Receptor binding domain proteins of SARS-CoV-2 variants produced in Nicotiana benthamiana elicit neutralizing antibodies against variants of concern.

ABSTRACT: The constantly emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concerns (VOCs) with mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) spread rapidly and has become a severe public health problem worldwide. Effective vaccines and optimized booster vaccination strategies are thus highly required. Here, the gene encoding six different RBD (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Kappa, Delta, and Epsilon variants) along with the Fc fragment of human IgG1 (RBD-Fc) was cloned into plant expression vector and produced in Nicotiana benthamiana by transient expression. Further, the immunogenicity of plant-produced variant RBD-Fc fusion proteins were tested in cynomolgus monkeys. Each group of cynomolgus monkeys was immunized three times intramuscularly with variant RBD-Fc vaccines at Da

SUBMITTER: Khorattanakulchai N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9348024 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature