The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is vulnerable to moderate electric fields

Claudia R. Arbeitman; Pablo Rojas; Pedro Ojeda-May; Martin E. Garcia

doi:10.1038/s41467-021-25478-7

Nature Communications (Sep 2021)

The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is vulnerable to moderate electric fields

Claudia R. Arbeitman,
Pablo Rojas,
Pedro Ojeda-May,
Martin E. Garcia

Affiliations

Claudia R. Arbeitman: Theoretical Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel
Pablo Rojas: Theoretical Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel
Pedro Ojeda-May: High Performance Computing Center North (HPC2N), Umeå University
Martin E. Garcia: Theoretical Physics and Center for Interdisciplinary Nanostructure Science and Technology, FB10, Universität Kassel

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25478-7
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 12, no. 1
pp. 1 – 13

Abstract

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The SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein is essential for viral infectivity and binds to the host receptor ACE2. Here, the authors present MD simulations of the Spike protein and its variants of concern and observe that the Spike protein is destabilised by moderate static electric fields, and undergoes field-induced conformational changes that hinder binding to ACE2.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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