Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein
Abstract The ectodomain of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 spike has an increased positive surface charge, favoring binding to the host cell surface, but may affect the stability of the ectodomain. Thermal stability studies identified two transitions associated with the flexibility of the receptor binding do...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | npj Viruses |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-025-00104-1 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849765550748598272 |
|---|---|
| author | Daniel Lauster Rainer Haag Matthias Ballauff Andreas Herrmann |
| author_facet | Daniel Lauster Rainer Haag Matthias Ballauff Andreas Herrmann |
| author_sort | Daniel Lauster |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The ectodomain of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 spike has an increased positive surface charge, favoring binding to the host cell surface, but may affect the stability of the ectodomain. Thermal stability studies identified two transitions associated with the flexibility of the receptor binding domain and the unfolding of the whole ectodomain, respectively. Despite destabilizing effects of some mutations, compensatory mutations maintain ECD stability and functional advantages thus supporting viral fitness. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-405f54b9f50c4c679479b8b452a9b06e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2948-1767 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | npj Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-405f54b9f50c4c679479b8b452a9b06e2025-08-20T03:04:49ZengNature Portfolionpj Viruses2948-17672025-04-01311810.1038/s44298-025-00104-1Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike proteinDaniel Lauster0Rainer Haag1Matthias Ballauff2Andreas Herrmann3Institute of Pharmacy, Biopharmaceuticals, Freie Universität BerlinInstitute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität BerlinInstitute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität BerlinInstitute of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Freie Universität BerlinAbstract The ectodomain of the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 spike has an increased positive surface charge, favoring binding to the host cell surface, but may affect the stability of the ectodomain. Thermal stability studies identified two transitions associated with the flexibility of the receptor binding domain and the unfolding of the whole ectodomain, respectively. Despite destabilizing effects of some mutations, compensatory mutations maintain ECD stability and functional advantages thus supporting viral fitness.https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-025-00104-1 |
| spellingShingle | Daniel Lauster Rainer Haag Matthias Ballauff Andreas Herrmann Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein npj Viruses |
| title | Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein |
| title_full | Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein |
| title_fullStr | Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein |
| title_full_unstemmed | Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein |
| title_short | Balancing stability and function: impact of the surface charge of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike protein |
| title_sort | balancing stability and function impact of the surface charge of sars cov 2 omicron spike protein |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s44298-025-00104-1 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT daniellauster balancingstabilityandfunctionimpactofthesurfacechargeofsarscov2omicronspikeprotein AT rainerhaag balancingstabilityandfunctionimpactofthesurfacechargeofsarscov2omicronspikeprotein AT matthiasballauff balancingstabilityandfunctionimpactofthesurfacechargeofsarscov2omicronspikeprotein AT andreasherrmann balancingstabilityandfunctionimpactofthesurfacechargeofsarscov2omicronspikeprotein |