# Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation

“Cryo-EM structure of the 2019-nCoV spike in the prefusion conformation” (2020), by Daniel Wrapp et al. Medicine research paper. Original abstract below, unchanged. A free PDF is available.

- Authors: Daniel Wrapp, Nianshuang Wang, Kizzmekia S. Corbett, Jory A. Goldsmith, Ching‐Lin Hsieh, Olubukola M. Abiona, Barney S. Graham, Jason S. McLellan
- Published: February 19, 2020
- Field: Medicine
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb2507
- Free PDF: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2020/02/15/2020.02.11.944462.full.pdf

## Abstract

The outbreak of a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) represents a pandemic threat that has been declared a public health emergency of international concern. The CoV spike (S) glycoprotein is a key target for vaccines, therapeutic antibodies, and diagnostics. To facilitate medical countermeasure development, we determined a 3.5-angstrom-resolution cryo-electron microscopy structure of the 2019-nCoV S trimer in the prefusion conformation. The predominant state of the trimer has one of the three receptor-binding domains (RBDs) rotated up in a receptor-accessible conformation. We also provide biophysical and structural evidence that the 2019-nCoV S protein binds angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) with higher affinity than does severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV S. Additionally, we tested several published SARS-CoV RBD-specific monoclonal antibodies and found that they do not have appreciable binding to 2019-nCoV S, suggesting that antibody cross-reactivity may be limited between the two RBDs. The structure of 2019-nCoV S should enable the rapid development and evaluation of medical countermeasures to address the ongoing public health crisis.

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