Investigation of small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease by all-atom microsecond modelling, PELE Monte Carlo simulations, and in vitro activity inhibition

The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like (PLpro) protease is essential for viral replication. We investigated potential antiviral effects of hypericin relative to the well-known noncovalent PLpro inhibitor GRL-0617. Molecular dynamics and PELE Monte Carlo simulations highlight favourable binding of hypericin and GRL-0617 to the naphthalene binding pocket of PLpro. Although not potent as GRL-0617 (45.8 vs 1.6 µM for protease activity, respectively), in vitro fluorogenic enzymatic assays with hypericin show concentration-dependent inhibition of both PLpro protease and deubiquitinating activities. Given its use in supplementations and the FDA conditional approval of a synthetic version, further evaluation of hypericin as a potential SARS-CoV-2 antiviral is warranted.