We are thrilled to announce a significant research milestone achieved by our team. Our latest study, published in the esteemed Briefings in Bioinformatics journal, represents a major advancement in the field of virology and computational biology.
Abstract:
Our research focuses on the coevolution of viruses with their hosts over millions of years. Viruses have become adept at evading the host's immune system through genetic mutations. While not all mutations are detrimental, some can lead to the escape of neutralizing antibodies, weakening the host's immune response. This enhanced infectivity and transmissibility pose challenges to the development of effective antiviral drugs and vaccines. Accurate identification of viral escape mutational sequences is crucial for designing targeted therapeutics.
Results:
We have developed a cutting-edge computational model that can accurately recognize significant mutational sequences within the spike protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) using sequence data alone. This groundbreaking approach is not limited to SARS-CoV-2; it can be adapted to other viruses, including influenza, monkeypox, and HIV, leveraging knowledge of escape mutants and relevant protein sequence datasets.
Availability:
To facilitate further research and applications, we have made our complete source code and pre-trained models for predicting escape mutations in SARS-CoV-2 protein sequences available on Github at https://github.com/PremSinghBist/Sars-CoV-2-Escape-Model.git. Additionally, the dataset is accessible on Zenodo at doi: 10.5281/zenodo.7142638. Our Python scripts are user-friendly, allowing for easy customization based on specific research requirements.
This research represents a significant step forward in our understanding of viral escape mechanisms and holds great promise for the development of targeted therapies against a range of viruses. We are committed to fostering collaboration and sharing knowledge to advance scientific discovery in the fight against infectious diseases.
If you would like to collaborate on these areas further, we can collaborate on topics like these related to bioinformatics and drug discovery. Feel free to reach out to me at premsing212@jbnu.ac.kr
You can read details of the paper here: Sars-escape network for escape prediction of SARS-COV-2, Briefings in Bioinformatics, https://academic.oup.com/bib/article/24/3/bbad140/7111717#401081076
Appreciate your support and help.
Regards
Prem
