Identification of a Novel Antiviral Lectin against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant from Shiitake-Mushroom-Derived Vesicle-like Nanoparticles

Authors

• Joshua Wiggins, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Shazeed Ul Karim, University of Southern MississippiFollow
• Baolong Liu, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Xingzhi Li, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• You Zhou, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Fengwei Bai, University of Southern MississippiFollow
• Jiujiu Yu, University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• Shi Hua Xiang, University of Nebraska–Lincoln

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2024

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

Lectins are a class of carbohydrate-binding proteins that may have antiviral activity by binding to the glycans on the virion surface to interfere with viral entry. We have identified a novel lectin (named Shictin) from Shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes)-derived vesicle-like nanoparticles (VLNs, or exosomes) that exhibits strong activity against the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant with an IC50 value of 87 nM. Shictin contains 298 amino acids and consists of two unique domains (N-terminal and C-terminal domain). The N-terminal domain is the carbohydrate-binding domain (CBD) that is homologous with CBDs of other lectins, suggesting that Shictin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 infection by binding to the glycans on the virion surface to prevent viral entry. This finding demonstrates that exosomes of vegetables are a valuable source for the identification of antiviral lectins. Therefore, it is believed that lectins from vegetable VLNs have potential as antiviral therapeutic agents.

Publication Title

Viruses

Volume

16

Issue

10

Recommended Citation

Wiggins, J., Karim, S., Liu, B., Li, X., Zhou, Y., Bai, F., Yu, J., Xiang, S. (2024). Identification of a Novel Antiviral Lectin against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant from Shiitake-Mushroom-Derived Vesicle-like Nanoparticles. Viruses, 16(10).
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/22314