SARS-CoV-2 infectivity can be modulated through bacterial grooming of the glycocalyx

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ABSTRACT The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a site of replication of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and GI symptoms are often reported by patients. SARS-CoV-2 cell entry depends upon heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycans, which commensal bacteria that bathe the human mucosa are known to modify. To explore human gut HS-modifying bacterial abundances and how their presence may impact SARS-CoV-2 infection, we developed a task-based analysis of proteoglycan degradation on large-scale shotgun metagenomic data. We observed that gut bacteria with high predicted catabolic capacity for HS differ by age and sex, factors associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity, and directly by disease severity during/after infection, but do not vary between subjects with COVID-19 comorbidities or by diet. Gut commensal bacterial HS-modifying enzymes reduce spike protein binding and infection of authentic SARS-CoV-2, suggesting that bacterial grooming of the GI mucosa may impact viral susceptibility. IMPORTANCE Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus responsible for coronavirus disease 2019, can infect the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and individuals who exhibit GI symptoms often have more severe disease. The GI tract’s glycocalyx, a component of the mucosa covering the large intestine, plays a key role in viral entry by binding SARS-CoV-2’s spike protein via heparan sulfate (HS). Here, using metabolic task analysis of multiple large microbiome sequencing data sets of the human gut microbiome, we identify a key commensal human intestinal bacteria capable of grooming glycocalyx HS and modulating SARS-CoV-2 infectivity in vitro . Moreover, we engineered the common probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) to effectively block SARS-CoV-2 binding and infection of human cell cultures. Understanding these microbial interactions could lead to better risk assessments and novel therapies targeting viral entry mechanisms.

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