Topography, Spike Dynamics, and Nanomechanics of Individual Native SARS-CoV‑2 Virions

SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, displays a corona-shaped layer of spikes which play a fundamental role in the infection process. Recent structural data suggest that the spikes possess orientational freedom and the ribonucleoproteins segregate into basketlike stru...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNano letters Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 2675 - 2680
Main Authors Kiss, Bálint, Kis, Zoltán, Pályi, Bernadett, Kellermayer, Miklós S. Z
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States American Chemical Society 24.03.2021
Subjects
Biomechanical Phenomena
COVID-19 - virology
Hot Temperature
Humans
Letter
Microscopy, Atomic Force
Models, Molecular
Nanostructures - chemistry
Nanostructures - ultrastructure
Nanotechnology
Pandemics
Protein Conformation
Protein Stability
SARS-CoV-2 - chemistry
SARS-CoV-2 - physiology
SARS-CoV-2 - ultrastructure
Single Molecule Imaging
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - chemistry
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - physiology
Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - ultrastructure
Thermodynamics
Virion - chemistry
Virion - physiology
Virion - ultrastructure
COVID-19
force spectroscopy
nanoindentation
thermal stability
mechanical resilience
atomic force microscopy
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Summary:SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, displays a corona-shaped layer of spikes which play a fundamental role in the infection process. Recent structural data suggest that the spikes possess orientational freedom and the ribonucleoproteins segregate into basketlike structures. How these structural features regulate the dynamic and mechanical behavior of the native virion are yet unknown. By imaging and mechanically manipulating individual, native SARS-CoV-2 virions with atomic force microscopy, here, we show that their surface displays a dynamic brush owing to the flexibility and rapid motion of the spikes. The virions are highly compliant and able to recover from drastic mechanical perturbations. Their global structure is remarkably temperature resistant, but the virion surface becomes progressively denuded of spikes upon thermal exposure. The dynamics and the mechanics of SARS-CoV-2 are likely to affect its stability and interactions.
ISSN:1530-6984
1530-6992
DOI:10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04465