SARS-CoV-2 diversity and phylogeny in Indiana COVID-19 patients

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, which initially began in China, has spread to many countries around the globe. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases increase daily with a death toll exceeding the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2002 and 2003. SARS-CoV-2 has led to a pandemic, which put all health organizations on high alert. In this study we aimed to sequence, genotype and map the diversity of the positive COVID-19 Indiana samples onto a global phylogenetic tree of COVID19 strains to understand the evolution and transmission dynamics of Indiana isolates. The phylogenetic analysis for positive COVID-19 samples could lead to insights on which mutations are causing more transmissible and virulent strains of SARS-CoV-2. The global phylogenetic tree indicated that 39 of the Indiana samples belonged to the G (glycine) group, while 1 Indiana sample corresponded to the D (aspartic acid) group classified based on the mutations in the Spike Protein Codon 614. Based on previous studies and our own observations, this modification is attributing to a more transmissible type of SARS-CoV-2 (Bette Korber, 2020; Brufsky; Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhanth, 2020). Geographical analysis of the Indiana samples revealed that within the United States, the SARS-CoV-2 sequences were most similar to sequences from Virginia and Michigan while outside the United States, most similar to sequences from Victoria, Australia.