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Mjokane N, Akintemi EO, Sabiu S, Gcilitshana OMN, Albertyn J, Pohl CH, Sebolai OM. Aspergillus fumigatus secretes a protease(s) that displays in silico binding affinity towards the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and mediates SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirion entry into HEK-293T cells. Virol J 2024; 21:58. [PMID: 38448991 PMCID: PMC10919004 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-024-02331-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). Data from the COVID-19 clinical control case studies showed that this disease could also manifest in patients with underlying microbial infections such as aspergillosis. The current study aimed to determine if the Aspergillus (A.) fumigatus culture media (i.e., supernatant) possessed protease activity that was sufficient to activate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. METHODS The supernatant was first analysed for protease activity. Thereafter, it was assessed to determine if it possessed proteolytic activity to cleave a fluorogenic mimetic peptide of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that contained the S1/S2 site and a full-length spike protein contained in a SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirion. To complement this, a computer-based tool, HADDOCK, was used to predict if A. fumigatus alkaline protease 1 could bind to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. RESULTS We show that the supernatant possessed proteolytic activity, and analyses of the molecular docking parameters revealed that A. fumigatus alkaline protease 1 could bind to the spike protein. To confirm the in silico data, it was imperative to provide experimental evidence for enzymatic activity. Here, it was noted that the A. fumigatus supernatant cleaved the mimetic peptide as well as transduced the HEK-293T cells with SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions. CONCLUSION These results suggest that A. fumigatus secretes a protease(s) that activates the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Importantly, should these two infectious agents co-occur, there is the potential for A. fumigatus to activate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, thus aggravating COVID-19 development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozethu Mjokane
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Eric O Akintemi
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Saheed Sabiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Science, Faculty of Applied Science, Durban University of Technology, 4000, Durban, P.O. Box 1334, South Africa
| | - Onele M N Gcilitshana
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Jacobus Albertyn
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Carolina H Pohl
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Olihile M Sebolai
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, 9301, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
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Mjokane N, Sabiu S, Folorunso OS, Gcilitshana OMN, Albertyn J, Pohl CH, Sebolai OM. Cryptococcal proteases exhibit the potential to activate the latent SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. J Infect Public Health 2024; 17:263-270. [PMID: 38128410 DOI: 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.12.008] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has affected more than 650 million people and resulted in over 6.8 million deaths. Notably, the disease could co-manifest with microbial infections, like cryptococcosis, which also presents as a primary lung infection. OBJECTIVE In this contribution, we sought to determine if cryptococcal supernatant (which contains secreted furin-like proteases) could activate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. METHODS Molecular docking of the crystal structures of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (target) and selected cryptococcal proteases (ligands) was executed using the high ambiguity driven protein-protein docking (HADDOCK) server, with the furin protease serving as a reference ligand. The furin protease is found in human cells and typically activates the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Importantly, in order to provide experimental evidence for enzymatic activity, we also assessed the biochemical efficiency of cryptococcal proteases to initiate viral entry into HEK-293 T cells by SARS-CoV-2 spike pseudotyped Lentivirus. RESULTS We show that the selected cryptococcal proteases could interact with the spike protein, and some had a better or comparable binding affinity for the spike protein than furin protease following an in silico comparative analysis of the molecular docking parameters. Furthermore, it was noted that the biochemical efficiency of the cryptococcal supernatant to transduce HEK-293 T cells with SARS-CoV-2 pseudovirions was comparable (p > 0.05) to that of recombinant furin. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these data show that cryptococcal proteases could activate the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. In practice, it may be critical to determine if patients have an underlying cryptococcal infection, as this microbe could secrete proteases that may further activate the SARS-CoV-2 viral particles, thus undermining COVID-19 intervention measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nozethu Mjokane
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - Saheed Sabiu
- Department of Biotechnology and Food Technology, Durban University of Technology, 121 Steve Biko Road, Berea Durban 4001, South Africa
| | - Olufemi S Folorunso
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Ophthalmology, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Onele M N Gcilitshana
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - Jacobus Albertyn
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - Carolina H Pohl
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
| | - Olihile M Sebolai
- Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa.
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Ding Q, Zhao H. Long-term effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection on human brain and memory. Cell Death Discov 2023; 9:196. [PMID: 37380640 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-023-01512-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants have caused several waves of outbreaks. From the ancestral strain to Omicron variant, SARS-CoV-2 has evolved with the high transmissibility and increased immune escape against vaccines. Because of the multiple basic amino acids in the S1-S2 junction of spike protein, the widespread distribution of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor in human body and the high transmissibility, SARS-CoV-2 can infect multiple organs and has led to over 0.7 billion infectious cases. Studies showed that SARS-CoV-2 infection can cause more than 10% patients with the Long-COVID syndrome, including pathological changes in brains. This review mainly provides the molecular foundations for understanding the mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 invading human brain and the molecular basis of SARS-CoV-2 infection interfering with human brain and memory, which are associated with the immune dysfunction, syncytia-induced cell death, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, microclots and biopsychosocial aspects. We also discuss the strategies for reducing the Long-COVID syndrome. Further studies and analysis of shared researches will allow for further clarity regarding the long-term health consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiulu Ding
- School of Finance and Business, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
- School of Education, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - HanJun Zhao
- Department of Microbiology, School of Clinical Medicine, LKS Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
- Centre for Virology, Vaccinology and Therapeutics, Science Park, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
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Satala D, Bras G, Kozik A, Rapala-Kozik M, Karkowska-Kuleta J. More than Just Protein Degradation: The Regulatory Roles and Moonlighting Functions of Extracellular Proteases Produced by Fungi Pathogenic for Humans. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:jof9010121. [PMID: 36675942 PMCID: PMC9865821 DOI: 10.3390/jof9010121] [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] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Extracellular proteases belong to the main virulence factors of pathogenic fungi. Their proteolytic activities plays a crucial role in the acquisition of nutrients from the external environment, destroying host barriers and defenses, and disrupting homeostasis in the human body, e.g., by affecting the functions of plasma proteolytic cascades, and playing sophisticated regulatory roles in various processes. Interestingly, some proteases belong to the group of moonlighting proteins, i.e., they have additional functions that contribute to successful host colonization and infection development, but they are not directly related to proteolysis. In this review, we describe examples of such multitasking of extracellular proteases that have been reported for medically important pathogenic fungi of the Candida, Aspergillus, Penicillium, Cryptococcus, Rhizopus, and Pneumocystis genera, as well as dermatophytes and selected endemic species. Additional functions of proteinases include supporting binding to host proteins, and adhesion to host cells. They also mediate self-aggregation and biofilm formation. In addition, fungal proteases affect the host immune cells and allergenicity, understood as the ability to stimulate a non-standard immune response. Finally, they play a role in the proper maintenance of cellular homeostasis. Knowledge about the multifunctionality of proteases, in addition to their canonical roles, greatly contributes to an understanding of the mechanisms of fungal pathogenicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dorota Satala
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grazyna Bras
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Andrzej Kozik
- Department of Analytical Biochemistry, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Maria Rapala-Kozik
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Justyna Karkowska-Kuleta
- Department of Comparative Biochemistry and Bioanalytics, Faculty of Biochemistry, Biophysics and Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Correspondence:
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Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11081250. [PMID: 36009877 PMCID: PMC9404726 DOI: 10.3390/biology11081250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Cryptococcal Protease(s) and the Activation of SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) Protein. Cells 2022; 11:cells11030437. [PMID: 35159253 PMCID: PMC8834071 DOI: 10.3390/cells11030437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In this contribution, we report on the possibility that cryptococcal protease(s) could activate the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein. The S protein is documented to have a unique four-amino-acid sequence (underlined, SPRRAR↓S) at the interface between the S1 and S2 sites, that serves as a cleavage site for the human protease, furin. We compared the biochemical efficiency of cryptococcal protease(s) and furin to mediate the proteolytic cleavage of the S1/S2 site in a fluorogenic peptide. We show that cryptococcal protease(s) processes this site in a manner comparable to the efficiency of furin (p > 0.581). We conclude the paper by discussing the impact of these findings in the context of a SARS-CoV-2 disease manifesting while there is an underlying cryptococcal infection.
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