A SARS-CoV-2 antibody retains potent neutralization against Omicron by targeting conserved RBM residues

The newly emerged Omicron(B.1.1.529)variant of SARS-CoV-2 is quickly overtaking the Delta variant and becoming the dominant strain around the world due to its enhanced transmissibility and high immune escape potential[1,2].Compared to the Wuhan strain,the Omicron variant carries 37 spike mutations,of which 15 are within the receptor-binding domain(RBD)(Fig.1A).A high mutation rate is associated with remarkable resistance to current vaccines and RBD-specific antibody therapeutics[2-4].It is urgent to comprehen-sively understand the impacts of these RBD mutations on the neutralization capability of RBD-specific neutralizing antibodies(NAbs)targeting diverse epitopes and search for highly potent and broadly reactive NAbs against SARS-CoV-2 variants,including the Omicron strain.This information will be critical for under-standing the evolutionary mechanisms that govern SARS-CoV-2 immune escape and for guiding vaccine design.