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Plante JA, Liu Y, Liu J, Xia H, Johnson BA, Lokugamage KG, Zhang X, Muruato AE, Zou J, Fontes-Garfias CR, Mirchandani D, Scharton D, Bilello JP, Ku Z, An Z, Kalveram B, Freiberg AN, Menachery VD, Xie X, Plante KS, Weaver SC, Shi PY. Spike mutation D614G alters SARS-CoV-2 fitness and neutralization susceptibility. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2020:2020.09.01.278689. [PMID: 32908978 PMCID: PMC7480025 DOI: 10.1101/2020.09.01.278689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A spike protein mutation D614G became dominant in SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the mutational impact on viral spread and vaccine efficacy remains to be defined. Here we engineer the D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 USA-WA1/2020 strain and characterize its effect on viral replication, pathogenesis, and antibody neutralization. The D614G mutation significantly enhances SARS-CoV-2 replication on human lung epithelial cells and primary human airway tissues, through an improved infectivity of virions with the spike receptor-binding domain in an "up" conformation for binding to ACE2 receptor. Hamsters infected with D614 or G614 variants developed similar levels of weight loss. However, the G614 virus produced higher infectious titers in the nasal washes and trachea, but not lungs, than the D614 virus. The hamster results confirm clinical evidence that the D614G mutation enhances viral loads in the upper respiratory tract of COVID-19 patients and may increases transmission. For antibody neutralization, sera from D614 virus-infected hamsters consistently exhibit higher neutralization titers against G614 virus than those against D614 virus, indicating that (i) the mutation may not reduce the ability of vaccines in clinical trials to protect against COVID-19 and (ii) therapeutic antibodies should be tested against the circulating G614 virus before clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A. Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Yang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Jianying Liu
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Hongjie Xia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Bryan A. Johnson
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Kumari G. Lokugamage
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Xianwen Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Antonio E. Muruato
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Jing Zou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Camila R. Fontes-Garfias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Divya Mirchandani
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Dionna Scharton
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | | | - Zhiqiang Ku
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Zhiqiang An
- Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, USA
| | - Birte Kalveram
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Alexander N. Freiberg
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Vineet D. Menachery
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Kenneth S. Plante
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
| | - Scott C. Weaver
- World Reference Center for Emerging Viruses and Arboviruses, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Human Infections and Immunity, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston TX, USA
- Institute for Translational Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Center for Biodefense & Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Sealy Institute for Vaccine Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Sealy Center for Structural Biology & Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Lead Contact
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