1. Determinants of Spike Infectivity, Processing and Neutralization in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Subvariants BA.1 and BA.2
- Author
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Chiara Pastorio, Fabian Zech, Sabrina Noettger, Christoph Jung, Timo Jacob, Konstantin M.J. Sparrer, and Frank Kirchhoff
- Subjects
History ,Polymers and Plastics ,Business and International Management ,Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering - Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant rapidly outcompeted other variants and currently dominates the COVID-19 pandemic. Its enhanced transmission, immune evasion and pathogenicity is thought to be driven by numerous mutations in the Omicron Spike protein. Here, we examined the impact of amino acid changes that are characteristic for the BA.1 and/or BA.2 Omicron lineages on Spike function, processing and susceptibility to neutralization. Individual mutations of S371F/L, S375F and T376A in the ACE2 receptor-binding domain as well as Q954H and N969K in the hinge region 1 impaired infectivity, while changes of G339D, D614G, N764K and L981F moderately enhanced it. Most mutations in the N-terminal region and the receptor binding domain reduced sensitivity of the Spike protein to neutralization by sera from individuals vaccinated with the BNT162b2 vaccine or therapeutic antibodies. Our results represent a systematic functional analysis of Omicron Spike adaptations that allowed this SARS-CoV-2 variant to overtake the current pandemic.HIGHLIGHTSS371F/L, S373P and S375F impair Spike function and revert in some BA. 1 isolatesChanges of Q954H and N969K in HR1 reduce while L981F enhances S-mediated infectionOmicron-specific mutations in the NTD and RBD of Spike reduce neutralizationN440K, G446S, E484A and Q493K confer resistance to bamlanivimab or imdevimab
- Published
- 2022
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