The S protein has a higher affinity for binding to NRP-1 than VEGF-A because the binding of S1 to NRP-1 cells destabilizes the NRP-1/VEGFR-2 complex, which displaces VEGF-A, contributing to the high serum concentrations of VEGF-A in patients with COVID-19 (Talotta, 2022). The gene discussed is VEGFA; the disease is COVID-19.