Other SARS-CoV-2 proteins are important for disease severity, aside from the spike

University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have identified how multiple genes of SARS-CoV-2 affect disease severity, which could lead to new ways in how we develop future vaccines or develop newer treatments. The genes control the immune system of the host, contributing to how fiercely the body responds to a COVID-19 infection. Although people typically think of the spike protein that forms the structural “crown” as the driving factor behind each new variant of COVID-19, research findings also show that mutations in these other “accessory” genes also play a role in how the disease progresses. Because of this, researchers believe these accessory proteins warrant further study as their mutations increasingly may become more significant as newer variants arise. Their findings were published on August 30, 2022, in PNAS. The BA.4 variant of Omicron, which circulated earlier this year, was overtaken by the latest BA.5 variant of the virus circulating now. Both of...