Deamidation drives molecular aging of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein receptor-binding motif
- Lorenzo Lopez, Juan Ramiro
- Defelipe, Lucas Alfredo
- Aliperti Car, Lucio
- Niebling, Stephan
- Custódio, Tânia F.
- Löw, Christian
- Schwarz, Jennifer J.
- Remans, Kim
- Craig, Patricio Oliver
- Otero, Lisandro Horacio
- Klinke, Sebastian
- García Alai, María
- Sánchez Miguel, Ignacio Enrique
- Alonso, Leonardo Gabriel
DOIAbstract
The spike protein is the main protein component of the SARS-CoV-2 virion surface. The spike receptor-binding motif mediates recognition of the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor, a critical step in infection, and is the preferential target for spikeneutralizing antibodies. Post-translational modifications of the spike receptor-binding motif have been shown to modulate viral infectivity and host immune response, but these modifications are still being explored. Here we studied asparagine deamidation of the spike protein, a spontaneous event that leads to the appearance of aspartic and isoaspartic residues, which affect both the protein backbone and its charge. We used computational prediction and biochemical experiments t...
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