Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 15, 2025
12:07
Sequence-specific Labeling of Nucleic Acids and Proteins with Methyltransferases and Cofactor Analogues
Published on: November 22, 2014
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COVID-19: A methyl-group assault?
Andrew McCaddon1, Björn Regland2
1Gardden Road Surgery, Rhosllanerchrugog Wrexham, LL14 2EN, UK.
Medical Hypotheses
|March 3, 2021
Summary
Long-COVID symptoms may stem from increased methyl-group needs due to SARS-CoV-2 infection, impacting one-carbon metabolism. Vitamin B12 and folate status testing could confirm this, potentially leading to beneficial methyl-group support.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Infectious Diseases
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- COVID-19 has severe socio-economic impacts, with 'long-COVID' causing significant morbidity.
- Long-COVID presents diverse symptoms similar to vitamin B12 deficiency, which impairs methylation.
- Compromised methylation is linked to disruptions in one-carbon metabolism.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a mechanism linking SARS-CoV-2 infection to increased methyl-group requirements.
- To suggest that these metabolic disturbances may explain long-COVID symptoms.
- To explore the potential applicability of this hypothesis to other conditions like myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.
Main Methods:
- The study proposes a hypothesis requiring evaluation through specific biochemical tests.
- Key indicators include vitamin B12 and folate status.
- Further analysis involves measuring serum formate, homocysteine, methylmalonic acid, and RNA methylation.
Main Results:
- The abstract presents a hypothesis, not experimental results.
- The proposed mechanism suggests SARS-CoV-2 infection increases methyl-group demand.
- This could lead to one-carbon metabolism disturbances manifesting as long-COVID symptoms.
Conclusions:
- The hypothesis posits that SARS-CoV-2 infection disrupts one-carbon metabolism, increasing methyl-group requirements.
- This disruption may underlie the varied symptoms observed in long-COVID.
- If validated, methyl-group supplementation could be a therapeutic strategy for long-COVID and similar syndromes.
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