Conserved Genomic Terminals of SARS-CoV-2 as Co-evolving Functional Elements and Potential Therapeutic Targets

Area of Science:

• Genomics
• Virology
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic necessitates understanding its genomic features for viral replication, pathogenicity, and host interactions.
• Comparative genomic analysis of coronaviruses can reveal unique elements contributing to viral behavior and disease.

Approach:

• Genome-wide comparison of SARS-CoV-2 with other human and animal coronaviruses.
• Identification of unique sequence signatures and patterns of variation within the SARS-CoV-2 genome.
• In silico prediction of host microRNA interactions with SARS-CoV-2 genomic regions, specifically the 3 -untranslated region (UTR).

Key Points:

• Unique sequence signatures were identified in the 3 -UTR of betacoronavirus lineage B, which includes SARS-CoV-2.
• Genome-wide variation patterns across SARS-CoV-2 strains suggest the influence of selection.
• A potential host microRNA-mediated interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 3 -UTR and human microRNA hsa-miR-1307-3p was predicted.

Conclusions:

• The identified 3 -UTR features and microRNA interactions may represent a viral survival mechanism, potentially weakening the host immune response.
• Conserved features in the SARS-CoV-2 3 -UTR could be exploited as therapeutic targets.
• Further investigation into the role of host microRNAs in SARS-CoV-2 infection and replication is warranted.