Spike (BQ.1, Omicron Variant) (SARS-CoV-2) Pseudotyped Lentivirus (Luciferase Reporter)

The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 () is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the first step of the viral replication, the virus attaches to the host cell surface before entering the cell. The viral Spike protein recognizes and attaches to the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor found on the surface of type I and II pneumocytes, endothelial cells, and ciliated bronchial epithelial cells. Drugs targeting the interaction between the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 may offer protection against the viral infection. Omicron Variant was identified in South Africa in November of 2021. This variant has a large number of mutations that allow the virus to spread more easily and quickly than other variants. As of May 2022, Omicron variants were divided into seven distinct sub-lineages: BA.1, BA.1.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. As of October 2022, several new BA.5 sub-lineages (e.g. BQ.1, BQ.1.1, BF.7) have been designated.The spike protein of BQ.1 omicron variant has additional mutations (K444T and N460K) based on the BA.5 variant. The Spike (BQ.1, Omicron Variant) (SARS-CoV-2) Pseudotyped Lentiviruses were produced with SARS-CoV-2 Spike (Genbank Accession #QHD43416.1 containing all the Omicron BQ.1 mutations; see below for details) as the envelope glycoprotein instead of the commonly used VSV-G. These pseudovirions contain the firefly luciferase gene driven by a CMV promoter (Figure 1), therefore, the spike-mediated cell entry can be measured via luciferase activity. The Spike (BQ.1, Omicron Variant) (SARS-CoV-2) pseudovirus can be used to measure the activity of a neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BQ.1 variant in a Biosafety Level 2 facility.Figure 1. Schematic of the Luciferase Reporter in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Pseudovirion.As shown in Figures 2 and 3 in Validation Data, the Spike Omicron BQ.1 pseudovirus has been validated for use with ACE2-HEK293 target cells (which overexpress ACE2; BPS Bioscience #79951).Spike Mutations in BQ.1 Omicron Variant:Del69-70, T19I, LPPA24-27S, G142D, V213G, G339D, S371F, S373P, S375F, T376A, D405N, R408S, K417N, N440K, K444T, L452R, N460K, S477N, T478K, E484A, F486V, Q498R, N501Y, Y505H, D614G, H655Y, N679K, P681H, N764K, D796Y, Q954H, N969K