IIT Delhi study reveals mechanisms driving SARS-CoV-2 evolution in humans

IIT Delhi researchers have published a study revealing the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in humans, helping get a better insight into Covid-19 immunity

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi have revealed the mechanisms driving the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in humans which can help in better understanding of COVID-19's pathogenesis, immune evasion and emergence of variants of concern.

According to the seven-member research team, CpG (a cytosine followed by a guanine) numbers in virus genomes have been linked to host-switching, the efficiency of virus replication, immune evasion and the ability of a virus to cause disease.

The researchers found that the rate of CpG depletion from SARS-CoV-2 genomes rapidly decreases after the first few months of evolution in humans. The research has been