Volume 90, Issue 11 pp. 1896-1907
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Molecular interactions and inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease by a thiadiazolidinone derivative

Jacob Andrzejczyk

Jacob Andrzejczyk

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

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Katarina Jovic

Katarina Jovic

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Services, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

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Logan M. Brown

Logan M. Brown

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Services, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

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Valerie G. Pascetta

Valerie G. Pascetta

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Services, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

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Krisztina Varga

Krisztina Varga

Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Biomedical Services, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

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Harish Vashisth

Corresponding Author

Harish Vashisth

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA

Correspondence

Harish Vashisth, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.

Email: [email protected]

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First published: 14 May 2022
Citations: 1

Funding information: National Institutes of Health, Grant/Award Numbers: R35GM138217, P20GM113131; National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: OIA-1757371

Abstract

We report molecular interactions and inhibition of the main protease (MPro) of SARS-CoV-2, a key enzyme involved in the viral life cycle. By using a thiadiazolidinone (TDZD) derivative as a chemical probe, we explore the conformational dynamics of MPro via docking protocols and molecular dynamics simulations in all-atom detail. We reveal the local and global dynamics of MPro in the presence of this inhibitor and confirm the inhibition of the enzyme with an IC50 value of 1.39 ± 0.22 μM, which is comparable to other known inhibitors of this enzyme.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

The data that supports the findings of this study are available in the supplementary material of this article

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