SARS-CoV-2入侵细胞的研究进展

新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)感染引发的肺炎疫情已蔓延全球,尽快认清病毒感染规律和致病机制是做好疫情防控的基础。SARS-CoV-2表面的刺突蛋白(Spike,S)识别靶细胞受体并与之结合,诱导病毒与细胞的膜融合,是病毒侵入宿主细胞的第一步,也是预防和治疗病毒感染的关键靶点。大量研究揭示了病毒进入细胞的分子机制,本文将主要对SARS-CoV-2入侵细胞的研究成果进行总结,并简要叙述以该环节为靶点的药物和疫苗研发现状。     

SARS冠状病毒核衣壳蛋白的研究进展

核衣壳蛋白(N蛋白)是SARS冠状病毒(SARS-CoV)的结构蛋白,与病毒RNA结合形成核衣壳,是主要的抗原分子。最近的亚定位研究表明,它主要定位到细胞质,核仁内也有较少的分布。SARS-CoVN蛋白参与SARS-CoVRNA合成的调控以及核衣壳的形成,并能结合人亲环素(hCypA)解离病毒核心,激活AP-1信号转导途径,类泛素蛋白化干扰宿主细胞分裂,在缺乏生长因子的情况下诱导细胞凋亡。     

SARS冠状病毒中的核衣壳蛋白

严重急性呼吸综合征(SARS)的元凶是一种新冠状病毒,研究病毒结构蛋白的功能有助于了解病毒的感染、复制和包装等生理过程。其中核衣壳蛋白是SARS冠状病毒中含量最丰富和最保守的结构蛋白,自身聚合后包被病毒RNA基因组形成螺旋状核壳体是SARS冠状病毒成熟的关键步骤;核衣壳蛋白能与病毒或宿主细胞中多种蛋白质相互作用,还能影响宿主细胞的多个通路。因此核衣壳蛋白是一个重要的多功能蛋白质,参与了病毒感染、复制和病毒包装等过程。     

杆状病毒核衣壳组装相关蛋白研究进展

杆状病毒生命周期中会产生包埋型和芽生型两种病毒粒子,这两种病毒粒子的包膜组成存在明显的差异,但拥有相同的核衣壳结构.杆状病毒核衣壳是由衣壳蛋白和杆状病毒基因组两部分组成,核衣壳的正常组装对两种病毒粒子的形成都是不可或缺的,因此核衣壳的正常组装在病毒的整个感染传播过程中发挥着重要作用.尽管越来越多参与核衣壳组装的蛋白被鉴定出来,目前还有许多核衣壳组装细节不明了,例如这些衣壳蛋白之间的互作关系是怎样的,宿主通过何种方式参与到病毒核衣壳组装过程等.本文主要以杆状病毒模式物种苜蓿银纹夜蛾核型多角体病毒(Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus,AcMNPV)为例综述了参与杆状病毒核衣壳组装的相关蛋白,并对一些参与核衣壳运输有关的核衣壳蛋白也做了阐述.     

诺如病毒分子结构特征及其衣壳蛋白功能研究进展

诺如病毒(Norovirus,NoV)目前是流行病毒性胃肠炎最常见病原之一。该病原体流行株多变、致病剂量低、极易传播且缺乏理想的疫苗,致使全球范围内因NoV引起的胃肠炎频繁暴发,近年来其感染发病率呈明显增加的趋势。掌握NoV的结构特征及蛋白功能对预防NoV引起的流行性胃肠炎具有重要意义。本文对NoV的衣壳蛋白的功能及其基因组特征的研究现状做一综述。     

新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)N蛋白C端重组蛋白的原核表达、纯化及应用

通过原核表达系统探究SARS-CoV-2核衣壳(Nucleocapsid,N)蛋白C端重组蛋白表达、纯化的制备方式以及提供有效的重组蛋白用于COVID-19的早期快速诊断.合成N蛋白C端基因序列,构建重组载体,利用原核系统表达重组目的蛋白.利用Ni2+亲和层析和凝胶过滤层析的方法对表达产物进行纯化,SDS-PAGE电泳...     

TMPRSS2重组蛋白阻断SARS-CoV-2假病毒的感染

为了探究Ⅱ型跨膜丝氨酸蛋白酶(type II transmembrane serine protease, TMPRSS2)重组蛋白阻断严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SARS-CoV-2)侵染宿主的能力,在体外构建假病毒感染细胞的体系,使用SARS-CoV-2 S (spike glycoprotein)蛋白携带水疱性口炎病毒(ΔG-VSV/荧光素酶)感染细胞,利用293F细胞体外纯化酶活及自身剪切位点突变的TMPRSS2重组蛋白,发现纯化的剪切位点R255Q和酶活位点S441A双突变的TMPRSS2重组蛋白,能够有效降低S蛋白与宿主细胞表面TMPRSS2的结合,进而阻断SARS-CoV-2假病毒对Calu3肺癌细胞系的感染。实验结果表明,使用突变的TMPRSS2重组蛋白竞争性结合病毒的刺突蛋白S,同抑制TMPRSS2蛋白酶的活性一样,都能阻断S蛋白的切割活化,抑制病毒与宿主细胞的膜融合,最终达到阻止病毒入侵的目的,这为阻断SARS-CoV-2感染提供了新的潜在靶点和思路。     

从多角度分析SARS-CoV-2和SARS冠状病毒(SARS-CoV)差异

新型冠状病毒肺炎(COVID-19)在全球范围内持续肆虐,感染人数与日俱增.COVID-19的病毒SARS-CoV-2与2003年发生的严重急性呼吸系统综合症冠状病毒(SARS coronavirus,SARS-CoV)同属冠状病毒.本研究就COVID-19与SARS冠状病毒的差异以及两种冠状病毒的中间宿主进行分析和探...     

新型冠状病毒SARS-CoV-2研究进展

在武汉发生的由新型冠状病毒SARS-CoV-2引发的人类冠状病毒病COVID-19,仅仅2个多月时间在我国及国际上70多个国家出现迅速传播,致病和死亡率高,人类生命受到了极大威胁。一些科学家火速投入研究,对SARS-CoV-2的来源和进化、形态特征和基因结构、感染和致病分子机制开展深入研究,取得了重大进展,为科学防控COVID-19提供了重要依据。根据上述研究的基础,文中对COVID-19病毒疫苗、抗体和抑制剂研发提出了设想,在研究防控COVID-19核心技术上具有一定的参考价值。     

SARS-CoV-2与SARS-CoV:病原学、流行病学、临床与病理

2019年12月在武汉暴发了由SARS-CoV-2感染引起的新型冠状病毒肺炎(Coronavirus disease 2019,COVID-19),并迅速扩散至全国.SARS-CoV-2和SARS冠状病毒(SARS-CoV)都属于套式病毒目、冠状病毒科、冠状病毒属中的SARS相关冠状病毒种,本文总结了两者在来源、病毒结构、流行病学、临床表现和病理学特征等方面的差异,以期更全面认识SARS-CoV和SARS-CoV-2,为COVID-19的防治研究提供帮助.     

A review of the effects of ATP and hydroxychloroquine on the phase separation of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein

SARS-CoV-2 is the coronavirus causing the ongoing pandemic with > 460 millions of infections and > 6 millions of deaths. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) is the only structural protein which plays essential roles in almost all key steps of the viral life cycle with its diverse functions depending on liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS) driven by interacting with various nucleic acids. The 419-residue N protein is highly conserved in all variants including delta and omicron, and composed of both folded N-/C-terminal domains (NTD/CTD) as well as three long intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs). Recent results have suggested that its CTD and IDRs are also cryptic nucleic acid–binding domains. In this context, any small molecules capable of interfering in its interaction with nucleic acids are anticipated to modulate its LLPS and associated functions. Indeed, ATP, the energy currency existing at very high concentrations (2–12 mM) in all living cells but absent in viruses, modulates LLPS of N protein, and consequently appears to be evolutionarily hijacked by SARS-CoV-2 to promote its life cycle. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) has been also shown to specifically bind NTD and CTD to inhibit their interactions with nucleic acids, as well as to disrupt LLPS. Particularly, the unique structure of the HCQ-CTD complex offers a promising strategy for further design of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs with better affinity and specificity. The finding may indicate that LLPS is indeed druggable by small molecules, thus opening up a promising direction for drug discovery/design by targeting LLPS in general.     

Identification of Conserved Epitopes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike and Nucleocapsid Protein

BackgroundSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel virus that first occurred in Wuhan in December 2019. The spike glycoproteins and nucleocapsid proteins are the most common targets for the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs.ObjectiveWe herein analyze the rate of evolution along with the sequences of spike and nucleocapsid proteins in relation to the spatial locations of their epitopes, previously suggested to contribute to the immune response caused by SARS-CoV-2 infections.MethodsWe compare homologous proteins of seven human coronaviruses: HCoV-229E, HCoV-OC43, SARS-CoV, HCoV-NL63, HCoV-HKU1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. We then focus on the local, structural order-disorder propensity of the protein regions where the SARS-CoV-2 epitopes are located. ResultsWe show that most of nucleocapsid protein epitopes overlap the RNA-binding and dimerization domains, and some of them are characterized by a low rate 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 a high rate of evolution.ConclusionOur results provide evidence for conserved epitopes that might help develop broad-spectrum SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.     

新型冠状病毒的相关研究进展

2019年12月出现于湖北武汉的一种新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)感染所致肺炎疫情,给人类生命安全造成威胁。迄今为止,对2019年出现的SARS-CoV-2的研究仍处于起步阶段,本文就其相关研究进展进行综述,重点阐述了目前关于SARS-CoV-2的病原学与致病机制方面的研究成果,同时对其流行病学以及该病毒引发的肺炎临床特点加以总结,有助于读者及时了解SARS-CoV-2最新的研究动态,并为今后开展治疗药物及疫苗研发提供方向。     

Deep mutational scanning identifies SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid escape mutations of currently available rapid antigen tests

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SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein Targets a Conserved Surface Groove of the NTF2-like Domain of G3BP1

Stress granule (SG) formation mediated by Ras GTPase-activating protein-binding protein 1 (G3BP1) constitutes a key obstacle for viral replication, which makes G3BP1 a frequent target for viruses. For instance, the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein interacts with G3BP1 directly to suppress SG assembly and promote viral production. However, the molecular basis for the SARS-CoV-2 N ? G3BP1 interaction remains elusive. Here we report biochemical and structural analyses of the SARS-CoV-2 N ? G3BP1 interaction, revealing differential contributions of various regions of SARS-CoV-2 N to G3BP1 binding. The crystal structure of the NTF2-like domain of G3BP1 (G3BP1_NTF2) in complex with a peptide derived from SARS-CoV-2 N (residues 1–25, N_1–25) reveals that SARS-CoV-2 N_1–25 occupies a conserved surface groove of G3BP1_NTF2 via surface complementarity. We show that a φ-x-F (φ, hydrophobic residue) motif constitutes the primary determinant for G3BP1_NTF2-targeting proteins, while the flanking sequence underpins diverse secondary interactions. We demonstrate that mutation of key interaction residues of the SARS-CoV-2 N_1–25 ? G3BP1_NTF2 complex leads to disruption of the SARS-CoV-2 N ? G3BP1 interaction in vitro. Together, these results provide a molecular basis of the strain-specific interaction between SARS-CoV-2 N and G3BP1, which has important implications for the development of novel therapeutic strategies against SARS-CoV-2 infection.     

Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Based on the Nucleocapsid Protein of SARS-like Coronavlruses

The nucleocapsid protein （N） is a major structural protein of coronaviruses. The N protein of bat SARS-like coronavirus （SL-CoV） has a high similarity with that of SARS-CoV. In this study, the SL-CoV N protein was expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and used as antigen. An Indirect Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay （indirect ELISA） was developed for detection of SARS- or SL-CoV infections in bat populations. The detection of 573 bat sera with this indirect ELISA demonstrated that SL-CoVs consistently circulate in Rhinilophus species, further supporting the proposal that bats are natural reservoirs of SL-CoVs. This method uses 1-2 μl of serum sample and can be used for preliminary screening of infections by SARS- or SL-CoV with a small amount of serum sample.     

SARS-CoV-2重组S1和S蛋白疫苗诱导保护性免疫的研究*

目的:评价新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)重组S1蛋白和S蛋白疫苗对SARS-CoV-2的免疫保护效果。方法:将SARS-CoV-2重组S1蛋白和S蛋白分别联合氢氧化铝佐剂以0.1 μg/只、1 μg/只、5 μg/只、10 μg/只不同剂量接种6~8周BALB/c纯系健康雌性小鼠。第二次免疫后采血通过酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检测血清中IgG抗体效价,通过假病毒中和试验比较免疫小鼠血清对SARS-CoV-2野生型株(WT)、英国株(B.1.1.7)、巴西株(P.1)、印度株(B.1.617.2)、Mu毒株(B.1.621)和南非株(501Y.V2-1)六种假病毒毒株中和活性效价,取脾细胞通过酶联免疫斑点技术(ELISpot)检测免疫小鼠的细胞免疫水平。结果:SARS-CoV-2重组S和S1蛋白都能诱导小鼠产生较强的IgG抗体水平。免疫S1蛋白的小鼠血清对SARS-CoV-2野生型株、英国株、巴西株有明显的中和活性,免疫S蛋白的小鼠血清除了对SARS-CoV-2野生型株、英国株、巴西株有明显中和活性之外,对印度株也有明显的中和活性,两种蛋白质免疫的小鼠血清均对野生型株中和效果最强。S蛋白免疫的小鼠脾细胞能够显著诱导出γ干扰素(IFN-γ)和白介素-4(IL-4)的产生。S蛋白诱导产生的IgG抗体、中和抗体、细胞免疫水平均高于S1。结论:SARS-CoV-2重组S蛋白疫苗能够诱导产生较强的保护性免疫应答。