1. Oridonin Inhibits SARS‐CoV‐2 by Targeting Its 3C‐Like Protease
- Author
-
Baisen Zhong, Weiyu Peng, Shan Du, Bingyi Chen, Yajuan Feng, Xinfeng Hu, Qi Lai, Shujie Liu, Zhong-Wei Zhou, Pengfei Fang, Yan Wu, Feng Gao, Huihao Zhou, and Litao Sun
- Subjects
3C-like protease ,Oridonin ,severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,traditional Chinese medicine ,virus inhibitor ,Materials of engineering and construction. Mechanics of materials ,TA401-492 - Abstract
The current COVID‐19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2), is an enormous threat to public health. The SARS‐CoV‐2 3C‐like protease (3CLpro), which is critical for viral replication and transcription, has been recognized as an ideal drug target. Herein, it is identified that three herbal compounds, Salvianolic acid A (SAA), (–)‐Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), and Oridonin, directly inhibit the activity of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro. Further, blocking SARS‐CoV‐2 infectivity by Oridonin is confirmed in cell‐based experiments. By solving the crystal structure of 3CLpro in complex with Oridonin and comparing it to that of other ligands with 3CLpro, it is identified that Oridonin binds at the 3CLpro catalytic site by forming a CS covalent bond, which is confirmed by mass spectrometry and kinetic study, blocking substrate binding through a nonpeptidomimetic covalent binding mode. Thus, Oridonin is a novel candidate to develop a new antiviral treatment for COVID‐19.
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF