On 26 November 2021, the WHO designated the SARS-CoV-2 variant B.1.1.529 to be the fifth Variant of Concern (VOC) and assigned it the name “Omicron”. Of the more than 50 mutations in its genome, at least 32 are in the spike protein with fifteen point mutations in the RBD (Figure 1), including several found in other VOCs linked to increased transmissibility and immune evasion. Like other VOCs, mutations are also found in Omicron’s nucleocapsid protein (Figure 2). Omicron is widely distributed and is outcompeting Delta. Though it appears to cause more mild disease, it nevertheless has driven increased hospitalizations.
Figure 1. Spike mutation sites found in Omicron are A67V, Δ69-70, T95I, G142D/Δ143-145, Δ211/L212I, ins214EPE, G339D, S371L, S373P, S375F, K417N, N440K, G446S, S477N, T478K, E484A, Q493K, G496S, Q498R, N501Y, Y505H, T547K, D614G, H655Y, N679K, P681H, N764K, D796Y, N856K, Q954H, N969K, L981F.


Figure 2. Nucleocapsid protein mutation sites found in Omicron are P13L, Δ31-33, R203K, G204R, and in Delta are D63G, R203M, G215C, D377Y.
GeneTex has a wide range of recombinant antibody and protein reagents for Omicron research. Notably, nucleocapsid antibodies whose immunogens do not contain any Omicron mutation sites are shown in Figure 2.
Lateral Flow Assay (Recommended Nucleocapsid Antibody Pairs) |
|
Omicron Spike and Nucleocapsid Recombinant Proteins |
|
Reagents that detect Omicron |
|