Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 7, 2026
13:00
Engineering Antiviral Agents via Surface Plasmon Resonance
Published on: June 14, 2022
2.9K
Functional characterization of spike RBD mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron-derived subvariants KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, and
Yeong Jun Kim1, Seon Jae Jeong1, Hye-Ra Lee1,2
1Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, College of Science and Technology, Korea University, Sejong 30019, Republic of Korea.
Journal of Microbiology (Seoul, Korea)
|April 6, 2026
Summary
New SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants show increased infectivity due to enhanced spike processing and fusion, not ACE2 binding. This explains their rapid global spread and highlights the need for monitoring viral entry dynamics.
Area of Science:
- Virology
- Molecular Biology
- Epidemiology
Background:
- The global spread of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron (B.1.1.529) led to the emergence of subvariants KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, and NB.1.8.1.
- By April 2025, LP.8.1 became predominant, KP.3.1.1 remained a variant under monitoring (VUM), and NB.1.8.1 showed increased prevalence.
- The functional impact of spike mutations in these subvariants on viral entry remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the entry properties conferred by receptor-binding domain (RBD) mutations in SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, and NB.1.8.1.
- To understand the virological mechanisms underlying the increased transmission of these subvariants.
- To assess the impact of RBD mutations on viral infectivity, ACE2 binding, spike cleavage, and fusogenicity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a pseudovirus system to systematically analyze the entry properties of SARS-CoV-2 subvariants.
- Quantified infectivity, ACE2 binding affinity, spike cleavage efficiency, and viral fusogenicity for each subvariant.
- Compared functional properties against ancestral Omicron.
Main Results:
- All three subvariants (KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, NB.1.8.1) demonstrated significantly higher infectivity than ancestral Omicron.
- Enhanced infectivity was observed despite reduced ACE2 binding affinity in these subvariants.
- Increased viral entry correlated with enhanced spike cleavage efficiency and fusogenicity, suggesting a compensatory mechanism.
Conclusions:
- The enhanced infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants is attributed to improved spike processing and fusion, rather than increased ACE2 binding.
- These findings provide a virological basis for the accelerated global dissemination of these subvariants.
- Monitoring functional shifts in spike-mediated viral entry is crucial for understanding SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:05Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms-SNPs
19.9K
A single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP is a single nucleotide variation at a specific genomic position in a large population. It is the most prevalent type of sequence variation found in the human genome. Point mutations that occur in more than 1% of the population qualify as SNPs. These are present once every 1000 nucleotides on an average in the human genome. Replacement of a purine with another purine (A/G) or a pyrimidine with another pyrimidine (C/T) is known as a transition. In contrast,...
19.9K
02:28Leaky Scanning
5.9K
During most eukaryotic translation processes, the small 40S ribosome subunit scans an mRNA from its 5' end until it encounters the first start AUG codon. The large 60S ribosomal subunit then joins the smaller one to initiate protein synthesis. The location of the translation initiation is largely determined by the nucleotides near the start codon as there may be multiple translation initiation sites present on the mRNA. Marilyn Kozak discovered that the sequence RCCAUGG (where R...
5.9K
00:36Viral Mutations
40.8K
A mutation is a change in the sequence of bases of DNA or RNA in a genome. Some mutations occur during replication of the genome due to errors made by the polymerase enzymes that replicate DNA or RNA. Unlike DNA polymerase, RNA polymerase is prone to errors because it is not capable of “proofreading” its work. Viruses with RNA-based genomes, like HIV, therefore accrue mutations faster than viruses with DNA-based genomes. Because mutation and recombination provide the raw material...
40.8K
02:50Conjugated Proteins
29.8K
Simple proteins and protein complexes contain only amino acids. In contrast, many other proteins, called conjugated proteins, covalently bond with non-protein moieties.
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
Nucleoproteins are protein complexes that contain nucleic acids, categorized as deoxyribonucleoproteins (DNPs) or ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) respectively. The nucleosome is a typical example of a DNP where nuclear DNA is associated with histone proteins. The major antigen for the Covid-19 virus SARS-CoV is an RNP that is critical...
29.8K