ABSTRACT
The genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) coronavirus has a capping modification at the 5'-untranslated region (UTR) to prevent its degradation by host nucleases. These modifications are performed by the Nsp10/14 and Nsp10/16 heterodimers using S-adenosylmethionine as the methyl donor. Nsp10/16 heterodimer is responsible for the methylation at the ribose 2'-O position of the first nucleotide. To investigate the conformational changes of the complex during 2'-O methyltransferase activity, we used a fixed-target serial synchrotron crystallography method at room temperature. We determined crystal structures of Nsp10/16 with substrates and products that revealed the states before and after methylation, occurring within the crystals during the experiments. Here we report the crystal structure of Nsp10/16 in complex with Cap-1 analog (m7GpppAm2'-O). Inhibition of Nsp16 activity may reduce viral proliferation, making this protein an attractive drug target.
Subject(s)
RNA Caps/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , RNA, Viral/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/chemistry , Crystallography , Methylation , Methyltransferases/chemistry , Methyltransferases/metabolism , Multiprotein Complexes/chemistry , Multiprotein Complexes/metabolism , RNA Cap Analogs/chemistry , RNA Cap Analogs/metabolism , RNA Caps/chemistry , RNA, Messenger/chemistry , RNA, Viral/chemistry , S-Adenosylhomocysteine/chemistry , S-Adenosylhomocysteine/metabolism , S-Adenosylmethionine/chemistry , S-Adenosylmethionine/metabolism , SARS-CoV-2/genetics , SARS-CoV-2/metabolism , Synchrotrons , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/chemistry , Viral Nonstructural Proteins/metabolism , Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins/chemistry , Viral Regulatory and Accessory Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
Synthetic messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutics are an increasingly popular approach to gene and cell therapies, genome engineering, enzyme replacement therapy, and now, during the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, vaccine development. mRNA for such purposes can be synthesized through an enzymatic in vitro transcription (IVT) reaction and formulated for in vivo delivery. Mature mRNA requires a 5'-cap for gene expression and mRNA stability. There are two methods to add a cap in vitro: via a two-step multi-enzymatic reaction or co-transcriptionally. Co-transcriptional methods minimize reaction steps and enzymes needed to make mRNA when compared to enzymatic capping. CleanCap® AG co-transcriptional capping results in 5 mg/ml of IVT with 94% 5'-cap 1 structure. This is highly efficient compared to first-generation cap analogs, such as mCap and ARCA, that incorporate cap 0 structures at lower efficiency and reaction yield. This article describes co-transcriptional capping using TriLink Biotechnology's CleanCap® AG in IVT. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: IVT with CleanCap Basic Protocol 2: mRNA purification and analysis.