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Evolutional insights on uncharacterized SARS coronavirus genes
Author(s) -
Inberg Alex,
Linial Michal
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2004.09.076
Subject(s) - orfs , genome , biology , open reading frame , genetics , coronavirus , gene , virology , computational biology , covid-19 , peptide sequence , infectious disease (medical specialty) , medicine , disease , pathology
The complete genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) and many of its variants has been determined by several laboratories. The genome contains fourteen predicted open reading frames (ORFs). However, a function had been clearly assigned for only six of these ORFs, in the viral replication, transcription and structural constituents. The others are herein referred to as uncharacterized ORFs (UC‐ORFs). Here, we try to provide a relational insight on those UC‐ORFs, suggesting that a number of them are remotely related to structural proteins of coronaviruses and other viruses infecting mammalian hosts. Surprisingly, several of the UC‐ORFs exhibit considerable similarity with other SARS‐CoV ORFs. These observations may provide clues on the evolution and genome dynamics of the SARS‐CoV.