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Understanding the genetics of COVID-19

Tyson Dawson

The genome of SARS-CoV-2 is composed of a single strand of RNA with a positive strand (ready for translation and consequent synthesis of its proteins). The genome is considered large, with 29,903 base pairs. There are at least 50 different sites where translation can begin (open reading frames – ORFs). These ORFs are each of the RNA sequences understood to include a start codon (AUG), a stop codon (UAG, UAA, or UGA), and the codons between them. This variable origin of transcription sequences allows the SARS-CoV-2 virus to encode for around 50 proteins that have non-structural, structural, and accessory functions.