Sensitivity of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 to mRNA vaccine-elicited antibodies

Journal article

Two SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern showing increased transmissibility relative to the Wuhan virus have recently been identified. Although neither variant appears to cause more severe illness nor increased risk of death, the faster spread of the virus is a major threat. Using computational tools, we found that the new SARS-CoV-2 variants may acquire an increased transmissibility by increasing the propensity of its spike protein to expose the receptor binding domain via proteolysis, perhaps by neutrophil elastase and/or via reduced intramolecular interactions that contribute to the stability of the closed conformation of spike protein. This information leads to the identification of potential treatments to avert the imminent threat of these more transmittable SARS-CoV-2 variants

Authors: Baker, S; Dougan, G; Hess, C; Kingston, N; Lehner, PJ

• Publication status: Published
• Peer review status: Peer reviewed
• Publisher: Nature Research
• Journal: Nature
• Volume: 593
• Issue: 7857
• Pages: 136-141
• Publication date: 2021-03-11
• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03412-7
• EISSN: 1476-4687
• ISSN: 0028-0836
• Language: English
• Keywords: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Infectious disease (medical specialty); Antibody; Spike Protein; Virology; Gene; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2); Receptor; Genetics; Biology; Messenger RNA; Medicine; Virus; Neutralization; Neutralizing antibody; Immunology; Monoclonal antibody