BREAKING🔔 We introduce the latest work from G2P-Japan🇯🇵 focusing on the virological characteristics of new SARS-CoV-2 lineage of concern, XBB.1.5 (aka #Kraken), which is rapidly spreading in the US🇺🇸 Please RT! Preprint/peer-review paper will come soon🔥 1/
XBB.1.5 = XBB.1 + #F486P in spike. We also found that a part of XBB.1.5 has reversion mutation in Y144del (=XBB.1.5 + #ins144Y) in spike. Because #Y144del evades antiviral immunity and decreases pseudovirus infectivity, its reversion might be also critical. 2/
First, a brilliant young talent, @jampei2, showed that the relative basic reproduction number (Re) of XBB.1.5 is >1.2-fold greater than the parental XBB.1 (❗️). Importantly the "1.2-fold difference" is similar to the differences between BA.1 versus BA.2 and BA.2 versus BA.5. 3/
BREAKING🔔 The 15th preprint from G2P-Japan🇯🇵 is out @biorxivpreprint. We illuminated the virological characteristics of one of the latest SARS-CoV-2 lineages of concern, XBB, which was generated by recombination of two #Omicron subvariants. Please RT. 1/ biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
In late 2022, the Omicron subvariants have highly diversified. An example is BQ.1.1, which has convergently acquired amino acid substitutions at five critical residues in the spike protein: R346T, K444T, L452R, N460K & F486V. We reported it as below⬇️ 2/
Another variant of concern is XBB (aka #gryphon). First, two young talents, @jampei2 & @SpyrosLytras, showed that XBB emerged by recombination of two co-circulating BA.2 lineages, BJ.1 & BM.1.1.1 (a progeny of BA.2.75), during 2022 summer in India or its neighboring countries. 3/
BREAKING🔔 The 14th preprint from G2P-Japan🇯🇵 is out @biorxivpreprint. We illuminated the evolutionary rule underlying the convergent evolution of #Omicron and the virological characteristics of one of the latest lineages of concern, BQ.1.1. Please RT. 1/ biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
In late 2022, the Omicron subvariants have highly diversified. However, some lineages have convergently acquired amino acid substitutions at five critical residues in the spike protein: R346, K444, L452, N460 and F486. 2/
BREAKING🔔 The 15th paper from G2P-Japan🇯🇵 is out at iScience @iScience_CP. We revealed that the virological features of #Omicron BA.1 variant are determined by the spike #S375F mutation. Please RT. 1/6 cell.com/iscience/fullt…
We have demonstrated that the Omicron BA.1 spike exhibits 1) decreased efficiency of spike cleavage and 2) attenuated fusogenicity:
Cf. The 5th paper from G2P-Japan🇯🇵↓ nature.com/articles/s4158…
However, it remained unclear which mutation(s) determine these BA.1’s features. 2/6
1️⃣Our comprehensive screening experiments revealed that these BA.1's features are determined by its receptor binding domain and particularly, only #S375F mutation is responsible. 3/6