Cell host & microbe
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Cell host & microbe · Jan 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialD614G Spike Mutation Increases SARS CoV-2 Susceptibility to Neutralization.
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein acquired a D614G mutation early in the pandemic that confers greater infectivity and is now the globally dominant form. To determine whether D614G might also mediate neutralization escape that could compromise vaccine efficacy, sera from spike-immunized mice, nonhuman primates, and humans were evaluated for neutralization of pseudoviruses bearing either D614 or G614 spike. ⋯ Negative stain electron microscopy revealed a higher percentage of the 1-RBD "up" conformation in the G614 spike, suggesting increased epitope exposure as a mechanism of enhanced vulnerability to neutralization. Based on these findings, the D614G mutation is not expected to be an obstacle for current vaccine development.
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Microbes expertly manipulate hosts to their advantage, but few completely escape detection. In this issue of Cell Host & Microbe, Takaki et al. (2021) describe how Schistosoma mansoni eggs choreograph macrophage behaviors to promote efficient transmission of mature eggs, while immature eggs remain safely hidden in plain sight.