The accurate and complete gene annotation map of the new coronavirus is completed

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology wrote in the journal Nature Communications on the 11th that after conducting extensive comparative genomics research, they mapped out the most accurate and complete gene annotation map of the new coronavirus to date, and confirmed several A protein-coding gene, some genes have also been found that do not code for any protein.

The genome of the new coronavirus is composed of nearly 30,000 RNA bases.

In order to determine these protein-coding genes, an experimental team led by Professor Manolis Chris of the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory used the computational technology developed by itself to analyze the new crown virus, the SARS virus and 42 strains of the bat Sabe virus subgenus Analyzed.

The results showed that in addition to the discovery of 5 genes previously found in other coronaviruses, Chris' team also confirmed 6 protein-coding genes in the new coronavirus genome, while the other 5 genes believed to code for proteins did not have this ability.

In addition, Chris' team also analyzed more than 1,800 mutations that have appeared since the new coronavirus was first discovered, and compared the evolution speed of each gene in the past and the evolution speed since the outbreak.

The researchers also analyzed mutations in several variants of the new coronavirus-B.

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What is a virus? What is special about the new coronavirus? As early as 1977, biologists told us that a virus is "just a piece of genetic information wrapped in a protein.