The Neighborhood of the Spike Gene Is a Hotspot for Modular Intertypic Homologous and Nonhomologous Recombination in Coronavirus Genomes.

ABSTRACT: Coronaviruses (CoVs) have very large RNA viral genomes with a distinct genomic architecture of core and accessory open reading frames (ORFs). It is of utmost importance to understand their patterns and limits of homologous and nonhomologous recombination, because such events may affect the emergence of novel CoV strains, alter their host range, infection rate, tissue tropism pathogenicity, and their ability to escape vaccination programs. Intratypic recombination among closely related CoVs of the same subgenus has often been reported; however, the patterns and limits of genomic exchange between more distantly related CoV lineages (intertypic recombination) need further investigation. Here, we report computational/evolutionary analyses that clearly demonstrate a substantial ability for CoVs

SUBMITTER: Nikolaidis M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8549283 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature