SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 variant: a short review

Submitted: March 8, 2024
Accepted: July 16, 2024
Published: August 30, 2024
Abstract Views: 160
PDF_EARLY VIEW: 138
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

Authors

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is evolving continuously, and many variants have been detected over the last few years. SARS-CoV-2, as an RNA virus, is more prone to mutating. The continuous evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 virus is due to genetic mutation and recombination during the genomic replication process. Recombination is a naturally occurring phenomenon in which two distinct viral lineages simultaneously infect the same cellular entity in an individual. The evolution rate depends on the rate of mutation. The rate of mutation is variable among the RNA viruses, with the SARS-CoV-2 virus exhibiting a lower rate of mutation than other RNA viruses. The novel 3′-to-5′ exoribonuclease proofreading machinery is responsible for a lower rate of mutation. Infection due to the SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus has been reported from around the world during the same period of fall and winter, resulting in a “tripledemic.” The JN.1 variant, which evolved from the predecessor, the omicron variant BA.2.86, is currently the most dominant globally. The impact of the JN.1 variant on transmissibility, disease severity, immune evasion, and diagnostic and therapeutic escape will be discussed.

Dimensions

Altmetric

PlumX Metrics

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Citations

CDC. SARS-CoV-2 variant classifications and definitions. Available from: https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/105817
Sanjuán R, Domingo-Calap P. Mechanisms of viral mutation. Cell Mol Life Sci 2016;73:4433-48. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-016-2299-6
Markov PV, Ghafari M, Beer M, et al. The evolution of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Rev Microbiol 2023;21:361-79. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41579-023-00878-2
Cao Y, Jian F, Wang J, et al. Imprinted SARS-CoV-2 humoral immunity induces convergent Omicron RBD evolution. Nature 2023;614:521-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05644-7
Tamura T, Irie T, Deguchi S, et al. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB.1.5 variant. Nat Commun. 2024 Feb 8;15(1):1176.
Zappa M, Verdecchia P, Angeli F. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 evolution: How mutations affect XBB.1.5 variant. Eur J Intern Med 2023;112:128-32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2023.03.027
Naqvi AAT, Fatima K, Mohammad T, et al. Insights into SARS-CoV-2 genome, structure, evolution, pathogenesis and therapies: structural genomics approach. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2020;1866:165878. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165878
Bakhshandeh B, Jahanafrooz Z, Abbasi A, et al. Mutations in SARS-CoV-2; consequences in structure, function, and pathogenicity of the virus. Microb Pathog 2021;154:104831. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micpath.2021.104831
Wang X, Lu L, Jiang S. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariant BA.2.86: limited potential for global spread. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023;8:439. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-023-01712-0
WHO. Tracking SARS-CoV-2 variants. Available from: https://www.who.int/en/activities/tracking-SARS-CoV-2-variants. Accessed on: 5/03/2024.
Callaway E. Why a highly mutated coronavirus variant has scientists on alert. Nature 2023;620:934. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02656-9
Yang S, Yu Y, Jian F, et al. Antigenicity and infectivity characterisation of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86. Lancet Infect Dis 2023;23:e457-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00573-X
Wang Q, Guo Y, Liu L, et al. Antigenicity and receptor affinity of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 spike. Nature 2023;624:639-44. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-023-06750-w
Essalmani R, Jain J, Susan-Resiga D, et al. Distinctive roles of furin and TMPRSS2 in SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. J Virol 2022;96:e0012822. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00745-22
Zhang L, Kempf A, Nehlmeier I, et al. SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 enters lung cells and evades neutralizing antibodies with high efficiency. Cell 2024;187:596-608.e17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.025
Song Y, Gorbatsevych O, Liu Y, et al. Limits of variation, specific infectivity, and genome packaging of massively recoded poliovirus genomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2017;114:E8731-40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1714385114
Qu P, Xu K, Faraone JN, et al. Immune evasion, infectivity, and fusogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 and FLip variants. Cell 2024;187:585-95.e6. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2023.12.026
Uriu K, Ito J, Kosugi Y, et al. Transmissibility, infectivity, and immune evasion of the SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 variant. Lancet Infect Dis 2023;23:e460-1. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00575-3
Quarleri J, Delpino MV, Galvan V. Anticipating the future of the COVID-19 pandemic: insights into the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variant JN.1 and its projected impact on older adults. Geroscience 2024;46:2879-83. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11357-024-01066-7
Zappa M, Verdecchia P, Andolina A, Angeli F. The old and the new: The EG.5 ('Eris') sub-variant of Coronavirus. Eur J Intern Med 2023;117:123-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejim.2023.09.003
Dyer O. Covid-19: infections climb globally as EG.5 variant gains ground. BMJ 2023;382:1900. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p1900
Focosi D, Spezia PG, Gueli F, Maggi F. The era of the FLips: how spike mutations L455F and F456L (and A475V) are shaping SARS-CoV-2 evolution. Viruses 2023;16:3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v16010003
Yang S, Yu Y, Xu Y, et al. Fast evolution of SARS-CoV-2 BA.2.86 to JN.1 under heavy immune pressure. Lancet Infect Dis 2024;24:e70-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00744-2
Kaku Y, Okumura K, Padilla-Blanco M, et al. Virological characteristics of the SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 variant. Lancet Infect Dis 2024;24:e82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1473-3099(23)00813-7
The Conversation. The emergence of JN.1 is an evolutionary ‘step change’ in the COVID pandemic. Why is this significant?. Available from: https://theconversation.com/the-emergence-of-jn-1-is-an-evolutionary-step-change-in-the-covid-pandemic-why-is-this-significant-220285. Accessed on: 2/03/2024.
WHO. COVID-19 epidemiological update – 22 December 2023. Available from: https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/covid-19-epidemiological-update---22-december-2023. Accessed on: 26/12/2023.
Looi MK. Covid-19: WHO adds JN.1 as new variant of interest. BMJ 2023;383:2975. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.p2975
Planas D, Staropoli I, Michel V, et al. Distinct evolution of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB and BA.2.86/JN.1 lineages combining increased fitness and antibody evasion. Nat Commun. 2024 Mar 13;15(1):2254 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-46490-7
Bartel A, Grau JH, Bitzegeio J, et al. Timely monitoring of SARS-CoV-2 RNA fragments in wastewater shows the emergence of JN.1 (BA.2.86.1.1, Clade 23I) in Berlin, Germany. Viruses 2024;16:102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/v16010102
CDC. Summary of variant surveillance. Available from: https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-summary. Accessed on: 26/12/2023.
Stanford Univeristy. Omicron XBB. Available from: https://covdb.stanford.edu/variants/omicron_xbb/. Accessed on: 26/12/2023.
Wang X, Lu L, Jiang S. SARS-CoV-2 evolution from the BA.2.86 to JN.1 variants: unexpected consequences. Trends Immunol 2024;45:81-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.it.2024.01.003
Bi D, Luo X, Chen Z, et al. Genomic epidemiology reveals early transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and mutational dynamics in Nanning, China. Heliyon 2023;9:e23029. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23029
Shrestha LB, Tedla N, Bull RA. Broadly-neutralizing antibodies against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Front Immunol 2021;12:752003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.752003
WHO. Statement on the antigen composition of COVID-19 vaccines. Available from: https://www.who.int/news/item/26-04-2024-statement-on-the-antigen-composition-of-covid-19-vaccines
Basu S, Kayal T, Patro PP, Patnaik A. JN.1: ongoing considerations of the shifting landscape of SARS-CoV-2 variants. Future Microbiol 2024;19:559-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2217/fmb-2024-0010
IDSA. Will COVID vaccines continue to work against JN.1 and other new variants?. Available from: https://www.idsociety.org/covid-19-real-time-learning-network/vaccines/will-covid-vaccines-continue-to-work-against-jn.1-and-other-new-variants#/+/0/publishedDate_na_dt/desc/. Accessed on: 26/12/2023.
Rubin R. As COVID-19 cases surge, here's what to know about JN.1, the latest SARS-CoV-2 "variant of interest". JAMA 2024;331:382-3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2023.27841
WHO. Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition. Available from: https://www.who.int/groups/technical-advisory-group-on-covid-19-vaccine-composition-(tag-co-vac)
Rosen A, Hartman M. What to know about JN.1, the latest omicron variant. Available from: https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2024/jn1-the-dominant-variant-in-the-covid-surge. Accessed on: 26/12/2023.
Link-Gelles R, Ciesla AA, Mak J, et al. Early estimates of updated 2023-2024 (Monovalent XBB.1.5) COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection attributable to co-circulating Omicron variants among immunocompetent adults - Increasing community access to testing program, United States, September 2023-January 2024. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2024;73:77-83. DOI: https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7304a2
COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) treatment guidelines. Available from: https://www.covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/. Accessed on: 3/03/2024.
Wang Q, Guo Y, Bowen A, et al. XBB.1.5 monovalent mRNA vaccine booster elicits robust neutralizing antibodies against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Cell Host Microbe 2024;32:315-21.e3. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2024.01.014
Werkhoven CHV, Valk AW, Smagge B, et al. Early COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness of XBB.1.5 vaccine against hospitalization and ICU admission, the Netherlands, 9 October - 5 December 2023. Euro Surveill 2024;29:2300703. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.1.2300703
Chalkias S, McGhee N, Whatley JL, et al. Interim report of the reactogenicity and immunogenicity of SARS-CoV-2 XBB-containing vaccines. J Infect Dis 2024;13:jiae067. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiae067
Huiberts AJ, Hoeve CE, Gier BD, et al. Effectiveness of Omicron XBB.1.5 vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron XBB and JN.1 infection in a prospective cohort study in the Netherlands, October 2023 to January 2024. Euro Surveill 2024;29:2400109. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2024.29.10.2400109

How to Cite

Malay, Sarkar, Irappa V. Madabhavi, and Anurag Tripathi. 2024. “SARS-CoV-2 JN.1 Variant: A Short Review”. Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease, August. https://doi.org/10.4081/monaldi.2024.2981.