糖链及其蛋白质糖基化

基因和蛋白质是生物统一性的重要标志,而糖链则是生物多样性最重要的标志分子。糖基化作为蛋白质翻译后重要的修饰方式,有其重要的生物学意义。本文综述了糖链的结构、功能及其蛋白质糖基化的类型、影响因素、表达系统等相关问题。     

冠状病毒的糖基化研究进展

冠状病毒(coronavirus)为一类具有囊膜结构、单股正链RNA病毒,可感染哺乳动物或禽类等.目前已知7种冠状病毒可造成人际间传播,其中以新型冠状病毒(Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2,SARS-CoV-2)为代表,可引起严重的呼吸系统疾病,并感染全球数...     

流感病毒识别糖链受体分子机制的研究进展

近年来,由于流感病毒(influenza virus)不可预测的局部流行和有可能引发全球大流行,其一直是研究的热点课题之一．流感病毒表面糖蛋白血凝素(hemagglutinin,HA)特异识别宿主细胞表面的糖链受体是流感病毒感染宿主、进而复制并继续传播的生物学基础．影响流感病毒宿主特异性的两个主要因素是HA自身的变化(包括基因突变、重组、糖基化位点数量和糖基化位置的变化)和宿主细胞表面糖链受体的变化(包括糖链受体的类型、分布和分子构象的改变)等．因此准确掌握这些信息有助于人们进一步加强对流感病毒的防控．本文主要从糖组学角度概述了流感病毒识别糖链受体的分子机制,重点介绍流感病毒宿主细胞表面糖链受体的研究进展．     

抗新型冠状病毒中和抗体药物临床研究进展北大核心CSCD

自1998年预防呼吸合胞病毒的帕利珠单抗药物上市以来,多种靶向病毒的治疗性抗体药物已成功用于感染性疾病的临床治疗。新型冠状病毒肺炎疫情暴发后,多种中和抗体药物快速进入临床研究阶段,展现出积极的治疗及预防效果,并以紧急使用授权的方式用于疫情防控。本文对抗新型冠状病毒中和抗体药物的临床进展和主要临床试验结果进行总结,以期为包括新型冠状病毒肺炎在内的新发、突发传染病中和抗体药物研发提供参考。     

新型冠状病毒相关靶点小分子抑制剂虚拟筛选

为确定治疗新型冠状病毒(SARS-CoV-2)感染的候选药物,开展了针对SARS-CoV-2的药物虚拟筛选研究。以SARS-CoV-2的刺突蛋白(S蛋白)和3CL蛋白酶(主蛋白酶)作为药物靶点,以美国食品药品监督管理局(FDA)批准上市的2 726个小分子药物作为候选,通过分子对接方法,筛选出了3种(阿巴瑞克(Abarelix)、西曲瑞克(Cetrorelix)、鞣酸(Tannic acid))与S蛋白具有较强结合能力的小分子药物,1种(戈舍瑞林(Goserelin))与3CL蛋白酶具有较好结合能力的小分子药物,它们理论上都具有抑制新型冠状病毒复制的效果。将靶向3CL蛋白酶的候选药物与辉瑞公司开发的药物Paxlovid进行比较,发现其作用位点均集中于3CL蛋白酶的第130-200位的残基周围,具有相似的结合位点与相互作用。此外也对候选药物的物理与化学性质及与基因相互作用进行了分析。本研究可为开发新型冠状病毒感染的治疗药物提供参考。     

新型三明治样荧光偏振筛选模型在新型冠状病毒主蛋白酶小分子抑制剂筛选中的应用北大核心CSCD

新型冠状病毒主蛋白酶(main protease, Mpro)通过水解多聚蛋白质体(polyprotein)调控病毒基因组RNA复制,且人体不存在其同源蛋白酶,这使Mpro成为抗新型冠状病毒药物开发的理想靶标之一。本研究基于荧光偏振技术(fluorescence polarization,FP)和生物素-亲和素反应(biotin-avidin system, BAS)原理,成功地建立了三明治样荧光偏振筛选模型用于Mpro小分子抑制剂的快速筛选。通过对天然产物化合物库进行高通量筛选,发现了漆树酸(anacardic acid,AA)是Mpro的竞争型抑制剂,1,2,3,4,6-O-五没食子酰葡萄糖(1,2,3,4,6-O-pentagalloylglucose,PGG)是Mpro的混合型抑制剂,且已报道的部分抑制剂是非特异性Mpro小分子抑制剂。文中建立的三明治样荧光偏振筛选模型具有良好的简便性、灵敏性和稳定性,初步证实了漆树酸和PGG是一类新型苗头化合物,建立科学严谨的活性评价体系对于抗新型冠状病毒药物的筛选与发现是至关重要的。     

转铁蛋白糖链结构对其受体亲和性的影响

用伴刀豆凝集素,小扁豆凝集素和欧曼陀罗凝集素亲和层析法,分别从正常人血清转铁蛋白和孕妇血清Ｔｆ中获得二天线糖链Ｔｆ和多天线糖链的Ｔｆ,用于研究其对胎盘中纯化得到的转铁蛋白受体和亲和性。经Ｓｃａｔｃｈａｒｄ作图结果发现,表明含多天线糖链的Ｔｆ对受体的亲和性比二天线糖链的Ｔｆ降低１倍,而ＴｆＲ的结合位点数不变。     

多天线糖链对运铁蛋白与受体结合及内吞的研究

应用系列凝集素柱层析法（伴刀豆球蛋白,小扁豆凝集素,欧曼陀罗凝集素）分别从正常人血清及孕妇血清中提纯含有二天线无核心岩藻糖复杂型糖链的运铁蛋白及含有多天线无核心岩藻糖复杂型糖链的运铁蛋白,与正常的含有二天线糖链的运铁蛋白相比,含有多天线糖链的运铁蛋白,与正常的含有二天线糖链的运铁蛋白相比,含有多天线糖链的运铁蛋白与ＳＭＭＣ－７７２１细胞膜表面的运铁蛋白受体的亲和力下降,但最大结合量不变,此外,其在     

转铁蛋白糖链结构对受体亲和性的影响

用伴刀豆凝集素（ＣｏｎＡ）,小扁豆凝集素（ＬＣＡ）,和欧曼陀罗凝集素（ＤＳＡ）亲和层析法,分别从正常人血清转铁蛋白（Ｔｆ）和孕妇血清Ｔｆ中获得二天线糖链的Ｔｆ和多天线糖链的Ｔｆ．用于研究其对从胎盘中纯化得到的转铁蛋白受体（ＴｆＲ）的亲和性。经Ｓｃａｔｃｈａｒｄ作图结果发现,解离常数分别为：４．９７×１０－８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ和９．８０×１０－８ｍｏｌ／Ｌ．最大结合分别是１８０ｆｍｏｌ／Ｌ和１８２ｆｍｏｌ／Ｌ,表明含多天线糖链的Ｔｆ对受体的亲和性比二天线糖链的Ｔｆ降低１倍,而ＴｆＲ的结合位点数不变。     

The diversity of the glycan shield of sarbecoviruses related to SARS-CoV-2

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Glycosylation and Serological Reactivity of an Expression-enhanced SARS-CoV-2 Viral Spike Mimetic

Extensive glycosylation of viral glycoproteins is a key feature of the antigenic surface of viruses and yet glycan processing can also be influenced by the manner of their recombinant production. The low yields of the soluble form of the trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein from SARS-CoV-2 has prompted advances in protein engineering that have greatly enhanced the stability and yields of the glycoprotein. The latest expression-enhanced version of the spike incorporates six proline substitutions to stabilize the prefusion conformation (termed SARS-CoV-2 S HexaPro). Although the substitutions greatly enhanced expression whilst not compromising protein structure, the influence of these substitutions on glycan processing has not been explored. Here, we show that the site-specific N-linked glycosylation of the expression-enhanced HexaPro resembles that of an earlier version containing two proline substitutions (2P), and that both capture features of native viral glycosylation. However, there are site-specific differences in glycosylation of HexaPro when compared to 2P. Despite these discrepancies, analysis of the serological reactivity of clinical samples from infected individuals confirmed that both HexaPro and 2P protein are equally able to detect IgG, IgA, and IgM responses in all sera analysed. Moreover, we extend this observation to include an analysis of glycan engineered S protein, whereby all N-linked glycans were converted to oligomannose-type and conclude that serological activity is not impacted by large scale changes in glycosylation. These observations suggest that variations in glycan processing will not impact the serological assessments currently being performed across the globe.     

Subtle Influence of ACE2 Glycan Processing on SARS-CoV-2 Recognition

The severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection is highly variable and yet the molecular basis for this effect remains elusive. One potential contribution are differences in the glycosylation of target human cells, particularly as SARS-CoV-2 has the capacity to bind sialic acid which is a common, and highly variable, terminal modification of glycans. The viral spike glycoprotein (S) of SARS-CoV-2 and the human cellular receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) are both densely glycosylated. We therefore sought to investigate whether the glycosylation state of ACE2 impacts the interaction with SARS-CoV-2 viral spike. We generated a panel of engineered ACE2 glycoforms which were analyzed by mass spectrometry to reveal the site-specific glycan modifications. We then probed the impact of ACE2 glycosylation on S binding and revealed a subtle sensitivity with hypersialylated or oligomannose-type glycans slightly impeding the interaction. In contrast, deglycosylation of ACE2 did not influence SARS-CoV-2 binding. Overall, ACE2 glycosylation does not significantly influence viral spike binding. We suggest that any role of glycosylation in the pathobiology of SARS-CoV-2 will lie beyond its immediate impact of receptor glycosylation on virus binding.     

A mechanism for SARS-CoV-2 RNA capping and its inhibition by nucleotide analog inhibitors

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Comparative Antiviral Efficacy of Viral Protease Inhibitors against the Novel SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro

Virologica Sinica - The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) caused by a new coronavirus has posed a great threat to public health. Identifying safe and effective antivirals is...     

Prospects of Coffee Leaf against SARS-CoV-2 Infection

In the current climate, many countries are in dire need of effective preventive methods to curb the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. The purpose of this research is to screen and explore natural plant extracts that have the potential to against SARS-CoV-2 and provide alternative options for SARS-CoV-2 prevention and hand sanitizer or spray-like disinfectants. We first used Spike-ACE2 ELISA and TMPRSS2 fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assays to screen extracts from agricultural by-products from Taiwan with the potential to impede SARS-CoV-2 infection. Next, the SARS-CoV-2 pseudo-particles (Vpp) infection assay was tested to validate the effectiveness. We identified an extract from coffee leaf (Coffea Arabica), a natural plant that effectively inhibited wild-type SARS-CoV-2, and five Variants of Concern (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, and Omicron strain) from entering host cells. In an attempt to apply coffee leaf extract for hand sanitizer or spray-like disinfectants, we designed a skin-like gelatin membrane experiment. We showed that the high concentration of coffee leaf extract on the skin surface could block SARS-CoV-2 into cells more potently than 75% Ethanol, a standard disinfectant to inactivate SARS-CoV-2. Finally, LC-HRMS analysis was used to identify compounds such as caffeine, chlorogenic acid (CGA), quinic acid, and mangiferin that are associated with an anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Our results demonstrated that coffee leaf extract, an agricultural by-product effectively inhibits SARS-CoV-2 Vpp infection through an ACE2-dependent mechanism and may be utilized to develop products against SARS-CoV-2 infection.     

Glycosylation and its implications in breast cancer

Introduction: For decades, the role of glycans and glycoproteins in the progression of breast cancer and other cancers have been evaluated. Through extensive studies focused on elucidating the biological functions of glycosylation, researchers have been able to implicate alterations in these functions to tumor formation and metastasis.

Areas covered: In this review, we summarize how changes in glycosylation are associated with tumorigenesis, with emphasis on breast cancers. An overview of the changes in N-linked and O-linked glycans associated with breast cancer tumors and biofluids are described. Recent advances in glycomics are emphasized in the context of continuing to decipher the glycosylation changes associated with breast cancer progression.

Expert opinion: While changes in glycosylation have been studied in breast cancer for many years, the clinical relevance of these studies has been limited. This reflects the inherent biological and clinical heterogeneity of breast cancers. Glycomics analysis lags behind the advances in genomics and proteomics, but new approaches are emerging. A summary of known glycosylation changes associated with breast cancer is necessary to implement new findings in the context of clinical outcomes and therapeutic strategies. A better understanding of the dynamics of tumor and immune glycosylation is critical to improving emerging immunotherapeutic treatments.