A Comprehensive Account of SARS-CoV-2 Genome structure, Incurred mutations, Lineages and COVID-19 Vaccination Program

Abstract

This review collates information on the onset of COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2 genome architecture, emergence of novel viral lineages that drove multiple waves of infection around the world and standard and fast track development of vaccines. With the passage of time, the continuously evolving SARS-CoV-2 has acquired an expanded mutational landscape. The functional characterization of spike protein mutations, the primary target of diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines has revealed increased transmission, pathogenesis and immune escape potential in the variant lineages of the virus. The incurred mutations have also resulted in substantial viral neutralization escape to vaccines, monoclonal, polyclonal and convalescent antibodies presently in use. The present situation suggests the need for development of precise next-generation vaccines and therapeutics by targeting the more conservative genomic viral regions for providing adequate protection.

Keywords:

• corona viruses
• COVID-19
• genome structure
• lineages
• novel mutations
• resistance to vaccines
• SARS-CoV-2
• vaccines

Author contributions

Conceptualization, literature search, writing – final draft, visualization, writing – review and editing: VR Rajpal. Formal analysis, data curation, writing – draft: VR Rajpal, S Sharma, D Sehgal and A Kumar. Literature Search, writing – original draft: D Sehgal. Literature search, writing – draft: M Tiwari. Manuscript writing, figure illustrations: A Kumar and S Vaishnavi. Literature Search, writing – review: A Singh. Sequence retrieval, data analysis: A Kumar and H Bhalla. Data analysis: S Goel. Writing – draft: A Singh and S Vaishnavi. Conceptualization, supervision: SN Raina.

Acknowledgments

The authors sincerely acknowledge the inputs of Shweta Chand, Hansraj College and the University of Delhi for improving the quality of the images.

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.