Bulletin of ANPA

Abstract submitted to ANPA Conference July 14–16, 2023

Volume 5, Number 1

Biological, Medical, Soft Matter and Chemical Physics

Abstract ID: ANPA2023-N00036

Abstract:

ANPA2023-N00036: Mutation-Induced Structural Changes in the SARS-CoV-2 Spike RBD and Enhanced ACE2 Binding in XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16

Authors:

• Tej Kumar Sharma; Florida International University

The emergence of the XBB.1.5 and XBB.1.16 subvariants of the omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 has raised concern due to their transmissibility and potential impact on vaccine efficacy. These subvariants have been identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as variants of concern (VOC). Here, we investigated the impact of the mutations in the structure of the receptor binding domain of the spike protein and its interactions with the host cell receptor ACE2. We found that the mutations enhance the RBD-ACE2 interactions in both subvariants. We also observed significant structural changes in the loop and motif regions of the RBD, altering well-known antibody-binding sites and potentially rendering primary RBD-specific antibodies ineffective. Our findings suggest that these structural changes contributed to the subvariants' dominance over their predecessors, allowing for more rapid spread.

To cite this abstract, use the following reference: https://anpaglobal.org/conference/2023/ANPA2023-N00036