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Scientists have discovered a new gene ‘hidden’ in the novel coronavirus that could contribute to its unique biology
New York:
Researchers have discovered a new gene “hidden” in the novel coronavirus that could contribute to its unique biology and pandemic potential, a breakthrough that could lead to the development of new therapies against the deadly virus.
According to scientists, including those at the American Museum of Natural History in the United States, knowing more about the 15 genes that make up the coronavirus genome could have a significant impact on the development of drugs and vaccines to fight the virus.
In the current study, published in the journal eLife, the researchers described overlapping genes – or “genes within the genes” – in the virus which they say play a role in the virus replication in host cells. .
“Overlapping genes may be one of the arsenals of means by which coronaviruses have evolved to replicate efficiently, thwart host immunity, or transmit themselves,” said lead author of the Chase study. Nelson of the American Museum of Natural History.
“Knowing that there are overlapping genes and how they work can reveal new pathways for coronavirus control, for example through antiviral drugs,” Nelson added.
The research team has identified a new overlapping gene – ORF3d – in the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that has the potential to encode a protein that is longer than expected.
They said ORF3d is also present in a previously discovered pangolin coronavirus, indicating that the gene may have undergone changes during the course of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses.
According to the study, ORF3d has been independently identified and has been shown to induce a strong antibody response in COVID-19 patients, demonstrating that the protein produced from the new gene is made during human infection. .
“We don’t yet know its function or if there is clinical significance. But we predict that this gene is relatively unlikely to be detected by a T cell response, unlike the antibody response. And maybe it has something to do with how the gene may have appeared, ”Nelson said.
Scientists explained that coronavirus genes can appear to be written language in that they are made up of chains of basic chemical molecules Adenine, Guanine, Uracil, and Cytosine, represented by the letters A, G, U, and C, respectively. .
They explained that these letters act as an informational code for protein synthesis in cells.
But while the language units (words) are discrete and don’t overlap, the researchers said genes can overlap and be multifunctional, with information encrypted depending on where you start to “read.”
While overlapping genes are hard to spot and most scientific computer programs aren’t designed to find them, scientists have said they are common in viruses.
This is partly because RNA viruses have a high mutation rate, so they tend to keep their gene count low to avoid a large number of mutations, they explained.
The researchers noted that viruses have developed a “kind of data compression system” in which a letter in its genome can contribute to two or even three different genes.
“The lack of overlapping genes puts us at risk of overlooking important aspects of viral biology,” Nelson said.
“In terms of genome size, SARS-CoV-2 and its parents are among the longest RNA viruses that exist. They are therefore perhaps more prone to ‘genomic trickery’ than other RNA viruses.” , he added.
(Except for the title, this story was not edited by NDTV staff and is posted from a syndicated feed.)
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