Evaluation of Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Interaction between Immobilized SARS-CoV-2 Nucleoprotein and Specific Antibodies by Total Internal Reflection Ellipsometry

Plikusiene, Ieva; Maciulis, Vincentas; Ramanaviciene, Almira; Balevicius, Zigmas; Buzavaite-Verteliene, Ernesta; Ciplys, Evaldas; Slibinskas, Rimantas; Simanavicius, Martynas; Zvirbliene, Aurelija; Ramanavicius, Arunas

During the pandemic, different methods for SARS-CoV-2 detection and COVID-19 diagnostics were developed, including antibody and antigen tests. For a better understanding of the interaction mechanism between SARS-CoV-2 virus proteins and specific antibodies, total internal reflection ellipsometry based evaluation of the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 nucleoprotein (SCoV2-rN) and anti-SCoV2-rN antibodies was performed. Results show that the appropriate mathematical model, which takes into account the formation of an intermediate complex, can be applied for the evaluation of SCoV2-rN/anti-SCoV2-rN complex formation kinetics. The calculated steric factor indicated that SCoV2-rN/anti-SCoV2-rN complex formation has very strict steric requirements. Estimated Gibbs free energy (ΔGForm) for SCoV-rN and anti-SCoV-rN binding was determined as −34 kJ/mol. The reported findings are useful for the design of new analytical systems for the determination of anti-SCoV2-rN antibodies and for the development of new anti-SARS-CoV-2 medications.