A Piecewise Design Approach to Engineering a Miniature ACE2 Mimic to Bind SARS-CoV-2
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: As the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues its global spread, the exploration of novel therapeutic and diagnostic strategies is still needed. The virus enters host cells by binding the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor through the spike protein. Here, we develop an engineered, small, stable, and catalytically inactive version of ACE2, termed miniature ACE2 (mACE2), designed to bind the spike protein with high affinity. Employing a magnetic nanoparticle-based assay, we harnessed the strong binding affinity of mACE2 to develop a sensitive and specific platform for the detection or neutralization of SARS-CoV-2. Our findings highlight the potential of engineered mACE2 as a valuable tool in the fight against SARS-CoV-2. The success of developing such a small reagent based on a piecewise molecular design serves as a proof-of-concept approach for the rapid deployment of such agents to diagnose and fight other viral diseases.
Source: ACS Applied Bio Materials
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: Mechanisms of Iron-Sulfur Dependent Reactions, G2913645727, Wyatt SEC-MALS system, Discovery of functionally selective dopamine ligands for age-related cognitive decline, X-ray instrumentation upgrade for single crystal diffraction and solution small angle scattering, G7617971378, G9000097373, G9000163112, G9000210435, Nanoscale programming of celluar and physiological phenotypes, G915460228
OpenAlex ID: W4396606103