New study from UNC Charlotte finds that mutations in SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1 do not significantly increase immune evasion compared to Omicron.
- Recent research from UNC Charlotte’s CIPHER found that SARS-CoV-2 variants BA.2.86 and JN.1 are not significantly better than Omicron at evading immune responses.
- Extensive computational analyses showed no significant changes in immune evasion and host-cell binding for BA.2.86 and JN.1 compared to earlier variants.
- The study focused on the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 to assess antibody binding and ACE2 affinity.
- Mutations outside the RBD in the virus, like those in JN.1, may impact viral replication and immune system regulation.
- The findings highlight a shift in evolutionary pressure towards genes outside the RBD, emphasizing the need for a functional approach in viral sequencing efforts.
Source link
Infectious Diseases,Pulmonary Medicine,Public Health & Prevention