Structural and functional ramifications of antigenic drift in recent SARS-CoV-2 variants

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abh1139
• Publication Date: 2021-05-21T16:36:06Z
• Authors: Meng Yuan; Deli Huang; Chang-Chun D. Lee; Nicholas C. Wu; Abigail M. Jackson; Xueyong Zhu; Hejun Liu; Linghang Peng; Marit J. van Gils; Rogier W. Sanders; Dennis R. Burton; S. Momsen Reincke; Harald Prüss; Jakob Kreye; David Nemazee; Andrew B. Ward; Ian A. Wilson
• Keywords: chemistry [Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus]; 0301 basic medicine; virology [COVID-19]; ACE2 protein, human; metabolism [Antibodies, Neutralizing]; Antibodies, Viral; metabolism [Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2]; genetics [Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus]; Article; immunology [Antibodies, Viral]; Epitopes; 03 medical and health sciences; genetics [Antigens, Viral]; Protein Domains; immunology [SARS-CoV-2]; Humans; immunology [COVID-19]; metabolism [Receptors, Coronavirus]; Antigens, Viral; Immune Evasion; Binding Sites; metabolism [Antibodies, Viral]; immunology [Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus]; SARS-CoV-2; COVID-19; genetics [SARS-CoV-2]; spike protein, SARS-CoV-2; immunology [Antigens, Viral]; Antibodies, Neutralizing; Antigenic Variation; immunology [Antibodies, Neutralizing]; metabolism [Antigens, Viral]; 3. Good health; metabolism [Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus]; Mutation; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; chemistry [Antigens, Viral]; ddc:500; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Binding Sites, Antibody; chemistry [SARS-CoV-2]; Reports; Protein Binding; Receptors, Coronavirus

Defenses against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Our key defense against the COVID-19 pandemic is neutralizing antibodies against the SARS-CoV-2 virus elicited by natural infection or vaccination. Recent emerging viral variants have raised concern because of their potential to escape antibody neutralization. Wang et al . identified four antibodies from early-outbreak convalescent donors that are potent against 23 variants, including variants of concern, and characterized their binding to the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Yuan et al . examined the impact of emerging mutations in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein on binding to the host receptor ACE2 and to a range of antibodies. These studies may be helpful for developing more broadly effective vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. —VV