3.1 Genomic Organization of SARS-CoV-2
The CoV-2 is β-coronavirus with small genome size
(~29.9Kb), forming 9860 amino acids (NC_045512.2)
[17,18]. Currently about 0.3 million genomes have been sequenced and
the data is accessible to researchers from Global Initiative on Sharing
All Influenza Data (GISAID)[19] across the globe. The data could be
analyzed for variations in viral proteins with reference sequence
(GenBank accession number MN908947.3)[18,20]. CoV-2 mutations might
affect the susceptibility to CoV-2 infection or severity of COVID-19. In
the current study we screened about 0.3 million genome sequences for
mutation in S, E, M, and N proteins. All the mutations were analyzed
through CoVsurver application
(https://www.gisaid.org/epiflu-applications/covsurver-mutations-app/).
The structural proteins harbor a large number of mutations in different
geographic regions (Supplementary files). However, the level of
transmission and pathogenicity is largely unknown behind these
variations. Geographic specific vaccines and drugs may be designed after
careful analysis of mutations in the target’s proteins for better
management of CoV-2 infections.