Evolutionary and Phenotypic Characterization of Two Spike Mutations in European Lineage 20E of SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: We have detected two mutations in the spike protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at amino acid positions 1163 and 1167 that appeared independently in multiple transmission clusters and different genetic backgrounds. Furthermore, both mutations appeared together in a cluster of 1,627 sequences belonging to clade 20E. This cluster is characterized by 12 additional single nucleotide polymorphisms but no deletions. The available structural information on the S protein in the pre- and postfusion conformations predicts that both mutations confer rigidity, which could potentially decrease viral fitness. Accordingly, we observed reduced infectivity of this spike genotype relative to the ancestral 20E sequence in vitro, and the levels of viral RNA in nasoph

SUBMITTER: Ruiz-Rodriguez P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8593680 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature