Exploring the Mystery of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme II (ACE2) in the Battle against SARS-CoV-2

Molecular and computational analysis of spike protein of newly emerged omicron variant in comparison to the delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 in Iraq

Background

The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has had a major impact on world health over the last 2 years. The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, particularly concerning variants, may affect the virus’s pathogenicity, transmissibility, and vaccines potency. Both delta and the omicron variants have been designated by WHO as variants of concern.

Methods and results

In this study, molecular techniques such as qPCR, conventional PCR, and sequencing were used to identify the first SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant that circulated in Iraq in January 2022. Bioinformatics and computational tools like phylogenetic analysis, predicted physical and chemical properties, stability, and molecular docking of the spike protein were used to compare the omicron with the delta variants. We found the receptor binding domain (RBD) and spike protein in omicron contain a greater number of hydrophobic amino acids compared to delta variant. We discovered a disorder–order conversion in RBD regions of the omicron variant, and this change may be important in terms of the effect of disordered residues/regions on spike protein stability and interaction with human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2). Docking studies show that the omicron variant requires less energy to engage with ACE2, contributing to its higher binding affinity with human ACE2, consistent with more contagious transmission.

Conclusion

This is the first molecular study of the circulated omicron and delta variants in Iraq, showing that the omicron variant in Iraq had a higher affinity for ACE2 than the delta variant, which may lead to higher transmissibility.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11033-022-07545-4.

The Challenges and Successes of Dealing with the COVID-19 Pandemic in India

As the infectivity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is higher compared with other coronaviruses reported so far, so effective therapeutics and vaccines are the best way to control the proliferation of this infection The COVID-19 mortality rate is lower compared with other similar viral diseases such as severe acute respiratory Ssndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). However, due to the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 mutants that are responsible for the subsequent waves, mortality due to COVID-19 has increased across the globe. Currently, the magnitude of SARS-CoV-2 infection is highly severe and is leading to a tremendously increased number of deaths globally. Scientists expect that SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to become a seasonal disease like influenza and may persist with humanity in the future. Currently, preventive strategies such as sanitation, social distancing, use of masks, potential chemotherapies (pathogen-centric and host-centric), and vaccines are the only option to fight against COVID-19. Many groups of Indian government-public private consortia had set up different strategies (development of multiple vaccines) for combat of this unique threat through stepssuch as an increase in vaccinations and sample testing per day. In this focused review, we have discussed the challenges faced and success stories employed to manage COVID-19.