The briefing
A Nature study shows that in vitro evolution of the SARS‑CoV‑2 receptor-binding motif under high stringency rapidly converges on Omicron-like mutations, highlighting receptor-binding constraints in viral adaptation. Immune-evasion–linked mutations were not selected, underscoring how selective pressures shape different evolutionary paths.
Original headline
Stringent selection drives convergence toward omicron-like SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding motifs