NMR Based SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Screening

J Am Chem Soc. 2021 Jun 2;143(21):7930-7934. doi: 10.1021/jacs.1c03945. Epub 2021 May 21.

Abstract

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) entry into cells is a complex process that involves (1) recognition of the host entry receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), by the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor binding domain (RBD), and (2) the subsequent fusion of the viral and cell membranes. Our long-term immune-defense is the production of antibodies (Abs) that recognize the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and successfully block viral infection. Thus, to understand immunity against SARS-CoV-2, a comprehensive molecular understanding of how human SARS-CoV-2 Abs recognize the RBD is needed. Here, we report the sequence-specific backbone assignment of the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and, furthermore, demonstrate that biomolecular NMR spectroscopy chemical shift perturbation (CSP) mapping successfully and rapidly identifies the molecular epitopes of RBD-specific mAbs. By incorporating NMR-based CSP mapping with other molecular techniques to define RBD-mAb interactions and then correlating these data with neutralization efficacy, structure-based approaches for developing improved vaccines and COVID-19 mAb-based therapies will be greatly accelerated.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / chemistry*
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / chemistry*
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / metabolism
  • Antibodies, Viral / chemistry*
  • Antibodies, Viral / metabolism
  • Binding Sites
  • COVID-19 / metabolism*
  • Epitopes / chemistry
  • Humans
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • SARS-CoV-2 / metabolism*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / chemistry*
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus / metabolism
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Antibodies, Viral
  • Epitopes
  • Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus
  • spike protein, SARS-CoV-2
  • Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2