Stability of SARS-CoV-2 Spike G614 Variant Surpasses That of the D614 Variant after Cold Storage
Sheng‐Yu Huang, Yu-An Kung, Peng-Nien Huang, Sheng-Yun Chang, Yu‐Nong Gong, Yi-Ju Han, Huan-Jung Chiang, Kuan‐Ting Liu, Kuo-Ming Lee, Chia-Yu Chang, Chia‐Ching Chang, Chung‐Guei Huang, Shin‐Ru Shih
Abstract
It has been observed that variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are more stable and infectious after storage at -20°C than at 4°C. A SARS-CoV-2 S-D614G variant is currently the most dominant variant in circulation and is associated with enhanced infectivity. We compared the stability of two SARS-CoV-2 variants: the early S-D614 variant carrying the D614 spike protein and the new S-G614 variant carrying the G614 spike protein, stored at both 4°C and -20°C for different periods. We observed that SARS-CoV-2 remains stable and infectious after refrigeration or freezing, which further depends on the spike variant, that is, the ability of the spike protein to bind with the ACE2 receptor with higher efficiency. The high stability of the S-G614 variant also explains its rapid spread and infectivity. Therefore, precautions should be taken during and after handling food preserved under cold conditions.