Covid genome predictor to help fine-tune vaccine, scientists find 3,514 unique mutation points for India

NEW DELHI: A group of Indian scientists, working on genomic sequences of SARS-CoV-2 around the world, has developed a web-based Covid-Predictor to predict the sequence of viruses on the basis of machine learning. Identification of genetic variability may help researchers find the best possible answers, including dosage of a vaccine to combat Covid.
The group, led by Indrajit Saha of the National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research, Kolkata, has analysed publicly available 566 Indian SARS-CoV-2 genomes to find genetic variability in terms of mutation points.
Such analysis is important to identify genetic variation in SARS-CoV-2 so that proper vaccines can be designed.
Location-wise genetic variation can be used to define the dose of vaccine after identifying the proper strain of the virus. It could mean one kind of vaccine will not be sufficient for different strains of the virus, depending on variations.
“Analysis of genetic variability is a crucial component of the vaccine programme. It is not an easy process. It involves different layers of research. We have done a preliminary analysis. Another level of research is required which we’ll do through a computational way to begin with,” said Saha.
The scientists, supported by the Union science ministry’s Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), have extended this research for more than 10,000 sequences around the globe. Each sequence has multiple unique mutation points. Scientists found 20,260 unique mutation points globally and 3,514 unique mutation points for India. The study is published in the Journal called Infection, Genetics, and Evolution.
“In this current situation, apart from social distancing only a vaccine can be the proper solution to serve the human being. Thus, it is important for all the nations to perform genome-wide analysis in order to identify the genetic variation in SARS-CoV-2 so that proper vaccines can be designed,” said the study in its abstract, released by the science ministry.
“The scientists have also developed a web application for searching the mutation points in SARS-CoV-2 genomes globally and country wise,” said the ministry’s paper on the study.
It said the scientists have computed the mutation similarity in sequences of different countries. The results show that the USA, England, and India are the top three countries having the geometric mean, 3.27%, 3.59%, and 5.39%, respectively, of mutation similarity score with other 72 countries.