SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant: ACE2 Binding, Cryo-EM Structure of Spike Protein-ACE2 Complex and Antibody Evasion; this new study holds some nuggets for us to consider

increased in antibody evasion may partly explain increased transmissibility of the Omicron variant; it is fascinating for it appears to escape neutralization yet with enhanced binding to ACE 2

hi, I am sharing this new pre-print as holds some very neat information to reflect upon…the Omicron variant spike protein has 3-5 times more mutations than that seen in any of the previous SARS-CoV-2 strains…

‘The RBD is the region of the spike protein that mediates both attachment to human cells via the ACE2 receptor and is the primary target of neutralizing antibodies (2, 3). The Delta variant, which was the predominant SARS-CoV-2 lineage until the emergence of Omicron, has 7 mutations in the spike protein relative to the Wuhan strain but only two of these mutations (T478K and D614G) are in common with the Omicron strain. '

https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.12.19.473380v1.full.pdf

The Omicron variant thus appears to have evolved to selectively balance two critical features, namely the increase in escape from neutralization but without compromising its ability to interact efficiently with ACE2. The increase in antibody evasion and the retention of strong interactions at the ACE2 interface are thus likely to represent key molecular features that contribute to the increase in transmissibility of the Omicron variant.

What is fascinating is that it remains excessively milder than Delta and non-lethal which as Malone says, its a Christmas gift indeed.

This variant really signals that Omicron is over and COVID is over…I argue one year and more now…