Department of Biophysics and Radiation Biology, Semmelweis University, Tűzoltó str. 37-47, Budapest H-1094, Hungary.
National Biosafety Laboratory, National Public Health Center, Albert Flórián Rd 2-6, Budapest H-1097, Hungary.
Nano Lett. 2021 Mar 24;21(6):2675-2680. doi: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.0c04465. Epub 2021 Jan 21.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for the current COVID-19 pandemic, displays a corona-shaped layer of spikes which play a fundamental role in the infection process. Recent structural data suggest that the spikes possess orientational freedom and the ribonucleoproteins segregate into basketlike structures. How these structural features regulate the dynamic and mechanical behavior of the native virion are yet unknown. By imaging and mechanically manipulating individual, native SARS-CoV-2 virions with atomic force microscopy, here, we show that their surface displays a dynamic brush owing to the flexibility and rapid motion of the spikes. The virions are highly compliant and able to recover from drastic mechanical perturbations. Their global structure is remarkably temperature resistant, but the virion surface becomes progressively denuded of spikes upon thermal exposure. The dynamics and the mechanics of SARS-CoV-2 are likely to affect its stability and interactions.
导致当前 COVID-19 大流行的病毒 SARS-CoV-2 呈现出冠状层状的刺突，这些刺突在感染过程中起着至关重要的作用。最近的结构数据表明，这些刺突具有取向自由度，核糖核蛋白会分离成篮状结构。这些结构特征如何调节天然病毒粒子的动态和力学行为尚不清楚。通过原子力显微镜对单个天然 SARS-CoV-2 病毒粒子进行成像和机械操作，我们发现由于刺突的柔韧性和快速运动，它们的表面呈现出一种动态的刷子。这些病毒粒子具有高度的顺应性，能够从剧烈的机械扰动中恢复过来。它们的整体结构对温度具有很强的抵抗力，但随着热暴露，病毒粒子表面的刺突会逐渐脱落。SARS-CoV-2 的动力学和力学特性可能会影响其稳定性和相互作用。
