Title Screening, synthesis and biochemical characterization of SARS-CoV-2 protease inhibitors /
Authors Bagdonas, Martynas ; Čerepenkaitė, Kamilė ; Mickevičiūtė, Aurelija ; Kananavičiūtė, Rūta ; Grybaitė, Birutė ; Anusevičius, Kazimieras ; Rukšėnaitė, Audronė ; Kojis, Tautvydas ; Gedgaudas, Marius ; Mickevičius, Vytautas ; Matulis, Daumantas ; Zubrienė, Asta ; Matulienė, Jurgita
DOI 10.3390/ijms241713491
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Is Part of International journal of molecular sciences.. Basel : MDPI. 2023, vol. 24, iss. 17, art. no. 13491, p. 1-15.. ISSN 1422-0067
Keywords [eng] SARS-CoV-2 ; papain-like protease ; main protease ; thiazole ; disulfide ; thermal shift assay ; differential scanning fluorimetry ; inhibition
Abstract [eng] The severe acute respiratory syndrome-causing coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) papain-like protease (PLpro) and main protease (Mpro) play an important role in viral replication events and are important targets for anti-coronavirus drug discovery. In search of these protease inhibitors, we screened a library of 1300 compounds using a fluorescence thermal shift assay (FTSA) and identified 53 hits that thermally stabilized or destabilized PLpro. The hit compounds structurally belonged to two classes of small molecules: thiazole derivatives and symmetrical disulfide compounds. Compound dissociation constants (Kd) were determined using an enzymatic inhibition method. Seven aromatic disulfide compounds were identified as efficient PLpro inhibitors with Kd values in the micromolar range. Two disulfides displayed six-fold higher potency for PLpro (Kd = 0.5 µM) than for Mpro. The disulfide derivatives bound covalently to both proteases, as confirmed through mass spectrometry. The identified compounds can serve as lead compounds for further chemical optimization toward anti-COVID-19 drugs.
Published Basel : MDPI
Type Journal article
Language English
Publication date 2023
CC license CC license description