Phylogenomics and population genomics of SARS-CoV-2 in Mexico reveals variants of interest (VOI) and a mutation in the Nucleocapsid protein associated with symptomatic versus asymptomatic carriers

Understanding the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus in various regions of the world during the Covid19 pandemic is essential to help mitigate the effects of this devastating disease. We describe the phylogenomic and population genetic patterns of the virus in Mexico during the pre-vaccination stage, including asymptomatic carriers. A RT-qPCR screening and phylogenomics reconstructions directed a sequence/structure analysis of the Spike glycoprotein, revealing mutation of concern E484K in genomes from central Mexico, in addition to the nationwide prevalence of the imported variant 20C/S:452R (B.1.427/9). Overall, the detected variants in Mexico show Spike protein mutations in the N-terminal domain (i.e., R190M), in the receptor-binding motif (i.e., T478K, E484K), within the S1-S2 subdomains (i.e., P681R/H, T732A), and at the basis of the protein, V1176F, raising concerns about the lack of phenotypic and clinical data available for the variants of interest (VOI) we postulate: 20B/478K.V1 (B.1.1.222 or B.1.1.519) and 20B/P.4 (B.1.1.28.4). Moreover, the population patterns of Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) from symptomatic and asymptomatic carriers obtained with a self-sampling scheme confirmed the presence of several fixed variants, and differences in allelic frequencies among localities. We identified the mutation N:S194L of the Nucleocapsid protein associated with symptomatic patients. Phylogenetically, this mutation is frequent in Mexican sub-clades, so we propose an additional VOI, 20A/N:194L.V2 (B.1.243). Our results highlight the dual and complementary role of Spike and Nucleocapsid proteins in adaptive evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to their hosts and provide a baseline for specific follow-up of mutations of concern during the vaccination stage. IMPACT STATEMENTFollowing self-sampling, screening of mutations of concern, and a combined phylogenomic and population genetics pipeline, we reveal the appearance of three VOI with mutations in the Spike protein, P.4 (B.1.1.28.4) and 20B/478K.V1 (B.1.1.222, leading to B.1.1.519), and in the Nucleocapsid protein, 20A/N:194L.V2 (B.1.243), in Mexico during the pre-vaccination stage. The mutation S194L in the Nucleocapsid was found to associate with symptomatic patients versus asymptomatic carriers in the population investigated. Our research can aid epidemiological genomics efforts during the vaccination stage in Mexico by contributing with a combined analytical platform and information about variants within different genetic lineages with the potential to evolve into variants of concern (VOC).