Indian Institute of Science (IISc) scientists, who have conducted a study on samples which they have received from the consenting patients in Bengaluru, suggested that the coronavirus is mutating faster than before. This report comes when countries and authorities are still continuing to face new challenges with novel strains of SARS-CoV-2 all over the world.

According to the team which was led by Professor Utpal Tatu, Department of Biochemistry, the three Bengaluru isolates had 27 mutations in their genomes with above 11 mutations in each sample — above both the national average (8.4) and global average (7.3).

The recent study, which is published in the Journal of Proteome Research, has also identified several mutations and unique proteins in isolates of SARS-CoV-2. They have also shown that the hosts (i.e., humans) produce numerous proteins of their own as their bodies start an immunological defense in response to the attack by the viral infection.

IISc said in a statement that to understand better how the virus is mutating and about its protein biology. The team has carried out a comprehensive “proteo-genomic” study – which is a series of analyses of SARS-CoV-2 isolates. The isolates were recovered from nasal secretions of consenting COVID-19 positive patients in Bengaluru.

Proteo-genomics is a field of biological research utilising a combination of proteomics, genomics and transcriptomics (study of RNA) to assist in the discovery and identification of peptides.

The genomic analysis was completed by using next-generation sequencing (NGS), which is a technology allowing rapid sequencing of the entire genome. Tatu said that sequencing the genomes of viral strains from all around the world is very important as it will help to keep track of mutations that are rising regularly.

The team had constructed a global phylogenetic tree, or a tree of connection, of viral isolates by using the sequence data to understand the spread and evolutionary history of the coronavirus.

The phylogenetic analysis had found that the Bengaluru isolates are closely related to one of the isolates from Bangladesh. Also, it showed that the isolates in India have multiple origins and not just a single ancestral variant.

Source: The Times of India