Structural basis of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron immune evasion and receptor engagement

Science. 2022 Feb 25;375(6583):864-868. doi: 10.1126/science.abn8652. Epub 2022 Jan 25.

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant of concern evades antibody-mediated immunity that comes from vaccination or infection with earlier variants due to accumulation of numerous spike mutations. To understand the Omicron antigenic shift, we determined cryo-electron microscopy and x-ray crystal structures of the spike protein and the receptor-binding domain bound to the broadly neutralizing sarbecovirus monoclonal antibody (mAb) S309 (the parent mAb of sotrovimab) and to the human ACE2 receptor. We provide a blueprint for understanding the marked reduction of binding of other therapeutic mAbs that leads to dampened neutralizing activity. Remodeling of interactions between the Omicron receptor-binding domain and human ACE2 likely explains the enhanced affinity for the host receptor relative to the ancestral virus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / chemistry*
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / immunology
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Viral / chemistry*
  • Antibodies, Viral / immunology
  • Antibodies, Viral / metabolism
  • Antigenic Drift and Shift
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies / chemistry
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies / immunology
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies / metabolism
  • Cryoelectron Microscopy
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Humans
  • Immune Evasion*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Domains / genetics
  • Protein Interaction Domains and Motifs / genetics
  • Receptors, Coronavirus / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • SARS-CoV-2 / chemistry*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / genetics
  • SARS-CoV-2 / immunology*
  • SARS-CoV-2 / physiology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / chemistry*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / genetics
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / immunology
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies
  • Receptors, Coronavirus
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • ACE2 protein, human
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2

Supplementary concepts

  • SARS-CoV-2 variants