Discussion: Indeed, while it is expected that mutations at the
RBD need to be monitored because those mutations can be responsible for an increase in the binding affinity for the ACE2 receptor, it is matter of debate the increased efficiency in entering host-cells proposed for variants showing supplementary mutations far from the
RBD, i.e.,
D614G or
P681H shown by several VoC and other variants of interest or under monitoring (https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/
covid-19/variants-concern).
Discussion: It is retained that mutations like
D614G and
P681H, being located in the
N-terminal portion of the
spike pre-fusion conformation, despite of their relatively great distance from t