Related papers: Self-organized critical dynamics of RNA virus evol…
The kinetic folding of RNA sequences into secondary structures is modeled as a complex adaptive system, the components of which are possible RNA structural rearrangements (SRs) and their associated bases and base pairs. RNA bases and base…
In a previous paper, we showed that a compartmental stochastic process model of SARS-CoV-2 transmission could be fit to time series data and then reinterpreted as a collection of interacting branching processes drawn from a dynamic degree…
In the present work we analyze the problem of adaptation and evolution of RNA virus populations, by defining the basic stochastic model as a multivariate branching process in close relation with the branching process advanced by Demetrius,…
At the end of 2020, policy responses to the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak have been shaken by the emergence of virus variants. The emergence of these more contagious, more severe, or even vaccine-resistant strains have challenged worldwide policy…
A new coronavirus disease, called COVID-19, appeared in the Chinese region of Wuhan at the end of last year; since then the virus spread to other countries, including most of Europe. We propose a differential equation governing the…
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has led to a significant emergence of highly mutated forms of viruses with a great ability to adapt to the human host. Some mutations resulted in changes in the amino acid sequences of viral proteins, including the…
RNA viruses exist in large intra-host populations which display great genotypic and phenotypic diversity. We analyze a model of viral competition between two different viral strains infecting a constantly replenished cell pool, in which we…
The phylogenetic tree of SARS-CoV-2 (nCov-19) viruses is reconstructed according to the similarity of genome sequences. The tree topology of Betacoronavirus is remarkably consistent with biologist's systematics. Because the tree…
Although traditional models of epidemic spreading focus on the number of infected, susceptible and recovered individuals, a lot of attention has been devoted to integrate epidemic models with population genetics. Here we develop an…
How may exposure risks to SARS-CoV-2 be assessed quantitatively? The material metabolism approach of Industrial Ecology can be applied to the mass flows of these virions by their numbers, as a key step in the analysis of the current…
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has added new urgency to the study of viral mechanisms of infection. But while vaccines offer a measure of protection against this specific outbreak, a new era of pandemics has been predicted. In addition to this,…
During a virus's evolution,various regions of the genome are subjected to distinct levels of functional constraints.Combined with factors like codon bias and DNA repair efficiency,these constraints contribute to unique mutation patterns…
The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly emerged as a significant threat to global public health, in particular because -- as is not uncommon with novel pathogens -- there is no effective pharmaceutical treatment or prophylaxis to the…
Network theory-based approaches provide valuable insights into the variations in global structural connectivity between differing dynamical states of proteins. Our objective is to review network-based analyses to elucidate such variations,…
SARS-CoV-2 usually evolves at a relatively constant rate over time. Occasionally, however, lineages arise with higher-than-expected numbers of mutations given the date of sampling. Such lineages can arise for a variety of reasons, including…
The world is still struggling in controlling and containing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The medical conditions associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections have resulted in a surge in the number of patients…
During its first two years, the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic manifested as multiple waves shaped by complex interactions between variants of concern, non-pharmaceutical interventions, and the immunological landscape of the population. Understanding…
The recent global surge in COVID-19 infections has been fueled by new SARS-CoV-2 variants, namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, etc. The molecular mechanism underlying such surge is elusive due to 4,653 non-degenerate mutations on the spike…
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus is the cause of the COVID-19 disease in humans. Like many coronaviruses, it can adapt to different hosts and evolve into different lineages. It is well-known that the major SARS-CoV-2 lineages are characterized by…
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted health systems and economies worldwide. Significant global efforts are therefore ongoing to improve vaccine efficacies, optimize vaccine deployment, and develop new antiviral therapies to combat…