Evolutionary Changes in Charge on Spike Protein of SARS-CoV-2

Explore the evolutionary patterns of charge distribution in SARS-CoV-2's spike protein through a comprehensive analysis of over 2600 viral lineages in this 24-minute conference lecture. Examine how the COVID-19 pandemic provided unprecedented insights into viral evolution, particularly focusing on changes to charged amino acid residues that influence spike protein binding to cell surface receptors, electrostatic interactions, and structural stability. Discover the significant increase in positive charge on the spike protein during early pandemic evolution and learn how this trend essentially stopped with the emergence of early omicron variants. Analyze the characteristic patterns of ionizable amino acid changes within related lineages of the SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree and understand the spike protein's prominent preference for lysine over arginine residues. Investigate how the lysine-to-arginine ratio increased at several evolutionary points, most recently with BA.2.86 and its sublineages, resulting in one of the highest ratios among viral species in the Coronaviridae family. Gain insights into the relationship between spike protein charge and viral infectivity and transmissibility through detailed examination of mutations across different structural regions of the protein.