Spike (D614G) (SARS-CoV-2) Pseudotyped Lentivirus (Luc 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 and ACE2 may offer protection against the viral infection. A SARS-CoV-2 variant carrying the spike protein amino acid change D614G has become the most prevalent form in the global pandemic.
The SARS-CoV-2 Spike D614G Pseudotyped Lentivirus were produced with SARS-CoV-2 Spike (Genbank Accession #QHD43416.1; with D614G mutation) as the envelope glycoproteins instead of the commonly used VSV-G. These pseudovirions contain the firefly luciferase gene driven by a CMV promoter, therefore, the spike-mediated cell entry can be measured via luciferase activity. The SARS-CoV-2 Spike D614G pseudotyped lentivirus can be used to measure the activity of neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2 in a Biosafety Level 2 facility.