Biophysical Insights into Coronavirus Cell Membrane Interactions: The Role of Nonequilibrium Binding Energy

Scientists are interested in the free energy associated with the binding of viral particles to cell membranes. However, the intrinsic force associated with virus-cell membrane interactions has yet to be investigated. While the kinetic energy may be a state function, it is not the type associated with the thermodynamic equilibrium constant. Thus, the main objective of this study was to derive an equation for non-equilibrium binding energy (NEBE) that depends on an intrinsic force capable of opposing kinetic energy. Some data in the literature were used to evaluate the derived equations. Though diffusivities increased with temperature, they were substantially lower than those far from the binding region for the D and G variants of SARS-CoV-2. With breath emission equal to 1.29 exp. (+7)/m³, the NEBE value for the Omicron variant was higher than that for the Delta variant. A similar trend with lower values was observed with a breath emission equal to 27.9 exp. (+7)/m³; the NEBE value with a breath emission rate of 9.31 exp. (+6)/hour is higher than with 201 exp. (+6)/hour for the Omicron variant only. The G variant of SARS-CoV-2 showed higher NEBEs (952-671 kcal/mol) than the Delta variant (834-588 kcal/mol), corresponding to 293.15-318.15 K. The virus's binding affinity may diminish at higher temperatures due to the decrease in maximal NEBE as temperature increases. Therefore, medication at temperatures higher than the normal body temperature is advised. Future research should be to definitively determine the size and molar mass of SARS-CoV-2 variants. PACS Number: 87.17.Jj; 05.70Ln.