Temperature Influences the Interaction between SARS-CoV-2 Spike from Omicron Subvariants and Human ACE2
Shang Yu Gong,
Shilei Ding,
Mehdi Benlarbi,
Yaozong Chen,
Dani Vézina,
Lorie Marchitto,
Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières,
Guillaume Goyette,
Catherine Bourassa,
Yuxia Bo,
Halima Medjahed,
Inès Levade,
Marzena Pazgier,
Marceline Côté,
Jonathan Richard,
Jérémie Prévost,
Andrés Finzi
Affiliations
Shang Yu Gong
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Shilei Ding
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Mehdi Benlarbi
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Yaozong Chen
Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine of Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4712, USA
Dani Vézina
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Lorie Marchitto
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Guillaume Beaudoin-Bussières
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Guillaume Goyette
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Catherine Bourassa
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Yuxia Bo
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
Halima Medjahed
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Inès Levade
Laboratoire de Santé Publique du Québec, Institut National de Santé Publique du Québec, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3R5, Canada
Marzena Pazgier
Infectious Disease Division, Department of Medicine of Uniformed Services, University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814-4712, USA
Marceline Côté
Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Centre for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON K1H 8M5, Canada
Jonathan Richard
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Jérémie Prévost
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
Andrés Finzi
Centre de Recherche du CHUM, Montreal, QC H2X 0A9, Canada
SARS-CoV-2 continues to infect millions of people worldwide. The subvariants arising from the variant-of-concern (VOC) Omicron include BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. All possess multiple mutations in their Spike glycoprotein, notably in its immunogenic receptor-binding domain (RBD), and present enhanced viral transmission. The highly mutated Spike glycoproteins from these subvariants present different degrees of resistance to recognition and cross-neutralisation by plasma from previously infected and/or vaccinated individuals. We have recently shown that the temperature affects the interaction between the Spike and its receptor, the angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The affinity of RBD for ACE2 is significantly increased at lower temperatures. However, whether this is also observed with the Spike of Omicron and sub-lineages is not known. Here we show that, similar to other variants, Spikes from Omicron sub-lineages bind better the ACE2 receptor at lower temperatures. Whether this translates into enhanced transmission during the fall and winter seasons remains to be determined.
