SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) is in a rising trend of mutations increasing the positive electric charge in crucial regions of the spike protein S.

ABSTRACT

An increase in the positive electric charge of SARS-CoV-2 variant Omicron (B.1.1.529) was reported and the electrostatic interaction between the spike protein S and ACE2 receptor was estimated. The results presented here suggest that electrogenic mutations in specific regions of the S protein and the electrostatic force may facilitate viral infection of the host cell.