Structure, function and antigenicity of the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein

SUMMARY The recent emergence of a novel coronavirus associated with an ongoing outbreak of pneumonia (Covid-2019) resulted in infections of more than 72,000 people and claimed over 1,800 lives. Coronavirus spike (S) glycoprotein trimers promote entry into cells and are the main target of the humoral immune response. We show here that SARS-CoV-2 S mediates entry in VeroE6 cells and in BHK cells transiently transfected with human ACE2, establishing ACE2 as a functional receptor for this novel coronavirus. We further demonstrate that the receptor-binding domains of SARS-CoV-2 S and SARS-CoV S bind with similar affinities to human ACE2, which correlates with the efficient spread of SARS-CoV-2 among humans. We…

• BW
  Burroughs Wellcome Fund
• NI
  National Institute of General Medical Sciences

  Award: R01GM120553
• NI
  National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases

  Award: HHSN272201700059C