Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations
Abstract Background There appears to be large regional variation for susceptibility, severity, and mortality for COVID‐19 infections. Numerous potential factors could explain the wide variability in the number of infections and death among the countries. We examined genetic differences in the human...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1344 |
| _version_ | 1797301086315347968 |
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| author | Quan Li Zanxia Cao Proton Rahman |
| author_facet | Quan Li Zanxia Cao Proton Rahman |
| author_sort | Quan Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background There appears to be large regional variation for susceptibility, severity, and mortality for COVID‐19 infections. Numerous potential factors could explain the wide variability in the number of infections and death among the countries. We examined genetic differences in the human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) gene, as its receptor serves as a cellular entry for SARS‐CoV‐2. At present, there is a paucity of data regarding the differences for ACE2 polymorphisms and expression levels between ethnicities. Methods We compared the allele frequency of mutations between European and East Asians. Molecular dynamic simulation were performed to investigate the influences of significant mutant on protein structure. The binding free energies were calculated between S protein and hACE2. We also examined hACE2 gene expression in eight global populations from HapMap3. Results Four missense mutations showed significant minor allele frequency difference between Asians and Caucasians. Molecular dynamic demonstrated that two of these variants (K26R and I468V) may affect binding characteristics between S protein of the virus and hACE2 receptor. We also noted marginal differences in gene expression for some populations in HapMap3 as compared to the Chinese population. Conclusion Our studies reveal subtle changes in the genetics of hACE2 between human populations, but the magnitude of the difference was small and the significance is not clear in the absence of further in vitro and functional studies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:16:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d1b36b18917447e9a5329d4f1abf8bbb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2324-9269 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T23:16:20Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-d1b36b18917447e9a5329d4f1abf8bbb2024-02-21T11:08:50ZengWileyMolecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine2324-92692020-08-0188n/an/a10.1002/mgg3.1344Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populationsQuan Li0Zanxia Cao1Proton Rahman2Department of Medicine Faculty of Medicine Memorial University St. John's NL CanadaShandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biophysics Institute of Biophysics Dezhou University Dezhou ChinaDepartment of Medicine Faculty of Medicine Memorial University St. John's NL CanadaAbstract Background There appears to be large regional variation for susceptibility, severity, and mortality for COVID‐19 infections. Numerous potential factors could explain the wide variability in the number of infections and death among the countries. We examined genetic differences in the human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) gene, as its receptor serves as a cellular entry for SARS‐CoV‐2. At present, there is a paucity of data regarding the differences for ACE2 polymorphisms and expression levels between ethnicities. Methods We compared the allele frequency of mutations between European and East Asians. Molecular dynamic simulation were performed to investigate the influences of significant mutant on protein structure. The binding free energies were calculated between S protein and hACE2. We also examined hACE2 gene expression in eight global populations from HapMap3. Results Four missense mutations showed significant minor allele frequency difference between Asians and Caucasians. Molecular dynamic demonstrated that two of these variants (K26R and I468V) may affect binding characteristics between S protein of the virus and hACE2 receptor. We also noted marginal differences in gene expression for some populations in HapMap3 as compared to the Chinese population. Conclusion Our studies reveal subtle changes in the genetics of hACE2 between human populations, but the magnitude of the difference was small and the significance is not clear in the absence of further in vitro and functional studies.https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1344angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2COVID‐19ethnic variationgene expressionmolecular dynamics simulationSARS‐CoV‐2 |
| spellingShingle | Quan Li Zanxia Cao Proton Rahman Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 COVID‐19 ethnic variation gene expression molecular dynamics simulation SARS‐CoV‐2 |
| title | Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations |
| title_full | Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations |
| title_fullStr | Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations |
| title_short | Genetic variability of human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) among various ethnic populations |
| title_sort | genetic variability of human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 hace2 among various ethnic populations |
| topic | angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 COVID‐19 ethnic variation gene expression molecular dynamics simulation SARS‐CoV‐2 |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/mgg3.1344 |
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