Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection presents an immense global health problem. Spike (S) protein of coronavirus is the primary determinant of its entry into the host as it consists of both receptor binding and fusion domain. Besides tissue tropism, and host range, coronavirus pathogenesis are primarily controlled by the interaction of S protein with the cell receptor. Moreover, the proteolytic activation of S protein by host cell proteases plays a decisive role. The host-cell proteases have shown to be involved in the proteolysis of S protein and cleaving it into two functional subunits, S1 and S2, during the maturation process. In the present study, the interaction of the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 with different host proteases like furin, cathepsin B, and plasmin has been analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Incorporation of the furin cleavage site (R-R-A-R) in the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been studied by mutating the individual amino acid. MD simulation results suggest the polytropic nature of the S protein. Our analysis indicated that a single amino acid substitution in the polybasic cleavage site of S protein perturb the binding of cellular proteases. This mutation study might help to generate an attenuated SARS-CoV-2. Besides, targeting host proteases by inhibitors may result in a practical approach to stop the cellular spread of SARS-CoV-2 and develop its antiviral.
【저자키워드】 furin, MD simulations, Spike protein, cathepsin B, proteolytic activation, plasmin, 【초록키워드】 SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, Mutation, Antiviral, S protein, spike, Infection, molecular docking, protease, MD simulation, Spread, Protein, Health, furin cleavage site, host range, molecular, inhibitor, binding, Amino acid, cellular, Interaction, Analysis, Receptor binding, tissue tropism, acute respiratory syndrome, maturation, domain, help, primary determinant, incorporation, host protease, cleavage site, cellular proteases, coronavirus pathogenesis, subunits, amino acid substitution, Host, approach, cell receptor, shown, analyzed, S1 and S2, develop, involved, indicated, generate, functional, the S protein, cleaving, host cell protease, polybasic, 【제목키워드】 SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, multi, cleavage site, cellular protease, insight,