The pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 () is caused by Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). As the first step of the viral replication, the virus attaches to the host cell surface before entering the cell. The viral Spike protein recognizes and attaches to the Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor found on the surface of type I and II pneumocytes, endothelial cells, and ciliated bronchial epithelial cells. Drugs targeting the interaction between the Spike protein and ACE2 may offer protection against the viral infection. The United Kingdom (UK) identified a variant called B.1.1.7 with a large number of mutations in the fall of 2020. This variant spreads more easily and quickly than other variants.
The Spike (B.1.1.7 Variant) (SARS-CoV-2) Pseudotyped Lentivirus were produced with SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant Spike (Genbank Accession #QHD43416.1 with B.1.1.7 variant mutations; see below for details) as the envelope glycoproteins instead of the commonly used VSV-G. These pseudovirions contain the enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) gene driven by a CMV promoter, therefore, the spike-mediated cell entry can be conveniently determined via eGFP fluorescence. The Spike (B.1.1.7 Variant) (SARS-CoV-2) pseudotyped lentivirus can be used to measure the activity of neutralizing antibody against SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.7 variant in a Biosafety Level 2 facility.