L452Q), GR/452Q.V1, 21G, Lambda, C.37, B.1.1.1.37, South America Variant, Peru, F490S, L452Q, SARS-CoV-2, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 spike RBD, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, 2019-nCoV, COVID-2019, COVID-19, RBD (F490S, sars-cov-2
The spike (S) glycoprotein of coronaviruses is essential for binding of the virus to the host cell at the beginning of the infection process. The target protein is also a major immunogen and a possible target for entry inhibitors. The SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein is a large type I transmembrane protein composed of two subunits, S1 and S2. The S1 subunit contains a receptor-binding domain (RBD) responsible for binding to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Several mutants of the spike protein are known. A new SARS-CoV-2 lineage called C.37 or Lambda variant, exhibits 7 mutations in the spike protein. Compared to the other circulating variants, the mutations L452Q and F490S of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 (RBD) are known to make the virus more resistant to neutralizing antibodies and therefore may also have an influence on the effectiveness of existing vaccines. The Lambda variant is classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as Variant of Interest (VOI).
