Open AccessFunctional mutations of SARS-CoV-2: implications to viral transmission, pathogenicity and immune escape
Author(s) -
Shengyuan Dang,
Lili Ren,
Jianwei Wang
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
chinese medical journal/chinese medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.537
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 2542-5641
pISSN - 0366-6999
DOI - 10.1097/cm9.0000000000002158
Subject(s) - biology , coronavirus , immune system , virology , virulence , pandemic , transmission (telecommunications) , covid-19 , genome , mutation , immune escape , transmissibility (structural dynamics) , mutation rate , disease , genetics , gene , medicine , infectious disease (medical specialty) , physics , vibration isolation , quantum mechanics , vibration , pathology , electrical engineering , engineering
The pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has led to major public health challenges globally. The increasing viral lineages identified indicate that the SARS-CoV-2 genome is evolving at a rapid rate. Viral genomic mutations may cause antigenic drift or shift, which are important ways by which SARS-CoV-2 escapes the human immune system and changes its transmissibility and virulence. Herein, we summarize the functional mutations in SARS-CoV-2 genomes to characterize its adaptive evolution to inform the development of vaccination, treatment as well as control and intervention measures.