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SARS-CoV-2 Mutations: An Insight

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Human Viruses: Diseases, Treatments and Vaccines

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Abstract

A new terror to mankind, the novel coronavirus, known as SARS-CoV-2, previously known 2019-nCoV, is a recent member in RNA virus group and has shaken almost every country around the world. Since December 2019, world has witnessed global lockdown in different phases, and with every phase the severity of infection is increasing. Already many countries around the world are reeling under the second wave of novel coronavirus infection which is much more severe than the first wave. Although the average death rate across the world is ~2.2%, this rate varies from country to country and may be attributed to geo-distribution of different strains and rich genetic variations as the result of mutations. This chapter focuses on the hotspots of mutations across the genomes sequenced so far and the evolutionary forces leading to stabilizing these mutations. Although SARS-CoV-2 is mutating slow, nevertheless few mutations can be associated with increased infectivity.

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Abbreviations

(+) ssRNA:

Positive single stranded Ribosomal nucleic acid

ACE2:

Angiotensin-converting enzyme2

BatCoV:

Bat Coronavirus

GISAID:

Global Initiative on Sharing all Influenza Data

MERS-CoV:

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus

NS:

Non-structural

NSP:

Nonstructural protein

ORF:

Open Reading Frame

RdRp:

RNA dependent RNA polymerase

SARS-CoV:

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus

SARS-CoV-2:

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2

SNP:

Single nucleotide polymorphism

UTR:

Untranslated Region

WHCV:

Wuhan-Human 1 coronavirus

WHO:

World Health Organization

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Acknowledgements

The authors greatly acknowledge Prof. C. Sheela Reddy, Principal, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi, for her constant support.

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  1. Department of Zoology, Sri Venkateswara College, University of Delhi (South Campus), New Delhi, 110021, India

    Rajendra Phartyal & Mansi Verma

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  1. Rajendra Phartyal
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Correspondence to Mansi Verma .

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  1. Wollaton, Nottingham, UK

    Shamim I. Ahmad

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Phartyal, R., Verma, M. (2021). SARS-CoV-2 Mutations: An Insight. In: Ahmad, S.I. (eds) Human Viruses: Diseases, Treatments and Vaccines . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71165-8_25

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