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D614/G614 variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect neuronal transmission; G614 better at membrane fusion

December 7, 2020

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During the research, it became clear that the virus had changed its ancestral genotype, developing several clades. Among these, the variant with the D614G mutation has rapidly risen to dominance wherever it was introduced. An interesting study published in the pre-print server bioRxiv* attempts to explain the neurological manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection as well as the higher transmissibility of this variant.

Viral Fusion with Host Cell

The virus engages host cells via its receptor-binding domain (RBD), on its spike S1 subunit, which binds to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and neuropilin-1 (NRP1) receptors. This triggers fusion events between the viral and host cell membranes, allowing the virus to enter the cytoplasm of the cell and begin replication.

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