Ultrapotent antibodies against diverse and highly transmissible SARS-CoV-2 variants

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abh1766
• Publication Date: 2021-07-01T19:06:46Z
• Authors: Lingshu Wang; Tongqing Zhou; Yi Zhang; Eun Sung Yang; Chaim A. Schramm; Wei Shi; Amarendra Pegu; Olamide K. Oloniniyi; Amy R. Henry; Samuel Darko; Sandeep R. Narpala; Christian Hatcher; David R. Martinez; Yaroslav Tsybovsky; Emily Phung; Olubukola M. Abiona; Avan Antia; Evan M. Cale; Lauren A. Chang; Misook Choe; Kizzmekia S. Corbett; Rachel L. Davis; Anthony T. DiPiazza; Ingelise J. Gordon; Sabrina Helmold Hait; Tandile Hermanus; Prudence Kgagudi; Farida Laboune; Kwanyee Leung; Tracy Liu; Rosemarie D. Mason; Alexandra F. Nazzari; Laura Novik; Sarah O’Connell; Sijy O’Dell; Adam S. Olia; Stephen D. Schmidt; Tyler Stephens; Christopher D. St...; Chloe Adrienna Ta...; I-Ting Teng; Danielle A. Wagner; Alicia T. Widge; Baoshan Zhang; Mario Roederer; Julie E. Ledgerwood; Tracy J. Ruckwardt; Martin R. Gaudinski; Penny L. Moore; Nicole A. Doria-Rose; Ralph S. Baric; Barney S. Graham; Adrian B. McDermott; Daniel C. Douek; Peter D. Kwong; John R. Mascola; Nancy J. Sullivan; John Misasi
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; SARS-CoV-2; Antibody Affinity; COVID-19; Antibodies, Viral; Antibodies, Neutralizing; 3. Good health; Antigen-Antibody Reactions; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; 03 medical and health sciences; Protein Domains; Neutralization Tests; Mutation; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus; Humans; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Research Articles; Immune Evasion; 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