That’s a very interesting question. The short answer is no, COVID-19 has not changed the human genome. However, the virus that causes COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, does have some effects on the expression of human genes.
SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus, which means it uses RNA as its genetic material. RNA viruses usually do not integrate their RNA into the host DNA, unlike some retroviruses such as HIV. However, some studies have suggested that SARS-CoV-2 may have the ability to insert its RNA into human DNA through a process called reverse transcription, mediated by an enzyme called reverse transcriptase1. This could potentially explain why some people have persistent viral RNA in their cells even after recovering from the infection1.
However, other studies have challenged this hypothesis and argued that there is no evidence of SARS-CoV-2 integration into human DNA23. They claim that the detection of viral RNA in human DNA is likely due to experimental artifacts or contamination, and that reverse transcription is not a common feature of coronaviruses23. They also point out that even if SARS-CoV-2 could integrate into human DNA, it would not change the human genome in a meaningful way, as it would only affect a small fraction of cells and would not be inherited by future generations23.
What SARS-CoV-2 does affect, however, is the expression of human genes. Gene expression is the process by which the information encoded in DNA is converted into proteins, which perform various functions in the cell. SARS-CoV-2 interacts with human cells through its spike protein, which binds to a receptor called ACE2 on the surface of human cells. This allows the virus to enter the cell and release its RNA, which then hijacks the cell’s machinery to produce more viral proteins and copies of itself.
A recent study by MIT researchers found that exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein alone was enough to change the baseline gene expression in human airway cells4. They compared the genomes of SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV (which caused the 2003 SARS outbreak), and 42 strains of bat sarbecoviruses, and identified six protein-coding genes in SARS-CoV-2 that are not found in other coronaviruses4. They also analyzed nearly 2,000 mutations that have arisen in different SARS-CoV-2 isolates since it began infecting humans, and rated how important those mutations may be in changing the virus’ ability to evade the immune system or become more infectious4.
The researchers found that some of the genes affected by the spike protein are involved in regulating the body’s inflammatory response, which is a key factor in determining the severity of COVID-19 symptoms4. They also found that some of the mutations in SARS-CoV-2 may enhance its binding affinity to ACE2 or its resistance to antibodies4. These findings could help develop better treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 by targeting the specific genes and mutations that influence the virus’ behavior and interaction with human cells4.
I hope this answer was helpful and informative. If you have any follow-up questions or want to learn more about COVID-19 and its impact on human health, please feel free to ask me. 😊
Learn more:
1. news.mit.edu
2. studyfinds.org
3. purdue.edu
4. livescience.com
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