SARS-CoV-2是正在进行的COVID-19大流行的致病因子。这种病毒是突变的累积结果,导致新变体及其亚变体的频繁出现。其中一些是高度关注的问题,而其他人则是研究突变效应的感兴趣的变体。关注的主要五种变体(VOC)是Alpha(B.1.1.7),Beta(B.1.315),Gamma(P.1),Delta(B.1.617.2),和Omicron(B.1.1.529。*/BA。*).Omicron本身目前有>100个子变体,其中BA.1(21K),BA.2(21L),BA.4(22A),BA.5(22B),和BA.2.12.1(22C)是主要的。毫无疑问,这些变异体,有时它们的子代亚变异体在它们的穗区有显著的差异,这赋予了它们特有的特性。但是在旁边,它们的非尖峰区域的突变也可能是它们特征背后的负责因素,例如复制时间,毒力,生存,宿主免疫逃避,和这样。存在一种可能性,即这些非刺突蛋白的突变也可能赋予尚待发现的上位效应。这篇综述的重点包括Omicron的非尖峰突变,特别是在其广泛流行的亚变体(BA.1,BA.2,BA.4,BA.5和BA.2.12.1)中。NSP3、NSP6、NSP13、M蛋白、ORF7b,ORF9b很少被提及,这可能导致了不同的属性,包括增长优势,更高的传输速率,较低的传染性,最重要的是通过自然杀伤细胞失活更好的宿主免疫逃避,自噬-溶酶体融合预防,宿主蛋白质合成中断,等等。Omicron亚变体的这一方面尚未被探索。进一步研究这些非尖峰突变携带蛋白的表达或相互作用谱的改变,如果存在,可以为当前对病毒特性的理解增加大量知识,从而有效的预防策略。
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent behind the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This virus is a cumulative outcome of mutations, leading to frequent emergence of new variants and their subvariants. Some of them are a matter of high concern, while others are variants of interest for studying the mutational effect. The major five variants of concern (VOCs) are Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.315), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Omicron (B.1.1.529.*/BA.*). Omicron itself has >100 subvariants at present, among which BA.1 (21K), BA.2 (21L), BA.4 (22A), BA.5 (22B), and BA.2.12.1 (22C) are the dominant ones. Undoubtedly, these variants and sometimes their progeny subvariants have significant differences in their spike region that impart them the unique properties they harbor. But alongside, the mutations in their non-spike regions could also be responsible elements behind their characteristics, such as replication time, virulence, survival, host immune evasion, and such. There exists a probability that these mutations of non-spike proteins may also impart epistatic effects that are yet to be brought to light. The focus of this review encompasses the non-spike mutations of Omicron, especially in its widely circulating subvariants (BA.1, BA.2, BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.1). The mutations such as in NSP3, NSP6, NSP13, M protein, ORF7b, and ORF9b are mentioned few of all, which might have led to the varying properties, including growth advantages, higher transmission rate, lower infectivity, and most importantly better host immune evasion through natural killer cell inactivation, autophagosome-lysosome fusion prevention, host protein synthesis disruption, and so on. This aspect of Omicron subvariants has not yet been explored. Further study of alteration of expression or interaction profile of these non-spike mutations bearing proteins, if present, can add a great deal of knowledge to the current understanding of the viral properties and thus effective prevention strategies.