Quantitative and qualitative subgenomic RNA profiles of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples: A comparison between Omicron BA.2 and non-VOC-D614G

Zigui Chen; Rita Way Yin Ng; Grace Lui; Lowell Ling; Agnes S. Y. Leung; Chit Chow; Siaw Shi Boon; Wendy C. S. Ho; Maggie Haitian Wang; Renee Wan Yi Chan; Albert Martin Li; David Shu Cheong Hui; Paul Kay Sheung Chan

doi:10.1016/j.virs.2024.01.010

April 2024

Citation: Zigui Chen, Rita Way Yin Ng, Grace Lui, Lowell Ling, Agnes S. Y. Leung, Chit Chow, Siaw Shi Boon, Wendy C. S. Ho, Maggie Haitian Wang, Renee Wan Yi Chan, Albert Martin Li, David Shu Cheong Hui, Paul Kay Sheung Chan. Quantitative and qualitative subgenomic RNA profiles of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples: A comparison between Omicron BA.2 and non-VOC-D614G .VIROLOGICA SINICA, 2024, 39(2) : 218-227. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.virs.2024.01.010

Quantitative and qualitative subgenomic RNA profiles of SARS-CoV-2 in respiratory samples: A comparison between Omicron BA.2 and non-VOC-D614G

a. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
b. Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
c. Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
d. Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
e. Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
f. Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China;
g. Stanley Ho Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

Corresponding author: Paul Kay Sheung Chan, paulkschan@cuhk.edu.hk
Received Date: 18 October 2023
Accepted Date: 31 January 2024
Available online: 03 February 2024

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants are notorious for their transmissibility, but little is known about their subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) expression. This study applied RNA-seq to delineate the quantitative and qualitative profiles of canonical sgRNA of 118 respiratory samples collected from patients infected with Omicron BA.2 and compared with 338 patients infected with non-variant of concern (non-VOC)-D614G. A unique characteristic profile depicted by the relative abundance of 9 canonical sgRNAs was reproduced by both BA.2 and non-VOC-D614G regardless of host gender, age and presence of pneumonia. Remarkably, such profile was lost in samples with low viral load, suggesting a potential application of sgRNA pattern to indicate viral activity of individual patient at a specific time point. A characteristic qualitative profile of canonical sgRNAs was also reproduced by both BA.2 and non-VOC-D614G. The presence of a full set of canonical sgRNAs carried a coherent correlation with crude viral load (AUC = 0.91, 95% CI 0.88–0.94), and sgRNA ORF7b was identified to be the best surrogate marker allowing feasible routine application in characterizing the infection status of individual patient. Further potentials in using sgRNA as a target for vaccine and antiviral development are worth pursuing.
- Coronavirus
- , SARS-CoV-2
- , Omicron BA.2
- , Non-VOC-D614G
- , RNA-seq
- , Subgenomic RNA(sgRNA)

Electronic Supplementary Material

10.1016j.virs.2024.01.010-ESM.docx
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