Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 viral genomic RNA (SARS-CoV-2 gRNA)

The SARS-CoV-2 viral genomic RNA is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA molecule of approximately 30 kilobases that serves as the genetic blueprint for the virus (NCBI, 2020). It functions as a template for replication by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase and as a messenger RNA for the translation of viral polyproteins (V'kovski et al., 2021). The RNA contains highly conserved secondary and tertiary structures, such as the 5' untranslated region (UTR) and the frameshifting element, which are critical for viral fitness and serve as potential therapeutic targets (Zhu et al., 2021). Targeting the genomic RNA directly using antisense oligonucleotides, siRNA, or small molecules aims to disrupt viral protein synthesis or induce degradation of the viral genome (Sun et al., 2021). This approach is vital for treating COVID-19, especially as the virus evolves to escape protein-targeted therapies (Malone et al., 2022).

Other names

SARS-CoV-2 genomeSARS-CoV-2 RNACOVID-19 viral RNAPositive-sense single-stranded RNA genome

Lethal mutagenesis, RNA chain termination, RNA interference (RNAi), Antisense-mediated degradation