Journal Pre-proof
Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus
B. Korber, W.M. Fischer, S. Gnanakaran, H. Yoon, J. Theiler, W. Abfalterer, N. Hengartner, E.E. Giorgi, T. Bhattacharya, B. Foley, K.M. Hastie, M.D. Parker, D.G. Partridge, C.M. Evans, T.M. Freeman, T.I. de Silva, C. McDanal, L.G. Perez, H. Tang, A. Moon-Walker, S.P. Whelan, C.C. LaBranche, E.O. Saphire, D.C. Montefiori, on behalf of the Sheffield COVID-19 Genomics Group
Publication History
Accepted: June 26, 2020
Received in revised form: June 10, 2020
Received: April 29, 2020
Highlights:
Tracking changes in SARS-CoV-2 Spike: evidence that D614G increases infectivity of the COVID-19 virus
B. Korber, W.M. Fischer, S. Gnanakaran, H. Yoon, J. Theiler, W. Abfalterer, N. Hengartner, E.E. Giorgi, T. Bhattacharya, B. Foley, K.M. Hastie, M.D. Parker, D.G. Partridge, C.M. Evans, T.M. Freeman, T.I. de Silva, C. McDanal, L.G. Perez, H. Tang, A. Moon-Walker, S.P. Whelan, C.C. LaBranche, E.O. Saphire, D.C. Montefiori, on behalf of the Sheffield COVID-19 Genomics Group
Publication History
Accepted: June 26, 2020
Received in revised form: June 10, 2020
Received: April 29, 2020
Highlights:
- -
A SARS-CoV-2 variant with Spike G614 has replaced D614 as the dominant pandemic form - -
The consistent increase of G614 at regional levels may indicate a fitness advantage - -
G614 is associated with lower RT PCR Ct’s, suggestive of higher viral loads in patients - -
The G614 variant grows to higher titers as pseudotyped virions