What is it about?

This study examines how viruses change over time, specifically how the building blocks of their genetic code (amino acids) are utilized. The researchers study viruses that have caused major epidemics, such as coronaviruses (e.g., SARS, MERS, COVID-19), influenza viruses (e.g., H1N1, H3N2), flaviviruses (e.g., dengue, Zika), and Ebola. They find that the way these viruses utilize amino acids is not random but rather follows a linear and predictable pattern. This pattern is consistent across every virus family and can be used to track mutations and even predict future changes.

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Why is it important?

Understanding how viruses evolve is crucial for predicting future outbreaks and concerning mutations; predicting how viruses might mutate to improve vaccine design; and identifying the source of outbreaks, such as which animals might have transmitted the virus to humans. For example, this study suggests that while pangolins may have played a role in the COVID-19 outbreak, they were likely not the only intermediate host. The methods used in this study will help identify this connection more precisely.

Perspectives

This study challenges the long-held notion that viral mutations are purely random. Instead, it shows that mutations follow structured, linear pathways, opening up new possibilities: better tools for predicting viral evolution; early warning systems for emerging diseases; and more targeted vaccine development, especially for rapidly evolving viruses like SARS-CoV-2. It also raises intriguing questions about whether this linear mutational pattern exists in other organisms, not just viruses—a topic for future research.

Professor Jian-Jun SHU
Nanyang Technological University

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Evolution of Viral Pathogens Follows a Linear Order, Microbiology Spectrum, February 2022, ASM Journals,
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01655-21.
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