A neutralizing human antibody binds to the N-terminal domain of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2

• DOI: 10.1126/science.abc6952
• Publication Date: 2020-06-22T19:15:14Z
• Authors: Xiangyang Chi; Renhong Yan; Jun Zhang; Guanying Zhang; Yuanyuan Zhang; Meng Hao; Zhe Zhang; Pengfei Fan; Yunzhu Dong; Yilong Yang; Zhengshan Chen; Yingying Guo; Jinlong Zhang; Yaning Li; Xiaohong Song; Yi Chen; Lu Xia; Ling Fu; Lihua Hou; Junjie Xu; Changming Yu; Jianmin Li; Qiang Zhou; Wei Chen
• Keywords: Adult; 0301 basic medicine; Genes, Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain; Antibody Affinity; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Antibodies, Viral; Betacoronavirus; 03 medical and health sciences; Antibody Specificity; Chlorocebus aethiops; Animals; Coronavirus Nucleocapsid Proteins; Humans; Antigens, Viral; Research Articles; B-Lymphocytes; Multidisciplinary; Cryoelectron Microscopy; Antibodies, Monoclonal; COVID-19; Antibodies, Neutralizing; 3. Good health; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2; Coronavirus Infections; Immunologic Memory

Hitting SARS-CoV-2 in a new spot

A key target for therapeutic antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the spike protein, a trimeric protein complex with each monomer comprising an S1 and an S2 domain that mediate binding to host cells and membrane fusion, respectively. In addition to the receptor binding domain (RBD), S1 has an N-terminal domain (NTD). In searching for neutralizing antibodies, there has been a focus on the RBD. Chi et al. isolated antibodies from 10 convalescent patients and identified an antibody that potently neutralizes the virus but does not bind the RBD. Cryo–electron microscopy revealed the epitope as the NTD. This NTD-targeting antibody may be useful to combine with RBD-targeting antibodies in therapeutic cocktails.

Science , this issue p. 650