FORM AND FUNCTION

The “train tracks” shown are lipid membranes. The top layer represents the target cell membrane, and the bottom layer represents the virus with spike in pre-fusion form, at A . Because SARS-COV-2 has a lipid membrane, it requires a protein spike to fuse the membrane of the virus with the target cell B . This fusion changes the shape of the spike C , which creates antibodies that are ineffective against the virus.