Putative Secondary Structure at 5'UTR as a Potential Antiviral Target against SARS-CoV-2.

ABSTRACT: SARS-CoV-2 is an enveloped positive-sense single-stranded RNA coronavirus that causes COVID-19, of which the current outbreak has resulted in a high number of cases and fatalities throughout the world, even vaccine doses are being administered. The aim of this work was to scan the SARS-CoV-2 genome in search for therapeutic targets. We found a sequence in the 5'UTR (NC\_045512:74-130), consisting of a typical heptamer next to a structured region that may cause ribosomal frameshifting. The potential biological value of this region is relevant through its low similarity with other viruses, including coronaviruses related to SARS-CoV, and its high sequence conservation within multiple SARS-CoV-2 isolates. We have predicted the secondary structure of the region by means of different bioinforma

SUBMITTER: Garcia-Moran E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8972695 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature