VarEPS was developed as an evaluation and prewarning system of known and virtual variations of SARS-CoV-2 genomes

Date:2021-12-21      

The genomic variations of SARS-CoV-2 continue to emerge and spread worldwide. Some mutant strains show increased transmissibility and virulence, which may cause reduced protection provided by vaccines. Thus, it is necessary to continuously monitor and analyze the genomic variations of SARS-COV-2 genomes. The research team from CAS Institute of Microbiology, CAS Computer Network Information Center and Peking University established an evaluation and prewarning system, SARS-CoV-2 variations evaluation and prewarning system (VarEPS), including known and virtual mutations of SARS-CoV-2 genomes to achieve rapid evaluation of the risks posed by mutant strains. From the perspective of genomics and structural biology, the database comprehensively analyzes the effects of known variations and virtual variations on physicochemical properties, translation efficiency, secondary structure, and binding capacity of ACE2 and neutralizing antibodies. An AI-based algorithm was used to verify the effectiveness of these genomics and structural biology characteristic quantities for risk prediction. This classifier could be further used to group viral strains by their transmissibility and affinity to neutralizing antibodies. This unique resource makes it possible to quickly evaluate the variation risks of key sites, and guide the research and development of vaccines and drugs. The database is freely accessible at www.nmdc.cn/ncovn.

Article access :

https://academic.oup.com/nar/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/nar/gkab921/6389500

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Figure 1.Features of the variations evaluation and prewarning system (VarEPS) portal. We show a global distribution of genome sequences by time frame and geography. The risk level and frequency of characteristic variants of each lineage are listed. Users can submit a sequence for variation analysis directly on the homepage.

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