Abstract: While ACE2 mutants
D355N,
R357A, and
R357T abrogated entry by both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2
spike proteins, the
Y41A mutant inhibited SARS-CoV entry much more than SARS-CoV-2, suggesting differential utilization of the ACE2 side-chains within the largely overlapping interaction surfaces utilized by the two CoV
spike proteins.