SPEAR

SPEAR annotates SARS-CoV-2 genomes and scores Spike (S) protein mutations to assess potential impacts on ACE2 binding affinity and immune escape.

Key Features:

• Rapid Annotation: Provides swift annotation of protein products derived from SARS-CoV-2 genomes.
• Mutation Scoring: Assigns scores to Spike (S) protein mutations to indicate potential effects on ACE2 receptor binding and immune escape.
• Real-Time Evaluation: Performs real-time evaluation of genomic surveillance data.
• Data Visualization Reports: Generates data visualization reports summarizing annotated variants and mutation scores.

Scientific Applications:

• Variant Impact Assessment: Prioritizes SARS-CoV-2 variants by predicted effects on ACE2 binding and immune evasion.
• Genomic Surveillance: Supports genomic surveillance and timely detection of emerging variants through rapid annotation and scoring.
• Transmissibility and Immune Escape Research: Enables research into relationships between Spike mutations, ACE2 affinity, and immune escape.

Methodology:

Implemented in Python, SPEAR performs annotation of protein products from SARS-CoV-2 genomes and scoring of Spike (S) protein mutations to evaluate effects on ACE2 binding and immune escape.