Identifying SARS-CoV-2 epitopes targeted by current vaccination could help improve future vaccines
Researchers in the United States have identified antibody-inducing epitopes of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that could be used for future diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccine design.
Using an approach called reverse vaccinology, the team identified distinct amino acid motifs and epitopes of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein that elicit specific immunoglobulin IgG antibody responses that have previously been associated with neutralization of the virus.
The spike protein is the main structure SARS-CoV-2 uses to infect cells and the primary target of neutralizing antibodies following vaccination or natural infection.