Elsevier

Microbial Pathogenesis

Volume 149, December 2020, 104586
Microbial Pathogenesis

Inhibition of N-linked Glycosylation by Tunicamycin May Contribute to The Treatment of SARS-CoV-2

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2020.104586Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Tunicamycin an anticancer drug inhibits the N- linked glycans. Nucleocapsid phosphoprotein is one of the most structural protein of the virus.

  • The growth of coronavirus in the presence inhibitor tunicamycin resulted in the production of spikeless.

  • Tunicamycin inhibits E2, S, and M glycoproteins of coronaviruses.

  • Tunicamycin is also diminish glycosylation od PTMs such as HE, and 8 ab of SARS-CoV.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 remains a medical and economic challenge, due to the lack of a suitable drug or vaccine. The glycans in some proteins play a pivotal role in protein folding, oligomerization, quality control, sorting, and transport so the hindering of N-linked glycosylation of glycoproteins will prevent assembly of the virion. Tunicamycin an anticancer drug inhibit the N- linked glycans. Our study aimed to find out the mechanism action of tunicamycin on the viral glycoproteins. The growth of coronavirus in the presence inhibitor tunicamycin resulted in the production of spikeless, non-infectious virions which were devoid of S protein. We concluded that tunicamycin inhibits E2, S, and M glycoproteins of coronaviruses. Tunicamycin is also diminished glycosylation of PTMs such as HE, and 8 ab of SARS-CoV. Finally, we recommend using this drug to treat the SARS-CoV-2.

Keywords

Tunicamycin
Glycosylation
Virion
Coronavirus
PTMs

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