SARS-CoV-2, an evolutionary perspective of interaction with human ACE2 reveals undiscovered amino acids necessary for complex stability.

ABSTRACT: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in nearly 1,280,000 infections and 73,000 deaths globally so far. This novel virus acquired the ability to infect human cells using the SARS-CoV cell receptor hACE2. Because of this, it is essential to improve our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 hACE2 interaction. One way theory predicts selection pressures should shape viral evolution is to enhance binding with host cells. We first assessed evolutionary dynamics in select betacoronavirus spike protein genes to predict whether these genomic regions are under directional or purifying selection between divergent viral lineages, at various scales of relatedness. With this analysis, we determine a region inside the receptor-binding domain with putative sites under p

SUBMITTER: Armijos-Jaramillo V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7262083 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature