New ‘hidden’ gene in Covid-19 virus identified

New York, Nov 11 : Researchers have identified a new “hidden” gene in SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, that may have contributed to its unique biology and pandemic potential.
In a virus that only has about 15 genes in total, knowing more about this and other overlapping genes — or “genes within genes” — could have a significant impact on how we combat the virus.
“Overlapping genes may be one of an arsenal of ways in which coronaviruses have evolved to replicate efficiently, thwart host immunity, or get themselves transmitted,” said lead author Chase Nelson, a postdoctoral researcher at Academia Sinica in Taiwan and a visiting scientist at the American Museum of Natural History.
“Knowing that overlapping genes exist and how they function may reveal new avenues for coronavirus control, for example through antiviral drugs.” The research team identified ORF3d, a new overlapping gene in SARS-CoV-2 that has the potential to encode a protein that is longer than expected by chance alone, according to the study published in the journal eLife.
They found that this gene is also present in a previously discovered pangolin coronavirus, perhaps reflecting repeated loss or gain of this gene during the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses.