Question

How would modifying the protein determined above affect the transmission and infectivity of the virus? How do your protective antibodies and your immune system recognize a virus? Coronaviruses have a single-stranded RNA genome. How do you think this affects the stability of the viral genome? The coronavirus that causes the common cold and SARSCoV2 are in the same family of viruses, how can their genomes be so different?

The protein I identified in previous question was surface glyocprotein. This assignment compares the alignment for the SARSCoV2 vs Bat coronavirus.

Answer 1

the protein I identified as the glycoprotein on the surface of the SARSCOV2 is the protein that helps in infection by binding to the ACE 2 receptor present in the human body. This binding leads to infection and subsequent replication of the virus to increase the viral load and is transmitted mostly via droplets. The protein can be modified at the site which helps it to bind to the receptor, mutation in the binding site of the protein can lead to its modification in a way, where it can no longer bind to ACE2 and thus reduce its infectivity and transmission.

The antibodies of the body recognize the surface proteins on the virus and evoke an immune response in which the virus bond antibodies are recognized by the Fc receptors on the macrophages, NK cells, etc, which leads to opsonization of these viral bound antibodies and thus kill them inside these cells. The Viral genome contributes to its recognition by a TLR, in this case as the virus has a single stranded RNA genome it gets recognized by TLR7 and is sent to the lysosomes and also evokes a humoral immune response for clearing the viral infection.

RNA as a genomic material is more prone to mutations and is less stable, which means that there is a lot of genetic heterogeneity of these viruses and they can mutate often for their survival in adverse conditions. These incorporate changes in the genome so that they can be replication proficient, can recombine when needed, and thus can survive many conditions. The SARSCOV2 has a single stranded RNA virus which is very prone to mutations and thus the genetic material is not very stable.

The coronavirus genome is different from the SARS COV2 as the SARS COV2 has acquired mutations in its genome to produce proteins that can target receptors present in various types of cells in the body, thus increasing its infectivity. The genome has also been modified in a way where, its infection is not recognized as people can be asymptomatic. The mutations are caused as it has an RNA genome that can mutate very fast and in different regions to infect people and increase their progeny in their own way. The recent studies show that the SARS COV2virus can incorporate mutations on its glycoproteins that help it to bind to its receptor in a way by which it can increase infectivity unlike the common cold causing coronavirus.