In-Silico analysis reveals lower transcription efficiency of C241T variant of SARS-CoV-2 with host replication factors MADP1 and hnRNP-1

Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has claimed more than 3.3 million lives worldwide and still counting. As per the GISAID database, the genomics of SARS-CoV-2 has been extensively studied, with more than 500 genome submissions per day. Out of several hotspot mutations within the SARS-CoV-2 genome, recent research has focused mainly on the missense variants. Moreover, significantly less attention has been accorded to delineate the role of the untranslated regions (UTRs) of the SARS-CoV-2 genome in the disease progression and etiology. One of the most frequent 5’ UTR variants in the SARS-CoV-2 genome is the C241T, with a global frequency of more than 95 %. In the present study, the effect of the C241T mutation has been studied with respect to the changes in RNA structure and its interaction with the host replication factors MADP1 Zinc finger CCHC-type and RNA-binding motif 1 (hnRNP1). The results obtained from molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation indicated weaker interaction of C241T mutant stem-loops with the host transcription factor MADP1, indicating a reduced replication efficiency. The results are also correlated with increased recovery rates and decreased death rates of global SARS-CoV-2 cases.