B.1.1.7 (Alpha) Variant is the Most Antigenic Compared to Wuhan Strain, B.1.351, B.1.1.28/triple Mutant and B.1.429 Variants

Overview

Journal Front Microbiol

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2022 Aug 29

PMID 36033846

Authors

Manojit Bhattacharya

Ashish Ranjan Sharma

Bidyut Mallick

Sang-Soo Lee

Eun-Min Seo

Chiranjib Chakraborty

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The rapid spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants has created a catastrophic impact worldwide. Several variants have emerged, including B.1.351 (Beta), B.1.1.28/triple mutant (P.1), B.1.1.7 (Alpha), and B.1.429 (Epsilon). We performed comparative and comprehensive antigenicity mapping of the total S-glycoprotein using the Wuhan strain and the other variants and identified 9-mer, 15-mer, and 20-mer CTL epitopes through analysis. The study found that 9-mer CTL epitope regions in the B.1.1.7 variant had the highest antigenicity and an average of the three epitope types. Cluster analysis of the 9-mer CTL epitopes depicted one significant cluster at the 70% level with two nodes (KGFNCYFPL and EGFNCYFPL). The phage-displayed peptides showed mimic 9-mer CTL epitopes with three clusters. CD spectra analysis showed the same band pattern of S-glycoprotein of Wuhan strain and all variants other than B.1.429. The developed 3D model of the superantigen (SAg)-like regions found an interaction pattern with the human TCR, indicating that the SAg-like component might interact with the TCR beta chain. The present study identified another partial SAg-like region (ANQFNSAIGKI) from the S-glycoprotein. Future research should examine the molecular mechanism of antigen processing for CD8 T cells, especially all the variants' antigens of S-glycoprotein.

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