) influenza in 2009 highlighted that health professionals may have difficulty in choosing the correct facial and respiratory protection. The Scientific Development Committee of the Healthcare Infection HealtSociety established a working group to develop guidance addressing this issue.

negative: Laparoscopic splenectomy: posterolateral approach in patients with liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension with platelet count lower than 1 × 109/l. Introduction Laparoscopic splenectomy for massive splenomegaly secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension in patients with an extremely low platelet count (< 1 × 109/l) presents several challenges. The posterolateral laparoscopic splenectomy approach may be a feasible and safe technique for these patients. Aim To evaluate the feasibility and safety of the posterolateral laparoscopic splenectomy approach in patients with platelet counts < 1 × 109/l secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Material and methods In the period from January 2013 to December 2016, 11 patients with platelet counts < 1 × 109/l secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension underwent posterolateral laparoscopic splenectomy in our institution. Pre-, peri-, and postoperative medical managements were reviewed retrospectively. Results Patients' median platelet count was 0.7 × 109/l at the time of inpatient admission. The median operating time was 75 min, and the median intraoperative blood loss was 30 ml. One patient underwent intraoperative transfusion. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 5 days. No intra- or postoperative complications ensued, all patients were followed for 12-32 months (median: 24 months), and none had postoperative complications. Conclusions The posterolateral laparoscopic splenectomy approach is a feasible, safe technique in the treatment of patients with platelet counts < 1 × 109/l secondary to liver cirrhosis and portal hypertension.

negative: Structure, Function, and Evolution of Coronavirus Spike Proteins. The coronavirus spike protein is a multifunctional molecular machine that mediates coronavirus entry into host cells. It first binds to a receptor on the host cell surface through its S1 subunit and then fuses viral and host membranes through its S2 subunit. Two domains in S1 from different coronaviruses recognize a variety of host receptors, leading to viral attachment. The spike protein exists in two structurally distinct conformations, prefusion and postfusion. The transition from prefusion to postfusion conformation of the spike protein must be triggered, leading to membrane fusion. This article reviews current knowledge about the structures and functions of coronavirus spike proteins, illustrating how the two S1 domains recognize different receptors and how the spike proteins are regulated to undergo conformational transitions. I further discuss the evolution of these two critical functions of coronavirus spike proteins, receptor recognition and membrane fusion, in the context of the corresponding functions from other viruses and host cells.

negative: Nasal Pressure Injuries During the COVID-19 Epidemic

negative: Crystal structure of bovine coronavirus spike protein lectin domain. The spike protein N-terminal domains (NTDs) of bovine coronavirus (BCoV) and mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) recognize sugar and protein receptors, respectively, despite their significant sequence homology. We recently determined the crystal structure of MHV NTD complexed with its protein receptor murine carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 1 (CEACAM1), which surprisingly revealed a human galectin (galactose-binding lectin) fold in MHV NTD. Here, we have determined at 1.55 Å resolution the crystal structure of BCoV NTD, which also has the human galectin fold. Using mutagenesis, we have located the sugar-binding site in BCoV NTD, which overlaps with the galactose-binding site in human galectins. Using a glycan array screen, we have identified 5-N-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid as the preferred sugar substrate for BCoV NTD. Subtle structural differences between BCoV and MHV NTDs, primarily involving different conformations of receptor-binding loops, explain why BCoV NTD does not bind CEACAM1 and why MHV NTD does not bind sugar. These results suggest a successful viral evolution strategy in which coronaviruses stole a galectin from hosts, incorporated it into their spike protein, and evolved it into viral receptor-binding domains with altered sugar specificity in contemporary BCoV or novel protein specificity in contemporary MHV.

negative: An Internet-Based Epidemiological Investigation of the Outbreak of H7N9 Avian Influenza A in China Since Early 2013 BACKGROUND: In early 2013, a new type of avian influenza, H7N9, emerged in China. It quickly became an issue of great public concern and a widely discussed topic on the Internet. A considerable volume of relevant information was made publicly available on the Internet through various sources. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the outbreak of H7N9 in China based on data openly available on the Internet and to validate our investigation by comparing our findings with a well-conducted conventional field epidemiologic study. METHODS: We searched publicly accessible Internet data on the H7N9 outbreak primarily from government and major mass media websites in China up to February 10, 2014. Two researchers independently extracted, compared, and confirmed the information of each confirmed H7N9 case using a self-designed data extraction form. We summarized the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of confirmed H7N9 cases and compared them with those from the field study. RESULTS: According to our data updated until February 10, 2014, 334 confirmed H7N9 cases were identified. The median age was 58 years and 67.0% (219/327) were males. Cases were reported in 15 regions in China. Five family clusters were found. Of the 16.8% (56/334) of the cases with relevant data, 69.6% (39/56) reported a history of exposure to animals. Of the 1751 persons with a close contact with a confirmed case, 0.6% (11/1751) of them developed respiratory symptoms during the 7-day surveillance period. In the 97.9% (327/334) of the cases with relevant data, 21.7% (71/327) died, 20.8% (68/327) were discharged from a hospital, and 57.5% (188/327) were of uncertain status. We compared our findings before February 10, 2014 and those before December 1, 2013 with those from the conventional field study, which had the latter cutoff date of ours in data collection. Our study showed most epidemiological and clinical characteristics were similar to those in the field study, except for case fatality (71/327, 21.7% for our data before February 10; 45/138, 32.6% for our data before December 1; 47/139, 33.8% for the field study), time from illness onset to first medical care (4 days, 3 days, and 1 day), and time from illness onset to death (16.5 days, 17 days, and 21 days). CONCLUSIONS: Findings from our Internet-based investigation were similar to those from the conventional field study in most epidemiological and clinical aspects of the outbreak. Importantly, publicly available Internet data are open to any interested researchers and can thus greatly facilitate the investigation and control of such outbreaks. With improved efforts for Internet data provision, Internet-based investigation has a great potential to become a quick, economical, novel approach to investigating sudden issues of great public concern that involve a relatively small number of cases like this H7N9 outbreak.

negative: Integral membrane protein structure: transmembrane α-helices as autonomous folding domains: Current opinion in structural biology 1993, 3: 532–540 The transmembrane region of many integral membrane proteins is made up of a bundle of hydrophobic α-helices. Such a structure could result from a two-stage folding process, during which preformed transmembrane helices with independent stability pack without topological rearrangement. This view was originally prompted by experiments in which fragments of transmembrane regions were separately refolded into lipid bilayers and subsequently brought together to yield a functional protein. Other lines of evidence, including the existence of ‘one-helix’ miniproteins, gene-fusion experiments, helix-driven oligomerization of bitopic proteins, and sequence rearrangements in the course of evolution support this view. Although it forms a useful basis for structural predictions, the limitations of the two-stage folding hypothesis are not clearly defined, and the proportion of integral membrane proteins to which it applies remains uncertain. The papers discussed in the present review illustrate recent progress along these lines.

negative: Updated Approaches against SARS-CoV-2 Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lies behind the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). There is a growing understanding of SARS-CoV-2 in virology, epidemiology, and clinical management strategies. However, no anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug or vaccine has been officially approved due to the absence of adequate evidence. Scientists are racing to develop a treatment for COVID-19. Recent studies have revealed many attractive therapeutic options, even if some of them remain to be further confirmed in rigorous preclinical models and clinical trials. In this minireview, we aim to summarize the updated potential approaches against SARS-CoV-2. We emphasize that further efforts are warranted to develop the safest and most effective approach.

negative: The correspondence between the structure of the terrestrial mobility network and the emergence of COVID-19 in Brazil The inter-cities mobility network is of great importance in understanding outbreaks, especially in Brazil, a continental-dimension country. Grounded on the complex networks approach, cities are here represented as nodes and the flows as weighted edges - these geographical graphs, (geo)graphs, are handled in a Geographical Information System. We adopt the IBGE database from 2016, which contains the weekly flow of people between cities in terrestrial vehicles. The present work aims to investigate the correspondences of the networks' measures, like strength, degree, and betweenness with the emergence of cities with confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Brazil, and special attention is given to the state of Sao Paulo. We show that the results are better when certain thresholds are applied to the networks' flows to neglect the lowest-frequency travels. The correspondences presented statistical significance for most measures up to a certain period. Until the end of April, the best matchings are with the strength measure (total flow related to a node/city) under a high flow threshold in the Sao Paulo state, when the most connected cities are reached. After this stage, the lower thresholds become more suitable, indicating a possible signature of the outbreak interiorization process. Surprisingly, some countryside cities such as Campina Grande (state of Paraiba), Feira de Santana (state of Bahia), and Caruaru (state of Pernambuco) have higher strengths than some states' capitals. Furthermore, some cities from the Sao Paulo state such as Presidente Prudente and Ribeirao Preto are captured in the top-rank positions of all the analyzed network measures under different flow thresholds. Their importance in mobility is crucial and they are potential super spreaders like the states' capitals. Our analysis offers additional tools for understanding and decision support to inter-cities mobility interventions regarding the SARS-CoV-2 and other epidemics.

negative: Astrovirus Structure and Assembly Recent structural studies on the astrovirus virion and viral proteins have yielded exciting new insights into the molecular mechanisms of the astrovirus life cycle. The 25 Å-resolution cryo-electron microscopy (Cryo-EM) reconstructions of the astrovirus virion reveal a solid capsid shell studded with spikes. Proteolytic maturation of the virus particle results in capsid conformational changes, most prominently at the spikes. High-resolution crystal structures of the human and avian astrovirus capsid spike domains have shed light on potential host receptors and species specificity. Together, both the structural studies on the astrovirus virion and capsid spike domains have revealed similarities to hepatitis E virus, suggesting an evolutionary relationship. The only other structural information on astrovirus is from the high-resolution crystal structure of the protease that is involved in nonstructural polyprotein processing. Overall, these structural studies have led a better understanding of the astrovirus life cycle, including astrovirus assembly, virus release, maturation, receptor binding, antibody neutralization, and nonstructural polyprotein processing.

negative: Nanomechanical sonification of the 2019-nCoV coronavirus spike protein through a materiomusical approach Proteins are key building blocks of virtually all life, providing the material foundation of spider silk, cells, and hair, but also offering other functions from enzymes to drugs, and pathogens like viruses. Based on a nanomechanical analysis of the structure and motions of atoms and molecules at multiple scales, we report sonified versions of the coronavirus spike protein of the pathogen of COVID-19, 2019-nCoV. The audio signal, created using a novel nanomechanical sonification method, features an overlay of the vibrational signatures of the protein's primary, secondary and higher-order structures. Presenting musical encoding in two versions - one in the amino-acid scale and one based on equal temperament tuning - the method allows for expressing protein structures in audible space, offering novel avenues to represent, analyze and design architectural features across length- and time-scales. We further report a hierarchical frequency spectrum analysis of five distinct protein structures, which offer insights into how genetic mutations, and the binding of the virus spike protein to the human ACE2 cell receptor directly influence the audio. Applications of the approach may include the development of de novo antibodies by designing protein sequences that match, through melodic counterpoints, the binding sites in the spike protein. Other applications of audible coding of matter include material design by manipulating sound, detecting mutations, and offering a way to reach out to broader communities to explain the physics of proteins. It also forms a physics-based compositional technique to create new art, referred to as materiomusic, which is akin to finding a new palette of colors for a painter. Here, the nanomechanical structure of matter, reflected in an oscillatory framework, presents a new palette for sound generation, and can complement or support human creativity.

negative: Structure of mouse coronavirus spike protein complexed with receptor reveals mechanism for viral entry Coronaviruses recognize a variety of receptors using different domains of their envelope-anchored spike protein. How these diverse receptor recognition patterns affect viral entry is unknown. Mouse hepatitis coronavirus (MHV) is the only known coronavirus that uses the N-terminal domain (NTD) of its spike to recognize a protein receptor, CEACAM1a. Here we determined the cryo-EM structure of MHV spike complexed with mouse CEACAM1a. The trimeric spike contains three receptor-binding S1 heads sitting on top of a trimeric membrane-fusion S2 stalk. Three receptor molecules bind to the sides of the spike trimer, where three NTDs are located. Receptor binding induces structural changes in the spike, weakening the interactions between S1 and S2. Using protease sensitivity and negative-stain EM analyses, we further showed that after protease treatment of the spike, receptor binding facilitated the dissociation of S1 from S2, allowing S2 to transition from pre-fusion to post-fusion conformation. Together these results reveal a new role of receptor binding in MHV entry: in addition to its well-characterized role in viral attachment to host cells, receptor binding also induces the conformational change of the spike and hence the fusion of viral and host membranes. Our study provides new mechanistic insight into coronavirus entry and highlights the diverse entry mechanisms used by different viruses.

negative: Evolving geographic diversity in SARS-CoV2 and in silico analysis of replicating enzyme 3CL(pro) targeting repurposed drug candidates BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been initiating pandemics since the beginning of the century. In December 2019, the world was hit again by a devastating SARS episode that has so far infected almost four million individuals worldwide, with over 200,000 fatalities having already occurred by mid-April 2020, and the infection rate continues to grow exponentially. SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a single stranded RNA pathogen which is characterised by a high mutation rate. It is vital to explore the mutagenic capability of the viral genome that enables SARS-CoV-2 to rapidly jump from one host immunity to another and adapt to the genetic pool of local populations. METHODS: For this study, we analysed 2301 complete viral sequences reported from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. SARS-CoV-2 host genomes were collected from The Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data (GISAID) database containing 9 genomes from pangolin-CoV origin and 3 genomes from bat-CoV origin, Wuhan SARS-CoV2 reference genome was collected from GeneBank database. The Multiple sequence alignment tool, Clustal Omega was used for genomic sequence alignment. The viral replicating enzyme, 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CL(pro)) that plays a key role in its pathogenicity was used to assess its affinity with pharmacological inhibitors and repurposed drugs such as anti-viral flavones, biflavanoids, anti-malarial drugs and vitamin supplements. RESULTS: Our results demonstrate that bat-CoV shares > 96% similar identity, while pangolin-CoV shares 85.98% identity with Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 genome. This in-depth analysis has identified 12 novel recurrent mutations in South American and African viral genomes out of which 3 were unique in South America, 4 unique in Africa and 5 were present in-patient isolates from both populations. Using state of the art in silico approaches, this study further investigates the interaction of repurposed drugs with the SARS-CoV-2 3CL(pro) enzyme, which regulates viral replication machinery. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, this study provides insights into the evolving mutations, with implications to understand viral pathogenicity and possible new strategies for repurposing compounds to combat the nCovid-19 pandemic.

negative: Feline coronavirus: Insights into viral pathogenesis based on the spike protein structure and function Abstract Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is an etiological agent that causes a benign enteric illness and the fatal systemic disease feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). The FCoV spike (S) protein is considered the viral regulator for binding and entry to the cell. This protein is also involved in FCoV tropism and virulence, as well as in the switch from enteric disease to FIP. This regulation is carried out by spike's major functions: receptor binding and virus-cell membrane fusion. In this review, we address important aspects in FCoV genetics, replication and pathogenesis, focusing on the role of S. To better understand this, FCoV S protein models were constructed, based on the human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) S structure. We describe the specific structural characteristics of the FCoV S, in comparison with other coronavirus spikes. We also revise the biochemical events needed for FCoV S activation and its relation to the structural features of the protein.

negative: Viral Infection at High Magnification: 3D Electron Microscopy Methods to Analyze the Architecture of Infected Cells As obligate intracellular parasites, viruses need to hijack their cellular hosts and reprogram their machineries in order to replicate their genomes and produce new virions. For the direct visualization of the different steps of a viral life cycle (attachment, entry, replication, assembly and egress) electron microscopy (EM) methods are extremely helpful. While conventional EM has given important information about virus-host cell interactions, the development of three-dimensional EM (3D-EM) approaches provides unprecedented insights into how viruses remodel the intracellular architecture of the host cell. During the last years several 3D-EM methods have been developed. Here we will provide a description of the main approaches and examples of innovative applications.

negative: Automorphism Groups of Finite BL-Algebras Using a category dual to finite [Formula: see text]-algebras and their homomorphisms, in this paper we characterise the structure of the automorphism group of any given finite [Formula: see text]-algebra. Further, we specialise our result to the case of the variety generated by the k-element [Formula: see text]-algebra, for each [Formula: see text].

negative: Molecular targets for COVID-19 drug development: Enlightening Nigerians about the pandemic and future treatment There is little or no research initiated on enlightening Nigerians about the pathogenesis, targets for drug development, and drug repositioning for SARS-CoV-2 infection. COVID-19 is a viral infection causing symptoms like dry cough, sore throat, nasal congestion, tiredness, fever, loss of taste and smell etc. Th disease was first reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The infection is caused by SARS-CoV-2, which is the third introduction of a highly pathogenic coronavirus into the human population. Coronaviruses are viruses with a positive RNA envelope assigned to α, β, γ, and δ genera. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the β genus. The four structural proteins of β coronavirus are membrane (M), envelope (E), spike (S), and nucleocapsid (N) protein, mediation of coronavirus host infection is established by spike (S) protein. Therefore, the search for drug development targets and repositioning of existing therapeutics is essential for fighting the present pandemic. It was reviewed that therapeutics targeting SARS-CoV-2 binding to ACE2 receptor, viral RNA synthesis and replication, 3CLpro, RdRp, and helicase will play a crucial role in the development of treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, the RdRp and spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are the most promising targets for drug development and repositioning and vaccine development. Remdesivir combination with chloroquine/hydroxychloroquine are promising drug repositioning for the treatment of COVID-19, and mRNA-1273 targeting spike protein is the promising vaccine. However, as patient management and drug repositioning are taking place, it is imperative to identify other promising targets used by SARS-CoV-2 to establish infection, to develop novel therapeutics.

negative: Mechanisms of Coronavirus Cell Entry Mediated by the Viral Spike Protein Coronaviruses are enveloped positive-stranded RNA viruses that replicate in the cytoplasm. To deliver their nucleocapsid into the host cell, they rely on the fusion of their envelope with the host cell membrane. The spike glycoprotein (S) mediates virus entry and is a primary determinant of cell tropism and pathogenesis. It is classified as a class I fusion protein, and is responsible for binding to the receptor on the host cell as well as mediating the fusion of host and viral membranes—A process driven by major conformational changes of the S protein. This review discusses coronavirus entry mechanisms focusing on the different triggers used by coronaviruses to initiate the conformational change of the S protein: receptor binding, low pH exposure and proteolytic activation. We also highlight commonalities between coronavirus S proteins and other class I viral fusion proteins, as well as distinctive features that confer distinct tropism, pathogenicity and host interspecies transmission characteristics to coronaviruses.

negative: COVID‐19 treatment by repurposing drugs until the vaccine is in sight Corona virus disease (COVID‐19) has created pandemic in the world as declared by WHO on March 12, 2020. It is a viral disease caused by SARS‐CoV 2 virus and has affected large populations in over 120 countries. There is no specific treatment available and management is empirical. Until such time that an effective vaccine is available for COVID‐19 viral infection, one can repurpose known therapeutic drug molecules such as angiotensin receptor 2 blocker, a commonly used antihypertensive drug, to control COVID‐19 virus from gaining entry into the host cell by blocking the angiotensin receptor. Clinical trials should also be undertaken to use statins, which are lipid‐lowering drugs but have anti‐inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties to prevent acute lung injury in COVID‐19 infection.

negative: Structure of the haemagglutinin-esterase-fusion glycoprotein of influenza C virus The spike glycoproteins of the lipid-enveloped orthomyxoviruses and paramyxoviruses have three functions: to recognize the receptor on the cell surface, to mediate viral fusion with the cell membrane, and to destroy the receptor. In influenza C virus, a single glycoprotein, the haemagglutinin-esterase-fusion (HEF) protein, possesses all three functions (reviewed in ref. 1). In influenza A and B, the first two activities are mediated by haemagglutinin and the third by a second glycoprotein, neuraminidase. Here we report the crystal structure of the HEF envelope glycoprotein of influenza C virus. We have identified the receptor-binding site and the receptor-destroying enzyme (9-O -acetylesterase) sites, by using receptor analogues. The receptor-binding domain is structurally similar to the sialic acid-binding domain of influenza A haemagglutinin, but binds 9-O -acetylsialic acid. The esterase domain has a structure similar to the esterase from Streptomyces scabies and a brain acetylhydrolase(2),(3). The receptor domain is inserted into a surface loop of the esterase domain and the esterase domain is inserted into a surface loop of the stem. The stem domain is similar to that of influenza A haemagglutinin, except that the triple-stranded, α-helical bundle diverges at both of its ends, and the amino terminus of HEF2, the fusion peptide, is partially exposed. The segregation of HEF's three functions into structurally distinct domains suggests that the entire stem region, including sequences at the amino and carboxy termini of HEF1 which precede the post-translational cleavage site between HEF1 and HEF2, forms an independent fusion domain which is probably derived from an ancestral membrane fusion protein.

negative: Multinational, observational study of procalcitonin in ICU patients with pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation: a multicenter observational study INTRODUCTION: The intent of this study was to determine whether serum procalcitonin (PCT) levels are associated with prognosis, measured as organ dysfunctions and 28-day mortality, in patients with severe pneumonia. METHODS: This was a multicenter, observational study of critically ill adult patients with pneumonia requiring mechanical ventilation conducted in 10 academic hospitals in Canada, the United States, and Central Europe. PCT was measured daily for 14 days using an immuno-luminometric assay. RESULTS: We included 175 patients, 57 with community acquired pneumonia (CAP), 61 with ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) and 57 with hospital acquired pneumonia (HAP). Initial PCT levels were higher in CAP than VAP patients (median (interquartile range: IQR); 2.4 (0.95 to 15.8) vs. 0.7 (0.3 to 2.15), ng/ml, P < 0.001) but not significantly different to HAP (2.2 (0.4 to 8.0) ng/ml). The 28-day ICU mortality rate for all patients was 18.3% with a median ICU length of stay of 16 days (range 1 to 142 days). PCT levels were higher in non-survivors than in survivors. Initial and maximum PCT levels correlated with maximum Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score r(2 )= 0.50 (95% CI: 0.38 to 0.61) and r(2 )= 0.57 (0.46 to 0.66), respectively. Receiver operating curve (ROC) analysis on discrimination of 28-day mortality showed areas under the curve (AUC) of 0.74, 0.70, and 0.69 for maximum PCT, initial PCT, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score, respectively. The optimal cut-off to predict mortality for initial PCT was 1.1 ng/ml (odds ratio: OD 7.0 (95% CI 2.6 to 25.2)) and that for maximum PCT was 7.8 ng/ml (odds ratio 5.7 (95% CI 2.5 to 13.1)). CONCLUSIONS: PCT is associated with the severity of illness in patients with severe pneumonia and appears to be a prognostic marker of morbidity and mortality comparable to the APACHE II score.

negative: Host cell proteases: critical determinants of coronavirus tropism and pathogenesis Coronaviruses are a large group of enveloped, single-stranded positive-sense RNA viruses that infect a wide range of avian and mammalian species, including humans. The emergence of deadly human coronaviruses, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), and Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) have bolstered research in these viral and often zoonotic pathogens. While coronavirus cell and tissue tropism, host range, and pathogenesis are initially controlled by interactions between the spike envelope glycoprotein and host cell receptor, it is becoming increasingly apparent that proteolytic activation of spike by host cell proteases also plays a critical role. Coronavirus spike proteins are the main determinant of entry as they possess both receptor binding and fusion functions. Whereas binding to the host cell receptor is an essential first step in establishing infection, the proteolytic activation step is often critical for the fusion function of spike, as it allows for controlled release of the fusion peptide into target cellular membranes. Coronaviruses have evolved multiple strategies for proteolytic activation of spike, and a large number of host proteases have been shown to proteolytically process the spike protein. These include, but are not limited to, endosomal cathepsins, cell surface transmembrane protease/serine (TMPRSS) proteases, furin, and trypsin. This review focuses on the diversity of strategies coronaviruses have evolved to proteolytically activate their fusion protein during spike protein biosynthesis and the critical entry step of their life cycle, and highlights important findings on how proteolytic activation of coronavirus spike influences tissue and cell tropism, host range and pathogenicity.

negative: [What is the origin of SARS-CoV-2?] Every time a pandemic occurs, dozens of theories emerge to attribute the origin of the event to different facts. The COVID-19 pandemic that has hit virtually all the globe has been no exception. What is known so far about the origin of the virus that causes COVID 19? The first investigations on the origin of this disease have determined that it is a new type of virus, the origin of which is most likely zoonotic.

negative: Demographic, etiological, and histological pulmonary analysis of patients with acute respiratory failure: a study of 19 years of autopsies INTRODUCTION: Acute respiratory failure has been one of the most important causes of death in intensive care units, and certain aspects of its pulmonary pathology are currently unknown. OBJECTIVES: The objective was to describe the demographic data, etiology, and pulmonary histopathological findings of different diseases in the autopsies of patients with acute respiratory failure. METHOD: Autopsies of 4,710 patients with acute respiratory failure from 1990 to 2008 were reviewed, and the following data were obtained: age, sex, and major associated diseases. The pulmonary histopathology was categorized as diffuse alveolar damage, pulmonary edema, alveolar hemorrhage, and lymphoplasmacytic interstitial pneumonia. The odds ratio of the concordance between the major associated diseases and specific autopsy findings was calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Bacterial bronchopneumonia was present in 33.9% of the cases and cancer in 28.1%. The pulmonary histopathology showed diffuse alveolar damage in 40.7% (1,917) of the cases. A multivariate analysis showed a significant and powerful association between diffuse alveolar damage and bronchopneumonia, HIV/AIDS, sepsis, and septic shock, between liver cirrhosis and pulmonary embolism, between pulmonary edema and acute myocardial infarction, between dilated cardiomyopathy and cancer, between alveolar hemorrhage and bronchopneumonia and pulmonary embolism, and between lymphoplasmacytic interstitial pneumonia and HIV/AIDS and liver cirrhosis. CONCLUSIONS: Bronchopneumonia was the most common diagnosis in these cases. The most prevalent pulmonary histopathological pattern was diffuse alveolar damage, which was associated with different inflammatory conditions. Further studies are necessary to elucidate the complete pathophysiological mechanisms involved with each disease and the development of acute respiratory failure.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in India: epidemiological features and in silico analysis of the effect of interventions Background: After SARS-CoV-2 set foot in India, the Government took a number of steps to limit the spread of the virus in the country. This included restricted testing, isolation, contact tracing and quarantine, and enforcement of a nation-wide lockdown starting 25 March 2020. The objectives of this study were to i) describe the age,gender distribution and mortality among COVID-19 patients identified till 14 April 2020 and predict the range of contact rate; and ii) predict the number of active COVID-19 patients after 40 days of lockdown. Methods: We used a cross-sectional descriptive design for first objective and a susceptible-infected-removed model for in silico predictions. We collected data from government-controlled and crowdsourced websites. Results: Studying age and gender parameters of 1161 Indian COVID-19 patients, the median age was 38 years (IQR, 27-52) with 20-39 year-old males being the most affected group. The number of affected patients were 854 (73.6%) men and 307 (26.4%) women. If the current contact rate continues (0.25-27), India may have 110460 to 220575 infected persons at the end of 40 days lockdown. Conclusion: The disease is majorly affecting a younger age group in India. Interventions have been helpful in preventing the worst-case scenario in India, but will be unable to prevent the spike in number of cases.

negative: Crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 non-structural protein 9, Nsp9 Summary Many of the SARS-CoV-2 proteins have related counterparts across the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV) family. One such protein is non-structural protein 9 (Nsp9), which is thought to mediate viral replication, overall virulence and viral genomic RNA reproduction. We sought to better characterise the SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 and subsequently solved its X-ray crystal structure, in an apo-form and, unexpectedly, in a peptide-bound form with a sequence originating from a rhinoviral 3C protease sequence (LEVL). The SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9 structure revealed the high level of structural conservation within the Nsp9 family. The exogenous peptide binding site is close to the dimer interface and impacted the relative juxtapositioning of the monomers within the homodimer. We have established a protocol for the production of SARS-CoV-2 Nsp9, determined its structure and identified a peptide-binding site that warrants further study to understanding Nsp9 function.

negative: Master Regulator Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2/Human Interactome The recent epidemic outbreak of a novel human coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 causing the respiratory tract disease COVID-19 has reached worldwide resonance and a global effort is being undertaken to characterize the molecular features and evolutionary origins of this virus. In this paper, we set out to shed light on the SARS-CoV-2/host receptor recognition, a crucial factor for successful virus infection. Based on the current knowledge of the interactome between SARS-CoV-2 and host cell proteins, we performed Master Regulator Analysis to detect which parts of the human interactome are most affected by the infection. We detected, amongst others, affected apoptotic and mitochondrial mechanisms, and a downregulation of the ACE2 protein receptor, notions that can be used to develop specific therapies against this new virus.

negative: Serological Approaches for COVID-19: Epidemiologic Perspective on Surveillance and Control Since December 2019, the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has garnered global attention due to its rapid transmission, which has infected more than two million people worldwide. Early detection of SARS-CoV-2 is one of the crucial interventions to control virus spread and dissemination. Molecular assays have been the gold standard to directly detect for the presence of viral genetic material in infected individuals. However, insufficient viral RNA at the point of detection may lead to false negative results. As such, it is important to also employ immune-based assays to determine one's exposure to SARS-CoV-2, as well as to assist in the surveillance of individuals with prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2. Within a span of 4 months, extensive studies have been done to develop serological systems to characterize the antibody profiles, as well as to identify and generate potentially neutralizing antibodies during SARS-CoV-2 infection. The vast diversity of novel findings has added value to coronavirus research, and a strategic consolidation is crucial to encompass the latest advances and developments. This review aims to provide a concise yet extensive collation of current immunoassays for SARS-CoV-2, while discussing the strengths, limitations and applications of antibody detection in SARS-CoV-2 research and control.

negative: Striding Toward Malaria Elimination in China

negative: Structural basis for inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 by remdesivir The pandemic of Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has become a global crisis. The replication of SARS-CoV-2 requires the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp), a target of the antiviral drug, Remdesivir. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp either in the apo form at 2.8 Å resolution or in complex with a 50-base template-primer RNA and Remdesivir at 2.5 Å resolution. The complex structure reveals that the partial double-stranded RNA template is inserted into the central channel of the RdRp where Remdesivir is covalently incorporated into the primer strand at the first replicated base pair and terminates chain elongation. Our structures provide critical insights into the mechanism of viral RNA replication and a rational template for drug design to combat the viral infection.

negative: Structural basis of neutralization by a human anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome spike protein antibody, 80R. Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a newly emerged infectious disease that caused pandemic spread in 2003. The etiological agent of SARS is a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV). The coronaviral surface spike protein S is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates initial host binding via the cell surface receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), as well as the subsequent membrane fusion events required for cell entry. Here we report the crystal structure of the S1 receptor binding domain (RBD) in complex with a neutralizing antibody, 80R, at 2.3 A resolution, as well as the structure of the uncomplexed S1 RBD at 2.2 A resolution. We show that the 80R-binding epitope on the S1 RBD overlaps very closely with the ACE2-binding site, providing a rationale for the strong binding and broad neutralizing ability of the antibody. We provide a structural basis for the differential effects of certain mutations in the spike protein on 80R versus ACE2 binding, including escape mutants, which should facilitate the design of immunotherapeutics to treat a future SARS outbreak. We further show that the RBD of S1 forms dimers via an extensive interface that is disrupted in receptor- and antibody-bound crystal structures, and we propose a role for the dimer in virus stability and infectivity.

negative: Docetaxel induces moderate ovarian toxicity in mice, primarily affecting granulosa cells of early growing follicles Advances in cancer therapy have focused attention on the quality of life of cancer survivors. Since infertility is a major concern following chemotherapy, it is important to characterize the drug-specific damage to the reproductive system to help find appropriate protective strategies. This study investigates the damage on neonatal mouse ovary maintained in vitro for 6 days, and exposed for 24 h (on Day 2) to clinically relevant doses of Docetaxel (DOC; low: 0.1 µM, mid: 1 µM, high: 10 µM). Furthermore, the study explores the putative protective action exerted by Tri-iodothyronine (T3; 10(−7) M). At the end of culture, morphological analyses and follicle counts showed that DOC negatively impacts on early growing follicles, decreasing primary follicle number and severely affecting health at the transitional and primary stages. Poor follicle health was mainly due to effects on granulosa cells, indicating that the effects of DOC on oocytes were likely to be secondary to granulosa cell damage. DOC damages growing follicles specifically, with no direct effect on the primordial follicle reserve. Immunostaining and western blotting showed that DOC induces activation of intrinsic, type II apoptosis in ovarian somatic cells; increasing the levels of cleaved caspase 3, cleaved caspase 8, Bax and cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, while also inducing movement of cytochrome C from mitochondria into the cytosol. T3 did not prevent the damage induced by the low dose of DOC. These results demonstrated that DOC induces a gonadotoxic effect on the mouse ovary through induction of somatic cell apoptosis, with no evidence of direct effects on the oocyte, and that the damaging effect is not mitigated by T3.

negative: Pseudotyped Vesicular Stomatitis Virus for Analysis of Virus Entry Mediated by SARS Coronavirus Spike Proteins Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) contains a spike (S) protein that binds to a receptor molecule (angiotensin-converting enzyme 2; ACE2), induces membrane fusion, and serves as a neutralizing epitope. To study the functions of the S protein, we describe here the generation of SARS-CoV S protein-bearing vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) pseudotype using a VSV∆G∗/GFP system in which the G gene is replaced by the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene (VSV-SARS-CoV-St19/GFP). Partial deletion of the cytoplasmic domain of SARS-CoV S protein (SARS-CoV-St19) allowed efficient incorporation into the VSV particle that enabled the generation of a high titer of pseudotype virus. Neutralization assay with anti-SARS-CoV antibody revealed that VSV-SARS-St19/GFP pseudotype infection is mediated by SARS-CoV S protein. The VSV∆G∗/SEAP system, which secretes alkaline phosphatase instead of GFP, was also generated as a VSV pseudotype having SARS-CoV S protein (VSV-SARS-CoV-St19/SEAP). This system enabled high-throughput analysis of SARS-CoV S protein-mediated cell entry by measuring alkaline phosphatase activity. Thus, VSV pseudotyped with SARS-CoV S protein is useful for developing a rapid detection system for neutralizing antibody specific for SARS-CoV infection as well as studying the S-mediated cell entry of SARS-CoV.

negative: Screening and druggability analysis of some plant metabolites against SARS-CoV-2: An integrative computational approach The sudden outbreak of novel coronavirus has caused a global concern due to its infection rate and mortality. Despite extensive research, there are still no specific drugs or vaccines to combat SARS-CoV-2 infection. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate some plant-based active compounds for drug candidacy against SARS-CoV-2 by using virtual screening methods and various computational analyses. A total of 27 plant metabolites were screened against SARS-CoV-2 main protease proteins (MPP), Nsp9 RNA binding protein, spike receptor binding domain, spike ecto-domain and HR2 domain using a molecular docking approach. Four metabolites, i.e., asiatic acid, avicularin, guajaverin, and withaferin showed maximum binding affinity with all key proteins in terms of lowest global binding energy. The crucial binding sites and drug surface hotspots were unravelled for each viral protein. The top candidates were further employed for ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) analysis to investigate their drug profiles. Results suggest that none of the compounds render any undesirable consequences that could reduce their drug likeness properties. The analysis of toxicity pattern revealed no significant tumorigenic, mutagenic, irritating, or reproductive effects by the compounds. However, withaferin was comparatively toxic among the top four candidates with considerable cytotoxicity and immunotoxicity. Most of the target class by top drug candidates belonged to enzyme groups (e.g. oxidoreductases hydrolases, phosphatases). Moreover, results of drug similarity prediction revealed two approved structural analogs of Asiatic acid i.e. Hydrocortisone (DB00741) (previously used for SARS-CoV-1 and MERS) and Dinoprost-tromethamine (DB01160) from DrugBank. In addition, two other biologically active compounds, Mupirocin (DB00410) and Simvastatin (DB00641) could be an option for the treatment of viral infections. The study may pave the way to develop effective medications and preventive measure against SARS-CoV-2. Due to the encouraging results, we highly recommend further in vivo trials for the experimental validation of our findings.

negative: Malaria and the HIV virus: is there any interaction?

negative: Coronaviruses: Molecular Biology☆ Abstract Coronaviruses (CoVs) are enveloped, positive-strand RNA viruses with characteristic spike glycoproteins that project outward like the rays of the sun (corona – Latin for ‘crown’), when visualized by electron microscopy. CoV are classified, together with the toroviruses, in the family Coronaviridae and the order Nidovirales. All nidoviruses have a common genome organization and generate a nested set (nido – Latin for ‘nest’) of 3′ co-terminal mRNAs. CoVs have been isolated from a variety of species, including birds, livestock, domestic animals, and humans. CoV infections can cause respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurologic disease, depending on the strain of the virus and the site of infection. Importantly, CoVs have been shown to cross species barriers and have emerged from animal reservoirs to infect humans and cause severe disease. The CoV responsible for an outbreak of severe acute respiratory disease (SARS-CoV) in 2002–03 likely originated as a bat coronavirus which, during replication in an intermediate host (such as the palm civet), evolved to be able to infect humans efficiently. SARS-CoV infected over 8000 people with approximately 10% mortality rate before it was controlled by public health measures of isolation of infected individuals and contacts. Middle East Respiratory Syndrome CoV (MERS-CoV), first reported in 2012, is likely transmitted from camels to humans with potentially fatal consequences. To date, there are no approved vaccines or direct acting antiviral drugs to combat coronavirus infections in humans. The emergence or re-emergence of CoVs from animal reservoirs is a potential concern for public health.

negative: DeepTracer: Predicting Backbone Atomic Structure from High Resolution Cryo-EM Density Maps of Protein Complexes Accurately determining the atomic structure of proteins represents a fundamental problem in the field of structural bioinformatics. A solution would be significant as protein structure information could be utilized in the medical field, e.g. in the development of vaccines for new viruses. This paper focuses on predicting the protein structure based on 3D images of the proteins captured through cryogenic electron microscopes (cryo-EM). A fully automated computationally efficient protein structure prediction method would be particularly beneficial in the field of cryo-EM as the technology allows researchers to photograph multiple large protein complexes in a single study, which means that a fast prediction method could allow for a high throughput of derived protein structures. We present a deep learning approach, DeepTracer, for predicting locations of the backbone atoms, secondary structure elements, and the amino acid types. In order to connect the predicted amino acids into chains, we applied a modified traveling salesman algorithm. We trained our deep learning model on experimental cryo-EM density maps and tested it on a set of 50 density maps. We found that our new approach predicted protein structures with an average RMSD value of 1.18 and a coverage of 87.5%. Furthermore, we detected secondary structure information for 87.2% of amino acids correctly. We also showed preliminarily that 25.2% of amino acid types could be predicted directly from the 3D cryo-EM density map, considering 20 different types in total. Finally, we noted that the prediction runtime of DeepTracer is significantly improved compared to other methods. It predicts a large protein complex structure of more than 30,000 amino acids in only 2 hours. The repository of this project will be published. dongsi@uw.edu Supplementary data will be available at Bioinformatics online.

negative: In Vitro Diagnostic Assays for COVID-19: Recent Advances and Emerging Trends There have been tremendous advances in in vitro diagnostic (IVD) assays for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The main IVD assays used for COVID-19 employ real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) that takes a few hours. But the assay duration has been shortened to 45 min by Cepheid. Of interest is the point-of-care (POC) molecular assay by Abbott that decreased the assay duration to just 5 min. Most molecular tests have been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under emergency use authorization (EUA) and are Conformité Européenne (CE) marked. A wide range of serology immunoassays (IAs) have also been developed that complement the molecular assays for the diagnosis of COVID-19. The most prominent IAs are automated chemiluminescent IA (CLIA), manual ELISA, and rapid lateral flow IA (LFIA), which detect the immunoglobulin M (IgM) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) produced in persons in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. The ongoing research efforts and advances in complementary technologies will pave the way to new POC IVD assays in the coming months. However, the performance of IVD assays needs to be critically evaluated before they are employed for the clinical diagnosis of COVID-19.

negative: Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the N-terminal domain of human coronavirus OC43 nucleocapsid protein The N-terminal domain of nucleocapsid protein from human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43 N-NTD) mostly contains positively charged residues and has been identified as being responsible for RNA binding during ribonucleocapsid formation in the coronavirus. In this study, the crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of HCoV-OC43 N-NTD (amino acids 58–195) with a molecular weight of 20 kDa are reported. HCoV-OC43 N-NTD was crystallized at 293 K using PEG 1500 as a precipitant and a 99.9% complete native data set was collected to 1.7 Å resolution at 100 K with an overall R (merge) of 5.0%. The crystals belonged to the hexagonal space group P6(5), with unit-cell parameters a = 81.57, c = 42.87 Å. Solvent-content calculations suggest that there is likely to be one subunit of N-NTD in the asymmetric unit.

negative: Virus against virus: a potential treatment for 2019-nCov (SARS-CoV-2) and other RNA viruses

negative: Advances in disease diagnosis, vaccine development and other emerging methods to control pathogens in aquaculture Disease is still regarded as a major constraint to aquaculture production globally. Rapid disease diagnosis and vaccination play a huge part in the control of bacterial diseases, and there has been significant progress in both of these areas. This chapter considers the limitations of existing methods and reviews recent advances made in pathogen detection technologies and vaccine development methodologies. Future directions are discussed, including nanotechnology and reversed vaccinology.

negative: Virus Evolution How Does an Enveloped Virus Make a Regular Structure?

negative: Tertiary structure prediction of SARS coronavirus helicase Abstract SARS coronavirus, SCV, has been recently responsible of a sudden and widespread infection which caused almost 800 victims. The limited amount of SCV protein structural information is partially responsible of the lack of specific drugs against the virus. Coronavirus helicases are very conserved and peculiar proteins which have been proposed as suitable targets for antiviral drugs, such as bananins, which have been recently shown to inhibit the SCV helicase in vitro. Here, the quaternary structure of SCV helicase has been predicted, which will provide a solid foundation for the rational design of other antiviral helicase inhibitors.

negative: Coronavirus in water environments: Occurrence, persistence and concentration methods - A scoping review Abstract Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses causing a spectrum of disease ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV). The recent outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has become a public health emergency worldwide. SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, is spread by human-to-human transmission via droplets or direct contact. However, since SARS-CoV-2 (as well as other coronaviruses) has been found in the fecal samples and anal swabs of some patients, the possibility of fecal-oral (including waterborne) transmission need to be investigated and clarified. This scoping review was conducted to summarize research data on CoV in water environments. A literature survey was conducted using the electronic databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Web Science Core Collection. This comprehensive research yielded more than 3000 records, but only 12 met the criteria and were included and discussed in this review. In detail, the review captured relevant studies investigating three main areas: 1) CoV persistence/survival in waters; 2) CoV occurrence in water environments; 3) methods for recovery of CoV from waters. The data available suggest that: i) CoV seems to have a low stability in the environment and is very sensitive to oxidants, like chlorine; ii) CoV appears to be inactivated significantly faster in water than non-enveloped human enteric viruses with known waterborne transmission; iii) temperature is an important factor influencing viral survival (the titer of infectious virus declines more rapidly at 23°C–25 °C than at 4 °C); iv) there is no current evidence that human coronaviruses are present in surface or ground waters or are transmitted through contaminated drinking-water; v) further research is needed to adapt to enveloped viruses the methods commonly used for sampling and concentration of enteric, non enveloped viruses from water environments. The evidence-based knowledge reported in this paper is useful to support risk analysis processes within the drinking and wastewater chain (i.e., water and sanitation safety planning) to protect human health from exposure to coronavirus through water.

negative: Phylogenetic Analysis of the Novel Coronavirus Reveals Important Variants in Indian Strains Recently classified as a pandemic by WHO, novel Corononavirus 2019 has affected almost every corner of the globe causing human deaths in a range of hundred thousands. The virus having its roots in Wuhan (China) has been spread over the world by its own property to change itself accordingly. These changes correspond to its transmission and pathogenicity due to which the concept of social distancing appeared into the picture. In this paper, a few findings from the whole genome sequence analysis of viral genome sequences submitted from India are presented. The data used for analysis comprises 440 collective genome sequences of virus submitted in GenBank, GISAID, and SRA projects, from around the world as well as 28 viral sequences from India. Multiple sequence alignment of all genome sequences was performed and analysed. A novel non-synonymous mutation 4809C>T (S1515F) in NSP3 gene of SARS-CoV2 Indian strains is reported along with other frequent and important changes from around the world: 3037C>T, 14408C>T, and 23403A>G. The novel change was observed in samples collected in the month of March, whereas was found to be absent in samples collected in January with the respective persons’ travel history to China. Phylogenetic analysis clustered the sequences with this change as one separate clade. Mutation was predicted as stabilising change by insilco tool DynaMut. A second patient in the world to our knowledge with multiple (Wuhan and USA) strain contraction was observed in this study. The infected person is among the two early infected patients with travel history to China. Strains sequenced in Iran stood out to have different variants, as most of the reported frequent variants were not observed. The objective of this paper is to highlight the similarities and changes observed in the submitted Indian viral strains. This helps to keep track on the activity, that how virus is changing into a new subtype. Major strains observed were European with the novel change in India and other being emergent clade of Iran. Its important to observe the changes in NSP3 gene, as this gene has been reported with extensive positive selection as well as potential drug target. Extensive Positive Selection Drives the Evolution of Nonstructural Proteins. With the limited number of sequences this was the only frequent novel non-synonymous change observed from Indian strains, thereby making this change vulnerable for investigation in future. This paper has a special focus on tracking of Indian viral sequences submitted in public domain.

negative: Structural basis of RNA recognition by the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid phosphoprotein Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which is currently negatively affecting the population and disrupting the global economy. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the +RNA virus family that utilize single-stranded positive-sense RNA molecules as genomes. SARS-CoV-2, like other coronaviruses, has an unusually large genome for a +RNA virus that encodes four structural proteins – the matrix (M), small envelope (E), spike (S) and nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (N) - and sixteen nonstructural proteins (nsp1-16) that together ensure replication of the virus in the host cell. The nucleocapsid phosphoprotein N is essential for linking the viral genome to the viral membrane. Its N-terminal RNA binding domain (N-NTD) captures the RNA genome while the C-terminal domain anchors the ribonucleoprotein complex to the viral membrane via its interaction with the M protein. Here, we characterized the structure of the N-NTD and its interaction with RNA using NMR spectroscopy. We observed a positively charged canyon on the surface of the N-NTD lined with arginine residues suggesting a putative RNA binding site. Next, we performed an NMR titration experiment using an RNA duplex. The observed changes in positions of signals in the N-NTD NMR spectra allowed us to construct a model of the N-NTD in complex with RNA.

negative: Investigating the genomic landscape of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) to identify non-synonymous mutations for use in diagnosis and drug design Novel coronavirus has wrecked medical and health care facilities claiming ~5% death tolls globally. All efforts to contain the pathogenesis either using inhibitory drugs or vaccines largely remained futile due to a lack of better understanding of the genomic feature of this virus. In the present study, we compared the 2019-nCoV with other coronaviruses, which indicated that bat-SARS like coronavirus could be a probable ancestor of the novel coronavirus. The protein sequence similarity of pangolin-hCoV and bat-hCoV with human coronavirus was higher as compared to their nucleotide similarity denoting the occurrence of more synonymous mutations in the genome. Phylogenetic and alignment analysis of 591 novel coronaviruses of different clades from Group I to Group V revealed several mutations and concomitant amino acid changes. Detailed investigation on nucleotide substitution unfolded 100 substitutions in the coding region of which 43 were synonymous and 57 were of non-synonymous type. The non-synonymous substitutions resulting into 57 amino acid changes were found to be distributed over different hCoV proteins with maximum on spike protein. An important diamino acid change RG to KR was observed in ORF9 protein. Additionally, several interesting features of the novel coronavirus genome have been highlighted in respect to various other human infecting viruses which may explain extreme pathogenicity, infectivity and simultaneously the reason behind failure of the antiviral therapies. Summary This study presents a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV2 isolates to understand discrete mutations that are occurring between patient samples. This analysis will provide an explanation for varying treatment efficacies of different inhibitory drugs and a future direction towards a combinatorial treatment therapies based on the kind of mutation in the viral genome.

negative: What's Old is New! Similarities Between SARS-CoV-2 and HIV

negative: SARS-CoV-2 infection and stem cells: interaction and intervention The emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China and its rapid national and international spread have created a global health emergency. The resemblance with SARS-CoV in spike protein suggests that SARS-CoV-2 employs spike–driven entry into angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2)-expressing cells. From a stem cell perspective, this review focuses on the possible involvement of ACE2(+) stem/progenitor cells from both the upper and lower respiratory tracts in coronavirus infection. Viral infection-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury occur because of dysregulation of the immune response. Mesenchymal stem cells appear to be a promising cell therapy given that they favorably modulate the immune response to reduce lung injury. The use of exogenous stem cells may lead to lung repair. Therefore, intervention by transplantation of exogenous stem cells may be required to replace, repair, remodel, and regenerate lung tissue in survivors infected with coronavirus. Ultimately, vaccines, natural killer cells and induced-pluripotent stem cell-derived virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes may offer off-the-shelf therapeutics for preventing coronavirus reemergence.

negative: Development of an inactivated vaccine candidate for SARS-CoV-2 The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome–coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has resulted in an unprecedented public health crisis. There are currently no SARS-CoV-2-specific treatments or vaccines available due to the novelty of the virus. Hence, rapid development of effective vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are urgently needed. Here we developed a pilot-scale production of a purified inactivated SARS-CoV-2 virus vaccine candidate (PiCoVacc), which induced SARS-CoV-2-specific neutralizing antibodies in mice, rats and non-human primates. These antibodies neutralized 10 representative SARS-CoV-2 strains, suggesting a possible broader neutralizing ability against SARS-CoV-2 strains. Three immunizations using two different doses (3 μg or 6 μg per dose) provided partial or complete protection in macaques against SARS-CoV-2 challenge, respectively, without observable antibody-dependent enhancement of infection. These data support clinical development of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines for humans.

negative: Prediction of the SARS-CoV-2 (2019-nCoV) 3C-like protease (3CL (pro)) structure: virtual screening reveals velpatasvir, ledipasvir, and other drug repurposing candidates We prepared the three-dimensional model of the SARS-CoV-2 (aka 2019-nCoV) 3C-like protease (3CL (pro)) using the crystal structure of the highly similar (96% identity) ortholog from the SARS-CoV. All residues involved in the catalysis, substrate binding and dimerisation are 100% conserved. Comparison of the polyprotein PP1AB sequences showed 86% identity. The 3C-like cleavage sites on the coronaviral polyproteins are highly conserved. Based on the near-identical substrate specificities and high sequence identities, we are of the opinion that some of the previous progress of specific inhibitors development for the SARS-CoV enzyme can be conferred on its SARS-CoV-2 counterpart. With the 3CL (pro) molecular model, we performed virtual screening for purchasable drugs and proposed 16 candidates for consideration. Among these, the antivirals ledipasvir or velpatasvir are particularly attractive as therapeutics to combat the new coronavirus with minimal side effects, commonly fatigue and headache. The drugs Epclusa (velpatasvir/sofosbuvir) and Harvoni (ledipasvir/sofosbuvir) could be very effective owing to their dual inhibitory actions on two viral enzymes.

negative: A rapid, point of care red blood cell agglutination assay for detecting antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a halt, with cases observed around the globe causing significant mortality. There is an urgent need for serological tests to detect antibodies against SARS-CoV-2, which could be used to assess the prevalence of infection, as well as ascertain individuals who may be protected from future infection. Current serological tests developed for SARS-CoV-2 rely on traditional technologies such as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and lateral flow assays, which may lack scalability to meet the demand of hundreds of millions of antibody tests in the coming year. Herein, we present an alternative method of antibody testing that just depends on one protein reagent being added to patient serum/plasma or whole blood and a short five-minute assay time. A novel fusion protein was designed that binds red blood cells (RBC) via a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) against the H antigen and displays the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein on the surface of RBCs. Upon mixing of the fusion protein, RBD-scFv with recovered COVID-19 patient serum and RBCs, we observed agglutination of RBCs, indicating the patient developed antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Given that the test uses methods routinely used in hospital clinical labs across the world, we anticipate the test can be rapidly deployed with only the protein reagent required at projected manufacturing cost at U.S. cents per test. We anticipate our agglutination assay may find extensive use in low-resource settings for detecting SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

negative: A proposed role for the SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid protein in the formation and regulation of biomolecular condensates To date, the recently discovered SARS‐CoV‐2 virus has afflicted >6.9 million people worldwide and disrupted the global economy. Development of effective vaccines or treatments for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection will be aided by a molecular‐level understanding of SARS‐CoV‐2 proteins and their interactions with host cell proteins. The SARS‐CoV‐2 nucleocapsid (N) protein is highly homologous to the N protein of SARS‐CoV, which is essential for viral RNA replication and packaging into new virions. Emerging models indicate that nucleocapsid proteins of other viruses can form biomolecular condensates to spatiotemporally regulate N protein localization and function. Our bioinformatic analyses, in combination with pre‐existing experimental evidence, suggest that the SARS‐CoV‐2 N protein is capable of forming or regulating biomolecular condensates in vivo by interaction with RNA and key host cell proteins. We discuss multiple models, whereby the N protein of SARS‐CoV‐2 may harness this activity to regulate viral life cycle and host cell response to viral infection.

negative: Antibiotic treatment of children with sore throat. CONTEXT Of children with sore throat, 15% to 36% have pharyngitis caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococci (GABHS). Performance of a GABHS test prior to antibiotic prescribing is recommended for children with sore throat. Penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, and first-generation cephalosporins are the recommended antibiotics for treatment of sore throat due to GABHS. OBJECTIVES To measure rates of antibiotic prescribing and GABHS testing and to evaluate the association between testing and antibiotic treatment for children with sore throat. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Analysis of visits by children aged 3 to 17 years with sore throat to office-based physicians, hospital outpatient departments, and emergency departments in the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey and National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, 1995 to 2003 (N = 4158) and of a subset of visits with GABHS testing data (n = 2797). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES National rates of antibiotic prescribing, prescribing of antibiotics recommended and not recommended for GABHS, and GABHS testing. RESULTS Physicians prescribed antibiotics in 53% (95% confidence interval [CI], 49%-56%) of an estimated 7.3 million annual visits for sore throat and nonrecommended antibiotics to 27% (95% CI, 24%-31%) of children who received an antibiotic. Antibiotic prescribing decreased from 66% of visits in 1995 to 54% of visits in 2003 (P = .01 for trend). This decrease was attributable to a decrease in the prescribing of recommended antibiotics (49% to 38%; P = .002). Physicians performed a GABHS test in 53% (95% CI, 48%-57%) of visits and in 51% (95% CI, 45%-57%) of visits at which an antibiotic was prescribed. GABHS testing was not associated with a lower antibiotic prescribing rate overall (48% tested vs 51% not tested; P = .40), but testing was associated with a lower antibiotic prescribing rate for children with diagnosis codes for pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and streptococcal sore throat (57% tested vs 73% not tested; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Physicians prescribed antibiotics to 53% of children with sore throat, in excess of the maximum expected prevalence of GABHS. Although there was a decrease in the proportion of children receiving antibiotics between 1995 and 2003, this was due to decreased prescribing of agents recommended for GABHS. Although GABHS testing was associated with a lower rate of antibiotic prescribing for children with diagnosis codes of pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and streptococcal sore throat, GABHS testing was underused.

negative: The Ebola Virus Nucleoprotein Recruits the Nuclear RNA Export Factor NXF1 into Inclusion Bodies to Facilitate Viral Protein Expression Ebola virus (EBOV) causes severe outbreaks of viral hemorrhagic fever in humans. While virus-host interactions are promising targets for antivirals, there is only limited knowledge regarding the interactions of EBOV with cellular host factors. Recently, we performed a genome-wide siRNA screen that identified the nuclear RNA export factor 1 (NXF1) as an important host factor for the EBOV life cycle. NXF1 is a major component of the nuclear mRNA export pathway that is usurped by many viruses whose life cycles include nuclear stages. However, the role of NXF1 in the life cycle of EBOV, a virus replicating in cytoplasmic inclusion bodies, remains unknown. In order to better understand the role of NXF1 in the EBOV life cycle, we performed a combination of co-immunoprecipitation and double immunofluorescence assays to characterize the interactions of NXF1 with viral proteins and RNAs. Additionally, using siRNA-mediated knockdown of NXF1 together with functional assays, we analyzed the role of NXF1 in individual aspects of the virus life cycle. With this approach we identified the EBOV nucleoprotein (NP) as a viral interaction partner of NXF1. Further studies revealed that NP interacts with the RNA-binding domain of NXF1 and competes with RNA for this interaction. Co-localization studies showed that RNA binding-deficient, but not wildtype NXF1, accumulates in NP-derived inclusion bodies, and knockdown experiments demonstrated that NXF1 is necessary for viral protein expression, but not for viral RNA synthesis. Finally, our results showed that NXF1 interacts with viral mRNAs, but not with viral genomic RNAs. Based on these results we suggest a model whereby NXF1 is recruited into inclusion bodies to promote the export of viral mRNA:NXF1 complexes from these sites. This would represent a novel function for NXF1 in the life cycle of cytoplasmically replicating viruses, and may provide a basis for new therapeutic approaches against EBOV, and possibly other emerging viruses.

negative: Structural studies on the Ebola virus matrix protein VP40 indicate that matrix proteins of enveloped RNA viruses are analogues but not homologues Matrix proteins are the driving force of assembly of enveloped viruses. Their main function is to interact with and polymerize at cellular membranes and link other viral components to the matrix–membrane complex resulting in individual particle shapes and ensuring the integrity of the viral particle. Although matrix proteins of different virus families show functional analogy, they share no sequence or structural homology. Their diversity is also evident in that they use a variety of late domain motifs to commit the cellular vacuolar protein sorting machinery to virus budding. Here, we discuss the structural and functional aspects of the filovirus matrix protein VP40 and compare them to other known matrix protein structures from vesicular stomatitis virus, influenza virus and retroviral matrix proteins.

negative: Designed protein mimics of the Ebola virus glycoprotein GP2 α-helical bundle: Stability and pH effects Ebola virus (EboV) belongs to the Filoviridae family of viruses that causes severe and fatal hemhorragic fever. Infection by EboV involves fusion between the virus and host cell membranes mediated by the envelope glycoprotein GP2 of the virus. Similar to the envelope glycoproteins of other viruses, the central feature of the GP2 ectodomain postfusion structure is a six-helix bundle formed by the protein's N- and C-heptad repeat regions (NHR and CHR, respectively). Folding of this six-helix bundle provides the energetic driving force for membrane fusion; in other viruses, designed agents that disrupt formation of the six-helix bundle act as potent fusion inhibitors. To interrogate determinants of EboV GP2-mediated membrane fusion, we designed model proteins that consist of the NHR and CHR segments linked by short protein linkers. Circular dichroism and gel filtration studies indicate that these proteins adopt stable α-helical folds consistent with design. Thermal denaturation indicated that the GP2 six-helix bundle is highly stable at pH 5.3 (melting temperature, T(m), of 86.8 ± 2.0°C and van't Hoff enthalpy, ΔH(vH), of −28.2 ± 1.0 kcal/mol) and comparable in stability to other viral membrane fusion six-helix bundles. We found that the stability of our designed α-helical bundle proteins was dependent on buffering conditions with increasing stability at lower pH. Small pH differences (5.3–6.1) had dramatic effects (ΔT(m) = 37°C) suggesting a mechanism for conformational control that is dependent on environmental pH. These results suggest a role for low pH in stabilizing six-helix bundle formation during the process of GP2-mediated viral membrane fusion.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 will continue to circulate in the human population: an opinion from the point of view of the virus-host relationship At the population level, the virus-host relationship is not set up to end with the complete elimination of either or both. Pathogen-resistant individuals will always remain in the host population. In turn, the virus can never completely eliminate the host population, because evolutionarily such an event is a dead end for the virus as an obligate intracellular parasite. A certain existential balance exists in the virus-host relationship. Against this backdrop, viral epidemics and pandemics only become manifest and egregious to human beings when tens and hundreds of thousands of people die and the question emerges what caused the high mortality peaks on the death chart. The answer seems clear; the emerging strain of the virus is new to the host population, and new mutations of the virus and natural selection will lead to a survival of only genetically resistant individuals in a host population. The dangers inherent to a novel virus are due to new features generally inthe molecular structure of proteins, which enable the virus to infect the cells of the host organism more intensively, dramatically challenging host immunity, and thus be transmitted more readily in the host population. In this article, we will concentrate on the facts currently available about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), which has caused COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic and try to predict its development and consequences based on the virus-host relationship. In fact, only two scenarios will occur simultaneously in the very near future: people who are genetically resistant to the virus will get sick, recover, and develop immunity, while people who are sensitive to the virus will need drugs and vaccines, which will have to be researched and developed if they are to recover. If the pandemic does not stop, in a few decades it is anticipated that SARS-CoV-2 will become as safe as the four non-severe acute respiratory syndrome human coronaviruses (HCoV-NL63, HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-229E) currently circulating but causing low mortality in the human population.

negative: Use of the informational spectrum methodology for rapid biological analysis of the novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV: prediction of potential receptor, natural reservoir, tropism and therapeutic/vaccine target A novel coronavirus recently identified in Wuhan, China (2019-nCoV) has expanded the number of highly pathogenic coronaviruses affecting humans. The 2019-nCoV represents a potential epidemic or pandemic threat, which requires a quick response for preparedness against this infection. The present report uses the informational spectrum methodology to identify the possible origin and natural host of the new virus, as well as putative therapeutic and vaccine targets. The performed in silico analysis indicates that the newly emerging 2019-nCoV is closely related to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV and, to a lesser degree, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. Moreover, the well-known SARS-CoV receptor (ACE2) might be a putative receptor for the novel virus as well. Additional results indicated that civets and poultry are potential candidates for the natural reservoir of the 2019-nCoV, and that domain 288-330 of S1 protein from the 2019-nCoV represents promising therapeutic and/or vaccine target.

negative: The Domain-Specific and Temperature-Dependent Protein Misfolding Phenotype of Variant Medium-Chain acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase The implementation of expanded newborn screening programs reduced mortality and morbidity in medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MCADD) caused by mutations in the ACADM gene. However, the disease is still potentially fatal. Missense induced MCADD is a protein misfolding disease with a molecular loss-of-function phenotype. Here we established a comprehensive experimental setup to analyze the structural consequences of eight ACADM missense mutations (p.Ala52Val, p.Tyr67His, p.Tyr158His, p.Arg206Cys, p.Asp266Gly, p.Lys329Glu, p.Arg334Lys, p.Arg413Ser) identified after newborn screening and linked the corresponding protein misfolding phenotype to the site of side-chain replacement with respect to the domain. With fever being the crucial risk factor for metabolic decompensation of patients with MCADD, special emphasis was put on the analysis of structural and functional derangements related to thermal stress. Based on protein conformation, thermal stability and kinetic stability, the molecular phenotype in MCADD depends on the structural region that is affected by missense-induced conformational changes with the central β-domain being particularly prone to structural derangement and destabilization. Since systematic classification of conformational derangements induced by ACADM mutations may be a helpful tool in assessing the clinical risk of patients, we scored the misfolding phenotype of the variants in comparison to p.Lys329Glu (K304E), the classical severe mutation, and p.Tyr67His (Y42H), discussed to be mild. Experiments assessing the impact of thermal stress revealed that mutations in the ACADM gene lower the temperature threshold at which MCAD loss-of-function occurs. Consequently, increased temperature as it occurs during intercurrent infections, significantly increases the risk of further conformational derangement and loss of function of the MCAD enzyme explaining the life-threatening clinical courses observed during fever episodes. Early and aggressive antipyretic treatment thus may be life-saving in patients suffering from MCADD.

negative: Biosynthesis and function of the coronavirus spike protein.

negative: Knowledge-based repositioning of the anti-HCV direct antiviral agent Sofosbuvir as SARS-CoV-2 treatment The new human coronavirus named SARS-CoV-2 is a positive-sense RNA virus for which no specific drugs are currently available. A knowledge-based analysis strongly suggests a possible repositioning of the anti-HCV direct antiviral agent (DAA) Sofosbuvir as treatment for SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, the RNA-dependent RNA-polymerases (RdRp) of the two viruses show high sequence and structural homology, supporting the likelihood of binding the Sofosbuvir molecule with similar efficiency. Such a repositioning would allow the containment of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and limit the progression of disease to potentially deadly COVID19.

negative: Crystal structure of the S1 subunit N-terminal domain from DcCoV UAE-HKU23 spike protein Abstract The DcCoV UAE-HKU23 coronavirus is a newly-found betacoronavirus (betaCoV) that can infect human cells. The viral spike protein plays pivotal roles in mediating receptor-recognition and membrane-fusion, and is therefore a key factor involved in viral pathogenesis and inter-species transmission. Here we reported the structural and functional characterization of the spike N-terminal domain (NTD) from DcCoV UAE-HKU23 (HKU23-NTD). Via mucin-binding assays, we showed that HKU23-NTD is able to bind sugars. We further solved the structure of HKU23-NTD, performed structure-guided mutagenesis and successfully located the potential sugar-binding pockets in the structure. Furthermore, via comparison of available betaCoV NTD structures, we demonstrated that betaCoV NTDs contain a conserved β-sandwich core, but exhibit variant folds in the peripheral elements located in the top-ceiling region and on the lateral side. While showing different compositions and structures, these peripheral elements are topologically equivalent β-sandwich-core insertions, highlighting a divergent evolution process for betaCoVs to form different lineages.

negative: Structural Genomics of SARS-CoV-2 Indicates Evolutionary Conserved Functional Regions of Viral Proteins During its first two and a half months, the recently emerged 2019 novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has already infected over one-hundred thousand people worldwide and has taken more than four thousand lives. However, the swiftly spreading virus also caused an unprecedentedly rapid response from the research community facing the unknown health challenge of potentially enormous proportions. Unfortunately, the experimental research to understand the molecular mechanisms behind the viral infection and to design a vaccine or antivirals is costly and takes months to develop. To expedite the advancement of our knowledge, we leveraged data about the related coronaviruses that is readily available in public databases and integrated these data into a single computational pipeline. As a result, we provide comprehensive structural genomics and interactomics roadmaps of SARS-CoV-2 and use this information to infer the possible functional differences and similarities with the related SARS coronavirus. All data are made publicly available to the research community.

negative: Evidence of the Recombinant Origin and Ongoing Mutations in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) The recent global outbreak of viral pneumonia designated as Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has threatened global public health and urged to investigate its source. Whole genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 revealed ~96% genomic similarity with bat CoV (RaTG13) and clustered together in phylogenetic tree. Furthermore, RaTGl3 also showed 97.43% spike protein similarity with SARS-CoV-2 suggesting that RaTGl3 is the closest strain. However, RBD and key amino acid residues supposed to be crucial for human-to-human and cross-species transmission are homologues between SARS-CoV-2 and pangolin CoVs. These results from our analysis suggest that SARS-CoV-2 is a recombinant virus of bat and pangolin CoVs. Moreover, this study also reports mutations in coding regions of 125 SARS-CoV-2 genomes signifying its aptitude for evolution. In short, our findings propose that homologous recombination has been occurred between bat and pangolin CoVs that triggered cross-species transmission and emergence of SARS-CoV-2, and, during the ongoing outbreak, SARS-CoV-2 is still evolving for its adaptability.

negative: Structures of MERS-CoV spike glycoprotein in complex with sialoside attachment receptors The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe and often lethal respiratory illness in humans, and no vaccines or specific treatments are available. Infections are initiated via binding of the MERS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein to sialosides and dipeptidyl-peptidase 4 (the attachment and entry receptors, respectively). To understand MERS-CoV engagement of sialylated receptors, we determined the cryo-EM structures of S in complex with 5-N-acetyl neuraminic acid, 5-N-glycolyl neuraminic acid, sialyl-Lewis(X), α2,3-sialyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine and α2,6-sialyl-N-acetyl-lactosamine at 2.7–3.0 Å resolution. We show that recognition occurs via a conserved groove that is essential for MERS-CoV S-mediated attachment to sialosides and entry into human airway epithelial cells. Our data illuminate MERS-CoV S sialoside specificity and suggest that selectivity for α2,3-linked over α2,6-linked receptors results from enhanced interactions with the former class of oligosaccharides. This study provides a structural framework explaining MERS-CoV attachment to sialoside receptors and identifies a site of potential vulnerability to inhibitors of viral entry.

negative: The spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is cleaved in virus infected Vero-E6 cells Spike protein is one of the major structural proteins of severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus. It is essential for the interaction of the virons with host cell receptors and subsequent fusion of the viral envelop with host cell membrane to allow infection. Some spike proteins of coronavirus, such as MHV, HCoV-OC43, AIBV and BcoV, are proteolytically cleaved into two subunits, S1 and S2. In contrast, TGV, FIPV and HCoV-229E are not. Many studies have shown that the cleavage of spike protein seriously affects its function. In order to investigate the maturation and proteolytic processing of the S protein of SARS CoV, we generated S1 and S2 subunit specific antibodies (Abs) as well as N, E and 3CL protein-specific Abs. Our results showed that the antibodies could efficiently and specifically bind to their corresponding proteins from E.coli expressed or lysate of SARS-CoV infected Vero-E6 cells by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the anti-S1 and S2 Abs were proved to be capable of binding to SARS CoV under electron microscope observation. When S2 Ab was used to perform immune precipitation with lysate of SARS-CoV infected cells, a cleaved S2 fragment was detected with S2-specific mAb by Western blot analysis. The data demonstrated that the cleavage of S protein was observed in the lysate, indicating that proteolytic processing of S protein is present in host cells.

negative: Initial success in the identification and management of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) indicates human-to-human transmission in Wuhan, China Coronavirus (CoV) has been one of the major pandemic threats to human health in the last two decades. The human coronavirus was first identified in 1960s. CoVs 229E, NL63, OC43, HKU1, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV have caused numerous disasters or human deaths worldwide. Recently, an outbreak of the previously unknown deadly CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome CoV 2 (SARS-CoV-2, early named 2019-nCoV) occurred in Wuhan, China, and it had caused 81238 cases of confirmed infection, including 3250 deaths until March 19, 2020. Its risks and pandemic potential have brought global consideration. We summarized epidemiology, virological characteristics, clinical symptoms, diagnostic methods, clinical treatments, and prevention methods for COVID-19 to present a reference for the future wave of probable CoV outbreaks.

negative: Putative structure and function of ORF3 in SARS coronavirus Abstract Based on molecular modeling techniques we constructed a rational 3D model of ORF3 in SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Our studies suggest that the function of ORF3 could be involved in FAD/NAD binding according to its predicted structure and comparison with other structure neighbors. Furthermore, we identified three pairs of non-canonical N–H⋯π interactions in the structure of ORF3, which can make contributions to the stability of protein structure. These results provide important clues for better understanding of SARS-CoV ORF3 and trying new therapeutic strategies.

negative: The Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2 or n-COV19), the Cause of COVID-19 The devastating effects of the recent global pandemic (termed COVID-19 for “coronavirus disease 2019”) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2) are paramount with new cases and deaths growing at an exponential rate. In order to provide a better understanding of SARS CoV-2, this article will review the proteins found in the SARS CoV-2 that caused this global pandemic. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s10930-020-09901-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: Binding of SARS-CoV-2 and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2: clinical implications

negative: The coronavirus spike protein is a class I virus fusion protein: structural and functional characterization of the fusion core complex. Coronavirus entry is mediated by the viral spike (S) glycoprotein. The 180-kDa oligomeric S protein of the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus strain A59 is posttranslationally cleaved into an S1 receptor binding unit and an S2 membrane fusion unit. The latter is thought to contain an internal fusion peptide and has two 4,3 hydrophobic (heptad) repeat regions designated HR1 and HR2. HR2 is located close to the membrane anchor, and HR1 is some 170 amino acids (aa) upstream of it. Heptad repeat (HR) regions are found in fusion proteins of many different viruses and form an important characteristic of class I viral fusion proteins. We investigated the role of these regions in coronavirus membrane fusion. Peptides HR1 (96 aa) and HR2 (39 aa), corresponding to the HR1 and HR2 regions, were produced in Escherichia coli. When mixed together, the two peptides were found to assemble into an extremely stable oligomeric complex. Both on their own and within the complex, the peptides were highly alpha helical. Electron microscopic analysis of the complex revealed a rod-like structure approximately 14.5 nm in length. Limited proteolysis in combination with mass spectrometry indicated that HR1 and HR2 occur in the complex in an antiparallel fashion. In the native protein, such a conformation would bring the proposed fusion peptide, located in the N-terminal domain of HR1, and the transmembrane anchor into close proximity. Using biological assays, the HR2 peptide was shown to be a potent inhibitor of virus entry into the cell, as well as of cell-cell fusion. Both biochemical and functional data show that the coronavirus spike protein is a class I viral fusion protein.

negative: Interaction of a peptide from the pre-transmembrane domain of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein with phospholipid membranes. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) envelope spike (S) glycoprotein, a Class I viral fusion protein, is responsible for the fusion between the membranes of the virus and the target cell. In order to gain new insight into the protein membrane alteration leading to the viral fusion mechanism, a peptide pertaining to the putative pre-transmembrane domain (PTM) of the S glycoprotein has been studied by infrared and fluorescence spectroscopies regarding its structure, its ability to induce membrane leakage, aggregation, and fusion, as well as its affinity toward specific phospholipids. We demonstrate that the SARS-CoV PTM peptide binds to and interacts with phospholipid model membranes, and, at the same time, it adopts different conformations when bound to membranes of different compositions. As it has been already suggested for other viral fusion proteins such as HIV gp41, the region of the SARS-CoV protein where the PTM peptide resides could be involved in the merging of the viral and target cell membranes working synergistically with other membrane-active regions of the SARS-CoV S glycoprotein to heighten the fusion process and therefore might be essential for the assistance and enhancement of the viral and cell fusion process.

negative: Modeling the structure of SARS 3a transmembrane protein using a minimum unfavorable contact approach 3a is an accessory protein from SARS coronavirus that is known to play a significant role in the proliferation of the virus by forming tetrameric ion channels. Although the monomeric units are known to consist of three transmembrane (TM) domains, there are no solved structures available for the complete monomer. The present study proposes a structural model for the transmembrane region of the monomer by employing our previously tested approach, which predicts potential orientations of TM α-helices by minimizing the unfavorable contact surfaces between the different TM domains. The best model structure comprising all three α-helices has been subjected to MD simulations to examine its quality. The TM bundle was found to form a compact and stable structure with significant intermolecular interactions. The structural features of the proposed model of 3a account for observations from previous experimental investigations on the activity of the protein. Further analysis indicates that residues from the TM2 and TM3 domains are likely to line the pore of the ion channel, which is in good agreement with a recent experimental study. In the absence of an experimental structure for the protein, the proposed structure can serve as a useful model for inferring structure-function relationships about the protein. [Figure: see text] ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12039-015-0982-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: SARS-CoV2 (COVID-19) Structural/Evolution Dynamicome: Insights into functional evolution and human genomics The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, starting in 2019, has challenged the speed at which labs perform science, ranging from discoveries of the viral composition to handling health outcomes in humans. The small ~30kb single-stranded RNA genome of Coronaviruses makes them adept at cross species spread and drift, increasing their probability to cause pandemics. However, this small genome also allows for a robust understanding of all proteins coded by the virus. We employed protein modeling, molecular dynamic simulations, evolutionary mapping, and 3D printing to gain a full proteome and dynamicome understanding of SARS-CoV-2. The Viral Integrated Structural Evolution Dynamic Database (VIStEDD) has been established (prokoplab.com/vistedd), opening future discoveries and educational usage. In this paper, we highlight VIStEDD usage for nsp6, Nucleocapsid (N), and Spike (S) surface glycoprotein. For both nsp6 and N we reveal highly conserved surface amino acids that likely drive protein-protein interactions. In characterizing viral S protein, we have developed a quantitative dynamics cross correlation matrix insight into interaction with the ACE2/SLC6A19 dimer complex. From this quantitative matrix, we elucidated 47 potential functional missense variants from population genomic databases within ACE2/SLC6A19/TMPRSS2, warranting genomic enrichment analyses in SARS-CoV-2 patients. Moreover, these variants have ultralow frequency, but can exist as hemizygous in males for ACE2, which falls on the X-chromosome. Two noncoding variants (rs4646118 and rs143185769) found in ~9% of African descent individuals for ACE2 may regulate expression and be related to increased susceptibility of African Americans to SARS-CoV-2. This powerful database of SARS-CoV-2 can aid in research progress in the ongoing pandemic.

negative: The functional motif of SARS-CoV S protein involved in the interaction with ACE2 SARS-CoV is a newly discovery pathogen causing severe acute respiratory problems. It has been established that the S protein in this pathogen plays an important rule in the adsorption and penetration of SARS-CoV into the host cell by interaction with the ACE2 receptor. To determinant which functional motif of the S protein was involved in the interaction with ACE2, seven truncated S proteins deleted from the N or C terminal were obtained by an E.coli expression system and purified by column chromatography to homogeneity. Each truncated S protein was fixed on to the well of an ELISA plate and an interaction was initiated with the ACE2 protein. The adsorption were quantified by ELISA, and the results indicated that amino acids from 388 to 496 of the S protein was responsible for the interaction with the ACE2 receptor, and the interaction could be completely disrupted by an antibody specific to these amino acids. Deletions adjacent to this domain did not appear to have a significant impact on the interaction with ACE2, suggesting that the S protein of SARS-CoV could be developed as a vaccine to prevent the spread of SARS-CoV.

negative: Dr. Wu Lien Teh, plague fighter and father of the Chinese public health system

negative: Temperature sensing using red fluorescent protein Genetically encoded fluorescent proteins are extensively utilized for labeling and imaging proteins, organelles, cell tissues, and whole organisms. In this study, we explored the feasibility of mRFP1 and its variants for measuring intracellular temperature. A linear relationship was observed between the temperature and fluorescence intensity of mRFP1 and its variants. Temperature sensitivities of E. coli expressing mRFP1, mRFP-P63A and mRFP-P63A[(4R)-FP] were −1.27%, −1.26% and −0.77%/°C, respectively. Finally, we demonstrated the potentiality of mRFP1 and its variants as an in vivo temperature sensor.

negative: Structure of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from 2019-nCoV, a major antiviral drug target A novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has caused a global pandemic resulting in tens of thousands of infections and thousands of deaths worldwide. The RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp, also named nsp12), which catalyzes the synthesis of viral RNA, is a key component of coronaviral replication/transcription machinery and appears to be a primary target for the antiviral drug, remdesivir. Here we report the cryo-EM structure of 2019-nCoV full-length nsp12 in complex with cofactors nsp7 and nsp8 at a resolution of 2.9-Å. Additional to the conserved architecture of the polymerase core of the viral polymerase family and a nidovirus RdRp-associated nucleotidyltransferase (NiRAN) domain featured in coronaviral RdRp, nsp12 possesses a newly identified β-hairpin domain at its N-terminal. Key residues for viral replication and transcription are observed. A comparative analysis to show how remdesivir binds to this polymerase is also provided. This structure provides insight into the central component of coronaviral replication/transcription machinery and sheds light on the design of new antiviral therapeutics targeting viral RdRp. One Sentence Summary Structure of 2019-nCov RNA polymerase.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV differ in their cell tropism and drug sensitivity profiles SARS-CoV-2 is a novel coronavirus currently causing a pandemic. We show that the majority of amino acid positions, which differ between SARS-CoV-2 and the closely related SARS-CoV, are differentially conserved suggesting differences in biological behaviour. In agreement, novel cell culture models revealed differences between the tropism of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. Moreover, cellular ACE2 (SARS-CoV-2 receptor) and TMPRSS2 (enables virus entry via S protein cleavage) levels did not reliably indicate cell susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV further differed in their drug sensitivity profiles. Thus, only drug testing using SARS-CoV-2 reliably identifies therapy candidates. Therapeutic concentrations of the approved protease inhibitor aprotinin displayed anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. The efficacy of aprotinin and of remdesivir (currently under clinical investigation against SARS-CoV-2) were further enhanced by therapeutic concentrations of the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole (aprotinin 2.7-fold, remdesivir 10-fold). Hence, our study has also identified anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapy candidates that can be readily tested in patients.

negative: Structural proteomics, electron cryo-microscopy and structural modeling approaches in bacteria–human protein interactions A central challenge in infection medicine is to determine the structure and function of host–pathogen protein–protein interactions to understand how these interactions facilitate bacterial adhesion, dissemination and survival. In this review, we focus on proteomics, electron cryo-microscopy and structural modeling to showcase instances where affinity-purification (AP) and cross-linking (XL) mass spectrometry (MS) has advanced our understanding of host–pathogen interactions. We highlight cases where XL-MS in combination with structural modeling has provided insight into the quaternary structure of interspecies protein complexes. We further exemplify how electron cryo-tomography has been used to visualize bacterial–human interactions during attachment and infection. Lastly, we discuss how AP-MS, XL-MS and electron cryo-microscopy and -tomography together with structural modeling approaches can be used in future studies to broaden our knowledge regarding the function, dynamics and evolution of such interactions. This knowledge will be of relevance for future drug and vaccine development programs.

negative: High‐resolution structure of HLA‐A*1101 in complex with SARS nucleocapsid peptide The structure of the human MHC‐I molecule HLA‐A*1101 in complex with a nonameric peptide (KTFPPTEPK) has been determined by X‐ray crystallography to 1.45 Å resolution. The peptide is derived from the SARS‐CoV nucleocapsid protein positions 362–370 (SNP(362–370)). It is conserved in all known isolates of SARS‐CoV and has been verified by in vitro peptide‐binding studies to be a good to intermediate binder to HLA‐A*0301 and HLA‐A*1101, with IC(50) values of 70 and 186 nM, respectively [Sylvester‐Hvid et al. (2004), Tissue Antigens, 63, 395–400]. In terms of the residues lining the peptide‐binding groove, the HLA‐A*1101–SNP(362–370) complex is very similar to other known structures of HLA‐A*1101 and HLA‐A*6801. The SNP(362–370) peptide is held in place by 17 hydrogen bonds to the α‐chain residues and by nine water molecules which are also tightly bound in the peptide‐binding groove. Thr6 of the peptide (Thr6p) does not make efficient use of the middle (E) pocket. For vaccine development, there seems to be a potential for optimization targeted at this position. All residues except Thr2p and Lys9p are accessible for T‐cell recognition.

negative: Potential effect of blood purification therapy in reducing cytokine storm as a late complication of critically ill COVID-19

negative: Docking study of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein-An in silico insight into the comparative efficacy of repurposing antiviral drugs. Recent outbreak of novel Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic around the world is associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome. The death toll associated with the pandemic is increasing day by day. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus and there are ample evidences that its Spike protein (S-protein) is mainly associated with pathogenesis as it is surface-exposed and mediates entry into host cells by binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE-2) receptor. Therefore, it is the main target of neutralizing antibodies upon infection and there is always a quest to inhibit the S-protein which in turn may help in controlling diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 in humans. The role of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine as potential treatments for Covid-19 is still under debate globally because of some side effects associated with it. This study involves the In silico interactions of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine with the S-protein of SARS-CoV-2. With the help of various computational methods, we have re-explored the potential role of both of these antiviral drugs for the treatment of Covid-19 patients by comparing the efficacy of both of the drugs to bind to S-protein at its host receptor region. In our research Hydroxychloroquine exhibited potential inhibitory effectsof S-protein with binding energy -7.28 kcal/mol than Chloroquine (-6.30 kcal/mol) at SARS-CoV-2 receptor recognition of susceptible cells. The outcomes of this research strongly appeal for in vivo trials of Hydroxychloroquine for the patients infected with Covid-19. Furthermore, the recommended doses of Hydroxychloroquine may reduce the chances of catching Covid-19 to the healthcare workers and staff who are in contact with or delivering direct care to coronavirus patients as long as they have not been diagnosed with Covid-19. We further hypothesize that the comparative S-protein-drug docking interactions may help to understand the comparative efficacy of other candidate repurposing drugs until discovery of a proper vaccine.

negative: Structure of MERS-CoV spike receptor-binding domain complexed with human receptor DPP4 The spike glycoprotein (S) of recently identified Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) targets the cellular receptor, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). Sequence comparison and modeling analysis have revealed a putative receptor-binding domain (RBD) on the viral spike, which mediates this interaction. We report the 3.0 Å-resolution crystal structure of MERS-CoV RBD bound to the extracellular domain of human DPP4. Our results show that MERS-CoV RBD consists of a core and a receptor-binding subdomain. The receptor-binding subdomain interacts with DPP4 β-propeller but not its intrinsic hydrolase domain. MERS-CoV RBD and related SARS-CoV RBD share a high degree of structural similarity in their core subdomains, but are notably divergent in the receptor-binding subdomain. Mutagenesis studies have identified several key residues in the receptor-binding subdomain that are critical for viral binding to DPP4 and entry into the target cell. The atomic details at the interface between MERS-CoV RBD and DPP4 provide structural understanding of the virus and receptor interaction, which can guide development of therapeutics and vaccines against MERS-CoV infection.

negative: Vaccines to prevent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-induced disease An important effort has been performed after the emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic in 2003 to diagnose and prevent virus spreading. Several types of vaccines have been developed including inactivated viruses, subunit vaccines, virus-like particles (VLPs), DNA vaccines, heterologous expression systems, and vaccines derived from SARS-CoV genome by reverse genetics. This review describes several aspects essential to develop SARS-CoV vaccines, such as the correlates of protection, virus serotypes, vaccination side effects, and bio-safeguards that can be engineered into recombinant vaccine approaches based on the SARS-CoV genome. The production of effective and safe vaccines to prevent SARS has led to the development of promising vaccine candidates, in contrast to the design of vaccines for other coronaviruses, that in general has been less successful. After preclinical trials in animal models, efficacy and safety evaluation of the most promising vaccine candidates described has to be performed in humans.

negative: The global population of SARS-CoV-2 is composed of six major subtypes The World Health Organization characterized the COVID-19 as a pandemic in March 2020, the second pandemic of the 21st century. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a positive-stranded RNA betacoronavirus of the family Coronaviridae. Expanding virus populations, as that of SARS-CoV-2, accumulate a number of narrowly shared polymorphisms imposing a confounding effect on traditional clustering methods. In this context, approaches that reduce the complexity of the sequence space occupied by the SARS-CoV-2 population are necessary for a robust clustering. Here, we proposed the subdivision of the global SARS-CoV-2 population into sixteen well-defined subtypes by focusing on the widely shared polymorphisms in nonstructural (nsp3, nsp4, nsp6, nsp12, nsp13 and nsp14) cistrons, structural (spike and nucleocapsid) and accessory (ORF8) genes. Six virus subtypes were predominant in the population, but all sixteen showed amino acid replacements which might have phenotypic implications. We hypothesize that the virus subtypes detected in this study are records of the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 diversification that were randomly sampled to compose the virus populations around the world, a typical founder effect. The genetic structure determined for the SARS-CoV-2 population provides substantial guidelines for maximizing the effectiveness of trials for testing the candidate vaccines or drugs.

negative: Structural comparison strengthens the higher-order classification of proteases related to chymotrypsin Specific cleavage of proteins by proteases is essential for several cellular, physiological, and viral processes. Chymotrypsin-related proteases that form the PA clan in the MEROPS classification of proteases is one of the largest and most diverse group of proteases. The PA clan comprises serine proteases from bacteria, eukaryotes, archaea, and viruses and chymotrypsin-related cysteine proteases from positive-strand RNA viruses. Despite low amino acid sequence identity, all PA clan proteases share a conserved double β-barrel structure. Using an automated structure-based hierarchical clustering method, we identified a common structural core of 72 amino acid residues for 143 PA clan proteases that represent 12 protein families and 11 subfamilies. The identified core is located around the catalytic site between the two β-barrels and resembles the structures of the smallest PA clan proteases. We constructed a structure-based distance tree derived from the properties of the identified common core. Our structure-based analyses support the current classification of these proteases at the subfamily level and largely at the family level. Structural alignment and structure-based distance trees could thus be used for directing objective classification of PA clan proteases and to strengthen their higher order classification. Our results also indicate that the PA clan proteases of positive-strand RNA viruses are related to cellular heat-shock proteases, which suggests that the exchange of protease genes between viruses and cells might have occurred more than once.

negative: Macroeconomic spillover effects of the Chinese economy The slowdown of economy and widening of domestic imbalances in China bothers economists and politicians across the globe. We estimate the influence of a negative output shock in China on a number of different economies. We concentrate on China's neighboring countries. We compare the results from the Global VAR model and from the Bayesian VAR models. Also using Bayesian model averaging we search for determinants of Chinese spillovers for the global economy. We find that spillovers are stronger to economies with less flexible exchange rates, a higher share of manufacturing in gross value added and to economies which are larger.

negative: A systematic review on the efficacy and safety of chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19 PURPOSE: COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is a public health emergency of international concern. As of this time, there is no known effective pharmaceutical treatment, although it is much needed for patient contracting the severe form of the disease. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence regarding chloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, and three trial Registries were searched for studies on the use of chloroquine in patients with COVID-19. RESULTS: We included six articles (one narrative letter, one in-vitro study, one editorial, expert consensus paper, two national guideline documents) and 23 ongoing clinical trials in China. Chloroquine seems to be effective in limiting the replication of SARS-CoV-2 (virus causing COVID-19) in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: There is rationale, pre-clinical evidence of effectiveness and evidence of safety from long-time clinical use for other indications to justify clinical research on chloroquine in patients with COVID-19. However, clinical use should either adhere to the Monitored Emergency Use of Unregistered Interventions (MEURI) framework or be ethically approved as a trial as stated by the World Health Organization. Safety data and data from high-quality clinical trials are urgently needed.

negative: What about the original antigenic sin of the humans versus SARS-CoV-2?

negative: In memory of Patrick Manson, founding father of tropical medicine and the discovery of vector-borne infections Patrick Manson, a clinician-scientist serving in China (1866–1889), discovered that many tropical infectious diseases require a vector peculiar to warm climate for person to person transmission. He demonstrated the nocturnal periodicity of microfilariae in the blood of patients with elephantiasis. These microfilariae undergo metamorphosis when ingested by the mosquito acting as the vector for the completion of their life cycle. Furthermore, he demonstrated the linkage between the lung fluke and endemic haemoptysis by finding operculated eggs in patients' sputa. He predicted that the miracidium from hatched eggs uses crustaceans, such as fresh-water snails found at tropical conditions, as the intermediate hosts in the life cycle of many trematodes. His vector hypothesis leads to vector control which is now the cornerstone for the World Health Organization's programme for the elimination/control of lymphatic filariasis, dracunculiasis and malaria. Before leaving China, he established the Alice Memorial Hospital, the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese (the forerunner of the University of Hong Kong), and the Hong Kong Medical Society for medical service and education. He also incepted the Hong Kong Dairy Farm for supplying hygienic milk affordable by pregnant women, children and patients.

negative: Sampling methods for the quasistationary regime of epidemic processes on regular and complex networks A major hurdle in the simulation of the steady state of epidemic processes is that the system will unavoidably visit an absorbing, disease-free state at sufficiently long times due to the finite size of the networks where epidemics evolves. In the present work, we compare different quasistationary (QS) simulation methods where the absorbing states are suitably handled and the thermodynamical limit of the original dynamics can be achieved. We analyze the standard QS (SQS) method, where the sampling is constrained to active configurations, the reflecting boundary condition (RBC), where the dynamics returns to the pre-absorbing configuration, and hub reactivation (HR), where the most connected vertex of the network is reactivated after a visit to an absorbing state. We apply the methods to the contact process (CP) and susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) models on regular and scale free networks. The investigated methods yield the same epidemic threshold for both models. For CP, that undergoes a standard collective phase transition, the methods are equivalent. For SIS, whose phase transition is ruled by the hub mutual reactivation, the SQS and HR methods are able to capture localized epidemic phases while RBC is not. We also apply the autocorrelation time as a tool to characterize the phase transition and observe that this analysis provides the same finite-size scaling exponents for the critical relaxation time for the investigated methods. Finally, we verify the equivalence between RBC method and a weak external field for epidemics on networks.

negative: Distinct viral clades of SARS-CoV-2: Implications for modeling of viral spread

negative: Characterization of the substitution hotspots in SARS-CoV-2 genome using BioAider and detection of a SR-rich region in N protein providing further evidence of its animal origin The novel human coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic worldwide. The increasing sequencing data have shown abundant single nucleotide variations in SARS-CoV-2 genome. However, it is difficult to quickly analyze genomic variation and screen key mutations of SARS-CoV-2. In this study, we developed a visual program, named BioAider, for quick and convenient sequence annotation and mutation analysis on multiple genome-sequencing data. Using BioAider, we conducted a comprehensive genome variation analysis on 3,240 sequences of SARS-CoV-2 genome. Herein, we detected 14 substitution hotspots within SARS-CoV-2 genome, including 10 non-synonymous and 4 synonymous ones. Among these hotspots, NSP13-Y541C was predicted to be a crucial substitution which might affect the unwinding activity of NSP13, a key protein for viral replication. Besides, we also found 3 groups of potentially linked substitution hotspots which were worth further study. In particular, we discovered a SR-rich region (aa 184-204) on the N protein of SARS-CoV-2 distinct from SARS-CoV, indicating more complex replication mechanism and unique N-M interaction of SARS-CoV-2. Interestingly, the quantity of SRXX repeat fragments in the SR-rich region well reflected the evolutionary relationship among SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-2 related animal coronaviruses, providing further evidence of its animal origin. Overall, we developed an efficient tool for rapid identification of mutations, identified substitution hotspots in SARS-CoV-2 genomes, and detected a distinctive polymorphism SR-rich region in N protein. This tool and the detected hotspots could facilitate the viral genomic study and may contribute for screening antiviral target sites.

negative: Structural basis for inhibition of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from SARS-CoV-2 by remdesivir The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has become a global crisis. Replication of SARS-CoV-2 requires the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) enzyme, a target of the antiviral drug remdesivir. Here we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the SARS-CoV-2 RdRp, both in the apo form at 2.8-angstrom resolution and in complex with a 50-base template-primer RNA and remdesivir at 2.5-angstrom resolution. The complex structure reveals that the partial double-stranded RNA template is inserted into the central channel of the RdRp, where remdesivir is covalently incorporated into the primer strand at the first replicated base pair, and terminates chain elongation. Our structures provide insights into the mechanism of viral RNA replication and a rational template for drug design to combat the viral infection.

negative: Structural Basis for Potent Neutralization of Betacoronaviruses by Single-Domain Camelid Antibodies Summary Coronaviruses make use of a large envelope protein called spike (S) to engage host cell receptors and catalyze membrane fusion. Because of the vital role that these S proteins play, they represent a vulnerable target for the development of therapeutics. Here, we describe the isolation of single-domain antibodies (VHHs) from a llama immunized with prefusion-stabilized coronavirus spikes. These VHHs neutralize MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1 S pseudotyped viruses, respectively. Crystal structures of these VHHs bound to their respective viral targets reveal two distinct epitopes, but both VHHs interfere with receptor binding. We also show cross-reactivity between the SARS-CoV-1 S-directed VHH and SARS-CoV-2 S and demonstrate that this cross-reactive VHH neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 S pseudotyped viruses as a bivalent human IgG Fc-fusion. These data provide a molecular basis for the neutralization of pathogenic betacoronaviruses by VHHs and suggest that these molecules may serve as useful therapeutics during coronavirus outbreaks.

negative: Study of combining virtual screening and antiviral treatments of the Sars-CoV-2 (Covid-19) The recent epidemic outbreak of a novel human coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2 and causing the respiratory tract disease COVID-19 has reached worldwide resonance and a global effort is being undertaken to characterize the molecular features and evolutionary origins of this virus. Therefore, rapid and accurate identification of pathogenic viruses plays a vital role in selecting appropriate treatments, saving people's lives and preventing epidemics. Additionally, general treatments, coronavirus-specific treatments, and antiviral treatments useful in fighting COVID-19 are addressed. This review sets out to shed light on the SARS-CoV-2 and host receptor recognition, a crucial factor for successful virus infection and taking immune-informatics approaches to identify B- and T-cell epitopes for surface glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. A variety of improved or new approaches also have been developed. It is anticipated that this will assist researchers and clinicians in developing better techniques for timely and effective detection of coronavirus infection. Moreover, the genomic sequence of the virus responsible for COVID-19, as well as the experimentally determined three-dimensional structure of the Main protease (Mpro) is available. The reported structure of the target Mpro was described in this review to identify potential drugs for COVID-19 using virtual high throughput screening.

negative: Structure of SARS coronavirus spike receptor-binding domain complexed with receptor. The spike protein (S) of SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) attaches the virus to its cellular receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). A defined receptor-binding domain (RBD) on S mediates this interaction. The crystal structure at 2.9 angstrom resolution of the RBD bound with the peptidase domain of human ACE2 shows that the RBD presents a gently concave surface, which cradles the N-terminal lobe of the peptidase. The atomic details at the interface between the two proteins clarify the importance of residue changes that facilitate efficient cross-species infection and human-to-human transmission. The structure of the RBD suggests ways to make truncated disulfide-stabilized RBD variants for use in the design of coronavirus vaccines.

negative: Transmission Parameters of the 2001 Foot and Mouth Epidemic in Great Britain Despite intensive ongoing research, key aspects of the spatial-temporal evolution of the 2001 foot and mouth disease (FMD) epidemic in Great Britain (GB) remain unexplained. Here we develop a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method for estimating epidemiological parameters of the 2001 outbreak for a range of simple transmission models. We make the simplifying assumption that infectious farms were completely observed in 2001, equivalent to assuming that farms that were proactively culled but not diagnosed with FMD were not infectious, even if some were infected. We estimate how transmission parameters varied through time, highlighting the impact of the control measures on the progression of the epidemic. We demonstrate statistically significant evidence for assortative contact patterns between animals of the same species. Predictive risk maps of the transmission potential in different geographic areas of GB are presented for the fitted models.

negative: Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the fusion core of the spike protein of the murine coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) Crystals of a 2‐Helix fusion‐core construct of MHV spike protein (commonly referred to as E2) have been grown at 291 K using PEG 4000 as precipitant. The diffraction pattern of the crystal extends to 2.8 Å resolution at 100 K in‐house. Furthermore, a selenomethionine (SeMet) derivative of MHV spike protein fusion core has been overexpressed and purified. The derivative crystals were obtained under similar conditions and three different wavelength data sets were collected to 2.4 Å resolution from a single derivative crystal at BSRF (Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility). The crystals have unit‐cell parameters a = b = 48.3, c = 199.6 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120° and belong to space group R3. Assuming the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit, the solvent content is calculated to be about 46%.

negative: Transmission patterns of smallpox: systematic review of natural outbreaks in Europe and North America since World War II BACKGROUND: Because smallpox (variola major) may be used as a biological weapon, we reviewed outbreaks in post-World War II Europe and North America in order to understand smallpox transmission patterns. METHODS: A systematic review was used to identify papers from the National Library of Medicine, Embase, Biosis, Cochrane Library, Defense Technical Information Center, WorldCat, and reference lists of included publications. Two authors reviewed selected papers for smallpox outbreaks. RESULTS: 51 relevant outbreaks were identified from 1,389 publications. The median for the effective first generation reproduction rate (initial R) was 2 (range 0–38). The majority outbreaks were small (less than 5 cases) and contained within one generation. Outbreaks with few hospitalized patients had low initial R values (median of 1) and were prolonged if not initially recognized (median of 3 generations); outbreaks with mostly hospitalized patients had higher initial R values (median 12) and were shorter (median of 3 generations). Index cases with an atypical presentation of smallpox were less likely to have been diagnosed with smallpox; outbreaks in which the index case was not correctly diagnosed were larger (median of 27.5 cases) and longer (median of 3 generations) compared to outbreaks in which the index case was correctly diagnosed (median of 3 cases and 1 generation). CONCLUSION: Patterns of spread during Smallpox outbreaks varied with circumstances, but early detection and implementation of control measures is a most important influence on the magnitude of outbreaks. The majority of outbreaks studied in Europe and North America were controlled within a few generations if detected early.

negative: The bulky and the sweet: How neutralizing antibodies and glycan receptors compete for virus binding Numerous viruses rely on glycan receptor binding as the initial step in host cell infection. Engagement of specific glycan receptors such as sialylated carbohydrates, glycosaminoglycans, or histo‐blood group antigens can determine host range, tissue tropism, and pathogenicity. Glycan receptor‐binding sites are typically located in exposed regions on viral surfaces—sites that are also generally prone to binding of neutralizing antibodies that directly interfere with virus‐glycan receptor interactions. In this review, we examine the locations and architecture of the glycan‐ and antibody‐binding sites in four different viruses with stalk‐like attachment proteins (reovirus, influenza virus, norovirus, and coronavirus) and investigate the mechanisms by which antibodies block glycan recognition. Those viruses exemplify that direct molecular mimicking of glycan receptors by antibodies is rare and further demonstrate that antibodies often partly overlap or bind sufficiently close to the receptor‐binding region to hinder access to this site, achieving neutralization partially because of the epitope location and partly due to their sheer size.

negative: Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome: Current Therapeutic Options and Potential Targets for Novel Therapies No specific antivirals are currently available for two emerging infectious diseases, Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). A literature search covering pathogenesis, clinical features and therapeutics, clinically developed drugs for repurposing and novel drug targets was performed. This review presents current knowledge on the epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical features of the SARS and MERS coronaviruses. The rationale for and outcomes with treatments used for SARS and MERS is discussed. The main focus of the review is on drug development and the potential that drugs approved for other indications provide for repurposing. The drugs we discuss belong to a wide range of different drug classes, such as cancer therapeutics, antipsychotics, and antimalarials. In addition to their activity against MERS and SARS coronaviruses, many of these approved drugs have broad-spectrum potential and have already been in clinical use for treating other viral infections. A wealth of knowledge is available for these drugs. However, the information in this review is not meant to guide clinical decisions, and any therapeutic described here should only be used in context of a clinical trial. Potential targets for novel antivirals and antibodies are discussed as well as lessons learned from treatment development for other RNA viruses. The article concludes with a discussion of the gaps in our knowledge and areas for future research on emerging coronaviruses.

negative: COVID-19: Living through Another Pandemic Novel beta-coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the pathogenic agent responsible for coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a globally pandemic infectious disease. Due to its high virulence and the absence of immunity among the general population, SARS-CoV-2 has quickly spread to all countries. This pandemic highlights the urgent unmet need to expand and focus our research tools on what are considered “neglected infectious diseases” and to prepare for future inevitable pandemics. This global emergency has generated unprecedented momentum and scientific efforts around the globe unifying scientists from academia, government and the pharmaceutical industry to accelerate the discovery of vaccines and treatments. Herein, we shed light on the virus structure and life cycle and the potential therapeutic targets in SARS-CoV-2 and briefly refer to both active and passive immunization modalities, drug repurposing focused on speed to market, and novel agents against specific viral targets as therapeutic interventions for COVID-19.

negative: Low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with increased risk of viral coinfections in wheezing children

negative: Bioinformatics Study on Structural Proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2) For Better Understanding the Vaccine Development Novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV), also known as SARS-CoV-2), leads high morbidity and mortality in global epidemics. Four structural proteins (surface glycoprotein (QIQ22760.1), envelop glycoprotein (QIQ22762.1), nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (QIQ22768.1) and membrane glycoprotein (QIQ22763.1)) of SARS-CoV-2 are extracted from the NCBI database and further analyzed with ExPASy ProtParam tool. Lucien is the highest in envelope, surface and membrane glycoprotein that is an optimal environment for rapid virus fixation on host cell's surface to the receptor molecule. Transmembrane region prediction was performed by SOSUI server. For all structural proteins, except nucleocapsid Phosphoprotein, the trans-membrane prediction indicates that the virus can enter the host easily. Domain analysis was done by SMART tool. Domain information helps in the function of the viral protein. Lastly, the 3D structure prediction was carried out by Swiss Model and the result validation was achieved by PROCHECK. Such models are the starting point of the community for structural drug and vaccine designs as well as virtual computational screening.

negative: ACE2 polymorphisms and individual susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection: insights from an in silico study The current SARS covid-19 epidemic spread appears to be influenced by ethnical, geographical and sex-related factors that may involve genetic susceptibility to diseases. Similar to SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 exploits angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a receptor to invade cells, notably type II alveolar epithelial cells. Importantly, ACE2 gene is highly polymorphic. Here we have used in silico tools to analyze the possible impact of ACE2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the interaction with SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. We found that S19P (common in African people) and K26R (common in European people) were, among the most diffused SNPs worldwide, the only two SNPs that were able to potentially affect the interaction of ACE2 with SARS-CoV-2 spike. FireDock simulations demonstrated that while S19P may decrease, K26R might increase the ACE2 affinity for SARS-CoV-2 Spike. This finding suggests that the S19P may genetically protect, and K26R may predispose to more severe SARS-CoV-2 disease.

negative: Characterization of the spike protein of human coronavirus NL63 in receptor binding and pseudotype virus entry Abstract The spike (S) protein of human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63) mediates both cell attachment by binding to its receptor hACE2 and membrane fusion during virus entry. We have previously identified the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and residues important for RBD–hACE2 association. Here, we further characterized the S protein by investigating the roles of the cytoplasmic tail and 19 residues located in the RBD in protein accumulation, receptor binding, and pseudotype virus entry. For these purposes, we first identified an entry-efficient S gene template from a pool of gene variants and used it as a backbone to generate a series of cytoplasmic tail deletion and single residue substitution mutants. Our results showed that: (i) deletion of 18aa from the C-terminus enhanced the S protein accumulation and virus entry, which might be due to the deletion of intracellular retention signals; (ii) further deletion to residue 29 also enhanced the amount of S protein on the cell surface and in virion, but reduced virus entry by 25%, suggesting that residues 19–29 contributes to membrane fusion; (iii) a 29aa-deletion mutant had a defect in anchoring on the plasma membrane, which led to a dramatic decrease of S protein in virion and virus entry; (iv) a total of 15 residues (Y498, V499, V531, G534, G537, D538, S540, G575, S576, E582, W585, Y590, T591, V593 and G594) within RBD were important for receptor binding and virus entry. They probably form three receptor binding motifs, and the third motif is conserved between NL63 and SARS-CoV.

negative: Dissection of SARS Coronavirus Spike Protein into Discrete Folded Fragments Abstract The spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediates cell fusion by binding to target cell surface receptors. This paper reports a simple method for dissecting the viral protein and for searching for foldable fragments in a random but systematic manner. The method involves digestion by DNase I to generate a pool of short DNA segments, followed by an additional step of reassembly of these segments to produce a library of DNA fragments with random ends but controllable lengths. To rapidly screen for discrete folded polypeptide fragments, the reassembled gene fragments were further cloned into a vector as N-terminal fusions to a folding reporter gene which was a variant of green fluorescent protein. Two foldable fragments were identified for the SARS-CoV spike protein, which coincide with various anti-SARS peptides derived from the hepated repeat (HR) region 2 of the spike protein. The method should be applicable to other viral proteins to isolate antigen or vaccine candidates, thus providing an alternative to the full-length proteins (subunits) or linear short peptides.

negative: SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-COV: A comparative overview The recent outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 that started in Wuhan, China, has now spread to several other countries and is in its exponential phase of spread. Although less pathogenic than SARS-CoV, it has taken several lives and taken down the economies of many countries. Before this outbreak, the most recent coronavirus outbreaks were the SARS-CoV and the MERS-CoV outbreaks that happened in China and Saudi Arabia, respectively. Since the SARS-CoV-2 belongs to the same family as of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, they share several similarities. So, this review aims at understanding the new scenario of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and compares the epidemiology, clinical presentations, and the genetics of these coronaviruses. Studies reveal that SARS-CoV-2 is very similar in structure and pathogenicity with SARS-CoV, but the most important structural protein, i.e., the spike protein (S), is slightly different in these viruses. The presence of a furin-like cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 facilitates the S protein priming and might increase the efficiency of the spread of SARS-CoV-2 as compared to other beta coronaviruses. So, furin inhibitors can be targeted as potential drug therapies for SARS-CoV.

negative: Glycosylation and oligomerization of the spike protein of marburg virus Abstract The oligosaccharide side chains of the glycoprotein of Marburg virus (MW 170,000) have been analyzed by determining their sensitivity to enzymatic degradation and their reactivity with lectins. It was found that they consist of N- and O-glycans. Studies employing chemical cross-linking showed that the glycoprotein is present as a homotrimer in the viral envelope.

negative: Molecular modelling of S1 and S2 subunits of SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein Abstract The S1 and S2 subunits of the spike glycoprotein of the coronavirus which is responsible for the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) have been modelled, even though the corresponding amino acid sequences were not suitable for tertiary structure predictions with conventional homology and/or threading procedures. An indirect search for a protein structure to be used as a template for 3D modelling has been performed on the basis of the genomic organisation similarity generally exhibited by coronaviruses. The crystal structure of Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin B appeared to be structurally adaptable to human and canine coronavirus spike protein sequences and it was successfully used to model the two subunits of SARS coronavirus spike glycoprotein. The overall shape and the surface hydrophobicity of the two subunits in the obtained models suggest the localisation of the most relevant regions for their activity.

negative: Cross-crystal averaging with search models to improve molecular replacement phases The application of molecular replacement (MR) in macromolecular crystallography can be limited by the “model bias” problem. Here we propose a strategy to reduce model bias when only part of a new structure is known: after the MR search, structure determination of the unknown part of the new structure can be facilitated by cross-crystal averaging of the known part of the new structure with the search model. This strategy dramatically improves electron density in the unknown part of the new structure. It has enabled us to determine the structures of two coronavirus receptor-binding domains each complexed with their receptor at moderate resolutions. In a test case, it also enabled automated model building when over 50% of an antigen-antibody complex was absent. These results suggest that this averaging strategy can be routinely used after MR to enhance the interpretability of electron density associated with missing model.

negative: The pathogenesis and alternative treatment of SARS-CoV2

negative: Predicting pseudoknotted structures across two RNA sequences Motivation: Laboratory RNA structure determination is demanding and costly and thus, computational structure prediction is an important task. Single sequence methods for RNA secondary structure prediction are limited by the accuracy of the underlying folding model, if a structure is supported by a family of evolutionarily related sequences, one can be more confident that the prediction is accurate. RNA pseudoknots are functional elements, which have highly conserved structures. However, few comparative structure prediction methods can handle pseudoknots due to the computational complexity. Results: A comparative pseudoknot prediction method called DotKnot-PW is introduced based on structural comparison of secondary structure elements and H-type pseudoknot candidates. DotKnot-PW outperforms other methods from the literature on a hand-curated test set of RNA structures with experimental support. Availability: DotKnot-PW and the RNA structure test set are available at the web site http://dotknot.csse.uwa.edu.au/pw. Contact: janaspe@csse.uwa.edu.au Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

negative: Genomics functional analysis and drug screening of SARS-CoV-2 Abstract A novel coronavirus appeared in Wuhan, China has led to major outbreaks. Recently, rapid classification of virus species, analysis of genome and screening for effective drugs are the most important tasks. In the present study, through literature review, sequence alignment, ORF identification, motif recognition, secondary and tertiary structure prediction, the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 were comprehensively analyzed. To find effective drugs, the parameters of binding sites were calculated by SeeSAR. In addition, potential miRNAs were predicted according to RNA base-pairing. After prediction by using NCBI, WebMGA and GeneMark and comparison, a total of 8 credible ORFs were detected. Even the whole genome have great difference with other CoVs, each ORF has high homology with SARS-CoVs (>90%). Furthermore, domain composition in each ORFs was also similar to SARS. In the DrugBank database, only 7 potential drugs were screened based on the sequence search module. Further predicted binding sites between drug and ORFs revealed that 2-(N-Morpholino)-ethanesulfonic acid could bind 1# ORF in 4 different regions ideally. Meanwhile, both benzyl (2-oxopropyl) carbamate and 4-(dimehylamina) benzoic acid have bene demonstrated to inhibit SARS-CoV infection effectively. Interestingly, 2 miRNAs (miR-1307-3p and miR-3613-5p) were predicted to prevent virus replication via targeting 3′-UTR of the genome or as biomarkers. In conclusion, the novel coronavirus may have consanguinity with SARS. Drugs used to treat SARS may also be effective against the novel virus. In addition, altering miRNA expression may become a potential therapeutic schedule.

negative: Interactome Profile of the Host Cellular Proteins and the Nonstructural Protein 2 of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus The nonstructural protein 2 (NSP2) is considered to be one of crucial viral proteins in the replication and pathogenesis of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). In the present study, the host cellular proteins that interact with the NSP2 of PRRSV were immunoprecipitated with anti-Myc antibody from the MARC-145 cells infected by a recombinant PRRSV with 3xMyc tag insertion in its NSP2-coding region, and then 285 cellular proteins interacting with NSP2 were identified by LC-MS/MS. The Gene Ontology and enriched KEGG Pathway bioinformatics analyses indicated that the identified proteins could be assigned to different subcellular locations and functional classes. Functional analysis of the interactome profile highlighted cellular pathways associated with infectious disease, translation, immune system, nervous system and signal transduction. Two interested cellular proteins–BCL2-associated athanogene 6 (BAG6) and apoptosis-inducing factor 1 (AIF1) which may involve in transporting of NSP2 to Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) or PRRSV-driven apoptosis were validated by Western blot. The interactome data between PRRSV NSP2 and cellular proteins contribute to the understanding of the roles of NSP2 in the replication and pathogenesis of PRRSV, and also provide novel cellular target proteins for elucidating the associated molecular mechanisms of the interaction of host cellular proteins with viral proteins in regulating the viral replication.

negative: Crystallization and preliminary X‐ray diffraction studies of the influenza C virus glycoprotein Influenza C virus contains a single surface glycoprotein in its lipid envelope which is the hemagglutinin‐esterase‐fusion glycoprotein (HEF). HEF binds cell‐surface receptors, is a receptor‐destroying enzyme (a 9‐O‐acetylesterase), and mediates the fusion of virus and host cell membranes. A bromelain‐released soluble form of HEF has been crystallized. Two different tetragonal forms have been identified from crystals with the same morphology [P (1(3))22, a = b = 154.5, c = 414.4 Å, and P4(1(3))2(1)2, a = b = 217.4, c = 421.4 Å]. Both crystal forms share a common packing scheme. Synchrotron data collection and flash cooling of crystals have been used for high‐resolution data collection.

negative: Discovery of baicalin and baicalein as novel, natural product inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease in vitro Human infections with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cause coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) and there is currently no cure. The 3C-like protease (3CLpro), a highly conserved protease indispensable for replication of coronaviruses, is a promising target for development of broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. To advance the speed of drug discovery and development, we investigated the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro by natural products derived from Chinese traditional medicines. Baicalin and baicalein were identified as the first non-covalent, non-peptidomimetic inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and exhibited potent antiviral activities in a cell-based system. Remarkably, the binding mode of baicalein with SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro determined by X-ray protein crystallography is distinctly different from those of known inhibitors. Baicalein is perfectly ensconced in the core of the substrate-binding pocket by interacting with two catalytic residues, the crucial S1/S2 subsites and the oxyanion loop, acting as a “shield” in front of the catalytic dyad to prevent the peptide substrate approaching the active site. The simple chemical structure, unique mode of action, and potent antiviral activities in vitro, coupled with the favorable safety data from clinical trials, emphasize that baicalein provides a great opportunity for the development of critically needed anti-coronaviral drugs.

negative: RNA delivery by extracellular vesicles in mammalian cells and its applications The term ‘extracellular vesicles’ refers to a heterogeneous population of vesicular bodies of cellular origin that derive either from the endosomal compartment (exosomes) or as a result of shedding from the plasma membrane (microvesicles, oncosomes and apoptotic bodies). Extracellular vesicles carry a variety of cargo, including RNAs, proteins, lipids and DNA, which can be taken up by other cells, both in the direct vicinity of the source cell and at distant sites in the body via biofluids, and elicit a variety of phenotypic responses. Owing to their unique biology and roles in cell–cell communication, extracellular vesicles have attracted strong interest, which is further enhanced by their potential clinical utility. Because extracellular vesicles derive their cargo from the contents of the cells that produce them, they are attractive sources of biomarkers for a variety of diseases. Furthermore, studies demonstrating phenotypic effects of specific extracellular vesicle-associated cargo on target cells have stoked interest in extracellular vesicles as therapeutic vehicles. There is particularly strong evidence that the RNA cargo of extracellular vesicles can alter recipient cell gene expression and function. During the past decade, extracellular vesicles and their RNA cargo have become better defined, but many aspects of extracellular vesicle biology remain to be elucidated. These include selective cargo loading resulting in substantial differences between the composition of extracellular vesicles and source cells; heterogeneity in extracellular vesicle size and composition; and undefined mechanisms for the uptake of extracellular vesicles into recipient cells and the fates of their cargo. Further progress in unravelling the basic mechanisms of extracellular vesicle biogenesis, transport, and cargo delivery and function is needed for successful clinical implementation. This Review focuses on the current state of knowledge pertaining to packaging, transport and function of RNAs in extracellular vesicles and outlines the progress made thus far towards their clinical applications.

negative: Pathogenesis of Murine Coronavirus in the Central Nervous System Murine coronavirus (mouse hepatitis virus, MHV) is a collection of strains that induce disease in several organ systems of mice. Infection with neurotropic strains JHM and A59 causes acute encephalitis, and in survivors, chronic demyelination, the latter of which serves as an animal model for multiple sclerosis. The MHV receptor is a carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule, CEACAM1a; paradoxically, CEACAM1a is poorly expressed in the central nervous system (CNS), leading to speculation of an additional receptor. Comparison of highly neurovirulent JHM isolates with less virulent variants and the weakly neurovirulent A59 strain, combined with the use of reverse genetics, has allowed mapping of pathogenic properties to individual viral genes. The spike protein, responsible for viral entry, is a major determinant of tropism and virulence. Other viral proteins, both structural and nonstructural, also contribute to pathogenesis in the CNS. Studies of host responses to MHV indicate that both innate and adaptive responses are crucial to antiviral defense. Type I interferon is essential to prevent very early mortality after infection. CD8 T cells, with the help of CD4 T cells, are crucial for viral clearance during acute disease and persist in the CNS during chronic disease. B cells are necessary to prevent reactivation of virus in the CNS following clearance of acute infection. Despite advances in understanding of coronavirus pathogenesis, questions remain regarding the mechanisms of viral entry and spread in cell types expressing low levels of receptor, as well as the unique interplay between virus and the host immune system during acute and chronic disease.

negative: Potential T-cell and B-cell Epitopes of 2019-nCoV As of early March, 2019-nCoV has infected more than one hundred thousand people and claimed thousands of lives. 2019-nCoV is a novel form of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 and has high similarity with SARS-CoV. No approved vaccine yet exists for any form of coronavirus. Here we use computational tools from structural biology and machine learning to identify 2019-nCoV T-cell and B-cell epitopes based on viral protein antigen presentation and antibody binding properties. These epitopes can be used to develop more effective vaccines and identify neutralizing antibodies. We identified 405 viral peptides with good antigen presentation scores for both human MHC-I and MHC-II alleles, and two potential neutralizing B-cell epitopes near the 2019-nCoV spike protein receptor binding domain (440-460 and 494-506). Analyzing mutation profiles of 68 viral genomes from four continents, we identified 96 coding-change mutations. These mutations are more likely to occur in regions with good MHC-I presentation scores (p=0.02). No mutations are present near the spike protein receptor binding domain. Based on these findings, the spike protein is likely immunogenic and a potential vaccine candidate. We validated our computational pipeline with SARS-CoV experimental data. The novel coronavirus 2019-nCoV has affected more than 100 countries and continues to spread. There is an immediate need for effective vaccines that contain antigens which trigger responses from human T-cells and B-cells (known as epitopes). Here we identify potential T-cell epitopes through an analysis of human antigen presentation, as well as B-cell epitopes through an analysis of protein structure. We identify a list of top candidates, including an epitope located on 2019-nCoV spike protein that potentially triggers both T-cell and B-cell responses. Analyzing 68 samples, we observe that viral mutations are more likely to happen in regions with strong antigen presentation, a potential form of immune evasion. Our computational pipeline is validated with experimental data from SARS-CoV.

negative: A single amino acid substitution (R441A) in the receptor-binding domain of SARS coronavirus spike protein disrupts the antigenic structure and binding activity Abstract The spike (S) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) has two major functions: interacting with the receptor to mediate virus entry and inducing protective immunity. Coincidently, the receptor-binding domain (RBD, residues 318–510) of SAR-CoV S protein is a major antigenic site to induce neutralizing antibodies. Here, we used RBD-Fc, a fusion protein containing the RBD and human IgG1 Fc, as a model in the studies and found that a single amino acid substitution in the RBD (R441A) could abolish the immunogenicity of RBD to induce neutralizing antibodies in immunized mice and rabbits. With a panel of anti-RBD mAbs as probes, we observed that R441A substitution was able to disrupt the majority of neutralizing epitopes in the RBD, suggesting that this residue is critical for the antigenic structure responsible for inducing protective immune responses. We also demonstrated that the RBD-Fc bearing R441A mutation could not bind to soluble and cell-associated angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the functional receptor for SARS-CoV and failed to block S protein-mediated pseudovirus entry, indicating that this point mutation also disrupted the receptor-binding motif (RBM) in the RBD. Taken together, these data provide direct evidence to show that a single amino acid residue at key position in the RBD can determine the major function of SARS-CoV S protein and imply for designing SARS vaccines and therapeutics.

negative: Coronaviruses Coronaviruses of humans were first identified more than 60 years ago from individuals with respiratory infections, mainly mild. Two different viruses, 229E and OC43 were initially recognized. Because of difficulty in isolating them using standard techniques, many of the early studies of their occurrence were seroepidemiologic. They were confirmed to be worldwide in distribution, and, in the North Temperate Zone, mainly occurring in the winter season. With the development of the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, two additional distinct viruses have been identified, HKU1 and NL63. The four viruses have now been recognized as important in the etiology of common respiratory infections, second only to the rhinoviruses. In 2002, a previously unrecognized betacoronavirus emerged from a zoonotic reservoir in Southern China and spread during the following year to several major cities of the world. The resulting illness was termed Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) because of its potential lethality. More than 8,000 probable cases were reported during 2003, mainly from Hong Kong and mainland China, producing social and economic disruption in those areas affected. A constant feature of the outbreak was the importance of nosocomial spread. In spite of an estimated basic reproductive number higher than influenza, the outbreak was ended, in large part because of control of in-hospital transmission. In 2012, another betacoronavirus has emerged in the Arabian peninsula which is producing a somewhat similar illness, termed Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), also marked by extensive nosocomial transmission. The outcome of this emergence is currently unknown.

negative: Pulmonary embolism in COVID-19. When nothing is what it seems

negative: Conclusion: Understanding the Elusive Nature of Objectivity An evaluation of research reported in this book shows the problematic nature of understanding some of the universal values associated with objectivity such as certainty, value neutral observations, facts, infallibility, and truth of scientific theories and laws. These results provide a detailed account (over a period of almost 25 years) of how the science education research community conceptualizes the difficulties involved in accepting objectivity as an unquestioned epistemic virtue of the scientific enterprise. Analyses of general chemistry textbooks are used to introduce the idea of “transgression of objectivity” and that scientific progress (nanotechnology) is at a crossroads. Given the importance of objectivity/subjectivity dichotomy in science education, it is plausible to suggest that objectivity has become an opiate of the academic. Although, achievement of objectivity in actual scientific practice is a myth, it still remains a powerful and useful idea. It seems that more work needs to be done in order to facilitate a transition toward a more nuanced understanding of objectivity and eventually the dynamics of scientific progress.

negative: Challenges for Experimentation on Living Beings at the Dawn of the 21(st) Century “We can talk endlessly about moral progress, about social progress, about poetic progress, about progress made in happiness; nevertheless, there is a type of progress that defies any discussion, and that is scientific progress, as soon as we judge it within the hierarchy of knowledge, from a specifically intellectual point of view.”

negative: A Novel Efficient Simulated Annealing Algorithm for the RNA Secondary Structure Predicting with Pseudoknots The pseudoknot structure of RNA molecular plays an important role in cell function. However, existing algorithms cannot predict pseudoknots structure efficiently. In this paper, we propose a novel simulated annealing algorithm to predict nucleic acid secondary structure with pseudoknots. Firstly, all possible maximum successive complementary base pairs would be identified and maintained. Secondary, the new neighboring state could be generated by choosing one of these successive base pairs randomly. Thirdly, the annealing schedule is selected to systematically decrease the temperature as the algorithm proceeds, the final solution is the structure with minimum free energy. Furthermore, the performance of our algorithm is evaluated by the instances from PseudoBase database, and compared with state-of-the-art algorithms. The comparison results show that our algorithm is more accurate and competitive with higher sensitivity and specificity indicators.

negative: Structural elucidation of SARS-CoV-2 vital proteins: Computational methods reveal potential drug candidates against main protease, Nsp12 polymerase and Nsp13 helicase The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 caused a major outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and instigated a widespread fear, threatening global health security. To date, no licensed antiviral drugs or vaccines are available against COVID-19 although several clinical trials are underway to test possible therapies. During this urgency situation, computational drug discovery methods provide an alternative to tiresome high-throughput screening, particularly in the hit-to-lead-optimization stage. Identification of small molecules that specifically target viral replication apparatus has indicated highest potential towards antiviral drug discovery. In this work, we present potential compounds that specifically target SARS-CoV-2 vital proteins, including the main protease, Nsp12 RNA polymerase and Nsp13 helicase. An integrative virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations approach led to the identification of potential binding modes and favourable molecular interaction profile of corresponding compounds. Moreover, the identification of structurally important binding site residues in conserved motifs located inside the active site highlights relative importance of ligand binding based on residual energy decomposition analysis. Although the current study lacks experimental validation, the structural information obtained from this computational study has paved way for the design of targeted inhibitors to combat COVID-19 outbreak.

negative: Crystal structure of the Marburg virus GP2 core domain in its postfusion conformation. Marburg virus (MARV) and Ebola virus (EBOV) are members of the family Filoviridae ("filoviruses") and cause severe hemorrhagic fever with human case fatality rates of up to 90%. Filovirus infection requires fusion of the host cell and virus membranes, a process that is mediated by the envelope glycoprotein (GP). GP contains two subunits, the surface subunit (GP1), which is responsible for cell attachment, and the transmembrane subunit (GP2), which catalyzes membrane fusion. The GP2 ectodomain contains two heptad repeat regions, N-terminal and C-terminal (NHR and CHR, respectively), that adopt a six-helix bundle during the fusion process. The refolding of this six-helix bundle provides the thermodynamic driving force to overcome barriers associated with membrane fusion. Here we report the crystal structure of the MARV GP2 core domain in its postfusion (six-helix bundle) conformation at 1.9 Å resolution. The MARV GP2 core domain backbone conformation is virtually identical to that of EBOV GP2 (reported previously), and consists of a central NHR core trimeric coiled coil packed against peripheral CHR α-helices and an intervening loop and helix-turn-helix segments. We previously reported that the stability of the MARV GP2 postfusion structure is highly pH-dependent, with increasing stability at lower pH [Harrison, J. S., Koellhoffer, J. K., Chandran, K., and Lai, J. R. (2012) Biochemistry51, 2515-2525]. We hypothesized that this pH-dependent stability provides a mechanism for conformational control such that the postfusion six-helix bundle is promoted in the environments of appropriately mature endosomes. In this report, a structural rationale for this pH-dependent stability is described and involves a high-density array of core and surface acidic side chains at the midsection of the structure, termed the "anion stripe". In addition, many surface-exposed salt bridges likely contribute to the stabilization of the postfusion structure at low pH. These results provide structural insights into the mechanism of MARV GP2-mediated membrane fusion.

negative: On spatial molecular arrangements of SARS-CoV2 genomes of Indian patients A pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV2 is being experienced by the whole world since December, 2019. A thorough understanding beyond just sequential similarities among the protein coding genes of SARS-CoV2 is important in order to differentiate or relate to the other known CoVs of the same genus. In this study, we compare three genomes namely MT012098 (India-Kerala), MT050493 (India-Kerala), MT358637 (India-Gujrat) from India with NC_045512 (China-Wuhan) to view the spatial as well as molecular arrangements of nucleotide bases of all the genes embedded in these four genomes. Based on different features extracted for each gene embedded in these genomes, corresponding phylogenetic relationships have been built up. Differences in phylogenetic tree arrangement with individual gene suggest that three genomes of Indian origin have come from three different origins or the evolution of viral genome is very fast process. This study would also help to understand the virulence factors, disease pathogenicity, origin and transmission of the SARS-CoV2.

negative: Budded baculovirus particle structure revisited Abstract Baculoviruses are a group of enveloped, double-stranded DNA insect viruses with budded (BV) and occlusion-derived (ODV) virions produced during their infection cycle. BVs are commonly described as rod shaped particles with a high apical density of protein extensions (spikes) on the lipid envelope surface. However, due to the fragility of BVs the conventional purification and electron microscopy (EM) staining methods considerably distort the native viral structure. Here, we use cryo-EM analysis to reveal the near-native morphology of two intensively studied baculoviruses, Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) and Spodoptera exigua MNPV (SeMNPV), as models for BVs carrying GP64 and F as envelope fusion protein on the surface. The now well-preserved AcMNPV and SeMNPV BV particles have a remarkable elongated, ovoid shape leaving a large, lateral space between nucleocapsid (NC) and envelope. Consistent with previous findings the NC has a distinctive cap and base structure interacting tightly with the envelope. This tight interaction may explain the partial retaining of the envelope on both ends of the NC and the disappearance of the remainder of the BV envelope in the negative-staining EM images. Cryo-EM also reveals that the viral envelope contains two layers with a total thickness of ≈6–7nm, which is significantly thicker than a usual biological membrane (<4nm) as measured by X-ray scanning. Most spikes are densely clustered at the two apical ends of the virion although some envelope proteins are also found more sparsely on the lateral regions. The spikes on the surface of AcMNPV BVs appear distinctly different from those of SeMNPV. Based on our observations we propose a new near-native structural model of baculovirus BVs.

negative: Inverse folding of RNA pseudoknot structures Background: RNA exhibits a variety of structural configurations. Here we consider a structure to be tantamount to the noncrossing Watson-Crick and \pairGU-base pairings (secondary structure) and additional cross-serial base pairs. These interactions are called pseudoknots and are observed across the whole spectrum of RNA functionalities. In the context of studying natural RNA structures, searching for new ribozymes and designing artificial RNA, it is of interest to find RNA sequences folding into a specific structure and to analyze their induced neutral networks. Since the established inverse folding algorithms, {\tt RNAinverse}, {\tt RNA-SSD} as well as {\tt INFO-RNA} are limited to RNA secondary structures, we present in this paper the inverse folding algorithm {\tt Inv} which can deal with 3-noncrossing, canonical pseudoknot structures. Results: In this paper we present the inverse folding algorithm {\tt Inv}. We give a detailed analysis of {\tt Inv}, including pseudocodes. We show that {\tt Inv} allows to design in particular 3-noncrossing nonplanar RNA pseudoknot 3-noncrossing RNA structures-a class which is difficult to construct via dynamic programming routines. {\tt Inv} is freely available at \url{http://www.combinatorics.cn/cbpc/inv.html}. Conclusions: The algorithm {\tt Inv} extends inverse folding capabilities to RNA pseudoknot structures. In comparison with {\tt RNAinverse} it uses new ideas, for instance by considering sets of competing structures. As a result, {\tt Inv} is not only able to find novel sequences even for RNA secondary structures, it does so in the context of competing structures that potentially exhibit cross-serial interactions.

negative: Developments, applications, and prospects of cryo‐electron microscopy Cryo‐electron microscopy (cryo‐EM) is a structural biological method that is used to determine the 3D structures of biomacromolecules. After years of development, cryo‐EM has made great achievements, which has led to a revolution in structural biology. In this article, the principle, characteristics, history, current situation, workflow, and common problems of cryo‐EM are systematically reviewed. In addition, the new development direction of cryo‐EM—cryo‐electron tomography (cryo‐ET), is discussed in detail. Also, cryo‐EM is prospected from the following aspects: the structural analysis of small proteins, the improvement of resolution and efficiency, and the relationship between cryo‐EM and drug development. This review is dedicated to giving readers a comprehensive understanding of the development and application of cryo‐EM, and to bringing them new insights.

negative: Structure of the Ebola virus glycoprotein spike within the virion envelope at 11 Å resolution We present the structure of the surface Ebola virus (EBOV) trimeric glycoprotein (GP) spike at 11 Å resolution, in situ within the viral plasma membrane of purified virus particles. GP functions in cellular attachment, endosomal entry, and membrane fusion to initiate infection, and is a key therapeutic target. Nevertheless, only about half of the GP molecule has yet been solved to atomic resolution, excluding the mucin-like and transmembrane domains, and some of the glycans. Fitting of the atomic resolution X-ray data from expressed, truncated deletion constructs within our 11 Å structure of the entire molecule demonstrates the relationship between the GP1-GP2 domains, the mucin-like and transmembrane domains, and the bilaminar lipid envelope. We show that the mucin-like domain covers the glycan cap and partially occludes the receptor binding sites prior to proteolytic cleavage. Our structure is also consistent with key antibody neutralisation sites on GP being accessible prior to proteolysis. Based on the findings of us and others, GP-mediated binding may create an angle of 18 degrees between the planes of viral and endosomal membranes.

negative: Gastrointestinal Infection Could Be New Focus for Coronavirus Diagnosis It's not news to tell you that the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, is a worldwide pandemic. The initial outbreak of this novel virus in Wuhan in the Hubei province of China, first described in December 2019, has since moved on to being declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. The classic description of COVID-19 is a respiratory illness that manifests with fever, dry cough, and dyspnea on exertion. However, gastrointestinal (GI) complication of COVID-19 is emerging as well. This was observed with similar viral respiratory illnesses, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), which emerged in 2003, and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), which emerged in 2012. In a recently published, single-center case series of 138 consecutive hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19, investigators reported that approximately 10% of patients initially presented with GI symptoms, prior to the subsequent development of respiratory symptoms. Common and often very subtle symptoms included diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal pain, with a less common symptom being nonspecific GI illness. New studies are expanding our understanding of the possible fecal transmission of COVID-19. Assessment by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has provided evidence of the virus in the stool and the oropharynx outside the nasopharynx and respiratory tract. Virus in the stool may be evident on presentation and last throughout the course of illness resolution for up to 12 days after the respiratory virus evidence is gone. In fact, in one of the most recent studies looking at 73 patients, approximately 24% remained positive in their stool for evidence of the virus, though not necessarily infection, after showing negative in respiratory samples. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that after two negative respiratory tests separated by ≥ 24 hours, patients can be dismissed from having transmissibility infection risk for COVID-19. The potential for fecal-oral transmission of COVID-19 needs to be strongly considered. Considering these cases and the lessons from SARS, many authors recommend that real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) testing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from feces should be performed routinely in SARS-CoV-2 patients.

negative: Lack of Innate Interferon Responses during SARS Coronavirus Infection in a Vaccination and Reinfection Ferret Model In terms of its highly pathogenic nature, there remains a significant need to further define the immune pathology of SARS-coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection, as well as identify correlates of immunity to help develop vaccines for severe coronaviral infections. Here we use a SARS-CoV infection-reinfection ferret model and a functional genomics approach to gain insight into SARS immunopathogenesis and to identify correlates of immune protection during SARS-CoV-challenge in ferrets previously infected with SARS-CoV or immunized with a SARS virus vaccine. We identified gene expression signatures in the lungs of ferrets associated with primary immune responses to SARS-CoV infection and in ferrets that received an identical second inoculum. Acute SARS-CoV infection prompted coordinated innate immune responses that were dominated by antiviral IFN response gene (IRG) expression. Reinfected ferrets, however, lacked the integrated expression of IRGs that was prevalent during acute infection. The expression of specific IRGs was also absent upon challenge in ferrets immunized with an inactivated, Al(OH)(3)-adjuvanted whole virus SARS vaccine candidate that protected them against SARS-CoV infection in the lungs. Lack of IFN-mediated immune enhancement in infected ferrets that were previously inoculated with, or vaccinated against, SARS-CoV revealed 9 IRG correlates of protective immunity. This data provides insight into the molecular pathogenesis of SARS-CoV and SARS-like-CoV infections and is an important resource for the development of CoV antiviral therapeutics and vaccines.

negative: Isolation of active peptides from plant hydrolysates that promote Vero cells growth in stirred cultures

negative: Zoonotic origins of human coronaviruses Mutation and adaptation have driven the co-evolution of coronaviruses (CoVs) and their hosts, including human beings, for thousands of years. Before 2003, two human CoVs (HCoVs) were known to cause mild illness, such as common cold. The outbreaks of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) have flipped the coin to reveal how devastating and life-threatening an HCoV infection could be. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in central China at the end of 2019 has thrusted CoVs into the spotlight again and surprised us with its high transmissibility but reduced pathogenicity compared to its sister SARS-CoV. HCoV infection is a zoonosis and understanding the zoonotic origins of HCoVs would serve us well. Most HCoVs originated from bats where they are non-pathogenic. The intermediate reservoir hosts of some HCoVs are also known. Identifying the animal hosts has direct implications in the prevention of human diseases. Investigating CoV-host interactions in animals might also derive important insight on CoV pathogenesis in humans. In this review, we present an overview of the existing knowledge about the seven HCoVs, with a focus on the history of their discovery as well as their zoonotic origins and interspecies transmission. Importantly, we compare and contrast the different HCoVs from a perspective of virus evolution and genome recombination. The current CoV disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic is discussed in this context. In addition, the requirements for successful host switches and the implications of virus evolution on disease severity are also highlighted.

negative: Molecular Evolution and Structural Mapping of N-Terminal Domain in Spike Gene of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) The Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is a lethal zoonotic pathogen circulating in the Arabian Peninsula since 2012. There is no vaccine for MERS and anti-viral treatment is generally not applicable. We investigated the evolution of the MERS-CoV spike gene sequences and changes in viral loads over time from patients in Saudi Arabia from 2015–2017. All the MERS-CoV strains belonged to lineage 5, and showed high sequence homology (99.9%) to 2017 strains. Recombination analysis showed a potential recombination event in study strains from patients in Saudi Arabia. The spike gene showed eight amino acid substitutions, especially between the A1 and B5 lineage, and contained positively selected codon 1020. We also determined that the viral loads were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in fatal cases, and virus shedding was prolonged in some fatal cases beyond 21 days. The viral concentration peaked during the first week of illness, and the lower respiratory specimens had higher levels of MERS-CoV RNA. The presence of the diversifying selection and the topologies with the structural mapping of residues under purifying selection suggested that codon 1020 might have a role in the evolution of spike gene during the divergence of different lineages. This study will improve our understanding of the evolution of MERS-CoV, and also highlights the need for enhanced surveillance in humans and dromedaries. The presence of amino acid changes at the N-terminal domain and structural mapping of residues under positive selection at heptad repeat 1 provides better insight into the adaptive evolution of the spike gene and might have a potential role in virus-host tropism and pathogenesis.

negative: MERS-CoV diagnosis: An update Summary Diagnosis of MERS-Cov still a major concern in most of daignostic laboratories. To date the Real-time Polymerase Chain reaction (RT-PCR) is the mainstay for diagnosis of MERS-CoV. RT-PCR has limitations, including a long turnaround time and lack of common measurements and correlations with Viral Load (VL). It is recommended to screen for MERS-CoV using RT-PCR of the upstream of envelope gene (upE) followed by confirmation of the presence of one of the following genes; open reading frame 1A, 1B genes or nucleocapsid (N) gene. Scientists are looking to implement viral sequencing on all negative samples by RT-PCR and they beleive that can be exposed to another level of testing using sequencing of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) gene or N gene and in this case a positive result is diagnostic. It is also very important to maintain a contineous and random sequencing for MERS-Cov samples to be able to pick early viral mutations. Serological assays still not widely or routinely performed, and a lot of studies looking to implement such method in routine patient's testings.

negative: Dynamics and Control of Diseases in Networks with Community Structure The dynamics of infectious diseases spread via direct person-to-person transmission (such as influenza, smallpox, HIV/AIDS, etc.) depends on the underlying host contact network. Human contact networks exhibit strong community structure. Understanding how such community structure affects epidemics may provide insights for preventing the spread of disease between communities by changing the structure of the contact network through pharmaceutical or non-pharmaceutical interventions. We use empirical and simulated networks to investigate the spread of disease in networks with community structure. We find that community structure has a major impact on disease dynamics, and we show that in networks with strong community structure, immunization interventions targeted at individuals bridging communities are more effective than those simply targeting highly connected individuals. Because the structure of relevant contact networks is generally not known, and vaccine supply is often limited, there is great need for efficient vaccination algorithms that do not require full knowledge of the network. We developed an algorithm that acts only on locally available network information and is able to quickly identify targets for successful immunization intervention. The algorithm generally outperforms existing algorithms when vaccine supply is limited, particularly in networks with strong community structure. Understanding the spread of infectious diseases and designing optimal control strategies is a major goal of public health. Social networks show marked patterns of community structure, and our results, based on empirical and simulated data, demonstrate that community structure strongly affects disease dynamics. These results have implications for the design of control strategies.

negative: Crystal structure of the natural anion-conducting channelrhodopsin GtACR1 The naturally occurring channelrhodopsin variant anion channelrhodopsin-1 (ACR1), discovered in the cryptophyte algae Guillardia theta, exhibits large light-gated anion conductance and high anion selectivity when expressed in heterologous settings, properties that support its use as an optogenetic tool to inhibit neuronal firing with light. However, molecular insight into ACR1 is lacking owing to the absence of structural information underlying light-gated anion conductance. Here we present the crystal structure of G. theta ACR1 at 2.9 Å resolution. The structure reveals unusual architectural features that span the extracellular domain, retinal-binding pocket, Schiff-base region, and anion-conduction pathway. Together with electrophysiological and spectroscopic analyses, these findings reveal the fundamental molecular basis of naturally occurring light-gated anion conductance, and provide a framework for designing the next generation of optogenetic tools.

negative: SARS Coronavirus Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Treatment Design Emerging pathogens are either new or newly recognized or those that are increasing in incidence and spread. Since the identity of emerging pathogens from animal reservoirs is difficult to predict, the development for pathogen-specific therapeutics and vaccines is problematic. The highly pathogenic SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) emerged from zoonotic pools in 2002 to cause a global epidemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Many patients with SARS-CoV experienced an exacerbated form of disease called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring mechanical ventilation and supplemental oxygen and half of these patients died. Similar to other viral pathogens like influenza and West Nile Virus, the severity of SARS-CoV disease increased with age. Unfortunately, successful vaccination in the most vulnerable populations is a difficult task because of immunological deficiencies associated with aging (immune senescence). Due to the rapidity of virus emergence, technologies like synthetic biology can be harnessed to facilitate rapid recombinant virus construction for studying the novel virus biology, pathogenesis and the evaluation of therapeutic interventions. Since predicting the antigenic identity of future emergence is difficult, candidate vaccines and therapeutics should have a maximal breadth of cross-protection, and panels of antigenically divergent synthetically reconstructed viruses can be used as tools for this evaluation. We discuss how synthetic reconstruction of many animal and human SARS-CoV has provided a model to study the molecular mechanisms governing emergence and pathogenesis of viral diseases. In addition, we review the evolution, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of epidemic and zoonotic SARS-CoV with focus on the development of broadly reactive therapeutics and vaccines that protect aged populations from the zoonotic pool.

negative: COVID-19 outbreak: less stethoscope, more ultrasound

negative: Scrutinizing the SARS-CoV-2 protein information for the designing an effective vaccine encompassing both the T-cell and B-cell epitopes Novel SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic condition world-wide and has been declared as public health emergency of International concern by WHO in a very short span of time. The community transmission of this highly infectious virus has severely affected various parts of China, Italy, Spain and USA among others. The prophylactic solution against SARS-CoV-2 infection is challenging due to the high mutation rate of its RNA genome. Herein, we exploited a next generation vaccinology approach to construct a multi-epitope vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 with high antigenicity, safety and efficacy to combat this deadly infectious agent. The whole proteome was scrutinized for the screening of highly conserved, antigenic, non-allergen and non-toxic epitopes having high population coverage that can elicit both humoral and cellular mediated immune response against COVID-19 infection. These epitopes along with four different adjuvants were utilized to construct a multi-epitope vaccine candidate that can generate strong immunological memory response having high efficacy in humans. Various physiochemical analyses revealed the formation of a stable vaccine product having a high propensity to form a protective solution against the detrimental SARS-CoV-2 strain with high efficacy. The vaccine candidate interacted with immunological receptor TLR3 with high affinity depicting the generation of innate immunity. Further, the codon optimization and in silico expression show the plausibility of the high expression and easy purification of the vaccine product. Thus, this present study provides an initial platform of the rapid generation of an efficacious protective vaccine for combating COVID-19.

negative: Inverse Folding of RNA Pseudoknot Structures Background: RNA exhibits a variety of structural configurations. Here we consider a structure to be tantamount to the noncrossing Watson-Crick and \pairGU-base pairings (secondary structure) and additional cross-serial base pairs. These interactions are called pseudoknots and are observed across the whole spectrum of RNA functionalities. In the context of studying natural RNA structures, searching for new ribozymes and designing artificial RNA, it is of interest to find RNA sequences folding into a specific structure and to analyze their induced neutral networks. Since the established inverse folding algorithms, {\tt RNAinverse}, {\tt RNA-SSD} as well as {\tt INFO-RNA} are limited to RNA secondary structures, we present in this paper the inverse folding algorithm {\tt Inv} which can deal with 3-noncrossing, canonical pseudoknot structures. Results: In this paper we present the inverse folding algorithm {\tt Inv}. We give a detailed analysis of {\tt Inv}, including pseudocodes. We show that {\tt Inv} allows to design in particular 3-noncrossing nonplanar RNA pseudoknot 3-noncrossing RNA structures--a class which is difficult to construct via dynamic programming routines. {\tt Inv} is freely available at \url{http://www.combinatorics.cn/cbpc/inv.html}. Conclusions: The algorithm {\tt Inv} extends inverse folding capabilities to RNA pseudoknot structures. In comparison with {\tt RNAinverse} it uses new ideas, for instance by considering sets of competing structures. As a result, {\tt Inv} is not only able to find novel sequences even for RNA secondary structures, it does so in the context of competing structures that potentially exhibit cross-serial interactions.

negative: Structure, function and variants analysis of the androgen-regulated TMPRSS2, a drug target candidate for COVID-19 infection SARS-CoV-2 is a novel virus causing mainly respiratory, but also gastrointestinal symptoms. Elucidating the molecular processes underlying SARS-CoV-2 infection, and how the genetic background of an individual is responsible for the variability in clinical presentation and severity of COVID-19 is essential in understanding this disease. Cell infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus requires binding of its Spike (S) protein to the ACE2 cell surface protein and priming of the S by the serine protease TMPRSS2. One may expect that genetic variants leading to a defective TMPRSS2 protein can affect SARS-CoV-2 ability to infect cells. We used a range of bioinformatics methods to estimate the prevalence and pathogenicity of TMPRSS2 genetic variants in the human population, and assess whether TMPRSS2 and ACE2 are co-expressed in the intestine, similarly to what is observed in lungs. We generated a 3D structural model of the TMPRSS2 extracellular domain using the prediction server Phyre and studied 378 naturally-occurring TMPRSS2 variants reported in the GnomAD database. One common variant, p.V160M (rs12329760), is predicted damaging by both SIFT and PolyPhen2 and has a MAF of 0.25. Valine 160 is a highly conserved residue within the SRCS domain. The SRCS is found in proteins involved in host defence, such as CD5 and CD6, but its role in TMPRSS2 remains unknown. 84 rare variants (53 missense and 31 leading to a prematurely truncated protein, cumulative minor allele frequency (MAF) 7.34×10−4) cause structural destabilization and possibly protein misfolding, and are also predicted damaging by SIFT and PolyPhen2 prediction tools. Moreover, we extracted gene expression data from the human protein atlas and showed that both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 are expressed in the small intestine, duodenum and colon, as well as the kidneys and gallbladder. The implications of our study are that: i. TMPRSS2 variants, in particular p.V160M with a MAF of 0.25, should be investigated as a possible marker of disease severity and prognosis in COVID-19 and ii. in vitro validation of the co-expression of TMPRSS2 and ACE2 in gastro-intestinal is warranted.

negative: How a SARS antibody binds to SARS-CoV-2 esearchers at Scripps Research and the University of Hong Kong have shown how a human antibody for the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) can also bind the new COVID-19-causing coronavirus (Science 2020, DOI: 10 1126/science abb7269) The structural insights from might help in COVID-19 vaccine and drug design, the researchers say During a SARS epidemic in 2006, researchers isolated antibodies for the virus, SARS-CoV, from infected patients Earlier this year, researchers in China showed that one of those antibodies, CR3022, also binds to the spike protein of the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 (Emerging Microbes Infect 2020, DOI: 10 1080/22221751 2020 1729069) To see how exactly the antibody binds to the spike protein, a group led by Ian A Wilson ordered a sample of CR3022 and produced sections of SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein called the receptor-binding domain (RBD) The group used X-ray crystallography to find that, as predicted by the Chinese researchers, the View: PDF ;Full Text HTML

negative: Fast and accurate diagnostics from highly multiplexed sequencing assays Scalable, inexpensive, accurate, and secure testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial for control of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Recently developed highly multiplexed sequencing assays that rely on high-throughput sequencing (HMSAs) can, in principle, meet these demands, and present promising alternatives to currently used RT-qPCR-based tests. However, the analysis and interpretation of HMSAs requires overcoming several computational and statistical challenges. Using recently acquired experimental data, we present and validate an accurate and fast computational testing workflow based on kallisto and bustools, that utilize robust statistical methods and fast, memory efficient algorithms for processing high-throughput sequencing data. We show that our workflow is effective at processing data from all recently proposed SARS-CoV-2 sequencing based diagnostic tests, and is generally applicable to any diagnostic HMSAs.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: Status Report SARS-CoV-2, the causal agent of COVID-19, first emerged in late 2019 in China. It has since infected more than 870,000 individuals and caused more than 43,000 deaths globally. Here, we discuss therapeutic and prophylactic interventions for SARS-CoV-2 with a focus on vaccine development and its challenges. Vaccines are being rapidly developed but will likely come too late to affect the first wave of a potential pandemic. Nevertheless, critical lessons can be learned for the development of vaccines against rapidly emerging viruses. Importantly, SARS-CoV-2 vaccines will be essential to reducing morbidity and mortality if the virus establishes itself in the population.

negative: The dynamic nature of the Golgi complex The intracellular transport of newly synthesized G protein of vesicular stomatitis virus is blocked at 20 degrees C and this spanning membrane glycoprotein accumulates in the last Golgi compartment, the trans Golgi- network (TGN). Previous morphological evidence suggested that the TGN enlarged significantly under this condition. In the present study we have used stereological procedures to estimate the volume and surface area of the Golgi stack and the TGN of baby hamster kidney cells under different conditions. The results indicate that the increase in the size of the TGN at 20 degrees C is accompanied by a significant decrease in the surface area and volume of the preceding Golgi compartments. A similar effect is also seen in uninfected cells at 20 degrees C, as well as during normal (37 degrees C) infection with Semliki Forest virus. In the latter case, however, the decrease in the size of the Golgi stack and the increase in that of the TGN is not accompanied by inhibition of transport from the Golgi complex to the cell surface. The results indicate that the Golgi stack and the TGN are dynamic and interrelated structures that are capable of rapid alteration in total surface area in response to changes in the rates of membrane transport.

negative: Antigenic and immunogenic characterization of recombinant baculovirus-expressed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein: implication for vaccine design. The spike (S) glycoprotein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) mediates the receptor interaction and immune recognition and is considered a major target for vaccine design. However, its antigenic and immunogenic properties remain to be elucidated. In this study, we immunized mice with full-length S protein (FL-S) or its extracellular domain (EC-S) expressed by recombinant baculoviruses in insect cells. We found that the immunized mice developed high titers of anti-S antibodies with potent neutralizing activities against SARS pseudoviruses constructed with the S proteins of Tor2, GD03T13, and SZ3, the representative strains of 2002 to 2003 and 2003 to 2004 human SARS-CoV and palm civet SARS-CoV, respectively. These data suggest that the recombinant baculovirus-expressed S protein vaccines possess excellent immunogenicity, thereby inducing highly potent neutralizing responses against human and animal SARS-CoV variants. The antigenic structure of the S protein was characterized by a panel of 38 monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) isolated from the immunized mice. The epitopes of most anti-S MAbs (32 of 38) were localized within the S1 domain, and those of the remaining 6 MAbs were mapped to the S2 domain. Among the anti-S1 MAbs, 17 MAbs targeted the N-terminal region (amino acids [aa] 12 to 327), 9 MAbs recognized the receptor-binding domain (RBD; aa 318 to 510), and 6 MAbs reacted with the C-terminal region of S1 domain that contains the major immunodominant site (aa 528 to 635). Strikingly, all of the RBD-specific MAbs had potent neutralizing activity, 6 of which efficiently blocked the receptor binding, confirming that the RBD contains the main neutralizing epitopes and that blockage of the receptor association is the major mechanism of SARS-CoV neutralization. Five MAbs specific for the S1 N-terminal region exhibited moderate neutralizing activity, but none of the MAbs reacting with the S2 domain and the major immunodominant site in S1 showed neutralizing activity. All of the neutralizing MAbs recognize conformational epitopes. These data provide important information for understanding the antigenicity and immunogenicity of S protein and for designing SARS vaccines. This panel of anti-S MAbs can be used as tools for studying the structure and function of the SARS-CoV S protein.

negative: Structural basis for neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV by a potent therapeutic antibody The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has resulted in an unprecedented public health crisis. There are no approved vaccines or therapeutics for treating COVID-19. Here we reported a humanized monoclonal antibody, H014, efficiently neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV pseudoviruses as well as authentic SARS-CoV-2 at nM level by engaging the S receptor binding domain (RBD). Importantly, H014 administration reduced SARS-CoV-2 titers in the infected lungs and prevented pulmonary pathology in hACE2 mouse model. Cryo-EM characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 S trimer in complex with the H014 Fab fragment unveiled a novel conformational epitope, which is only accessible when the RBD is in open conformation. Biochemical, cellular, virological and structural studies demonstrated that H014 prevents attachment of SARS-CoV-2 to its host cell receptors. Epitope analysis of available neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 uncover broad cross-protective epitopes. Our results highlight a key role for antibody-based therapeutic interventions in the treatment of COVID-19. One sentence summary A potent neutralizing antibody conferred protection against SARS-CoV-2 in an hACE2 humanized mouse model by sterically blocking the interaction of the virus with its receptor.

negative: Potent human neutralizing antibodies elicited by SARS-CoV-2 infection The pandemic caused by emerging coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 presents a serious global public health emergency in urgent need of prophylactic and therapeutic interventions. SARS-CoV-2 cellular entry depends on binding between the viral Spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) and the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) target cell receptor. Here, we report on the isolation and characterization of 206 RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) derived from single B cells of eight SARS-CoV-2 infected individuals. These mAbs come from diverse families of antibody heavy and light chains without apparent enrichment for particular families in the repertoire. In samples from one patient selected for further analyses, we found coexistence of germline and germline divergent clones. Both clone types demonstrated impressive binding and neutralizing activity against pseudovirus and live SARS-CoV-2. However, the antibody neutralizing potency is determined by competition with ACE2 receptor for RBD binding. Surprisingly, none of the SARS-CoV-2 antibodies nor the infected plasma cross-reacted with RBDs from either SARS-CoV or MERS-CoV although substantial plasma cross-reactivity to the trimeric Spike proteins from SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV was found. These results suggest that antibody response to RBDs is viral species-specific while that cross-recognition target regions outside the RBD. The specificity and neutralizing characteristics of this plasma cross-reactivity requires further investigation. Nevertheless, the diverse and potent neutralizing antibodies identified here are promising candidates for prophylactic and therapeutic SARS-CoV-2 interventions.

negative: Evidence of the COVID-19 Virus Targeting the CNS: Tissue Distribution, Host–Virus Interaction, and Proposed Neurotropic Mechanisms [Image: see text] The recent outbreak of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) has gripped the world with apprehension and has evoked a scare of epic proportion regarding its potential to spread and infect humans worldwide. As we are in the midst of an ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, scientists are struggling to understand how it resembles and differs from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) at the genomic and transcriptomic level. In a short time following the outbreak, it has been shown that, similar to SARS-CoV, COVID-19 virus exploits the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor to gain entry inside the cells. This finding raises the curiosity of investigating the expression of ACE2 in neurological tissue and determining the possible contribution of neurological tissue damage to the morbidity and mortality caused by COIVD-19. Here, we investigate the density of the expression levels of ACE2 in the CNS, the host–virus interaction and relate it to the pathogenesis and complications seen in the recent cases resulting from the COVID-19 outbreak. Also, we debate the need for a model for staging COVID-19 based on neurological tissue involvement.

negative: Will children reveal their secret? The coronavirus dilemma

negative: Clinical, molecular and epidemiological characterization of the SARS-CoV2 virus and the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a comprehensive literature review Abstract Coronaviruses are an extensive family of viruses that can cause disease in both animals and humans. The current classification of coronaviruses recognizes 39 species in 27 subgenera that belong to the family Coronaviridae. From those, at least seven coronaviruses are known to cause respiratory infections in humans. Four of these viruses can cause common cold-like symptoms. Those that infect animals can evolve and become infectious to humans. Three recent examples of these viral jumps include SARS CoV, MERS-CoV and SARS CoV-2 virus. They are responsible for causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the most recently discovered coronavirus disease during 2019 (COVID-19). COVID-19, a respiratory disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO) on 11 March 2020. The rapid spread of the disease has taken the scientific and medical community by surprise. Latest figures from 20th May 2020 show more than 5 million people had been infected with the virus, causing more than 330,000 deaths in over 210 countries worldwide. The large amount of information received daily relating to COVID-19 is so abundant and dynamic that medical staff, health authorities, academics and the media are not able to keep up with this new pandemic. In order to offer a clear insight of the extensive literature available, we have conducted a comprehensive literature review of the SARS CoV-2 Virus and the Coronavirus Diseases 2019 (COVID-19).

negative: Emergence of genomic diversity and recurrent mutations in SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 is a SARS-like coronavirus of likely zoonotic origin first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province. The virus has since spread globally, resulting in the currently ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The first whole genome sequence was published on January 5 2020, and thousands of genomes have been sequenced since this date. This resource allows unprecedented insights into the past demography of SARS-CoV-2 but also monitoring of how the virus is adapting to its novel human host, providing information to direct drug and vaccine design. We curated a dataset of 7666 public genome assemblies and analysed the emergence of genomic diversity over time. Our results are in line with previous estimates and point to all sequences sharing a common ancestor towards the end of 2019, supporting this as the period when SARS-CoV-2 jumped into its human host. Due to extensive transmission, the genetic diversity of the virus in several countries recapitulates a large fraction of its worldwide genetic diversity. We identify regions of the SARS-CoV-2 genome that have remained largely invariant to date, and others that have already accumulated diversity. By focusing on mutations which have emerged independently multiple times (homoplasies), we identify 198 filtered recurrent mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Nearly 80% of the recurrent mutations produced non-synonymous changes at the protein level, suggesting possible ongoing adaptation of SARS-CoV-2. Three sites in Orf1ab in the regions encoding Nsp6, Nsp11, Nsp13, and one in the Spike protein are characterised by a particularly large number of recurrent mutations (>15 events) which may signpost convergent evolution and are of particular interest in the context of adaptation of SARS-CoV-2 to the human host. We additionally provide an interactive user-friendly web-application to query the alignment of the 7666 SARS-CoV-2 genomes.

negative: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus entry into host cells: Opportunities for therapeutic intervention A novel human coronavirus (CoV) has been identified as the etiological agent that caused the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreak in 2003. The spike (S) protein of this virus is a type I surface glycoprotein that mediates binding of the virus to the host receptor and the subsequent fusion between the viral and host membranes. Because of its critical role in viral entry, the S protein is an important target for the development of anti‐SARS CoV therapeutics and prophylactics. This article reviews the structure and function of the SARS CoV S protein in the context of its role in virus entry. Topics that are discussed include: the interaction between the S1 domain of the SARS spike protein and the cellular receptor, angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and the structural features of the ectodomain of ACE2; the antigenic determinants presented by the S protein and the nature of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies that are elicited in vivo; the structure of the 4,3‐hydrophobic heptad repeats HR1 and HR2 of the S2 domain and their interaction to form a six‐helical bundle during the final stages of fusion. Opportunities for the design and development of anti‐SARS agents based on the inhibition of receptor binding, the therapeutic uses of S‐directed monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors of HR1–HR2 complex formation are presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 26, No. 4, 414–433, 2006

negative: Insights on cross-species transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from structural modeling Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is responsible for the ongoing global pandemic that has infected more than 6 million people in more than 180 countries worldwide. Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 is thought to have been transmitted to humans from wild animals. Given the scale and widespread geographical distribution of the current pandemic, the question emerges whether human-to-animal transmission is possible and if so, which animal species are most at risk. Here, we investigated the structural properties of several ACE2 orthologs bound to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We found that species known not to be susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection have non-conservative mutations in several ACE2 amino acid residues that disrupt key polar and charged contacts with the viral spike protein. Our models also predict affinity-enhancing mutations that could be used to design ACE2 variants for therapeutic purposes. Finally, our study provides a blueprint for modeling viral-host protein interactions and highlights several important considerations when designing these computational studies and analyzing their results.

negative: Cross-reactive antibody response between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infections Summary The World Health Organization has declared the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, which is caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as pandemic. There is currently a lack of knowledge about the antibody response elicited from SARS-CoV-2 infection. One major immunological question concerns antigenic differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. We address this question by analyzing plasma from patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV, and from infected or immunized mice. Our results show that, while cross-reactivity in antibody binding to the spike protein is common, cross-neutralization of the live viruses may be rare, indicating the presence of non-neutralizing antibody response to conserved epitopes in the spike. Whether such low or non-neutralizing antibody response leads to antibody-dependent disease enhancement needs to be addressed in the future. Overall, this study not only addresses a fundamental question regarding antigenicity differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, but also has implications for immunogen design and vaccine development.

negative: Finding Ways to Reduce Coronavirus Exposure During Dialysis.

negative: Access to Care for Dementia patients suffering from COVID-19

negative: Novel Coronavirus Polymerase and Nucleotidyl-Transferase Structures: Potential to Target New Outbreaks [Image: see text] The pandemic outbreak of a new coronavirus (CoV), SARS-CoV-2, has captured the world’s attention, demonstrating that CoVs represent a continuous global threat. As this is a highly contagious virus, it is imperative to understand RNA-dependent-RNA-polymerase (RdRp), the key component in virus replication. Although the SARS-CoV-2 genome shares 80% sequence identity with severe acute respiratory syndrome SARS-CoV, their RdRps and nucleotidyl-transferases (NiRAN) share 98.1% and 93.2% identity, respectively. Sequence alignment of six coronaviruses demonstrated higher identity among their RdRps (60.9%–98.1%) and lower identity among their Spike proteins (27%–77%). Thus, a 3D structural model of RdRp, NiRAN, non-structural protein 7 (nsp7), and nsp8 of SARS-CoV-2 was generated by modeling starting from the SARS counterpart structures. Furthermore, we demonstrate the binding poses of three viral RdRp inhibitors (Galidesivir, Favipiravir, and Penciclovir), which were recently reported to have clinical significance for SARS-CoV-2. The network of interactions established by these drug molecules affirms their efficacy to inhibit viral RNA replication and provides an insight into their structure-based rational optimization for SARS-CoV-2 inhibition.

negative: Antigenic modules in the N-terminal S1 region of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus spike protein. The N-terminal S1 region of the transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) spike (S) glycoprotein contains four antigenic sites (C, B, D and A, from the N- to the C-terminal end) and is engaged in host-cell receptor recognition. The most N-terminal portion of the S1 region, which comprises antigenic sites C and B, is needed for the enteric tropism of TGEV, whereas the major antigenic site A at the C-terminal moiety is required for both respiratory and enteric cell tropism, and is engaged in recognition of the aminopeptidase N (APN) receptor. This study determined the kinetics for binding of a soluble S1 protein to the APN protein. Moreover, the S1 region of the TGEV S protein was dissected, with the aim of identifying discrete modules displaying unique antigenic sites and receptor-binding functions. Following protease treatments and mammalian cell expression methods, four modules or domains (D1-D4) were defined at the S1 region. Papain treatment identified an N-terminal domain (D1) resistant to proteolysis, whereas receptor binding defined a soluble and functional APN receptor-binding domain (D3). This domain was recognized by neutralizing antibodies belonging to the antigenic site A and therefore could be used as an immunogen for the prevention of viral infection. The organization of the four modules in the S1 region of the TGEV S glycoprotein is discussed.

negative: Relationship between Anti-Spike Protein Antibody Titers and SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro Virus Neutralization in Convalescent Plasma Newly emerged pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 highlight the urgent need for assays that detect levels of neutralizing antibodies that may be protective. We studied the relationship between anti-spike ectodomain (ECD) and anti-receptor binding domain (RBD) IgG titers, and SARS-CoV-2 virus neutralization (VN) titers generated by two different in vitro assays using convalescent plasma samples obtained from 68 COVID-19 patients, including 13 who donated plasma multiple times. Only 23% (16/68) of donors had been hospitalized. We also studied 16 samples from subjects found to have anti-spike protein IgG during surveillance screening of asymptomatic individuals. We report a strong positive correlation between both plasma anti-RBD and anti-ECD IgG titers, and in vitro VN titer. Anti-RBD plasma IgG correlated slightly better than anti-ECD IgG titer with VN titer. The probability of a VN titer ≥160 was 80% or greater with anti-RBD or anti-ECD titers of ≥1:1350. Thirty-seven percent (25/68) of convalescent plasma donors lacked VN titers ≥160, the FDA-recommended level for convalescent plasma used for COVID-19 treatment. Dyspnea, hospitalization, and disease severity were significantly associated with higher VN titer. Frequent donation of convalescent plasma did not significantly decrease either VN or IgG titers. Analysis of 2,814 asymptomatic adults found 27 individuals with anti-RBD or anti-ECD IgG titers of ≥1:1350, and evidence of VN ≥1:160. Taken together, we conclude that anti-RBD or anti-ECD IgG titers can serve as a surrogate for VN titers to identify suitable plasma donors. Plasma anti-RBD or anti-ECD titer of ≥1:1350 may provide critical information about protection against COVID-19 disease.

negative: The clinical manifestations and management of COVID-19-related liver injury

negative: A mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 model for the evaluation of COVID-19 medical countermeasures Coronaviruses are prone to emergence into new host species most recently evidenced by SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent of the COVID-19 pandemic. Small animal models that recapitulate SARS-CoV-2 disease are desperately needed to rapidly evaluate medical countermeasures (MCMs). SARS-CoV-2 cannot infect wildtype laboratory mice due to inefficient interactions between the viral spike (S) protein and the murine ortholog of the human receptor, ACE2. We used reverse genetics to remodel the S and mACE2 binding interface resulting in a recombinant virus (SARS-CoV-2 MA) that could utilize mACE2 for entry. SARS-CoV-2 MA replicated in both the upper and lower airways of both young adult and aged BALB/c mice. Importantly, disease was more severe in aged mice, and showed more clinically relevant phenotypes than those seen in hACE2 transgenic mice. We then demonstrated the utility of this model through vaccine challenge studies in immune competent mice with native expression of mACE2. Lastly, we show that clinical candidate interferon (IFN) lambda-1a can potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in primary human airway epithelial cells in vitro, and both prophylactic and therapeutic administration diminished replication in mice. Our mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 model demonstrates age-related disease pathogenesis and supports the clinical use of IFN lambda-1a treatment in human COVID-19 infections.

negative: The effect of randomness for dependency map on the robustness of interdependent lattices The percolation for interdependent networks with identical dependency map follows a second-order phase transition which is exactly the same with percolation on a single network, while percolation for random dependency follows a first-order phase transition. In real networks, the dependency relations between networks are neither identical nor completely random. Thus in this paper, we study the influence of randomness for dependency maps on the robustness of interdependent lattice networks. We introduce approximate entropy(ApEn) as the measure of randomness of the dependency maps. We find that there is critical ApEn(c) below which the percolation is continuous, but for larger ApEn, it is a first-order transition. With the increment of ApEn, the p(c) increases until ApEn reaching [Formula: see text] and then remains almost constant. The time scale of the system shows rich properties as ApEn increases. Our results uncover that randomness is one of the important factors that lead to cascading failures of spatially interdependent networks.

negative: Galectin-related protein: An integral member of the network of chicken galectins 1. From strong sequence conservation of the gene confined to vertebrates to biochemical characteristics of the chicken protein and its crystal structure BACKGROUND: Endogenous lectins are multifunctional effectors in cell physiology. Adding the sixth member of the galectin family in chicken, a model organism for systematic profiling of these adhesion/growth-regulatory proteins, is a step toward comprehensive network monitoring. METHODS: Database mining and computational data processing are applied for gene detection, chromosomal location and sequence alignments. Cloning, recombinant production and fusion-protein technology gain access to the protein, mass spectrometry and gel electrophoresis/filtration provide analytical data. Haemagglutination, glycan microarray and cell assays assess binding capacity, and crystallography of a shortened variant (also analyzed by ultracentrifugation and small angle X-ray scattering) determines its structure. RESULTS: The gene for the galectin-related protein (GRP) is present exclusively in vertebrates with high-level sequence conservation and similar chromosomal positioning. The chicken protein is monomeric and has lost the canonical galectin property of binding lactose. The crystal structure of the variant without the 36-amino-acid extension at the start provides explanations for this lack of binding. CONCLUSIONS: Chicken GRP is special within this family of six proteins by being unable to bind lactose. The documented high degree of sequence conservation among vertebrate orthologues confers the status of a model for delineating an assumedly shared functionality to this GRP. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: Biochemical characterization of a product of a gene under strong positive selection is a prerequisite for functional characterization. It is also essential for network monitoring by adding a new member to this lectin family.

negative: Crystal structure of Nsp15 endoribonuclease NendoU from SARS‐CoV‐2 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is rapidly spreading around the world. There is no existing vaccine or proven drug to prevent infections and stop virus proliferation. Although this virus is similar to human and animal SARS‐CoVs and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoVs), the detailed information about SARS‐CoV‐2 proteins structures and functions is urgently needed to rapidly develop effective vaccines, antibodies, and antivirals. We applied high‐throughput protein production and structure determination pipeline at the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases to produce SARS‐CoV‐2 proteins and structures. Here we report two high‐resolution crystal structures of endoribonuclease Nsp15/NendoU. We compare these structures with previously reported homologs from SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

negative: Use of the prevented fraction for the population to determine deaths averted by existing prevalence of physical activity: a descriptive study BACKGROUND: Disease and mortality burdens of unhealthy lifestyle behaviours are often reported. In contrast, the positive narrative around the burdens that an existing behaviour have averted is rarely acknowledged. We aimed to estimate the prevented fraction for the population (PFP) for premature mortality averted by physical activity on a global scale. METHODS: In this descriptive study, we obtained previously published data on physical activity prevalence (2001–16) and relative risks of all-cause mortality for 168 countries. We combined the data in Monte-Carlo simulations to estimate country-specific, mean PFP values, corresponding to percentage of mortality averted, and their 95% CIs. High prevented fractions indicated an increased proportion of deaths averted due to physical activity. Using mortality data for all people in a country aged 40–74 years, we estimated the number of premature deaths averted for all adults and by gender. We present the median and range of the prevented fractions globally, by WHO region, and by World Bank income classification. FINDINGS: The global median PFP was 15·0% (range 6·6–20·5), conservatively equating to 3·9 million (95% CI 2·5–5·6) premature deaths averted annually. The African region had the highest median prevented fraction (16·6% [range 12·1–20·5]) and the Americas had the lowest (13·1% [10·8–16·6]). Low-income countries tended to have higher prevented fractions (group median 17·9% [12·3–20·5]) than high-income countries (14·1% [6·6–17·8]). Globally, the median prevented fraction was higher for men (16·0% [7·8–20·7] than women (14·1% [5·0–20·4]). INTERPRETATION: Existing physical activity prevalence has contributed to averting premature mortality across all countries. PFP has utility as an advocacy tool to promote healthy lifestyle behaviours. By making the case of what has been achieved, the prevented fraction can show the value of current investment and services, which might be conducive to political support. FUNDING: UK Medical Research Council, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, Economic and Social Research Council, National Institute for Health Research, Wellcome Trust, Heart Foundation Australia.

negative: Structural basis for potent neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 and role of antibody affinity maturation SARS-CoV-2 is a betacoronavirus virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of a potent neutralizing monoclonal antibody, CV30, isolated from a patient infected with SARS-CoV-2, in complex with the receptor binding domain (RBD). The structure reveals CV30’s epitope overlaps with the human ACE2 receptor binding site thus providing the structural basis for its neutralization by preventing ACE2 binding.

negative: Structural genomics of infectious disease drug targets: the SSGCID The Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease (SSGCID) is a consortium of researchers at Seattle BioMed, Emerald BioStructures, the University of Washington and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory that was established to apply structural genomics approaches to drug targets from infectious disease organisms. The SSGCID is currently funded over a five-year period by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to determine the three-dimensional structures of 400 proteins from a variety of Category A, B and C pathogens. Target selection engages the infectious disease research and drug-therapy communities to identify drug targets, essential enzymes, virulence factors and vaccine candidates of biomedical relevance to combat infectious diseases. The protein-expression systems, purified proteins, ligand screens and three-dimensional structures produced by SSGCID constitute a valuable resource for drug-discovery research, all of which is made freely available to the greater scientific community. This issue of Acta Crystallographica Section F, entirely devoted to the work of the SSGCID, covers the details of the high-throughput pipeline and presents a series of structures from a broad array of pathogenic organisms. Here, a background is provided on the structural genomics of infectious disease, the essential components of the SSGCID pipeline are discussed and a survey of progress to date is presented.

negative: Assembly of vaccinia virus: role of the intermediate compartment between the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi stacks Vaccinia virus, the prototype of the Poxviridae, is a large DNA virus which replicates in the cytoplasm of the host cell. The assembly pathway of vaccinia virus displays several unique features, such as the production of two structurally distinct, infectious forms. One of these, termed intracellular naked virus (INV), remains cells associated while the other, termed extracellular enveloped virus (EEV), is released from the cell. In addition, it has long been believed that INVs acquire their lipid envelopes by a unique example of de novo membrane biogenesis. To examine the structure and assembly of vaccinia virus we have used immunoelectron microscopy using antibodies to proteins of different subcellular compartments as well as a phospholipid analysis of purified INV and EEV. Our data are not consistent with the de novo model of viral membrane synthesis but rather argue that the vaccinia virus DNA becomes enwrapped by a membrane cisterna derived from the intermediate compartment between the ER and the Golgi stacks, thus acquiring two membranes in one step. Phospholipid analysis of purified INV supports its derivation from an early biosynthetic compartment. This unique assembly process is repeated once more when the INV becomes enwrapped by an additional membrane cisterna, in agreement with earlier reports. The available data suggest that after fusion between the outer envelope and the plasma membrane, mature EEV is released from the cell.

negative: Predicting RNA Secondary Structures: One-grammar-fits-all Solution RNA secondary structures are known to be important in many biological processes. Many available programs have been developed for RNA secondary structure prediction. Based on our knowledge, however, there still exist secondary structures of known RNA sequences which cannot be covered by these algorithms. In this paper, we provide an efficient algorithm that can handle all RNA secondary structures found in Rfam database. We designed a new stochastic context-free grammar named Rectangle Tree Grammar (RTG) which significantly expands the classes of structures that can be modelled. Our algorithm runs in O(n (6)) time and the accuracy is reasonably high, with average PPV and sensitivity over 75%. In addition, the structures that RTG predicts are very similar to the real ones.

negative: A search for medications to treat COVID-19 via in silico molecular docking models of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein and 3CL protease Abstract Background The COVID-19 has now been declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization. There is an emergent need to search for possible medications. Method Utilization of the available sequence information, homology modeling, and in slico docking a number of available medications might prove to be effective in inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 two main drug targets, the spike glycoprotein, and the 3CL protease. Results Several compounds were determined from the in silico docking models that might prove to be effective inhibitors for SARS-CoV-2. Several antiviral medications: Zanamivir, Indinavir, Saquinavir, and Remdesivir show potential as and 3CLPRO main proteinase inhibitors and as a treatment for COVID-19. Conclusion Zanamivir, Indinavir, Saquinavir, and Remdesivir are among the exciting hits on the 3CLPRO main proteinase. It is also exciting to uncover that Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD) Adeflavin, B2 deficiency medicine, and Coenzyme A, a coenzyme, may also be potentially used for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. The use of these off-label medications may be beneficial in the treatment of the COVID-19.

negative: Chapter Two Structures of enveloped virions determined by cryogenic electron microscopy and tomography Abstract Enveloped viruses enclose their genomes inside a lipid bilayer which is decorated by membrane proteins that mediate virus entry. These viruses display a wide range of sizes, morphologies and symmetries. Spherical viruses are often isometric and their envelope proteins follow icosahedral symmetry. Filamentous and pleomorphic viruses lack such global symmetry but their surface proteins may display locally ordered assemblies. Determining the structures of enveloped viruses, including the envelope proteins and their protein-protein interactions on the viral surface, is of paramount importance. These structures can reveal how the virions are assembled and released by budding from the infected host cell, how the progeny virions infect new cells by membrane fusion, and how antibodies bind surface epitopes to block infection. In this chapter, we discuss the uses of cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in elucidating structures of enveloped virions. Starting from a detailed outline of data collection and processing strategies, we highlight how cryo-EM has been successfully utilized to provide unique insights into enveloped virus entry, assembly, and neutralization.

negative: Structural characterization of the fusion-active complex of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus. The causative agent of a recent outbreak of an atypical pneumonia, known as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), has been identified as a coronavirus (CoV) not belonging to any of the previously identified groups. Fusion of coronaviruses with the host cell is mediated by the envelope spike protein. Two regions within the spike protein of SARS-CoV have been identified, showing a high degree of sequence conservation with the other CoV, which are characterized by the presence of heptad repeats (HR1 and HR2). By using synthetic and recombinant peptides corresponding to the HR1 and HR2 regions, we were able to characterize the fusion-active complex formed by this novel CoV by CD, native PAGE, proteolysis protection analysis, and size-exclusion chromatography. HR1 and HR2 of SARS-CoV associate into an antiparallel six-helix bundle, with structural features typical of the other known class I fusion proteins. We have also mapped the specific boundaries of the region, within the longer HR1 domain, making contact with the shorter HR2 domain. Notably, the inner HR1 coiled coil is a stable alpha-helical domain even in the absence of interaction with the HR2 region. Inhibitors binding to HR regions of fusion proteins have been shown to be efficacious against many viruses, notably HIV. Our results may help in the design of anti-SARS therapeutics.

negative: SARS-CoV-2: an Emerging Coronavirus that Causes a Global Threat An ongoing outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus, currently designated as the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was reported recently. However, as SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging virus, we know little about it. In this review, we summarize the key events occurred during the early stage of SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, the basic characteristics of the pathogen, the signs and symptoms of the infected patients as well as the possible transmission pathways of the virus. Furthermore, we also review the current knowledge on the origin and evolution of the SARS-CoV-2. We highlight bats as the potential natural reservoir and pangolins as the possible intermediate host of the virus, but their roles are waiting for further investigation. Finally, the advances in the development of chemotherapeutic options are also briefly summarized.

negative: A fast and simple one-step duplex PCR assay for canine distemper virus (CDV) and canine coronavirus (CCoV) detection The one-step polymerase chain reaction (one-step PCR) detection assay is an innovative PCR detection method, eliminating nucleic acid extraction steps, in which samples can be directly added to PCR reagents for testing. For simultaneous detection of CDV and CCoV, a sensitive and specific one-step duplex PCR (one-step dPCR) assay was developed with two pairs of primers that were designed based on H and M gene sequences of CDV and CCoV, respectively. The one-step dPCR with optimized detection conditions has high specificity and sensitivity; independent sequencing assays further verified these results.

negative: SARS-CoV-2, an evolutionary perspective of interaction with human ACE2 reveals undiscovered amino acids necessary for complex stability The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in more than 200,000 infections and nearly 9,000 deaths globally so far. This novel virus is thought to have originated from an animal reservoir, and acquired the ability to infect human cells using the SARS-CoV cell receptor hACE2. In the wake of a global pandemic it is essential to improve our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics surrounding the origin and spread of a novel infectious disease. One way theory predicts selection pressures should shape viral evolution is to enhance binding with host cells. We first assessed evolutionary dynamics in select betacoronavirus spike protein genes to predict where these genomic regions are under directional or purifying selection between divergent viral lineages at various scales of relatedness. With this analysis, we determine a region inside the receptor-binding domain with putative sites under positive selection interspersed among highly conserved sites, which are implicated in structural stability of the viral spike protein and its union with human receptor hACE2. Next, to gain further insights into factors associated with coronaviruses recognition of the human host receptor, we performed modeling studies of five different coronaviruses and their potential binding to hACE2. Modeling results indicate that interfering with the salt bridges at hot spot 353 could be an effective strategy for inhibiting binding, and hence for the prevention of coronavirus infections. We also propose that a glycine residue at the receptor binding domain of the spike glycoprotein can have a critical role in permitting bat variants of the coronaviruses to infect human cells.

negative: Reduced incorporation of SARS-CoV spike protein into viral particles due to amino acid substitutions within the receptor binding domain. Cell clone #21 is a long-term producer of the infectious SARS-coronavirus, although the incorporation rate of spike (S) protein into virions is significantly lower. Sequencing analysis of the viral structural proteins revealed four and one amino acid substitutions in the S and membrane (M) proteins, respectively. We demonstrated, using a viral-like particle formation system, that the S mutations were involved in the lower incorporation of the S protein into virions, although the M mutation that disrupts the glycosylation was not present in this phenotype. Further mutational experiments identified two substitutions, Y442C and L472F, within the receptor binding domain that could be critical for the reduced S incorporation, as well as reduced binding affinity between the S protein and ACE2 receptor. Thus, these two amino acid substitutions might lead to a conformational change in the S protein, resulting in reduced incorporation into viral particles.

negative: Coronaviruses pandemics: Can neutralizing antibodies help? For the first time in Homo sapiens history, possibly, most of human activities is stopped by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Nearly eight billion people of this world are facing a great challenge, maybe not “to be or not to be” yet, but unpredictable. What happens to other major pandemics in the past, and how human beings went through these hurdles? The human body is equipped with the immune system that can recognize, respond and fight against pathogens such as viruses. Following the innate response, immune system processes the adaptive response by which each pathogen is encoded and recorded in memory system. The humoral reaction containing cytokines and antibodies is expected to activate when the pathogens come back. Exploiting this nature of body protection, neutralizing antibodies have been investigated. Learning from past, in parallel to SARS-CoV-2, other coronaviruses SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV who caused previous pandemics, are recalled in this review. We here propose insights of origin and characteristics and perspective for the future of antibodies development.

negative: Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Historical, Epidemiologic, and Clinical Features Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), emerged from China and rapidly spread worldwide. Over 8098 people fell ill and 774 died before the epidemic ended in July 2003. Bats are likely an important reservoir for SARS-CoV. SARS-like CoVs have been detected in horseshoe bats and civet cats. The main mode of transmission of SARS-CoV is through inhalation of respiratory droplets. Faeco-oral transmission has been recorded. Strict infection control procedures with respiratory and contact precautions are essential. Fever and respiratory symptoms predominate, and diarrhea is common. Treatment involves supportive care. There are no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines available.

negative: The immunobiology of the feline leukemia virus

negative: Automatically fixing errors in glycoprotein structures with Rosetta Recent advances in single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryoEM) have resulted in determination of an increasing number of protein structures with resolved glycans. However, existing protocols for the refinement of glycoproteins at low resolution have failed to keep up with these advances. As a result, numerous deposited structures contain glycan stereochemical errors. Here, we describe a Rosetta-based approach for both cryoEM and X-ray crystallography refinement of glycoproteins which is capable of correcting conformational and configurational errors in carbohydrates. Building upon a previous Rosetta framework, we introduced additional features and score terms enabling automatic detection, setup and refinement of glycan-containing structures. We benchmarked this approach using twelve crystal structures and showed that glycan geometries can be automatically improved while maintaining good fit to the crystallographic data. Finally, we used this method to refine carbohydrates of the human coronavirus NL63 spike glycoprotein and of an HIV envelope glycoprotein, demonstrating its usefulness for cryoEM refinement.

negative: The ORF3a protein of SARS-CoV-2 induces apoptosis in cells

negative: Broad-Spectrum Coronavirus Fusion Inhibitors to Combat COVID-19 and Other Emerging Coronavirus Diseases In the past 17 years, three novel coronaviruses have caused severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As emerging infectious diseases, they were characterized by their novel pathogens and transmissibility without available clinical drugs or vaccines. This is especially true for the newly identified COVID-19 caused by SARS coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) for which, to date, no specific antiviral drugs or vaccines have been approved. Similar to SARS and MERS, the lag time in the development of therapeutics is likely to take months to years. These facts call for the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronavirus drugs targeting a conserved target site. This review will systematically describe potential broad-spectrum coronavirus fusion inhibitors, including antibodies, protease inhibitors, and peptide fusion inhibitors, along with a discussion of their advantages and disadvantages.

negative: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) as a SARS-CoV-2 receptor: molecular mechanisms and potential therapeutic target

negative: SARS‐coronavirus modulation of myocardial ACE2 expression and inflammation in patients with SARS Background Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), a monocarboxylase that degrades angiotensin II to angiotensin 1–7, is also the functional receptor for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) and is highly expressed in the lungs and heart. Patients with SARS also suffered from cardiac disease including arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, and systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Materials and methods We studied mice infected with the human strain of the SARS‐CoV and encephalomyocarditis virus and examined ACE2 mRNA and protein expression. Autopsy heart samples from patients who succumbed to the SARS crisis in Toronto (Canada) were used to investigate the impact of SARS on myocardial structure, inflammation and ACE2 protein expression. Results Pulmonary infection with the human SARS‐CoV in mice led to an ACE2‐dependent myocardial infection with a marked decrease in ACE2 expression confirming a critical role of ACE2 in mediating SARS‐CoV infection in the heart. The SARS‐CoV viral RNA was detected in 35% (7/20) of autopsied human heart samples obtained from patients who succumbed to the SARS crisis during the Toronto SARS outbreak. Macrophage‐specific staining showed a marked increase in macrophage infiltration with evidence of myocardial damage in patients who had SARS‐CoV in their hearts. The presence of SARS‐CoV in the heart was also associated with marked reductions in ACE2 protein expression. Conclusions Our data show that SARS‐CoV can mediate myocardial inflammation and damage associated with down‐regulation of myocardial ACE2 system, which may be responsible for the myocardial dysfunction and adverse cardiac outcomes in patients with SARS.

negative: Structural analysis of the putative SARS-CoV-2 primase complex We report the crystal structure of the SARS-CoV-2 putative primase composed of the nsp7 and nsp8 proteins. We observed a dimer of dimers (2:2 nsp7-nsp8) in the crystallographic asymmetric unit. The structure revealed a fold with a helical core of the heterotetramer formed by both nsp7 and nsp8 that is flanked with two symmetry-related nsp8 β-sheet subdomains. It was also revealed that two hydrophobic interfaces one of approx. 1340 Å(2) connects the nsp7 to nsp8 and a second one of approx. 950 Å(2) connects the dimers and form the observed heterotetramer. Interestingly, analysis of the surface electrostatic potential revealed a putative RNA binding site that is formed only within the heterotetramer.

negative: CO.ME.T.A. -- covid-19 media textual analysis. A dashboard for media monitoring The focus of this paper is to trace how mass media, particularly newspapers, have addressed the issues about the containment of contagion or the explanation of epidemiological evolution. We propose an interactive dashboard: CO.ME.T.A.. During crises it is important to shape the best communication strategies in order to respond to critical situations. In this regard, it is important to monitor the information that mass media and social platforms convey. The dashboard allows to explore the mining of contents extracted and study the lexical structure that links the main discussion topics. The dashboard merges together four methods: text mining, sentiment analysis, textual network analysis and latent topic models. Results obtained on a subset of documents show not only a health-related semantic dimension, but it also extends to social-economic dimensions.

negative: Crystal structure of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein RNA binding domain reveals potential unique drug targeting sites The outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in China caused by SARS-CoV-2 virus continually lead to worldwide human infections and deaths. It is currently no specific viral protein targeted therapeutics yet. Viral nucleocapsid protein is a potential antiviral drug target, serving multiple critical functions during the viral life cycle. However, the structural information of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein is yet to be clear. Herein, we have determined the 2.7 Å crystal structure of the N-terminal RNA binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. Although overall structure is similar with other reported coronavirus nucleocapsid protein N-terminal domain, the surface electrostatic potential characteristics between them are distinct. Further comparison with mild virus type HCoV-OC43 equivalent domain demonstrates a unique potential RNA binding pocket alongside the β-sheet core. Complemented by in vitro binding studies, our data provide several atomic resolution features of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein N-terminal domain, guiding the design of novel antiviral agents specific targeting to SARS-CoV-2.

negative: The Molecular Biology of Coronaviruses Abstract Coronaviruses are large, enveloped RNA viruses of both medical and veterinary importance. Interest in this viral family has intensified in the past few years as a result of the identification of a newly emerged coronavirus as the causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). At the molecular level, coronaviruses employ a variety of unusual strategies to accomplish a complex program of gene expression. Coronavirus replication entails ribosome frameshifting during genome translation, the synthesis of both genomic and multiple subgenomic RNA species, and the assembly of progeny virions by a pathway that is unique among enveloped RNA viruses. Progress in the investigation of these processes has been enhanced by the development of reverse genetic systems, an advance that was heretofore obstructed by the enormous size of the coronavirus genome. This review summarizes both classical and contemporary discoveries in the study of the molecular biology of these infectious agents, with particular emphasis on the nature and recognition of viral receptors, viral RNA synthesis, and the molecular interactions governing virion assembly.

negative: In silico fight against novel coronavirus by finding chromone derivatives as inhibitor of coronavirus main proteases enzyme Novel coronavirus, 2019-nCoV is a danger to the world and is spreading rapidly. Very little structural information about 2019-nCoV make this situation more difficult for drug designing. Benzylidenechromanones, naturally occurring oxygen heterocyclic compounds, having capability to inhibit various protein and receptors, have been designed here to block mutant variety of coronavirus main protease enzyme (SARC-CoV-2 M(pro)) isolated from 2019-nCoV with the assistance of molecular docking, bioinformatics and molecular electrostatic potential. (Z)-3-(4′-chlorobenzylidene)-thiochroman-4-one showed highest binding affinity to the protein. Binding of a compound to this protein actually inhibits the replication and transcription of the virus and, ultimately, stop the virus multiplication. Incorporation of any functional groups to the basic benzylidenechromanones enhances their binding ability. Chloro and bromo substitutions amplify the binding affinity. ADME studies of all these compounds indicate they are lipophilic, high gastro intestine absorbable and blood-brain barrier permeable. The outcome reveals that the investigated benzylidenechromanones can be examined in the case of 2019-nCoV as potent inhibitory drug of SARC-CoV-2 M(pro), for their strong inhibition ability, high reactivity and effective pharmacological properties. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s11224-020-01537-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: First genome sequences of buffalo coronavirus from water buffaloes in Bangladesh We report the complete genome sequences of a buffalo coronavirus (BufCoV HKU26) detected from the faecal samples of two domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Bangladesh. They possessed 98–99% nucleotide identities to bovine coronavirus (BCoV) genomes, supporting BufCoV HKU26 as a member of Betacoronavirus 1. Nevertheless, BufCoV HKU26 possessed distinct accessory proteins between spike and envelope compared to BCoV. Sugar-binding residues in the N-terminal domain of S protein in BCoV are conserved in BufCoV HKU26.

negative: A short review on antibody therapy for COVID-19 Abstract The beginning of the novel SARS-CoV-2 human coronavirus in Wuhan, China, has triggered a worldwide respiratory disease outbreak (COVID-19). By April 07, 2020, SARS-CoV-2 has affected more than 1.36 million people worldwide and caused more than 75,900 deaths. To date, the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine found to be a treatment option for SARS-CoV-2. In addition to supportive treatment, such as oxygen supply in moderate cases and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in critically ill patients, unique medications for this condition are also under investigation. Here we reviewed the antibody therapy might be an immediate strategy for emergency prophylaxis and SARS-CoV-2 therapy.

negative: Vulnerabilities in coronavirus glycan shields despite extensive glycosylation Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronaviruses (CoVs) are zoonotic pathogens with high fatality rates and pandemic potential. Vaccine development focuses on the principal target of the neutralizing humoral immune response, the spike (S) glycoprotein. Coronavirus S proteins are extensively glycosylated, encoding around 66–87 N-linked glycosylation sites per trimeric spike. Here, we reveal a specific area of high glycan density on MERS S that results in the formation of oligomannose-type glycan clusters, which were absent on SARS and HKU1 CoVs. We provide a comparison of the global glycan density of coronavirus spikes with other viral proteins including HIV-1 envelope, Lassa virus glycoprotein complex, and influenza hemagglutinin, where glycosylation plays a known role in shielding immunogenic epitopes. Overall, our data reveal how organisation of glycosylation across class I viral fusion proteins influence not only individual glycan compositions but also the immunological pressure across the protein surface.

negative: Glecaprevir and Maraviroc are high-affinity inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease: possible implication in COVID-19 therapy Due to the lack of efficient therapeutic options and clinical trial limitations, the FDA-approved drugs can be a good choice to handle Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Many reports have enough evidence for the use of FDA-approved drugs which have inhibitory potential against target proteins of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Here, we utilized a structure-based drug design approach to find possible drug candidates from the existing pool of FDA-approved drugs and checked their effectiveness against the SARS-CoV-2. We performed virtual screening of the FDA-approved drugs against the main protease (M(pro)) of SARS-CoV-2, an essential enzyme, and a potential drug target. Using well-defined computational methods, we identified Glecaprevir and Maraviroc (MVC) as the best inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro). Both drugs bind to the substrate-binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) and form a significant number of non-covalent interactions. Glecaprevir and MVC bind to the conserved residues of substrate-binding pocket of SARS-CoV-2 M(pro). This work provides sufficient evidence for the use of Glecaprevir and MVC for the therapeutic management of COVID-19 after experimental validation and clinical manifestations.

negative: The Structure Analysis and Antigenicity Study of the N Protein of SARS-CoV The Coronaviridae family is characterized by a nucleocapsid that is composed of the genome RNA molecule in combination with the nucleoprotein (N protein) within a virion. The most striking physiochemical feature of the N protein of SARS-CoV is that it is a typical basic protein with a high predicted pI and high hydrophilicity, which is consistent with its function of binding to the ribophosphate backbone of the RNA molecule. The predicted high extent of phosphorylation of the N protein on multiple candidate phosphorylation sites demonstrates that it would be related to important functions, such as RNA-binding and localization to the nucleolus of host cells. Subsequent study shows that there is an SR-rich region in the N protein and this region might be involved in the protein-protein interaction. The abundant antigenic sites predicted in the N protein, as well as experimental evidence with synthesized polypeptides, indicate that the N protein is one of the major antigens of the SARS-CoV. Compared with other viral structural proteins, the low variation rate of the N protein with regards to its size suggests its importance to the survival of the virus.

negative: Structural Insights into Immune Recognition of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus S Protein Receptor Binding Domain Abstract The spike (S) protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is responsible for host cell attachment and fusion of the viral and host cell membranes. Within S the receptor binding domain (RBD) mediates the interaction with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the SARS-CoV host cell receptor. Both S and the RBD are highly immunogenic and both have been found to elicit neutralizing antibodies. Reported here is the X-ray crystal structure of the RBD in complex with the Fab of a neutralizing mouse monoclonal antibody, F26G19, elicited by immunization with chemically inactivated SARS-CoV. The RBD–F26G19 Fab complex represents the first example of the structural characterization of an antibody elicited by an immune response to SARS-CoV or any fragment of it. The structure reveals that the RBD surface recognized by F26G19 overlaps significantly with the surface recognized by ACE2 and, as such, suggests that F26G19 likely neutralizes SARS-CoV by blocking the virus–host cell interaction.

negative: Structural Biology and the Design of Effective Vaccines for HIV-1 and Other Viruses Structural biology provides a wealth of information about the three-dimensional organization and chemical makeup of proteins. An understanding of atomic-level structure offers enormous potential to design rationally proteins that stimulate specific immune responses. Yet current vaccine development efforts makes little use of structural information. At the Vaccine Research Center, a major goal is to apply structural techniques to vaccine design for challenging pathogens, that include human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and other enveloped viruses such as influenza, Ebola, and respiratory syncytial viruses. Our three-part strategy involves 1.) the definition of the functional viral spike at the atomic level 2.) achieving a structural understanding of how neutralizing antibodies recognize the spike, and 3.) rational development of proteins that can elicit a specific antibody response. Overall, our strategy aims to incorporate information about viral spike-antibody interactions, to assimilate immunogenic feedback, and to leverage recent advances in immunofocusing and computational biology.

negative: SARS-CoV-2: Camazotz's Curse The world is currently face to face with a pandemic which is spreading rapidly across the globe caused by SARS-CoV-2, a strain of Coronaviruses (CoVs) belonging to subgenus Sarbecovirus of genus Betacoronavirus. World Health Organisation (WHO) on 11 Feb 20 named this disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 as Covid-19. This pandemic is spreading rapidly and more than 20,00,000 cases have occurred globally. The human Coronaviruses discovered in 1960s were considered potentially harmless endemic viruses with seasonal distribution before late 2002. The CoVs are found in a large number of domestic and wild animals and birds. The first pandemic caused by Coronavirus caused by SARS-CoV was recognized in the late 2002 in Guangdong Province and resulted in widespread morbidity and mortality. This was followed by MERS-CoV which began in 2012 in the Arabian peninsula with multiple outbreaks related to it in various parts of the globe. Various studies have suggested how these viruses made their entry from their natural reservoir bats via intermediate host like civets and camels in case of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV respectively. The intermediate host of the SARS-CoV-2 still needs to be established. The SARS-CoV-2 has 96.2% similarity to the bat Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome related-Coronavirus (SARSr-CoV RaTG13). SARS-CoV-2 has been found to be more distant in relation to SARS-CoV (79%) and MERS-CoV (50%). At the whole genome sequence level pangolin CoV and SARSr-CoV RaTG13 show 91.02% and 96.2% similarity with SARS-CoV-2 but the S1 subunit of spike protein of pangolin CoV is more closely related to SARS-CoV-2 than SARSr-CoV RaTG13. The genetic analysis of the currently circulating strains of the pandemic have shown 99.98-100% similarity in their genomes implying a recent shift to humans. The animal source of SARS-CoV-2 needs to be identified to implement control measures in the present pandemic. Also, how the virus moves interspecies will help predict and prevent future pandemics.

negative: Recombinant viral proteins for use in diagnostic ELISAs to detect virus infection ELISAs provide a valuable tool in the detection and diagnosis of virus infection. The ability to produce recombinant viral proteins will ensure that future ELISAs are safe, specific and rapid. This latter point being the most crucial advantage in that even if a virus cannot be cultured, provided gene sequence is available, it is possible to rapidly respond to emerging viruses and new viral strains of existing pathogens. Indeed, ELISAs based on peptides (corresponding to epitopes) also hold great promise, as in this case no cloning or expression of a recombinant protein is required. Both recombinant protein and peptide based systems lend themselves to large scale production and purification. These approaches can also be used to distinguish recombinant vaccines from parental or wild type viruses.

negative: Geographical structure of bat SARS-related coronaviruses Abstract Bats are the natural reservoirs of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) which caused the outbreak of human SARS in 2002–2003. We introduce the genetic diversity of SARS-related coronaviruses (SARSr-CoVs) discovered in bats and provide insights on the bat origin of human SARS. We also analyze the viral geographical structure that may improve our understanding of the evolution of bat SARSr-CoVs.

negative: SARS‐CoV‐2 immunogenicity at the crossroads The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a global health emergency and became a worldwide pandemic. We summarize the recent findings with respect to the function, structure and immunogenicity of the spike (S) protein, arising mutations, and implications on vaccine development and therapeutics.

negative: Novel ACE2-Independent Carbohydrate-Binding of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein to Host Lectins and Lung Microbiota The immediate call for translational research in the field of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, needs new and unexplored angles to support and contribute to this important worldwide health problem. The aim of this study is to better understand the pathogenic mechanisms underlying COVID-19, deciphering the carbohydrate-mediated interactions of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. We studied the carbohydrate-binding receptors that could be important for viral entry and for immune-modulatory responses, and we studied the interactions of the spike protein with the host lung microbiota. Exploring solid-phase immunoassays, we evaluated the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and a library of 12 different human carbohydrate-binding proteins (C-type lectins and Siglecs) involved in binding, triggering and modulation of innate and adaptive immune-responses. We revealed a specific binding of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the receptors DC-SIGN, MGL, Siglec-9 and Siglec-10 that are all expressed on myeloid immune cells. In addition, because the lung microbiota can promote or modulate viral infection, we studied the interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and a library of Streptococcus pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides, as well as other bacterial glyco-conjugates. We show specific binding of the spike protein to different S. pneumoniae capsular polysaccharides (serotypes 19F and 23F but not to serotype 14). Moreover we demonstrated a specific binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the lipopolysaccharide from the opportunistic human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, one of the leading cause of acute nosocomial infections and pneumonia. Interestingly, we identified rhamnosylated epitopes as one of the discriminating structures in lung microbiota to bind SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. In conclusion, we revealed novel ACE2-independent carbohydrate-mediated interactions with immune modulating lectins expressed on myeloid cells, as well as host lung microbiota glyco-conjugates. Our results identified new molecular pathways using host lectins and signalling, that may contribute to viral infection and subsequent immune exacerbation. Moreover we identified specific rhamnosylated epitopes in lung microbiota to bind SARS-CoV-2, providing a hypothetical link between the presence of specific lung microbiota and SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity.

negative: Imaging of Parasitic Diseases of the Thorax A broad spectrum of parasitic infections frequently affects the lungs, mediastinum, and thoracic wall, manifesting with abnormal imaging findings that often make diagnosis challenging. Although most of these infections result in nonspecific abnormalities, familiarity with their imaging features and the diagnostic pathways help the radiologist to formulate an adequate differential diagnosis and to guide diagnosticians in reaching a definitive diagnosis.

negative: Molecular evolution and phylogenetic analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and hosts ACE2 protein suggest Malayan pangolin as intermediary host An emergence of a novel coronavirus, causative agent of COVID19, named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), occurred due to cross-species transmission. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses able to infect a great number of hosts. Entrance of SARS-CoV-2 depends on the surface (S) protein interaction with host ACE2 protein and cleavage by TMPRSS2. ACE2 could be a species-specific barrier that interferes with bat-to-human coronavirus cross-species transmission. Molecular analysis supported bats as natural hosts for SARS-CoV and involved them in MERS-CoV origin. The genomic similarity between bat RaTG13 CoV strain and SARS-CoV-2 implicates bats in the origin of the new outbreak. Additionally, there is a hypothesis for the zoonotic transmission based on contact with Malayan pangolins by humans in Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China. To investigate bats and pangolin as hosts in SARS-CoV-2 cross-species transmission, we perform an evolutionary analysis combining viral and host phylogenies and divergence of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 amino acid sequences between CoV hosts. Phylogeny showed SARS-like-CoV-2 strains that infected pangolin and bats are close to SARS-CoV-2. In contrast to TMPRSS2, pangolin ACE2 amino acid sequence has low evolutionary divergence compared with humans and is more divergent from bats. Comparing SARS-CoV with SARS-CoV-2 origins, pangolin has yet lower ACE2 evolutionary divergence with humans than civet—the main intermediary host of SARS-CoV. Thus, pangolin has become an opportune host to intermediates bat-to-human SARS-CoV-2 jump and entry. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1007/s42770-020-00321-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

negative: Justification of the Proposed Paradigm Shift This chapter goes into the benefits of the proposed perspective and approach. Arguments from various disciplines are offered to show the impact of a holistic perspective, for the individual, the community he/she lives in, and wider Society. A summary of evidence is drawn from the perspective of psychology and mental health, from biology, personal leadership and self-development, from evolutionary theories, from sociological argumentation, and from an economic viewpoint.

negative: WSAVA Guidelines for the Vaccination of Dogs and Cats

negative: Conformational states of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus spike protein ectodomain. The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus enters cells through the activities of a spike protein (S) which has receptor-binding (S1) and membrane fusion (S2) regions. We have characterized four sequential states of a purified recombinant S ectodomain (S-e) comprising S1 and the ectodomain of S2. They are S-e monomers, uncleaved S-e trimers, cleaved S-e trimers, and dissociated S1 monomers and S2 trimer rosettes. Lowered pH induces an irreversible transition from flexible, L-shaped S-e monomers to clove-shaped trimers. Protease cleavage of the trimer occurs at the S1-S2 boundary; an ensuing S1 dissociation leads to a major rearrangement of the trimeric S2 and to formation of rosettes likely to represent clusters of elongated, postfusion trimers of S2 associated through their fusion peptides. The states and transitions of S suggest conformational changes that mediate viral entry into cells.

negative: Autocorrelation of the susceptible-infected-susceptible process on networks In this paper, we focus on the autocorrelation of the susceptible-infected-susceptible (SIS) process on networks. The [Formula: see text]-intertwined mean-field approximation (NIMFA) is applied to calculate the autocorrelation properties of the exact SIS process. We derive the autocorrelation of the infection state of each node and the fraction of infected nodes both in the steady and transient states as functions of the infection probabilities of nodes. Moreover, we show that the autocorrelation can be used to estimate the infection and curing rates of the SIS process. The theoretical results are compared with the simulation of the exact SIS process. Our work fully utilizes the potential of the mean-field method and shows that NIMFA can indeed capture the autocorrelation properties of the exact SIS process.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 mutations and where to find them: An in silico perspective of structural changes and antigenicity of the Spike protein The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is causing a severe global health threat characterized by severe acute respiratory syndrome (Covid-19). At the moment, there is no specific treatment for this disease, and vaccines are still under development. The structural protein Spike is essential for virus infection and has been used as the main target for vaccine and serological diagnosis test development. We analysed 2363 sequences of the Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2 isolates and identified variability in 44 amino acid residues and their worldwide distribution in all continents. We used the three-dimensional structure of the homo-trimer model to predict conformational epitopes of B-cell, and sequence of Spike protein Wuhan-Hu-1 to predict linear epitopes of T-Cytotoxic and T-Helper cells. We identified 45 epitopes with amino acid variations. Finally, we showed the distribution of mutations within the epitopes. Our findings can help researches to identify more efficient strategies for the development of vaccines, therapies, and serological diagnostic tests based on the Spike protein of Sars-Cov-2.

negative: Deep learning model can predict water binding sites on the surface of proteins using limited-resolution data The surfaces of proteins are generally hydrophilic but there have been reports of sites that exhibit an exceptionally high affinity for individual water molecules. Not only do such molecules often fulfil critical biological functions, but also, they may alter the binding of newly designed drugs. In crystal structures, sites consistently occupied in each unit cell yield electron density clouds that represent water molecule presence. These are recorded in virtually all high-resolution structures obtained through X-ray diffraction. In this work, we utilized the wealth of data from the RCSB Protein Data Bank to train a residual deep learning model named ‘hotWater’ to identify sites on the surface of proteins that are most likely to bind water, the so-called water hot spots. The model can be used to score existing water molecules from a PDB file to provide their ranking according to the predicted binding strength or to scan the surface of a protein to determine the most likely water hot-spots de novo. This is computationally much more efficient than currently used molecular dynamics simulations. Based on testing the model on three example proteins, which have been resolved using both high-resolution X-ray crystallography (providing accurate positions of trapped waters) as well as low-resolution X-ray diffraction, NMR or CryoEM (where structure refinement does not yield water positions), we were able to show that the hotWater method is able to recover in the “water-free” structures many water binding sites known from the high-resolution structures. A blind test on a newly solved protein structure with waters removed from the PDB also showed good prediction of the crystal water positions. This was compared to two known algorithms that use electron density and was shown to have higher recall at resolutions >2.6 Å. We also show that the algorithm can be applied to novel proteins such as the RNA polymerase complex from SARS-CoV-2, which could be of use in drug discovery. The hotWater model is freely available at (https://pypi.org/project/hotWater/).

negative: The deadly coronaviruses: The 2003 SARS pandemic and the 2020 novel coronavirus epidemic in China Abstract The 2019-nCoV is officially called SARS-CoV-2 and the disease is named COVID-19. This viral epidemic in China has led to the deaths of over 1800 people, mostly elderly or those with an underlying chronic disease or immunosuppressed state. This is the third serious Coronavirus outbreak in less than 20 years, following SARS in 2002–2003 and MERS in 2012. While human strains of Coronavirus are associated with about 15% of cases of the common cold, the SARS-CoV-2 may present with varying degrees of severity, from flu-like symptoms to death. It is currently believed that this deadly Coronavirus strain originated from wild animals at the Huanan market in Wuhan, a city in Hubei province. Bats, snakes and pangolins have been cited as potential carriers based on the sequence homology of CoV isolated from these animals and the viral nucleic acids of the virus isolated from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients. Extreme quarantine measures, including sealing off large cities, closing borders and confining people to their homes, were instituted in January 2020 to prevent spread of the virus, but by that time much of the damage had been done, as human-human transmission became evident. While these quarantine measures are necessary and have prevented a historical disaster along the lines of the Spanish flu, earlier recognition and earlier implementation of quarantine measures may have been even more effective. Lessons learned from SARS resulted in faster determination of the nucleic acid sequence and a more robust quarantine strategy. However, it is clear that finding an effective antiviral and developing a vaccine are still significant challenges. The costs of the epidemic are not limited to medical aspects, as the virus has led to significant sociological, psychological and economic effects globally. Unfortunately, emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has led to numerous reports of Asians being subjected to racist behavior and hate crimes across the world.

negative: Morphology, Genome Organization, Replication, and Pathogenesis of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) SARS-CoV-2 is a single-stranded RNA virus of ~30 kb genome size which belongs to genus Coronavirus and family Coronaviridae. SARS-CoV-2 has recently emerged and has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Genomic characterization of SARS-CoV-2 has shown that it is of zoonotic origin. The structure of SARS-CoV-2 is found to be similar to SARS-CoV with virion size ranging from 70 to 90 nm. Spike, membrane, and envelope surface viral proteins of coronavirus are embedded in host membrane-derived lipid bilayer encapsulating the helical nucleocapsid comprising viral RNA. The genome comprises of 6–11 open reading frames (ORFs) with 5′ and 3′ flanking untranslated regions (UTRs). Sequence variation among SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV revealed no significant difference in ORFs and nsps. The nsps includes two viral cysteine proteases including papain-like protease (nsp3), chymotrypsin-like, 3C-like, or main protease (nsp5), RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (nsp12), helicase (nsp13), and others likely to be involved in the transcription and replication of SARS-CoV-2. The structure of spike glycoprotein structure of SARS-CoV-2 resembles that of the spike protein of SARS-CoV with an root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 3.8 Å. Like SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 uses the ACE2 receptor for internalization and TMPRSS2 serine proteases for S protein priming. Histopathological investigation of tissues from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients showed virus-induced cytopathic effect with signs of acute respiratory distress syndrome in lung cells. This chapter discusses about the morphology, genome organization, replication, and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 that may help us understand the disease that may leads to identification of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines.

negative: Engineered three-dimensional scaffolds for enhanced bone regeneration in osteonecrosis Osteonecrosis, which is typically induced by trauma, glucocorticoid abuse, or alcoholism, is one of the most severe diseases in clinical orthopedics. Osteonecrosis often leads to joint destruction, and arthroplasty is eventually required. Enhancement of bone regeneration is a critical management strategy employed in osteonecrosis therapy. Bone tissue engineering based on engineered three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds with appropriate architecture and osteoconductive activity, alone or functionalized with bioactive factors, have been developed to enhance bone regeneration in osteonecrosis. In this review, we elaborate on the ideal properties of 3D scaffolds for enhanced bone regeneration in osteonecrosis, including biocompatibility, degradability, porosity, and mechanical performance. In addition, we summarize the development of 3D scaffolds alone or functionalized with bioactive factors for accelerating bone regeneration in osteonecrosis and discuss their prospects for translation to clinical practice.

negative: Design and application of the method for isolating magnetotactic bacteria A simple apparatus was designed to effectively isolate magnetotactic bacteria from soils or sediments based on their magnetotaxis. Through a series of processes including sample incubation, MTB harvesting, isolation, purification and identification, several strains of bacteria were isolated from the samples successfully. By Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Analysis (EDXA), these bacteria were certificated to be magnetotactic bacteria. The phylogenetic relationship between the isolated magnetic strains and some known magnetotactic bacteria was inferred by the construction of phylogenetic tree based on 16SrDNA sequences. This apparatus has been proven to have the advantages of being inexpensive, simple to assemble, easy to perform and highly efficient to isolate novel magnetotactic bacteria. The research indicated that the combined approach of harvesting MTB by home-made apparatus and the method of plate colony isolation could purify and isolate magnetotactic bacteria effectively.

negative: Characterization of the heptad repeat regions, HR1 and HR2, and design of a fusion core structure model of the spike protein from severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) is a newly emergent virus responsible for a worldwide epidemic in 2003. The coronavirus spike proteins belong to class I fusion proteins, and are characterized by the existence of two heptad repeat (HR) regions, HR1 and HR2. The HR1 region in coronaviruses is predicted to be considerably longer than that in other type I virus fusion proteins. Therefore the exact binding sequence to HR2 from the HR1 is not clear. In this study, we defined the region of HR1 that binds to HR2 by a series of biochemical and biophysical measures. Subsequently the defined HR1 (902-952) and HR2 (1145-1184) chains, which are different from previously defined binding regions, were linked together by a flexible linker to form a single-chain construct, 2-Helix. This protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and forms a typical six-helix coiled coil bundle. Highly conserved HR regions between mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) and SARS-CoV spike proteins suggest a similar three-dimensional structure for the two fusion cores. Here, we constructed a homology model for SARS coronavirus fusion core based on our biochemical analysis and determined the MHV fusion core structure. We also propose an important target site for fusion inhibitor design and several strategies, which have been successfully used in fusion inhibitor design for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), for the treatment of SARS infection.

negative: DeepEMhancer: a deep learning solution for cryo-EM volume post-processing Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps are among the most valuable sources of information for protein structure modeling. However, due to the loss of contrast at high frequencies, they generally need to be post-processed before modeling in order to improve their interpretability. To that end, approaches based on B-factor correction are the most popular choices, yet they suffer from some limitations such as the fact that the correction is applied globally, ignoring the presence of heterogeneity in the map local quality that cryo-EM reconstructions tend to exhibit. With the aim of overcoming these limitations, here we present DeepEMhancer, a deep learning approach designed to perform automatic post-processing of cryo-EM maps. Trained on a dataset of pairs of experimental cryo-EM maps and maps sharpened by LocScape using their respective atomic models, DeepEMhancer has automatically learned how to post-process experimental maps performing masking-like and sharpening-like operations in a single step. DeepEMhancer has been evaluated on a testing set of 20 different experimental maps, showing its ability to obtain much cleaner and detailed versions of the experimental maps, thus, improving their interpretability. Additionally, we have illustrated the benefits of DeepEMhancer with a use case in which the structure of the SARS-CoV 2 RNA polymerase is improved.

negative: Electron microscopy studies of the coronavirus ribonucleoprotein complex

negative: The effect of RNA stiffness on the self-assembly of virus particles Under many in vitro conditions, some small viruses spontaneously encapsidate a single stranded (ss) RNA into a protein shell called the capsid. While viral RNAs are found to be compact and highly branched because of long distance base-pairing between nucleotides, recent experiments reveal that in a head-to-head competition between an ssRNA with no secondary or higher order structure and a viral RNA, the capsid proteins preferentially encapsulate the linear polymer! In this paper, we study the impact of genome stiffness on the encapsidation free energy of the complex of RNA and capsid proteins. We show that an increase in effective chain stiffness because of base-pairing could be the reason why under certain conditions linear chains have an advantage over branched chains when it comes to encapsidation efficiency. While branching makes the genome more compact, RNA base-pairing increases the effective Kuhn length of the RNA molecule, which could result in an increase of the free energy of RNA confinement, that is, the work required to encapsidate RNA, and thus less efficient packaging.

negative: Perspectives on the development of neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 SARS-CoV-2 gains entry to human cells through its spike (S) protein binding to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the S protein is the primary target for neutralizing antibodies. Selection of broad-neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV is attractive and might be useful for treating not only COVID-19 but also future SARS-related CoV infections. Broad-neutralizing antibodies, such as 47D11, S309, and VHH-72, have been reported to target a conserved region in the RBD of the S1 subunit. The S2 subunit required for viral membrane fusion might be another target. Due to their small size and high stability, single-domain antibodies might have the ability to be administered by an inhaler making them potentially attractive therapeutics for respiratory infections. A cocktail strategy combining two (or more) antibodies that recognize different parts of the viral surface that interact with human cells might be the most effective.

negative: Comparative analyses of SAR-CoV2 genomes from different geographical locations and other coronavirus family genomes reveals unique features potentially consequential to host-virus interaction and pathogenesis The ongoing pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2). We have performed an integrated sequence-based analysis of SARS-CoV2 genomes from different geographical locations in order to identify its unique features absent in SARS-CoV and other related coronavirus family genomes, conferring unique infection, facilitation of transmission, virulence and immunogenic features to the virus. The phylogeny of the genomes yields some interesting results. Systematic gene level mutational analysis of the genomes has enabled us to identify several unique features of the SARS-CoV2 genome, which includes a unique mutation in the spike surface glycoprotein (A930V (24351C>T)) in the Indian SARS-CoV2, absent in other strains studied here. We have also predicted the impact of the mutations in the spike glycoprotein function and stability, using computational approach. To gain further insights into host responses to viral infection, we predict that antiviral host-miRNAs may be controlling the viral pathogenesis. Our analysis reveals nine host miRNAs which can potentially target SARS-CoV2 genes. Interestingly, the nine miRNAs do not have targets in SARS and MERS genomes. Also, hsa-miR-27b is the only unique miRNA which has a target gene in the Indian SARS-CoV2 genome. We also predicted immune epitopes in the genomes

negative: Selection, biophysical and structural analysis of synthetic nanobodies that effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2 The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is the cause of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Therapeutic neutralizing antibodies constitute a key short-to-medium term approach to tackle COVID-19. However, traditional antibody production is hampered by long development times and costly production. Here, we report the rapid isolation and characterization of nanobodies from a synthetic library, known as sybodies (Sb), that target the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Several binders with low nanomolar affinities and efficient neutralization activity were identified of which Sb23 displayed high affinity and neutralized pseudovirus with an IC50 of 0.6 µg/ml. A cryo-EM structure of the spike bound to Sb23 showed that Sb23 binds competitively in the ACE2 binding site. Furthermore, the cryo-EM reconstruction revealed a novel conformation of the spike where two RBDs are in the ‘up’ ACE2-binding conformation. The combined approach represents an alternative, fast workflow to select binders with neutralizing activity against newly emerging viruses.

negative: Structural and functional analysis of a potent sarbecovirus neutralizing antibody SARS-CoV-2 is a newly emerged coronavirus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic that has resulted in more than one million infections and 73,000 deaths1,2. Vaccine and therapeutic discovery efforts are paramount to curb the pandemic spread of this zoonotic virus. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein promotes entry into host cells and is the main target of neutralizing antibodies. Here we describe multiple monoclonal antibodies targeting SARS-CoV-2 S identified from memory B cells of a SARS survivor infected in 2003. One antibody, named S309, potently neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV pseudoviruses as well as authentic SARS-CoV-2 by engaging the S receptor-binding domain. Using cryo-electron microscopy and binding assays, we show that S309 recognizes a glycan-containing epitope that is conserved within the sarbecovirus subgenus, without competing with receptor attachment. Antibody cocktails including S309 along with other antibodies identified here further enhanced SARS-CoV-2 neutralization and may limit the emergence of neutralization-escape mutants. These results pave the way for using S309 and S309-containing antibody cocktails for prophylaxis in individuals at high risk of exposure or as a post-exposure therapy to limit or treat severe disease.

negative: Cryo-electron Microscopy Analysis of Structurally Heterogeneous Macromolecular Complexes Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has for a long time been a technique of choice for determining structure of large and flexible macromolecular complexes that were difficult to study by other experimental techniques such as X-ray crystallography or nuclear magnetic resonance. However, a fast development of instruments and software for cryo-EM in the last decade has allowed that a large range of complexes can be studied by cryo-EM, and that their structures can be obtained at near-atomic resolution, including the structures of small complexes (e.g., membrane proteins) whose size was earlier an obstacle to cryo-EM. Image analysis to identify multiple coexisting structures in the same specimen (multiconformation reconstruction) is now routinely done both to solve structures at near-atomic resolution and to study conformational dynamics. Methods for multiconformation reconstruction and latest examples of their applications are the focus of this review.

negative: Recent progress in understanding 2019 novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) associated with human respiratory disease: detection, mechanisms and treatment ABSTRACT Viral respiratory diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) always pose a severe threat to people. First identified in late December 2019, a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV; SARS-CoV-2) has affected many provinces in China and multiple countries worldwide. The viral outbreak has aroused panic and a public-health emergency around the world, and the number of infections continues to rise. However, the causes and consequences of the pneumonia remain unknown. To effectively implement epidemic prevention, early identification and diagnosis are critical to disease control. Here we scrutinise a series of available studies by global scientists on the clinical manifestations, detection methods and treatment options for the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, named coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and also propose potential strategies for preventing the infection.

negative: Neutralization of SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped virus by recombinant ACE2-Ig Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019, and there are currently no specific antiviral treatments or vaccines available. SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to use the same cell entry receptor as SARS-CoV, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). In this report, we generate a recombinant protein by connecting the extracellular domain of human ACE2 to the Fc region of the human immunoglobulin IgG1. A fusion protein containing an ACE2 mutant with low catalytic activity is also used in this study. The fusion proteins are then characterized. Both fusion proteins have a high binding affinity for the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and exhibit desirable pharmacological properties in mice. Moreover, the fusion proteins neutralize virus pseudotyped with SARS-CoV or SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins in vitro. As these fusion proteins exhibit cross-reactivity against coronaviruses, they have potential applications in the diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment of SARS-CoV-2.

negative: Angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2: The old door for new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection Coronavirus (CoV) disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is an ongoing pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). The highly contagious SARS‐CoV‐2 belongs to the genus Betacoronavirus, and it is phylogenetically closely related to SARS‐CoV, a human CoV that caused an outbreak back in 2002 to 2003. Both SARS‐CoV‐2 and SARS‐CoV enter human cells via the interactions between viral crown‐like spike protein and human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. Here, we aim to review the involvement of ACE2 in human CoV infections by discussing the roles of ACE2 in CoV evolution, cross‐species transmissibility, and COVID‐19 susceptibility. We also provide our perspectives on COVID‐19 treatment and prevention.

negative: Functional Immune Deficiency Syndrome via Intestinal Infection in COVID-19 Using a Systems Biology approach, we integrated genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and molecular structure information to provide a holistic understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic. The expression data analysis of the Renin Angiotensin System indicates mild nasal, oral or throat infections are likely and that the gastrointestinal tissues are a common primary target of SARS-CoV-2. Extreme symptoms in the lower respiratory system likely result from a secondary-infection possibly by a comorbidity-driven upregulation of ACE2 in the lung. The remarkable differences in expression of other RAS elements, the elimination of macrophages and the activation of cytokines in COVID-19 bronchoalveolar samples suggest that a functional immune deficiency is a critical outcome of COVID-19. We posit that using a non-respiratory system as a major pathway of infection is likely determining the unprecedented global spread of this coronavirus. One Sentence Summary A Systems Approach Indicates Non-respiratory Pathways of Infection as Key for the COVID-19 Pandemic

negative: Molecular basis of COVID-19 relationships in different species: a one health perspective Abstract Outside the Hubei province, China, the mild form of infection and the progressive recover of the COVID-19 patients suggest the intervention of “unconventional” biological mechanisms worthy of attention. Based on the high-homology between the Spike protein epitopes of taxonomically-related coronaviruses, we hypothesized that past contact with infected dogs shield humans against the circulating SARS-CoV-2. Elseways, the recurrent virus exposure over a short time-lapse might result in the Antibody Dependent Enhancement, triggering the violent immune reaction responsible for the severe clinical outcomes observed in the Hubei province. Nevertheless, further experimental studies are desired for a confidential evaluation of the postulated hypotheses.

negative: A Multibasic Cleavage Site in the Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Is Essential for Infection of Human Lung Cells The pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 threatens public health worldwide. The viral spike protein mediates SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells and harbors a S1/S2 cleavage site containing multiple arginine residues (multibasic) not found in closely related animal coronaviruses. However, the role of this multibasic cleavage site in SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. Here, we report that the cellular protease furin cleaves the spike protein at the S1/S2 site and that cleavage is essential for S-protein-mediated cell-cell fusion and entry into human lung cells. Moreover, optimizing the S1/S2 site increased cell-cell, but not virus-cell, fusion, suggesting that the corresponding viral variants might exhibit increased cell-cell spread and potentially altered virulence. Our results suggest that acquisition of a S1/S2 multibasic cleavage site was essential for SARS-CoV-2 infection of humans and identify furin as a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

negative: Nucleosides for the treatment of respiratory RNA virus infections Influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus, coronaviruses, and rhinoviruses are among the most common viruses causing mild seasonal colds. These RNA viruses can also cause lower respiratory tract infections leading to bronchiolitis and pneumonia. Young children, the elderly, and patients with compromised cardiac, pulmonary, or immune systems are at greatest risk for serious disease associated with these RNA virus respiratory infections. In addition, swine and avian influenza viruses, together with severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated and Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome coronaviruses, represent significant pandemic threats to the general population. In this review, we describe the current medical need resulting from respiratory infections caused by RNA viruses, which justifies drug discovery efforts to identify new therapeutic agents. The RNA polymerase of respiratory viruses represents an attractive target for nucleoside and nucleotide analogs acting as inhibitors of RNA chain synthesis. Here, we present the molecular, biochemical, and structural fundamentals of the polymerase of the four major families of RNA respiratory viruses: Orthomyxoviridae, Pneumoviridae/Paramyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, and Picornaviridae. We summarize past and current efforts to develop nucleoside and nucleotide analogs as antiviral agents against respiratory virus infections. This includes molecules with very broad antiviral spectrum such as ribavirin and T-705 (favipiravir), and others targeting more specifically one or a few virus families. Recent advances in our understanding of the structure(s) and function(s) of respiratory virus polymerases will likely support the discovery and development of novel nucleoside analogs.

negative: Glycosylation of the viral attachment protein of avian coronavirus is essential for host cell and receptor binding Avian coronaviruses, including infectious bronchitis virus (IBV), are important respiratory pathogens of poultry. The heavily glycosylated IBV spike protein is responsible for binding to host tissues. Glycosylation sites in the spike protein are highly conserved across viral genotypes, suggesting an important role for this modification in the virus life cycle. Here, we analyzed the N-glycosylation of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of IBV strain M41 spike protein and assessed the role of this modification in host receptor binding. Ten single Asn–to–Ala substitutions at the predicted N-glycosylation sites of the M41–RBD were evaluated along with two control Val–to–Ala substitutions. CD analysis revealed that the secondary structure of all variants was retained compared with the unmodified M41–RBD construct. Six of the 10 glycosylation variants lost binding to chicken trachea tissue and an ELISA-presented α2,3-linked sialic acid oligosaccharide ligand. LC/MS(E) glycomics analysis revealed that glycosylation sites have specific proportions of N-glycan subtypes. Overall, the glycosylation patterns of most variant RBDs were highly similar to those of the unmodified M41–RBD construct. In silico docking experiments with the recently published cryo-EM structure of the M41 IBV spike protein and our glycosylation results revealed a potential ligand receptor site that is ringed by four glycosylation sites that dramatically impact ligand binding. Combined with the results of previous array studies, the glycosylation and mutational analyses presented here suggest a unique glycosylation-dependent binding modality for the M41 spike protein.

negative: A deubiquitylase with an unusually high-affinity ubiquitin-binding domain from the scrub typhus pathogen Orientia tsutsugamushi Ubiquitin mediated signaling contributes critically to host cell defenses during pathogen infection. Many pathogens manipulate the ubiquitin system to evade these defenses. Here we characterize a likely effector protein bearing a deubiquitylase (DUB) domain from the obligate intracellular bacterium Orientia tsutsugamushi, the causative agent of scrub typhus. The Ulp1-like DUB prefers ubiquitin substrates over ubiquitin-like proteins and efficiently cleaves polyubiquitin chains of three or more ubiquitins. The co-crystal structure of the DUB (OtDUB) domain with ubiquitin revealed three bound ubiquitins: one engages the S1 site, the second binds an S2 site contributing to chain specificity and the third binds a unique ubiquitin-binding domain (UBD). The UBD modulates OtDUB activity, undergoes a pronounced structural transition upon binding ubiquitin, and binds monoubiquitin with an unprecedented ~5 nM dissociation constant. The characterization and high-resolution structure determination of this enzyme should aid in its development as a drug target to counter Orientia infections.

negative: Chapter 5 Future prospects Abstract Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) in combination with single-particle analysis has begun to complement crystallography in the study of large macromolecules at near-atomic resolution. Furthermore, advances in cryo-electron tomography have made possible the study of macromolecules within their cellular environment. Single-particle and tomographic studies will become even more useful when technologies for improving the signal-to-noise ratio such as direct electron detectors and phase plates become widely available. Automated image acquisition has significantly reduced the time and effort required to determine the structures of macromolecular assemblies. As a result, the number of structures determined by cryo-EM is growing exponentially. However, there is an urgent need for improved criteria for validating both the reconstruction process and the atomic models derived from cryo-EM data. Another major challenge will be mitigating the effects of anisotropy caused by the missing wedge and the excessively low signal-to-noise ratio for tomographic data. Parallels between the development of macromolecular crystallography and cryo-EM have been used to tentatively predict the future of cryo-EM.

negative: Prospective observational cohort study of cerebrovascular CO(2) reactivity in patients with inflammatory CNS diseases The purpose of this study was to evaluate the significance of cerebrovascular CO(2) reactivity (CO(2) R) in the course and outcome of inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases. Sixty-eight patients with inflammatory CNS diseases and 30 healthy volunteers were included in this prospective observational cohort study. The observational period was between January 2005 and May 2009. The CO(2) R was measured by transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasound using the breath-holding method. We compared patients with normal CO(2) R (breath-holding index [BHI(m)] ≥ 1.18 = BHI(N) group) with patients who showed impaired CO(2) R (BHI(m) < 1.18 = BHI(R) group). We also analyzed the association of impaired CO(2) R with the etiology, severity, and outcome of disease. When compared to the BHI(N) group, the patients from the BHI(R) group were older, had a heavier consciousness disturbance, experienced more frequent respiratory failure, and, subsequently, had worse outcomes. There were no fatalities among the 28 patients in the BHI(N) group. The comparison of subjects with bacterial and non-bacterial meningitis revealed no significant differences. The unfavorable outcome of disease (Glasgow Outcome Scale [GOS] score 1–3) was significantly more common in subjects with impaired CO(2) R (62.5% vs. 10.7%). Logistic regression analysis was performed in order to establish the prognostic value of BHI(m). The outcome variable was unfavorable outcome (GOS 1–3), while the independent variables were age, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and BHI(m). The age and BHI(m) showed the strongest influence on disease outcome. A decrease of BHI(m) for each 0.1 unit increased the risk of unfavorable outcome by 17%. Our study emphasizes the importance of CO(2) R assessment in patients with inflammatory CNS diseases.

negative: COVID-19 vaccines: A race against time in the middle of death and devastation! The COVID-19 has turned in to a global human tragedy and economic devastation. Governments have implemented lockdown measures, blocked international travel, and enforced other public containment measures to mitigate the virus morbidity and mortality. As of today, no drug has the power to fight the infection and bring normalcy to the utter chaos. This leaves us with only one choice namely an effective and safe vaccine that shall be manufactured as soon as possible and available to all countries and populations affected by the pandemic at an affordable price. There has been an unprecedented fast track path taken in Research & Development (R&D) by the World community for developing an effective and safe vaccine. Platform technology has been exploited to develop candidate vaccines in a matter of days to weeks and as of now, 108 such vaccines are available. Six of these vaccines have entered clinical trials. As clinical trials are ‘rate-limiting’ and ‘time-consuming’, many innovative methods are in practice for a fast track. These include parallel phase I-II trials and obtaining efficacy data from phase IIb trials. Human ‘challenge experiments’ to confirm efficacy in humans is under serious consideration. The availability of the COVID-19 vaccine has become a race against time in the middle of death and devastation. There is an atmosphere of tremendous hype around the COVID-19 vaccine and developers are using every moment to make claims, which remain unverified. However, concerns are raised about a rush to deploy a COVID-19 vaccine. Applying ‘Quick fix’ and ‘short cuts’ can lead to errors with disastrous consequences.

negative: Essential Oils as Antiviral Agents, Potential of Essential Oils to Treat SARS-CoV-2 Infection: An In-Silico Investigation Essential oils have shown promise as antiviral agents against several pathogenic viruses. In this work we hypothesized that essential oil components may interact with key protein targets of the 2019 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). A molecular docking analysis was carried out using 171 essential oil components with SARS-CoV-2 main protease (SARS-CoV-2 M(pro)), SARS-CoV-2 endoribonucleoase (SARS-CoV-2 Nsp15/NendoU), SARS-CoV-2 ADP-ribose-1″-phosphatase (SARS-CoV-2 ADRP), SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (SARS-CoV-2 RdRp), the binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-CoV-2 rS), and human angiotensin−converting enzyme (hACE2). The compound with the best normalized docking score to SARS-CoV-2 M(pro) was the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon (E)-β-farnesene. The best docking ligands for SARS−CoV Nsp15/NendoU were (E,E)-α-farnesene, (E)-β-farnesene, and (E,E)−farnesol. (E,E)−Farnesol showed the most exothermic docking to SARS-CoV-2 ADRP. Unfortunately, the docking energies of (E,E)−α-farnesene, (E)-β-farnesene, and (E,E)−farnesol with SARS-CoV-2 targets were relatively weak compared to docking energies with other proteins and are, therefore, unlikely to interact with the virus targets. However, essential oil components may act synergistically, essential oils may potentiate other antiviral agents, or they may provide some relief of COVID-19 symptoms.

negative: Avoiding 5/4-Powers on the Alphabet of Nonnegative Integers (Extended Abstract) We identify the structure of the lexicographically least word avoiding 5/4-powers on the alphabet of nonnegative integers.

negative: Hyperglycemia, hydroxychloroquine, and the COVID‐19 pandemic Coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) infection and its severity can be explained by the concentration of glycosylated severe acute respiratory syndrome‐coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) viral particles in the lung epithelium, the concentration of glycosylated angiotensin‐converting enzyme receptor 2 (ACE2) in the lung epithelium, and the degree and control of the pulmonary immune response to the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein at approximately day 8 to 10 after symptom onset, which may be related to both. Binding of ACE2 by SARS‐CoV‐2 in COVID‐19 also suggests that prolonged uncontrolled hyperglycemia, and not just a history of diabetes mellitus, may be important in the pathogenesis of the disease. It is tempting to consider that the same mechanism acts in COVID‐19 as in SARS, where an overactive macrophage M1 inflammatory response, as neutralizing antibodies to the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein form at day 7 to 10, results in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in susceptible patients. It also allows consideration of agents, such as hydroxychloroquine, which may interfere with this overly brisk macrophage inflammatory response and perhaps influence the course of the disease, in particular, those that blunt but do not completely abrogate the M1 to M2 balance in macrophage polarization, as well as viral load, which in SARS appears to be temporally related to the onset of ARDS.

negative: Distinct Viral Clades of SARS‐CoV‐2: Implications for Modeling of Viral Spread Distinct viral clades have a likely impact on COVID‐19 pathogenesis and spread. Sequence analysis from 2310 viral isolates from Nexstrain reveals that residue at 614 of the viral spike protein is changed from a putative ancestral aspartic acid (D) to a glycine (G) between two viral clades. The G strain is predominantly on the East Coast of the United States, and the D strain is predominantly on the West Coast. This mutation of the SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein spike is conserved in coronaviruses. Point mutations in a murine coronavirus spike protein can result in increased virulence through instability of the viral machinery and altered viral to cell membrane fusion. This observation may partially explain the discrepancy in predicted deaths from COVID‐19 between the East Coast and West Coast, and possibly explain that other factors aside from social distance, such as competition between two strains of differing virulence, may be at play. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

negative: Assembly of Viruses: Enveloped Particles Viruses can be broadly categorized based on the presence, or absence, of a lipid envelope in their structure. Enveloped viruses predominantly infect animal cells although a few are known to infect plants, bacteria, and Archaea. The lipid bilayer can be derived from a variety of cellular membranes with the plasma membrane being the most common source. The presence of the lipid envelope allows enveloped viruses to bud out of cells without disrupting the cell membrane and, therefore, require an intact cell for particle release. Viral glycoproteins are found embedded in the lipid bilayer, usually in the form of transmembrane proteins, which allows communication of viral components across the membrane. These glycoproteins play crucial roles in the virus life cycle including assembly, budding, receptor binding, and membrane fusion. The assembly of two groups of icosahedral enveloped viruses (the alphaviruses and the flaviviruses) is described in detail in this article in order to present common themes in enveloped virus assembly.

negative: On the Weisfeiler-Leman Dimension of Fractional Packing The k-dimensional Weisfeiler-Leman procedure ([Formula: see text]) has proven to be immensely fruitful in the algorithmic study of Graph Isomorphism. More generally, it is of fundamental importance in understanding and exploiting symmetries in graphs in various settings. Two graphs are [Formula: see text]-equivalent if dimention k does not suffice to distinguish them. [Formula: see text]-equivalence is known as fractional isomorphism of graphs, and the [Formula: see text]-equivalence relation becomes finer as k increases. We investigate to what extent standard graph parameters are preserved by [Formula: see text]-equivalence, focusing on fractional graph packing numbers. The integral packing numbers are typically NP-hard to compute, and we discuss applicability of [Formula: see text]-invariance for estimating the integrality gap of the LP relaxation provided by their fractional counterparts.

negative: Overview of lethal human coronaviruses Coronavirus infections of multiple origins have spread to date worldwide, causing severe respiratory diseases. Seven coronaviruses that infect humans have been identified: HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-HKU1, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. Among them, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV caused outbreaks in 2002 and 2012, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is the most recently discovered. It has created a severe worldwide outbreak beginning in late 2019, leading to date to over 4 million cases globally. Viruses are genetically simple, yet highly diverse. However, the recent outbreaks of SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, and the ongoing outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, indicate that there remains a long way to go to identify and develop specific therapeutic treatments. Only after gaining a better understanding of their pathogenic mechanisms can we minimize viral pandemics. This paper mainly focuses on SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. Here, recent studies are summarized and reviewed, with a focus on virus–host interactions, vaccine-based and drug-targeted therapies, and the development of new approaches for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

negative: Structure and immune recognition of the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus spike protein Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus is an alphacoronavirus responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in pigs. A key determinant of viral tropism and entry, the PEDV spike protein is a key target for the host antibody response and a good candidate for a protein-based vaccine immunogen. We used electron microscopy to evaluate the PEDV spike structure, as well as pig polyclonal antibody responses to viral infection. The structure of the PEDV spike reveals a configuration similar to that of HuCoV-NL63. Several PEDV protein-protein interfaces are mediated by non-protein components including a glycan at Asn264 and two bound palmitoleic acid molecules. The polyclonal antibody response to PEDV infection shows a dominance of epitopes in the S1 region. This structural and immune characterization provides new insights into coronavirus spike stability determinants and explores the immune landscape of viral spike proteins.

negative: Cross-reactive antibody response between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infections The World Health Organization has recently declared the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19, which is caused by a novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, as pandemic. There is currently a lack of knowledge in the antibody response elicited from SARS-CoV-2 infection. One major immunological question is concerning the antigenic differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV. We address this question by using plasma from patients infected by SARS-CoV-2 or SARS-CoV, and plasma obtained from infected or immunized mice. Our results show that while cross-reactivity in antibody binding to the spike protein is common, cross-neutralization of the live viruses is rare, indicating the presence of non-neutralizing antibody response to conserved epitopes in the spike. Whether these non-neutralizing antibody responses will lead to antibody-dependent disease enhancement needs to be addressed in the future. Overall, this study not only addresses a fundamental question regarding the antigenicity differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, but also has important implications in vaccine

negative: Pathophysiological Characteristics and Therapeutic Approaches for Pulmonary Injury and Cardiovascular Complications of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Abstract The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has emerged as a major health crisis, with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) having infected over a million people around the world within a few months of its identification as a human pathogen. Initially, SARS-CoV-2 infects cells in the respiratory system and causes inflammation and cell death. Subsequently, the virus spreads out and damages other vital organs and tissues, triggering a complicated spectrum of pathophysiological changes and symptoms, including cardiovascular complications. Acting as the receptor for SARS-CoV entering mammalian cells, angiotensin converting enzyme-2 (ACE2) plays a pivotal role in the regulation of cardiovascular cell function. Diverse clinical manifestations and laboratory abnormalities occur in patients with cardiovascular injury in COVID-19, characterizing the development of this complication, as well as providing clues to diagnosis and treatment. This review provides a summary of the rapidly appearing laboratory and clinical evidence for the pathophysiology and therapeutic approaches to COVID-19 pulmonary and cardiovascular complications.

negative: Genotyping coronavirus SARS-CoV-2: methods and implications The emerging global infectious COVID-19 coronavirus disease by novel Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents critical threats to global public health and the economy since it was identified in late December 2019 in China. The virus has gone through various pathways of evolution. For understanding the evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2, genotyping of virus isolates is of great importance. We present an accurate method for effectively genotyping SARS-CoV-2 viruses using complete genomes. The method employs the multiple sequence alignments of the genome isolates with the SARS-CoV-2 reference genome. The SNP genotypes are then measured by Jaccard distances to track the relationship of virus isolates. The genotyping analysis of SARS-CoV-2 isolates from the globe reveals that specific multiple mutations are the predominated mutation type during the current epidemic. Our method serves a promising tool for monitoring and tracking the epidemic of pathogenic viruses in their gradual and local genetic variations. The genotyping analysis shows that the genes encoding the S proteins and RNA polymerase, RNA primase, and nucleoprotein, undergo frequent mutations. These mutations are critical for vaccine development in disease control.

negative: Stilbene-based natural compounds as promising drug candidates against COVID-19 The pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) presents a great threat to public health. Currently, no potent medicine is available to treat COVID-19. Quest for new drugs especially from natural plant sources is an area of immense potential. The current study aimed to repurpose stilbenoid analogs, reported for some other biological activities, against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2 receptor complex for their affinity and stability using molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy analysis based on molecular docking. Four compounds in total were probed for their binding affinity using molecular docking. All of the compounds showed good affinity (> -7 kcal/mol). However, fifty nanoseconds molecular dynamic simulation in aqueous solution revealed highly stable bound conformation of resveratrol to the viral protein: ACE2 receptor complex. Net free energy of binding using MM-PBSA also affirmed the stability of the resveratrol-protein complex. Based on the results, we report that stilbene based compounds in general and resveratrol, in particular, can be promising anti-COVID-19 drug candidates acting through disruption of the spike protein. Our findings in this study are promising and call for further in vitro and in vivo testing of stiblenoids, especially resveratrol against the COVID-19. [Formula: see text] Communicated by Ramaswamy H. SarmaHighlightsStilbenoid analogs could be potential disruptors of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2 receptor complex.In particular, resveratrol revealed highly stable conformation to the viral protein: ACE2 receptor complex.The strong interaction of resveratrol is affirmed by molecular dynamic simulation studies and better net free energies.

negative: Docking study of chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine interaction with RNA binding domain of nucleocapsid phospho-protein - an in silico insight into the comparative efficacy of repurposing antiviral drugs Recent outbreak of novel Coronavirus disease () pandemic around the world is associated with severe acute respiratory syndrome. The death toll associated with the pandemic is increasing day by day. SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped virus and its N terminal domain (NTD) of Nucleocapsid protein (N protein) binds to the viral (+) sense RNA and results in virus ribonucleoprotien complex, essential for the virus replication. The N protein is composed of a serine-rich linker region sandwiched between NTD and C terminal (CTD). These terminals play a role in viral entry and its processing post entry. The NTD of SARS-CoV-2 N protein forms orthorhombic crystals and binds to the viral genome. Therefore, there is always a quest to target RNA binding domain of nucleocapsid phosphoprotein (NTD-N-protein which in turn may help in controlling diseases caused by SARS-CoV-2 in humans. The role of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine as potential treatments for is still under debate globally because of some side effects associated with it. This study involves the In silico interactions of Chloroquine and Hydroxychloroquine with the NTD-N-protein of SARS-CoV-2. With the help of various computational methods, we have explored the potential role of both of these antiviral drugs for the treatment of patients by comparing the efficacy of both of the drugs to bind to NTD-N-protein. In our research Hydroxychloroquine exhibited potential inhibitory effects of NTD-N-protein with binding energy -7.28 kcal/mol than Chloroquine (-6.30 kcal/mol) at SARS-CoV-2 receptor recognition of susceptible cells. The outcomes of this research strongly appeal for in vivo trials of Hydroxychloroquine for the patients infected with . Furthermore, the recommended doses of Hydroxychloroquine may reduce the chances of catching to the healthcare workers and staff who are in contact with or delivering direct care to coronavirus patients as long as they have not been diagnosed with . We further hypothesize that the comparative NTD-N-protein -drug docking interactions may help to understand the comparative efficacy of other candidate repurposing drugs until discovery of a proper vaccine.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

negative: Band structure of twisted bilayer graphene on hexagonal boron nitride The effect of an hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) layer close aligned with twisted bilayer graphene (TBG) is studied. At sufficiently low angles between twisted bilayer graphene and hBN, $\theta_{hBN} \lesssim 2^\circ$, the graphene electronic structure is strongly disturbed. The width of the low energy peak in the density of states changes from $W \sim 5 - 10$ meV for a decoupled system to $\sim 20 - 30$ meV. Spikes in the density of states due to van Hove singularities are smoothed out. We find that for a realistic combination of the twist angle in the TBG and the twist angle between the hBN and the graphene layer the system can be described using a single moir\'e unit cell.

negative: Signals of T(h)2 immune response from COVID-19 patients requiring intensive care

negative: Origins of the regulated secretory pathway Modes of transport of soluble (or luminal) secretory proteins synthesized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) could be divided into two groups. The socalled constitutive secretory pathway (CSP) is common to all eukaryotic cells, constantly delivering constitutive soluble secretory proteins (CSSPs) linked to the rate of protein synthesis but largely independent of external stimuli. In regulated secretion, protein is sorted from the Golgi into storage/secretory granules (SGs) whose contents are released when stimuli trigger their final fusion with the plasma membrane (Hannah et al. 1999).

negative: Increasing Host Cellular Receptor—Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) Expression by Coronavirus may Facilitate 2019‐nCoV (or SARS‐CoV‐2) Infection The ongoing outbreak of a new coronavirus (2019‐nCoV, or SARS‐CoV‐2) has caused an epidemic of the acute respiratory syndrome known as COVID‐19 in humans. SARS‐CoV‐2 rapidly spread to multiple regions of China and multiple other countries, posing a serious threat to public health. The spike (S) proteins of SARS‐CoV‐1 and SARS‐CoV‐2 may use the same host cellular receptor, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), for entering into host cells. The affinity between ACE2 and the SARS‐CoV‐2 S protein is much higher than that of ACE2 binding to the SARS‐CoV S protein, explaining why SARS‐CoV‐2 seems to be more readily transmitted from the human to human. Here, we report that ACE2 can be significantly upregulated after infection of various viruses, including SARS‐CoV‐1 and SARS‐CoV‐2, or by the stimulation with inflammatory cytokines such as interferons. We propose that SARS‐CoV‐2 may positively induce its cellular entry receptor, ACE2, to accelerate its replication and spread; high inflammatory cytokine levels increase ACE2 expression and act as high‐risk factors for developing COVID‐19, and the infection of other viruses may increase the risk of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection. Therefore, drugs targeting ACE2 may be developed for the future emerging infectious diseases caused by this cluster of coronaviruses. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

negative: SARS-CoV-2 Cell Entry Depends on ACE2 and TMPRSS2 and Is Blocked by a Clinically Proven Protease Inhibitor The recent emergence of the novel, pathogenic SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in China and its rapid national and international spread pose a global health emergency. Cell entry of coronaviruses depends on binding of the viral spike (S) proteins to cellular receptors and on S protein priming by host cell proteases. Unravelling which cellular factors are used by SARS-CoV-2 for entry might provide insights into viral transmission and reveal therapeutic targets. Here, we demonstrate that SARS-CoV-2 uses the SARS-CoV receptor ACE2 for entry and the serine protease TMPRSS2 for S protein priming. A TMPRSS2 inhibitor approved for clinical use blocked entry and might constitute a treatment option. Finally, we show that the sera from convalescent SARS patients cross-neutralized SARS-2-S-driven entry. Our results reveal important commonalities between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV infection and identify a potential target for antiviral intervention.

negative: Systemic and mucosal antibody secretion specific to SARS-CoV-2 during mild versus severe COVID-19 Background Infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes an acute illness termed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Humoral immune responses likely play an important role in containing SARS-CoV-2, however, the determinants of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibody responses are unclear. Methods Using immunoassays specific for the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, we determined SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) in sera and mucosal fluids of two cohorts, including patients with quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR)-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection (n = 56; median age 61 years) with mild versus severe COVID-19, and SARS-CoV-2-exposed healthcare workers (n = 109; median age 36 years) with or without symptoms and tested negative or positive by RT-qPCR. Findings On average, SARS-CoV-2-specific serum IgA titers in mild COVID-19 cases became positive eight days after symptom onset and were often transient, whereas serum IgG levels remained negative or reached positive values 9–10 days after symptom onset. Conversely, patients with severe COVID-19 showed a highly significant increase of SARS-CoV-2-specific serum IgA and IgG titers as a function of duration since symptom onset, independent of patient age and comorbidities. Very high levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific serum IgA correlated with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Interestingly, some of the SARS-CoV-2-exposed healthcare workers with negative SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA and IgG serum titers had detectable SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA antibodies in their nasal fluids and tears. Moreover, SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA levels in nasal fluids of these healthcare workers were inversely correlated with patient age. Interpretation These data show that systemic IgA and IgG production against SARS-CoV-2 develops mainly in severe COVID-19, with very high IgA levels seen in patients with severe ARDS, whereas mild disease may be associated with transient serum titers of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies but stimulate mucosal SARS-CoV-2-specific IgA secretion. The findings suggest four grades of antibody responses dependent on COVID-19 severity.

negative: Opinion of the Scientific Panel on Animal Health and Welfare (AHAW) on a request from the Commission related with animal health and welfare risks associated with the import of wild birds other than poultry into the European Union

negative: Effects of a SARS-associated coronavirus vaccine in monkeys The causative agent of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been identified as a new type of coronavirus. Here, we have investigated the ability of adenoviral delivery of codon-optimised SARS-CoV strain Urbani structural antigens spike protein S1 fragment, membrane protein, and nucleocapsid protein to induce virus-specific broad immunity in rhesus macaques. We immunised rhesus macaques intramuscularly with a combination of the three Ad5-SARS-CoV vectors or a control vector and gave a booster vaccination on day 28. The vaccinated animals all had antibody responses against spike protein S1 fragment and T-cell responses against the nucleocapsid protein. All vaccinated animals showed strong neutralising antibody responses to SARS-CoV infection in vitro. These results show that an adenoviral-based vaccine can induce strong SARS-CoV-specific immune responses in the monkey, and hold promise for development of a protective vaccine against the SARS causal agent.

negative: The RBD Of The Spike Protein Of SARS-Group Coronaviruses Is A Highly Specific Target Of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies But Not Other Pathogenic Human and Animal Coronavirus Antibodies A new Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus variant (SARS-CoV-2) that first emerged in late 2019 is responsible for a pandemic of severe respiratory illness. People infected with this highly contagious virus present with clinically inapparent, mild or severe disease. Currently, the presence of the virus in individual patients and at the population level is being monitored by testing symptomatic cases by PCR for the presence of viral RNA. There is an urgent need for SARS-CoV-2 serologic tests to identify all infected individuals, irrespective of clinical symptoms, to conduct surveillance and implement strategies to contain spread. As the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the viral spike (S) protein is poorly conserved between SARS-CoVs and other pathogenic human coronaviruses, the RBD represents a promising antigen for detecting CoV specific antibodies in people. Here we use a large panel of human sera (70 SARS-CoV-2 patients and 71 control subjects) and hyperimmune sera from animals exposed to zoonotic CoVs to evaluate the performance of the RBD as an antigen for accurate detection of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies. By day 9 after the onset of symptoms, the recombinant SARS-CoV-2 RBD antigen was highly sensitive (98%) and specific (100%) to antibodies induced by SARS-CoVs. We observed a robust correlation between levels of RBD binding antibodies and SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies in patients. Our results, which reveal the early kinetics of SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses, strongly support the use of RBD-based antibody assays for population-level surveillance and as a correlate of neutralizing antibody levels in people who have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infections.

negative: Full-genome sequences of the first two SARS-CoV-2 viruses from India BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has globally affected 195 countries. In India, suspected cases were screened for SARS-CoV-2 as per the advisory of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The objective of this study was to characterize SARS-CoV-2 sequences from three identified positive cases as on February 29, 2020. METHODS: Throat swab/nasal swab specimens for a total of 881 suspected cases were screened by E gene and confirmed by RdRp (1), RdRp (2) and N gene real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions and next-generation sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis, molecular characterization and prediction of B- and T-cell epitopes for Indian SARS-CoV-2 sequences were undertaken. RESULTS: Three cases with a travel history from Wuhan, China, were confirmed positive for SARS-CoV-2. Almost complete (29,851 nucleotides) genomes of case 1, case 3 and a fragmented genome for case 2 were obtained. The sequences of Indian SARS-CoV-2 though not identical showed high (~99.98%) identity with Wuhan seafood market pneumonia virus (accession number: NC 045512). Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Indian sequences belonged to different clusters. Predicted linear B-cell epitopes were found to be concentrated in the S1 domain of spike protein, and a conformational epitope was identified in the receptor-binding domain. The predicted T-cell epitopes showed broad human leucocyte antigen allele coverage of A and B supertypes predominant in the Indian population. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSIONS: The two SARS-CoV-2 sequences obtained from India represent two different introductions into the country. The genetic heterogeneity is as noted globally. The identified B- and T-cell epitopes may be considered suitable for future experiments towards the design of vaccines and diagnostics. Continuous monitoring and analysis of the sequences of new cases from India and the other affected countries would be vital to understand the genetic evolution and rates of substitution of the SARS-CoV-2.

negative: Spectral properties and the accuracy of mean-field approaches for epidemics on correlated power-law networks We present a comparison between stochastic simulations and mean-field theories for the epidemic threshold of the susceptible-infected-susceptible model on correlated networks (both assortative and disassortative) with a power-law degree distribution [Formula: see text]. We confirm the vanishing of the threshold regardless of the correlation pattern and the degree exponent [Formula: see text]. Thresholds determined numerically are compared with quenched mean-field (QMF) and pair quenched mean-field (PQMF) theories. Correlations do not change the overall picture: The QMF and PQMF theories provide estimates that are asymptotically correct for large sizes for [Formula: see text] , while they only capture the vanishing of the threshold for [Formula: see text] , failing to reproduce quantitatively how this occurs. For a given size, PQMF theory is more accurate. We relate the variations in the accuracy of QMF and PQMF predictions with changes in the spectral properties (spectral gap and localization) of standard and modified adjacency matrices, which rule the epidemic prevalence near the transition point, depending on the theoretical framework. We also show that, for [Formula: see text] , while QMF theory provides an estimate of the epidemic threshold that is asymptotically exact, it fails to reproduce the singularity of the prevalence around the transition.

negative: Characterization of SARS-CoV-2 viral diversity within and across hosts In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to accurately infer the evolutionary and transmission history of the virus to inform real-time outbreak management, public health policies and mitigation strategies. Current phylogenetic and phylodynamic approaches typically use consensus sequences, essentially assuming the presence of a single viral strain per host. Here, we analyze 621 bulk RNA sequencing samples and 7,540 consensus sequences from COVID-19 patients, and identify multiple strains of the virus, SARS-CoV-2, in four major clades that are prevalent within and across hosts. In particular, we find evidence for (i) within-host diversity across phylogenetic clades, (ii) putative cases of recombination, multi-strain and/or superinfections as well as (iii) distinct strain profiles across geographical locations and time. Our findings and algorithms will facilitate more detailed evolutionary analyses and contact tracing that specifically account for within-host viral diversity in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic as well as future pandemics.

negative: Length of encapsidated cargo impacts stability and structure of in vitro assembled alphavirus core-like particles In vitro assembly of alphavirus nucleocapsid cores, called core-like particles (CLPs), requires a polyanionic cargo. There are no sequence or structure requirements to encapsidate single-stranded nucleic acid cargo. In this work, we wanted to determine how the length of the cargo impacts the stability and structure of the assembled CLPs. We hypothesized that cargo neutralizes the basic region of the alphavirus capsid protein and if the cargo is long enough, it will also act to scaffold the CP monomers together. Experimentally we found that CLPs encapsidating short 27mer oligonucleotides were less stable than CLPs encapsidating 48mer or 90mer oligonucleotides under different chemical and thermal conditions. Furthermore, cryo-EM studies showed there were structural differences between CLPs assembled with 27mer and 48mer cargo. To mimic the role of the cargo in CLP assembly we made a mutant (4D) where we substituted a cluster of four Lys residues in the CP with four Asp residues. We found that these few amino acid substitutions were enough to initiate CLP assembly in the absence of cargo. The cargo-free 4D CLPs show higher resistance to ionic strength and increased temperature compared to wild-type cargo containing CLPs suggesting their CLP assembly mechanism might also be different.

negative: Crystal structure of Nsp15 endoribonuclease NendoU from SARS-CoV-2 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is rapidly spreading around the world. There is no existing vaccine or proven drug to prevent infections and stop virus proliferation. Although this virus is similar to human and animal SARS-CoVs and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoVs), the detailed information about SARS-CoV-2 proteins structures and functions is urgently needed to rapidly develop effective vaccines, antibodies, and antivirals. We applied high-throughput protein production and structure determination pipeline at the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases to produce SARS-CoV-2 proteins and structures. Here we report two high-resolution crystal structures of endoribonuclease Nsp15/NendoU. We compare these structures with previously reported homologs from SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

negative: Neutralizing antibodies mediate virus-immune pathology of COVID-19. SARS-CoV-2 is a novel beta-coronavirus causing over 200.000 lethal cases within six months of first infecting humans. SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, a form of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). COVID-19 is characterized by two phases: the first resembles the flu with pneumonia, but after about seven or eight days the disease suddenly worsens to a sepsis-like syndrome. It is difficult to explain this virus-immune-pathology sequence from virology or immunology only. This paper hypothesizes that host-produced anti-spike protein antibodies are responsible for immune-induced viral dissemination. Subsequently, systemic distribution of virus-antibodies complexes activates the immune pathology observed in severe COVID-19. This hypothesis may be counterintuitive to immunologist that consider many anti-spike antibodies to be virus-neutralizing antibodies. Although anti-spike antibodies may hinder infection of epithelial cells, antibody binding to the spike protein may facilitate virus infection of myeloid leukocytes. If myeloid leukocytes reenter the circulation, they could spread the virus from a locoregional infection to a systemic disease. Disseminated virus in combination with antibodies results in dispersed virus-antibody complexes that overstimulate the immune system. The hypothesis aligns with the sequences of virus, immune and pathological events in COVID-19. The delay in onset from both syndromes results from an immune system still naïve to the non-cross-reactive spike protein. Details of this hypothesis are in concordance with many clinical characteristics of COVID-19, including its predominant lethality for the elderly, and the mostly asymptomatic course of disease in children. It predicts putative detrimental effects of vaccines that induce virus-neutralizing antibodies against the spike protein, as has been shown for other coronaviruses. This hypothesis has consequences for treatment of patients, evaluation of personal and herd immunity and vaccine development. In patients, cellular immunity should be stimulated. Neutralizing antibodies might not be indicative for immunity. Vaccines should aim to stimulate cellular immunity COVID-19 and/or stimulate humoral immunity against viral proteins except for the immunodominant spike protein.

negative: Antibody therapies for the treatment of COVID-19 An outbreak of COVID-19, the disease caused by infection of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, that began in December 2019 in Wuhan, China has caused more than 2,990,559 confirmed human infections and 207,446 deaths as of April 27, 2020 (Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University). Scientists are working quickly on multiple aspects of the pandemic. Genetic analyses are conducted to reveal the source and evolution of SARS-CoV-2, providing knowledge that can be used to contain it and to avoid future outbreaks. Epidemiological studies which incorporates lessons learned from outbreaks of previous related viral diseases can guide development of public health measures effective to contain the current and future outbreaks. Basic virology studies reveal viral structure and function. Pathology studies inform development of strategies to interfere with infection. COVID-19 prevention and treatment strategies are being developed in preclinical and clinical studies. Antibody-based therapy is one viable treatment option. Here, we discuss some of the most active areas of developing strategies to treat COVID-19, focusing on approaches to generate neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 for prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of COVID-19. SIGNIFICANCE: Development of SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies with the desired efficacy and safety profile is a critical part of the toolbox of therapies for the treatment of COVID-19. We discuss in this review the current state of discovery and development of such antibodies.

negative: Analysis of the susceptibility to COVID-19 in pregnancy and recommendations on potential drug screening To analyze the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2 in pregnancy and the drugs that can be used to treat pregnancy with COVID-19, so as to provide evidence for drug selection in clinic. By reviewing the existing literature, this paper analyzes the susceptibility of pregnant women to virus, especially to SARS-CoV-2, from the aspects of anatomical, reproductive endocrine and immune changes during pregnancy and screens effective and fetal-safe treatments from the existing drugs. The anatomical structure of the respiratory system is changed during pregnancy, and the virus transmitted by droplets and aerosols is more easily inhaled by pregnant women and is difficult to remove. Furthermore, the prognosis is worse after infection when compared with non-pregnancy women. And changes in reproductive hormones and immune systems during pregnancy collectively make them more susceptible to certain infections. More importantly, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-2, the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, has been proven highly increased during pregnancy, which may contribute to the susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2. When it comes to treatment, specific drugs for COVID-19 have not been found at present, and taking old drugs for new use in treating COVID-19 has become an emergency method for the pandemic. Particularly, drugs that show superior maternal and fetal safety are worthy of consideration for pregnant women with COVID-19, such as chloroquine, metformin, statins, lobinavir/ritonavir, glycyrrhizic acid, and nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery (NMDD), etc. Pregnant women are susceptible to COVID-19, and special attention should be paid to the selection of drugs that are both effective for maternal diseases and friendly to the fetus. However, there are still many deficiencies in the study of drug safety during pregnancy, and broad-spectrum, effective and fetal-safe drugs for pregnant women need to be developed so as to cope with more infectious diseases in the future.

negative: A guideline for homology modeling of the proteins from newly discovered betacoronavirus, 2019 novel coronavirus (2019‐nCoV) During an outbreak of respiratory diseases including atypical pneumonia in Wuhan, a previously unknown β‐coronavirus was detected in patients. The newly discovered coronavirus is similar to some β‐coronaviruses found in bats but different from previously known SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV. High sequence identities and similarities between 2019‐nCoV and SARS‐CoV were found. In this study, we searched the homologous templates of all nonstructural and structural proteins of 2019‐nCoV. Among the nonstructural proteins, the leader protein (nsp1), the papain‐like protease (nsp3), the nsp4, the 3C‐like protease (nsp5), the nsp7, the nsp8, the nsp9, the nsp10, the RNA‐directed RNA polymerase (nsp12), the helicase (nsp13), the guanine‐N7 methyltransferase (nsp14), the uridylate‐specific endoribonuclease (nsp15), the 2'‐O‐methyltransferase (nsp16), and the ORF7a protein could be built on the basis of homology templates. Among the structural proteins, the spike protein (S‐protein), the envelope protein (E‐protein), and the nucleocapsid protein (N‐protein) can be constructed based on the crystal structures of the proteins from SARS‐CoV. It is known that PL‐Pro, 3CL‐Pro, and RdRp are important targets for design antiviral drugs against 2019‐nCoV. And S protein is a critical target candidate for inhibitor screening or vaccine design against 2019‐nCoV because coronavirus replication is initiated by the binding of S protein to cell surface receptors. It is believed that these proteins should be useful for further structure‐based virtual screening and related computer‐aided drug development and vaccine design.

negative: Platform technology to generate broadly cross‐reactive antibodies to α‐helical epitopes in hemagglutinin proteins from influenza A viruses We have utilized a de novo designed two‐stranded α‐helical coiled‐coil template to display conserved α‐helical epitopes from the stem region of hemagglutinin (HA) glycoproteins of influenza A. The immunogens have all the surface‐exposed residues of the native α‐helix in the native HA protein of interest displayed on the surface of the two‐stranded α‐helical coiled‐coil template. This template when used as an immunogen elicits polyclonal antibodies which bind to the α‐helix in the native protein. We investigated the highly conserved sequence region 421–476 of HA by inserting 21 or 28 residue sequences from this region into our template. The cross‐reactivity of the resulting rabbit polyclonal antibodies prepared to these immunogens was determined using a series of HA proteins from H1N1, H2N2, H3N2, H5N1, H7N7, and H7N9 virus strains which are representative of Group 1 and Group 2 virus subtypes of influenza A. Antibodies from region 449–476 were Group 1 specific. Antibodies to region 421–448 showed the greatest degree of cross‐reactivity to Group 1 and Group 2 and suggested that this region has a great potential as a “universal” synthetic peptide vaccine for influenza A. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci) 106: 144–159, 2016.

negative: DNA vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques The global COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has made the development of a vaccine a top biomedical priority. In this study, we developed a series of DNA vaccine candidates expressing different forms of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein and evaluated them in 35 rhesus macaques. Vaccinated animals developed humoral and cellular immune responses, including neutralizing antibody titers comparable to those found in convalescent humans and macaques infected with SARS-CoV-2. Following vaccination, all animals were challenged with SARS-CoV-2, and the vaccine encoding the full-length S protein resulted in >3.1 and >3.7 log(10) reductions in median viral loads in bronchoalveolar lavage and nasal mucosa, respectively, as compared with sham controls. Vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibody titers correlated with protective efficacy, suggesting an immune correlate of protection. These data demonstrate vaccine protection against SARS-CoV-2 in nonhuman primates.

negative: Arenavirus Stable Signal Peptide Is the Keystone Subunit for Glycoprotein Complex Organization The rodent arenavirus glycoprotein complex encodes a stable signal peptide (SSP) that is an essential structural component of mature virions. The SSP, GP1, and GP2 subunits of the trimeric glycoprotein complex noncovalently interact to stud the surface of virions and initiate arenavirus infectivity. Nascent glycoprotein production undergoes two proteolytic cleavage events: first within the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to cleave SSP from the remaining precursor GP1/2 (glycoprotein complex [GPC]) glycoprotein and second within the Golgi stacks by the cellular SKI-1/S1P for GP1/2 processing to yield GP1 and GP2 subunits. Cleaved SSP is not degraded but retained as an essential glycoprotein subunit. Here, we defined functions of the 58-amino-acid lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) SSP in regard to glycoprotein complex processing and maturation. Using molecular biology techniques, confocal microscopy, and flow cytometry, we detected SSP at the plasma membrane of transfected cells. Further, we identified a sorting signal (FLLL) near the carboxyl terminus of SSP that is required for glycoprotein maturation and trafficking. In the absence of SSP, the glycoprotein accumulated within the ER and was unable to undergo processing by SKI-1/S1P. Mutation of this highly conserved FLLL motif showed impaired glycoprotein processing and secretory pathway trafficking, as well as defective surface expression and pH-dependent membrane fusion. Immunoprecipitation of SSP confirmed an interaction between the signal peptide and the GP2 subunit; however, mutations within this FLLL motif disrupted the association of the GP1 subunit with the remaining glycoprotein complex.

negative: Age groups and spread of influenza: implications for vaccination strategy BACKGROUND: The unpredictable nature of the potentially devastating impact of 2009 pH1N1 influenza pandemic highlights the need for pandemic preparedness planning, where modeling studies could be most useful for simulations of possible future scenarios. METHODS: A compartmental model with pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic influenza infections is proposed which incorporates age groups as well as intervention measures such as age-specific vaccination, in order to study spread of influenza in a community. RESULTS: We derive the basic reproduction number and other effective reproduction numbers under various intervention measures. For illustration, we make use of the Pneumonia and Influenza (P&I) mortality data and vaccination data of the very young (age 0-2) and the very old (age >64) during 2004-2005 Taiwan winter influenza season to fit our model and to compute the relevant reproduction numbers. The reproduction number for this winter flu season is estimated to be slightly above one (~1.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Comparatively large errors in fitting the P&I mortality data of the elderly (>64) were observed shortly after winter school closings in January, which may indicate the impact of younger, more active age groups transmitting influenza to other age groups outside of the school settings; in particular, to the elderly in the households. Pre-symptomatic infections seemed to have little effect on the model fit, while asymptomatic infection by asymptomatic infectives has a more pronounced impact on the model fit for the elderly mortality, perhaps indicating a larger role in disease transmission by asymptomatic infection. Simulations indicate that the impact of vaccination on the disease incidence might not be fully revealed in the change (or the lack thereof) in the effective reproduction number with interventions, but could still be substantial. The estimated per contact transmission probability for susceptible elderly is significantly higher than that of any other age group, perhaps highlighting the vulnerability of the elderly due to close contacts with their caretakers from other age groups. The relative impact of targeting the very young and the very old for vaccination was weakened by their relative inactivity, thus giving evidence of the lack of impact of vaccinating these two groups on the overall transmissibility of the disease in the community. This further underscores the need for morbidity-based strategy to prevent elderly mortality.

negative: Minimal system for assembly of SARS-CoV-2 virus like particles SARS-CoV-2 virus is the causative agent of COVID-19. Here we demonstrate that non-infectious SARS-CoV-2 virus like particles (VLPs) can be assembled by co-expressing the viral proteins S, M and E in mammalian cells. The assembled SARS-CoV-2 VLPs display numerous S protein spikes ideal for vaccine development. The particles have a spike to spike size of 103 ± 6 nm and a membrane diameter of 63 ± 5 nm. We further show that SARS-CoV-2 VLPs dried in ambient conditions can retain their structural integrity upon repeated scans with Atomic Force Microscopy up to a peak force of 1 nN.

negative: Cryo-electron microscopy structure of a coronavirus spike glycoprotein trimer The tremendous pandemic potential of coronaviruses was demonstrated twice in the last decades by two global outbreaks of deadly pneumonia. Entry of coronaviruses into cells is mediated by the transmembrane spike glycoprotein S, which forms a trimer carrying receptor-binding and membrane fusion functions(1). S also contains the principal antigenic determinants and is the target of neutralizing antibodies. Here we present the structure of a murine coronavirus S trimer ectodomain determined at 4.0 Å resolution by single particle cryo-electron microscopy. It reveals the metastable pre-fusion architecture of S and highlights key interactions stabilizing it. The structure shares a common core with paramyxovirus F proteins(2,3), implicating mechanistic similarities and an evolutionary connection between these viral fusion proteins. The accessibility of the highly conserved fusion peptide at the periphery of the trimer indicates potential vaccinology strategies to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies against coronaviruses. Finally, comparison with crystal structures of human coronavirus S domains allows rationalization of the molecular basis for species specificity based on the use of spatially contiguous but distinct domains.

negative: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) envelope (E) protein harbors a conserved BH3-like sequence The authors have withdrawn their manuscript whilst they perform additional experiments to test some of their conclusions further. Therefore, the authors do not wish this work to be cited as reference for the project. If you have any questions, please contact the corresponding author.

negative: Surface vimentin is critical for the cell entry of SARS-CoV BACKGROUND: Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) caused a global panic due to its high morbidity and mortality during 2002 and 2003. Soon after the deadly disease outbreak, the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) was identified as a functional cellular receptor in vitro and in vivo for SARS-CoV spike protein. However, ACE2 solely is not sufficient to allow host cells to become susceptible to SARS-CoV infection, and other host factors may be involved in SARS-CoV spike protein-ACE2 complex. RESULTS: A host intracellular filamentous cytoskeletal protein vimentin was identified by immunoprecipitation and LC-MS/MS analysis following chemical cross-linking on Vero E6 cells that were pre-incubated with the SARS-CoV spike protein. Moreover, flow cytometry data demonstrated an increase of the cell surface vimentin level by 16.5 % after SARS-CoV permissive Vero E6 cells were treated with SARS-CoV virus-like particles (VLPs). A direct interaction between SARS-CoV spike protein and host surface vimentin was further confirmed by far-Western blotting. In addition, antibody neutralization assay and shRNA knockdown experiments indicated a vital role of vimentin in cell binding and uptake of SARS-CoV VLPs and the viral spike protein. CONCLUSIONS: A direct interaction between vimentin and SARS-CoV spike protein during viral entry was observed. Vimentin is a putative anti-viral drug target for preventing/reducing the susceptibility to SARS-CoV infection.

negative: Structural Basis for Potent Neutralization of Betacoronaviruses by Single-domain Camelid Antibodies The pathogenic Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-1) and COVID-19 coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) have all emerged into the human population with devastating consequences. These viruses make use of a large envelope protein called spike (S) to engage host cell receptors and catalyze membrane fusion. Because of the vital role that these S proteins play, they represent a vulnerable target for the development of therapeutics to combat these highly pathogenic coronaviruses. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of single-domain antibodies (VHHs) from a llama immunized with prefusion-stabilized coronavirus spikes. These VHHs are capable of potently neutralizing MERS-CoV or SARS-CoV-1 S pseudotyped viruses. The crystal structures of these VHHs bound to their respective viral targets reveal two distinct epitopes, but both VHHs block receptor binding. We also show cross-reactivity between the SARS-CoV-1 S-directed VHH and SARS-CoV-2 S, and demonstrate that this cross-reactive VHH is capable of neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 S pseudotyped viruses as a bivalent human IgG Fc-fusion. These data provide a molecular basis for the neutralization of pathogenic betacoronaviruses by VHHs and suggest that these molecules may serve as useful therapeutics during coronavirus outbreaks.

negative: Identification of a novel B-cell epitope in the spike protein of porcine epidemic diarrhea virus BACKGROUND: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection causes an acute enteric tract infectious disease characterized by vomiting, anorexia, dehydration, weight loss and high mortality in neonatal piglets. During PEDV infection, the spike protein (S) is a major virion structural protein interacting with receptors and inducing neutralizing antibodies. However, the neutralizing B-cell epitopes within PEDV S protein have not been well studied. METHODS: To accurately identify the important immunodominant region of S1, the purified truncated S1 proteins (SA, SB, SC, SD and SE) were used to immunize BALB/c mice to prepare polyclonal antibodies. The antisera titers were determined by indirect ELISA, western blot and IFA after four immunizations to find the important immunodominant region of S1, and then purified the immunodominant region of S1 protein and immunized mice to generate the special antibodies, and then used recombinant peptides to determine the B-cell epitopes of monoclonal antibodies. RESULTS: Five antisera of recombinant proteins of the spike protein region of PEDV were generated and we found that only the polyclonal antibody against part of the S1 region (signed as SE protein, residues 666–789) could recognize the native PEDV. Purified SE protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice and generate mAb 2E10. Pepscan of the SE protein demonstrated that SE16 ((722)SSTFNSTREL(731)) is the minimal linear epitope required for reactivity with the mAb 2E10. Further investigation indicated that the epitope SE16 was localized on the surface of PEDV S protein in the 3D structure. CONCLUSIONS: A mAb 2E10 that is specifically bound to PEDV was generated and identified a specific linear B-cell epitope (SE16, (722)SSTFNSTREL(731)) of the mAb. The epitope region of PEDV S1 localized in the different regions in comparison with the earlier identified epitopes. These findings enhance the understanding of the PEDV spike protein structure for vaccine design and provide a potential use for developing diagnostic methods to detect PEDV.

negative: Cerebrovascular Accident in a Pediatric Patient Presenting With Influenza Abstract Background Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) in pediatric populations accounts for more than half of pediatric strokes and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Pediatric AIS can present with nonspecific symptoms or symptoms that mimic alternate pathology. Case Report A 4-month-old female presented to the emergency department for fever, decreased oral intake, and “limp” appearance after antibiotic administration. She was febrile, tachypneic, and hypoxic. Her skin was mottled with 3-s capillary refill, her anterior fontanelle was tense, and she had mute Babinski reflex bilaterally but was moving all extremities. The patient was hyponatremic, thrombocytopenic, and tested positive for influenza A. A computed tomography scan of the brain revealed an acute infarction involving the right frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital lobes in addition to hyperdensities concerning for thrombosed cortical veins. The patient was transferred for specialty evaluation and was discharged 2 weeks later on levetiracetam. Why Should an Emergency Physician be Aware of This? Pediatric AIS can present with nonspecific symptoms that mimic alternate pathology. A high level of suspicion is needed so as not to miss the diagnosis of pediatric AIS in the emergency department. A thorough neurologic assessment is warranted, and subtle abnormalities should be investigated further.

negative: Covid-19 and co-morbidities: a role for Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 (DPP4) in disease severity? The Covid-19 pandemic is caused by a novel betacoronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, similar to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, which cause acute respiratory distress syndrome and case fatalities. Covid-19 disease severity is worse in older obese patients with comorbidities such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and chronic lung disease. Cell binding and entry of betacoronaviruses is via their surface spike glycoprotein; SARS-CoV binds to the metalloprotease angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, abbreviated hereafter to ACE2, MERS-CoV utilises dipeptidyl peptidase 4, abbreviated hereafter to DPP4, and recent modelling of the structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein predicts that it can interact with human DPP4 in addition to ACE2. DPP4 is a ubiquitous membrane-bound aminopeptidase that circulates in plasma; it is multifunctional with roles in nutrition, metabolism, immune and endocrine systems. DPP4 activity differentially regulates glucose homeostasis and inflammation via its enzymatic activity and non-enzymatic immunomodulatory effects. The importance of DPP4 for the medical community has been highlighted by the approval of DPP4 inhibitors, or gliptins, for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review discusses the dysregulation of DPP4 in Covid-19 comorbid conditions; DPP4 activity is higher in older individuals and increased plasma DPP4 is a predictor of the onset of metabolic syndrome. DPP4 upregulation may be a determinant of Covid-19 disease severity, which creates interest regarding the use of gliptins in management of Covid-19. Also, knowledge of the chemistry and biology of DPP4 could be utilised to develop novel therapies to block viral entry of some betacoronaviruses, potentially including SARS-CoV-2. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

negative: Prevention and Control Strategies for SARS-CoV-2 Infection The population of 168 countries all over the world is struggling with the outbreak of COVID-19. The outbreak is declared as pandemic and public health emergency of international concern declared by WHO. SARS-CoV-2 responsible for the present health emergency exhibited close resemblance with SARS-CoV. Both the viruses are zoonotic and belong to a large family of viruses Coronaviridae. The complete virus particle is made up of four major structural proteins, namely spikes (S), nucleocapsid (N), membrane (M), and envelope (E) encoded by virus genome. The S protein of virus shows similarity to S protein of SARS-CoV. COVID-19 spreads from person to person, and this makes it more vulnerable for causing infection. Several efforts are taken to find prevention strategies for COVID-19. Researchers across the globe are working to find effective vaccination for SARS-CoV-2. There is no vaccine or medication available till date for COVID-19. Preventive measures such as social distancing, awareness, maintenance of hygiene, isolation, and movement restrictions can help in control of COVID-19 spread. Proper sanitization and cleaned and sanitized public transport can be effective in inhibiting the spread of the virus. In the present situation of medical emergency, cooperation and support by following advices from the WHO and government only facilitate everyone to come over.

negative: Human Gene Sequences in SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses In a previous study, we identified a 117 base severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequence in the human genome with 94.6% identity. The sequence was in chromosome 1p within an intronic region of the netrin G1 (NTNG1) gene. The sequence matched a sequence in the SARS-CoV-2 Orf1b gene in non-structural protein 14 (NSP14), which is an exonuclease and NSP15, an endoribonuclease. In the current study we compared the human genome with other viral genomes to determine some of the characteristics of human sequences found in the latter. Most of the viruses had human sequences, but they were short. Hepatitis A and St Louis encephalitis had human sequences that were longer than the 117 base SARS-Cov-2 sequence, but they were in non-coding regions of the human genome. The SARS-Cov-2 sequence was the only long sequence found in a human gene (NTNG1). The related coronaviruses SARS-Cov had a 41 BP human sequence on chromosome 3 that was not part of a human gene, and MERS had no human sequence. The 117 base SARS-CoV-2 human sequence is relatively close to the viral spike sequence, separated only by NSP16, a 904 base sequence. The mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 infection is the binding of the virus spike protein to the membrane-bound form of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and internalization of the complex by the host cell. We have no explanation for the NSP14 and NSP15 SARS-Cov-2 sequences we observed here or how they might relate to infectiousness. Further studies are warranted.

negative: Human immune responses to Plasmodium falciparum infection: molecular evidence for a suboptimal THαβ and TH17 bias over ideal and effective traditional TH1 immune response BACKGROUND: Using microarray analysis, this study showed up-regulation of toll-like receptors 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, NF-κB, TNF, p38-MAPK, and MHC molecules in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells following infection with Plasmodium falciparum. METHODS: This analysis reports herein further studies based on time-course microarray analysis with focus on malaria-induced host immune response. RESULTS: The results show that in early malaria, selected immune response-related genes were up-regulated including α β and γ interferon-related genes, as well as genes of IL-15, CD36, chemokines (CXCL10, CCL2, S100A8/9, CXCL9, and CXCL11), TRAIL and IgG Fc receptors. During acute febrile malaria, up-regulated genes included α β and γ interferon-related genes, IL-8, IL-1b IL-10 downstream genes, TGFB1, oncostatin-M, chemokines, IgG Fc receptors, ADCC signalling, complement-related genes, granzymes, NK cell killer/inhibitory receptors and Fas antigen. During recovery, genes for NK receptorsand granzymes/perforin were up-regulated. When viewed in terms of immune response type, malaria infection appeared to induce a mixed TH1 response, in which α and β interferon-driven responses appear to predominate over the more classic IL-12 driven pathway. In addition, TH17 pathway also appears to play a significant role in the immune response to P. falciparum. Gene markers of TH17 (neutrophil-related genes, TGFB1 and IL-6 family (oncostatin-M)) and THαβ (IFN-γ and NK cytotoxicity and ADCC gene) immune response were up-regulated. Initiation of THαβ immune response was associated with an IFN-αβ response, which ultimately resulted in moderate-mild IFN-γ achieved via a pathway different from the more classic IL-12 TH1 pattern. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these observations, this study speculates that in P. falciparum infection, THαβ/TH17 immune response may predominate over ideal TH1 response.

negative: Human iPSC-Derived Cardiomyocytes are Susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 Infection Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a viral pandemic caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). COVID-19 is predominantly defined by respiratory symptoms, but cardiac complications including arrhythmias, heart failure, and viral myocarditis are also prevalent. Although the systemic ischemic and inflammatory responses caused by COVID-19 can detrimentally affect cardiac function, the direct impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human cardiomyocytes is not well-understood. We used human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) as a model system to examine the mechanisms of cardiomyocyte-specific infection by SARS-CoV-2. Microscopy and immunofluorescence demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 can enter and replicate within hiPSC-CMs, localizing at perinuclear locations within the cytoplasm. Viral cytopathic effect induced hiPSC-CM apoptosis and cessation of beating after 72 hours of infection. These studies show that SARS-CoV-2 can infect hiPSC-CMs in vitro, establishing a model for elucidating the mechanisms of infection and potentially a cardiac-specific antiviral drug screening platform.

negative: Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the intensive early-stage responses of host cells to SARS-CoV-2 infection Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a widespread outbreak of highly pathogenic COVID-19. It is therefore important and timely to characterize interactions between the virus and host cell at the molecular level to understand its disease pathogenesis. To gain insights, we performed high-throughput sequencing that generated time-series data simultaneously for bioinformatics analysis of virus genomes and host transcriptomes implicated in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our analysis results showed that the rapid growth of the virus was accompanied by an early intensive response of host genes. We also systematically compared the molecular footprints of the host cells in response to SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV. Upon infection, SARS-CoV-2 induced hundreds of up-regulated host genes hallmarked by a significant cytokine production followed by virus-specific host antiviral responses. While the cytokine and antiviral responses triggered by SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV were only observed during the late stage of infection, the host antiviral responses during the SARS-CoV-2 infection were gradually enhanced lagging behind the production of cytokine. The early rapid host responses were potentially attributed to the high efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells, underscored by evidence of a remarkably up-regulated gene expression of TPRMSS2 soon after infection. Taken together, our findings provide novel molecular insights into the mechanisms underlying the infectivity and pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2.

negative: The epidemiology and clinical information about COVID-19 In December 2019, pneumonia of unknown cause occurred in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. On 7 January 2020, a novel coronavirus, named as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), was identified in the throat swab sample of one patient. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced the epidemic disease caused by SARS-CoV-2 as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Currently, COVID-19 has spread widely around the world, affecting more than seventy countries. China, with a huge burden of this disease, has taken strong measures to control the spread and improve the curative rate of COVID-19. In this review, we summarized the epidemiological characteristics, clinical features, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of COVID-19. A comprehensive understanding will help to control the disease.

negative: Microarray analysis of MicroRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of critically ill patients with influenza A (H1N1) BACKGROUND: With concerns about the disastrous health and economic consequences caused by the influenza pandemic, comprehensively understanding the global host response to influenza virus infection is urgent. The role of microRNA (miRNA) has recently been highlighted in pathogen-host interactions. However, the precise role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of influenza virus infection in humans, especially in critically ill patients is still unclear. METHODS: We identified cellular miRNAs involved in the host response to influenza virus infection by performing comprehensive miRNA profiling in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from critically ill patients with swine-origin influenza pandemic H1N1 (2009) virus infection via miRNA microarray and quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assays. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted and area under the ROC curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of severe H1N1 influenza virus infection. Furthermore, an integrative network of miRNA-mediated host-influenza virus protein interactions was constructed by integrating the predicted and validated miRNA-gene interaction data with influenza virus and host-protein-protein interaction information using Cytoscape software. Moreover, several hub genes in the network were selected and validated by qRT-PCR. RESULTS: Forty-one significantly differentially expressed miRNAs were found by miRNA microarray; nine were selected and validated by qRT-PCR. QRT-PCR assay and ROC curve analyses revealed that miR-31, miR-29a and miR-148a all had significant potential diagnostic value for critically ill patients infected with H1N1 influenza virus, which yielded AUC of 0.9510, 0.8951 and 0.8811, respectively. We subsequently constructed an integrative network of miRNA-mediated host-influenza virus protein interactions, wherein we found that miRNAs are involved in regulating important pathways, such as mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, epidermal growth factor receptor signaling pathway, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, during influenza virus infection. Some of differentially expressed miRNAs via in silico analysis targeted mRNAs of several key genes in these pathways. The mRNA expression level of tumor protein T53 and transforming growth factor beta receptor 1 were found significantly reduced in critically ill patients, whereas the expression of Janus kinase 2, caspase 3 apoptosis-related cysteine peptidase, interleukin 10, and myxovirus resistance 1 were extremely increased in critically ill patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the dysregulation of miRNAs in the PBMCs of H1N1 critically ill patients can regulate a number of key genes in the major signaling pathways associated with influenza virus infection. These differentially expressed miRNAs could be potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers for severe influenza virus infection.

negative: Neutralizing antibodies mediate virus-immune pathology of COVID-19 SARS-CoV-2 is a novel beta-coronavirus causing over 200.000 lethal cases within six months of first infecting humans. SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19, a form of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). COVID-19 is characterized by two phases: the first resembles the flu with pneumonia, but after about seven or eight days the disease suddenly worsens to a sepsis-like syndrome. It is difficult to explain this virus-immune-pathology sequence from virology or immunology only. This paper hypothesizes that host-produced anti-spike protein antibodies are responsible for immune-induced viral dissemination. Subsequently, systemic distribution of virus-antibodies complexes activates the immune pathology observed in severe COVID-19. This hypothesis may be counterintuitive to immunologist that consider many anti-spike antibodies to be virus-neutralizing antibodies. Although anti-spike antibodies may hinder infection of epithelial cells, antibody binding to the spike protein may facilitate virus infection of myeloid leukocytes. If myeloid leukocytes reenter the circulation, they could spread the virus from a locoregional infection to a systemic disease. Disseminated virus in combination with antibodies results in dispersed virus-antibody complexes that overstimulate the immune system. The hypothesis aligns with the sequences of virus, immune and pathological events in COVID-19. The delay in onset from both syndromes results from an immune system still naïve to the non-cross-reactive spike protein. Details of this hypothesis are in concordance with many clinical characteristics of COVID-19, including its predominant lethality for the elderly, and the mostly asymptomatic course of disease in children. It predicts putative detrimental effects of vaccines that induce virus-neutralizing antibodies against the spike protein, as has been shown for other coronaviruses. This hypothesis has consequences for treatment of patients, evaluation of personal and herd immunity and vaccine development. In patients, cellular immunity should be stimulated. Neutralizing antibodies might not be indicative for immunity. Vaccines should aim to stimulate cellular immunity COVID-19 and/or stimulate humoral immunity against viral proteins except for the immunodominant spike protein.

negative: Potential involvement of monoamine oxidase activity in SARS-COV2 infection and delirium onset Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causes a range of extra-respiratory signs and symptoms. One such manifestation is delirium, an acute confusional state occurring in 60-70% of severe SARS-CoV-2 cases. Delirium is also a common clinical syndrome following planned orthopedic surgery. This investigation initially explored the underlying role of metabolism in delirium-susceptibility in this setting. Metabolomics profiles of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood taken prior to surgery found significant concentration differences of several amino acids, acylcarnitines and polyamines were observed in delirium-prone patients. Phenethylamine (PEA) concentrations in delirium-prone patients was significantly lower in CSF than in blood, whilst in age- and gender-matched controls the opposite was observed (adjusted p values: 1.8x10-6 (control) and 1.788x10-10 (delirium)). PEA is metabolised by monoamine oxidase B (MAOB), a putative enzyme target for the treatment of Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease and depression. Our computational structural comparisons of MAOB and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) 2 found high similarity, specifically within the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. MAOB structural alignment to ACE2 was 51% overall, but this was over 95% in the ACE2-spike protein binding region. Thus, it is possible that the spike protein interacts with MAOB on a molecular level. A previously published metabolomic dataset of control subjects and patients with either mild or severe COVID-19 was then analysed. Major concentration differences in some metabolites attributed to altered MAO activity were detected. Therefore, our hypothesis is that the SARS-CoV-2 influences MAOB activity, which is one potential cause for the many observed neurological and platelet based complications of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

negative: Erythema multiforme‐like lesions in children and COVID‐19 During examination of cases of chilblains in children and adolescents, we identified four patients who also showed skin lesions similar to erythema multiforme (EM). They had no other known triggers for EM. One of them had a positive PCR for SARS‐CoV‐2, while the other 3 were negative. Skin biopsies from two patients showed features not typical of EM, such as deep perivascular and perieccrine infiltrate and absence of necrosis of keratinocytes. Immunohistochemistry for SARS‐CoV/SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein showed granular positivity in endothelial cells and epithelial cells of eccrine glands in both biopsies. All patients had an excellent outcome, and had minimal or no systemic symptoms. The coincidence of EM, a condition commonly related to viruses, and chilblains in the setting of COVID‐19, as well as the positivity for SARS‐CoV/SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein by immunohistochemistry strongly suggest a link between EM‐like lesions and SARS‐CoV‐2.

negative: Review of COVID-19 Antibody Therapies. Under the global health emergency caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), efficient and specific therapies are urgently needed. Compared with traditional small-molecular drugs, antibody therapies are relatively easy to develop and as specific as vaccines in targeting severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and thus attract much attention in the past few months. This work reviews seven existing antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein with three-dimensional (3D) structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Five antibody structures associated with SARS-CoV are evaluated for their potential in neutralizing SARS-CoV-2. The interactions of these antibodies with the S protein receptor-binding domain (RBD) are compared with those of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and RBD complexes. Due to the orders of magnitude in the discrepancies of experimental binding affinities, we introduce topological data analysis (TDA), a variety of network models, and deep learning to analyze the binding strength and therapeutic potential of the aforementioned fourteen antibody-antigen complexes. The current COVID-19 antibody clinical trials, which are not limited to the S protein target, are also reviewed.

negative: Crystal structure of Nsp15 endoribonuclease NendoU from SARS-CoV-2 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 is rapidly spreading around the world. There is no existing vaccine or proven drug to prevent infections and stop virus proliferation. Although this virus is similar to human and animal SARS- and MERS-CoVs the detailed information about SARS-CoV-2 proteins structures and functions is urgently needed to rapidly develop effective vaccines, antibodies and antivirals. We applied high-throughput protein production and structure determination pipeline at the Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases to produce SARS-CoV-2 proteins and structures. Here we report the high-resolution crystal structure of endoribonuclease Nsp15/NendoU from SARS-CoV-2 – a virus causing current world-wide epidemics. We compare this structure with previously reported models of Nsp15 from SARS and MERS coronaviruses.

negative: ADAMs and ADAMTSs Proteolysis has emerged as a key post-translational regulator of the function of molecules on the cell surface and in the extracellular milieu. In principle, proteolysis can activate or inactivate a substrate, or can change its functional properties. ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) and ADAMTS (a disintegrin-like and metalloprotease domain with thrombospondin type 1 repeats) proteases are related members of a superfamily of metallo-endopeptidases that also includes MMPs and astacins. ADAMs are integral membrane proteins that typically cleave other membrane anchored proteins, whereas ADAMTS proteases lack a membrane anchor, and process both cell-surface and secreted molecules, the latter mostly extracellular matrix (ECM) components. ADAMs are implicated in fertilization, neurogenesis, in regulating the function of ligands for the EGF-receptor, and in the release of proteins such as the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα from the plasma membrane. ADAMTS proteases have key roles in embryonic development, including lung development, the molecular maturation of von Willebrand factor and procollagen as well as organization of fibrillin microfibrils in ECM, and are implicated in the pathogenesis of diverse lung and airway disorders. Here, we provide a general overview of the biochemical properties and physiological functions of ADAMs and ADAMTS proteases and describe their relevance to lung and airway disorders.

negative: Research Resource: Identification of Novel Growth Hormone-Regulated Phosphorylation Sites by Quantitative Phosphoproteomics GH and GH receptors are expressed throughout life, and GH elicits a diverse range of responses, including growth and altered metabolism. It is therefore important to understand the full spectrum of GH signaling pathways and cellular responses. We applied mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomics combined with stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture to identify proteins rapidly phosphorylated in response to GH in 3T3-F442A preadipocytes. We identified 132 phosphosites in 95 proteins that exhibited rapid (5 or 15 min) GH-dependent statistically significant increases in phosphorylation by more than or equal to 50% and 96 phosphosites in 46 proteins that were down-regulated by GH by more than or equal to 30%. Several of the GH-stimulated phosphorylation sites were known (e.g. regulatory Thr/Tyr in Erks 1 and 2, Tyr in signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat) 5a and 5b, Ser939 in tuberous sclerosis protein (TSC) 2 or tuberin). The remaining 126 GH-stimulated sites were not previously associated with GH. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of GH-stimulated sites indicated enrichment in proteins associated with the insulin and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton, and focal adhesions. Akt/protein kinase A consensus sites (RXRXXS/T) were the most commonly phosphorylated consensus sites. Immunoblotting confirmed GH-stimulated phosphorylation of all seven novel GH-dependent sites tested [regulatory sites in proline-rich Akt substrate, 40 kDA (PRAS40), regulatory associated protein of mTOR, ATP-citrate lyase, Na(+)/H(+) exchanger-1, N-myc downstream regulated gene 1, and Shc]). The immunoblot results suggest that many, if not most, of the GH-stimulated phosphosites identified in this large-scale quantitative phosphoproteomics analysis, including sites in multiple proteins in the Akt/ mTOR complex 1 pathway, are phosphorylated in response to GH. Their identification significantly broadens our thinking of GH-regulated cell functions.

negative: Insights into Cross-species Evolution of Novel Human Coronavirus 2019-nCoV and Defining Immune Determinants for Vaccine Development Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) outbreak in the city of Wuhan, China during December 2019, has now spread to various countries across the globe triggering a heightened containment effort. This human pathogen is a member of betacoronavirus genus carrying 30 kilobase of single positive-sense RNA genome. Understanding the evolution, zoonotic transmission, and source of this novel virus would help accelerating containment and prevention efforts. The present study reported detailed analysis of 2019-nCoV genome evolution and potential candidate peptides for vaccine development. This nCoV genotype might have been evolved from a bat-CoV by accumulating non-synonymous mutations, indels, and recombination events. Structural proteins Spike (S), and Membrane (M) had extensive mutational changes, whereas Envelope (E) and Nucleocapsid (N) proteins were very conserved suggesting differential selection pressures exerted on 2019-nCoV during evolution. Interestingly, 2019-nCoV Spike protein contains a 39 nucleotide (5’-aAT GGT GTT GAA GGT TTT AAT TGT TAC TTT CCT TTA CAA Tca-3’) sequence insertion, which shares homology to fish genomic sequence of Myripristis murdjan, an abundant fish type in Indo-Pacific Ocean. Furthermore, we identified eight high binding affinity (HBA) CD4 T-cell epitopes in the S, E, M and N proteins, which can be commonly recognized by HLA-DR alleles of Asia and Asia-Pacific Region population. These immunodominant epitopes can be incorporated in universal subunit CoV vaccine. Diverse HLA types and variations in the epitope binding affinity may contribute to the wide range of immunopathological outcomes of circulating virus in humans. Our findings emphasize the requirement for continuous surveillance of CoV strains in live animal markets to better understand the viral adaptation to human host and to develop practical solutions to prevent the emergence of novel pathogenic CoV strains.

negative: 2,500-year Evolution of the Term Epidemic The term epidemic (from the Greek epi [on] plus demos [people]), first used by Homer, took its medical meaning when Hippocrates used it as the title of one of his famous treatises. At that time, epidemic was the name given to a collection of clinical syndromes, such as coughs or diarrheas, occurring and propagating in a given period at a given location. Over centuries, the form and meaning of the term have changed. Successive epidemics of plague in the Middle Ages contributed to the definition of an epidemic as the propagation of a single, well-defined disease. The meaning of the term continued to evolve in the 19th-century era of microbiology. Its most recent semantic evolution dates from the last quarter of the 20th century, and this evolution is likely to continue in the future.

negative: SARS-CoV originated from bats in 1998 and may still exist in humans SARS-CoV is believed to originate from civets and was thought to have been eliminated as a threat after the 2003 outbreak. Here, we show that human SARS-CoV (huSARS-CoV) originated directly from bats, rather than civets, by a cross-species jump in 1991, and formed a human-adapted strain in 1998. Since then huSARS-CoV has evolved further into highly virulent strains with genotype T and a 29-nt deletion mutation, and weakly virulent strains with genotype C but without the 29-nt deletion. The former can cause pneumonia in humans and could be the major causative pathogen of the SARS outbreak, whereas the latter might not cause pneumonia in humans, but evolved the ability to co-utilize civet ACE2 as an entry receptor, leading to interspecies transmission between humans and civets. Three crucial time points - 1991, for the cross-species jump from bats to humans; 1998, for the formation of the human-adapted SARS-CoV; and 2003, when there was an outbreak of SARS in humans - were found to associate with anomalously low annual precipitation and high temperatures in Guangdong. Anti-SARS-CoV sero-positivity was detected in 20% of all the samples tested from Guangzhou children who were born after 2005, suggesting that weakly virulent huSARS-CoVs might still exist in humans. These existing but undetected SARS-CoVs have a large potential to evolve into highly virulent strains when favorable climate conditions occur, highlighting a potential risk for the reemergence of SARS.

negative: Neuropilin-1 is a host factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19, a coronavirus disease that has infected more than 6.6 million people and caused over 390,000 deaths worldwide1,2. The Spike (S) protein of the virus forms projections on the virion surface responsible for host cell attachment and penetration. This viral glycoprotein is synthesized as a precursor in infected cells and, to be active, must be cleaved to two associated polypeptides: S1 and S2(3,4). For SARS-CoV-2 the cleavage is catalysed by furin, a host cell protease, which cleaves the S protein precursor at a specific sequence motif that generates a polybasic Arg-Arg-Ala-Arg (RRAR) C-terminal sequence on S1. This sequence motif conforms to the C-end rule (CendR), which means that the C-terminal sequence may allow the protein to associate with cell surface neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and neuropilin-2 (NRP2) receptors5. Here we demonstrate using immunoprecipitation, site-specific mutagenesis, structural modelling, and antibody blockade that, in addition to engaging the known receptor ACE2, S1 can bind to NRP1 through the canonical CendR mechanism. This interaction enhances infection by SARS-CoV-2 in cell culture. NRP1 thus serves as a host factor for SARS-CoV-2 infection, and provides a therapeutic target for COVID-19.

negative: In silico Proteome analysis of Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (2019-nCoV), is a positive-sense, single-stranded RNA coronavirus. The virus is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is contagious through human-to-human transmission. The present study reports sequence analysis, complete coordinate tertiary structure prediction and in silico sequence-based and structure-based functional characterization of full SARS-CoV-2 proteome based on the NCBI reference sequence NC_045512 (29903 bp ss-RNA) which is identical to GenBank entry MN908947 and MT415321. The proteome includes 12 major proteins namely orf1ab polyprotein (includes 15 proteins), surface glycoprotein, ORF3a protein, envelope protein, membrane glycoprotein, ORF6 protein, ORF7a protein, orf7b, ORF8, Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein and ORF10 protein. Each protein of orf1ab polyprotein group has been studied separately. A total of 25 polypeptides have been analyzed out of which 15 proteins are not yet having experimental structures and only 10 are having experimental structures with known PDB IDs. Out of 15 newly predicted structures six (6) were predicted using comparative modeling and nine (09) proteins having no significant similarity with so far available PDB structures were modeled using ab-initio modeling. Structure verification using recent tools QMEANDisCo 4.0.0 and ProQ3 for global and local (per-residue) quality estimates indicate that the all-atom model of tertiary structure of high quality and may be useful for structure-based drug designing targets. The study has identified nine major targets (spike protein, envelop protein, membrane protein, nucleocapsid protein, 2’-O-ribose methyltransferase, endoRNAse, 3’-to-5’ exonuclease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and helicase) for which drug design targets could be considered. There are other 16 nonstructural proteins (NSPs), which may also be percieved from the drug design angle. The protein structures have been deposited to ModelArchive. Tunnel analysis revealed the presence of large number of tunnels in NSP3, ORF 6 protein and membrane glycoprotein indicating a large number of transport pathways for small ligands influencing their reactivity.

negative: Human monoclonal IgG selection of Plasmodium falciparum for the expression of placental malaria-specific variant surface antigens Pregnancy-associatedPlasmodium falciparum malaria (PAM) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in African women and their offspring. PAM is characterized by accumulation of infected erythrocytes (IEs) that adhere to chondroitin sulphate A (CSA) in the placental intervillous space. We show here that human monoclonal IgG antibodies with specificity for variant surface antigens (VSA) specifically expressed by CSA-adhering IEs (VSA(PAM)) can be used in vitro to select parasites from nonpregnant donors to express VSA(PAM) and that this selection for VSA(PAM) expression results in preferential transcription of var2csa. The results corroborate current efforts to develop PAM-specific vaccines based on VAR2CSA.

negative: What was the primary mode of smallpox transmission? Implications for biodefense The mode of infection transmission has profound implications for effective containment by public health interventions. The mode of smallpox transmission was never conclusively established. Although, “respiratory droplet” transmission was generally regarded as the primary mode of transmission, the relative importance of large ballistic droplets and fine particle aerosols that remain suspended in air for more than a few seconds was never resolved. This review examines evidence from the history of variolation, data on mucosal infection collected in the last decades of smallpox transmission, aerosol measurements, animal models, reports of smallpox lung among healthcare workers, and the epidemiology of smallpox regarding the potential importance of fine particle aerosol mediated transmission. I introduce briefly the term anisotropic infection to describe the behavior of Variola major in which route of infection appears to have altered the severity of disease.

negative: Chapter Two Coronavirus Spike Protein and Tropism Changes Abstract Coronaviruses (CoVs) have a remarkable potential to change tropism. This is particularly illustrated over the last 15 years by the emergence of two zoonotic CoVs, the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)- and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV. Due to their inherent genetic variability, it is inevitable that new cross-species transmission events of these enveloped, positive-stranded RNA viruses will occur. Research into these medical and veterinary important pathogens—sparked by the SARS and MERS outbreaks—revealed important principles of inter- and intraspecies tropism changes. The primary determinant of CoV tropism is the viral spike (S) entry protein. Trimers of the S glycoproteins on the virion surface accommodate binding to a cell surface receptor and fusion of the viral and cellular membrane. Recently, high-resolution structures of two CoV S proteins have been elucidated by single-particle cryo-electron microscopy. Using this new structural insight, we review the changes in the S protein that relate to changes in virus tropism. Different concepts underlie these tropism changes at the cellular, tissue, and host species level, including the promiscuity or adaptability of S proteins to orthologous receptors, alterations in the proteolytic cleavage activation as well as changes in the S protein metastability. A thorough understanding of the key role of the S protein in CoV entry is critical to further our understanding of virus cross-species transmission and pathogenesis and for development of intervention strategies.

negative: Serologic cross-reactivity of SARS-CoV-2 with endemic and seasonal Betacoronaviruses In order to properly understand the spread of SARS-CoV-2 infection and development of humoral immunity, researchers have evaluated the presence of serum antibodies of people worldwide experiencing the pandemic. These studies rely on the use of recombinant proteins from the viral genome in order to identify serum antibodies that recognize SARS-CoV-2 epitopes. Here, we discuss the cross-reactivity potential of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies with the full spike proteins of four other Betacoronaviruses that cause disease in humans, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, HCoV-OC43, and HCoV-HKU1. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), we detected the potential cross-reactivity of antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 towards the four other coronaviruses, with the strongest cross-recognition between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS /MERS-CoV antibodies, as expected based on sequence homology of their respective spike proteins. Further analysis of cross-reactivity could provide informative data that could lead to intelligently designed pan-coronavirus therapeutics or vaccines.

negative: Identification of the Receptor-Binding Domain of the Spike Glycoprotein of Human Betacoronavirus HKU1. UNLABELLED Coronavirus spike (S) glycoproteins mediate receptor binding, membrane fusion, and virus entry and determine host range. Murine betacoronavirus (β-CoV) in group A uses the N-terminal domain (NTD) of S protein to bind to its receptor, whereas the β-CoVs severe acute respiratory syndrome CoV in group B and Middle East respiratory syndrome CoV in group C and several α-CoVs use the downstream C domain in their S proteins to recognize their receptor proteins. To identify the receptor-binding domain in the spike of human β-CoV HKU1 in group A, we generated and mapped a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the ectodomain of HKU1 spike protein. They did not cross-react with S proteins of any other CoV tested. Most of the HKU1 spike MAbs recognized epitopes in the C domain between amino acids 535 and 673, indicating that this region is immunodominant. Two of the MAbs blocked HKU1 virus infection of primary human tracheal-bronchial epithelial (HTBE) cells. Preincubation of HTBE cells with a truncated HKU1 S protein that includes the C domain blocked infection with HKU1 virus, but preincubation of cells with truncated S protein containing only the NTD did not block infection. These data suggest that the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of HKU1 spike protein is located in the C domain, where the spike proteins of α-CoVs and β-CoVs in groups B and C bind to their specific receptor proteins. Thus, two β-CoVs in group A, HKU1 and murine CoV, have evolved to use different regions of their spike glycoproteins to recognize their respective receptor proteins. IMPORTANCE Mouse hepatitis virus, a β-CoV in group A, uses the galectin-like NTD in its spike protein to bind its receptor protein, while HCoV-OC43, another β-CoV in group A, uses the NTD to bind to its sialic-acid containing receptor. In marked contrast, the NTD of the spike glycoprotein of human respiratory β-CoV HKU1, which is also in group A, does not bind sugar. In this study, we showed that for the spike protein of HKU1, the purified C domain, downstream of the NTD, could block HKU1 virus infection of human respiratory epithelial cells, and that several monoclonal antibodies that mapped to the C domain neutralized virus infectivity. Thus, the receptor-binding domain of HKU1 spike glycoprotein is located in the C domain. Surprisingly, two β-CoVs in group A, mouse hepatitis virus and HKU1, have evolved to use different regions of their spike glycoproteins to recognize their respective receptors.

negative: The ORF8 Protein of SARS-CoV-2 Mediates Immune Evasion through Potently Downregulating MHC-I SARS-CoV-2 infection have caused global pandemic and claimed over 5,000,000 tolls1–4. Although the genetic sequences of their etiologic viruses are of high homology, the clinical and pathological characteristics of COVID-19 significantly differ from SARS5,6. Especially, it seems that SARS-CoV-2 undergoes vast replication in vivo without being effectively monitored by anti-viral immunity7. Here, we show that the viral protein encoded from open reading frame 8 (ORF8) of SARS-CoV-2, which shares the least homology with SARS-CoV among all the viral proteins, can directly interact with MHC-I molecules and significantly down-regulates their surface expression on various cell types. In contrast, ORF8a and ORF8b of SARS-CoV do not exert this function. In the ORF8-expressing cells, MHC-I molecules are selectively target for lysosomal degradation by an autophagy-dependent mechanism. As a result, CTLs inefficiently eliminate the ORF8-expressing cells. Our results demonstrate that ORF8 protein disrupts antigen presentation and reduces the recognition and the elimination of virus-infected cells by CTLs8. Therefore, we suggest that the inhibition of ORF8 function could be a strategy to improve the special immune surveillance and accelerate the eradication of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo.

negative: Update on therapeutic approaches and emerging therapies for SARS-CoV-2 virus The global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has resulted in over 7,273,958 cases with almost over 413,372 deaths worldwide as per the WHO situational report 143 on COVID-19. There are no known treatment regimens with proven efficacy and vaccines thus far, posing an unprecedented challenge to identify effective drugs and vaccines for prevention and treatment. The urgency for its prevention and cure has resulted in an increased number of proposed treatment options. The high rate and volume of emerging clinical trials on therapies for COVID-19 need to be compared and evaluated to provide scientific evidence for effective medical options. Other emerging non-conventional drug discovery techniques such as bioinformatics and cheminformatics, structure-based drug design, network-based methods for prediction of drug-target interactions, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) and phage technique could provide alternative routes to discovering potent Anti-SARS-CoV2 drugs. While drugs are being repurposed and discovered for COVID-19, novel drug delivery systems will be paramount for efficient delivery and avoidance of possible drug resistance. This review describes the proposed drug targets for therapy, and outcomes of clinical trials that have been reported. It also identifies the adopted treatment modalities that are showing promise, and those that have failed as drug candidates. It further highlights various emerging therapies and future strategies for the treatment of COVID-19 and delivery of Anti-SARS-CoV2 drugs.

negative: Structural Basis for RNA Replication by the SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase Nucleotide analog inhibitors, including broad-spectrum remdesivir and favipiravir, have shown promise in in vitro assays and some clinical studies for COVID-19 treatment, this despite an incomplete mechanistic understanding of the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase nsp12 drug interactions. Here, we examine the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 RNA replication by determining the cryo-EM structures of the stalled pre- and post- translocated polymerase complexes. Compared with the apo complex, the structures show notable structural rearrangements happening to nsp12 and its co-factors nsp7 and nsp8 to accommodate the nucleic acid, whereas there are highly conserved residues in nsp12, positioning the template and primer for an in-line attack on the incoming nucleotide. Furthermore, we investigate the inhibition mechanism of the triphosphate metabolite of remdesivir through structural and kinetic analyses. A transition model from the nsp7-nsp8 hexadecameric primase complex to the nsp12-nsp7-nsp8 polymerase complex is also proposed to provide clues for the understanding of the coronavirus transcription and replication machinery.

negative: Recurrent mutations associated with isolation and passage of SARS coronavirus in cells from non‐human primates Four clinical isolates of SARS coronavirus were serially passaged in two primate cell lines (FRhK4 and Vero E6). Viral genetic sequences encoding for structural proteins and open reading frames 6–8 were determined in the original clinical specimen, the initial virus isolate (passage 0) and at passages 5, 10, and 15. After 15 passages, a total of 15 different mutations were identified and 12 of them were non‐synonymous mutations. Seven of these mutations were recurrent mutation and all located at the spike, membrane, and Orf 8a protein encoding sequences. Mutations in the membrane protein and a deletion in ORF 6–8 were already observed in passage 0, suggesting these amino acid substitutions are important in the adaptation of the virus isolate in primate cell culture. A mutation in the spike gene (residue 24079) appeared to be unique to adaptation in FRhK4 cells. It is important to be aware of cell culture associated mutations when interpreting data on molecular evolution of SARS coronavirus. J. Med. Virol. 76:435–440, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

negative: Design of engineered surfaces for prospective detection of Sars-CoV-2 using quartz crystal microbalance based techniques. INTRODUCTION Rapid transmission of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 has affected the whole world and forced it to a halt (lockdown). A fast and label free detection method for the novel coronavirus needs to be developed along with the existing enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based methods. AREAS COVERED In this report, biophysical aspects of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike glycoprotein are outlined based on its recent reported electron microscopy structure. Protein binding sites are analyzed theoretically, which consisted of hydrophobic and positive charged amino acid residues. Different strategies to form mixed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of hydrophobic (CH3) and negatively charged (COOH) groups are discussed to be used for the specific and strong interactions with spike protein. Bio-interfacial interactions between the spike protein and device (sensor) surface and its implications towards designing suitable engineered surfaces are summarized. EXPERT OPINION Implementation of the engineered surfaces in quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) based detection techniques for the diagnosis of the novel coronavirus from oral swab samples is highlighted. The proposed strategy can be explored for the label free and real time detection with sensitivity up to ng level. These engineered surfaces can be reused after desorption.

negative: Broad neutralization of SARS-related viruses by human monoclonal antibodies Broadly protective vaccines against known and pre-emergent human coronaviruses (HCoVs) are urgently needed. To gain a deeper understanding of cross-neutralizing antibody responses, we mined the memory B cell repertoire of a convalescent SARS donor and identified 200 SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies that target multiple conserved sites on the spike (S) protein. A large proportion of the non-neutralizing antibodies display high levels of somatic hypermutation and cross-react with circulating HCoVs, suggesting recall of pre-existing memory B cells (MBCs) elicited by prior HCoV infections. Several antibodies potently cross-neutralize SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2, and the bat SARS-like virus WIV1 by blocking receptor attachment and inducing S1 shedding. These antibodies represent promising candidates for therapeutic intervention and reveal a target for the rational design of pan-sarbecovirus vaccines.

negative: 3D Variability Analysis: Directly resolving continuous flexibility and discrete heterogeneity from single particle cryo-EM images Proteins are dynamic molecules that constitute the molecular machinery of living cells. Single particle cryo-EM excels as an imaging technique to solve static structures of proteins, but existing computational 3D reconstruction methods for cryo-EM data have not been effective in practice for solving structures or modelling motion of flexible proteins. We introduce 3D variability analysis (3DVA), an algorithm that models the conformational landscape of a molecule as a linear subspace, and is able to fit the model to experimental cryo-EM data at high resolution. 3DVA makes it possible, for the first time, to resolve and visualize detailed molecular motions of both large and small proteins. Through extensive experimental results on cryo-EM data, we demonstrate the ability of 3DVA to resolve multiple flexible motions of α-helices in the sub-50 kDa transmembrane domain of a GPCR complex, bending modes of a sodium ion channel, five types of symmetric and symmetry-breaking flexibility in a proteasome, and large motions in a spliceosome complex. We also show that 3DVA can uncover discrete conformational states of heterogenous mixtures of ribosome particles from a single sample. The results demonstrate that 3DVA enables new biological insight to be extracted from single particle cryo-EM data. 3DVA is implemented in the cryoSPARC software package, and has already been used successfully in several notable structural studies.

negative: An in-silico evaluation of different Saikosaponins for their potency against SARS-CoV-2 using NSP15 and fusion spike glycoprotein as targets The Public Health Emergency of International Concern declared the widespread outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 as a global pandemic emergency, which has resulted in 1,773,086 confirmed cases including 111,652 human deaths, as on 13 April 2020, as reported to World Health Organization. As of now, there are no vaccines or antiviral drugs declared to be officially useful against the infection. Saikosaponin is a group of oleanane derivatives reported in Chinese medicinal plants and are described for their anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anticonvulsant, antinephritis and hepatoprotective activities. They have also been known to have anti-coronaviral property by interfering the early stage of viral replication including absorption and penetration of the virus. Thus, the present study was undertaken to screen and evaluate the potency of different Saikosaponins against different sets of SARS-CoV-2 binding protein via computational molecular docking simulations. Docking was carried out on a Glide module of Schrodinger Maestro 2018-1 MM Share Version on NSP15 (PDB ID: 6W01) and Prefusion 2019-nCoV spike glycoprotein (PDB ID: 6VSB) from SARS-CoV-2. From the binding energy and interaction studies, the Saikosaponins U and V showed the best affinity towards both the proteins suggesting them to be future research molecule as they mark the desire interaction with NSP15, which is responsible for replication of RNA and also with 2019-nCoV spike glycoprotein which manage the connection with ACE2. [Image: see text] Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

negative: A systematic review of antibody mediated immunity to coronaviruses: antibody kinetics, correlates of protection, and association of antibody responses with severity of disease The duration and nature of immunity generated in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is unknown. Many public health responses and modeled scenarios for COVID-19 outbreaks caused by SARSCoV-2 assume that infection results in an immune response that protects individuals from future infections or illness for some amount of time. The timescale of protection is a critical determinant of the future impact of the pathogen. The presence or absence of protective immunity due to infection or vaccination (when available) will affect future transmission and illness severity. The dynamics of immunity and nature of protection are relevant to discussions surrounding therapeutic use of convalescent sera as well as efforts to identify individuals with protective immunity. Here, we review the scientific literature on antibody immunity to coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-2 as well as the related SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV and human endemic coronaviruses (HCoVs). We reviewed 1281 abstracts and identified 322 manuscripts relevant to 5 areas of focus: 1) antibody kinetics, 2) correlates of protection, 3) immunopathogenesis, 4) antigenic diversity and cross-reactivity, and 5) population seroprevalence. While studies of SARS-CoV-2 are necessary to determine immune responses to it, evidence from other coronaviruses can provide clues and guide future research.

negative: Human Gene Sequences in SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses. In a previous study, we identified a 117 base severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequence in the human genome with 94.6% identity. The sequence was in chromosome 1p within an intronic region of the netrin G1 (NTNG1) gene. The sequence matched a sequence in the SARS-CoV-2 Orf1b gene in non-structural protein 14 (NSP14), which is an exonuclease and NSP15, an endoribonuclease. In the current study we compared the human genome with other viral genomes to determine some of the characteristics of human sequences found in the latter. Most of the viruses had human sequences, but they were short. Hepatitis A and St Louis encephalitis had human sequences that were longer than the 117 base SARS-Cov-2 sequence, but they were in non-coding regions of the human genome. The SARS-Cov-2 sequence was the only long sequence found in a human gene (NTNG1). The related coronaviruses SARS-Cov had a 41 BP human sequence on chromosome 3 that was not part of a human gene, and MERS had no human sequence. The 117 base SARS-CoV-2 human sequence is relatively close to the viral spike sequence, separated only by NSP16, a 904 base sequence. The mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 infection is the binding of the virus spike protein to the membrane-bound form of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and internalization of the complex by the host cell. We have no explanation for the NSP14 and NSP15 SARS-Cov-2 sequences we observed here or how they might relate to infectiousness. Further studies are warranted.

negative: Targeted Proteomics for the Detection of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The rapid, sensitive and specific diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 by fast and unambiguous testing is widely recognized to be critical in responding the current outbreak. Since the current testing capacity by conventional PCR based methods is insufficient because of shortages of supplies such as RNA extraction kits and PCR reagents, alternative and/or complementary testing assays should be developed. Here, we exploit the potential of targeted mass spectrometry based proteomic technologies to solve the current issue of insufficient SARS-CoV-2 diagnostic testing capacity. We have assessed the limit of detection by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) on an Orbitrap Eclipse mass spectrometer for target tryptic peptides of several SARS-CoV-2 proteins from a sample of virus infected Vero cells. For Nucleocapsid protein the limit of detection was found to be in the mid-attomole range (0.9 × 10−12 g), which would theoretically correspond to approximately 10,000 SARS-CoV-2 particles, under the assumption that all viral proteins are assembled in macromolecular virus particles. Whether or not this sensitivity is sufficient to play a role in SARS-CoV-2 detection in patient material such as swabs or body fluids largely depends on the amount of viral proteins present in such samples and is subject of further research. If yes, mass spectrometry based methods could serve as a complementary protein based diagnostic tool and further steps should be focused on sample preparation protocols and on improvements in sample throughput.

negative: Global efforts on vaccines for COVID-19: Since, sooner or later, we all will catch the coronavirus COVID-19 is an emerging infectious disease that has turned into a pandemic. It spreads through droplet transmission of the new coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. It is an RNA virus displaying a spike protein as the major surface protein with significant sequence similarity to SARS-CoV which causes severe acute respiratory syndrome. The receptor binding domain of the spike protein interacts with the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 and is considered as the antigenic determinant for stimulating an immune response. While multiple candidate vaccines are currently under different stages of development, there are no known therapeutic interventions at the moment. This review describes the key genetic features that are being considered for generating vaccine candidates by employing innovative technologies. It also highlights the global efforts being undertaken to deliver vaccines for COVID-19 through unprecedented international cooperation and future challenges post development.

negative: A model for 2019-nCoV infection with treatment The current emergence of coronavirus (2019-nCoV or COVID-19) puts the world in threat. 2019-nCoV remains the outbreak of SARS-CoV 2002-2003. The structural research on the receptor recognition by SARS-CoV has identified the key interactions between SARS-CoV spike protein and its host receptor, also known as angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). It controls both the cross-species and human-to-human transmissions of SARS-CoV. In this article, we have considered the infection dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the acute stage. Our aim is to propose and analyse a mathematical model for investigating the effect of CTL responses over the viral mutation to control the viral infection when a post-infection vaccine is administered at regular intervals. Dynamics of the system with and without impulses have been analysed using qualitative theory. Main findings are supported through numerical simulations.

negative: Substitutions in Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Colombia Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 is a new member of the genus Betacoronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemics. The virus crossed the species barrier and established in the human population due to its ability to exploit the ACE receptor for virus entry, which is present and abundant in several tissues, including the lung and respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract and hearth. Virus interaction with the cellular receptor is mediated by the surface protein, known as Spike. Another structural protein of major importance in the Nucleocapsid, directly interacting with the viral RNA to form the ribonucleocapsid, considered a multifunctional protein, and being the target of the most molecular diagnostics assays. Objective: To describe the frequency of substitutions in spike and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 circulating in Colombia and evaluate the frequency of these substitutions in SARS-CoV-2 sequences from other countries of South America. Materials and methods: Samples of 43 patients were included for viral RNA detection by real-time RT-PCR using the Charite-Berlin protocol for the amplification of the SARS-CoV-2 E and RdRp genes. Genome sequences were obtained through the Oxford Nanopore and Illumina MiSeq technologies, following the artic.network "nCoV-2019 sequencing protocol". Available genomes were consulted from GISAID, GenBank, and Genome sequence archive (GSA) and a total of 371 genomes sequences from South America were included. The genome sequences were aligned with the Muscle tool using the MEGA X software. Substitution matrices of the Colombian sequences respect to the reference genome (NC_045512) at the nucleotide and amino acid levels were generated for the spike and nucleocapsid gene. Results: substitution D614G in the amino acid sequence of spike protein was found in 86.7% of the Colombian sequences; substitutions G181V and D936Y in 2.3%, respectively. Five substitutions were found in the nucleocapsid protein, with substitution R203K and G204R being the most frequent (13.95 %) in Colombia. The substitutions D614G in Spike and R203K-G204R in nucleocapsid have a frequency of 83% and 28% respectively in sequences from South America. Conclusion: Non-synonymous substitutions were found in the spike and nucleocapsid proteins in Colombian genomes, the most frequent being D614G in Spike and R203K-G204R in nucleocapsid. These substitutions are frequent in the genomes reported for other South American countries. It is necessary to continue with genomic surveillance of the changes in Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Colombia and South America, even more considering that these proteins are the most commonly used antigen in serological tests.

negative: Fight against novel coronavirus: A perspective of medicinal chemists The ongoing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic makes us painfully perceive that our bullet shells are blank so far for fighting against severe human coronavirus (HCoV). In spite of vast research work, it is crystal clear that the evident does not warrant the commercial blossoming of anti-HCoV drugs. In this circumstance, drug repurposing and/or screening of databases are the only fastest option. This study is an initiative to recapitulate the medicinal chemistry of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 (SARS-CoV-2). The aim is to present an exquisite delineation of the current research from the perspective of a medicinal chemist to allow the rapid development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents.

negative: SARS-CoV-2: A New Song Recalls an Old Melody The viruses causing the SARS outbreak of 2002–2003 and current COVID-19 pandemic are related betacoronaviruses. What insights were learned from SARS that can inform SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development? Focusing on important lessons from SARS vaccine development and two SARS vaccines evaluated in humans may guide SARS-CoV-2 vaccine design, testing, and implementation.

negative: Coronavirus jolts labs to warp speed To thwart SARS-CoV-2, labs hurry to hone assays, swap findings and share resources.

negative: Tubulins interact with porcine and human S proteins of the genus Alphacoronavirus and support successful assembly and release of infectious viral particles Abstract Coronavirus spike proteins mediate host-cell-attachment and virus entry. Virus replication takes place within the host cell cytosol, whereas assembly and budding occur at the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment. In this study we demonstrated that the last 39 amino acid stretches of Alphacoronavirus spike cytoplasmic domains of the human coronavirus 229E, NL63, and the porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus TGEV interact with tubulin alpha and beta chains. In addition, a partial co-localization of TGEV spike proteins with authentic host cell β-tubulin was observed. Furthermore, drug-induced microtubule depolymerization led to changes in spike protein distribution, a reduction in the release of infectious virus particles and less amount of spike protein incorporated into virions. These data demonstrate that interaction of Alphacoronavirus spike proteins with tubulin supports S protein transport and incorporation into virus particles.