Nature Communications (May 2021)
Characterization of an attenuated SARS-CoV-2 variant with a deletion at the S1/S2 junction of the spike protein
- Pui Wang,
- Siu-Ying Lau,
- Shaofeng Deng,
- Pin Chen,
- Bobo Wing-Yee Mok,
- Anna Jinxia Zhang,
- Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee,
- Kwok-Hung Chan,
- Rachel Chun-Yee Tam,
- Haoran Xu,
- Runhong Zhou,
- Wenjun Song,
- Li Liu,
- Kelvin Kai-Wang To,
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan,
- Zhiwei Chen,
- Kwok-Yung Yuen,
- Honglin Chen
Affiliations
- Pui Wang
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Siu-Ying Lau
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Shaofeng Deng
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Pin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Bobo Wing-Yee Mok
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Anna Jinxia Zhang
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Andrew Chak-Yiu Lee
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Kwok-Hung Chan
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Rachel Chun-Yee Tam
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Haoran Xu
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Runhong Zhou
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Wenjun Song
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Li Liu
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Kelvin Kai-Wang To
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Jasper Fuk-Woo Chan
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Zhiwei Chen
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Kwok-Yung Yuen
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- Honglin Chen
- Department of Microbiology and State Key Laboratory for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23166-0
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 12,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 10
Abstract
The S1/S2 junction of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein is emerging as a key factor in virulence and pathogenesis. Here, the authors characterise an attenuated strain of SARS-CoV-2 with deletions in the critical S1/S2 junction and observe enhanced replication, generation of potent adaptive immunity but reduced immunopathology in a hamster model of infection.
