Antibody escape and global spread of SARS-CoV-2 lineage A.27
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Abstract
In spring 2021, an increasing number of infections was observed caused by the hitherto rarely
described SARS-CoV-2 variant A.27 in south-west Germany. From December 2020 to June
2021 this lineage has been detected in 31 countries. Phylogeographic analyses of
A.27 sequences obtained from national and international databases reveal a global spread of
this lineage through multiple introductions from its inferred origin in Western Africa. Variant
A.27 is characterized by a mutational pattern in the spike gene that includes the L18F, L452R
and N501Y spike amino acid substitutions found in various variants of concern but lacks the
globally dominant D614G. Neutralization assays demonstrate an escape of A.27 from convalescent and vaccine-elicited antibody-mediated immunity. Moreover, the therapeutic
monoclonal antibody Bamlanivimab and partially the REGN-COV2 cocktail fail to block
infection by A.27. Our data emphasize the need for continued global monitoring of novel
lineages because of the independent evolution of new escape mutations.
Description
Research Article