Structural, Electronic, and Electrostatic Determinants for Inhibitor Binding to Subsites S1 and S2 in SARS-CoV-2 Main ProteaseClick to copy article linkArticle link copied!
- Daniel W. KnellerDaniel W. KnellerNeutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesMore by Daniel W. Kneller
- Hui LiHui LiNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesCenter for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Hui Li
- Stephanie GalanieStephanie GalanieNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Stephanie Galanie
- Gwyndalyn PhillipsGwyndalyn PhillipsNeutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesMore by Gwyndalyn Phillips
- Audrey LabbéAudrey LabbéNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesBiosciences Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Audrey Labbé
- Kevin L. WeissKevin L. WeissNeutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesMore by Kevin L. Weiss
- Qiu ZhangQiu ZhangNeutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesMore by Qiu Zhang
- Mark A. ArnouldMark A. ArnouldNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesCenter for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Mark A. Arnould
- Austin ClydeAustin ClydeNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesData Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United StatesDepartment of Computer Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60615, United StatesMore by Austin Clyde
- Heng MaHeng MaNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesData Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United StatesMore by Heng Ma
- Arvind RamanathanArvind RamanathanNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesData Science and Learning Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Lemont, Illinois 60439, United StatesConsortium for Advanced Science and Engineering, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60615, United StatesMore by Arvind Ramanathan
- Colleen B. JonssonColleen B. JonssonDepartment of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United StatesMore by Colleen B. Jonsson
- Martha S. HeadMartha S. HeadNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesJoint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Martha S. Head
- Leighton CoatesLeighton CoatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesSecond Target Station, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Leighton Coates
- John M. LouisJohn M. LouisLaboratory of Chemical Physics, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, DHHS, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0520, United StatesMore by John M. Louis
- Peter V. Bonnesen*Peter V. Bonnesen*Email: [email protected]National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesCenter for Nanophase Materials Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesMore by Peter V. Bonnesen
- Andrey Kovalevsky*Andrey Kovalevsky*Email: [email protected]Neutron Scattering Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831, United StatesNational Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory, US Department of Energy, Washington, District of Columbia 20585, United StatesMore by Andrey Kovalevsky
Abstract
Creating small-molecule antivirals specific for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins is crucial to battle coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is an established drug target for the design of protease inhibitors. We performed a structure–activity relationship (SAR) study of noncovalent compounds that bind in the enzyme’s substrate-binding subsites S1 and S2, revealing structural, electronic, and electrostatic determinants of these sites. The study was guided by the X-ray/neutron structure of Mpro complexed with Mcule-5948770040 (compound 1), in which protonation states were directly visualized. Virtual reality-assisted structure analysis and small-molecule building were employed to generate analogues of 1. In vitro enzyme inhibition assays and room-temperature X-ray structures demonstrated the effect of chemical modifications on Mpro inhibition, showing that (1) maintaining correct geometry of an inhibitor’s P1 group is essential to preserve the hydrogen bond with the protonated His163; (2) a positively charged linker is preferred; and (3) subsite S2 prefers nonbulky modestly electronegative groups.
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