Omicron’s Molecular Structure Could Help Explain Its Global Takeover

February 3, 2022

(Nature) – After it was first detected in South Africa last November, Omicron spread around the globe faster than any previous variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, readily infecting even those who had been vaccinated or previously had COVID-19. To learn how it was able to do this, scientists have turned to techniques such as cryo-electron microscopy, to visualize Omicron’s molecular structure at near-atomic resolution. By comparing the variant’s structure with that of the original version of SARS-CoV-2, they have begun to shed light on which features of the highly mutated virus have enabled it to evade the body’s immune defences, while also maintaining its ability to attack a person’s cells. And they’ve begun to unpick why Omicron seems to cause milder disease than previous variants. (Read More)