Native-like SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein expressed by ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/AZD1222 vaccine

DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.1c00080

Authors: Yasunori Watanabe (University of Southampton; University of Oxford) , Luiza Mendonca (University of Oxford) , Elizabeth R. Allen (he Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Andrew Howe (Diamond Light Source) , Mercede Lee (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford) , Joel D. Allen (University of Southampton) , Himanshi Chawla (University of Southampton) , David Pulido (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Francesca Donnellan (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Hannah Davies (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Marta Ulaszewska (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Sandra Belij-Rammerstorfer (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre) , Susan Morris (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford) , Anna-Sophia Krebs (University of Oxford) , Wanwisa Dejnirattisai (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford) , Juthathip Mongkolsapaya (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; Mahidol University; Chinese Academy of Medical Science (CAMS) Oxford Institute (COI)) , Piyada Supasa (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford) , Gavin R. Screaton (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford; John Radcliffe Hospital,) , Catherine M. Green (The Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford) , Teresa Lambe (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre) , Peijun Zhang (University of Oxford; Diamond Light Source) , Sarah C. Gilbert (The Jenner Institute, University of Oxford; NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre) , Max Crispin (University of Southampton)
Co-authored by industrial partner: No

Type: Journal Paper
Journal: Acs Central Science

State: Published (Approved)
Published: April 2021
Diamond Proposal Number(s): 18477 , 21005 , 21004

Abstract: Vaccine development against the SARS-CoV-2 virus focuses on the principal target of the neutralizing immune response, the spike (S) glycoprotein. Adenovirus-vectored vaccines offer an effective platform for the delivery of viral antigen, but it is important for the generation of neutralizing antibodies that they produce appropriately processed and assembled viral antigen that mimics that observed on the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here, we describe the structure, conformation, and glycosylation of the S protein derived from the adenovirus-vectored ChAdOx1 nCoV-19/AZD1222 vaccine. We demonstrate native-like post-translational processing and assembly, and reveal the expression of S proteins on the surface of cells adopting the trimeric prefusion conformation. The data presented here confirm the use of ChAdOx1 adenovirus vectors as a leading platform technology for SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Diamond Keywords: COVID-19; Viruses

Subject Areas: Biology and Bio-materials, Medicine

Diamond Offline Facilities: Electron Bio-Imaging Centre (eBIC)
Instruments: Krios II-Titan Krios II at Diamond

Added On: 05/04/2021 09:29

Discipline Tags:

Vaccines Infectious Diseases Health & Wellbeing Life Sciences & Biotech

Technical Tags:

Microscopy Electron Microscopy (EM) Cryo Electron Microscopy (Cryo EM)