Understanding Mutations in Human SARS-CoV-2 Spike Glycoprotein: A Systematic Review & Meta-Analysis
Reetesh Kumar,
Yogesh Srivastava,
Pandiyan Muthuramalingam,
Sunil Kumar Singh,
Geetika Verma,
Savitri Tiwari,
Nikunj Tandel,
Samir Kumar Beura,
Abhishek Ramachandra Panigrahi,
Somnath Maji,
Prakriti Sharma,
Pankaj Kumar Rai,
Dinesh Kumar Prajapati,
Hyunsuk Shin,
Rajeev K. Tyagi
Affiliations
Reetesh Kumar
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Applied Sciences & Humanities, GLA University, Mathura 281406, India
Yogesh Srivastava
Department of Genetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
Pandiyan Muthuramalingam
Division of Horticultural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea
Sunil Kumar Singh
Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
Geetika Verma
Department of Biotherapeutics, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh 160036, India
Savitri Tiwari
Division of Life Sciences, Department of Biosciences, School of Basic and Applied Sciences, Galgotias University, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Greater Noida 201310, India
Nikunj Tandel
Institute of Science, Nirma University, SG Highway, Gujarat 382481, India
Samir Kumar Beura
Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
Abhishek Ramachandra Panigrahi
Department of Zoology, School of Biological Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
Somnath Maji
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
Prakriti Sharma
Biomedical Parasitology and Translational-Immunology Lab, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh 160036, India
Pankaj Kumar Rai
Department of Biotechnology, IIET, Invertis University, Bareilly 243001, India
Dinesh Kumar Prajapati
Department of Biotechnology, IIET, Invertis University, Bareilly 243001, India
Hyunsuk Shin
Division of Horticultural Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52725, Republic of Korea
Rajeev K. Tyagi
Biomedical Parasitology and Translational-Immunology Lab, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology (IMTECH), Chandigarh 160036, India
Genetic variant(s) of concern (VoC) of SARS-CoV-2 have been emerging worldwide due to mutations in the gene encoding spike glycoprotein. We performed comprehensive analyses of spike protein mutations in the significant variant clade of SARS-CoV-2, using the data available on the Nextstrain server. We selected various mutations, namely, A222V, N439K, N501Y, L452R, Y453F, E484K, K417N, T478K, L981F, L212I, N856K, T547K, G496S, and Y369C for this study. These mutations were chosen based on their global entropic score, emergence, spread, transmission, and their location in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD). The relative abundance of these mutations was mapped with global mutation D614G as a reference. Our analyses suggest the rapid emergence of newer global mutations alongside D614G, as reported during the recent waves of COVID-19 in various parts of the world. These mutations could be instrumentally imperative for the transmission, infectivity, virulence, and host immune system’s evasion of SARS-CoV-2. The probable impact of these mutations on vaccine effectiveness, antigenic diversity, antibody interactions, protein stability, RBD flexibility, and accessibility to human cell receptor ACE2 was studied in silico. Overall, the present study can help researchers to design the next generation of vaccines and biotherapeutics to combat COVID-19 infection.
