tetano
Editor, Senior Moderator
Vaccines (Basel)
. 2021 Dec 20;9(12):1509.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines9121509.
Mutagenic Distinction between the Receptor-Binding and Fusion Subunits of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and Its Upshot
Robert Clark Penner[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
Abstract
We observe that a residue R of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 that has mutated in one or more of the current variants of concern or interest, or under monitoring, rarely participates in a backbone hydrogen bond if R lies in the S1 subunit and usually participates in one if R lies in the S2 subunit. A partial explanation for this based upon free energy is explored as a potentially general principle in the mutagenesis of viral glycoproteins. This observation could help target future vaccine cargos for the evolving coronavirus as well as more generally. A related study of the Delta and Omicron variants suggests that Delta was an energetically necessary intermediary in the evolution from Wuhan-Hu-1 to Omicron.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 spike; backbone free energy; mutagenic pressure; vaccinology.
. 2021 Dec 20;9(12):1509.
doi: 10.3390/vaccines9121509.
Mutagenic Distinction between the Receptor-Binding and Fusion Subunits of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein and Its Upshot
Robert Clark Penner[SUP] 1 2 [/SUP]
Affiliations
- PMID: 34960255
- DOI: 10.3390/vaccines9121509
Abstract
We observe that a residue R of the spike glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 that has mutated in one or more of the current variants of concern or interest, or under monitoring, rarely participates in a backbone hydrogen bond if R lies in the S1 subunit and usually participates in one if R lies in the S2 subunit. A partial explanation for this based upon free energy is explored as a potentially general principle in the mutagenesis of viral glycoproteins. This observation could help target future vaccine cargos for the evolving coronavirus as well as more generally. A related study of the Delta and Omicron variants suggests that Delta was an energetically necessary intermediary in the evolution from Wuhan-Hu-1 to Omicron.
Keywords: SARS-CoV-2 spike; backbone free energy; mutagenic pressure; vaccinology.