The global surge in COVID-19 cases has been attributed to the various mutations that alter the viral structure, resulting in variants of concern (VOCs) . The mutations have been documented in all four structural proteins encoded by the viral genome, including the envelope glycoprotein, membrane glycoprotein, nucleocapsid protein, and the spike protein. Mutations in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein have the potential to alter the kinetics and strength of the virus-target cell interaction.
In mid-December 2020, the WHO reported a new VOC, B.1.1.7 , which demonstrated an unusually large number of mutations. Of particular interest was a mutation known as N501Y, the mutation of residue 501 in the RBD from Asn to Tyr. According to a study published in PLOS Biology, researchers from the University of British Columbia are the first in the world to capture the structural…
