Genes and why they are so important

Genes are the basic unit of heredity and they are what make us different. Even at the very beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, it was indicated that expression of the ACE2 gene may have a key influence on the development of the disease. It turns out that ACE2 may have a greater impact on morbidity than we think. As researchers from the Medical University of Bialystok point out, different variants of the ACE2 gene influenced susceptibility to contracting SARS-CoV, so it is very likely that the same is true for coronavirus as well.

Genes versus other viruses

The fact that some people are more susceptible to contracting a condition caused by a particular virus is nothing new. Research on HIV or HCV has been conducted for many years. It turned out that patients with a mutation in the CCR5 gene are... less susceptible to contracting HIV.

SARS-CoV-2 versus ACE2

The findings, which have so far appeared in prestigious scientific journals, argue that SARS-CoV-2 works by activating viral proteins that come into "contact" with enzymes on the surface of lung cells. The virus protein thus activated binds to a specific receptor, which is encoded by the ACE2 gene, resulting in infection of the patient. Thus, all indications are that ACE2 is the 'gateway' for the virus to enter the body. It should be noted that there can be thousands of variants and mutations within the ACE2 gene, which affect greater or lesser susceptibility to the disease. This therefore requires further research and advanced genetic analysis. However, assuming that a variant of the ACE2 gene influences the increased susceptibility to contracting SARS-CoV-2, this would be a sign for researchers to look for inhibitors to inhibit such a response. Perhaps this avenue will lead to finding an effective drug to inhibit the possibility of coronavirus infection?