PreprintCited by 901SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Researchvaccines and immunoinformatics approachesAnimal Virus Infections Studies

N-terminal domain antigenic mapping reveals a site of vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

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McCallum, Matthew, Marco, Anna De, Lempp, Florian, Tortorici, M. Alejandra, Pinto, Dora, Walls, Alexandra C., Beltramello, Martina, Chen, Alex +26 more·2021·Cell

Preprint — published as 10.1016/j.cell.2021.03.028 · Paper page

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells is orchestrated by the spike (S) glycoprotein that contains an immunodominant receptor-binding domain (RBD) targeted by the largest fraction of neutralizing antibodies (Abs) in COVID-19 patient plasma. Little is known about neutralizing Abs binding to epitopes outside the RBD and their contribution to protection. Here, we describe 41 human monoclonal Abs (mAbs) derived from memory B cells, which recognize the SARS-CoV-2 S N-terminal domain (NTD) and show that a subset of them neutralize SARS-CoV-2 ultrapotently. We define an antigenic map of the SARS-CoV-2 NTD and identify a supersite recognized by all known NTD-specific neutralizing mAbs. These mAbs inhibit cell-to-cell fusion, activate effector functions, and protect Syrian hamsters from SARS-CoV-2 challenge. SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the 501Y.V2 and B.1.1.7 lineages, harbor frequent mutations localized in the NTD supersite suggesting ongoing selective pressure and the importance of NTD-specific neutralizing mAbs to protective immunity.

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  1. Davies, N.G., Barnard, R.C., Jarvis, C.I., Kucharski, A.J., Munday, J., Pearson, C.A.B., Russell, T.W., Tully, D.C., Abbott, S., Gimma, A., et al. (2020). Estimated transmissibility and severity of novel SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern 202012/01 in England. medRxiv, 2020.2012.2024.20248822.
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Authors
McCallum, M., Marco, A. D., Lempp, F., Tortorici, M. A., Pinto, D., Walls, A. C., Beltramello, M., Chen, A., Liu, Z., Zatta, F., Zepeda, S., di Iulio, J., Bowen, J. E., Montiel-Ruiz, M., Zhou, J., Rosen, L. E., Bianchi, S., Guarino, B., Fregni, C. S., Abdelnabi, R., Caroline Foo, S.-Y., Rothlauf, P. W., Bloyet, L.-M., Benigni, F., Cameroni, E., Neyts, J., Riva, A., Snell, G., Telenti, A., Whelan, S. P. J., Virgin, H. W., Corti, D., Pizzuto, M. S., & Veesler, D.
Affiliations
  • University of Washington (US)
  • Vir Biotechnology (Switzerland) (CH)
  • VIR Biotechnology (United States) (US)
  • Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
  • Rega Institute for Medical Research (BE)
  • University of Milan (IT)
Corresponding author
  • Corti, Davide
  • Pizzuto, Matteo Samuele
  • Veesler, David
Venue
Cell
Publisher
openRxiv
Published
2021-01-14
Volume
184
Issue
9
Pages
2332-2347.e16
ISSN
0092-8674 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W3136616180
Cited by
901
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 64 · 2024: 92 · 2023: 154 · 2022: 270 · 2021: 269 · 2020: 2 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 2 · 2013: 1
FWCI
62.32
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Cell (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Lirias (acceptedVersion, other-oa)
  • PubMed Central (submittedVersion)
  • HAL (submittedVersion)
  • Archivio Istituzionale della Ricerca (Universita Degli Studi Di Milano) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Burroughs Wellcome Fund
  • University of Washington
  • Fast Grants
  • National Institutes of Health (1s10od023476-01)
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (HHSN272201700059C)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R01GM120553, T32GM008268)
  • National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (HHSN272201700059C, DP1AI158186)
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
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Virus Infections Studies
Keywords
SARS-CoV-2, spike protein, N-terminal domain, neutralizing antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, antigenic mapping, receptor binding domain, SARS-CoV-2 variants, Alpha variant, Beta variant, P.1 lineage, vaccine design

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