Identification of E484K and other novel SARS-COV-2 variants from the Kingdom of Bahrain.

ABSTRACT

The challenges imposed by the ongoing outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 affects every aspect of our modern world, ranging from our health to our socio-economic needs. Our existence highly depends on the vaccine's availability, which demands in-depth research of the available strains and their mutations. In this work, we have analyzed all the available SARS-COV2 genomes isolated from the Kingdom of Bahrain in terms of their variance and origin analysis. We have predicted various known and unique mutations in the SARS-COV2 isolated from Bahrain. The complexity of the phylogenetic tree and dot plot representation of the strains mentioned above with other isolates of Asia indicates the versatility and multiple origins of Bahrain's SARS-COV2 isolates. We have also identified two high impact spike mutations from these strains which increase the virulence of SARS-COV2. Our research could have a high impact on vaccine development and distinguishes the source of SARS-COV2 in the Kingdom of Bahrain.