Filip Saitis, “Comparing Genome Sequences and Proteins of Ifluenza and SARS-CoV-2”
Mentor: Madhusudan Dey, Biological Sciences
Poster #96

The Influenza (flu) and SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) viruses are global threats that target the human respiratory system. The effective preventative measure for these viral infections is to develop vaccine, which requires a thorough understanding of the viral pathogenic behavior. The genome sequences of both flu and COVID-19 viruses are known and their mutants has been achieved, the pathogenic mechanisms are still not fully understood. In this Bioinformatics-based project, published works of literature were examined to understand the mechanisms by which RNA viruses invade and utilize the translational machinery in human cells. The focus is on two viruses that cause respiratory diseases. These viruses are Influenza and SARS-CoV-2. Analysis of their RNA sequences, the encoded proteins, their macromolecular structures, and the viral replication methods was performed. Comparisons are made between three-dimensional models of spike proteins of different strains of RNA viruses in order to understand their varying ability to infect cells. These proteins’ primary structure is examined to discover where viral strains differ in their protein products. Following this analysis, the development and mechanism of the mRNA vaccine are explored. Its functionality, risks, and benefits are also analyzed. Finally, the mRNA vaccine is compared with the traditional protein/peptide vaccine.