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1. Mass spectrometric based detection of protein nucleotidylation in the RNA polymerase of SARS-CoV-2

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-021-00476-4  

   Conti, Brian J.; Leicht, Andrew S.; Kirchdoerfer, Robert N.; Sussman, Michael R. (March 2021, Communications Chemistry)

   Abstract Coronaviruses, like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), encode a nucleotidyl transferase in the N-terminal (NiRAN) domain of thenonstructuralprotein (nsp) 12 protein within the RNA dependent RNA polymerase. Here we show the detection of guanosine monophosphate (GMP) and uridine monophosphate-modified amino acids in nidovirus proteins using heavy isotope-assisted mass spectrometry (MS) and MS/MS peptide sequencing. We identified lysine-143 in the equine arteritis virus (EAV) protein, nsp7, as a primary site of in vitro GMP attachment via a phosphoramide bond. In SARS-CoV-2 replicase proteins, we demonstrate nsp12-mediated nucleotidylation of nsp7 lysine-2. Our results demonstrate new strategies for detecting GMP-peptide linkages that can be adapted for higher throughput screening using mass spectrometric technologies. These data are expected to be important for a rapid and timely characterization of a new enzymatic activity in SARS-CoV-2 that may be an attractive drug target aimed at limiting viral replication in infected patients. 

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2. Mass spectrometry‐based proteomic platforms for better understanding of SARS‐CoV‐2 induced pathogenesis and potential diagnostic approaches

   https://doi.org/10.1002/pmic.202000279  

   Ahsan, Nagib; Rao, R_Shyama_Prasad; Wilson, Rashaun_S; Punyamurtula, Ujwal; Salvato, Fernanda; Petersen, Max; Ahmed, Mohammad_Kabir; Abid, M_Ruhul; Verburgt, Jacob_C; Kihara, Daisuke; et al (May 2021, PROTEOMICS)

   Abstract While protein–protein interaction is the first step of the SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, recent comparative proteomic profiling enabled the identification of over 11,000 protein dynamics, thus providing a comprehensive reflection of the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular system in response to viral infection. Here we summarize and rationalize the results obtained by various mass spectrometry (MS)‐based proteomic approaches applied to the functional characterization of proteins and pathways associated with SARS‐CoV‐2‐mediated infections in humans. Comparative analysis of cell‐lines versus tissue samples indicates that our knowledge in proteome profile alternation in response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection is still incomplete and the tissue‐specific response to SARS‐CoV‐2 infection can probably not be recapitulated efficiently by in vitro experiments. However, regardless of the viral infection period, sample types, and experimental strategies, a thorough cross‐comparison of the recently published proteome, phosphoproteome, and interactome datasets led to the identification of a common set of proteins and kinases associated with PI3K‐Akt, EGFR, MAPK, Rap1, and AMPK signaling pathways. Ephrin receptor A2 (EPHA2) was identified by 11 studies including all proteomic platforms, suggesting it as a potential future target for SARS‐CoV‐2 infection mechanisms and the development of new therapeutic strategies. We further discuss the potentials of future proteomics strategies for identifying prognostic SARS‐CoV‐2 responsive age‐, gender‐dependent, tissue‐specific protein targets. 

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3. SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein forms condensates with viral genomic RNA

   https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001425  

   Jack, Amanda; Ferro, Luke S.; Trnka, Michael J.; Wehri, Eddie; Nadgir, Amrut; Nguyenla, Xammy; Fox, Douglas; Costa, Katelyn; Stanley, Sarah; Schaletzky, Julia; et al (October 2021, PLOS Biology)

   Cimarelli, Andrea (Ed.)

   The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), a pandemic that seriously threatens global health. SARS-CoV-2 propagates by packaging its RNA genome into membrane enclosures in host cells. The packaging of the viral genome into the nascent virion is mediated by the nucleocapsid (N) protein, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we show that the N protein forms biomolecular condensates with viral genomic RNA both in vitro and in mammalian cells. While the N protein forms spherical assemblies with homopolymeric RNA substrates that do not form base pairing interactions, it forms asymmetric condensates with viral RNA strands. Cross-linking mass spectrometry (CLMS) identified a region that drives interactions between N proteins in condensates, and deletion of this region disrupts phase separation. We also identified small molecules that alter the size and shape of N protein condensates and inhibit the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in infected cells. These results suggest that the N protein may utilize biomolecular condensation to package the SARS-CoV-2 RNA genome into a viral particle. 

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4. A computational study of cooperative binding to multiple SARS-CoV-2 proteins

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-95826-6  

   Li, Jianing; McKay, Kyle T.; Remington, Jacob M.; Schneebeli, Severin T. (August 2021, Scientific Reports)

   Abstract Structure-based drug design targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus has been greatly facilitated by available virus-related protein structures. However, there is an urgent need for effective, safe small-molecule drugs to control the spread of the virus and variants. While many efforts are devoted to searching for compounds that selectively target individual proteins, we investigated the potential interactions between eight proteins related to SARS-CoV-2 and more than 600 compounds from a traditional Chinese medicine which has proven effective at treating the viral infection. Our original ensemble docking and cooperative docking approaches, followed by a total of over 16-micorsecond molecular simulations, have identified at least 9 compounds that may generally bind to key SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Further, we found evidence that some of these compounds can simultaneously bind to the same target, potentially leading to cooperative inhibition to SARS-CoV-2 proteins like the Spike protein and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. These results not only present a useful computational methodology to systematically assess the anti-viral potential of small molecules, but also point out a new avenue to seek cooperative compounds toward cocktail therapeutics to target more SARS-CoV-2-related proteins. 

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5. Metal-induced oxidative stress and human plasma protein oxidation after SARS-CoV-2 infection

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-29119-5  

   Aryal, Baikuntha; Tillotson, Joseph; Ok, Kiwon; Stoltzfus, Andrew T.; Michel, Sarah L. J.; Rao, V. Ashutosh (February 2023, Scientific Reports)

   Abstract Pathogenesis of COVID-19 by SARS-CoV-2 resulted in a global pandemic and public health emergency in 2020. Viral infection can induce oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS). Inflammation and environmental stress are major sources of oxidative stress after infection. Micronutrients such as iron, copper, zinc, and manganese play various roles in human tissues and their imbalance in blood can impact immune responses against pathogens including SARS CoV-2. We hypothesized that alteration of free metal ions during infection and metal-catalyzed oxidation plays a critical role towards pathogenesis after infection. We analyzed convalescent and hospitalized COVID-19 patient plasma using orthogonal analytical techniques to determine redox active metal concentrations, overall protein oxidation, oxidative modifications, and protein levels via proteomics to understand the consequences of metal-induced oxidative stress in COVID-19 plasma proteins. Metal analysis using ICP-MS showed significantly greater concentrations of copper in COVID-19 plasma compared to healthy controls. We demonstrate significantly greater total protein carbonylation, other oxidative modifications, and deamidation of plasma proteins in COVID-19 plasma compared to healthy controls. Proteomics analysis showed that levels of redox active proteins including hemoglobulin were elevated in COVID-19 plasma. Molecular modeling concurred with potential interactions between iron binding proteins and SARS CoV-2 surface proteins. Overall, increased levels of redox active metals and protein oxidation indicate that oxidative stress-induced protein oxidation in COVID-19 may be a consequence of the interactions of SARS-CoV-2 proteins with host cell metal binding proteins resulting in altered cellular homeostasis. 

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