Mass mapping using high-resolution mass spectrometry has been applied to identify and rapidly distinguish SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus strains across five major variants of concern. Deletions or mutations within the surface spike protein across these variants, which originated in the UK, South Africa, Brazil and India (known as the alpha, beta, gamma and delta variants respectively), lead to associated mass differences in the mass maps. Peptides of unique mass have thus been determined that can be used to identify and distinguish the variants. The same mass map profiles are also utilized to construct phylogenetic trees, without the need for protein (or gene) sequences or their alignment, in order to chart and study viral evolution. The combined strategy offers advantages over conventional PCR-based gene-based approaches exploiting the ease with which protein mass maps can be generated and the speed and sensitivity of mass spectrometric analysis.

Graphical abstract

中文翻译：

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质谱法检测和进化关注的 SARS-CoV-2 冠状病毒变体

使用高分辨率质谱法的质谱图已被应用于识别和快速区分 SARS-CoV-2 冠状病毒毒株跨越五个主要关注变体。起源于英国、南非、巴西和印度（分别称为 alpha、beta、gamma 和 delta 变体）的这些变体的表面刺突蛋白内的缺失或突变导致质量图中相关的质量差异。因此，已经确定了可用于识别和区分变体的独特质量的肽。相同的质量图谱也用于构建系统发育树，无需蛋白质（或基因）序列或它们的比对，以便绘制和研究病毒进化。

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