Kathy Leung, Marcus HH Shum, Gabriel M Leung, Tommy TY Lam, and Joseph T Wu

PMCID: PMC7791602 PMID: 33413740

Abstract

Two new SARS-CoV-2 lineages with the N501Y mutation in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein spread rapidly in the United Kingdom. We estimated that the earlier 501Y lineage without amino acid deletion Δ69/Δ70, circulating mainly between early September and mid-November, was 10% (6–13%) more transmissible than the 501N lineage, and the 501Y lineage with amino acid deletion Δ69/Δ70, circulating since late September, was 75% (70–80%) more transmissible than the 501N lineage.

Keywords: SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19, N501Y, lineage B.1.1.7, 20B/501Y.V1, VOC-202012/01, spike protein, fitness, transmissibility, United Kingdom