Heavy glycosylation of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein may play a role in immune evasion – partly owing to the presence of host glycan molecules. Thus, quick, simple and reliable methods to screen these glycans are needed. And that’s exactly what Rod Chalk and colleagues set out to do…
“We analyzed short spike glycopeptides using LC-ToF-MS to ascertain both structural and positional information,” says Rod. “LC-ToF has the advantage of generating signals from any ionizable species.” The team identified 140 glycopeptides belonging to 13 glycoprotein sites, with a further six sites unassigned. Accurate mass and retention times were also determined for a further 306 glycopeptides. “Characterization of the spike protein is an essential contribution to our community’s multi-pronged approach to fighting the pandemic,” Rod explains.
Next up: taking the studies from duplicate to triplicate and extending the number of glycans detected.
Newsletters
Receive the latest analytical science news, personalities, education, and career development – weekly to your inbox.
References
- R Chalk et al., [This article is a preprint and has not yet been peer-reviewed] (2020). DOI: 10.1101/2020.07.24.217562