A recent study suggests that SARS-CoV-2 has the potential to modify chromatin, thereby altering the structure of the genome and potentially causing immune-related symptoms and long COVID.
A study indicates that individuals who contract the SARS-CoV-2 virus may undergo alterations in genome structure, which could be a possible explanation for their immunity-related symptoms and heightened susceptibility to long COVID.
Chromatin is the structure that stores genetic material within our cells, and certain types of viruses have been observed to manipulate or hijack this structure in order to effectively replicate themselves within our cells.
Previously, it was unclear whether or not SARS-CoV-2 has an impact on our chromatin and if so, how. However, a recent study published in the journal Nature Microbiology has provided comprehensive insights into the chromatin architecture of human cells following COVID-19 infection.
According to Wenbo Li, senior author on the study and associate professor at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, US, “We observed that many of the normally well-organized chromatin architectures within a cell become disrupted following infection.”
Li went on to explain that “one example of such a chromatin architecture is the A/B compartments, which can be thought of as the yin and yang portions of our chromatin. After infection with SARS-CoV-2, we noticed that the yin and yang portions of the chromatin lose their typical shapes and begin to blend together.”
According to a study published in the journal Nature Microbiology, SARS-CoV-2 can alter the chemical modifications on chromatin, which could have long-term effects on gene expression and phenotypes. The study’s authors explained that these alterations may offer a new perspective on how the virus affects host chromatin and is linked to long COVID. The researchers hope that this discovery will pave the way for further research into understanding the virus’s long-term impacts.
According to Li, this study provided insight into how SARS-CoV-2 can modify chromatin in a unique way that leads to COVID-19 symptoms. Further research will aim to understand how the virus is able to accomplish this mechanism.
