SARS-CoV-2 genetic diversity in Venezuela: Predominance of D614G variants and analysis of one outbreak.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is the new coronavirus responsible for COVID-19 disease. The first two cases of COVID-19 were detected in Venezuela on March 13, 2020. The aim of this study was the genetic characterization of Venezuelan SARS-CoV-2 isolates. A total of 7 full SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences were obtained by Sanger sequencing, from patients of different regions of Venezuela, mainly from the beginning of the epidemic. Ten out of 11 isolates (6 complete genomes and 4 partial spike genomic regions) belonged to lineage B, bearing the D614G mutation in the Spike protein. Isolates from the first outbreak that occurred in the Margarita Island harbored an in-frame deletion in its sequence, without amino acids 83-85 of the NSP1 of the ORF1. The search for deletions in 48,635 sequences showed that the NSP1 gen

SUBMITTER: Loureiro CL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7895374 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature