Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

Global dispersal and increasing frequency of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant D614G are suggestive of a selective advantage but may also be due to a random founder effect. We investigate the hypothesis for positive selection of spike D614G in the United Kingdom using more than 25,000 whole genome SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Despite the availability of a large dataset, well represented by both spike 614 variants, not all approaches showed a conclusive signal of positive selection. Population genetic analysis indicates that 614G increases in frequency relative to 614D in a manner consistent with a selective advantage. We do not find any indication that patients infected with the spike 614G variant have higher COVID-19 mortality or clinical severity, but 614G is associated with higher viral load and younger age of patients. Significant differences in growth and size of 614G phylogenetic clusters indicate a need for continued study of this variant.

Original publication

DOI

10.1016/j.cell.2020.11.020

Type

Journal article

Journal

Cell

Publication Date

07/01/2021

Volume

184

Pages

64 - 75.e11

Keywords

COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, epidemiology, evolution, founder effect, spike, Amino Acid Substitution, Aspartic Acid, COVID-19, Genome, Viral, Glycine, Humans, Mutation, SARS-CoV-2, Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus, United Kingdom, Virulence, Whole Genome Sequencing