Bottom-up synthetic virions as a tool to study SARS-CoV-2 infectivity

Scientists from the Max-Planck-Institute for Medical Research developed the bottom-up synthesis of synthetic virions consisting of small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) with a lipid composition that resembles that of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The lipidic membrane contains NTA-Ni²⁺ functionalized lipids and can be, therefore, decorated with a Histidine-tagged SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein creating synthetic minimal virions (MiniVs). Consistent with SARS-CoV-2 virions, vesicles present a size and zeta potential comparable to the natural virus. MiniVs are modular, adaptive systems that allow quantitative and flexible assessment of different Spike-variants while controlling the composition and biophysical properties of the virus-mimicking particles. Most important, MiniVs can be precisely programmed and deployed under biosafety level 1 conditions.

We are now looking for a collaboration partner to further develop this exciting project.

A European priority establishing patent application was submitted in August 2021.

• Staufer, O. et al. (2022). Synthetic virions reveal fatty acid-coupled adaptive immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein. Nature Communications, accepted for publication
• Gupta, K. et al. (2022) Structural insights in cell-type specific evolution of intra-host diversity by SARS-CoV-2. Nature Communications, 13(222)
• Toelzer, C. et a. (2020) Free fatty acid binding pocket in the locked structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Science, 370(6517)