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Evolution and neutralization escape of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 subvariant
Khadija Khan1,2, Gila Lustig3, Cornelius Römer4,5
1Africa Health Research Institute, Durban, South Africa.
Nature Communications
|December 6, 2023
Summary
The Omicron BA.2.86 subvariant shows significant mutations but similar antibody escape to current variants. This SARS-CoV-2 strain may have evolved in Southern Africa, exhibiting extensive immune escape from older immunity.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Immunology
- Genomic Epidemiology
Background:
- The Omicron BA.2.86 subvariant possesses over 30 spike protein mutations, distinguishing it from previous SARS-CoV-2 variants.
- Understanding BA.2.86's immune escape and replication is crucial for public health strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To isolate and characterize the live Omicron BA.2.86 subvariant.
- To assess its neutralization escape from antibodies and viral replication capabilities.
Main Methods:
- Isolation of live BA.2.86 from a diagnostic swab.
- Testing for antibody neutralization escape using sera from various populations and infection histories.
- Evaluating viral replication dynamics in cell culture models (VeroE6-TMPRSS2 and H1299-ACE2).
Main Results:
- BA.2.86 demonstrated comparable antibody escape to Omicron XBB.1.5 against immunity from XBB-family infections and recent South African sera.
- Significant immune escape was observed relative to ancestral SARS-CoV-2 and Omicron BA.1 with specific sera.
- BA.2.86 and XBB.1.5 exhibited similar replication dynamics in tested cell lines.
Conclusions:
- Omicron BA.2.86 does not show significantly increased antibody escape compared to currently circulating variants like XBB.1.5.
- The subvariant potentially evolved in Southern Africa, developing immune escape comparable to recent SARS-CoV-2 strains.
- Further surveillance is needed to understand the evolutionary trajectory and impact of BA.2.86.
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