Protein and peptide research applied to Covid-19 and SARS-Cov-2

International audienceThe emergence of SARS-Cov-2 remains a challenge for the global scientific community. Many efforts have been made to rapidly develop vaccines against SARS-Cov-2. Currently available vaccines, based on the spike glycoprotein (S), are effective in generating neutralising antibodies to prevent severe acute forms of Covid-19. However, the emergence and spread of SARS-Cov-2 variants with mutations in the S protein raises questions about the need to adapt the vaccine strategy to the evolution of the virus. Proteome analysis of many SARS-Cov-2 clinical isolates suggests the development of vaccines based on peptides corresponding to epitopes located in the constant regions of viral proteins that could be effective despite the appearance of variants or the emergence of new strains of beta coronavirus. Other therapeutic innovations against Covid-19 could come from the development of peptides that inhibit structural and non-structural viral proteins. Beyond the therapeutic aspects, research on Covid-19-related proteins and peptides is also directed towards the development of diagnostic tools. The study of the glycosylation of viral proteins and the ACE-2 receptor is important for the development of therapies and diagnostics