A new variant of SARS-CoV-2 is spreading in the UK and is rapidly becoming a global threat. It is
characterized by multiple mutations in the spike protein. Among them, N501Y is of major concern
because it involves one of the six key amino acid residues determining a tight interaction of the
SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain (RBD) with its cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme
2 (ACE2).