Detection of R.1 lineage severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with spike protein W152L/E484K/G769V mutations in Japan.

Yosuke Hirotsu,Masao Omata,Benhur Lee

doi:10.1371/journal.ppat.1009619

Abstract

We aimed to investigate novel emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineages in Japan that harbor variants in the spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD). The total nucleic acid contents of samples from 159 patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) were subjected to whole genome sequencing. The SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences from these patients were examined for variants in spike protein RBD. In January 2021, three family members (one aged in their 40s and two aged under 10 years old) were found to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 harboring W152L/E484K/G769V mutations. These three patients were living in Japan and had no history of traveling abroad. After identifying these cases, we developed a TaqMan assay to screen for the above hallmark mutations and identified an additional 14 patients with the same mutations. The associated virus strain was classified into the GR clade (Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data [GISAID]), 20B clade (Nextstrain), and R.1 lineage (Phylogenetic Assignment of Named Global Outbreak [PANGO] Lineages). As of April 22, 2021, R.1 lineage SARS-CoV-2 has been identified in 2,388 SARS-CoV-2 entries in the GISAID database, many of which were from Japan (38.2%; 913/2,388) and the United States (47.1%; 1,125/2,388). Compared with that in the United States, the percentage of SARS-CoV-2 isolates belonging to the R.1 lineage in Japan increased more rapidly over the period from October 24, 2020 to April 18, 2021. R.1 lineage SARS-CoV-2 has potential escape mutations in the spike protein RBD (E484K) and N-terminal domain (W152L); therefore, it will be necessary to continue to monitor the R.1 lineage as it spreads around the world.

Highlights

Most mutations that occur during viral evolution are neutral and not to influence viral properties
We aimed to investigate novel emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) lineages in Japan that harbor variants in the spike protein receptor-binding domain (RBD)
Household transmission of SARS-CoV-2 harboring a spike protein with the E484K mutation

Summary

Introduction

Most mutations that occur during viral evolution are neutral and not to influence viral properties. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) “Variants of Concern” have emerged within the last few months, largely belonging to three major lineages, B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 [3,4,5,6]. These emerging lineages are all characterized by multiple mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, raising concerns that they may escape monoclonal antibody therapy or vaccine-elicited antibodies. The B.1.1.7 lineage is estimated to have emerged in late September 2020 and has become the dominant strain of SARS-CoV-2 in the United Kingdom [3,7,8]. The P.1 lineage was first identified in four travelers from Brazil and has been associated with cases of reinfection [5,6,9]

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