title: Evolutional insights on uncharacterized SARS coronavirus genes.
abstract: The complete genome of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) and many of its variants has been determined by several laboratories. The genome contains fourteen predicted open reading frames (ORFs). However, a function had been clearly assigned for only six of these ORFs, in the viral replication, transcription and structural constituents. The others are herein referred to as uncharacterized ORFs (UC-ORFs). Here, we try to provide a relational insight on those UC-ORFs, suggesting that a number of them are remotely related to structural proteins of coronaviruses and other viruses infecting mammalian hosts. Surprisingly, several of the UC-ORFs exhibit considerable similarity with other SARS-CoV ORFs. These observations may provide clues on the evolution and genome dynamics of the SARS-CoV.
authors.affiliation: Dept of Biological Chemistry, Life Science Institute, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 91904 Israel.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inberg
authors.forename: Michal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Linial
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005814:Genes, Viral; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000235:genetics*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid