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/
We then showed that the KD value of XBB.1.5 spike is greatly lower than that of XBB.1 spike, meaning that XBB.1.5 spike exhibits very strong affinity to human ACE2, which is attributed to #F486P mutation. 4/
Experiments using pseudovirues also showed the ~3-fold increase of infectivity by #F486P mutation (XBB.1 << XBB.1.5). On the other hand, #ins144Y increased the infectivity of XBB.1 (XBB.1 < XBB.1+ins144Y) but did not increase that of XBB.1.5 (XBB.1.5 = XBB.1.5+ins144Y). 5/
Neutralization assay showed that XBB.1.5 is robustly (41-fold vs B.1.1, 20-fold vs BA.2) resistant to BA.2 breakthru infection sera. XBB.1.5 is also severely (32-fold vs B.1.1, 9.5-fold vs BA.5) resistant to BA.5 breakthru infection sera. 6/
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