Proteome Organization of COVID-19: Illustrating Targets for Vaccine Development
Phylogenetic analysis, coronavirus, COVID-19, ACE2 receptors, mrna-1273, bnt162, chadox1 vaccine
‘COVID-19’ the recent virulent viral infection had influenced the lives of millions globally leading to bothloss of life, economic and financial crisis. Coronavirus belongs to family coronaviridae with four genusviz. α/b and g-coronavirus, infecting both aves and mammals. The SARS-Cov-2 emerged in Wuhan, Chinain Dec, 2019 and since then had spread to 213 countries. Its origin is debatable with both natural originand conspiracy theory providing no conclusive evidences. Coronavirus have ‘+’ive RNA and encodesfor 29 proteins, which carries out its life cycle including infection and disease progression. The studyof its proteome organization could illustrate the proteins which act as the key molecular players inthe infection cycle of the virus. These proteins can also act as important drug targets in combatingCOVID-19 infection. Majority of the drugs have been formulated in order to act as agonist to spikeproteins inhibiting infection by binding to ACE2 receptors. Proteome analysis has also revealed thecritical mutated proteins that are responsible for COVID-19 pathogenesis and virulence. mRNA basedvaccines (mRNA-1273, BNT162) also targets these spike proteins. Although DNA vaccine has also beenattempted using RDT, but the high rate of mutation associated with COVID-19 have made such vaccinesineffective even before use. Thus evolutionarily conserved proteins have been the best candidature forvaccine development. Similarly phylogenetic analysis of its proteins could help us to understand theevolutionary pattern of COVID-19. It could be used to develop a predictable model for such pathogenicinfections, preparing ourselves to take preventive action against its reoccurrence.
Aditya Saxena, Alok Bharadwaj, Nitin Wahi, Divya Chaudhary
Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology