A Novel Synonymous Mutation of Sars-Cov-2: Is This Possible to Affect Their Antigenicity and Immunogenicity?

A Novel Synonymous Mutation of Sars-Cov-2: Is This Possible to Affect Their Antigenicity and Immunogenicity?

Yong-Ho Park, Sung Jae Kim, Van Giap Nguyen, Bongkyun Park, Hee-Chun Chung

The S glycoprotein of coronaviruses is important for viral entry and pathogenesis with most variable sequences. Therefore, we analyzed the S gene sequences of SARS-CoV-2 to better understand the antigenicity and immunogenicity of this virus in this study. In phylogenetic analysis, two subtypes (SARS-CoV-2a and -b) were confirmed within SARS-CoV-2 strains. These two subtypes were divided by a novel synonymous mutation of D614G. This may play a crucial role in the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to evade the host immune system. The region containing this mutation point was confirmed as a B-cell epitope located in the S1 domain, and SARS-CoV-2b strains exhibited severe reduced antigenic indexes compared to SARS-CoV-2a in this area. This may allow these two subtypes to have different antigenicity. If the two subtypes have different serological characteristics, a vaccine for both subtypes will be more effective to prevent COVID-19. Thus, further study is urgently required to confirm the antigenicity of these two subtypes.

2020

spike protein, antigenicity, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19

DOI: 10.3390/vaccines8020220

Vaccines

MDPI AG

Medicine