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Conformational dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike trimers during fusion activation at single molecule resolution

Dey, Shuvankar
Pahari, Purba
Mukherjee, Srija
Munro, James B
Das, Dibyendu Kumar
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Abstract

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron entry involves spike (S) glycoprotein-mediated fusion of viral and late endosomal membranes. Here, using single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (sm-FRET) imaging and biochemical measurements, we directly visualized conformational changes of individual spike trimers on the surface of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron pseudovirions during fusion activation. We observed that the S2 domain of the Omicron spike is a dynamic fusion machine. S2 reversibly interchanges between the pre-fusion conformation and two previously undescribed intermediate conformations. Acidic pH shifts the conformational equilibrium of S2 toward an intermediate conformation and promotes the membrane hemi-fusion reaction. Moreover, we captured conformational reversibility in the S2 domain, which suggests that spike can protect itself from pre-triggering. Furthermore, we determined that Ca directly promotes the S2 conformational change from an intermediate conformation to post-fusion conformation. In the presence of a target membrane, low pH and Ca stimulate the irreversible transition to S2 post-fusion state and promote membrane fusion.

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Dey S, Pahari P, Mukherjee S, Munro JB, Das DK. Conformational dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron spike trimers during fusion activation at single molecule resolution. Structure. 2024 Nov 7;32(11):1910-1925.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2024.09.008. Epub 2024 Oct 3. Erratum in: Structure. 2024 Dec 5;32(12):2449. doi: 10.1016/j.str.2024.10.029. PMID: 39366371; PMCID: PMC11560620.

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10.1016/j.str.2024.09.008
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39366371
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