Research exposes new vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2: Electrostatic interactions enhance the spike protein's bond to host cells

Using nanometer-level simulations, researchers have discovered a positively charged site (known as the polybasic cleavage site) located 10 nanometers from the actual binding site on the spike protein. The positively charged site allows strong bonding between the virus protein and the negatively charged human-cell receptors.