Key result
Current evidence suggests it is highly unlikely that SARS-CoV-2 RNA genuinely integrates into the human genome via L1 retrotransposons, with observed chimeric transcripts likely representing artifacts of RNA-seq library preparation.
Why the study?
Reports that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be retrotranscribed and integrated into human DNA prompted a critical review of the available data and its context with other viruses.
Critically reviews the hypothesis that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be retrotranscribed and integrated into human DNA, discussing it in the context of other exogenous viruses.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Alleviates patient concerns over genomic integration; challenges prior claims and leaves open need for direct experimental validation.
Zhang et al. (Proc Natl Acad Sci 118:e2105968118, 2021) recently reported that SARS-CoV-2 RNA can be retrotranscribed and integrated into the DNA of human cells by the L1 retrotransposon machinery. This phenomenon could cause persistence of viral sequences in patients and may explain the prolonged PCR-positivity of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients, even long after the phase of active virus replication has ended. This commentary does critically review the available data on this topic and discusses them in the context of findings made for other exogenous viruses and ancestral endogenous retroviral elements.
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Grandi et al. (2021) conducted an editorial in SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 RNA integration by L1 retrotransposons was evaluated. Current evidence suggests it is highly unlikely that SARS-CoV-2 RNA genuinely integrates into the human genome via L1 retrotransposons, with observed chimeric transcripts likely representing artifacts of RNA-seq library preparation.
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