Page 16 - Binding Affinity News Today

A new study compares the pathogenicity and infectiousness of one such variant, the VOC 202012/01 (B.1.1.7 lineage) from the United Kingdom, with the globally dominant D614G mutation-carrying strains.

A new research paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv by Jesse D. Bloom et al. (22nd Feb 2021) aims to map all of the currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages with resistance towards LY-CoV555 and LY-CoV016, and document the specific mutations that confer resistance, ultimately suggesting that future monoclonal antibody cocktails should target a more diverse range of epitopes.

Key mutation sites in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein modulate antibody and ACE2 affinity An allosteric center or site is one where a molecule other than the substrate to the protein can bind, altering the conformation of the protein. A paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv* by researchers at Chapman University in California (Feb 22nd, 2021) utilized computational methods to screen severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) mutants for affinity with the angioten...

COVID-19 may alter host proteins to cause autoimmunity To better understand the transient and chronic autoimmune symptoms caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, researchers from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Guizhou Medical University, and biotech company Curandis embarked on an endeavor to establish a comprehensive autoantigenome for COVID19. In a previous study, the team identified a repertoire of autoantigens (autoAgs) from human fetal lun...

UK and South African SARS-CoV-2 variants show higher binding affinity to host cell receptor Public health officials are concerned over new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants emerging in various parts of the world. The B.1.1.7 variant was first found in the United Kingdom and found to have the N501Y mutation that allows it to have a faster transmission rate than previous strains. The B.1.351 variant was detected in South Africa and also has the N501Y genetic mu...

How do mutations benefit SARS-CoV-2? To explore this, a team of researchers from China took a closer look at the physical interactions that occur between the proteins after viral mutation.

Llama-derived nanobodies show neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern in vitro With the emergence of new variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), responsible for the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the prospect of effective containment of viral transmission has receded. Not only are they more transmissible than the earlier strains, but they also offer partial resistance to neutralization by existing antibodies in so...

Researchers in France report impaired neutralization of two new SARS-CoV-2 variants by antibodies induced by vaccination or natural infection.

Researchers describe the impending rise to dominance of the B.1.1.7 (UK) variant in the US. Understanding this development will help to shape preventive action to reduce the infection and mortality rates.

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server reports the development of highly effective neutralizing nanobodies targeting the viral receptor-binding domain (RBD), thus disrupting its engagement with the host cell angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor.