Shotgun proteomics of SARS-CoV-2 infected cells and its application to the optimisation of whole viral particle antigen production for vaccines

Lucia Grenga; Fabrice Gallais; Olivier Pible; Jean-Charles Gaillard; Duarte Gouveia; Hélène Batina; Niza Bazaline; Sylvie Ruat; Karen Culotta; Guylaine Miotello; Stéphanie Debroas; Marie-Anne Roncato; Gérard Steinmetz; Charlotte Foissard; Anne Desplan; Béatrice Alpha-Bazin; Christine Almunia; Fabienne Gas; Laurent Bellanger; Jean Armengaud

Several platforms are being used to develop vaccines against SARS-CoV-2, including spike subunit, DNA, RNA, whole-virion, and nanoparticle vaccines. Most successful antiviral vaccines employ inactivated or attenuated whole viral particles as vaccine antigen and depend on the induction of neutralizing antibodies [5, 6] against structural proteins of the virus. However, virus yields from the dedicated cell culture systems could be relatively low compared to quantities envisioned to be required for massive vaccine production. In addition, the production campaigns are time-consuming and highly demanding due to the danger of working with these pathogens, and thus optimization of the production of whole viral particle antigen is of utmost interest for vaccines. Concomitantly with vaccine development, a better understanding of how the host responds to SARS-CoV-2 infection may help direct further therapeutic avenues.