COVID-19 dominant D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein desensitizes its temperature-dependent denaturation

Abstract

The D614G mutation in the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 alters the fitness of the virus, making it the dominant form in the COVID-19 pandemic. Here we demonstrated by cryo-electron microscopy that the D614G mutation does not significantly perturb the structure of the spike protein, but multiple receptor binding domains are in an upward conformation poised for host receptor binding. The impact of the mutation lies in its ability to eliminate the unusual cold-induced unfolding characteristics, and to significantly increase the thermal stability under physiological pH. Our findings shed light on how the D614G mutation enhances the infectivity of SARS-CoV-2 through a stabilizing mutation, and suggest an approach for better design of spike-protein based conjugates for vaccine development.