Structural Plasticity and Immune Evasion of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Variants.

ABSTRACT: The global pandemic of COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has significantly affected every human life and overloaded the health care system worldwide. Limited therapeutic options combined with the consecutive waves of the infection and emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants, especially variants of concern (VOCs), have prolonged the COVID-19 pandemic and challenged its control. The Spike (S) protein on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 is the primary target exposed to the host and essential for virus entry into cells. The parental (Wuhan-Hu-1 or USA/WA1 strain) S protein is the virus-specific component of currently implemented vaccines. However, S is most prone to mutations, potentially shifting the dynamics of virus-host interactions by affecting S conf

SUBMITTER: Ghimire D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9229035 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature