PMID: 33152262

Authors:

Kneller DW, Galanie S, Phillips G, O'Neill HM, Coates L, Kovalevsky A

Title:

Malleability of the SARS-CoV-2 3CL M(pro) Active-Site Cavity Facilitates Binding of Clinical Antivirals.

Journal:

Structure. 2020 Oct 23. pii: S0969-2126(20)30379-8. doi:, 10.1016/j.str.2020.10.007.

Abstract:

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 requires rapid development of specific therapeutics and vaccines. The main protease of SARS-CoV-2, 3CL M(pro), is an established drug target for the design of inhibitors to stop the virus replication. Repurposing existing clinical drugs can offer a faster route to treatments. Here, we report on the binding mode and inhibition properties of several inhibitors using room temperature X-ray crystallography and in vitro enzyme kinetics. The enzyme active-site cavity reveals a high degree of malleability, allowing aldehyde leupeptin and hepatitis C clinical protease inhibitors (telaprevir, narlaprevir, and boceprevir) to bind and inhibit SARS-CoV-2 3CL M(pro). Narlaprevir, boceprevir, and telaprevir are low-micromolar inhibitors, whereas the binding affinity of leupeptin is substantially weaker. Repurposing hepatitis C clinical drugs as COVID-19 treatments may be a useful option to pursue. The observed malleability of the enzyme active-site cavity should be considered for the successful design of specific protease inhibitors.