Table 2. Values (in Brackets) of the Three Main Spectroscopic Parameters Obtained from Raman Characterizations, Namely, RC/M, RF, and Rrc, as Measured for Different Omicron Subvariant Samplesa.
| RC/M | RF | Rrc |
|---|---|---|
| palmitoylation probability | surface hydrophilicity | membrane flexibility |
| BA.1.18 (0.66) | BA.1.18 (2.22) | XE (0.47) |
| BA.5 (0.66) | BA.4 (1.83) | BA.5 (0.44) |
| BA.2 (0.47) | BA.2 (1.76) | BA.2 (0.37) |
| XE (0.14) | XE (1.55) | BA.2.75 (0.35) |
| BA.2.75 (0.14) | BA.5 (1.42) | BA.4 (0.16) |
| BA.4 (0.10) | BA.2.75 (1.16) | BA.1.18 (0.04) |
a
High values for these spectroscopic ratios represent high palmitoylation probability, high hydrophilicity at the virions’ surface, and high membrane flexibility and bulk capacity, respectively.