Recombinant 2019-nCoV(SARS-CoV-2)Spike Protein RBD E484K mutation (501Y.V2 lineage, B.1.351; P.1 lineage, B.1.1.28.1; Kent variant; B.1.526 lineage)

Recombinant 2019-nCoV(SARS-CoV-2)
Spike Protein RBD E484K mutation
(501Y.V2 lineage, B.1.351; P.1 lineage, B.1.1.28.1; Kent variant; B.1.526 lineage)
The world is in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCoV) infection. The Spike protein (S-protein) of SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCoV) mediates receptor (ACE2) binding and cell entry and is the dominant target of the immune system. Most mutations and deletions of SARS-CoV-2 occur in the coronavirus spike protein.

The SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCOV) spike-E484K mutation occurs in different variants and has already been found in the South African variant (B.1.351lineage) and Brazilian variant (B.1.1.28 lineage). On 1st February, Public Health England (PHE) announced that the Covid-19 Genomics (COG-UK) consortium had identified this same E484K mutation in 11 samples carrying the UK variant B.1.1.7 lineage (sometimes called the Kent variant), after analyzing 214 159 sequences. Besides, the E484K mutation also occurs in the B.1.526 lineage that has recently become prevalent in New York State, particularly in the New York City metropolitan area.

The E484K mutation in the spike protein is located within the receptor-binding domain (RBD). It is called an escape mutation because it helps the virus slip past the body’s immune defenses. Ravindra Gupta at the University of Cambridge and colleagues have confirmed that the new B.1.1.7 plus E484K variant substantially increases the amount of serum antibody needed to prevent infection of cells. The mutation E484K has now been identified in the UK fast-spreading variant, prompting fears the virus is evolving further and could become resistant to vaccines.
Recombinant 2019-nCoV(SARS-CoV-2)
Spike Protein RBD E484K mutation
(501Y.V2 lineage, B.1.351; P.1 lineage, B.1.1.28.1; Kent variant; B.1.526 lineage)

The world is in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCoV) infection. The Spike protein (S-protein) of SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCoV) mediates receptor (ACE2) binding and cell entry and is the dominant target of the immune system. Most mutations and deletions of SARS-CoV-2 occur in the coronavirus spike protein.

The SARS-CoV-2 (2019nCOV) spike-E484K mutation occurs in different variants and has already been found in the South African variant (B.1.351lineage) and Brazilian variant (B.1.1.28 lineage). On 1st February, Public Health England (PHE) announced that the Covid-19 Genomics (COG-UK) consortium had identified this same E484K mutation in 11 samples carrying the UK variant B.1.1.7 lineage (sometimes called the Kent variant), after analyzing 214 159 sequences. Besides, the E484K mutation also occurs in the B.1.526 lineage that has recently become prevalent in New York State, particularly in the New York City metropolitan area.

The E484K mutation in the spike protein is located within the receptor-binding domain (RBD). It is called an escape mutation because it helps the virus slip past the body’s immune defenses. Ravindra Gupta at the University of Cambridge and colleagues have confirmed that the new B.1.1.7 plus E484K variant substantially increases the amount of serum antibody needed to prevent infection of cells. The mutation E484K has now been identified in the UK fast-spreading variant, prompting fears the virus is evolving further and could become resistant to vaccines.