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Scientists have reported the discovery of a common molecular feature found in many of the human antibodies that neutralise the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.
Led by scientists at Scripps Research, the team has reported its scientists in the journal Science.
They reviewed data on nearly 300 anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that their labs and others have found in convalescent Covid-19 patients over the past few months.
They noted that a subset of these antibodies is particularly powerful at neutralising the virus—and these potent antibodies are all encoded, in part, by the same antibody gene, IGHV3-53.
The scientists used X-ray crystallography to image two of these antibodies attached to their target site on SARS-CoV-2.
They said the resulting atomic-structure details of this interaction should be useful to vaccine designers and scientists hoping to develop antiviral drugs that target the same site on SARS-CoV-2.
Source: Scripps Research Institute
