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Tomris I, Unione L, Nguyen L, Zaree P, Bouwman KM, Liu L, Li Z, Fok JA, Ríos Carrasco M, van der Woude R, Kimpel ALM, Linthorst MW, Kilavuzoglu SE, Verpalen ECJM, Caniels TG, Sanders RW, Heesters BA, Pieters RJ, Jiménez-Barbero J, Klassen JS, Boons GJ, de Vries RP. SARS-CoV-2 Spike N-Terminal Domain Engages 9- O-Acetylated α2-8-Linked Sialic Acids. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1180-1191. [PMID: 37104622 PMCID: PMC10178783 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 viruses engage ACE2 as a functional receptor with their spike protein. The S1 domain of the spike protein contains a C-terminal receptor binding domain (RBD) and an N-terminal domain (NTD). The NTD of other coronaviruses includes a glycan binding cleft. However, for the SARS-CoV-2 NTD, protein-glycan binding was only observed weakly for sialic acids with highly sensitive methods. Amino acid changes in the NTD of variants of concern (VoC) show antigenic pressure, which can be an indication of NTD-mediated receptor binding. Trimeric NTD proteins of SARS-CoV-2, alpha, beta, delta, and omicron did not reveal a receptor binding capability. Unexpectedly, the SARS-CoV-2 beta subvariant strain (501Y.V2-1) NTD binding to Vero E6 cells was sensitive to sialidase pretreatment. Glycan microarray analyses identified a putative 9-O-acetylated sialic acid as a ligand, which was confirmed by catch-and-release ESI-MS, STD-NMR analyses, and a graphene-based electrochemical sensor. The beta (501Y.V2-1) variant attained an enhanced glycan binding modality in the NTD with specificity toward 9-O-acetylated structures, suggesting a dual-receptor functionality of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 domain, which was quickly selected against. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 can probe additional evolutionary space, allowing binding to glycan receptors on the surface of target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilhan Tomris
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Luca Unione
- CICbioGUNE, Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Maria Diaz de Haro 3, 48013 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Linh Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Pouya Zaree
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Kim M Bouwman
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Lin Liu
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Zeshi Li
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jelle A Fok
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - María Ríos Carrasco
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roosmarijn van der Woude
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anne L M Kimpel
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Mirte W Linthorst
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Sinan E Kilavuzoglu
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Enrico C J M Verpalen
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tom G Caniels
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rogier W Sanders
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Infectious Diseases, 1081 HZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical Center of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Balthasar A Heesters
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Roland J Pieters
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jesús Jiménez-Barbero
- CICbioGUNE, Basque Research & Technology Alliance (BRTA), Bizkaia Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Medical Center of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, United States
- Department of Organic Chemistry, II Faculty of Science and Technology University of the Basque Country, EHU-UPV, 48940 Leioa, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica En Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias, Av. Monforte de Lemos, 3-5. Pabellón 11. Planta 0, 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - John S Klassen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alberta, 11227 Saskatchewan Drive, Edmonton T6G 2G2, Canada
| | - Geert-Jan Boons
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Complex Carbohydrate Research Center, University of Georgia, 315 Riverbend Road, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Robert P de Vries
- Department of Chemical Biology & Drug Discovery, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, 3584 CG Utrecht, The Netherlands
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Tomris I, Unione L, Nguyen L, Zaree P, Bouwman KM, Liu L, Li Z, Fok JA, Ríos Carrasco M, van der Woude R, Kimpel ALM, Linthorst MW, Verpalen ECJM, Caniels TG, Sanders RW, Heesters BA, Pieters RJ, Jiménez-Barbero J, Klassen JS, Boons GJ, de Vries RP. The SARS-CoV-2 spike N-terminal domain engages 9- O -acetylated α2-8-linked sialic acids. bioRxiv 2022:2022.09.14.507904. [PMID: 36263070 PMCID: PMC9580382 DOI: 10.1101/2022.09.14.507904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 viruses engage ACE2 as a functional receptor with their spike protein. The S1 domain of the spike protein contains a C-terminal receptor-binding domain (RBD) and an N-terminal domain (NTD). The NTD of other coronaviruses includes a glycan-binding cleft. However, for the SARS-CoV-2 NTD protein-glycan binding was only observed weakly for sialic acids with highly sensitive methods. Amino acid changes in the NTD of Variants of Concern (VoC) shows antigenic pressure, which can be an indication of NTD-mediated receptor binding. Trimeric NTD proteins of SARS-CoV-2, Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Omicron did not reveal a receptor binding capability. Unexpectedly, the SARS-CoV-2 Beta subvariant strain (501Y.V2-1) NTD binding to Vero E6 cells was sensitive to sialidase pretreatment. Glycan microarray analyses identified a putative 9- O -acetylated sialic acid as a ligand, which was confirmed by catch-and-release ESI-MS, STD-NMR analyses, and a graphene-based electrochemical sensor. The Beta (501Y.V2-1) variant attained an enhanced glycan binding modality in the NTD with specificity towards 9- O -acetylated structures, suggesting a dual-receptor functionality of the SARS-CoV-2 S1 domain, which was quickly selected against. These results indicate that SARS-CoV-2 can probe additional evolutionary space, allowing binding to glycan receptors on the surface of target cells. Graphical abstract Synopsis Coronaviruses utilize their N-terminal domain (NTD) for initial reversible low-affinity interaction to (sialylated) glycans. This initial low-affinity/high-avidity engagement enables viral surfing on the target membrane, potentially followed by a stronger secondary receptor interaction. Several coronaviruses, such as HKU1 and OC43, possess a hemagglutinin-esterase for viral release after sialic acid interaction, thus allowing viral dissemination. Other coronaviruses, such as MERS-CoV, do not possess a hemagglutinin-esterase, but interact reversibly to sialic acids allowing for viral surfing and dissemination. The early 501Y.V2-1 subvariant of the Beta SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern has attained a receptor-binding functionality towards 9- O -acetylated sialic acid using its NTD. This binding functionality was selected against rapidly, most likely due to poor dissemination. Ablation of sialic acid binding in more recent SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern suggests a fine balance of sialic acid interaction of SARS-CoV-2 is required for infection and/or transmission.
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