Detecting SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro Expression and Activity Using a Polyclonal Antiserum and a Luciferase-Based Biosensor

The need to stem the current outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 responsible for COVID-19 is driving the search for inhibitors that will block coronavirus replication and pathogenesis. The coronavirus 3C-like protease (3CLpro) encoded in the replicase polyprotein is an attractive target for antiviral drug development because protease activity is required for generating a functional replication complex. Reagents that can be used to screen for protease inhibitors and for identifying the replicase products of SARS-CoV-2 are urgently needed. Here we describe a luminescence-based biosensor assay for evaluating small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro/main protease. We also document that a polyclonal rabbit antiserum developed against SARS-CoV 3CLpro cross reacts with the highly conserved 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. These reagents will facilitate the pre-clinical evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors

Visualization of positive and negative sense viral RNA for probing the mechanism of direct-acting antivirals against hepatitis C virus

RNA viruses are highly successful pathogens and are the causative agents for many important diseases. To fully understand the replication of these viruses it is necessary to address the roles of both positive-strand RNA ((+)RNA) and negative-strand RNA ((-)RNA), and their interplay with viral and host proteins. Here we used branched DNA (bDNA) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to stain both the abundant (+)RNA and the far less abundant (-)RNA in both hepatitis C virus (HCV)- and Zika virus-infected cells, and combined these analyses with visualization of viral proteins through confocal imaging. We were able to phenotypically examine HCV-infected cells in the presence of uninfected cells and revealed the effect of direct-acting antivirals on HCV (+)RNA, (-)RNA, and protein, within hours of commencing treatment. Herein, we demonstrate that bDNA FISH is a powerful tool for the study of RNA viruses that can provide insights into drug efficacy and mechanism of action

Preparation, morphology and sonication time dependence of silver nanoparticles in amphiphilic block copolymers of PEO with polystyrene or PMMA

Composite materials comprising arrays of silver nanoparticles in amphiphilic copolymers have been prepared by sonochemically enhanced borohydride reduction of precursor silver nitrate (AgNO3). The precursor was incorporated into the cores of polymeric micelles formed from block copolymers of polystyrene (PS) or poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The copolymers were synthesised with varying hydrophobic block lengths from a PEO macroinitiator by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). UV/visible spectroscopy was used to confirm the formation of elemental silver and the effect of sonication time on the appearance of the silver nanoparticles was determined. The growth was faster than when gold nanoparticles are formed in comparable block copolymers. Nanoparticles formed in copolymers with PMMA blocks were more stable to agglomeration than when polystyrene was used. Electron microscopy revealed the morphology of the nanocomposites which confirmed that both block copolymers are vehicles for the formation of well-defined films containing nanoparticulate silver. However, AgNP formation shows some significant differences from previous reports of gold NP containing materials formed under similar conditions

Structural basis for Zika envelope domain III recognition by a germline version of a recurrent neutralizing antibody

Recent epidemics demonstrate the global threat of Zika virus (ZIKV), a flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes. Although infection is usually asymptomatic or mild, newborns of infected mothers can display severe symptoms, including neurodevelopmental abnormalities and microcephaly. Given the large-scale spread, symptom severity, and lack of treatment or prophylaxis, a safe and effective ZIKV vaccine is urgently needed. However, vaccine design is complicated by concern that elicited antibodies (Abs) may cross-react with other flaviviruses that share a similar envelope protein, such as dengue virus, West Nile virus, and yellow fever virus. This cross-reactivity may worsen symptoms of a subsequent infection through Ab-dependent enhancement. To better understand the neutralizing Ab response and risk of Ab-dependent enhancement, further information on germline Ab binding to ZIKV and the maturation process that gives rise to potently neutralizing Abs is needed. Here we use binding and structural studies to compare mature and inferred-germline Ab binding to envelope protein domain III of ZIKV and other flaviviruses. We show that affinity maturation of the light-chain variable domain is important for strong binding of the recurrent VH3-23/VK1-5 neutralizing Abs to ZIKV envelope protein domain III, and identify interacting residues that contribute to weak, cross-reactive binding to West Nile virus. These findings provide insight into the affinity maturation process and potential cross-reactivity of VH3-23/VK1-5 neutralizing Abs, informing precautions for protein-based vaccines designed to elicit germline versions of neutralizing Abs

Defining the proteolytic landscape during enterovirus infection.

Viruses cleave cellular proteins to remodel the host proteome. The study of these cleavages has revealed mechanisms of immune evasion, resource exploitation, and pathogenesis. However, the full extent of virus-induced proteolysis in infected cells is unknown, mainly because until recently the technology for a global view of proteolysis within cells was lacking. Here, we report the first comprehensive catalog of proteins cleaved upon enterovirus infection and identify the sites within proteins where the cleavages occur. We employed multiple strategies to confirm protein cleavages and assigned them to one of the two enteroviral proteases. Detailed characterization of one substrate, LSM14A, a p body protein with a role in antiviral immunity, showed that cleavage of this protein disrupts its antiviral function. This study yields a new depth of information about the host interface with a group of viruses that are both important biological tools and significant agents of disease

A Combination of Two Human Monoclonal Antibodies Prevents Zika Virus Escape Mutations in Non-human Primates

Zika virus (ZIKV) causes severe neurologic complications and fetal aberrations. Vaccine development is hindered by potential safety concerns due to antibody cross-reactivity with dengue virus and the possibility of disease enhancement. In contrast, passive administration of anti-ZIKV antibodies engineered to prevent enhancement may be safe and effective. Here, we report on human monoclonal antibody Z021, a potent neutralizer that recognizes an epitope on the lateral ridge of the envelope domain III (EDIII) of ZIKV and is protective against ZIKV in mice. When administered to macaques undergoing a high-dose ZIKV challenge, a single anti-EDIII antibody selected for resistant variants. Co-administration of two antibodies, Z004 and Z021, which target distinct sites on EDIII, was associated with a delay and a 3- to 4-log decrease in peak viremia. Moreover, the combination of these antibodies engineered to avoid enhancement prevented viral escape due to mutation in macaques, a natural host for ZIKV

Bi-allelic Loss-of-Function CACNA1B Mutations in Progressive Epilepsy-Dyskinesia.

The occurrence of non-epileptic hyperkinetic movements in the context of developmental epileptic encephalopathies is an increasingly recognized phenomenon. Identification of causative mutations provides an important insight into common pathogenic mechanisms that cause both seizures and abnormal motor control. We report bi-allelic loss-of-function CACNA1B variants in six children from three unrelated families whose affected members present with a complex and progressive neurological syndrome. All affected individuals presented with epileptic encephalopathy, severe neurodevelopmental delay (often with regression), and a hyperkinetic movement disorder. Additional neurological features included postnatal microcephaly and hypotonia. Five children died in childhood or adolescence (mean age of death: 9 years), mainly as a result of secondary respiratory complications. CACNA1B encodes the pore-forming subunit of the pre-synaptic neuronal voltage-gated calcium channel Cav2.2/N-type, crucial for SNARE-mediated neurotransmission, particularly in the early postnatal period. Bi-allelic loss-of-function variants in CACNA1B are predicted to cause disruption of Ca2+ influx, leading to impaired synaptic neurotransmission. The resultant effect on neuronal function is likely to be important in the development of involuntary movements and epilepsy. Overall, our findings provide further evidence for the key role of Cav2.2 in normal human neurodevelopment.MAK is funded by an NIHR Research Professorship and receives funding from the Wellcome Trust, Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital Charity, and Rosetrees Trust. E.M. received funding from the Rosetrees Trust (CD-A53) and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity. K.G. received funding from Temple Street Foundation. A.M. is funded by Great Ormond Street Hospital, the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), and Biomedical Research Centre. F.L.R. and D.G. are funded by Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. K.C. and A.S.J. are funded by NIHR Bioresource for Rare Diseases. The DDD Study presents independent research commissioned by the Health Innovation Challenge Fund (grant number HICF-1009-003), a parallel funding partnership between the Wellcome Trust and the Department of Health, and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (grant number WT098051). We acknowledge support from the UK Department of Health via the NIHR comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre award to Guy's and St. Thomas' National Health Service (NHS) Foundation Trust in partnership with King's College London. This research was also supported by the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre. J.H.C. is in receipt of an NIHR Senior Investigator Award. The research team acknowledges the support of the NIHR through the Comprehensive Clinical Research Network. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR, Department of Health, or Wellcome Trust. E.R.M. acknowledges support from NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre, an NIHR Senior Investigator Award, and the University of Cambridge has received salary support in respect of E.R.M. from the NHS in the East of England through the Clinical Academic Reserve. I.E.S. is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Program Grant and Practitioner Fellowship)

Surgical Strikes on Host Defenses: Role of the Viral Protease Activity in Innate Immune Antagonism

As a frontline defense mechanism against viral infections, the innate immune system is the primary target of viral antagonism. A number of virulence factors encoded by viruses play roles in circumventing host defenses and augmenting viral replication. Among these factors are viral proteases, which are primarily responsible for maturation of viral proteins, but in addition cause proteolytic cleavage of cellular proteins involved in innate immune signaling. The study of these viral protease-mediated host cleavages has illuminated the intricacies of innate immune networks and yielded valuable insights into viral pathogenesis. In this review, we will provide a brief summary of how proteases of positive-strand RNA viruses, mainly from the Picornaviridae, Flaviviridae and Coronaviridae families, proteolytically process innate immune components and blunt their functions

NS5A Promotes Constitutive Degradation of IP3R3 to Counteract Apoptosis Induced by Hepatitis C Virus

FBXL2 targets IP3R3 for ubiquitin-mediated degradation to limit Ca2+ flux to mitochondria and, consequently, apoptosis. Efficient replication of hepatitis C virus (HCV) requires geranylgeranylation of FBXL2. Here, we show that the viral protein NS5A forms a trimeric complex with IP3R3 and FBXL2, unmasking IP3R3’s degron in the absence of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) stimulation. FBXL2 knockdown or expression of a stable IP3R3 mutant causes persistent Ca2+ flux and sensitizes cells to apoptosis, resulting in the inhibition of viral replication. Importantly, the effect of FBXL2 silencing is rescued by depleting IP3R3, but not p85β another established FBXL2 substrate, indicating that the anti-HCV effect of FBXL2 knockdown is largely due to IP3R3 stabilization. Finally, disruption of the FBXL2-NS5A-IP3R3 complex using somatic cell genetics or pharmacologic inhibition results in IP3R3 stabilization and suppression of HCV replication. This study reveals an IP3-independent molecular mechanism through which HCV promotes IP3R3 degradation, thereby inhibiting virus-induced apoptosis and establishing chronic infection. Kuchay et al. show that the HCV NS5A protein forms a complex with IP3R3 and FBXL2 and promotes constitutive FBXL2-mediated degradation of IP3R3. IP3R3 degradation inhibits calcium flux, mitochondrial calcium overload, and apoptosis. Thus, NS5A contributes to a cellular environment that is permissive for chronic HCV infection