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Antibody binding-site conserved across COVID-19 virus variants
A Penn State research team found that the N protein on SARS-CoV-2 is conserved across all SARS-related pandemic coronaviruses (top, from left: SARS-CoV-2, civet, SARS-CoV, MERS). The protein differs from other coronaviruses, such as those that cause the common cold (bottom, from left: OC43, HKU1, NL63 and 229E).
Image: Kelly Lab/Penn State
A tiny protein of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that gives rise to COVID-19, may have big implications for future treatments, according to a team of Penn State researchers.
Using a novel toolkit of approaches, the scientists uncovered the first full structure of the Nucleocapsid (N) protein and discovered how antibodies from COVID-19 patients interact with that protein. They also determined that the structure appears similar across many coronaviruses, including recent COVID-19 variants – making it an ideal target for advanced treatments and vaccines. They reported their results in Nanoscale.