SARS-CoV-2 spike protein S1 subunit induces potent neutralizing responses in mice and is effective against Delta and Omicron variants

Autor: Tarlan Mamedov, Damla Yuksel, Irem Gurbuzaslan, Burcu Gulec, Gulshan Mammadova, Aykut Ozdarendeli, Shaikh Terkis Islam Pavel, Hazel Yetiskin, Busra Kaplan, Muhammet Ali Uygut, Gulnara Hasanova
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Frontiers in Plant Science, Vol 14 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 1664-462X
DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2023.1290042
Popis: SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, belongs to the betacoronavirus genus. This virus has a high mutation rate, which rapidly evolves into new variants with different properties, such as increased transmissibility or immune evasion. Currently, the most prevalent global SARS-CoV-2 variant is Omicron, which is more transmissible than previous variants. Current available vaccines may be less effective against some currently existing SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the Omicron variant. The S1 subunit of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been a major target for COVID-19 vaccine development. It plays a crucial role in the virus’s entry into host cells and is the primary target for neutralizing antibodies. In this study, the S1 subunit of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 was engineered and produced at a high level in Nicotiana benthamiana plant. The expression level of the recombinant S1 protein was greater than the 0.5-g/kg fresh weight, and the purification yield was at least ~0.3 g of pure protein/kg of plant biomass, which would make a plant-produced S1 antigen an ideal vaccine candidate for commercialization. Purified, the plant-produced SARS-CoV-2 S1 protein exhibited significantly higher binding to the SARS-CoV-2 receptor, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Moreover, we also show that recombinant S1 protein/antigen-elicited antibodies can neutralize the Delta or Omicron variants. Collectively, our results demonstrate that a plant-produced S1 antigen could be a promising vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 variants including Omicron.
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