In Planta Production of the Receptor-Binding Domain From SARS-CoV-2 With Human Blood Group A Glycan Structures

Abstract

Glycosylation of viral envelope proteins is important for infectivity and immune evasion. The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is heavily glycosylated and host-derived glycan modifications contribute to the formation of specific immunogenic epitopes, enhance the virus-cell interaction or affect virus transmission. On recombinant viral antigens used as subunit vaccines or for serological assays, distinct glycan structures may enhance the immunogenicity and are recognized by naturally occurring antibodies in human sera. Here, we performed an in vivo glycoengineering approach to produce recombinant variants of the SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) with blood group antigens in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. SARS-CoV-2 RBD and human glycosyltransferases for the blood group ABH antigen formation were transiently co-expressed in N. benthamiana leaves. Recombinant RBD was purified and the formation of complex N-glycans carrying blood group A antigens was shown by immunoblotting and MS analysis. Binding to the cellular ACE2 receptor and the conformation-dependent CR3022 antibody showed that the RBD glycosylation variants carrying blood group antigens were functional. Analysis of sera from RBD-positive and RBD-negative individuals revealed further that non-infected RBD-negative blood group O individuals have antibodies that strongly bind to RBD modified with blood group A antigen structures. The binding of IgGs derived from sera of non-infected RBD-negative blood group O individuals to blood group A antigens on SARS-CoV-2 RBD suggests that these antibodies could provide some degree of protection from virus infection.

Keywords: blood group antigen; carbohydrate; glycoengineering; glycosylation; posttranslational modification; virus.