[HTML][HTML] The roles of APOBEC-mediated RNA editing in SARS-CoV-2 mutations, replication and fitness

K Kim, P Calabrese, S Wang, C Qin, Y Rao, P Feng… - Scientific Reports, 2022 - nature.com
K Kim, P Calabrese, S Wang, C Qin, Y Rao, P Feng, XS Chen
Scientific Reports, 2022nature.com
During COVID-19 pandemic, mutations of SARS-CoV-2 produce new strains that can be
more infectious or evade vaccines. Viral RNA mutations can arise from misincorporation by
RNA-polymerases and modification by host factors. Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 sequence from
patients showed a strong bias toward C-to-U mutation, suggesting a potential mutational
role by host APOBEC cytosine deaminases that possess broad anti-viral activity. We report
the first experimental evidence demonstrating that APOBEC3A, APOBEC1, and APOBEC3G …
Abstract
During COVID-19 pandemic, mutations of SARS-CoV-2 produce new strains that can be more infectious or evade vaccines. Viral RNA mutations can arise from misincorporation by RNA-polymerases and modification by host factors. Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 sequence from patients showed a strong bias toward C-to-U mutation, suggesting a potential mutational role by host APOBEC cytosine deaminases that possess broad anti-viral activity. We report the first experimental evidence demonstrating that APOBEC3A, APOBEC1, and APOBEC3G can edit on specific sites of SARS-CoV-2 RNA to produce C-to-U mutations. However, SARS-CoV-2 replication and viral progeny production in Caco-2 cells are not inhibited by the expression of these APOBECs. Instead, expression of wild-type APOBEC3 greatly promotes viral replication/propagation, suggesting that SARS-CoV-2 utilizes the APOBEC-mediated mutations for fitness and evolution. Unlike the random mutations, this study suggests the predictability of all possible viral genome mutations by these APOBECs based on the UC/AC motifs and the viral genomic RNA structure.
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