{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T15:53:40Z","timestamp":1790351620854,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":63,"publisher":"Wiley","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777334400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/4.0\/"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777334400000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/doi.wiley.com\/10.1002\/tdm_license_1.1"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["onlinelibrary.wiley.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Reviews in Medical Virology"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,5]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>ABSTRACT<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>The evolutionary trajectory of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS\u2010CoV\u20102) has progressed through several distinct phases since its zoonotic emergence, transitioning from initial human adaptation to an era of rapid antigenic drift and complex immune evasion. As of early 2026, the global landscape is dominated by highly evolved sublineages of the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant, including the JN.1\u2010descendent subvariants NB.1.8.1 and XFG. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the molecular mechanisms driving viral fitness, with a primary focus on the structural transformations within the spike (S) protein's receptor\u2010binding domain (RBD), N\u2010terminal domain (NTD), and S2 subunit. We examine the biophysical impacts of pivotal mutations, such as E484\u00a0K, K417\u00a0N, and F486P, alongside the phenomenon of convergent evolution and epistatic compensation. Furthermore, we provide an integrated analysis of current knowledge regarding the evolving dynamics of humoral and cellular immunity, exploring the challenges posed by immune imprinting and the decline of neutralizing antibody titers against antigenically distant strains. A comparative discussion of SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 and seasonal influenza highlights divergent evolutionary paces but converging regulatory frameworks for annual vaccine updates. Finally, the current status of next\u2010generation vaccine platforms is evaluated, specifically mosaic nanoparticles and mucosal delivery systems, which aim to provide pan\u2010sarbecovirus protection and interrupt transmission. These insights are integrated into a policy framework focused on annual strain selection and enhanced genomic surveillance for sustainable long\u2010term pandemic management.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1002\/rmv.70157","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]],"date-time":"2026-04-28T09:33:41Z","timestamp":1777368821000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1002\/crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 Variants and Immune Evasion: Mapping the Future of Vaccine Design"],"prefix":"10.1002","volume":"36","author":[{"given":"Fatih","family":"Uzer","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gene and Cell Therapy Faculty of Medicine Akdeniz University  Antalya Turkey"},{"name":"Department of Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine Faculty of Medicine Akdeniz University  Antalya Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0726-803X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fulya","family":"Erendor","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gene and Cell Therapy Faculty of Medicine Akdeniz University  Antalya Turkey"},{"name":"Department of Medical Biology Faculty of Medicine Ordu University  Ordu Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Salih","family":"Sanlioglu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gene and Cell Therapy Faculty of Medicine Akdeniz University  Antalya Turkey"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"311","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"e_1_2_11_2_1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1038\/s41579\u2010023\u201000878\u20102"},{"key":"e_1_2_11_3_1","unstructured":"W. H. O. (WHO). \u201cTracking SARS\u2010CoV\u20102 Variants \u201d2026. 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