Article
Importance of De Novo Gene Evolution to Emerging Viral Threats: The ORF10 Strain-Restricted Orphan Gene of SARS-CoV-2 Promotes Pathogenesis.
Molecular biology and evolution - 1 Oct 2025
Haltom Jeffrey A, Trovao Nidia S, Guarnieri Joseph W, Pan Vincent, Singh Urminder, Tsoy Sergey, O'Leary Collin A, Bram Yaron, Widjaja Gabrielle A, Cen Zimu, Meller Robert, Baylin Stephen B, Moss Walter N, Nikolau Basil J, Enguita Francisco J, Wallace Douglas C, Beheshti Afshin, Schwartz Robert E, Wurtele Eve Syrkin
Abstract excerpt
Orphan genes, which encode species-specific proteins, are common but are rarely investigated. The SARS-CoV-2 orphan gene, ORF10, has been understudied; in vitro work suggests it may modulate innate immunity. Whether ORF10 influences COVID-19 outcomes in humans remained unknown. Here, analyzing millions of SARS-CoV-2 genomes, we find ORF10 sequences are identical to ancestral Wuhan-Hu-1 haplotype. In all variants...
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