1
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Wang D, Zhang Z, Baudys J, Haynes C, Osman SH, Zhou B, Barr JR, Gumbart JC. Enhanced Surface Accessibility of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Spike Protein Due to an Altered Glycosylation Profile. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 38728322 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) proteins undergo extensive glycosylation, aiding in proper folding, enhancing stability, and evading host immune surveillance. In this study, we used mass spectrometric analysis to elucidate the N-glycosylation characteristics and disulfide bonding of recombinant spike proteins derived from the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) in comparison with the D614G spike variant. Furthermore, we conducted microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations on spike proteins to resolve how the different N-glycans impact spike conformational sampling in the two variants. Our findings reveal that the Omicron spike protein maintains an overall resemblance to the D614G spike variant in terms of site-specific glycan processing and disulfide bond formation. Nonetheless, alterations in glycans were observed at certain N-glycosylation sites. These changes, in synergy with mutations within the Omicron spike protein, result in increased surface accessibility of the macromolecule, including the ectodomain, receptor-binding domain, and N-terminal domain. Additionally, mutagenesis and pull-down assays reveal the role of glycosylation of a specific sequon (N149); furthermore, the correlation of MD simulation and HDX-MS identified several high-dynamic areas of the spike proteins. These insights contribute to our understanding of the interplay between structure and function, thereby advancing effective vaccination and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Zijian Zhang
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
| | - Jakub Baudys
- National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Christopher Haynes
- National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Sarah H Osman
- National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - Bin Zhou
- National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - John R Barr
- National Center for Environmental Health, Division of Laboratory Sciences, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, Georgia 30322 United States
| | - James C Gumbart
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332 United States
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2
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Pegg CL, Modhiran N, Parry RH, Liang B, Amarilla AA, Khromykh AA, Burr L, Young PR, Chappell K, Schulz BL, Watterson D. The role of N-glycosylation in spike antigenicity for the SARS-CoV-2 gamma variant. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwad097. [PMID: 38048640 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants alters the efficacy of existing immunity towards the viral spike protein, whether acquired from infection or vaccination. Mutations that impact N-glycosylation of spike may be particularly important in influencing antigenicity, but their consequences are difficult to predict. Here, we compare the glycosylation profiles and antigenicity of recombinant viral spike of ancestral Wu-1 and the Gamma strain, which has two additional N-glycosylation sites due to amino acid substitutions in the N-terminal domain (NTD). We found that a mutation at residue 20 from threonine to asparagine within the NTD caused the loss of NTD-specific antibody COVA2-17 binding. Glycan site-occupancy analyses revealed that the mutation resulted in N-glycosylation switching to the new sequon at N20 from the native N17 site. Site-specific glycosylation profiles demonstrated distinct glycoform differences between Wu-1, Gamma, and selected NTD variant spike proteins, but these did not affect antibody binding. Finally, we evaluated the specificity of spike proteins against convalescent COVID-19 sera and found reduced cross-reactivity against some mutants, but not Gamma spike compared to Wuhan spike. Our results illustrate the impact of viral divergence on spike glycosylation and SARS-CoV-2 antibody binding profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra L Pegg
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Naphak Modhiran
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Rhys H Parry
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Benjamin Liang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alberto A Amarilla
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Alexander A Khromykh
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Lucy Burr
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Mater Health Services, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, Australia
| | - Paul R Young
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Keith Chappell
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
| | - Daniel Watterson
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, Chemistry Building 68, Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Building 75, Corner College Road and Cooper Road, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
- Australian Infectious Disease Research Centre, Global Virus Network Centre of Excellence, Brisbane, Queensland 4072 and 4006, Australia
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3
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Tsai YX, Chang NE, Reuter K, Chang HT, Yang TJ, von Bülow S, Sehrawat V, Zerrouki N, Tuffery M, Gecht M, Grothaus IL, Colombi Ciacchi L, Wang YS, Hsu MF, Khoo KH, Hummer G, Hsu STD, Hanus C, Sikora M. Rapid simulation of glycoprotein structures by grafting and steric exclusion of glycan conformer libraries. Cell 2024; 187:1296-1311.e26. [PMID: 38428397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.01.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Most membrane proteins are modified by covalent addition of complex sugars through N- and O-glycosylation. Unlike proteins, glycans do not typically adopt specific secondary structures and remain very mobile, shielding potentially large fractions of protein surface. High glycan conformational freedom hinders complete structural elucidation of glycoproteins. Computer simulations may be used to model glycosylated proteins but require hundreds of thousands of computing hours on supercomputers, thus limiting routine use. Here, we describe GlycoSHIELD, a reductionist method that can be implemented on personal computers to graft realistic ensembles of glycan conformers onto static protein structures in minutes. Using molecular dynamics simulation, small-angle X-ray scattering, cryoelectron microscopy, and mass spectrometry, we show that this open-access toolkit provides enhanced models of glycoprotein structures. Focusing on N-cadherin, human coronavirus spike proteins, and gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors, we show that GlycoSHIELD can shed light on the impact of glycans on the conformation and activity of complex glycoproteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Xi Tsai
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ning-En Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Klaus Reuter
- Max Planck Computing and Data Facility, 85748 Garching, Germany
| | - Hao-Ting Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Jing Yang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Sören von Bülow
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Vidhi Sehrawat
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland
| | - Noémie Zerrouki
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Matthieu Tuffery
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France
| | - Michael Gecht
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Isabell Louise Grothaus
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, Faculty of Production Engineering, Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science and MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Lucio Colombi Ciacchi
- Hybrid Materials Interfaces Group, Faculty of Production Engineering, Bremen Center for Computational Materials Science and MAPEX Center for Materials and Processes, University of Bremen, 28359 Bremen, Germany
| | - Yong-Sheng Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Min-Feng Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Kay-Hooi Khoo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan
| | - Gerhard Hummer
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Institute of Biophysics, Goethe University, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan; International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter (WPI-SKCM(2)), Hiroshima University, Hiroshima 739-8526, Japan.
| | - Cyril Hanus
- Institute of Psychiatry and Neurosciences of Paris, Inserm UMR1266, Université Paris-Cité, 75014 Paris, France; GHU Psychiatrie et Neurosciences de Paris, 75014 Paris, France.
| | - Mateusz Sikora
- Department of Theoretical Biophysics, Max Planck Institute for Biophysics, 60438 Frankfurt, Germany; Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 31-007 Kraków, Poland.
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4
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Chatterjee S, Zaia J. Proteomics-based mass spectrometry profiling of SARS-CoV-2 infection from human nasopharyngeal samples. MASS SPECTROMETRY REVIEWS 2024; 43:193-229. [PMID: 36177493 PMCID: PMC9538640 DOI: 10.1002/mas.21813] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the cause of the on-going global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that continues to pose a significant threat to public health worldwide. SARS-CoV-2 encodes four structural proteins namely membrane, nucleocapsid, spike, and envelope proteins that play essential roles in viral entry, fusion, and attachment to the host cell. Extensively glycosylated spike protein efficiently binds to the host angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 initiating viral entry and pathogenesis. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on nasopharyngeal swab is the preferred method of sample collection and viral detection because it is a rapid, specific, and high-throughput technique. Alternate strategies such as proteomics and glycoproteomics-based mass spectrometry enable a more detailed and holistic view of the viral proteins and host-pathogen interactions and help in detection of potential disease markers. In this review, we highlight the use of mass spectrometry methods to profile the SARS-CoV-2 proteome from clinical nasopharyngeal swab samples. We also highlight the necessity for a comprehensive glycoproteomics mapping of SARS-CoV-2 from biological complex matrices to identify potential COVID-19 markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantani Chatterjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass SpectrometryBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Joseph Zaia
- Department of Biochemistry, Center for Biomedical Mass SpectrometryBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Bioinformatics ProgramBoston University School of MedicineBostonMassachusettsUSA
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5
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Kuo CW, Chang NE, Yu PY, Yang TJ, Hsu STD, Khoo KH. An N-glycopeptide MS/MS data analysis workflow leveraging two complementary glycoproteomic software tools for more confident identification and assignments. Proteomics 2023; 23:e2300143. [PMID: 37271932 DOI: 10.1002/pmic.202300143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Complete coverage of all N-glycosylation sites on the SARS-CoV2 spike protein would require the use of multiple proteases in addition to trypsin. Subsequent identification of the resulting glycopeptides by searching against database often introduces assignment errors due to similar mass differences between different permutations of amino acids and glycosyl residues. By manually interpreting the individual MS2 spectra, we report here the common sources of errors in assignment, especially those introduced by the use of chymotrypsin. We show that by applying a stringent threshold of acceptance, erroneous assignment by the commonly used Byonic software can be controlled within 15%, which can be reduced further if only those also confidently identified by a different search engine, pGlyco3, were considered. A representative site-specific N-glycosylation pattern could be constructed based on quantifying only the overlapping subset of N-glycopeptides identified at higher confidence. Applying the two complimentary glycoproteomic software in a concerted data analysis workflow, we found and confirmed that glycosylation at several sites of an unstable Omicron spike protein differed significantly from those of the stable trimeric product of the parental D614G variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chu-Wei Kuo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ning-En Chang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Pei-Yu Yu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tzu-Jing Yang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shang-Te Danny Hsu
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
- International Institute for Sustainability with Knotted Chiral Meta Matter, Hiroshima University, Higashihiroshima, Japan
| | - Kay-Hooi Khoo
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
- Institute of Biochemical Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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6
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Bains A, Guan W, LiWang PJ. The Effect of Select SARS-CoV-2 N-Linked Glycan and Variant of Concern Spike Protein Mutations on C-Type Lectin-Receptor-Mediated Infection. Viruses 2023; 15:1901. [PMID: 37766307 PMCID: PMC10535197 DOI: 10.3390/v15091901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 virion has shown remarkable resilience, capable of mutating to escape immune detection and re-establishing infectious capabilities despite new vaccine rollouts. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify relatively immutable epitopes on the SARS-CoV-2 virion that are resistant to future mutations the virus may accumulate. While hACE2 has been identified as the receptor that mediates SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility, it is only modestly expressed in lung tissue. C-type lectin receptors like DC-SIGN can act as attachment sites to enhance SARS-CoV-2 infection of cells with moderate or low hACE2 expression. We developed an easy-to-implement assay system that allows for the testing of SARS-CoV-2 trans-infection. Using our assay, we assessed how SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1-domain glycans and spike proteins from different strains affected the ability of pseudotyped lentivirions to undergo DC-SIGN-mediated trans-infection. Through our experiments with seven glycan point mutants, two glycan cluster mutants and four strains of SARS-CoV-2 spike, we found that glycans N17 and N122 appear to have significant roles in maintaining COVID-19's infectious capabilities. We further found that the virus cannot retain infectivity upon the loss of multiple glycosylation sites, and that Omicron BA.2 pseudovirions may have an increased ability to bind to other non-lectin receptor proteins on the surface of cells. Taken together, our work opens the door to the development of new therapeutics that can target overlooked epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 virion to prevent C-type lectin-receptor-mediated trans-infection in lung tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arjan Bains
- Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Wenyan Guan
- Materials and Biomaterials Science and Engineering, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA;
| | - Patricia J. LiWang
- Molecular Cell Biology, Health Sciences Research Institute, University of California Merced, 5200 North Lake Rd., Merced, CA 95343, USA
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7
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Budhadev D, Hooper J, Rocha C, Nehlmeier I, Kempf AM, Hoffmann M, Krüger N, Zhou D, Pöhlmann S, Guo Y. Polyvalent Nano-Lectin Potently Neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 by Targeting Glycans on the Viral Spike Protein. JACS AU 2023; 3:1755-1766. [PMID: 37388683 PMCID: PMC10302749 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Mutations in spike (S) protein epitopes allow SARS-CoV-2 variants to evade antibody responses induced by infection and/or vaccination. In contrast, mutations in glycosylation sites across SARS-CoV-2 variants are very rare, making glycans a potential robust target for developing antivirals. However, this target has not been adequately exploited for SARS-CoV-2, mostly due to intrinsically weak monovalent protein-glycan interactions. We hypothesize that polyvalent nano-lectins with flexibly linked carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs) can adjust their relative positions and bind multivalently to S protein glycans, potentially exerting potent antiviral activity. Herein, we displayed the CRDs of DC-SIGN, a dendritic cell lectin known to bind to diverse viruses, polyvalently onto 13 nm gold nanoparticles (named G13-CRD). G13-CRD bound strongly and specifically to target glycan-coated quantum dots with sub-nM Kd. Moreover, G13-CRD neutralized particles pseudotyped with the S proteins of Wuhan Hu-1, B.1, Delta variant and Omicron subvariant BA.1 with low nM EC50. In contrast, natural tetrameric DC-SIGN and its G13 conjugate were ineffective. Further, G13-CRD potently inhibited authentic SARS-CoV-2 B.1 and BA.1, with <10 pM and <10 nM EC50, respectively. These results identify G13-CRD as the 1st polyvalent nano-lectin with broad activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants that merits further exploration as a novel approach to antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darshita Budhadev
- School
of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - James Hooper
- School
of Food Science & Nutrition and Astbury Centre for Structural
Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Cheila Rocha
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty
of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University
Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Inga Nehlmeier
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Amy Madeleine Kempf
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty
of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University
Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus Hoffmann
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty
of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University
Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dejian Zhou
- School
of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection
Biology Unit, German Primate Center −
Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Faculty
of Biology and Psychology, Georg-August-University
Göttingen, 37073 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Yuan Guo
- School
of Food Science & Nutrition and Astbury Centre for Structural
Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
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8
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Wang D, Baudys J, Osman SH, Barr JR. Analysis of the N-glycosylation profiles of the spike proteins from the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2. Anal Bioanal Chem 2023:10.1007/s00216-023-04771-y. [PMID: 37354227 DOI: 10.1007/s00216-023-04771-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
N-Glycosylation plays an important role in the structure and function of membrane and secreted proteins. Viral proteins used in cell entry are often extensively glycosylated to assist in protein folding, provide stability, and shield the virus from immune recognition by its host (described as a "glycan shield"). The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (S) is a prime example, having 22 potential sites of N-glycosylation per protein protomer, as predicted from the primary sequence. In this report, we conducted mass spectrometric analysis of the N-glycosylation profiles of recombinant spike proteins derived from four common SARS-CoV-2 variants classified as Variant of Concern, including Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta along with D614G variant spike as a control. Our data reveal that the amino acid substitutions and deletions between variants impact the abundance and type of glycans on glycosylation sites of the spike protein. Some of the N-glycosylation sequons in S show differences between SARS-CoV-2 variants in the distribution of glycan forms. In comparison with our previously reported site-specific glycan analysis on the S-D614G and its ancestral protein, glycan types on later variants showed high similarity on the site-specific glycan content to S-D614G. Additionally, we applied multiple digestion methods on each sample, and confirmed the results for individual glycosylation sites from different experiment conditions to improve the identification and quantification of glycopeptides. Detailed site-specific glycan analysis of a wide variety of SARS-CoV-2 variants provides useful information toward the understanding of the role of protein glycosylation on viral protein structure and function and development of effective vaccines and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Jakub Baudys
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah H Osman
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John R Barr
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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9
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Shajahan A, Pepi LE, Kumar B, Murray NB, Azadi P. Site specific N- and O-glycosylation mapping of the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10053. [PMID: 37344512 PMCID: PMC10284906 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33088-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The glycosylation on the spike (S) protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, modulates the viral infection by altering conformational dynamics, receptor interaction and host immune responses. Several variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 have evolved during the pandemic, and crucial mutations on the S protein of the virus have led to increased transmissibility and immune escape. In this study, we compare the site-specific glycosylation and overall glycomic profiles of the wild type Wuhan-Hu-1 strain (WT) S protein and five VOCs of SARS-CoV-2: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron. Interestingly, both N- and O-glycosylation sites on the S protein are highly conserved among the spike mutant variants, particularly at the sites on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The conservation of glycosylation sites is noteworthy, as over 2 million SARS-CoV-2 S protein sequences have been reported with various amino acid mutations. Our detailed profiling of the glycosylation at each of the individual sites of the S protein across the variants revealed intriguing possible association of glycosylation pattern on the variants and their previously reported infectivity. While the sites are conserved, we observed changes in the N- and O-glycosylation profile across the variants. The newly emerged variants, which showed higher resistance to neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, displayed a decrease in the overall abundance of complex-type glycans with both fucosylation and sialylation and an increase in the oligomannose-type glycans across the sites. Among the variants, the glycosylation sites with significant changes in glycan profile were observed at both the N-terminal domain and RBD of S protein, with Omicron showing the highest deviation. The increase in oligomannose-type happens sequentially from Alpha through Delta. Interestingly, Omicron does not contain more oligomannose-type glycans compared to Delta but does contain more compared to the WT and other VOCs. O-glycosylation at the RBD showed lower occupancy in the VOCs in comparison to the WT. Our study on the sites and pattern of glycosylation on the SARS-CoV-2 S proteins across the VOCs may help to understand how the virus evolved to trick the host immune system. Our study also highlights how the SARS-CoV-2 virus has conserved both N- and O- glycosylation sites on the S protein of the most successful variants even after undergoing extensive mutations, suggesting a correlation between infectivity/ transmissibility and glycosylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asif Shajahan
- Vaccine Production Program, Vaccine Research Center, National Institutes of Health, 9 W Watkins Mill Rd, Gaithersburg, MD, 20877, USA.
| | - Lauren E Pepi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Bhoj Kumar
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Nathan B Murray
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Parastoo Azadi
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Rd, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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Characterization and Function of Glycans on the Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0312022. [PMID: 36318020 PMCID: PMC9769822 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03120-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) pose a great challenge to viral prevention and treatment owing to spike (S) protein mutations, which enhance their infectivity and capacity for immune evasion. However, whether these S protein mutations affect glycosylation patterns and thereby influence infectivity and immunogenicity remains unclear. In this study, four VOC S proteins-S-Alpha, S-Beta, S-Delta, and S-Omicron-were expressed and purified. Lectin microarrays were performed to characterize their glycosylation patterns. Several glycans were differentially expressed among the four VOC S proteins. Furthermore, the functional examination of glycans differentially expressed on S-Omicron revealed a higher expression of fucose-containing glycans, which modestly increased the binding of S-Omicron to angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). A higher abundance of sialic acid and galactose-containing glycan was observed on S-Omicron, which significantly reduced its sensitivity against broad S protein-neutralizing antibodies. These findings contribute to the further understanding of SARS-CoV-2 infection mechanisms and provide novel glycan targets for emerging and future variants of SARS-CoV-2. IMPORTANCE Though glycosylation sites of SARS-CoV-2 S protein remain highly conserved, we confirmed that mutations in the Spike gene affect the S protein glycan expression pattern in different variants. More importantly, we found that glycans were differentially expressed on the S protein of the Omicron variant, enabling different forms of receptor binding and neutralization resistance. This study improves our understanding of SARS-CoV-2 glycomics and glycobiology and provides novel therapeutic and preventive strategies for SARS-CoV-2 VOCs.
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Shajahan A, Pepi L, Kumar B, Murray N, Azadi P. Site Specific N- and O-glycosylation mapping of the Spike Proteins of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern.. [PMID: 36415454 PMCID: PMC9681045 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2188138/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The glycosylation on the spike (S) protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, modulates the viral infection by altering conformational dynamics, receptor interaction and host immune responses. Several variants of concern (VOCs) of SARS-CoV-2 have evolved during the pandemic, and crucial mutations on the S protein of the virus led to increased transmissibility and immune escape. In this study, we compare the site-specific glycosylation and overall glycomic profile of the wild type Wuhan-Hu-1 strain (WT) S protein and five VOCs of SARS-CoV-2: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta and Omicron. Interestingly, both N- and O-glycosylation sites on the S protein are highly conserved among the spike mutant variants, particularly at the sites on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The conservation of glycosylation sites is noteworthy, as over 2 million SARS-CoV-2 S protein sequences have been reported with various amino acid mutations. Our detailed profiling of the glycosylation at each of the individual sites of the S protein across the variants revealed intriguing possible association of glycosylation pattern on the variants and their previously reported infectivity. While the sites are conserved, we observed changes in the N- and O-glycosylation profile across the variants. The newly emerged variants, which showed higher resistance to neutralizing antibodies and vaccines, displayed a decrease in the overall abundance of complex-type glycans with both fucosylation and sialylation and an increase in the oligomannose-type glycans across the sites. Among the variants, the glycosylation sites with significant changes in glycan profile were observed at both the N-terminal domain (NTD) and RBD of S protein, with Omicron showing the highest deviation. The increase in oligomannose-type happens sequentially from Alpha through Delta. Interestingly, Omicron does not contain more oligomannose-type glycans compared to Delta but does contain more compared to the WT and other VOCs. O-glycosylation at the RBD showed lower occupancy in the VOCs in comparison to the WT. Our study on the sites and pattern of glycosylation on the SARS-CoV-2 S proteins across the VOCs may help to understand how the virus evolved to trick the host immune system. Our study also highlights how the SARS-CoV-2 virus has conserved both N- and O- glycosylation sites on the S protein of the most successful variants even after undergoing extensive mutations, suggesting a correlation between infectivity/transmissibility and glycosylation.
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Yamasaki K, Adachi N, Ngwe Tun MM, Ikeda A, Moriya T, Kawasaki M, Yamasaki T, Kubota T, Nagashima I, Shimizu H, Tateno H, Morita K. Core fucose-specific Pholiota squarrosa lectin (PhoSL) as a potent broad-spectrum inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection. FEBS J 2022; 290:412-427. [PMID: 36007953 PMCID: PMC9539343 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein (S protein) is highly N-glycosylated, and a "glycan shield" is formed to limit the access of other molecules; however, a small open area coincides with the interface to the host's receptor and also neutralising antibodies. Most of the variants of concern have mutations in this area, which could reduce the efficacy of existing antibodies. In contrast, N-glycosylation sites are relatively invariant, and some are essential for infection. Here, we observed that the S proteins of the ancestral (Wuhan) and Omicron strains bind with Pholiota squarrosa lectin (PhoSL), a 40-amino-acid chemically synthesised peptide specific to core-fucosylated N-glycans. The affinities were at a low nanomolar level, which were ~ 1000-fold stronger than those between PhoSL and the core-fucosylated N-glycans at the micromolar level. We demonstrated that PhoSL inhibited infection by both strains at similar submicromolar levels, suggesting its broad-spectrum effect on SARS-CoV-2 variants. Cryogenic electron microscopy revealed that PhoSL caused an aggregation of the S protein, which was likely due to the multivalence of both the trimeric PhoSL and S protein. This characteristic is likely relevant to the inhibitory mechanism. Structural modelling of the PhoSL-S protein complex indicated that PhoSL was in contact with the amino acids of the S protein, which explains the enhanced affinity with S protein and also indicates the significant potential for developing specific binders by the engineering of PhoSL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuhiko Yamasaki
- Biomedical Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Naruhiko Adachi
- Structural Biology Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure ScienceHigh Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)TsukubaJapan
| | - Mya Myat Ngwe Tun
- Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN)Nagasaki UniversityNagasakiJapan
| | - Akihito Ikeda
- Structural Biology Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure ScienceHigh Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)TsukubaJapan
| | - Toshio Moriya
- Structural Biology Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure ScienceHigh Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)TsukubaJapan
| | - Masato Kawasaki
- Structural Biology Research Center, Institute of Materials Structure ScienceHigh Energy Accelerator Research Organization (KEK)TsukubaJapan
| | - Tomoko Yamasaki
- Biomedical Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Tomomi Kubota
- Biomedical Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Izuru Nagashima
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Hiroki Shimizu
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Hiroaki Tateno
- Cellular and Molecular Biotechnology Research InstituteNational Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST)TsukubaJapan
| | - Kouichi Morita
- Department of Virology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN)Nagasaki UniversityNagasakiJapan
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13
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Huang CY, Draczkowski P, Wang YS, Chang CY, Chien YC, Cheng YH, Wu YM, Wang CH, Chang YC, Chang YC, Yang TJ, Tsai YX, Khoo KH, Chang HW, Hsu STD. In situ structure and dynamics of an alphacoronavirus spike protein by cryo-ET and cryo-EM. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4877. [PMID: 35986008 PMCID: PMC9388967 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32588-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) is a highly contagious swine disease caused by porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV). PED causes enteric disorders with an exceptionally high fatality in neonates, bringing substantial economic losses in the pork industry. The trimeric spike (S) glycoprotein of PEDV is responsible for virus-host recognition, membrane fusion, and is the main target for vaccine development and antigenic analysis. The atomic structures of the recombinant PEDV S proteins of two different strains have been reported, but they reveal distinct N-terminal domain 0 (D0) architectures that may correspond to different functional states. The existence of the D0 is a unique feature of alphacoronavirus. Here we combined cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to demonstrate in situ the asynchronous S protein D0 motions on intact viral particles of a highly virulent PEDV Pintung 52 strain. We further determined the cryo-EM structure of the recombinant S protein derived from a porcine cell line, which revealed additional domain motions likely associated with receptor binding. By integrating mass spectrometry and cryo-EM, we delineated the complex compositions and spatial distribution of the PEDV S protein N-glycans, and demonstrated the functional role of a key N-glycan in modulating the D0 conformation. Hsu and co-workers integrate cryo-electron tomography, cryo-electron microscopy and mass spectrometry to reveal the structural polymorphism of a pig coronavirus spike protein within intact viral particles, and how glycosylation modulates the conformational changes pertinent to host recognition.
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14
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Wang D, Zhou B, Keppel TR, Solano M, Baudys J, Goldstein J, Finn MG, Fan X, Chapman AP, Bundy JL, Woolfitt AR, Osman SH, Pirkle JL, Wentworth DE, Barr JR. N-glycosylation profiles of the SARS-CoV-2 spike D614G mutant and its ancestral protein characterized by advanced mass spectrometry. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23561. [PMID: 34876606 PMCID: PMC8651636 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02904-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
N-glycosylation plays an important role in the structure and function of membrane and secreted proteins. The spike protein on the surface of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes COVID-19, is heavily glycosylated and the major target for developing vaccines, therapeutic drugs and diagnostic tests. The first major SARS-CoV-2 variant carries a D614G substitution in the spike (S-D614G) that has been associated with altered conformation, enhanced ACE2 binding, and increased infectivity and transmission. In this report, we used mass spectrometry techniques to characterize and compare the N-glycosylation of the wild type (S-614D) or variant (S-614G) SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoproteins prepared under identical conditions. The data showed that half of the N-glycosylation sequons changed their distribution of glycans in the S-614G variant. The S-614G variant showed a decrease in the relative abundance of complex-type glycans (up to 45%) and an increase in oligomannose glycans (up to 33%) on all altered sequons. These changes led to a reduction in the overall complexity of the total N-glycosylation profile. All the glycosylation sites with altered patterns were in the spike head while the glycosylation of three sites in the stalk remained unchanged between S-614G and S-614D proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongxia Wang
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Bin Zhou
- Influenza Division; CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response - Laboratory and Testing Task Force, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Theodore R Keppel
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Maria Solano
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jakub Baudys
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jason Goldstein
- Division of Scientific Resources, National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - M G Finn
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Fan
- Influenza Division; CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response - Laboratory and Testing Task Force, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Asheley P Chapman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jonathan L Bundy
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Adrian R Woolfitt
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Sarah H Osman
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - James L Pirkle
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David E Wentworth
- Influenza Division; CDC COVID-19 Emergency Response - Laboratory and Testing Task Force, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - John R Barr
- Division of Laboratory Sciences, National Center for Environmental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Atlanta, GA, USA.
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