Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

May 19, 2021

Rapidly Emerging SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Sub-Lineage in the United States of America with Spike Protein D178H and Membrane Protein V70L Mutations

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  • [Pre-print, not peer-reviewed] Genomic surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 cases identified an expanding US-specific sub-lineage of the B.1.1.7 variant. This sub-lineage is characterized with sequential acquisition of a membrane protein mutation, V20L, in November 2020 and a spike mutation, D178H, in early February 2021. The proportion of B.1.1.7 isolates in the US belonging to this sub-lineage increased from 0.15% in February to 1.8% in April 2021. The sub-lineage comprises 37% of B.1.1.7 isolates in Washington State to date and has also been detected in 30 other states. Phylogenetic analysis suggests the sub-lineage may have originated from either California or Washington, while structural analysis suggests the D178H mutation may affect neutralization capacity of antibodies targeting the N terminal domain.

Shen et al. (May 18, 2021). Rapidly Emerging SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 Sub-Lineage in the United States of America with Spike Protein D178H and Membrane Protein V70L Mutations. Pre-print downloaded May 19 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.05.14.21257247