Genetic Variant of SARS-CoV-2 Isolates in Indonesia: Spike Glycoprotein Gene
mutation, coronavirus, genetic composition, SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus and the primarycausative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), first occurred in China and rapidly spreadworldwide. The government of the Republic of Indonesia confirmed its first two cases of COVID-19 inMarch 2020. COVID-19 is a serious illness with no efficacious antiviral medication or approved vaccinecurrently available. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the genome of SARS-CoV-2. In this study,we characterized SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein genes from Indonesia to investigate their geneticcomposition and variability. Overall, ten SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein gene sequences retrievedfrom GenBank (National Center for Biotechnology Information, USA) and the GISAID EpiCoV database(Germany) were compared. We analyzed nucleotide variants and amino acid changes using MolecularEvolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) X and analyzed gene similarity using the LALIGN web server.Interestingly, we revealed several specific mutation sites, however, there were no significant changesin the genetic composition of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein genes, when compared to the WuhanHu-1 isolate from China. However, this is a preliminary study and we recommend that molecularepidemiology and surveillance programs against COVID-19 in Indonesia be improved.
Arli Aditya Parikesit, Arif Nur Muhammad Ansori, Viol Dhea Kharisma, Sahal Sabilil Muttaqin, Yulanda Antonius
Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology