PLoS ONE,
Journal Year:
2025,
Volume and Issue:
20(4), P. e0320891 - e0320891
Published: April 7, 2025
The
COVID-19
pandemic
offered
an
unprecedented
glimpse
into
the
evolution
of
its
causative
virus,
SARS-CoV-2.
It
has
been
estimated
that
since
outbreak
in
late
2019,
virus
explored
all
possible
alternatives
terms
missense
mutations
for
sites
polypeptide
chain.
Spike
protein
exhibits
largest
sequence
variation
particular,
with
many
individual
impacting
target
recognition,
cellular
entry,
and
endosomal
escape
virus.
Moreover,
recent
studies
unveiled
a
significant
increase
total
charge
on
spike
during
initial
period
pandemic.
While
this
trend
recently
come
to
halt,
we
perform
sequence-based
analysis
2665
SARS-CoV-2
variants
which
shows
ionizable
amino
acids
continue
occur
newly
emerging
variants,
notable
differences
between
lineages
from
different
clades.
What
is
more,
show
within
can
acquire
positive
charge,
prominent
preference
lysine
residues
over
arginine
residues.
This
lysine-to-arginine
ratio
increased
at
several
points
evolution,
most
BA.2.86
sublineages,
including
dominant
JN.1,
KP.3,
XEC
variants.
consequence
structural
regions
now
among
highest
viral
species
Coronaviridae
family.
impact
high
proteins
daughter
fitness
remains
unclear;
discuss
potential
mechanisms
could
play
role
serve
as
starting
point
further
studies.
ChemBioChem,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
23(6)
Published: Jan. 12, 2022
Abstract
Evidence
is
strengthening
to
suggest
that
the
novel
SARS‐CoV‐2
mutant
Omicron,
with
its
more
than
60
mutations,
will
spread
and
dominate
worldwide.
Although
mutations
in
spike
protein
are
known,
molecular
basis
for
why
additional
have
not
previously
occurred
account
Omicron's
higher
infection
potential,
understood.
We
propose,
based
on
chemical
rational
dynamics
simulations,
elevated
occurrence
of
positively
charged
amino
acids
certain
domains
(Delta:
+4;
Omicron:
+5
vs.
wild
type)
increases
binding
cellular
polyanionic
receptors,
such
as
heparan
sulfate
due
multivalent
charge‐charge
interactions.
This
observation
a
starting
point
targeted
drug
development.
Journal of Medical Virology,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
94(5), P. 1876 - 1885
Published: Jan. 27, 2022
COVID's
Omicron
variant
has
sparked
a
slew
of
concerns
across
the
globe.
This
review
aims
to
provide
brief
overview
what
we
know
about
right
now.
The
new
been
discovered
in
149
countries
all
six
World
Health
Organization
(WHO)
regions
since
its
discovery
South
Africa
on
November
24,
2021
and
became
dominant
country
less
than
3
weeks.
WHO
warned
that
B.1.1.529
is
spreading
at
an
unprecedented
rate,
urged
prepare
for
worst.
Over
course
this
time,
researchers
from
around
world
have
uncovered
wealth
information
virus's
epidemiology
biological
properties.
Case
numbers
are
increasing
exponentially
hard-hit
areas
such
as
Africa,
United
Kingdom,
USA
(overtaking
delta
variant),
implying
highly
transmissible.
Initial
research
provided
some
insights
into
efficacy
vaccines
against
whether
it
produces
major
illness,
however,
much
remains
unknown,
additional
work
needed
investigate
initial
reports
represent
real-world
situations.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: Jan. 30, 2024
Omicron
emerged
following
COVID-19
vaccination
campaigns,
displaced
previous
SARS-CoV-2
variants
of
concern
worldwide,
and
gave
rise
to
lineages
that
continue
spread.
Here,
we
show
exhibits
increased
infectivity
in
primary
adult
upper
airway
tissue
relative
Delta.
Using
recombinant
forms
nasal
epithelial
cells
cultured
at
the
liquid-air
interface,
mutations
unique
Spike
enable
enhanced
entry
into
tissue.
Unlike
earlier
SARS-CoV-2,
our
findings
suggest
enters
independently
serine
transmembrane
proteases
instead
relies
upon
metalloproteinases
catalyze
membrane
fusion.
Furthermore,
demonstrate
this
pathway
unlocked
by
enables
evasion
from
constitutive
interferon-induced
antiviral
factors
restrict
attachment.
Therefore,
transmissibility
exhibited
humans
may
be
attributed
not
only
its
vaccine-elicited
adaptive
immunity,
but
also
superior
invasion
epithelia
resistance
cell-intrinsic
barriers
present
therein.
Cell Reports Physical Science,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
4(4), P. 101346 - 101346
Published: April 1, 2023
Viral
variants
of
concern
continue
to
arise
for
SARS-CoV-2,
potentially
impacting
both
methods
detection
and
mechanisms
action.
Here,
we
investigate
the
effect
an
evolving
spike
positive
charge
in
SARS-CoV-2
subsequent
interactions
with
heparan
sulfate
angiotensin
converting
enzyme
2
(ACE2)
glycocalyx.
We
show
that
positively
charged
Omicron
variant
evolved
enhanced
binding
rates
negatively
Moreover,
discover
while
spike-ACE2
affinity
is
comparable
Delta
variant,
are
significantly
enhanced,
giving
rise
a
ternary
complex
spike-heparan
sulfate-ACE2
large
proportion
double-bound
triple-bound
ACE2.
Our
findings
suggest
evolve
be
more
dependent
on
viral
attachment
infection.
This
discovery
enables
us
engineer
second-generation
lateral-flow
test
strip
harnesses
heparin
ACE2
reliably
detect
all
concern,
including
Omicron.
The Journal of Physical Chemistry B,
Journal Year:
2022,
Volume and Issue:
126(36), P. 6835 - 6852
Published: Sept. 6, 2022
Electrostatic
intermolecular
interactions
are
important
in
many
aspects
of
biology.
We
have
studied
the
main
electrostatic
features
involved
interaction
receptor-binding
domain
(RBD)
SARS-CoV-2
spike
protein
with
human
receptor
Angiotensin-converting
enzyme
2
(ACE2).
As
principal
computational
tool,
we
used
FORTE
approach,
capable
to
model
proton
fluctuations
and
computing
free
energies
for
a
very
large
number
protein–protein
systems
under
different
physical–chemical
conditions,
here
focusing
on
RBD-ACE2
interactions.
Both
wild-type
all
critical
variants
included
this
study.
From
our
ensemble
extensive
simulations,
obtain,
as
function
pH,
binding
affinities,
charges
proteins,
their
charge
regulation
capacities,
dipole
moments.
In
addition,
calculated
pKas
ionizable
residues
mapped
coupling
between
them.
able
present
simple
predictor
based
data
obtained
Alpha,
Beta,
Gamma,
Delta,
Omicron
variants,
linear
correlation
total
RBD
corresponding
affinity.
This
"RBD
rule"
should
work
quick
test
degree
severity
coming
future.
iScience,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
26(3), P. 106230 - 106230
Published: Feb. 18, 2023
The
severe
acute
respiratory
syndrome
coronavirus
2
(SARS-CoV-2)
continues
to
evolve
and
infect
individuals.
exterior
surface
of
the
SARS-CoV-2
virion
is
dominated
by
spike
protein,
current
work
examined
protein
biochemical
features
that
have
changed
during
3
years
in
which
has
infected
humans.
Our
analysis
identified
a
striking
change
charge,
from
−8.3
original
Lineage
A
B
viruses
−1.26
most
Omicron
viruses.
We
conclude
addition
immune
selection
pressure,
evolution
also
altered
viral
properties,
may
influence
survival
promote
transmission.
Future
vaccine
therapeutic
development
should
exploit
target
these
properties.
Viruses,
Journal Year:
2023,
Volume and Issue:
15(8), P. 1752 - 1752
Published: Aug. 17, 2023
The
association
of
the
S-protein
SARS-CoV-2
beta
coronavirus
to
ACE2
receptors
human
epithelial
cells
determines
its
contagiousness
and
pathogenicity.
We
computed
pH-dependent
electric
potential
on
surface
interacting
globular
proteins
Gibbs
free
energy
at
wild-type
strain
omicron
variant.
calculated
isoelectric
points
receptor
(pI
5.4)
in
trimeric
form
7.3,
wild
type),
7.8,
variant),
experimentally
verified
by
focusing,
show
that
pH
6-7,
S1-ACE2
is
conditioned
electrostatic
attraction
oppositely
charged
viral
protein.
comparison
local
potentials
variant
shows
point
mutations
alter
a
relatively
small
area
receptor-binding
domain
(RBD)
S1
subunit.
appearance
seven
charge-changing
RBD
(equivalent
three
additional
positive
charges)
leads
stronger
5.5
(typical
for
respiratory
tract)
weaker
one
7.4
(characteristic
blood
plasma);
this
reveals
reason
higher
but
lower
pathogenicity
strain.
Nature Communications,
Journal Year:
2024,
Volume and Issue:
15(1)
Published: Feb. 7, 2024
The
lasting
threat
of
viral
pandemics
necessitates
the
development
tailorable
first-response
antivirals
with
specific
but
adaptive
architectures
for
treatment
novel
infections.
Here,
such
an
antiviral
platform
has
been
developed
based
on
a
mixture
hetero-peptides
self-assembled
into
functionalized
β-sheets
capable
multivalent
binding
to
protein
complexes.
One
domain
each
hetero-peptide
is
designed
specifically
bind
certain
proteins,
while
another
self-assembles
fibrils
epitope
characteristics
determined
by
types
peptides
and
their
molar
fractions.
maintain
enhanced
complexes
retain
high
resilience
mutations.
This
method
experimentally
computationally
tested
using
short
that
Spike
proteins
SARS-CoV-2.
efficacious,
inexpensive,
stable
excellent
tolerability.