Overwhelming mutations or SNPs of SARS-CoV-2: A point of caution

• Published in: Gene Vol. 752; p. 144792
• Main Author: Vankadari, Naveen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 20.08.2020
• Subjects: Americas - epidemiology; Asia - epidemiology; Betacoronavirus - genetics; Coronavirus; Coronavirus Infections - epidemiology; Coronavirus Infections - virology; COVID-19; Drug Resistance, Viral; Europe - epidemiology; Evolution; Genome; Genome, Viral; Humans; Pandemics; Phylogeny; Pneumonia, Viral - epidemiology; Pneumonia, Viral - virology; Point Mutation; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; SARS-CoV-2; Sequence; Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus - genetics; Viral Proteins - classification; Viral Proteins - genetics; Americas; Asia; Europe; COVID-19; ACE2; Nsp1; Coronavirus; SNP; Rdrp; NCBI; Evolution; CD26; Sequence; Genome; WHO
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2020.144792
• ISSN: 0378-1119

•Mutation studies hits cause for the superior infectious rate of SARS-CoV-2.•SARS-CoV-2 is evolving rapidly with number of mutations and SNPs.•Mutations were found in the ACE2 binding region of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein.•ORF1ab, ORF8 and spike glycoprotein regions of SARS-CoV-2 are highly mutated.•Overwhelming mutations or SNPs of SARS-CoV-2 alerts drug treatment options. The morbidity of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) is reaching 3 Million landmark causing and a serious public health concern globally and it is enigmatic how several antiviral and antibody treatments were not effective in the different period across the globe. With the drastic increasing number of positive cases around the world WHO raised the importance in the assessment of the risk of spread and understanding genetic modifications that could have occurred in the SARS-CoV-2. Using all available deep sequencing data of complete genome from all over the world (NCBI repository), we identified several hundreds of point mutations or SNPs in SARS-CoV-2 all across the genome. This could be the cause for the constant change and differed virulence with an increase in mortality and morbidity. Among the 12 different countries (one sequence from each country) with complete genome sequencing data, we noted the 47 key point mutations or SNPs located along the entire genome that might have impact in the virulence and response to different antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. In this regard, key viral proteins of spike glycoprotein, Nsp1, RdRp and the ORF8 region got heavily mutated within these 3 months via person-to-person passage. We also discuss what could be the possible cause of this rapid mutation in the SARS-CoV-2.