A recombinant SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain expressed in an engineered fungal strain of Thermothelomyces heterothallica induces a functional immune response in mice.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the development of effective vaccines against this pathogen has been a priority for the scientific community. Several strategies have been developed including vaccines based on recombinant viral protein fragments. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) in the S1 subunit of S protein has been considered one of the main targets of neutralizing antibodies.