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Mohammad S, Bouchama A, Mohammad Alharbi B, Rashid M, Saleem Khatlani T, Gaber NS, Malik SS. SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 and SARS-CoV ORF8ab: Genomic Divergence and Functional Convergence. Pathogens 2020; 9:E677. [PMID: 32825438 PMCID: PMC7558349 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9090677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Revised: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, in the first seven months, has led to more than 15 million confirmed infected cases and 600,000 deaths. SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for COVID-19, has proved to be a great challenge for its ability to spread in asymptomatic stages and the diverse disease spectrum it has generated. This has created a challenge of unimaginable magnitude, not only affecting human health and life but also potentially generating a long-lasting socioeconomic impact. Both medical sciences and biomedical research have also been challenged, consequently leading to a large number of clinical trials and vaccine initiatives. While known proteins of pathobiological importance are targets for these therapeutic approaches, it is imperative to explore other factors of viral significance. Accessory proteins are one such trait that have diverse roles in coronavirus pathobiology. Here, we analyze certain genomic characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 accessory protein ORF8 and predict its protein features. We have further reviewed current available literature regarding its function and comparatively evaluated these and other features of ORF8 and ORF8ab, its homolog from SARS-CoV. Because coronaviruses have been infecting humans repeatedly and might continue to do so, we therefore expect this study to aid in the development of holistic understanding of these proteins. Despite low nucleotide and protein identity and differentiating genome level characteristics, there appears to be significant structural integrity and functional proximity between these proteins pointing towards their high significance. There is further need for comprehensive genomics and structural-functional studies to lead towards definitive conclusions regarding their criticality and that can eventually define their relevance to therapeutics development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer Mohammad
- Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; (S.M.); (A.B.); (B.M.A.); (N.S.G.)
| | - Abderrezak Bouchama
- Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; (S.M.); (A.B.); (B.M.A.); (N.S.G.)
| | - Bothina Mohammad Alharbi
- Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; (S.M.); (A.B.); (B.M.A.); (N.S.G.)
| | - Mamoon Rashid
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King~Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Tanveer Saleem Khatlani
- Stem Cells Unit, Department of Cellular Therapy, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Nusaibah S. Gaber
- Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; (S.M.); (A.B.); (B.M.A.); (N.S.G.)
| | - Shuja Shafi Malik
- Experimental Medicine Department, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, MNGHA, Riyadh 11426, Saudi Arabia; (S.M.); (A.B.); (B.M.A.); (N.S.G.)
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