Probable human origin of the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic furin cleavage motif.
Bioinformatics
Human mRNA transcripts
Polybasic furin cleavage motif
SARS-CoV-2
Spike glycoprotein insertions
Journal
BMC genomic data
ISSN: 2730-6844
Titre abrégé: BMC Genom Data
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101775394
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
21 11 2023
21 11 2023
Historique:
received:
28
06
2022
accepted:
26
10
2023
medline:
23
11
2023
pubmed:
22
11
2023
entrez:
22
11
2023
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
The key evolutionary step leading to the pandemic virus was the acquisition of the PRRA furin cleavage motif at the spike glycoprotein S1/S2 junction by a progenitor of SARS-CoV-2. Two of its features draw attention: (i) it is absent in other known lineage B beta-coronaviruses, including the newly discovered coronaviruses in bats from Laos and Vietnam, which are the closest known relatives of the covid virus; and, (ii) it introduced the pair of arginine codons (CGG-CGG), whose usage is extremely rare in coronaviruses. With an occurrence rate of only 3%, the arginine CGG codon is considered a minority in SARS CoV-2. On the other hand, Laos and Vietnam bat coronaviruses contain receptor-binding domains that are almost identical to that of SARS-CoV-2 and can therefore infect human cells despite the absence of the furin cleavage motif. Based on these data, the aim of this work is to provide a detailed sequence analysis between the SARS-CoV-2 S gene insert encoding PRRA and the human mRNA transcripts. The result showed a 100% match to several mRNA transcripts. The set of human genes whose mRNAs match this S gene insert are ubiquitous and highly expressed, e.g., the ATPase F1 (ATP5F1) and the ubiquitin specific peptidase 21 (USP21) genes; or specific genes of target organs or tissues of the SARS-CoV-2 infection (e.g., MEMO1, SALL3, TRIM17, CWC15, CCDC187, FAM71E2, GAB4, PRDM13). Results suggest that a recombination between the genome of a SARS-CoV-2 progenitor and human mRNA transcripts could be the origin of the S gene 12-nucleotide insert encoding the S protein PRRA motif. The hypothesis of probable human origin of the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic furin cleavage motif is supported by: (i) the nature of human genes whose mRNA sequence 100% match the S gene insert; (ii) the synonymous base substitution in the arginine codons (CGG-CGG); and (iii) further spike glycoprotein PRRA-like insertions suggesting that the acquisition of PRRA may not have been a single recombination event.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The key evolutionary step leading to the pandemic virus was the acquisition of the PRRA furin cleavage motif at the spike glycoprotein S1/S2 junction by a progenitor of SARS-CoV-2. Two of its features draw attention: (i) it is absent in other known lineage B beta-coronaviruses, including the newly discovered coronaviruses in bats from Laos and Vietnam, which are the closest known relatives of the covid virus; and, (ii) it introduced the pair of arginine codons (CGG-CGG), whose usage is extremely rare in coronaviruses. With an occurrence rate of only 3%, the arginine CGG codon is considered a minority in SARS CoV-2. On the other hand, Laos and Vietnam bat coronaviruses contain receptor-binding domains that are almost identical to that of SARS-CoV-2 and can therefore infect human cells despite the absence of the furin cleavage motif.
RESULTS
Based on these data, the aim of this work is to provide a detailed sequence analysis between the SARS-CoV-2 S gene insert encoding PRRA and the human mRNA transcripts. The result showed a 100% match to several mRNA transcripts. The set of human genes whose mRNAs match this S gene insert are ubiquitous and highly expressed, e.g., the ATPase F1 (ATP5F1) and the ubiquitin specific peptidase 21 (USP21) genes; or specific genes of target organs or tissues of the SARS-CoV-2 infection (e.g., MEMO1, SALL3, TRIM17, CWC15, CCDC187, FAM71E2, GAB4, PRDM13). Results suggest that a recombination between the genome of a SARS-CoV-2 progenitor and human mRNA transcripts could be the origin of the S gene 12-nucleotide insert encoding the S protein PRRA motif.
CONCLUSIONS
The hypothesis of probable human origin of the SARS-CoV-2 polybasic furin cleavage motif is supported by: (i) the nature of human genes whose mRNA sequence 100% match the S gene insert; (ii) the synonymous base substitution in the arginine codons (CGG-CGG); and (iii) further spike glycoprotein PRRA-like insertions suggesting that the acquisition of PRRA may not have been a single recombination event.
Identifiants
pubmed: 37990144
doi: 10.1186/s12863-023-01169-8
pii: 10.1186/s12863-023-01169-8
pmc: PMC10664542
doi:
Substances chimiques
Furin
EC 3.4.21.75
Codon
0
RNA, Messenger
0
Glycoproteins
0
Arginine
94ZLA3W45F
USP21 protein, human
0
Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
EC 3.4.19.12
TRIM17 protein, human
EC 2.3.2.27
Tripartite Motif Proteins
0
Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases
EC 2.3.2.27
MEMO1 protein, human
0
Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
71Informations de copyright
© 2023. The Author(s).
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