Stefan Pöhlmann
@snpoehlm.bsky.social
Viruses & Proteases, Head of Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, @primatenzentrum.bsky.social, Decoding viral entry, Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants, https://linktr.ee/snpoehlm, Views are my own
Yes, the furin cleavage site is a known virulence determinant, and you’d expect this mutation to at least partially attenuate most variants. Whether this holds true for BA.3.2, however, still needs to be determined.
November 20, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Yes, the furin cleavage site is a known virulence determinant, and you’d expect this mutation to at least partially attenuate most variants. Whether this holds true for BA.3.2, however, still needs to be determined.
8/ The deletion of a single QT repeat preceding the furin-cleavage site is notable. In wild-type virus, one would expect some degree of attenuation, but BA.3.2 may act differently. We’ll see.
See previous thread by @ryanhisner.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/ryan...
See previous thread by @ryanhisner.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/ryan...
I beg to differ! If it's not a sequencing mistake—and it looks clean—one of these BA.3.2 has something completely novel in SARS-CoV-2 evolution: an FCS-adjacent deletion!
One of the two QT repeats appears to have been deleted. I've never seen anything like this before. BA.3.2 is a different beast.
One of the two QT repeats appears to have been deleted. I've never seen anything like this before. BA.3.2 is a different beast.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
8/ The deletion of a single QT repeat preceding the furin-cleavage site is notable. In wild-type virus, one would expect some degree of attenuation, but BA.3.2 may act differently. We’ll see.
See previous thread by @ryanhisner.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/ryan...
See previous thread by @ryanhisner.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/ryan...
7/ In summary, BA.3.2 has firmly established itself and is unlikely to disappear soon. A JN.1-like trajectory is possible. However, no subvariant has yet emerged with mutations that provide a clear selective advantage.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
7/ In summary, BA.3.2 has firmly established itself and is unlikely to disappear soon. A JN.1-like trajectory is possible. However, no subvariant has yet emerged with mutations that provide a clear selective advantage.
6/ The new LP.8.1-adapted vaccine markedly increases levels of antibodies that neutralize XFG, while this effect is substantially less pronounced for BA.3.2.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
6/ The new LP.8.1-adapted vaccine markedly increases levels of antibodies that neutralize XFG, while this effect is substantially less pronounced for BA.3.2.
5/ We made a similar finding in an independent study looking at the LP.8.1-adapted COVID vaccine. For this, we used patient samples that were distinct from those in the BA.3.2 study (medRxiv 2025.10.21.25338461, freely available).
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
5/ We made a similar finding in an independent study looking at the LP.8.1-adapted COVID vaccine. For this, we used patient samples that were distinct from those in the BA.3.2 study (medRxiv 2025.10.21.25338461, freely available).
4/ Studies from Florian Krammer lab and Alex Sigal lab
indicate that BA.3.2 antibody evasion can be lower than that of XFG and varies by cohort/sampling time (PMID: 40909860; medRxiv 2025.10.28.25338622, freely available).
indicate that BA.3.2 antibody evasion can be lower than that of XFG and varies by cohort/sampling time (PMID: 40909860; medRxiv 2025.10.28.25338622, freely available).
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
4/ Studies from Florian Krammer lab and Alex Sigal lab
indicate that BA.3.2 antibody evasion can be lower than that of XFG and varies by cohort/sampling time (PMID: 40909860; medRxiv 2025.10.28.25338622, freely available).
indicate that BA.3.2 antibody evasion can be lower than that of XFG and varies by cohort/sampling time (PMID: 40909860; medRxiv 2025.10.28.25338622, freely available).
3/ When examining plasma from individuals who received the JN.1-adapted vaccine, we observe similar levels of antibody evasion for XFG and BA.3.2. This is consistent with earlier studies.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
3/ When examining plasma from individuals who received the JN.1-adapted vaccine, we observe similar levels of antibody evasion for XFG and BA.3.2. This is consistent with earlier studies.
2/ In keeping with previous studies by Yunlong Cao lab and us (PMID: 40484018, PMID: 40480242, freely available), BA.3.2 shows reduced ACE2 binding and reduced entry into lung-derived cell lines. It may still enter nasal epithelium efficiently, but this has not yet been demonstrated.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
2/ In keeping with previous studies by Yunlong Cao lab and us (PMID: 40484018, PMID: 40480242, freely available), BA.3.2 shows reduced ACE2 binding and reduced entry into lung-derived cell lines. It may still enter nasal epithelium efficiently, but this has not yet been demonstrated.
1/ Epidemiology: BA.3.2 gained a strong foothold in Western Australia, where it may be on track to dominance. More recently, BA.3.2 also has re-appeared in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Germany, and has made its first appearance in Slovenia, New Zealand, and the UK.
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
1/ Epidemiology: BA.3.2 gained a strong foothold in Western Australia, where it may be on track to dominance. More recently, BA.3.2 also has re-appeared in South Africa, the Netherlands, and Germany, and has made its first appearance in Slovenia, New Zealand, and the UK.
Epidemiological and virological update on the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 - The Lancet Infectious Diseases www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
Epidemiological and virological update on the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2
The constant emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants has driven the COVID-19 pandemic
and sustains the current endemic. Saltation variants, such as BA.2.86,1 encode highly
mutated spike (S) proteins th...
www.thelancet.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Epidemiological and virological update on the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variant BA.3.2 - The Lancet Infectious Diseases www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
It shows that research tools developed during the pandemic remain important & valuable to the field - including full access for Nextstrain & Co. to GISAID sequences.
November 15, 2025 at 10:36 AM
It shows that research tools developed during the pandemic remain important & valuable to the field - including full access for Nextstrain & Co. to GISAID sequences.
All BA.3.2.2 - 1 from Rhineland-Palatinate, 3 from North Rhine–Westphalia. Roughly 4% of all sequences reported
A small but unexpected comeback. 🎃
A small but unexpected comeback. 🎃
November 12, 2025 at 5:58 PM
All BA.3.2.2 - 1 from Rhineland-Palatinate, 3 from North Rhine–Westphalia. Roughly 4% of all sequences reported
A small but unexpected comeback. 🎃
A small but unexpected comeback. 🎃
No info yet on severity. Antibody profile in the WA population might be particularly favorable for BA.3.2.
November 12, 2025 at 4:31 PM
No info yet on severity. Antibody profile in the WA population might be particularly favorable for BA.3.2.