Spike Protein News and Research

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Durable highly protective T cell response to AAV-spike vaccine against COVID-19 pneumonia in mice

New research, available as a preprint on the bioRxiv* server, has focused on the role played by T cell immunity, particularly CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, on preventing lethal infection with SARS-CoV-2 in mice infused with peptide-loaded antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs).

19 Aug 2021

Early clinical trial data in for whole virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate

In a study uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv*, the efficacy of a whole virion Coronavirus vaccine was determined by giving the vaccine to healthy adult volunteers, which generated a robust immune response with evidence of T-cell activation.

19 Aug 2021

Genomic surveillance is vital to combat COVID-19

Although the development and increasingly widespread availability of effective and safe vaccines provides the greatest hope for the future recovery from the increasingly devastating COVID-19 pandemic, genomic surveillance is emerging as a vital necessity to achieve effective mitigation and containment.

18 Aug 2021

How do glycans affect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein openings?

In a paper recently uploaded to the bioRxiv* preprint server, the role of glycan coating on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is further investigated by molecular dynamics simulations of the glycosylated and non-glycosylated protein, identifying several key glycans that play a role in stabilizing and protecting the RBD, and also encourage bonding with the ACE2 receptor.

18 Aug 2021

Study examines the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Geneva, Switzerland

In a paper uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv*, antibodies against both the spike protein and nucleocapsid proteins of SARS-CoV-2 are measured in over 3,000 volunteers, six months following the initiation of the vaccination scheme in Geneva, Switzerland.

18 Aug 2021

A spike-derived epitope YLQ induces robust polyfunctional cytotoxic T cell responses in COVID-19 recovered individuals

The findings reveal that the dominant spike-derived epitope induces polyfunctional CD8+ T cell response in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) recovered individuals. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Aug 2021

Increased chemosensory dysfunction with D614G mutation of SARS-CoV-2

A study, available on the pre-print server medRxiv, has determined the underlying molecular mechanisms of how severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), especially the G614 strain, leads to olfactory dysfunction causing anosmia.

18 Aug 2021

P681R spike mutation enhances replication efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 delta variant

A team of scientists from the University of Texas, USA, has recently revealed that the P681R spike mutation is responsible for increased infectivity of the delta variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The P681R spike mutation increases the replication of the delta variant by increasing the dissociation of S1 and S2 subunits at the furin cleavage site. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Aug 2021

Naive B cells could be useful for predicting vaccination response in immunocompromised

A recent study conducted at the Medical University of Graz, Austria, has revealed that the number of naïve B cells in the blood could independently predict the magnitude of immune response induced by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in immunocompromised patients. The study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

17 Aug 2021

Making the nanobody big again for Cryo-EM

Researchers describe the method that allows high-resolution structure determination of small proteins by single-particle cryo-EM using a Legobody.

17 Aug 2021

Data reinforces SAB-185’s potential to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants

A study, available on the pre-print server bioRxiv*, evaluated the neutralizing capacity of a fully human polyclonal antibody (SAB-185) against the Delta, Kappa, and Lambda variants using a lentiviral-based pseudovirus assay.

17 Aug 2021

In Southeast Asia, robust immunity found up to 9 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Now, a new study posted to the bioRxiv* preprint server focuses on functional immune memory to SARS-CoV-2, up to nine months in a Southeast Asian cohort, in the absence of re-infection.

16 Aug 2021

Tool for defining new SARS-CoV-2 spike nucleotide sequences to Pango lineage sets

In a recent study, a group of researchers determined the degree to which Pango lineages are distinguishable using spike-only nucleotide sequences.

16 Aug 2021

Obtained SARS-CoV-2 immunity, naturally or via vaccination persists 12 months

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Havervall et al. (August 12th, 2021), neutralizing antibody titers towards wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and several variants of concern in individuals having either been vaccinated or infected with mild COVID-19 one year earlier are assessed, finding a reduced neutralization capacity against some strains.

16 Aug 2021

Response to a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose amongst immunocompromised

In a research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server medRxiv* by Schrezenmeier et al. (August 12th, 2021) the potential benefit of three vaccine doses in either a homogenous or heterogeneous dosing regimen amongst kidney transplant patients is assessed, finding that the search for viable vaccination approaches amongst these patients remains an urgent medical need.

16 Aug 2021

SARS-CoV-2 Spike may trigger production of antibodies that cross-react with human thrombopoietin to induce thrombocytopenia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected individuals often suffer from thrombocytopenia, a condition associated with low platelet counts. The cytokine thrombopoietin regulates platelet count. Previous studies have reported that thrombocytopenia can increase the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) mortality rate by about five times.

16 Aug 2021

Certain intestinal bacteria induce cross-reactive IgA responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD

A new study finds that human gut bacteria can induce antibodies of the immunoglobulin A (IgA) subtype that cross-react with the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD.

15 Aug 2021

World-first trial of third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine shows improved protection in transplant patients

Scientists with the Ajmera Transplant Centre at UHN have conducted a first-in-the-world randomized placebo-controlled trial of third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine for transplant patients that shows substantially improved protection.

14 Aug 2021

L452R mutations may have triggered the emergence of several COVID-19 variants

Most of the recently risen coronavirus variants of interest or concern -- delta, kappa, epsilon, iota and lambda -- are universally carrying a mutation in amino acid L452 of the Spike protein that helps the virus bind to host cells.

13 Aug 2021

How replication and recombination contribute to emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has been caused by the rapid outbreak of a novel coronavirus, namely, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2). SARS-CoV-2 was first reported in late December 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, the virus has already claimed more than 4.3 million lives worldwide.

13 Aug 2021

Spike Protein News and Research

Durable highly protective T cell response to AAV-spike vaccine against COVID-19 pneumonia in mice

Early clinical trial data in for whole virus COVID-19 vaccine candidate

Genomic surveillance is vital to combat COVID-19

How do glycans affect SARS-CoV-2 spike protein openings?

Study examines the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in Geneva, Switzerland

A spike-derived epitope YLQ induces robust polyfunctional cytotoxic T cell responses in COVID-19 recovered individuals

Increased chemosensory dysfunction with D614G mutation of SARS-CoV-2

P681R spike mutation enhances replication efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 delta variant

Naive B cells could be useful for predicting vaccination response in immunocompromised

Making the nanobody big again for Cryo-EM

Data reinforces SAB-185’s potential to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 variants

In Southeast Asia, robust immunity found up to 9 months after SARS-CoV-2 infection

Tool for defining new SARS-CoV-2 spike nucleotide sequences to Pango lineage sets

Obtained SARS-CoV-2 immunity, naturally or via vaccination persists 12 months

Response to a third SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose amongst immunocompromised

SARS-CoV-2 Spike may trigger production of antibodies that cross-react with human thrombopoietin to induce thrombocytopenia

Certain intestinal bacteria induce cross-reactive IgA responses to the SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD

World-first trial of third dose COVID-19 booster vaccine shows improved protection in transplant patients

L452R mutations may have triggered the emergence of several COVID-19 variants

How replication and recombination contribute to emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

Designing fluidic architecture for scalable diagnostic platforms

Evaluating new approaches for rare disease genomics

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