Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms News and Research

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What do we know about the origin and evolution of SARS-CoV-2?

A new study examines the origin and continuing evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the human and animal co-hosts in an attempt to help prepare for future destructive outbreaks.

21 Apr 2021

Can an immunosuppressive cancer drug promote SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells?

A new study shows that rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug used in some cancers, and its analogs, may have an undesirable effect on viral entry into the host cells. This finding could inform their use to treat symptomatic COVID-19.

20 Apr 2021

RNA-binding cylinders inhibit SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro

Research led by Michael J. Hannon from the University of Birmingham, UK, finds metallo-supramolecular helicates (cylinders) binding to untranslated regions of SARS-CoV-2 suppresses viral replication. The untranslated regions (UTR) of the viral genome could serve as drug targets for antiviral treatment.

5 Apr 2021

Proper choice of control group nullifies most observed genetic markers for severe COVID-19, study suggests

A new study deals with the genetic contribution to severe disease following infection with this virus, showing that the association of severity with specific human genes described in an earlier study is not obvious.

2 Apr 2021

Comparative study of SARS, MERS, BAT‐SARS, and SARS-CoV-2

Even though a comparative study on the genomic sequences of SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 is available, there is a gap in the research in regards to the comparison between four types of coronaviruses, namely, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, BAT-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2. A new study, which deals with the genomic comparison between the sequence of the above-stated four types of coronaviruses, has been published in the Journal of Medical Virology.

2 Apr 2021

Prime editing enables more precise correction of genetic problems than traditional CRISPR

The latest gene editing technology, prime editing, expands the "genetic toolbox" for more precisely creating disease models and correcting genetic problems, scientists say.

30 Mar 2021

Genetic study identifies sex-dependent differences in major psychiatric disorders

An analysis of sex differences in the genetics of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and major depressive disorders indicates that while there is substantial genetic overlap between males and females, there are noticeable sex-dependent differences in how genes related to the central nervous system, immune system, and blood vessels affect people with these disorders.

23 Mar 2021

Study reveals information about risk genes in schizophrenia

Dr. Felix-Martin Werner, working at the Euro Academy Pößneck in Germany and Prof. Rafael Coveñas, working at the Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla and León, Salamanca in Spain, have been working on neurological and psychiatric disease for over ten years.

26 Feb 2021

Study provides new insight into the genetics of coronary artery disease

According to a new study published in The American Journal of Human Genetics, more than one third of genetic variants that increase the risk of coronary artery disease regulate the expression of genes in the liver. These variants have an impact on the expression of genes regulating cholesterol metabolism, among other things.

25 Feb 2021

More diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants identified within infected children than in adults

A new study describes the identification of multiple circulating variants of SARS-CoV-2 during this early pandemic period from Asia and Europe. In addition, there were multiple local introductions of different variants, that resulted in multiple waves of transmission.

23 Feb 2021

Neanderthal gene can confer protection against severe COVID-19, finds study

A new study has detailed how some of the genes in the human genome inherited from Neanderthals appear to confer a protective effect against severe COVID-19.

22 Feb 2021

Study finds protective genetic associations with mild COVID-19

Using self-reported survey data, researchers have defined eight phenotypes associated with COVID-19 outcomes. Analysis of the data revealed possible protective genetic associations.

29 Jan 2021

Study shows P681H mutation is becoming globally prevalent among SARS-CoV-2 sequences

In a recent bioRxiv preprint study, researchers from the University of Hawaii showed that the S gene of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is continuously mutating according to the sequence and phylogenetic analysis.

10 Jan 2021

Researchers develop new statistical method that generates significant genetic insights

Pleiotropy analysis, which provides insight on how individual genes result in multiple characteristics, has become increasingly valuable as medicine continues to lean into mining genetics to inform disease treatments. Privacy stipulations, though, make it difficult to perform comprehensive pleiotropy analysis because individual patient data often can't be easily and regularly shared between sites.

8 Jan 2021

COVID-19 severity could be linked to genetic variance

A new study describes some potentially important genetic factors in the host that may shape the clinical symptoms and signs of the disease.

23 Dec 2020

Neanderthal gene variant increases risk of severe COVID-19

Researchers in Germany have conducted a study showing that between 2 and 8% of people in Eurasia carry a genetic variant inherited from Neanderthals that significantly increases the risk of becoming critically ill with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

15 Dec 2020

UIC researchers use new approach to identify genes that cause diabetic retinopathy

In a search to discover the genetic factors underlying diabetic retinopathy, University of Illinois Chicago researchers also have identified a new approach that can be used as a template to study other diseases.

7 Dec 2020

New rapid algorithm could help trace hospital-derived SARS-CoV-2 infections

A new study reports a rapid method that uses two different routes to swiftly trace the onset of infection to a putative hospital source. This could be immensely helpful for preventing and controlling infection, once validated.

17 Nov 2020

Mink farms potential viral reservoirs for SARS-CoV-2

A new study published in the journal Science in November 2020 describes the probable transmission of the virus between farmed minks and humans working on the mink farm, even with biosecurity measures in place and the culling of infected farms as soon as an infection is reported.

12 Nov 2020

Host genetic "super-variants" may increase COVID-19 death risk

Researchers at Yale University have identified genetic variants among people of white British ancestry that may increase the risk of dying from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) – the illness caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

11 Nov 2020