Spike Protein News and Research

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An entire trimeric S-protein of SARS-CoV-2 is necessary for protective immune response

Researchers from Seattle Children's Research Institute and the University of Washington described a high-throughput and rapid technique to quantify circulating levels of functional antibodies against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), suggesting that the entire viral spike protein should be used to characterize the immune response. Their paper is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

14 Jun 2020

NIAID and Moderna scientists describe SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development

Researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and Moderna Inc., have described the potent neutralizing effects of a candidate vaccine for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that is currently being tested in a phase II trial.

14 Jun 2020

New, reliable tests identified for detecting antibodies specific to SARS-CoV-2

A new analysis of blood sera taken from 63 COVID-19 patients, 71 controls, and various coronavirus-exposed animals provides strong support for the use of the SARS-CoV-2 virus' receptor-binding domain (RBD) as an antigen for reliable tests to detect antibodies to the virus.

12 Jun 2020

UNC scientists develop new kind of antibody test for COVID-19

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues with many thousands of new infections reported each day, there is a need for widely applicable surveillance testing to gain a better understanding of infection rates, especially the number of infections in people with mild or no symptoms, who can still be carriers.

11 Jun 2020

WVU researchers develop new diagnostic and antibody tests for COVID-19

COVID-19 tests are in short supply. The companies that make the necessary chemicals--called reagents--can't keep up with demand. But researchers at West Virginia University are developing new tests on their own to identify who has COVID-19 now and who had it in the past but recovered.

11 Jun 2020

Synthetic nanobodies potent neutralizers for SARS-CoV-2

Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences report the generation of potent synthetic nanobodies that selectively and efficiently neutralize severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus.

11 Jun 2020

Females mount stronger T-cell response to SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that immune cells, antibody levels, cytokine levels, and viral loads contribute to the sex difference seen in response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

10 Jun 2020

Scientists investigate immune responses to SARS-CoV-2 spike immunogens

The coronavirus pandemic is actively spreading across the globe, with millions of people infected. Amid the global health crisis, scientists race to develop an effective vaccine against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

10 Jun 2020

Unique antiviral action of cholesterol 25-hydroxylase against SARS-CoV-2

A new study by U.S. and Chinese researchers, currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, demonstrates how cholesterol 25-hydroxylase and its enzymatic product 25-hydroxycholesterol can inhibit membrane fus

10 Jun 2020

Twist Bioscience and Serimmune collaborate to identify SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic antibody candidates

Twist Bioscience Corporation, a company enabling customers to succeed through its offering of high-quality synthetic DNA using its silicon platform, and Serimmune Inc., a leader in understanding the functional antibody repertoire’s role in human disease, today announced a collaboration to identify and evaluate SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic antibody candidates from Twist libraries.

From Twist Bioscience 10 Jun 2020

Unique mutations could weaken Indian SARS-CoV-2 strain

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 suggests that the presence of unique mutations in the viral strains circulating in India has led to their attenuation.

9 Jun 2020

Avacta provides update on COVID-19 antigen diagnostic test development with Adeptrix

Avacta Group plc is pleased to announce that a BAMS™ diagnostic test for COVID-19, being developed with Adeptrix, has reached the prototype stage.

From Avacta Life Sciences Ltd. 9 Jun 2020

Anti-RBD antibodies shown to neutralize active SARS-CoV-2

A new study published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in June 2020 reports the discovery of multiple severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) antibodies in samples from healthy donors, collected before the pandemic. These antibodies are capable of inhibiting the binding of the spike protein of the virus to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) molecule and can neutralize active infection of cells in culture.

9 Jun 2020

Census of viral spike protein antigens could benefit development of SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics

A group of researchers has determined how different proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2 - the virus that causes COVID-19 - generate immune responses when given to rabbits as immunizations.

8 Jun 2020

Synthetic monoclonal antibodies effectively neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in laboratory conditions

In a new study available on the preprint server bioRxiv*, a multinational research group demonstrated how monoclonal antibodies strongly inhibit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro at even sub-nanomolar concentrations. This makes them a prime candidate for the treatment of coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

8 Jun 2020

The receptor binding domain of the SARS-CoV-2

With the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) across most of the world, scientists are working strenuously to find effective therapies or vaccines. Most strategies being worked on at present are targeting viral entry into the host cells, mainly through the interaction of the SARS-CoV-2 S protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor.

8 Jun 2020

Inhibition of coronavirus spike protein binding to ACE2

A novel coronavirus, CoV-19, and a later phenotype CoV-2 were identified as the primary cause for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS CoV-2). The spike (S) protein of CoV-2 is one target for the development of a vaccine to prevent the viral entry into human cells. The inhibition of the direct interaction between ACE2 and the S-protein could provides a suitable strategy to prevent the membrane fusion of CoV-2 and the viral entry into human cells. Using MD simulations, we investigate the assembly process of a Coronavirus Spike protein fragment, the hexapeptide YKYRYL on the ACE2 receptor and its inhibitzory effect on the aggregation and activation of the CoV-2 spike receptor protein at the same receptor protein.

8 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 genome variants in India

A new study published online on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 surveys the genetic diversity of SARS-CoV-2 strains in India.

7 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 invasion of central nervous system through olfactory tract

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to claim lives throughout the world, the evidence is mounting that the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) affects the respiratory tract as well as the central nervous system. Now, a new study by German researchers published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 describes various neurological manifestations of COVID-19, as well as the underlying pathophysiology.

7 Jun 2020

A SARS-CoV-2 antibody magnetic immuno-detection test

A new report, released on the preprint server bioRxiv by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology, describes the development of an innovative serologic test that could provide a fast, easy, and inexpensive method of detecting high titers of antibody in the serum of SARS-CoV-2 infected people.

4 Jun 2020