Cruises of the Albatross off San Diego and Other Parts of Southern California, 1889–1916

Between 1889 and 1916, the U. S. Fish Commission steamer Albatross made numerous trips to waters off southern California, particularly in and near San Diego Bay. The typical pattern for many years was to conduct cruises in waters off the Pacific Northwest or Alaska in summer months and waters off southern California in winter months. The Albatross conducted the first depth soundings and benthic profiles for southern California waters and secured the first samples of many endemic marine animals of this region. Albatross collections formed the basis for numerous definitive monographs of invertebrates and vertebrates that were published in subsequent years. The Albatross anchored in San Diego Bay in 1894, conducting the first biological investigations of the bay, and returned to sample again in many subsequent years. The ship and its crew also examined Cortez and Tanner banks for exploitation potential and conducted the first biological investigations of southern California’s tuna stocks in 1915 and 1916

A cell-based, SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interaction assay to inform the neutralising capacity of recombinant and patient sera antibodies

Introduction: The engagement of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein with ACE2 is a critical step for viral entry to human cells, and, therefore, blocking this interaction is a major determinant of the efficacy of monoclonal antibody therapeutics and vaccine elicited serum antibodies. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants has necessitated the development of adaptable assays that can be applied to assess the effectiveness of antibody-based therapeutics. Methods: Through the testing of a range of recombinant spike proteins, we have developed a cell-based, ACE2/spike protein interaction assay that characterises monoclonal anti-spike protein antibodies and neutralising antibodies in donor serum. The assay uses high-content imaging to quantify cell-bound spike protein fluorescence. Results: Using spike proteins from the original “Wuhan” SARS-CoV-2 strain and the Delta and Omicron variants, we identified differential blocking activity of three monoclonal antibodies directed against the spike receptor-binding domain. Importantly, biological activity in the spike interaction assay translated to efficacy in a SARS-CoV-2 infection assay. Discussion: The spike protein interaction assay can be used to monitor anti-spike antibodies against the major known SARS-CoV-2 variants and is readily adaptable for quantification of the impact of antibodies against new and emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants