Pathogenesis, Symptomatology, and Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through\n Analysis of Viral Genomics and Structure

Abstract

The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which emerged in late 2019, has since\nspread around the world and infected hundreds of millions of people with\ncoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). While this viral species was unknown prior\nto January 2020, its similarity to other coronaviruses that infect humans has\nallowed for rapid insight into the mechanisms that it uses to infect human\nhosts, as well as the ways in which the human immune system can respond. Here,\nwe contextualize SARS-CoV-2 among other coronaviruses and identify what is\nknown and what can be inferred about its behavior once inside a human host.\nBecause the genomic content of coronaviruses, which specifies the virus's\nstructure, is highly conserved, early genomic analysis provided a significant\nhead start in predicting viral pathogenesis and in understanding potential\ndifferences among variants. The pathogenesis of the virus offers insights into\nsymptomatology, transmission, and individual susceptibility. Additionally,\nprior research into interactions between the human immune system and\ncoronaviruses has identified how these viruses can evade the immune system's\nprotective mechanisms. We also explore systems-level research into the\nregulatory and proteomic effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the immune\nresponse. Understanding the structure and behavior of the virus serves to\ncontextualize the many facets of the COVID-19 pandemic and can influence\nefforts to control the virus and treat the disease.\n