RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Predictions of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant (B.1.1.529) Spike Protein Receptor-Binding Domain Structure and Neutralizing Antibody Interactions
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.12.03.471024
DO 10.1101/2021.12.03.471024
A1 Colby T. Ford
A1 Denis Jacob Machado
A1 Daniel A. Janies
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/12/29/2021.12.03.471024.abstract
AB The genome of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant (B.1.1.529) was released on November 22, 2021, which has caused a flurry of media attention due the large number of mutations it contains. These raw data have spurred questions around vaccine efficacy. Given that neither the structural information nor the experimentally-derived antibody interaction of this variant are available, we have turned to predictive computational methods to model the mutated structure of the spike protein’s receptor binding domain and posit potential changes to vaccine efficacy. In this study, we predict some structural changes in the receptor-binding domain that may reduce antibody interaction without completely evading existing neutralizing antibodies (and therefore current vaccines).Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.