The consequences of viral infection on host DNA damage response: a focus on SARS-CoVs

• Published in: Journal of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Vol. 20; no. 1; pp. 104 - 13
• Main Authors: Mekawy, Asmaa S., Alaswad, Zina, Ibrahim, Aya A., Mohamed, Ahmed A., AlOkda, Abdelrahman, Elserafy, Menattallah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 13.07.2022; Springer; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biomedical Engineering and Bioengineering; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Development and progression; DNA; DNA damage; DNA damage response (DDR); DNA repair; Engineering; Genetic research; Genomes; Genomic instability; Genomics; Health aspects; Review; SARS-CoV; SARS-CoV-2; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; DNA repair; SARS-CoV; DNA damage response (DDR); Genomic instability
• ISSN: 1687-157X; 2090-5920
• DOI: 10.1186/s43141-022-00388-3

DNA damage and genome instability in host cells are introduced by many viruses during their life cycles. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronaviruses (SARS-CoVs) manipulation of DNA damage response (DDR) is an important area of research that is still understudied. Elucidation of the direct and indirect interactions between SARS-CoVs and DDR not only provides important insights into how the viruses exploit DDR pathways in host cells but also contributes to our understanding of their pathogenicity. Here, we present the known interactions of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 with DDR pathways of the host cells, to further understand the consequences of infection on genome integrity. Since this area of research is in its early stages, we try to connect the unlinked dots to speculate and propose different consequences on DDR mechanisms. This review provides new research scopes that can be further investigated in vitro and in vivo, opening new avenues for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.