MINI REVIEW article

Front. Bioinform., 13 February 2025

Sec. Drug Discovery in Bioinformatics

Volume 5 - 2025 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fbinf.2025.1533983

Unlocking the potential of in silico approach in designing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2

  • 1. Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

  • 2. Advanced Diagnostics and Progressive Human Care, Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Department, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

  • 3. Faculty of Computing, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia

  • 4. Department of Biotechnology, Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

  • 5. Research Unit for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology (RUBIC), Kulliyyah of Science, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

Abstract

Antibodies are naturally produced safeguarding proteins that the immune system generates to fight against invasive invaders. For centuries, they have been produced artificially and utilized to eradicate various infectious diseases. Given the ongoing threat posed by COVID-19 pandemics worldwide, antibodies have become one of the most promising treatments to prevent infection and save millions of lives. Currently, in silico techniques provide an innovative approach for developing antibodies, which significantly impacts the formulation of antibodies. These techniques develop antibodies with great specificity and potency against diseases such as SARS-CoV-2 by using computational tools and algorithms. Conventional methods for designing and developing antibodies are frequently costly and time-consuming. However, in silico approach offers a contemporary, effective, and economical paradigm for creating next-generation antibodies, especially in accordance with recent developments in bioinformatics. By utilizing multiple antibody databases and high-throughput approaches, a unique antibody construct can be designed in silico, facilitating accurate, reliable, and secure antibody development for human use. Compared to their traditionally developed equivalents, a large number of in silico-designed antibodies have advanced swiftly to clinical trials and became accessible sooner. This article helps researchers develop SARS-CoV-2 antibodies more quickly and affordably by giving them access to current information on computational approaches for antibody creation.

1 Introduction

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2), has already claimed the lives of approximately 6.8 million people so far and as of right now, there is no effective therapy for COVID-19 as the virus is emerging (). To control the disease progression, various types of antiviral drugs (; ; ; ) and antibodies (Safarzadeh Kozani et al., 2022; ) were prescribed to COVID-19 patients. Although antibodies offer protection with higher specificity against SARS-CoV-2 than drugs but their limitations point out the challenges in developing sustainable antibodies in the phase of rapid viral evolution (Van Regenmortel, 2014).

COVID-19 therapeutic antibodies developed to target the key components of SARS-CoV-2, Spike (S) protein, which interacts with ACE2 receptor protein on the cells in the respiratory tract during viral invasion (Pizzato et al., 2022). However, continuous structural changes of S protein of SARS-CoV-2 caused by rapid mutations render the effectiveness of the therapeutic antibodies. The antibodies which have been approved by EUA to be prescribed for COVID-19 patients, lost the approval as the mAb is no longer effective against currently emerging SARS-CoV-2 (Orders, 2022; ).

In this case, in silico technology paves promising approaches to design antibodies with our desired formats and customize the residues that favor higher binding affinity and good developability in a shorter time frame (Wolf Pérez et al., 2022). According to Moore, the phrase “in silico” refers to computer-assisted experimental procedures used in modern research (Moore, 2021). The integration of in silico technology into pharmaceutical research, notably in antibody designing, offers a sustainable approach and complementary avenue to traditional experimental methods that facilitates efficient antibody discovery for SARS-CoV-2 while conserving time and resources (; Shaker et al., 2021; ).

2 Antibody discovery using in silico technology

Existing therapeutic antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 were discovered in laboratory through various approaches that involves in vitro technology. Hybridoma technology (Köhler and Milstein, 1975) and phage display (Smith and Petrenko, 1997) are employed to produce antibodies for SARS-CoV-2 with a wide range of application (; Kim et al., 2022; Somasundaram et al., 2020; Wang et al., 2023). Despite having many benefits to producing mAbs, in vitro technology poses limitations in terms of expenses as the methods mentioned above require sophisticated and resource-intensive high-throughput screening and characterization processes, which also consume adequate time (Moraes et al., 2021). In this case, in silico technology complements in vitro technology and can overtake several stages of conventional antibody discovery methods.

In silico antibody discovery comprises a multi-staged computational approach that accelerates the precision of antibody development. The process begins with the analysis of antibody sequences extracted from databases such as Protein Data Bank (PDB) (), UniProt (UniProt Consortium, 2015) and other specified databases listed in Table 2. Modeling of 3D antibody structure is performed using predictive computational tools after sequence analysis to generate structural models with detailed spatial analysis. The next stage involves the evaluation of antibody interaction with targeted antigens through molecular docking. In this stage, high-affinity antibody candidates can be identified by predicting their interaction profiles. Finally, the developability of the antibodies will be evaluated via molecular dynamic simulation since the simulation refines the antibody-antigen complexes by examining their manufacturability. In recent times, in silico approach has been used widely in producing potential therapeutic options for COVID-19 through computational tools as presented in Table 1. In silico technology has been applied into SARS-CoV-2 antibody discovery in various stages of the process. Computational tools that can be used in different stages of SARS-CoV-2 antibody discovery are listed in Table 2.

TABLE 1

ArticleFindings through in silico approachStages of antibody discovery using in silico approach
Antibody sequence database and structural databaseAnalysis of antibody sequencesModeling of 3D antibodyVisualization of 3D antibodyEvaluation of 3D antibodyEvaluation of antibody interactionMolecular dynamic simulation
Su et al. (2024)To investigate the relationship between point mutation in the upstream region of the HR2 Motif of S protein and the binding capacity of mAb-39
To predict potential immunogenicity risk by accessing potential T-cell epitopes
Roodink et al. (2024)To predict solvent-exposed, potential N-glycosylation site in the Framework 1 region of Ab 22-D9 (N20) and one in the Framework 3 region of Ab 21-F2 (N92)
To analyse the binding mechanisms and impact of Omicron mutations on different classes of antibodies targeting the SARS-CoV-2 RBD.
To investigate the binding stability of RBD variants targeting a number of convalescent antibodies
To produce structure guided design of fully de novo high affinity antibodies against specific epitopes of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
To study the interference of 6D3 with SARS-CoV-2 viral entry by competing with the host cell proteases
To provide a proof-of-concept study for the computational design of high-affinity antibodies that bind to multiple variants of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein
To investigate the interaction of 19n01 with RBD in the Omicron BA.2, BA.3, and BA.4/5 subvariants
To redesign and renew the efficacy of COV2-2130 against Omicron BA.1 and BA.1.1 strains while maintaining efficacy against the dominant Delta variant
Schepens et al. (2021)To enhance the affinity of broadly neutralizing VHH that can combat COVID-19 in vivo
Yu et al. (2022)To enhance the binding affinity of the antibody

Overview of in silico technology application in producing potential therapeutic options for COVID-19.

This table summarizes research articles that incorporated in silico technology in various stages of SARS-CoV-2 antibody discovery process. Each reference listed under articles are individual research on in antibody discovery, followed by the finding of the research using in silico approach that highlights the key outcomes in the respective studies. Specific stages of antibody discovery where the computational approaches were used also identified in this table. For stages with in silico approach incorporation, a checkmark (✓) is used to indicate its inclusion. This table provide a comprehensive view of the diverse roles that in silico methods can play in antibody discovery and their adoption in different stages of the process.

TABLE 2

Application in silico technologyToolsUsageReferences
DatabasesUniProtProvides well-annotated protein sequencesUniProt Consortium (2015)
Protein Data Bank (PDB)A repository for biological macromolecular crystal structures
SwissProt databaseProvides non-redundant protein sequences
PROSITEA protein data repository
Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) databaseProvide the most recent version of PDB of a proteinLo Conte et al. (2000)
Structural Antibody Database (SAbDab)Provides antibody structural data
Therapeutic Structural Antibody Database (Thera-SAbDab)Antibody sequence repository, after numbered and aligned all therapeutic variable domain sequences to the sequences of known structures in SAbDabRaybould et al. (2020)
Antibody Sequence AnalysisAntibody region-specific alignment (AbRSA)Determines CDR through numbering the sequenceLi et al. (2019)
ANARCIAnnotates antibody and antigen receptor variable domain amino acid sequences from various species with different numbering schemes
3D Modeling of AntibodySWISS-MODELOffers an automated modeling tool that is simple to use and incorporates expert knowledge, where the approach is characterized as rigid fragment assemblySchwede et al. (2003)
MODELLEROffers modeling of comparative protein structuresŠali and Blundell (1993)
AlphaFold2Offers an extensive deep-learning framework for protein structure predictionSkolnick et al. (2021), Ruff and Pappu (2021), and
RoseTTAFoldModel protein-protein complexes using only sequence informationLiang et al. (2022)
ABodyBuilderModel antibody onlyLeem et al. (2016)
Visualize 3D Antibody ModelPyMOLVisualise protein molecules in various representationsDeLano (2002)
Visual Molecular Dynamics (VMD)To view wider-ranging molecules including proteinHumphrey et al. (1996)
Evaluation of 3D Antibody InteractionClusProPermits the direct docking of two interacting proteinsKozakov et al. (2017)
High Ambiguity Driven Docking Approach (HADDOCK)Docking tool that harness biochemical and biophysical interaction data
RosettaDockOffers multi-scale docking approach that combines a high-resolution, all-atom refinement stage that optimizes both rigid-body orientations and side-chain conformation with a low-resolution, centroid-mode, and coarse-grain stageLyskov and Gray (2008)
ZDOCKA docking tool that uses Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to optimize electrostatics, desolvation, and GSC score that defines the total number of grid points in this layer that overlap any grid points belonging to ligand atoms to yield less a clash penalty
HawkDockA docking tool is developed by the HawkDock server with the integration of the ATTRACT docking algorithm and the MM/GBSA free energyWeng et al. (2019)
Molecular Simulation of Antibody-antigen ComplexGROMACS (Groningen Machine for Chemical Simulations)An open-source software package designed for molecular dynamics simulations of biochemical molecules including proteins and Van Der Spoel et al. (2005)

Computational tools used in different stages of antibody discovery in silico.

This table outlines the key stages involves in in silico antibody discovery for SARS-CoV-2, along with the computational tools used at each stage, as described in the following sections of the review. The databases to acquire antibody and antigen sequences are also included in this table.

2.1 Analysis of antibody sequences

Sequences of antibody discovered as therapeutic option for COVID-19 are required to be analyzed before subjecting the sequence for further analysis. Since all variable domains fold into a series of beta strands joined by loops in a very similar 3D shape, the complementarity-determining regions (CDRs) are six of these loops at the top, where these regions develop loops that extend from the surface of the antibody, will result in direct contact with the antigen (). Numbering each residue according to a conventional approach is very helpful for sequence comparisons and engineering due to the continuity of the antibody structural similarity. Precise identification and characterization of these antibody regions are crucial in development and modification of antibodies (Patel et al., 2023). These annotated CDRs establish a significant degree of variation in antibody structure (Wong et al., 2019). Hence, it is critical for recognizing CDR to ensure its binding to a specific antigenic molecule before posing modifications to the antibody.

Numbering schemes with different approaches and set of applications have been developed to standardize the annotation of CDRs. An early yet widespread approach for annotating CDRs is the Kabat numbering scheme, which detects hypervariable regions and relies on the antibody sequences alignment (). The 3D structure of the antibodies is the foundation of Chothia numbering scheme () which emphasizes the structural locations of CDRs and the protected framework areas that sustain them. An enhanced version of the original Chothia scheme, the Martin scheme, introduces more structural insights and improves the numbering to cover a greater number of spots (Martin and Thornton, 1996), however, it has not been widely utilized. The well-established and comprehensive IMGT numbering scheme, annotates immunoglobulin and T cell receptors (Lefranc et al., 2015). It offers a standardized framework for comparing different species by ensuring consistency across species and antibody types by defining CDRs using both sequence and structural data.

Immunogenicity of the antibody sequences is also predicted to assess the immunogenic response of the therapeutic antibody which ensures safety and effectiveness. Immunogenicity prediction analysis helps in determining whether the antibody sequences exhibit low immunogenicity by identifying significant epitopes and ensuring that they fall below thresholds associated with strong immune activation. These antibodies can enhance their feasibility and reduce detrimental immune responses in various patient populations ().

ANARCI (), an online tool that offers to annotate variable domains of antibodies from various species, enabling precise identification of CDRs and their alignment for immunogenicity analysis, is widely used in several SARS-CoV-2 studies (Wang et al., 2022; Xu et al., 2021; Zhou et al., 2023). Antibody region-specific alignment (AbRSA) (Li et al., 2019), is also a platform to perform sequence analysis by delimiting the CDRs and antibody numbering for numerous antibodies targeting viral particles (Dănăilă and Buiu, 2022; Dzimianski et al., 2023; Singh et al., 2023).

2.2 Modeling of 3D antibody

The successive unfolding process of protein folding transforms the protein sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 binding antibodies, which are mostly composed of a linear sequence of amino acids, into a functional three-dimensional antibody structure (Poluri et al., 2021). The arrangement of the amino acids determines its basic structure. From this linear arrangement, localized folding results in the formation of secondary structures including alpha helices and beta sheets, which are fuelled by hydrogen bonds between adjacent amino acids. The intricate three-dimensional tertiary structure is its repercussions of the continuous folding of the secondary structure together with the inclusion of loops and turns of the antibody (Rehman et al., 2022).

Protein folding analysis provides many useful insights about the interaction of the antibody especially through identifying the structure of CDR loop formations, but this multifaceted process requires expensive and specialized equipment, making it a challenging task before computational tools are being employed (; ). But as time passes, using in silico technology, where protein modeling has allowed for generally reliable predictions to be made (Srivastava et al., 2018). The goal of protein modeling is to make use of a range of computer methods to analyze amino acid sequences to predict the three-dimensional (3D) structure of the antibody sequences. Protein modeling provides distinctive approaches for predicting protein structures through a variety of tools that has been included on Table 2, which uses the protein sequences as an input ().

AlphaFold2 (; Ruff and Pappu, 2021; Skolnick et al., 2021) produces remarkably accurate 3D structure predictions using a neural network architecture that has been trained on a large database of structural and protein sequence data. This tool is utilized in various SARS-CoV-2-related studies that explore the binding behavior of its structural proteins (; ; Raisinghani et al., 2024). There are also several studies on the structural analysis of antibodies that prove the modeling capability of AlphaFold2 for antibody sequences (; Yin et al., 2022). SWISS-MODEL (Schwede et al., 2003) utilizes a homology-modeling approach that is performed iteratively until a satisfactory model structure is obtained. 3D structures of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (Schepens et al., 2021; ) were successfully determined through this tool. MODELLER (Šali and Blundell, 1993) is a 3D modeling standalone tool, used to predict the 3D structure of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies (Mercurio et al., 2021; Yang et al., 2021) and restore missing residues in its structure (Martí et al., 2022; ). RoseTTAFold is one of the modeling tools that uses neural network-based techniques, incorporating connection between sequences, atomic coordinates, residue-residue orientations, and distances. This tool has been used in several studies on SARS-CoV-2 antibody discovery (; ; Lubin et al., 2021). ABodyBuilder (Leem et al., 2016) is an antibody modeling software that incorporates multiple tools, including ABangle () and FREAD (). Since this tool is specialized for antibody modeling, numerous studies employed ABodyBuilder to model the variable region of antibodies (; ; Rouet et al., 2023) which also includes bispecific antibody (Ojha et al., 2022).

2.3 Evaluation of antibody interaction

The specificity of a novel or pre-existing antibody of SARS-CoV-2 can be accessed through validation in silico using computational tools. The binding properties of an antibody are primarily determined by the sequence and structure of CDRs through molecular docking. Molecular docking is performed using the analyzed and modeled 3D antibody structures to study the interaction by predicting the preferred orientation, affinity, and interaction of an antibody-antigen complex by analyzing intermolecular interactions (Koçer and Çelik, 2024).

Molecular docking is a process that anticipates atomic-level molecular interactions (). Molecular docking can be performed with various types of biological molecules which include small molecules such as drugs, metabolites, ligands, inhibitors, ions (; Noreen et al., 2023), and complex molecules that comprise DNA, RNA, proteins, peptides, carbohydrates, nucleosides (; Madku et al., 2023; Weng et al., 2020). According to research by (Shahmirzaie et al., 2020), molecular docking has proven its capability of being a pioneering analysis to validate biological model interaction by providing binding site information. In the process of validation of antibody binding, molecular docking helps in predicting the preferred orientation of an antibody to the targeted antigen when these molecules are bound to each other to form a stable complex ().

Binding of an antibody exhibits both rigid and flexible properties which is essential for efficient antigen recognition and immune response (). Electrostatic interactions and complementary structures lead to a relatively rigid and specific binding between the paratope and epitope where the rigidity ensures high-affinity binding and specificity (Zeng et al., 2023). On the other hand, the antibody also exhibits flexibility that facilitates conformational changes in the antigen and antibody. Flexibility allows the antibody to bind to a wide range of epitopes and identify antigens with various conformations by allowing it to accommodate variations in the antigen structure (Kilambi and Gray, 2017). An induced-fit mechanism takes place in binding conditions, where the conformational changes between the antigen and antibody are made upon binding to enhance their interactions. The flexibility of an antibody allows it to adapt to the structural alterations in the antigen and improves binding affinity (). In general, an antibody requires dynamic equilibrium between rigid and flexible phases upon its binding to the antigen.

RosettaDock is a docking approach that optimizes both rigid-body orientations and side-chain conformation (Lyskov and Gray, 2008). RosettaDock is used to perform docking of nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) (Yang et al., 2021), monoclonal antibodies against rare antigenic site of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (Suryadevara et al., 2024) and a specific antibody against SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to improvise the binding affinity (Neamtu et al., 2023). ZDOCK uses Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) to yield less clash penalty in docking (). Several studies employed ZDOCK to study the SARS-CoV-2 antibody-antigen interaction (Khan et al., 2020; Nath et al., 2021). HawkDock is an unique docking tool with integration of the ATTRACT docking algorithm and the MM/GBSA free energy that allows determination of antibody-antigen binding precisely (Weng et al., 2019). Docking is performed through this tool with nanobodies and therapeutic antibodies for interaction analysis (Shah and Woo, 2022; Yang et al., 2024). ClusPro is a widely used docking tool that has benchmarked against alternative docking tools in Critical Assessment of Predicted Interactions (CAPRI) studies (Kozakov et al., 2017). This tool employed to study the binding properties of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein RBD with nanobodies (Shang et al., 2024) and SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with monoclonal antibodies (Nath et al., 2021). High Ambiguity Driven Docking Approach (HADDOCK) harnesses biochemical and biophysical interaction data, including mutagenesis or chemical shift perturbation data from NMR titration experiments to obtain near-native results. Binding prediction of the antibodies discovered with the targeted site on SARS-CoV-2 is performed in several studies using this tool (; ).

2.4 Developability evaluation of antibody

The developability of antibody models discovered using in silico approach for COVID-19 will be studied and validated as they can aligned with the real-time experimentally produced therapeutic antibodies. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations offer a dynamic and comprehensive understanding of biomolecular behavior at the atomic level, and have developed to be an essential tool in the study of computational biophysics (Lemm et al., 2021). In the field of antibody design, MD simulations have shown to be very helpful as a reliable means of testing in silico designs, bridging the gap between computational predictions and experimental findings by providing insights into the structures.

MD simulations operate based on the basic principles of classical mechanics, which make use of Newton’s equations of motion to predict the motions of individual atoms in a molecular system (Shukla and Tripathi, 2020). MD simulations accurately depict the interactions between atoms, including the flexibility of bonds, angle bending, and non-bonded interactions such as van der Waals forces and electrostatics, by applying a force field, a mathematical model that defines the potential energy of the system (). The force field selection is essential to the precision and dependability of MD simulations since it significantly impacts the simulation outcomes. Numerous force fields with unique strengths and applications have been developed over time. CHARMM force field is one of the most common and extensible force fields in computational chemistry which operates exceptionally well to simulate lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids (). AMBER force field is particularly utilized for proteins and nucleic acids (Wang et al., 2004). The goal of AMBER is to supply precise parameter sets for biomolecular systems. The temporary conformational state of antibody binding is not always visible in static crystal structures but only can be revealed by MD simulations. Accurate parameterization of these forcefields in MD simulation play pivotal roles in comprehending the principles underlying antibody binding and refining antibody architectures to enhance their affinity and specificity for target antigens (Shaw et al., 2010).

GROMACS, an open-source software package designed for molecular dynamics simulations of biochemical molecules including proteins, acts as an in silico to study the behavior of antibody and antibody-antigen complexes at the atomic level (; Van Der Spoel et al., 2005). The stability of various SARS-CoV-2 antibody-antigen complexes, including complexes involving the SARS-CoV-2 S protein and bispecific antibodies, as well as the SARS-CoV-2 S protein trimer with monoclonal antibodies, was assessed by measuring the root-mean-square fluctuation (RMSF) of the complexes to quantify dynamic stability (; ).

3 Discussion

The global response to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak has emphasized the critical necessity of quick therapeutic progress. Handling SARS-CoV-2 live virus necessitates adherence to Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) laboratory standards as SARS-CoV-2 can be transmitted by air that can lead to respiratory transmission (). Compliance with the biosafety regulations of BSL-3 adds to the time and cost of research as it requires a list of facilities and personal protective equipment (Loibner et al., 2021). In this case, in silico approach have grown to be valuable in antibody discovery of SARS-CoV-2.

The usage of computational tools complements various parts of the experimental approach of antibody discovery for SARS-CoV-2. The process of discovering new antibodies necessitates creating antibody libraries consisting of a pool of antibodies featuring various binding sites and screening them to select the antibody candidates with the best binding affinities (Kelley, 2020). Thus, the usage of molecular docking streamlines the process by cutting down the necessity to use experimental approach, which includes handling SARS-CoV-2 antigen or virus for repeated screening (; ; ).

Molecular dynamic simulation bridges the gap between the in silico-developed antibodies and experimentally produced antibodies by mimicking the near-native condition of the antibody (). Researchers can minimize the repeated usage of live SARS-CoV-2 virus and other experimental assays as these simulations reduce the dependence on experimental assessments while retaining a high level of accuracy (). Determination of antibody 3D structure is also one of the most essential contributions of in silico approach in antibody discovery. 3D modelling is a useful complement to approaches such as cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography for predicting the three-dimensional structure of antibodies. Computational modeling of 3D structure of the antibodies offers a cost-effective alternative, as the equipment required for the conventional approach is expensive to acquire and maintain (; ).

Although implementation of in silico approach in SARS-CoV-2 antibody discovery significantly reduce the time and resource investments, transitioning from in silico predictions to experimentally validated antibodies present a few limitations. Biological systems are inherently complex, and in silico models often oversimplify these intricacies. Although in silico approaches can predict the near-native structure and conditions of antibodies, it unable to capture the complexity of the biological system such as glycosylation (). Hence, developing integrated workflows that combine in silico predictions with experimental validation can optimise the transition between these stages.

Moreover, the effectiveness of in silico tools heavily depends on the availability of high-quality training data. Rapid evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in limited repositories of updated experimentally validated sequences and structural data in public databases (). Limited availability of the information may hinder the accuracy of the computational tools and the accuracy of the computational predicts is compromised by this shortage of data. Expansion of these databases and providing quality training datasets for computational tools are critical steps that enhance the performance of in silico tools (Norman et al., 2019; Khuat et al., 2024).

4 Conclusion

Antibody development is anticipated to accelerate at the greatest pace in upcoming years in life sciences, particularly in the fight against infectious diseases such as SARS-CoV-2. Researchers will be able to construct antibodies precisely but effortlessly due to the developments in bioinformatics and computer modeling. The in silico approach simplifies the process of antibody structure prediction and interaction analysis by providing a molecular dynamic simulation approach for validation. This method greatly improves the speed, economic performance, as well as effectiveness of the process of developing novel therapeutic antibodies. Although precision of computational assessments is reliant upon existing data and models, in silico technologies offer a quick and efficient means of prevention and treatment, that significantly reduce the worldwide burden of this infectious disease. The approaches are also having potential to resurface our knowledge of the immune system and antigen-antibody interaction advances. Overall, the idea of creating antibodies through in silico design has huge implications for the future prevention and management of SARS-CoV-2 and other infectious diseases.

Statements

Author contributions

TS: Conceptualization, Writing–original draft, Writing–review and editing. SM: Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Supervision, Writing–review and editing. WC: Supervision, Writing–review and editing. KA: Supervision, Validation, Writing–review and editing.

Funding

The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. The research is funded by Ministry of Higher Education under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) No: FRGS/1/2022/SKK06/UTM/02/3.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Ministry of Higher Education for providing financial support under Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS) No: FRGS/1/2022/SKK06/UTM/02/3. The title of the FRGS grant: Elucidation of antiviral properties of SARS-CoV-2 membrane and envelope proteins recombinant diabody. The present study is a review for the methodology of antibody discovery using in silico technology.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Generative AI statement

The author(s) declare that no Generative AI was used in the creation of this manuscript.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

References

  • 1

    AgnihotryS.PathakR. K.SinghD. B.TiwariA.HussainI. (2022). “Chapter 11 - protein structure prediction,” in Bioinformatics. Editors SinghD. B.PathakR. K. (Academic Press).

  • 2

    AguP. C.AfiukwaC. A.OrjiO. U.EzehE. M.OfokeI. H.OgbuC. O.et al (2023). Molecular docking as a tool for the discovery of molecular targets of nutraceuticals in diseases management. Sci. Rep.13, 13398. 10.1038/s41598-023-40160-2

  • 3

    AliM. A.Caetano-AnollésG. (2024). AlphaFold2 reveals structural patterns of seasonal haplotype diversification in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variants. Biology13, 134. 10.3390/biology13030134

  • 4

    AlshahraniM. R. (2023). Computational analysis of antibody binding mechanisms to the omicron RBD of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein: identification of epitopes and hotspots for developing effective therapeutic strategies. Orange, California, USA: Chapman University Digital Commons.

  • 5

    Al-TawfiqJ. A.Al-HomoudA. H.MemishZ. A. (2020). Remdesivir as a possible therapeutic option for the COVID-19. Travel Med. Infect. Dis.34, 101615. 10.1016/j.tmaid.2020.101615

  • 6

    AntipovaN. V.LarionovaT. D.SiniavinA. E.NikiforovaM. A.GushchinV. A.BabichenkoI. I.et al (2020). Establishment of murine hybridoma cells producing antibodies against spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. Int. J. Mol. Sci.21, 9167. 10.3390/ijms21239167

  • 7

    ArbelR.Wolff SagyY.HoshenM.BattatE.LavieG.SergienkoR.et al (2022). Nirmatrelvir use and severe covid-19 outcomes during the omicron surge. N. Engl. J. Med.387, 790798. 10.1056/nejmoa2204919

  • 8

    AzizS.WaqasM.MohantaT. K.HalimS. A.IqbalA.AliA.et al (2023). Identifying non-nucleoside inhibitors of RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase of SARS-CoV-2 through per-residue energy decomposition-based pharmacophore modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulation. J. Infect. Public Health16, 501519. 10.1016/j.jiph.2023.02.009

  • 9

    BadarM. S.ShamsiS.AhmedJ.AlamM. A. (2022). Molecular dynamics simulations: concept, methods, and applications. Transdisciplinarity: Springer.

  • 10

    BairochA.ApweilerR. (2000). The SWISS-PROT protein sequence database and its supplement TrEMBL in 2000. Nucleic Acids Res.28, 4548. 10.1093/nar/28.1.45

  • 11

    BeigelJ. H.TomashekK. M.DoddL. E.MehtaA. K.ZingmanB. S.KalilA. C.et al (2020). Remdesivir for the treatment of covid-19 - final report. N. Engl. J. Med.383, 18131826. 10.1056/nejmoa2007764

  • 12

    BekkerG. J.FukudaI.HigoJ.KamiyaN. (2020). Mutual population-shift driven antibody-peptide binding elucidated by molecular dynamics simulations. Sci. Rep.10, 1406. 10.1038/s41598-020-58320-z

  • 13

    BenjinX.LingL. (2020). Developments, applications, and prospects of cryo-electron microscopy. Protein Sci.29, 872882. 10.1002/pro.3805

  • 14

    BerendsenH. J. C.Van Der SpoelD.Van DrunenR. (1995). GROMACS: a message-passing parallel molecular dynamics implementation. Comput. Phys. Commun.91, 4356. 10.1016/0010-4655(95)00042-e

  • 15

    BernsteinF. C.KoetzleT. F.WilliamsG. J.MeyerE. F.Jr.BriceM. D.RodgersJ. R.et al (1977). The Protein Data Bank: a computer-based archival file for macromolecular structures. J. Mol. Biol.112, 535542. 10.1016/s0022-2836(77)80200-3

  • 16

    BeshnovaD.FangY.DuM.SunY.DuF.YeJ.et al (2022). Computational approach for binding prediction of SARS-CoV-2 with neutralizing antibodies. Comput. Struct. Biotechnol. J.20, 22122222. 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.04.038

  • 17

    BoorlaV. S.ChowdhuryR.RamasubramanianR.AmeglioB.FrickR.GrayJ. J.et al (2023). De novo design and Rosetta-based assessment of high-affinity antibody variable regions (Fv) against the SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor binding domain (RBD). Proteins91, 196208. 10.1002/prot.26422

  • 18

    BritoJ. A.ArcherM. (2020). “Chapter 10 - structural biology techniques: X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and small-angle X-ray scattering,” in Practical approaches to biological inorganic chemistry. Editors CrichtonR. R.LouroR. O.Second Edition (Elsevier).

  • 19

    BrooksB. R.BrooksC. L.3rdMackerellA. D.Jr.NilssonL.PetrellaR. J.RouxB.et al (2009). CHARMM: the biomolecular simulation program. J. Comput. Chem.30, 15451614. 10.1002/jcc.21287

  • 20

    ChenR.LiL.WengZ. (2003). ZDOCK: an initial‐stage protein‐docking algorithm. Proteins Struct. Funct. Bioinforma.52, 8087. 10.1002/prot.10389

  • 21

    ChenZ.AzmanA. S.ChenX.ZouJ.TianY.SunR.et al (2022). Global landscape of SARS-CoV-2 genomic surveillance and data sharing. Nat. Genet.54, 499507. 10.1038/s41588-022-01033-y

  • 22

    ChengM. H.PorrittR. A.RivasM. N.KriegerJ. M.OzdemirA. B.GarciaG.Jr.et al (2020). A monoclonal antibody against staphylococcal enterotoxin B superantigen inhibits SARS-CoV-2 entry in vitro. bioRxiv, 2020.11.24.395079. 10.1101/2020.11.24.395079

  • 23

    CheungJ.WazirS.BellD. R.KochenderferJ. N.HendricksonW. A.YoukharibacheP. (2023). Crystal structure of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) scFv domain rearrangement forming a VL-VL dimer. Crystals13, 710. 10.3390/cryst13040710

  • 24

    ChoiY.DeaneC. M. (2010). FREAD revisited: accurate loop structure prediction using a database search algorithm. Proteins78, 14311440. 10.1002/prot.22658

  • 25

    ChothiaC.LeskA. M. (1987). Canonical structures for the hypervariable regions of immunoglobulins. J. Mol. Biol.196, 901917. 10.1016/0022-2836(87)90412-8

  • 26

    DasN. C.ChakrabortyP.BayryJ.MukherjeeS. (2022). In silico analyses on the comparative potential of therapeutic human monoclonal antibodies against newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants bearing mutant spike protein. Front. Immunol.12, 782506. 10.3389/fimmu.2021.782506

  • 27

    DasN. C.ChakrabortyP.BayryJ.MukherjeeS. (2023). Comparative binding ability of human monoclonal antibodies against Omicron variants of SARS-CoV-2: an in silico investigation. Antibodies12, 17. 10.3390/antib12010017

  • 28

    DaviesD. R.ChackoS. (1993). Antibody structure. Accounts Chem. Res.26, 421427. 10.1021/ar00032a005

  • 29

    DănăilăV.-R.BuiuC. (2022). Prediction of HIV sensitivity to monoclonal antibodies using aminoacid sequences and deep learning. Bioinformatics38, 42784285.

  • 30

    DesautelsT. A.ArrildtK. T.ZemlaA. T.LauE. Y.ZhuF.RicciD.et al (2023). Computationally restoring the potency of a clinical antibody against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants. bioRxiv, 513237. 10.1101/2022.10.21.513237

  • 31

    DeLanoW. L. (2002). Pymol: An open-source molecular graphics tool. CCP4 Newsl. Prote. Crysta.40, 8292.

  • 32

    DominguezC.BoelensR.BonvinA. M. (2003). HADDOCK: a protein-protein docking approach based on biochemical or biophysical information. J. Am. Chem. Soc.125, 17311737. 10.1021/ja026939x

  • 33

    DuK.HuangH. (2023). Development of anti-PD-L1 antibody based on structure prediction of AlphaFold2. Front. Immunol.14, 1275999. 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1275999

  • 34

    DunbarJ.DeaneC. M. (2015). ANARCI: antigen receptor numbering and receptor classification. Bioinformatics32, 298300. 10.1093/bioinformatics/btv552

  • 35

    DunbarJ.FuchsA.ShiJ.DeaneC. M. (2013). ABangle: characterising the VH-VL orientation in antibodies. Protein Eng. Des. Sel.26, 611620. 10.1093/protein/gzt020

  • 36

    DzimianskiJ. V.HanJ.SauttoG. A.O’rourkeS. M.CruzJ. M.PierceS. R.et al (2023). Structural insights into the broad protection against H1 influenza viruses by a computationally optimized hemagglutinin vaccine. Communi. Bio.6, 454.

  • 37

    Fernández-QuinteroM. L.LoefflerJ. R.BacherL. M.WaiblF.SeidlerC. A.LiedlK. R. (2020). Local and global rigidification upon antibody affinity maturation. Front. Mol. Biosci.7, 182. 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00182

  • 38

    FordC. T.Jacob MachadoD.JaniesD. A. (2022). Predictions of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant (B. 1.1. 529) spike protein receptor-binding domain structure and neutralizing antibody interactions. Front. Virology2, 830202. 10.3389/fviro.2022.830202

  • 39

    FordC. T.YasaS.Jacob MachadoD.White IiiR. A.JaniesD. A. (2023). Predicting changes in neutralizing antibody activity for SARS-CoV-2 XBB. 1.5 using in silico protein modeling. Front. Virology3, 1172027. 10.3389/fviro.2023.1172027

  • 40

    FungK. M.LaiS. J.LinT. L.TsengT. S. (2022). Antigen-antibody complex-guided exploration of the hotspots conferring the immune-escaping ability of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD. Front. Mol. Biosci.9, 797132. 10.3389/fmolb.2022.797132

  • 41

    García-VegaM.Melgoza-GonzálezE. A.Hernández-ValenzuelaS.Hinojosa-TrujilloD.Reséndiz-SandovalM.Llamas-CovarrubiasM. A.et al (2023). 19n01, a broadly neutralizing antibody against omicron BA.1, BA.2, BA.4/5, and other SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. iScience26, 106562. 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106562

  • 42

    GaudreaultF.CorbeilC. R.SuleaT. (2023). Enhanced antibody-antigen structure prediction from molecular docking using AlphaFold2. Sci. Rep.13, 15107. 10.1038/s41598-023-42090-5

  • 43

    GironC. C.LaaksonenA.Da SilvaF. L. B. (2020). On the interactions of the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins with monoclonal antibodies and the receptor ACE2. Virus Res.285, 198021. 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198021

  • 44

    GordonC. J.TchesnokovE. P.SchinaziR. F.GötteM. (2021). Molnupiravir promotes SARS-CoV-2 mutagenesis via the RNA template. J. Biol. Chem.297, 100770. 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100770

  • 45

    GuC.CaoX.WangZ.HuX.YaoY.ZhouY.et al (2021). A human antibody of potent efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in rhesus macaques showed strong blocking activity to B.1.351. mAbs13, 1930636. 10.1080/19420862.2021.1930636

  • 46

    HarrisC. T.CohenS. (2024). Reducing immunogenicity by design: approaches to minimize immunogenicity of monoclonal antibodies. BioDrugs38, 205226. 10.1007/s40259-023-00641-2

  • 47

    HernandezN. E.JankowskiW.FrickR.KelowS. P.LubinJ. H.SimhadriV.et al (2023). Computational design of nanomolar-binding antibodies specific to multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants by engineering a specificity switch of antibody 80R using RosettaAntibodyDesign (RAbD) results in potential generalizable therapeutic antibodies for novel SARS-CoV-2 virus. Heliyon9, e15032. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e15032

  • 48

    HumphreyW.DalkeA.SchultenK. (1996). VMD: visual molecular dynamics. J. Molecu. Graph.14, 3338.

  • 49

    HuloN.BairochA.BulliardV.CeruttiL.De CastroE.Langendijk-GenevauxP. S.et al (2006). The PROSITE database. Nucleic Acids Res.34, D227D230. 10.1093/nar/gkj063

  • 50

  • 51

    IvanovV.LohachovaK.KolesnikY.ZakharovA.YevsieievaL.KyrychenkoA.et al (2023). Recent advances in computational drug discovery for therapy against coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Sci. Pharm. Sci.10.15587/2519-4852.2023.290318

  • 52

    JabaliaN.KumarA.KumarV.RaniR. (2021). “In silico approach in drug design and drug discovery: an update,” in Innovations and implementations of computer aided drug discovery strategies in rational drug design. Editor SINGHS. K. (Singapore: Springer Singapore).

  • 53

    JairajpuriD. S.HussainA.NasreenK.MohammadT.AnjumF.RehmanM. T.et al (2021). Identification of natural compounds as potent inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 main protease using combined docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Saudi J. Biol. Sci.28, 24232431. 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.040

  • 54

    JandovaZ.VargiuA. V.BonvinA. M. J. J. (2021). Native or non-native protein–protein docking models? Molecular dynamics to the rescue. J. Chem. Theory Comput.17, 59445954. 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c00336

  • 55

    JaradA. J.DahiM. A.Al-NoorT. H.El-AjailyM. M.Al-AyashS. R.AbdouA. (2023). Synthesis, spectral studies, DFT, biological evaluation, molecular docking and dyeing performance of 1-(4-((2-amino-5-methoxy)diazenyl)phenyl) ethanone complexes with some metallic ions. J. Mol. Struct.1287, 135703. 10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.135703

  • 56

    JiaoY.XingY.SunY. (2023). Impact of E484Q and L452R mutations on structure and binding behavior of SARS-CoV-2 B. 1.617. 1 using deep learning AlphaFold2, molecular docking and dynamics simulation. Int. J. Mol. Sci.24, 11564. 10.3390/ijms241411564

  • 57

    JingH.GaoZ.XuS.ShenT.PengZ.HeS.et al (2024). Accurate prediction of antibody function and structure using bio-inspired antibody language model. Briefings Bioinforma.25, bbae245. 10.1093/bib/bbae245

  • 58

    KabatE. A. (1991). Sequences of proteins of immunological interest.

  • 59

    KashkooliF. M.SoltaniM.SouriM.MeaneyC.KohandelM. (2021). Nexus between in silico and in vivo models to enhance clinical translation of nanomedicine. Nano Today36, 101057. 10.1016/j.nantod.2020.101057

  • 60

    KauferA. M.TheisT.LauK. A.GrayJ. L.RawlinsonW. D. (2020). Laboratory biosafety measures involving SARS-CoV-2 and the classification as a Risk Group 3 biological agent. Pathology52, 790795. 10.1016/j.pathol.2020.09.006

  • 61

    KeamS. J. (2022). Tixagevimab + cilgavimab: first approval. Drugs82, 10011010. 10.1007/s40265-022-01731-1

  • 62

    KelleyB. (2020). Developing therapeutic monoclonal antibodies at pandemic pace. Nat. Biotechnol.38, 540545. 10.1038/s41587-020-0512-5

  • 63

    KhanM. K. A.PokharkarN. B.Al-KhodairyF. M.Al-MarshadF. M.ArifJ. M. (2020). Structural perspective on molecular interaction of IgG and IgA with spike and envelope proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and its implications to non-specific immunity. Biointerface Res. Appl. Chem.11, 1092310939. 10.33263/briac113.1092310939

  • 64

    KhuatT. T.BassettR.OtteE.Grevis-JamesA.GabrysB. (2024). Applications of machine learning in antibody discovery, process development, manufacturing and formulation: current trends, challenges, and opportunities. Comput. and Chem. Eng.182, 108585. 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2024.108585

  • 65

    KilambiK. P.GrayJ. J. (2017). Structure-based cross-docking analysis of antibody-antigen interactions. Sci. Rep.7, 8145. 10.1038/s41598-017-08414-y

  • 66

    KimJ. W.MinS. W.LeeJ.ShinH. G.ChoiH. L.YangH. R.et al (2022). Development and characterization of phage-display-derived novel human monoclonal antibodies against the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. Biomedicines10, 3274. 10.3390/biomedicines10123274

  • 67

    Koçerİ.ÇelikE. (2024). In silico analysis of the different variable domain oriented single-chain variable fragment antibody-antigen complexes. J. Biomol. Struct. Dyn.42, 46994709. 10.1080/07391102.2023.2222191

  • 68

    KöhlerG.MilsteinC. (1975). Continuous cultures of fused cells secreting antibody of predefined specificity. Nature256, 495497. 10.1038/256495a0

  • 69

    KozakovD.HallD. R.XiaB.PorterK. A.PadhornyD.YuehC.et al (2017). The ClusPro web server for protein–protein docking. Nat. Protoc.12, 255278. 10.1038/nprot.2016.169

  • 70

    LeemJ.DunbarJ.GeorgesG.ShiJ.DeaneC. M. (2016). ABodyBuilder: automated antibody structure prediction with data-driven accuracy estimation. MAbs8, 12591268. 10.1080/19420862.2016.1205773

  • 71

    LefrancM. P.GiudicelliV.DurouxP.Jabado-MichaloudJ.FolchG.AouintiS.et al (2015). IMGT®, the international ImMunoGeneTics information system® 25 years on. Nucleic Acids Res.43, D413D422. 10.1093/nar/gku1056

  • 72

    LemmD.Von RudorffG. F.Von LilienfeldO. A. (2021). Machine learning based energy-free structure predictions of molecules, transition states, and solids. Nat. Commun.12, 4468. 10.1038/s41467-021-24525-7

  • 73

    LiL.ChenS.MiaoZ.LiuY.LiuX.XiaoZ. X.et al (2019). AbRSA: a robust tool for antibody numbering. Protein Sci.28, 15241531. 10.1002/pro.3633

  • 74

    LiangT.JiangC.YuanJ.OthmanY.XieX.-Q.FengZ. (2022). Differential performance of RoseTTAFold in antibody modeling. Briefings Bioinforma.23, bbac152. 10.1093/bib/bbac152

  • 75

    Lo ConteL.AileyB.HubbardT. J.BrennerS. E.MurzinA. G.ChothiaC. (2000). SCOP: a structural classification of proteins database. Nucleic Acids Res.28, 257259. 10.1093/nar/28.1.257

  • 76

    LoibnerM.LangnerC.RegitnigP.GorkiewiczG.ZatloukalK. (2021). Biosafety requirements for autopsies of patients with COVID-19: example of a BSL-3 autopsy facility designed for highly pathogenic agents. Pathobiology88, 3745. 10.1159/000513438

  • 77

    LubinJ. H.MarkosianC.BalamuruganD.PasqualiniR.ArapW.BurleyS. K.et al (2021). Structural models of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in complex with ACE2 receptor or antibodies suggest altered binding interfaces. New York, USA: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

  • 78

    LyskovS.GrayJ. J. (2008). The RosettaDock server for local protein–protein docking. Nucleic acids Res.36, W233W238. 10.1093/nar/gkn216

  • 79

    MadkuS. R.SahooB. K.LavanyaK.ReddyR. S.BodapatiA. T. S. (2023). DNA binding studies of antifungal drug posaconazole using spectroscopic and molecular docking methods. Int. J. Biol. Macromol.225, 745756. 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2022.11.137

  • 80

    MartíD.AlsinaM.AlemánC.BertranO.TuronP.TorrasJ. (2022). Unravelling the molecular interactions between the SARS-CoV-2 RBD spike protein and various specific monoclonal antibodies. Biochimie193, 90102. 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.10.013

  • 81

    MartinA. C.ThorntonJ. M. (1996). Structural families in loops of homologous proteins: automatic classification, modelling and application to antibodies. J. Mol. Biol.263, 800815. 10.1006/jmbi.1996.0617

  • 82

    MercurioI.TragniV.BustoF.De GrassiA.PierriC. L. (2021). Protein structure analysis of the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and the human ACE2 receptor: from conformational changes to novel neutralizing antibodies. Cell. Mol. Life Sci.78, 15011522. 10.1007/s00018-020-03580-1

  • 83

  • 84

    MoraesJ. Z.HamaguchiB.BraggionC.SpecialeE. R.CesarF. B. V.SoaresG.et al (2021). Hybridoma technology: is it still useful?Curr. Res. Immunol.2, 3240. 10.1016/j.crimmu.2021.03.002

  • 85

    NathH.MallickA.RoyS.SuklaS.BiswasS. (2021). Computational modelling supports that dengue virus envelope antibodies can bind to SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding sites: is pre-exposure to dengue virus protective against COVID-19 severity?Comput. Struct. Biotechnol. J.19, 459466. 10.1016/j.csbj.2020.12.037

  • 86

    NeamtuA.MocciF.LaaksonenA.Da SilvaF. L. B. (2023). Towards an optimal monoclonal antibody with higher binding affinity to the receptor-binding domain of SARS-CoV-2 spike proteins from different variants. Colloids Surfaces B Biointerfaces221, 112986. 10.1016/j.colsurfb.2022.112986

  • 87

    NoreenS.SumrraS. H.ChohanZ. H.MustafaG.ImranM. (2023). Synthesis, characterization, molecular docking and network pharmacology of bioactive metallic sulfonamide-isatin ligands against promising drug targets. J. Mol. Struct.1277, 134780. 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.134780

  • 88

    NormanR. A.AmbrosettiF.BonvinA. M. J. J.ColwellL. J.KelmS.KumarS.et al (2019). Computational approaches to therapeutic antibody design: established methods and emerging trends. Briefings Bioinforma.21, 15491567. 10.1093/bib/bbz095

  • 89

    OjhaR.GurjarK.RatnakarT. S.MishraA.PrajapatiV. K. (2022). Designing of a bispecific antibody against SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein targeting human entry receptors DPP4 and ACE2. Hum. Immunol.83, 346355. 10.1016/j.humimm.2022.01.004

  • 90

    OrdersM. (2022). An EUA for bebtelovimab for treatment of COVID-19. Med. Lett. Drugs Ther.64, 4142.

  • 91

    PatelR.VermaP.NagrajA. K.GavadeA.SharmaO. P.PatilJ. (2023). Significance of antibody numbering systems in the development of antibody engineering. Hum. Antibodies31, 7180. 10.3233/hab-230014

  • 92

    PizzatoM.BaraldiC.Boscato SopettoG.FinozziD.GentileC.GentileM. D.et al (2022). SARS-CoV-2 and the host cell: a tale of interactions. Front. Virology1. 10.3389/fviro.2021.815388

  • 93

    PoluriK. M.GulatiK.SarkarS. (2021). “Structural and functional properties of proteins,” in Protein-protein interactions: principles and techniques, Vol. I. Singapore: Springer Singapore, 160. 10.1007/978-981-16-1594-8_1

  • 94

    RaisinghaniN.AlshahraniM.GuptaG.XiaoS.TaoP.VerkhivkerG. (2024). Exploring conformational landscapes and binding mechanisms of convergent evolution for the SARS-CoV-2 spike Omicron variant complexes with the ACE2 receptor using AlphaFold2-based structural ensembles and molecular dynamics simulations. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys.26, 1772017744. 10.1039/d4cp01372g

  • 95

    RaybouldM. I. J.MarksC.LewisA. P.ShiJ.BujotzekA.TaddeseB.et al (2020). Thera-SAbDab: the therapeutic structural antibody database. Nucleic Acids Res.48, D383d388. 10.1093/nar/gkz827

  • 96

    RehmanI.KerndtC. C.BotelhoS. (2022). Biochemistry, tertiary protein structure. Treasure Island, Florida, USA: StatPearls Publishing. StatPearls.

  • 97

    RoodinkI.Van ErpM.LiA.PotterS.Van DuijnhovenS. M. J.SmitsM.et al (2024). Broad epitope coverage of therapeutic multi-antibody combinations targeting SARS-CoV-2 boosts in vivo protection and neutralization potency to corner an immune-evading virus. Biomedicines12, 642. 10.3390/biomedicines12030642

  • 98

    RouetR.HenryJ. Y.JohansenM. D.SobtiM.BalachandranH.LangleyD. B.et al (2023). Broadly neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 antibodies through epitope-based selection from convalescent patients. Nat. Commun.14, 687. 10.1038/s41467-023-36295-5

  • 99

    RuffK. M.PappuR. V. (2021). AlphaFold and implications for intrinsically disordered proteins. J. Mol. Biol.433, 167208. 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167208

  • 100

    Safarzadeh KozaniP.SheikhiM.BaharifarN.Dashti ShokoohiS.SheikhiS.MirarefinS. M. J.et al (2022). Bebtelovimab: the FDA-approved monoclonal antibody for treating patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19. J. Adv. Immunopharmacol.2, e130706. 10.5812/tms-130706

  • 101

    ŠaliA.BlundellT. L. (1993). Comparative protein modelling by satisfaction of spatial restraints. J. Mol. Biol.234, 779815. 10.1006/jmbi.1993.1626

  • 102

    SchepensB.Van SchieL.NerinckxW.RooseK.Van BreedamW.FijalkowskaD.et al (2021). An affinity-enhanced, broadly neutralizing heavy chain–only antibody protects against SARS-CoV-2 infection in animal models. Sci. Transl. Med.13, eabi7826. 10.1126/scitranslmed.abi7826

  • 103

    SchwedeT.KoppJ.GuexN.PeitschM. C. (2003). SWISS-MODEL: an automated protein homology-modeling server. Nucleic Acids Res.31, 33813385. 10.1093/nar/gkg520

  • 104

    ShahM.WooH. G. (2022). Omicron: a heavily mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant exhibits stronger binding to ACE2 and potently escapes approved COVID-19 therapeutic antibodies. Front. Immunol.12, 830527. 10.3389/fimmu.2021.830527

  • 105

    ShahmirzaieM.SafarnejadM. R.RakhshandehrooF.SafarpourH.ShiraziF. H.ZamanizadehH. R.et al (2020). Generation and molecular docking analysis of specific single-chain variable fragments selected by phage display against the recombinant nucleocapsid protein of fig mosaic virus. J. Virol. Methods276, 113796. 10.1016/j.jviromet.2019.113796

  • 106

    ShakerB.AhmadS.LeeJ.JungC.NaD. (2021). In silico methods and tools for drug discovery. Comput. Biol. Med.137, 104851. 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104851

  • 107

    ShangW.HuX.LinX.LiS.XiongS.HuangB.et al (2024). Iterative in silico screening for optimizing stable conformation of anti-SARS-CoV-2 nanobodies. Pharmaceuticals17, 424. 10.3390/ph17040424

  • 108

    ShawD. E.MaragakisP.Lindorff-LarsenK.PianaS.DrorR. O.EastwoodM. P.et al (2010). Atomic-level characterization of the structural dynamics of proteins. Science330, 341346. 10.1126/science.1187409

  • 109

    ShuklaR.TripathiT. (2020). “Molecular dynamics simulation of protein and protein–ligand complexes,” in Computer-aided drug design. Editor SINGHD. B. (Singapore: Springer Singapore).

  • 110

    SkolnickJ.GaoM.ZhouH.SinghS. (2021). AlphaFold 2: why it works and its implications for understanding the relationships of protein sequence, structure, and function. J. Chem. Inf. Model61, 48274831. 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01114

  • 111

    SinghS.RaoA.MishraA.MishraA.PrajapatiV. K. (2023). Multifaceted mutational immunotherapeutic approach to design therapeutic mAbs to combat monkeypox disease via integrated screening algorithms and antibody engineering. Molecu. System. Design. Enginee.8, 13011318.

  • 112

    SmithG. P.PetrenkoV. A. (1997). Phage display. Chem. Rev.97, 391410. 10.1021/cr960065d

  • 113

    SomasundaramR.ChorariaA.AntonysamyM. (2020). An approach towards development of monoclonal IgY antibodies against SARS CoV-2 spike protein (S) using phage display method: a review. Int. Immunopharmacol.85, 106654. 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.106654

  • 114

    SrivastavaA.NagaiT.SrivastavaA.MiyashitaO.TamaF. (2018). Role of computational methods in going beyond X-ray crystallography to explore protein structure and dynamics. Int. J. Mol. Sci.19, 3401. 10.3390/ijms19113401

  • 115

    SuH.ZhangJ.YiZ.KhanS.PengM.YeL.et al (2024). A human monoclonal antibody neutralizes SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants by targeting the upstream region of spike protein HR2 motif. hLife2, 126140. 10.1016/j.hlife.2024.02.001

  • 116

    SuryadevaraN.KoseN.BangaruS.BinshteinE.MuntJ.MartinezD. R.et al (2024). Structural characterization of human monoclonal antibodies targeting uncommon antigenic sites on spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV. J. Clin. Investigation, e178880. 10.1172/JCI178880

  • 117

    UniProt Consortium (2015). UniProt: a hub for protein information. Nucleic Acids Res.43, D204D212. 10.1093/nar/gku989

  • 118

    Van Der SpoelD.LindahlE.HessB.GroenhofG.MarkA. E.BerendsenH. J. (2005). GROMACS: fast, flexible, and free. J. Comput. Chem.26, 17011718. 10.1002/jcc.20291

  • 119

    Van RegenmortelM. H. (2014). Specificity, polyspecificity, and heterospecificity of antibody-antigen recognition. J. Mol. Recognit.27, 627639. 10.1002/jmr.2394

  • 120

    WangJ.WolfR. M.CaldwellJ. W.KollmanP. A.CaseD. A. (2004). Development and testing of a general amber force field. J. Comput. Chem.25, 11571174. 10.1002/jcc.20035

  • 121

    WangQ.PengL.NieY.ShuY.ZhangH.SongZ.et al (2023). Hybridoma-derived neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against Beta and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo. Virol. Sin.38, 257267. 10.1016/j.virs.2022.12.007

  • 122

    WangY.YuanM.LvH.PengJ.WilsonI. A.WuN. C. (2022). A large-scale systematic survey reveals recurring molecular features of public antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2. Immunity55, 11051117. e4. 10.1016/j.immuni.2022.03.019

  • 123

    WengG.GaoJ.WangZ.WangE.HuX.YaoX.et al (2020). Comprehensive evaluation of fourteen docking programs on protein-peptide complexes. J. Chem. Theory Comput.16, 39593969. 10.1021/acs.jctc.9b01208

  • 124

    WengG.WangE.WangZ.LiuH.ZhuF.LiD.et al (2019). HawkDock: a web server to predict and analyze the protein–protein complex based on computational docking and MM/GBSA. Nucleic acids Res.47, W322W330. 10.1093/nar/gkz397

  • 125

    Wolf PérezA. M.LorenzenN.VendruscoloM.SormanniP. (2022). Assessment of therapeutic antibody developability by combinations of in vitro and in silico methods. Methods Mol. Biol.2313, 57113. 10.1007/978-1-0716-1450-1_4

  • 126

    WongW. K.LeemJ.DeaneC. M. (2019). Comparative analysis of the CDR loops of antigen receptors. Front. Immunol.10, 2454. 10.3389/fimmu.2019.02454

  • 127

    XuJ.XuK.JungS.ConteA.LiebermanJ.MueckschF.et al (2021). Nanobodies from camelid mice and llamas neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants. Nature595, 278282. 10.1038/s41586-021-03676-z

  • 128

    YangJ.ZhangZ.YangF.ZhangH.WuH.ZhuF.et al (2021). Computational design and modeling of nanobodies toward SARS‐CoV‐2 receptor binding domain, 98. Hoboken, New Jersey, USA: Chemical Biology and Drug Design, 118.

  • 129

    YangQ.YanM.LinJ.LuY.LinS.LiZ.et al (2024). Screening and affinity optimization of single domain antibody targeting the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein. PeerJ12, e17846. 10.7717/peerj.17846

  • 130

    YinR.FengB. Y.VarshneyA.PierceB. G. (2022). Benchmarking AlphaFold for protein complex modeling reveals accuracy determinants. Protein Sci.31, e4379. 10.1002/pro.4379

  • 131

    YuW.ZhongN.LiX.RenJ.WangY.LiC.et al (2022). Structure based affinity maturation and characterizing of SARS-CoV antibody CR3022 against SARS-CoV-2 by computational and experimental approaches. Viruses14, 186. 10.3390/v14020186

  • 132

    ZengX.BaiG.SunC.MaB. (2023). Recent progress in antibody epitope prediction. Antibodies (Basel)12, 52. 10.3390/antib12030052

  • 133

    ZhouP.SongG.LiuH.YuanM.HeW.-t.BeutlerN.et al (2023). Broadly neutralizing anti-S2 antibodies protect against all three human betacoronaviruses that cause deadly disease. Immunity56, 669686. e7. 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.02.005

Summary

Keywords

in silico, antibody, SARS-CoV-2, computational approach, bioinformatics, molecular dynamic simulation

Citation

Subramaniam T, Mualif SA, Chan WH and Abd Halim KB (2025) Unlocking the potential of in silico approach in designing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Front. Bioinform. 5:1533983. doi: 10.3389/fbinf.2025.1533983

Received

25 November 2024

Accepted

17 January 2025

Published

13 February 2025

Volume

5 - 2025

Edited by

Vikram Dalal, Washington University in St. Louis, United States

Reviewed by

Gunjan Saini, Purdue University, United States

Meenakshi Tanwar, University of Maryland, United States

Updates

Copyright

*Correspondence: Siti Aisyah Mualif,

Disclaimer

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Outline

Cite article

Copy to clipboard


Export citation file


Share article

Article metrics