SARS-CoV-2 Spike-protein D614G Mutation Increases Virion Spike Density and Infectivity

Overview

Journal Nat Commun

Specialty Biology

Date 2020 Nov 27

PMID 33243994

Citations 600

Authors

Lizhou Zhang

Cody B Jackson

Huihui Mou

Amrita Ojha

Haiyong Peng

Brian D Quinlan

Erumbi S Rangarajan

Andi Pan

Abigail Vanderheiden

Mehul S Suthar

Wenhui Li

Tina Izard

Christoph Rader

Michael Farzan

Hyeryun Choe

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 variants with spike (S)-protein D614G mutations now predominate globally. We therefore compare the properties of the mutated S protein (S) with the original (S). We report here pseudoviruses carrying S enter ACE2-expressing cells more efficiently than those with S. This increased entry correlates with less S1-domain shedding and higher S-protein incorporation into the virion. Similar results are obtained with virus-like particles produced with SARS-CoV-2 M, N, E, and S proteins. However, D614G does not alter S-protein binding to ACE2 or neutralization sensitivity of pseudoviruses. Thus, D614G may increase infectivity by assembling more functional S protein into the virion.

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