Issue 4, 2021

Mechanism of inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by N3 peptidyl Michael acceptor explained by QM/MM simulations and design of new derivatives with tunable chemical reactivity

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is essential for replication of the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, and one of the main targets for drug design. Here, we simulate the inhibition process of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro with a known Michael acceptor (peptidyl) inhibitor, N3. The free energy landscape for the mechanism of the formation of the covalent enzyme-inhibitor product is computed with QM/MM molecular dynamics methods. The simulations show a two-step mechanism, and give structures and calculated barriers in good agreement with experiment. Using these results and information from our previous investigation on the proteolysis reaction of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, we design two new, synthetically accessible N3-analogues as potential inhibitors, in which the recognition and warhead motifs are modified. QM/MM modelling of the mechanism of inhibition of Mpro by these novel compounds indicates that both may be promising candidates as drug leads against COVID-19, one as an irreversible inhibitor and one as a potential reversible inhibitor.

Graphical abstract: Mechanism of inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by N3 peptidyl Michael acceptor explained by QM/MM simulations and design of new derivatives with tunable chemical reactivity

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
10 Nov. 2020
Accepted
26 Nov. 2020
First published
27 Nov. 2020
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY-NC license

Chem. Sci., 2021,12, 1433-1444

Mechanism of inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by N3 peptidyl Michael acceptor explained by QM/MM simulations and design of new derivatives with tunable chemical reactivity

K. Arafet, N. Serrano-Aparicio, A. Lodola, A. J. Mulholland, F. V. González, K. Świderek and V. Moliner, Chem. Sci., 2021, 12, 1433 DOI: 10.1039/D0SC06195F

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