scholarly journals Neutralizing response against E484K variant after original SARS-CoV-2 infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuma Hayashi ◽  
Nobuo Yaegashi ◽  
Ikuo Konishi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
The Body ◽  
Proliferative Potential ◽  
Spike Glycoprotein ◽  
Highly Pathogenic ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Neutralization Response

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants, which are spreading in the United Kingdom (UK) and elsewhere, have been found in infected individuals in Japan. The virus mutates, to facilitate its life in the host, during the process of repeated proliferation in the body of the host, including humans. In other words, it is natural that a human-compatible mutant strain always predominates in infection and proliferation. As a result, the viral mutants acquire strong proliferative potential in the host and are highly pathogenic. The number of people infected with the mutated SARS-CoV-2 variant E484K, which is different from the SARS-CoV-2 variants that are spreading in the UK, South Africa, and Brazil, is increasing in Tokyo. It has been pointed out that the effects of immunity and vaccines may be reduced against the Tokyo-type SARS-CoV-2 variant E484K. We have investigated the neutralization response to various mutations in the spike glycoprotein using the serum of people already infected with the original SARS-CoV-2. The results showed that SARS-CoV-2 variants with Y543F or N501Y mutations in the spike glycoprotein affect the neutralization reaction. However, single E484K mutations within the spiked glycoprotein of the Tokyo-type SARS-CoV-2 variant are unlikely to have a significant effect on the affinity of the host antibody for the virus.

scholarly journals Reduced antibody cross-reactivity following infection with B.1.1.7 than with parental SARS-CoV-2 strains

eLife ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Faulkner ◽  
Kevin W Ng ◽  
Mary Y Wu ◽  
Ruth Harvey ◽  
Marios Margaritis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Parental Strain ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Major Determinant ◽  
Spike Glycoprotein ◽  
Neutralising Antibodies ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Vaccination Campaigns

Background: The degree of heterotypic immunity induced by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) strains is a major determinant of the spread of emerging variants and the success of vaccination campaigns, but remains incompletely understood.Methods: We examined the immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.7 (Alpha) that arose in the United Kingdom and spread globally. We determined titres of spike glycoprotein-binding antibodies and authentic virus neutralising antibodies induced by B.1.1.7 infection to infer homotypic and heterotypic immunity.Results: Antibodies elicited by B.1.1.7 infection exhibited significantly reduced recognition and neutralisation of parental strains or of the South Africa variant B.1.351 (Beta) than of the infecting variant. The drop in cross-reactivity was significantly more pronounced following B.1.1.7 than parental strain infection.Conclusions: The results indicate that heterotypic immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2 variants is asymmetric.

scholarly journals Isolation and characterization of the new SARS-CoV-2 variant in travellers from the United Kingdom to India: VUI-202012/01 of the B.1.1.7 lineage

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pragya D Yadav ◽  
Dimpal A Nyayanit ◽  
Rima R Sahay ◽  
Prasad Sarkale ◽  
Jayshri Pethani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
New Variant ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Local Transmission

We have isolated the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 variant of concern 202 012/01 from the positive coronavirus disease 2019 cases that travelled from the UK to India in the month of December 2020. This emphasizes the need for the strengthened surveillance system to limit the local transmission of this new variant.

scholarly journals Structural analysis of the Spike of the Omicron SARS-COV-2 variant by Cryo-EM and implications for immune evasion

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dongchun Ni ◽  
Kelvin Lau ◽  
Priscilla Turelli ◽  
Charlene Raclot ◽  
Bertrand Beckert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Structural Analysis ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Immune Evasion ◽  
Spike Protein ◽  
Spike Glycoprotein ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
New Variant ◽  
Structural Insights

The Omicron (B.1.1.529) SARS-COV-2 was reported on November 24, 2021 and declared a variant of concern a couple of days later. With its constellation of mutations acquired by this variant on its Spike glycoprotein and the speed at which this new variant has replaced the previously dominant variant Delta in South Africa and the United Kingdom, it is crucial to have atomic structural insights to reveal the mechanism of its rapid proliferation. Here we present a high-resolution cryo-EM structure of the Spike protein of the Omicron variant.

scholarly journals Molecular docking and dynamic simulation of conserved B cell epitope of SARS-CoV-2 glycoprotein Indonesian isolates: an immunoinformatic approach

F1000Research ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 813
Author(s):  
Fedik Abdul Rantam ◽  
Viol Dhea Kharisma ◽  
Christrijogo Sumartono ◽  
Jusak Nugraha ◽  
Andi Yasmin Wijaya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
B Cell ◽  
Vaccine Candidate ◽  
The United States ◽  
Spike Glycoprotein ◽  
Mhc Ii ◽  
Conserved Regions ◽  
The United Kingdom

Background: An immunoinformatic approach may be useful to investigate the conserved region in the spike glycoprotein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Indonesia isolates. The aim of this study was to investigate Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 isolates based on B cell epitopes by targeting the conserved regions in the spike glycoprotein to trigger increased multi-variant virus neutralization and memory response for the development of vaccine seed candidates. Methods: SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein gene sequences originating from Indonesia were compared with Wuhan (China), the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, the United States, and Brazil isolates obtained from the NCBI and GISAID databases. The recognition of antigens was carried out directly using B cells through the B cell receptor (BCR). An indirect B cell activation by Cluster of Differentiation (CD)4+ T cells and major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-II was predicted through the binding with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) based on IC50 value. In addition, vaccine allergenicity and toxicity were investigated. During the molecular complex examination, the 3D peptide structure was investigated and the lowest amount of energy formed when the vaccine candidate peptide bound to BCR and MHC-II was calculated. Results: As a result, the spike glycoprotein sequences of Indonesian SARS-CoV-2 isolates had conserved regions which were very similar to reference countries such as China, the United Kingdom, South Africa, India, the United States, and Brazil. Conclusion: It was predicted that the conserved regions could be identified as the epitope of B and T CD4+ cells that produced the peptides for vaccine candidate with antigenic, non-allergen, and non-toxic properties.

scholarly journals Multiplex qPCR discriminates variants of concern to enhance global surveillance of SARS-CoV-2

PLoS Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (5) ◽  
pp. e3001236
Author(s):  
Chantal B. F. Vogels ◽  
Mallery I. Breban ◽  
Isabel M. Ott ◽  
Tara Alpert ◽  
Mary E. Petrone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Primary Target ◽  
Pcr Assay ◽  
Gene Target ◽  
Spike Gene ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The World

With the emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that may increase transmissibility and/or cause escape from immune responses, there is an urgent need for the targeted surveillance of circulating lineages. It was found that the B.1.1.7 (also 501Y.V1) variant, first detected in the United Kingdom, could be serendipitously detected by the Thermo Fisher TaqPath Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) PCR assay because a key deletion in these viruses, spike Δ69–70, would cause a “spike gene target failure” (SGTF) result. However, a SGTF result is not definitive for B.1.1.7, and this assay cannot detect other variants of concern (VOC) that lack spike Δ69–70, such as B.1.351 (also 501Y.V2), detected in South Africa, and P.1 (also 501Y.V3), recently detected in Brazil. We identified a deletion in the ORF1a gene (ORF1a Δ3675–3677) in all 3 variants, which has not yet been widely detected in other SARS-CoV-2 lineages. Using ORF1a Δ3675–3677 as the primary target and spike Δ69–70 to differentiate, we designed and validated an open-source PCR assay to detect SARS-CoV-2 VOC. Our assay can be rapidly deployed in laboratories around the world to enhance surveillance for the local emergence and spread of B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1.

scholarly journals Reduced antibody cross-reactivity following infection with B.1.1.7 than with parental SARS-CoV-2 strains

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Faulkner ◽  
Kevin W. Ng ◽  
Mary Wu ◽  
Ruth Harvey ◽  
Marios Margaritis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Parental Strain ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
The South ◽  
The United Kingdom

We examined the immunogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant B.1.1.7 that arose in the United Kingdom and spread globally. Antibodies elicited by B.1.1.7 infection exhibited significantly reduced recognition and neutralisation of parental strains or of the South Africa B.1.351 variant, than of the infecting variant. The drop in cross-reactivity was more pronounced following B.1.1.7 than parental strain infection, indicating asymmetric heterotypic immunity induced by SARS-CoV-2 variants.

scholarly journals Transnational Activism and Domestic Politics: Arms Exports and the Anti-Apartheid Struggle in the UK–South Africa Relations (1959–1994)

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Fracalossi de Moraes
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Foreign Policy ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Domestic Politics ◽  
Transnational Activism ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Advocacy Network ◽  
Arms Exports ◽  
The Uk

ABSTRACT In 1964, the UK government imposed an arms embargo on South Africa, which it maintained until the end of the white minority rule. What explains this embargo? Using mainly archival evidence, this paper demonstrates that domestic political dynamics in the United Kingdom mediated the influence of the transnational anti-apartheid and anti-colonial struggles on the British government. The United Kingdom imposed and maintained this embargo due in part to a domestic advocacy network, whose hub was the Anti-Apartheid Movement. The paper provides a comprehensive explanation of an important issue in British foreign policy, the anti-colonial struggle, and Southern Africa's history. There are theoretical implications for foreign policy analysis concerning the role of advocacy networks, interactions between local and global activism, the role of political parties’ ideology and contestation, the effects on foreign policy of changes in a normative environment, the effects of norm contestation, and normative determinants of sanctions.

scholarly journals A comparative analysis of strengths and weaknesses of corporate governance practices between two jurisdictions; UK and South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
King Costa ◽  
Thelela Ngcetane-Vika
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Corporate Governance ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
The Other ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Business Entities ◽  
The Uk

This paper is an exploration of theoretical aspects underpinning the practice of Corporate Governance (CG) in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Because of several corporate scandals and failures in the twenty and twenty first siècles, Corporate Governance has been a significant and crucial subject and field of study in business schools in recent years. Leadership and Management of business entities and alignment to prescripts that are statutory formulated for prevention of corporate decline and enhancement of sound business principles continue to be highly contentious issues. A theoretical and exploratory narrative synthesis was conducted to unearth the strengths and weaknesses of contextual explication, practice and legal application of Corporate Governance in both the United Kingdom and South Africa. In terms of the UK, the study found out that the CG is designed and benchmarked on international best practice, seamlessly fitting within all the Codes on Key Aspects of Corporate Governance. Secondly, another major element of strengths determination were found to be inherent in the practice of voluntary compliance. However, the greatest criticisms of Corporate Governance theories in the UK was the fact that their focus is largely on public corporations, especially those listed in London stock exchange and thus, leave behind small and medium enterprises. The cultural diversity is also found to be a cause for concern in terms of practice and legal application. On the other hand, in South Africa, the study found out that consideration for diversity is one of the greatest strengths in CG practice and legal application, which is likely to contribute effectively to good and sound decision-making, reflective of all people. Weaknesses continue to be the delay in realisation of board equity in terms of gender while on the other hand, corruption and lack of adherence to retributive prescripts remain problematic.

scholarly journals What’s law got to do with it? Comparing the failure to deter or convict rapists in the United Kingdom and South Africa

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 212-233
Author(s):  
Maggie Wykes ◽  
Lillian Artz
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Criminal Justice ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Justice System ◽  
Similar Process ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Willingness To Change ◽  
The Law ◽  
The Uk

The journey from reporting rape to convicting rapists is complex, leading to high attrition and non-conviction rates. After wide consultation, the law in England and Wales was revised in 2003 to try to secure more convictions. In South Africa, a similar process occurred to produce a new law in 2007. Nonetheless, reported rapes have risen and conviction rates have fallen in both jurisdictions and it has been suggested that the failure of the criminal justice system to deal with ‘rape…encapsulates the sheer inadequacy of the law’ (Wykes and Welsh, 2009: 111) and offers little hope of justice to victims and little deterrence to perpetrators. In South Africa little has changed, except more is known about ‘the lived experiences of sexual violence’ (Artz and Smythe, 2007: 17) and more support is offered to victims after the event. This article explores the part played by law in dealing with rape, through a comparison of the UK and South Africa. Critical gendered analysis of their respective rape laws leads to the conclusion that that law cannot work effectively to deter or convict rapists: only men’s willingness to change can stop rape.

scholarly journals ADMISSIBILITY AND AUTHENTICITY OF ELECTRONIC EVIDENCE IN THE COURTS OF MALAYSIA AND UNITED KINGDOM

2019 ◽  
pp. 121-129
Author(s):  
Ani Munirah Mohamad
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
The Body ◽  
Legal Research ◽  
Electronic Evidence ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Legal Provisions ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Criminal Matters ◽  
Law Of Evidence

This concept paper elaborates on two main aspects of electronic evidence (1) the admissibility of such evidence in the courts of law, and (2) its authenticity as evidence for the consideration of the courts. In both aspects, the scope of discussion would be the laws in Malaysia and in the United Kingdom (UK). In essence, the relevant rules providing for electronic evidence in Malaysia is the Evidence Act 1950, meanwhile for the case of the UK, the Civil Evidence Act 1995 and Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 which provide for electronic evidence in civil and criminal matters respectively. Engaging in comparative legal research methods, and purely library-based, the relevant legal provisions for each jurisdiction are elaborated, and numerous cases are discussed in this paper to illustrate the application of such sections in admitting and authenticating electronic evidence in the Courts of Malaysia and the UK. Hopefully, this paper would become a contribution to the body of knowledge and contribute towards more in-depth research in the area of law of evidence.

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