Evolutionary history of SARS-CoV-2 in South America

• Ano de defesa: 2022
• Autor(a) principal: Ramos, Nathália dos Santos
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Bioquímica Aplicada
• Palavras-chave em Português: COVID-19 (Doença) - Evolução - América do Sul; Mutação (Biologia); Biologia Molecular
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br//handle/123456789/29611; https://doi.org/10.47328/ufvbbt.2022.287

This is not the first time that humankind has been targeted by a coronavirus. The history of repeated introductions of animal viruses into human populations, resulting in disease outbreaks, suggests that future similar pandemics are inevitable. Therefore, understanding the possible molecular origin and ongoing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 will provide critical information for preventing future outbreaks. Coronaviruses have a propensity for genetic recombination across host species boundaries. Consequently, the SARS-CoV-2 genome harbors signatures of multiple recombination events, likely spanning multiple species and wide geographic regions. Other regions of the SARS-CoV- 2 genome show the impact of purifying and diversifying selection. The spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2, which allows the virus to enter host cells, exhibits both purifying and diversifying selection signatures, leading to a more effective S protein in infecting human cells and many other mammals and explaining the rapid emergence of new variants. The global spread and explosive growth of the SARS-CoV-2 population within human hosts has contributed to an increase in mutational variability, increasing opportunities for future recombination. Differently from what was reported in other studies in which P.1 emerged in Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil between November and December 2020, the present work detects its circulation since August 2020, in São Paulo. Thus, the importance of tracking and monitoring variants is evident, even in the case of low prospecting strains, as their early detection and monitoring of their evolutionary history can enable the prevention of more aggravating conditions or even future new epidemics. Keywords: SARS-CoV-2. Evolutionary. Variants.