Anomalies in the regional distribution and mutation spectrum of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2.86 lineage
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51094/jxiv.1043Keywords:
SARS-CoV-2, Omicron variant, BA.2 lineage, epidemiology, mutation spectrumAbstract
SARS-CoV-2 remains globally prevalent, despite reduced virulence, causing a range of mild to severe diseases. Since mid-2023, major variants such as JN.1, KP.3.1.1, and XEC have emerged as predominant strains, all of which are descendants of BA.2.86. BA.2.86 exhibited substantial divergence from earlier strains, with around 30 mutations in the spike protein alone compared to Omicron BA.2, a divergence as striking as the initial emergence of Omicron BA.1. In this study, we focus on BA.2.86 to understand how this striking variant emerged. Epidemiological data from early global collections of BA.2.86 and BA.2.86.1 variants show a worldwide, simultaneous emergence, without clear epicenters, suggesting a mechanism beyond natural human-to-human community transmission. Molecular analysis of mutation spectra reveals a divergence from human SARS-CoV-2, pointing toward evolution in a non-human host, possibly through experiments involving animal models.
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