Khabre branded placeholder image

science

MERS-CoV Spike Mutations Resist Soluble DPP4 in Cell Experiments

A bioRxiv preprint reports that MERS-CoV spike substitutions L507I and L507H reduced binding to soluble DPP4 while preserving entry into cells with high DPP4 levels. Polymorphisms at the same site found in patient virus sequences showed stronger resistance in the study’s VSV-based cell system.

Khabre branded placeholder image

science

RSV study maps mutations that can weaken infant antibodies

A Nature study tested nearly all single amino-acid mutations in RSV’s fusion protein and measured their effects on two antibodies used to prevent severe disease in infants. Resistance-associated sequence patterns were rare in current surveillance data, while the results provide a framework for tracking viral escape.