Comparative Sequence Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Suggests Its High Transmissibility and Pathogenicity

作者：Kartika Padhan, Mohammad Khalid Parvez, Mohammed S. Al‐Dosari · 发表于：Future Virology · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.2217/fvl-2020-0204 · 被引用次数：16 · 研究领域：SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research、Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology、SARS-CoV-2 detection and testing

Aim: Because the highly pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 is newly introduced to humans, we aimed to understand the unique features of its genome and proteins, crucial for high transmissibility and disease severity. Materials & methods: The available genome and protein sequences of SARS-CoV-2 with known human and nonhuman CoV were analyzed using multiple sequence alignment programs. Results: Our analysis revealed some unique mutations in SARS-CoV-2 spike, ORF1a/b, ORF3a/3b and ORF8. The most interesting ones were in the spike angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor binding-motif and generation of a furin-like cleavage site as well as deletions of ORF3a ‘diacidic motif’ and the entire ORF3b. Conclusion: Our data suggest that SARS-CoV-2 has diverged from SARS-CoV-1 but is most close to bat-SL-CoV. Unique mutations in spike and ORF3a/b proteins strongly endorse its adaptive evolution, enhanced infectivity and severe pathogenesis in humans.