SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 escapes neutralization by South African COVID-19 donor plasma

C. K. Wibmer, F. Ayres, T. Hermanus, Mashudu Madzivhandila, Prudence Kgagudi, B. Oosthuysen, B. Lambson, T. de Oliveira, M. Vermeulen, K. van der Berg, T. Rossouw, M. Boswell, V. Ueckermann, S. Meiring, A. von Gottberg, C. Cohen, L. Morris, J. Bhiman, P. Moore

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology, 2021

SARS-CoV-2 501Y.V2 (B.1.351), a novel lineage of coronavirus causing COVID-19, contains substitutions in two immunodominant domains of the spike protein. Here, we show that pseudovirus expressing 501Y.V2 spike protein completely escapes three classes of therapeutically relevant antibodies. This pseudovirus also exhibits substantial to complete escape from neutralization, but not binding, by convalescent plasma. These data highlight the prospect of reinfection with antigenically distinct variants and foreshadows reduced efficacy of spike-based vaccines.

Cited by 329 publications.

Field of study: Biology

10.1101/2021.01.18.427166