Nanobodies Protecting From Lethal SARS-CoV-2 Infection Target Receptor Binding Epitopes Preserved in Virus Variants Other Than Omicron.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants that escape from immune neutralization are challenging vaccines and antibodies developed to stop the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, it is important to establish therapeutics directed toward multiple or specific SARS-CoV-2 variants. The envelope spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 is the key target of neutralizing antibodies (Abs). We selected a panel of nine nanobodies (Nbs) from dromedary camels immunized with the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S, and engineered Nb fusions as humanized heavy chain Abs (hcAbs). Nbs and derived hcAbs bound with subnanomolar or picomolar affinities to the S and its RBD, and S-binding cross-competition clustered them in two different groups. Most of the hcAbs hindered RBD binding to its human ACE2 (hACE2) receptor, blocke

SUBMITTER: Casasnovas JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9082315 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature