Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Assays For Monitoring SARS-CoV 2 Surface Glycoprotein Protein Binding Interactions

The envelope glycoprotein or "spike" from the novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) mediates the virus binding to Angiotensin-coverting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for cellular entry and consequently is a prime target for therapeutic development, including antibody-based therapeutics. Monoclonal or polyclonal antibody (mAb or pAb) targeting the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein may inhibit the interaction with ACE2 and hence neutralize SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by blocking cell entry. Using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR), the binding kinetics between the spike protein and neutralizing antibody candidates can be assessed and thus predict whether these candidates can inhibit the spike-ACE2 interaction.

In this technical note, we investigate the interactions between the following;

• The spike glycoprotein binding with ACE2
• Spike glycoprotein and anti‑spike antibodies (mAb/pAb)
• The spike glycoprotein binding with mAb/pAb to inhibit the interaction with ACE2