Cited by 1,178SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Researchvaccines and immunoinformatics approachesSARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

Comprehensive mapping of mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain that affect recognition by polyclonal human plasma antibodies

Open access
Greaney, Allison J., Loes, Andrea N., Crawford, Katharine H.D., Starr, Tyler N., Malone, Keara D., Chu, Helen Y., Bloom, Jesse D.·2021·Cell Host & Microbe

Published version of a preprint

Abstract

The evolution of SARS-CoV-2 could impair recognition of the virus by human antibody-mediated immunity. To facilitate prospective surveillance for such evolution, we map how convalescent plasma antibodies are impacted by all mutations to the spike's receptor-binding domain (RBD), the main target of plasma neutralizing activity. Binding by polyclonal plasma antibodies is affected by mutations in three main epitopes in the RBD, but longitudinal samples reveal that the impact of these mutations on antibody binding varies substantially both among individuals and within the same individual over time. Despite this inter- and intra-person heterogeneity, the mutations that most reduce antibody binding usually occur at just a few sites in the RBD's receptor-binding motif. The most important site is E484, where neutralization by some plasma is reduced >10-fold by several mutations, including one in the emerging 20H/501Y.V2 and 20J/501Y.V3 SARS-CoV-2 lineages. Going forward, these plasma escape maps can inform surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 evolution.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.chom.2021.02.003

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  • Kappa has spike substitutions T95I, G142D, E154K, D614G, P681R, Q1071H, and L452R, E484Q in RBD, which may provide reduced resistance to neutralization by post-vaccination sera.

    “This variant has substitutions in the spike protein at T95I, G142D, E154K, D614G, P681R, Q1071H, and L452R, E484Q in its RBD region, which may provide this variant reduced resistance to neutralization by post-vaccination sera [47].”

    From Waves and variants of SARS-CoV-2: understanding the causes and effect of the COVID-19 catastrophe (2022) · cites this paper as [47]

    The Results section reports that E484Q reduced neutralization by plasma from some individuals, supporting a possible effect of that mutation. But the Methods identify the samples as plasma from people recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection, not post-vaccination sera. The paper does not establish the listed spike substitutions as Kappa's profile or test the Kappa variant as a whole. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • The loss of plasma neutralizing activity against B.1.351 can be largely attributed to the E484K substitution.

    “The loss of plasma neutralizing activity against B.1.351could be largely attributed to the E484K substitution (Fig. 3b), which has been shown to attenuate the neutralizing activity of convalescent sera 30 .”
  • Several of the RBD mutations directly affect ACE2 receptor-binding affinity, which may affect infectivity, viral load, or transmissibility.

    “Several of the RBD mutations directly affect angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor-binding affinity, which may affect infectivity, viral load, or transmissibility.11, 12, 13, 14”
  • Continued viral evolution led to the emergence and selection of SARS-CoV-2 variants with enhanced infectivity/transmissibility and ability to circumvent drug and immune control.

    “Continued viral evolution led to the emergence and selection of SARS-CoV-2 variants with enhanced infectivity/transmissibility2,3 4,5 and ability to circumvent drug6 and immune control7,8.”
  • The E484K mutation can mediate antibody escape of B.1.351 and P.1 variants.

    “The E484K mutation, which can mediate antibody escape of B.1.351and P.1 variants, has been recently detected in the B.1.1.7 lineage in the United Kingdom, and thus represents a major potential threat for previously immune populations.”

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Authors
Greaney, A. J., Loes, A. N., Crawford, K. H. D., Starr, T. N., Malone, K. D., Chu, H. Y., & Bloom, J. D.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute (US)
  • Fred Hutch Cancer Center (US)
Corresponding author
Bloom, Jesse D.
Venue
Cell Host & Microbe
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2021-03
Volume
29
Issue
3
Pages
463-476.e6
ISSN
1931-3128 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3127852352
Cited by
1,178
References
88
Citations by year
2026: 43 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 79 · 2023: 158 · 2022: 361 · 2021: 459 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
FWCI
83.70
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell Host & Microbe (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Gates Foundation (INV-004949)
  • Howard Hughes Medical Institute
  • NIAID (T32AI083203, R01AI141707, F30AI149928, R01AI127893)
  • Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation (DRG-2381-19)
  • Office of Research Infrastructure Programs, National Institutes of Health (S10OD028685)
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Vanderbilt University
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › vaccines and immunoinformatics approaches
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Infectious Diseases › SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, spike protein receptor-binding domain, antibody escape mutations, neutralizing antibodies, E484K mutation, antibody epitopes, convalescent plasma, humoral immunity
MeSH terms
Protein Domains, COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Antibodies, Viral, Binding Sites, Cell Line, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Mutation, Prospective Studies, Protein Binding, Receptors, Virus, Young Adult, Antibodies, Neutralizing, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus

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