Mechanisms of Binding and Immune Escape Resistance for Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Targeting Distinct Conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike Epitopes: A Hierarchical Approach Integrating Mutational Profiling and Energy Landscape Analysis

Authors

• Mohammed Alshahrani, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Will Gatlin, Chapman University
• Max Ludwick, Chapman University
• Lucas Turano, Chapman University
• Brandon Foley, Chapman UniversityFollow
• Gennady M. Verkhivker, Chapman UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-29-2026

Abstract

The continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 has enabled an escape from most monoclonal antibodies, yet a subset of broadly neutralizing antibodies targeting three newly identified super-conserved RBD epitopes—SCORE-A, SCORE-B, and SCORE-C—retains remarkable activity against even the most recent JN.1-derived sublineages. Here, we employed an integrated computational framework combining conformational dynamics, mutational scanning, MM-GBSA binding energetics, and frustration profiling to dissect the molecular mechanisms by which XGI antibodies achieve broad neutralization and resistance to immune escape. Structural analysis revealed that all three SCORE epitopes share a common architecture: a highly conserved, minimally frustrated core that provides stable anchoring, flanked by peripheral regions that accommodate antibody-specific variations. Conformational dynamics showed that SCORE-A antibodies (XGI-183) rigidify the lateral epitope while leaving the RBM partially mobile; SCORE-B antibodies (XGI-198, XGI-203) clamp the RBM apex, directly blocking ACE2; and SCORE-C antibodies (XGI-171) allosterically loosen the RBM loop, impairing receptor engagement indirectly. Mutational scanning identified a hierarchical hotspot organization where primary hotspots (e.g., K356, T500, Y380, T385) are evolutionarily constrained and minimally frustrated, while secondary hotspots (e.g., V503, Y508, S383) are neutrally frustrated and represent the principal sites of immune-driven mutations. MM-GBSA decomposition revealed that van der Waals-driven hydrophobic packing dominates binding, with electrostatic interactions providing auxiliary stabilization. Critically, frustration analysis demonstrated that immune escape hotspots reside precisely in zones of neutral frustration—“energetic playgrounds” that permit mutational exploration without destabilizing the RBD—while minimally frustrated cores are evolutionarily locked. The comparative analysis of conformational versus mutational frustration distributions revealed a unifying principle: aligned neutral frustration yields permissive, escape-prone interfaces; decoupling enables the targeting of constrained cores; and the convergence of minimal frustration in both distributions creates invulnerable interfaces. These findings establish that broad neutralization arises not from ultra-high-affinity anchors but from strategic energy distribution across rigid, evolutionarily informed interfaces, providing a roadmap for designing next-generation therapeutics that target the invulnerable cores of viral surface proteins.

Comments

This article was originally published in International Journal of Molecular Sciences, volume 27, issue 9, in 2026. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27094025

This scholarship is part of the Chapman University COVID-19 Archives.

Recommended Citation

Alshahrani, M.; Gatlin, W.; Ludwick, M.; Turano, L.; Foley, B.; Verkhivker, G. Mechanisms of Binding and Immune Escape Resistance for Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies Targeting Distinct Conserved SARS-CoV-2 Spike Epitopes: A Hierarchical Approach Integrating Mutational Profiling and Energy Landscape Analysis. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27, 4025. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27094025

Peer Reviewed

1

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.