
Several natural products recovered from a marine-derived Aspergillus niger were tested for their inhibitory activity against SARS CoV-2 in vitro. Aurasperone A (3) was found to inhibit SARS CoV-2 efficiently (IC50 = 12.25 µM) with comparable activity with the positive control remdesivir (IC50 = 10.11 µM). Aurasperone A exerted minimal cytotoxicity on Vero E6 cells (CC50 = 32.36 mM, SI = 2641.5) and it was found to be much safer than remdesivir (CC50 = 415.22 µM, SI = 41.07). To putatively highlight its molecular target, aurasperone A was subjected to molecular docking against several key-viral protein targets followed by a series of molecular dynamics-based in silico experiments that suggested Mpro to be its primary viral protein target. More potent anti-SARS CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors can be developed according to our findings presented in the present investigation.
QH301-705.5, Rubasperone B, SARS CoV-2, Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases, <i>Aspergillus niger</i>; Phallusia nigra; Rubasperone B; Aurasperone A; SARS CoV-2; M<sup>pro</sup>; in silico; antiviral, Antiviral Agents, Article, M<sup>pro</sup>, Chlorocebus aethiops, Animals, Protease Inhibitors, Biology (General), Vero Cells, Coronavirus 3C Proteases, Phallusia nigra, <i>Aspergillus niger</i>, Alanine, Coronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase, SARS-CoV-2, Adenosine Monophosphate, Molecular Docking Simulation, Chromones, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, Aspergillus niger, RNA Helicases, Aurasperone A
QH301-705.5, Rubasperone B, SARS CoV-2, Coronavirus Papain-Like Proteases, <i>Aspergillus niger</i>; Phallusia nigra; Rubasperone B; Aurasperone A; SARS CoV-2; M<sup>pro</sup>; in silico; antiviral, Antiviral Agents, Article, M<sup>pro</sup>, Chlorocebus aethiops, Animals, Protease Inhibitors, Biology (General), Vero Cells, Coronavirus 3C Proteases, Phallusia nigra, <i>Aspergillus niger</i>, Alanine, Coronavirus RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase, SARS-CoV-2, Adenosine Monophosphate, Molecular Docking Simulation, Chromones, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, Aspergillus niger, RNA Helicases, Aurasperone A
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