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The effect of novel insertion mutation in SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein RNA

June 22, 2021

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The highly infectious nature of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is largely due to its affinity for mutations that continue to evolve and emerge throughout the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Several novel features of SARS-CoV-2 have been identified in newly circulating variants of this virus, such as those that affect the spike glycoprotein (S protein), which has acquired a 4 amino acid -PRRA- insertion sequence at amino acid residues 681-684. This specific mutation has resulted in the formation of a new furin cleavage site within the S protein, as well as three new adjacent glycosylation sites.

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