Fusogenicity and neutralization sensitivity of the SARS-CoV-2 Delta sublineage AY.4.2.

ABSTRACT:

Background

SARS-CoV-2 lineages are continuously evolving. As of December 2021, the AY.4.2 Delta sub-lineage represented 20 % of sequenced strains in the UK and had been detected in dozens of countries. It has since then been supplanted by Omicron. The AY.4.2 spike displays three additional mutations (T95I, Y145H and A222V) in the N-terminal domain when compared to the original Delta variant (B.1.617.2) and remains poorly characterized.

Methods

We compared the Delta and the AY.4.2 spikes, by assessing their binding to antibodies and ACE2 and their fusogenicity. We studied the sensitivity of an authentic AY.4.2 viral isolate to neutralizing antibodies.

Findings

The AY.4.2 spike exhibited similar binding to all the antibodies and sera tested, and similar fusogenicity and

SUBMITTER: Saunders N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8917961 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature