scholarly journals Real Concerns over COVID-19 Variants of Concern

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hatem ◽  
Rashika El Rii

Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus (SARS-CoV)-2 obtained from patients infected despite being fully vaccinated with either BNT162b2 (Pfizer/BioNTech), mRNA-1273 (Moderna), or JNJ-78436735 (Janssen) showed increased mutations rates in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike glycoprotein when compared with virus from unvaccinated controls (1). These changes are associated with immune evasion and diagnostic failures, prominent characteristics of variants of concern (2). Variants of concern (VOC) appeared to be overrepresented in numerous breakthrough infections of fully vaccinated people in the United States and (1, 3-6), and Israel (7). These findings confirm concerns about the relation of SARS-CoV-2 variants with vaccine breakthrough, and urged us to attempt clarifying the likely link between vaccination with the currently used vaccines and VOC emergence.

Author(s):  
Ruichao Mao ◽  
Lihua Bie ◽  
Maofeng Xu ◽  
Xiaocong Wang ◽  
Jun Gao

The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) enters the host cell after the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the virus spike (S) glycoprotein binding to the human angiotensin-converting...


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takuma Hayashi ◽  
Nobuo Yaegashi ◽  
Ikuo Konishi

AbstractBackgroundInfection with receptor binding domain (RBD) mutant (Y453F) of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) from farmed minks is known to widely spread among humans.MethodsWe investigated the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 RBD Y453F mutant using three- dimensional structural analysis. We investigated the effect of the RBD Y453F mutant of SARS-CoV- 2 on neutralizing antibodies in serum derived from Corona virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive patients.ResultsOur studies suggest that virus variants with RBD Y453F mutation partially escaped detection by four neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and neutralizing antibodies in serum.ConclusionsConsequently, raising a concern that infection of SARS-CoV-2 mutants that cause serious symptoms in humans may spread globally.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M.J.W. van der Veer ◽  
Jozef Dingemans ◽  
Lieke B van Alphen ◽  
Christian JPA Hoebe ◽  
Paul H.M. Savelkoul

In the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic several variants have emerged that are linked to increased transmissibility and immune evasion. These variants are recognized as variants of concern (VOC). In this study, we describe a B.1.1.523 variant that shares many spike mutations with current VOC. Receptor-binding domain mutations E484K and S494P were observed but also a deletion (position 156-158) in the N-terminal antigenic supersite that is similar to the delta-variant. These mutations are linked to immune evasion in VOC that could lead to less effective vaccines. This variant has been reported in various different countries and continents despite the dominance of B.1.1.7 (alpha) and B.1.617.2 (delta) variant. Furthermore, the B.1.1.523 pangolin lineage as a whole is recognized as a variant under monitoring since 14th of July 2021.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zehua Sun ◽  
Andrew Kim ◽  
Michele D Sobolewski ◽  
Nathan Enick ◽  
Chuan Chen ◽  
...  

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission with several emerging variants remain uncontrolled in many countries, indicating the pandemic remains severe. Recent studies showed reduction of neutralization against these emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants by vaccine-elicited antibodies. Among those emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, a panel of amino acid mutations was characterized including those in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein. In the present study, we evaluated our previously identified antibody and antibody domains for binding to these RBD variants with the emerging mutations, and neutralization of pseudo typed viruses carrying spike proteins with such mutations. Our results showed that one previously identified antibody domain, ab6, can bind 32 out of 35 RBD mutants tested in an ELISA assay. All three antibodies and antibody domains can neutralize pseudo typed B.1.1.7 (UK variant), but only the antibody domain ab6 can neutralize the pseudo typed virus with the triple mutation (K417N, E484K, N501Y). This domain and its improvements have potential for therapy of infections caused by SARS-CoV-2 mutants.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Delphine Planas ◽  
David Veyer ◽  
Artem Baidaliuk ◽  
Isabelle Staropoli ◽  
Florence Guivel-Benhassine ◽  
...  

The SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 lineage emerged in October 2020 in India. It has since then become dominant in some indian regions and further spread to many countries. The lineage includes three main subtypes (B1.617.1, B.1617.2 and B.1.617.3), which harbour diverse Spike mutations in the N-terminal domain (NTD) and the receptor binding domain (RBD) which may increase their immune evasion potential. B.1.617.2 is believed to spread faster than the other versions. Here, we isolated infectious B.1.617.2 from a traveller returning from India. We examined its sensitivity to monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and to antibodies present in sera from COVID-19 convalescent individuals or vaccine recipients, in comparison to other viral lineages. B.1.617.2 was resistant to neutralization by some anti-NTD and anti-RBD mAbs, including Bamlanivimab, which were impaired in binding to the B.1.617.2 Spike. Sera from convalescent patients collected up to 12 months post symptoms and from Pfizer Comirnaty vaccine recipients were 3 to 6 fold less potent against B.1.617.2, relative to B.1.1.7. Sera from individuals having received one dose of AstraZeneca Vaxzevria barely inhibited B.1.617.2. Thus, B.1.617.2 spread is associated with an escape to antibodies targeting non-RBD and RBD Spike epitopes.


Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 369 (6504) ◽  
pp. 650-655 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyang Chi ◽  
Renhong Yan ◽  
Jun Zhang ◽  
Guanying Zhang ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang ◽  
...  

Developing therapeutics against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be guided by the distribution of epitopes, not only on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein but also across the full Spike (S) protein. We isolated and characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from 10 convalescent COVID-19 patients. Three mAbs showed neutralizing activities against authentic SARS-CoV-2. One mAb, named 4A8, exhibits high neutralization potency against both authentic and pseudotyped SARS-CoV-2 but does not bind the RBD. We defined the epitope of 4A8 as the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the S protein by determining with cryo–eletron microscopy its structure in complex with the S protein to an overall resolution of 3.1 angstroms and local resolution of 3.3 angstroms for the 4A8-NTD interface. This points to the NTD as a promising target for therapeutic mAbs against COVID-19.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omonike A. Olaleye ◽  
Manvir Kaur ◽  
Collins C. Onyenaka

AbstractSevere Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), enters the host cells through two main pathways, both involving key interactions between viral envelope-anchored spike glycoprotein of the novel coronavirus and the host receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). To date, SARS-CoV-2 has infected up to 26 million people worldwide; yet, there is no clinically approved drug or vaccine available. Therefore, a rapid and coordinated effort to re-purpose clinically approved drugs that prevent or disrupt these critical entry pathways of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein interaction with human ACE2, could potentially accelerate the identification and clinical advancement of prophylactic and/or treatment options against COVID-19, thus providing possible countermeasures against viral entry, pathogenesis and survival. Herein, we discovered that Ambroxol hydrochloride (AMB), and its progenitor, Bromhexine hydrochloride (BHH), both clinically approved drugs are potent effective modulators of the key interaction between the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and human ACE2. We also found that both compounds inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced cytopathic effect at micromolar concentrations. Therefore, in addition to the known TMPRSS2 activity of BHH; we report for the first time that the BHH and AMB pharmacophore has the capacity to target and modulate yet another key protein-protein interaction essential for the two known SARS-CoV-2 entry pathways into host cells. Altogether, the potent efficacy, excellent safety and pharmacologic profile of both drugs along with their affordability and availability, makes them promising candidates for drug repurposing as possible prophylactic and/or treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 infection.


Author(s):  
Bipin Singh

: The recent outbreak of novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2 or 2019-nCoV) and its worldwide spread is posing one of the major threats to human health and the world economy. It has been suggested that SARS-CoV-2 is similar to SARSCoV based on the comparison of the genome sequence. Despite the genomic similarity between SARS-CoV-2 and SARSCoV, the spike glycoprotein and receptor binding domain in SARS-CoV-2 shows the considerable difference compared to SARS-CoV, due to the presence of several point mutations. The analysis of receptor binding domain (RBD) from recently published 3D structures of spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (Yan, R., et al. (2020); Wrapp, D., et al. (2020); Walls, A. C., et al. (2020)) highlights the contribution of a few key point mutations in RBD of spike glycoprotein and molecular basis of its efficient binding with human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2).


2006 ◽  
Vol 281 (23) ◽  
pp. 15829-15836 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ponraj Prabakaran ◽  
Jianhua Gan ◽  
Yang Feng ◽  
Zhongyu Zhu ◽  
Vidita Choudhry ◽  
...  

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