A Comparative Study between Spanish and British SARS-CoV-2 Variants.

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Structural Biology
• Computational Biology

Background:

• The SARS-CoV-2 spike protein's interaction with ACE2 is crucial for viral entry and infectivity.
• Understanding genetic variations in SARS-CoV-2 is vital for tracking viral evolution and spread.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the genomic and structural differences between the Spanish and British variants of SARS-CoV-2.
• To assess the potential impact of these differences on viral infectivity and antigenicity.

Main Methods:

• In silico analysis of genome sequences for homology, identity, and similarity.
• Computational docking to predict spike protein structure and alignment.
• Evaluation of nucleotide substitutions and their potential functional impact.

Main Results:

• Spanish and British SARS-CoV-2 variants show 99.99% genomic similarity, with 28.67% identity in Spike proteins.
• Four deletions and 23 nucleotide substitutions were identified, potentially affecting protein function.
• The British variant exhibits higher estimated antigenicity than the Spanish variant, with the N501Y substitution noted in the RBD.

Conclusions:

• Even minor mutations in SARS-CoV-2 can alter viral fitness and infectivity.
• The N501Y substitution in the British variant's spike protein may contribute to its increased infective potential.
• Host cell recognition and interaction proteins are sensitive to subtle genetic changes in the virus.