Exploring the binding effect and mechanism of glycyrrhizin to ovomucin by combining spectroscopic analysis and molecular docking

Ovomucin (OVM) is an ideal natural macromolecular glycoprotein extracted from eggs with good adhesion. Based on the defect that glycyrrhizin (GL) has good antiviral activity but fast metabolism, this study aimed to explore the binding effect and mechanism of GL to OVM, using multi-spectroscopic techniques, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), and molecular docking. The adhesion ability of OVM to the hydrophilic interface and GL was first demonstrated by dual polarization interferometry (DPI) analysis and binding capacity assay, and the OVM-GL complex exhibited a similar affinity for the spike protein of COVID-19. The spectroscopic results show that GL can quench the inherent fluorescence and change the glycosidic bond and secondary structure of OVM. The ITC measurements suggested that the binding was exothermic, the hydrogen bond was the dominant binding force for forming OVM-GL. Finally, molecular docking results indicated that GL has hydrogen bond interaction with several amino acid residues located in α-OVM and β-OVM while embedding into the hydrophobic pocket of OVM via hydrophobic interactions. In conclusion, OVM can adhere to the hydrophilic interface and bind to GL through hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions to form a stable complex, that is expected to be helpful in virus prophylaxis. [Display omitted] •GL can form a stable complex with OVM on the hydrophilic surface.•Hydrophobic interactions and hydrogen are the dominant binding force for forming OVM-GL.•GL binding induces the glycosidic bond and secondary structure changes of OVM.•OVM-GL complex exhibited a similar affinity to OVM for the spike protein in COVID-19.