biostudies-literatureLong SWNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesU.S. Department of Health and Human ServicesNIAID NIH HHSNational Institutes of Health983-992https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC7962948biostudies-literatureUnknown191(6)Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, there has been international concern about the emergence of virus variants with mutations that increase transmissibility, enhance escape from the human immune response, or otherwise alter biologically important phenotypes. In late 2020, several variants of concern emerged globally, including the UK variant (B.1.1.7), the South Africa variant (B.1.351), Brazil variants (P.1 and P.2), and two related California variants of interest (B.1.429 and B.1.427). These variants are believed to have enhanced transmissibility. For the South Africa and Brazil variants, there is evidence that mutations in spike protein permit it to escape from some vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. On the basisThe American journal of pathologySequence Analysis of 20,453 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Genomes from the Houston Metropolitan Area Identifies the Emergence and Widespread Distribution of Multiple Isolates of All Major Variants of Concern.PMC796294875N93019C00076Musser JMOlsen RJOlson RLong SWChristensen PAPruitt LFinkelstein IJSubedi SSaavedra MOReppond KShyer MNCambric JDavis JJGollihar JYerramilli PfalseSequence Analysis of 20,453 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Genomes from the Houston Metropolitan Area Identifies the Emergence and Widespread Distribution of Multiple Isolates of All Major Variants of Concern.Since the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, there has been international concern about the emergence of virus variants with mutations that increase transmissibility, enhance escape from the human immune response, or otherwise alter biologically important phenotypes. In late 2020, several variants of concern emerged globally, including the UK variant (B.1.1.7), the South Africa variant (B.1.351), Brazil variants (P.1 and P.2), and two related California variants of interest (B.1.429 and B.1.427). These variants are believed to have enhanced transmissibility. For the South Africa and Brazil variants, there is evidence that mutations in spike protein permit it to escape from some vaccines and therapeutic monoclonal antibodies. On the basis2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Jun2026-04-17T23:42:11.7Z2021-03-27T08:02:36ZS-EPMC79629483374133510.1016/j.ajpath.2021.03.004