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Structural Profiles of SARS-CoV-2 Variants in India
Soumyananda Chakraborti1,2, Jasmita Gill3, Ritu Goswami4,5
1National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, 110077, India. soumya@mrcindia.org.
Current Microbiology
|November 22, 2022
Summary
SARS-CoV-2 variants like Alpha, Delta, and Omicron drove India
Area of Science:
- Virology and Structural Biology
Background:
- India experienced severe SARS-CoV-2 waves, with over 10 million infections and significant mortality.
- Key variants driving these waves included Alpha (B.1.1.7), Delta (B.1.617.2), Omicron (B.1.1.529), and its sub-variant BA.2.75.
Purpose of the Study:
- To structurally analyze mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) of Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants.
- To investigate the impact of these mutations on binding with the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE-2) receptor.
Main Methods:
- Collected sequence data from ~10,000 SARS-CoV-2 patients in India via the GISAID database.
- Performed structural visualization and computational analysis of RBD mutations.
- Compared mutation sites, particularly within the hACE-2 binding region.
Main Results:
- Mutations were identified throughout the RBD, including the hACE-2 binding surface.
- Omicron and its sub-variants showed numerous mutations in the hACE-2 binding site and surrounding areas.
- Electrostatic interactions play a crucial role in stabilizing RBD-hACE-2 binding, especially in the Omicron variant.
Conclusions:
- Structural insights reveal how RBD mutations in Alpha, Delta, and Omicron variants contributed to SARS-CoV-2 surges in India.
- The study highlights the specific impact of Omicron's mutations on hACE-2 binding affinity.
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