Liina Hannula, Suvi Kuivanen, Jonathan Lasham, Ravi Kant, Lauri Kareinen, Mariia Bogacheva, Tomas Strandin, Tarja Sironen, Jussi Hepojoki, Vivek Sharma, Petri Saviranta, Anja Kipar, Olli Vapalahti, Juha T Huiskonen, Ilona Rissanen
In response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the quest for coronavirus inhibitors has inspired research on a variety of small proteins beyond conventional antibodies, including robust single-domain antibody fragments, i.e., "nanobodies." Here, we explore the potential of nanobody engineering in the development of antivirals and diagnostic tools. Through fusion of nanobody domains that target distinct binding sites, we engineered multimodular nanobody constructs that neutralize wild-type SARS-CoV-2 and the Alpha and Delta variants at high potency, with IC50 values as low as 50 pM...
February 16, 2024: Microbiology Spectrum