Search for Novel Potent Inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 Papain-like Enzyme: A Computational Biochemistry Approach

The rapid emergence and spread of new variants of coronavirus type 2, as well as the emergence of zoonotic viruses, highlights the need for methodologies that contribute to the search for new pharmacological treatments. In the present work, we searched for new SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibit...

Full description

Autores:
Osorio, Manuel I.
Yáñez, Osvaldo
Gallardo, Mauricio
Zuñiga-Bustos, Matías
Mulia-Rodríguez, Jorge
López-Rendón, Roberto
García-Beltrán, Olimpo
González-Nilo, Fernando
Pérez-Donoso, José M
Tipo de recurso:
Article of investigation
Fecha de publicación:
2022
Institución:
Universidad de Ibagué
Repositorio:
Repositorio Universidad de Ibagué
Idioma:
eng
OAI Identifier:
oai:repositorio.unibague.edu.co:20.500.12313/5568
Acceso en línea:
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12313/5568
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/15/8/986
Palabra clave:
Inhibidores
Papaína del SARS-CoV-2
Bioquímica computacional
Binding free energy
Molecular dynamics simulation
Papain-like protease of SARS-CoV-2
Virtual screening
Rights
openAccess
License
© 2022 by the authors.
Description
Summary:The rapid emergence and spread of new variants of coronavirus type 2, as well as the emergence of zoonotic viruses, highlights the need for methodologies that contribute to the search for new pharmacological treatments. In the present work, we searched for new SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibitors in the PubChem database, which has more than 100 million compounds. Based on the ligand efficacy index obtained by molecular docking, 500 compounds with higher affinity than another experimentally tested inhibitor were selected. Finally, the seven compounds with ADME parameters within the acceptable range for such a drug were selected. Next, molecular dynamics simulation studies at 200 ns, ΔG calculations using molecular mechanics with generalized Born and surface solvation, and quantum mechanical calculations were performed with the selected compounds. Using this in silico protocol, seven papain-like protease inhibitors are proposed: three compounds with similar free energy (D28, D04, and D59) and three compounds with higher binding free energy (D60, D99, and D06) than the experimentally tested inhibitor, plus one compound (D24) that could bind to the ubiquitin-binding region and reduce the effect on the host immune system. The proposed compounds could be used in in vitro assays, and the described protocol could be used for smart drug design.