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Human Gene Sequences in SARS-CoV-2 and Other Viruses
Steven Lehrer1, Peter H Rheinstein2
1Department of Radiation Oncology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, U.S.A. steven.lehrer@mssm.edu.
In Vivo (Athens, Greece)
|June 7, 2020
Summary
A novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequence was found in the human genome, specifically within the NTNG1 gene. This finding is unique as it
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Virology
- Bioinformatics
Background:
- A previous study identified a 117 base pair severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) sequence within the human genome.
- This sequence exhibited 94.6% identity and was located in an intronic region of the netrin G1 (NTNG1) gene on chromosome 1p.
- The identified sequence showed homology to SARS-CoV-2's Orf1b gene, specifically non-structural protein 14 (NSP14) and non-structural protein 15 (NSP15).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the human genome with other viral genomes to characterize human sequences within viruses.
- To investigate the uniqueness of the SARS-CoV-2 sequence found within the human NTNG1 gene compared to other viral integrations.
- To explore potential implications of these genomic findings in the context of viral infection mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Comparative genomic analysis of human and various viral genomes.
- Sequence alignment and identity verification.
- Identification and localization of homologous sequences within host genomes and viral genetic material.
Main Results:
- Most viruses contained human sequences, but these were typically short.
- Hepatitis A and St Louis encephalitis viruses possessed longer human sequences than the SARS-CoV-2 example, but these were in non-coding regions.
- The 117 base pair SARS-CoV-2 sequence in the NTNG1 gene was the only long human sequence found within a gene; related coronaviruses showed shorter or no human sequences.
- The SARS-CoV-2 sequence is located near the viral spike protein gene, separated by NSP16.
Conclusions:
- The presence of a substantial SARS-CoV-2 sequence within the human NTNG1 gene is a unique finding among the viruses studied.
- The functional significance and mechanism of integration for the observed SARS-CoV-2 sequences (NSP14, NSP15) remain unclear and warrant further investigation.
- Additional research is necessary to understand the origin and potential impact of these human-like sequences in SARS-CoV-2 and their relationship to viral infectiousness.
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