Cytotoxic T lymphocytes targeting ancestral SARS-CoV-2 recognise variants of concern, but deep molecular understanding of why these responses are conserved is hampered by the populational variability due to HLA-restriction. Here authors identify an HLA-C-restricted conserved immunodominant SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid epitope in COVID-19 convalescent donors from early waves of the pandemic and provide structural bases for its recognition by the T cell receptor.
- Yoshihiko Goto
- You Min Ahn
- Chihiro Motozono
