Junctional and allele-specific residues are critical for MERS-CoV neutralization by an exceptionally potent germline-like antibody.

ABSTRACT: The MERS-CoV is an emerging virus, which already infected more than 1,300 humans with high (∼36%) mortality. Here, we show that m336, an exceptionally potent human anti-MERS-CoV antibody, is almost germline with only one somatic mutation in the heavy chain. The structure of Fab m336 in complex with the MERS-CoV receptor-binding domain reveals that its IGHV1-69-derived heavy chain provides more than 85% binding surface and that its epitope almost completely overlaps with the receptor-binding site. Analysis of antibodies from 69 healthy humans suggests an important role of the V(D)J recombination-generated junctional and allele-specific residues for achieving high affinity of binding at such low levels of somatic hypermutation. Our results also have important implications for development of

SUBMITTER: Ying T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4571279 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature