More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells
More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells(167 views) Di Gaetano S, Capasso D, Delre P, Pirone L, Saviano M, Pedone E, Mangiatordi GF
Int J Mol Sc (ISSN: 1422-0067linking, 1422-0067electronic), 2021 Jun 16; 22
(12
): N/D-N/D.
Keywords: Binding Sites
, Covid-19 Pathology Therapy Virology
, Drug Repositioning
, Humans
, Molecular Dynamics Simulation
, N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Analogs, Derivatives Metabolism Pharmacology Therapeutic Use
, Protein Binding
, Protein Domains
, Sars-Cov-2 Isolation, Purification Metabolism
, Small Molecule Libraries Chemistry Metabolism Pharmacology Therapeutic Use
, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus Chemistry Metabolism
, Virus Attachment Drug Effects
, Cavity Mapping
, Galectin Inhibitors
, Spike Protein,
Affiliations: *** IBB - CNR ***
Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy.
CIRPEB, University of Naples "Federico II", 80134 Naples, Italy.
CESTEV, University of Naples "Federico II", 80145 Naples, Italy.
Institute of Crystallography, CNR, 70126 Bari, Italy.
Chemistry Department, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy.
References: Not available.
More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells
Although the approved vaccines are proving to be of utmost importance in containing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat, they will hardly be resolutive as new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, a single-stranded RNA virus) variants might be insensitive to the immune response they induce. In this scenario, developing an effective therapy is still a dire need. Different targets for therapeutic antibodies and diagnostics have been identified, among which the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein, particularly its receptor-binding domain, has been defined as crucial. In this context, we aim to focus attention also on the role played by the S N-terminal domain (S1-NTD) in the virus attachment, already recognized as a valuable target for neutralizing antibodies, in particular, building on a cavity mapping indicating the presence of two druggable pockets and on the recent literature hypothesizing the presence of a ganglioside-binding domain. In this perspective, we aim at proposing S1-NTD as a putative target for designing small molecules hopefully able to hamper the SARS-CoV-2 attachment to host cells.
More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells
More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells