Title |
Mechanisms of SARS-CoV‑2 Evolution Revealing Vaccine-Resistant Mutations in Europe and America
|
---|---|
Published in |
The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters, December 2021
|
DOI | 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c03380 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Rui Wang, Jiahui Chen, Guo-Wei Wei |
Abstract |
The importance of understanding SARS-CoV-2 evolution cannot be overlooked. Recent studies confirm that natural selection is the dominating mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, which favors mutations that strengthen viral infectivity. Here, we demonstrate that vaccine-breakthrough or antibody-resistant mutations provide a new mechanism of viral evolution. Specifically, vaccine-resistant mutation Y449S in the spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain, which occurred in co-mutations Y449S and N501Y, has reduced infectivity compared to that of the original SARS-CoV-2 but can disrupt existing antibodies that neutralize the virus. By tracking the evolutionary trajectories of vaccine-resistant mutations in more than 2.2 million SARS-CoV-2 genomes, we reveal that the occurrence and frequency of vaccine-resistant mutations correlate strongly with the vaccination rates in Europe and America. We anticipate that as a complementary transmission pathway, vaccine-breakthrough or antibody-resistant mutations, like those in Omicron, will become a dominating mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 evolution when most of the world’s population is either vaccinated or infected. Our study sheds light on SARS-CoV-2 evolution and transmission and enables the design of the next-generation mutation-proof vaccines and antibody drugs. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
United States | 2017 | 13% |
United Kingdom | 476 | 3% |
Canada | 445 | 3% |
France | 351 | 2% |
Netherlands | 253 | 2% |
Brazil | 229 | 2% |
Japan | 161 | 1% |
Australia | 144 | <1% |
Poland | 133 | <1% |
Other | 1349 | 9% |
Unknown | 9701 | 64% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 14661 | 96% |
Scientists | 240 | 2% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 229 | 2% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 115 | <1% |
Unknown | 14 | <1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 114 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Researcher | 15 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 15 | 13% |
Student > Ph. D. Student | 14 | 12% |
Student > Master | 14 | 12% |
Other | 7 | 6% |
Other | 13 | 11% |
Unknown | 36 | 32% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 24 | 21% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 14 | 12% |
Immunology and Microbiology | 7 | 6% |
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 7 | 6% |
Chemistry | 7 | 6% |
Other | 17 | 15% |
Unknown | 38 | 33% |