Enhanced fitness of SARS-CoV-2 variant of concern Alpha but not Beta

• DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-04342-0
• Publication Date: 2021-12-22T11:08:57Z
• Authors: Lorenz Ulrich; Nico Joel Halwe; Adriano Taddeo; Nadine Ebert; Jacob Schön; Christelle Devisme; Bettina Salome Trüeb; Bernd Hoffmann; Manon Wider; Xiaoyu Fan; Meriem Bekliz; Manel Essaidi-Laz...; Marie Luisa Schmidt; Daniela Niemeyer; Victor Max Corman; Anna Kraft; Aurélie Godel; Laura Laloli; Jenna N. Kelly; Brenda M. Calderon; Angele Breithaupt; Claudia Wylezich; Inês Berenguer Veiga; Mitra Gultom; Sarah Osman; Bin Zhou; Kenneth Adea; Benjamin Meyer; Christiane S. Ebe...; Lisa Thomann; Monika Gsell; Fabien Labroussaa; Jörg Jores; Artur Summerfield; Christian Drosten; Isabella Anne Eck...; David E. Wentworth; Ronald Dijkman; Donata Hoffmann; Volker Thiel; Martin Beer; Charaf Benarafa
• Keywords: Alpha (finance); BETA (programming language); Replication; Ex vivo; Respiratory tract

Abstract Emerging variants of concern (VOCs) are driving the COVID-19 pandemic 1,2 . Experimental assessments replication and transmission major VOCs progenitors needed to understand mechanisms 3 Here we show that spike protein (S) from Alpha (also known as B.1.1.7) Beta (B.1.351) had a greater affinity towards human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor than progenitor variant S(D614G) in vitro. Progenitor virus expressing (wt-S 614G ) showed similar kinetics nasal airway epithelial cultures, whereas was outcompeted by both. In vivo, competition experiments clear fitness advantage over wt-S ferrets two mouse models—the substitutions S were drivers advantage. hamsters, which support high viral levels, fitness. By contrast, hamsters mice ACE2. Our study highlights importance using multiple models characterize demonstrates is adapted for upper respiratory tract shows enhanced vivo restrictive models, does not overcome or naive animals.