Dödligt virus från Kina orsakar panik (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19)

The lineage B.1.1.71 is of particular interest (see footnote) and is notable for a higher number of mutations
in one lineage than observed previously (Table 1b). It has been speculated that it may have arisen from a
chronically infected individual. One of these (the N501Y mutation) occurs in the region of the Spike protein,
the receptor binding domain (RBD), that the virus uses to bind to the human ACE2 receptor. Changes in
this region of the Spike protein can result in the virus changing its ACE2 binding specificity and alter
antibody recognition.

Two other mutations (N439K and Y453F) also occur in the RBD region and increase binding affinity to ACE2
and have been shown to escape the neutralising effect of a few monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The 69-
70del has co-occurred with all three of these RBD mutations.