| Background |
SARS‐CoV‐2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) has caused a disruptive worldwide viral pandemic. The quest for effective vaccine countermeasures is an active pursuit in the biomedical research community. The spike (S) protein on the virus surface is instrumental for binding, fusing, and entry into host cells, and is also the lead immunogen for several advanced vaccine candidates. The S protein contains the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) that binds to the host receptor, angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). The RBD is an appealing antigen for vaccine development, as most neutralizing antibodies generated during a SARS‐CoV‐2 infection are directed against it. |
