Author ORCID Identifier
Halie M. Rando: 0000-0001-7688-1770
Adam L. MacLean: 0000-0003-0689-7907
Ronan Lordan: 0000-0001-9668-3368
Sandipan Ray: 0000-0002-9960-5768
Ashwin N. Skelly: 0000-0002-1565-3376
John J. Dziak: 0000-0003-0762-5495
Lamonica Shinholster: 0000-0001-6285-005X
Marouen Ben Guebila: 0000-0001-5934-966X
Nils Wellhausen: 0000-0001-8955-7582
Simina M. Boca: 0000-0002-1400-3398
Stephen Capone: 0000-0001-7231-1535
Joel D. Boerckel: 0000-0003-3126-3025
Christian Brueffer: 0000-0002-3826-0989
Jeremy P. Kamil: 0000-0001-8422-7656
Ryan Velazquez: 0000-0002-3655-3403
Gregory L. Szeto: 0000-0001-7604-1333
Tiago Lubiana: 0000-0003-2473-2313
Anthony Gitter: 0000-0002-5324-9833
Casey S. Greene: 0000-0001-8713-9213
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
9-1-2021
Publication Title
mSystems
Abstract
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in late 2019, has since spread around the world and infected hundreds of millions of people with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While this viral species was unknown prior to January 2020, its similarity to other coronaviruses that infect humans has allowed for rapid insight into the mechanisms that it uses to infect human hosts, as well as the ways in which the human immune system can respond. Here, we contextualize SARS-CoV-2 among other coronaviruses and identify what is known and what can be inferred about its behavior once inside a human host. Because the genomic content of coronaviruses, which specifies the virus’s structure, is highly conserved, early genomic analysis provided a significant head start in predicting viral pathogenesis and in understanding potential differences among variants. The pathogenesis of the virus offers insights into symptomatology, transmission, and individual susceptibility. Additionally, prior research into interactions between the human immune system and coronaviruses has identified how these viruses can evade the immune system’s protective mechanisms. We also explore systems-level research into the regulatory and proteomic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the immune response. Understanding the structure and behavior of the virus serves to contextualize the many facets of the COVID-19 pandemic and can influence efforts to control the virus and treat the disease. IMPORTANCE COVID-19 involves a number of organ systems and can present with a wide range of symptoms. From how the virus infects cells to how it spreads between people, the available research suggests that these patterns are very similar to those seen in the closely related viruses SARS-CoV-1 and possibly Middle East respiratory syndrome-related CoV (MERS-CoV). Understanding the pathogenesis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus also contextualizes how the different biological systems affected by COVID-19 connect. Exploring the structure, phylogeny, and pathogenesis of the virus therefore helps to guide interpretation of the broader impacts of the virus on the human body and on human populations. For this reason, an in-depth exploration of viral mechanisms is critical to a robust understanding of SARS-CoV-2 and, potentially, future emergent human CoVs (HCoVs).
Keywords
COVID-19, genomics, review, viral pathogenesis
Volume
6
Issue
5
DOI
10.1128/mySystems.00095-21
Recommended Citation
Rando, Halie M.; MacLean, Adam L.; Lee, Alexandra J.; Lordan, Ronan; Ray, Sandipan; Bansal, Vikas; Skelly, Ashwin N.; Sell, Elizabeth; Dziak, John J.; Shinholster, Lamonica; D’Agostino McGowan, Lucy; Guebila, Marouen Ben; Wellhausen, Nils; Knyazev, Sergey; Boca, Simina M.; Capone, Stephen; Qi, Yanjun; Park, Yo Son; Mai, David; Sun, Yuchen; Boerckel, Joel D.; Brueffer, Christian; Byrd, James Brian; Kamil, Jeremy P.; Wang, Jinhui; Velazquez, Ryan; Szeto, Gregory L.; Barton, John P.; Goel, Rishi Raj; Mangul, Serghei; Lubiana, Tiago; and Gitter, Anthony, "Pathogenesis, Symptomatology, and Transmission of Sars-Cov-2 Through Analysis of Viral Genomics and Structure" (2021). Computer Science: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/csc_facpubs/414
Comments
Archived as published.
Erratum: Correction for Rando er al., "Pathogenesis, Symptomatology, and Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through Analysis of Viral Genomics and Structure"