Decoding the Genome of SARS-CoV-2 virus
from sample of the 41 years old man who worked at sea food market in Wuhan, China.
Interesting facts:
-Genome of less than 30000 long vs over 3 billion human
genome
-NSP12 protein: Drug Remdesivir interfere with NSP12 protein in other corona virus. Trails underway to see if this drug can treat Covid-19.Thailand started treating people with this drug very early.
-Spike protein S: tetrahedral (S,E,M,N). Forms a crown like spikes which give corona virus their name. Attached to the protein ACE2 found in the cells in human airway. The mutation in this protein is the crucial step in its evolution from a virus that infected bats and other species. Scientists are working to design the vaccines that could prevent the spikes from attaching to human cells.
-ORF7a protein:trigger infected cells to commit suicide which contributes to damaging the lungs in Covid19 patients.
-ORF3a protein: triggers inflammation, one of the most dangerous symptoms of Covid-19.
-NSP1 protein:prevents assembling antiviral proteins inside the human cells that could stop the virus.
-NSP2 protein: very mysterious . scientist don’t know the function yet.( but sure not lab made.)
-NSP3 protein: alters the infected cell protein that prevents the destruction of old protein inside the cell.
-NSP9 protein: infiltrates tiny channels in the infected cell’s nucleus, which holds our own genome hostage.
-NSP10 protein: prevents from attacking human cell antiviral protein that finds viral RNA and shred it.
CONCLUSION: very smart super-bug that have all the weapons need to invade, hide, alter and destruct the human cells.
Hence, Stay home stay Safe.
References:
Gao GF. From “A”IV to “Z”IKV: attacks from emerging and re-emerging pathogens. Cell 2018;172:1157-1159.
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2001017#article_references
Su S, Wong G, Shi W, et al. Epidemiology, genetic recombination, and pathogenesis of coronaviruses. Trends Microbiol 2016;24:490-502.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/04/03/science/coronavirus-genome-bad-news-wrapped-in-protein.html?utm_source=pocket-newta