In the light of the current status of COVID-19 around the world which though it may have subsided and gone to a lower profile, in many region like China, USA, France, UK, to mention few, the new SASR-Cov-2 variants still posing tough challenges to health.

Several surges of new Omicron (B.1.1.529) subvariants have showed up over the late few months including BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.75, BA.2.12.1 and XE subvariants. More importanly drawing attention are the subvariants of BA.5 namely the BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 all of which are now constituing a large percentage of SARS-CoV-2 infection reaching over 60% in the USA.

The SVGM-Explorer (SVGM-exp β-v.1.0)^⭕ is a bioinformatics tool module part of the VirusesDb β-v.4.0^🔶 database, see the link below, presents data in a "comparison-fashion" to make it easy for the users (scientists/students) to spot differences in the mutations found in the different variants.

The full genomic sequences of the currently circulating variants of Omicron BA.1, BA.2, BA.3, BA.4, BA.5, BA.2.75 and BA.2.12.1, Figure 1, are available via the SVGM-Explorer link below:

https://www.bioinformaticstools.org/viruses/CoV-2_VrntGnms.php          

Figure 1. The SVGM-Explorer comparision-fashion table presentaion of SARS-CoV-2 variants including Omicron ones.

In order to explore the genome sequence and mutations of any of the variants, users need to click on an accession-code of a relevant variant, for example, the code OP022774 which is one of the BA.4 omicron variants. Clicking on the such accession-code, trigers SVGM-Explorer to display a window that enbles exploring and downloading the genomic sequence and over novel 30 mutations (compared to previous variants), see Figures 2. and 3.

The results can also be generated using the below SVGM-Explorer link which can be composed for any other variants in shown in the list by substituting the accession-code value (id value in the link):

https://www.bioinformaticstools.org/viruses/CoV-2_VrntGnms.php?nv=USA&id=OP022774          

Figure 2. SVGM-Explorer demonstration show of genomic sequence and mutations once variants accession codes are clicked.

Figure 3. Details of genomic sequence and mustations for the Omicron variant BA.4 associated with accession-code OP022774

In this regards, it would be worthwhile to realise that the ability to spot differences in the mutations and their types between the existing and emergin variants help greatly in assessment of the ability of the available vaccines to provide immunity against the new strains of the COVID-19 disease. Would also help in understanding their potential of disease causing and come up with proper strategies for limiting its spread between people and communities and in principal acquiring the visions to design new drugs and inhibitor medicines and cures against the running unfortunate pandemic disease.

While most the new Omicron variants, including others curently not available in SVGM-Explorer, showed faster propagation in infection, health authorities around the world have not found evidence of more severe illness caused by the variant. However, a number of the new mutations, in Omicron variants, have demonstrated escaping immunity from previous infection and vaccination.

In relation to the subject of genomic data and mutations data integration and developement at the University of SAIDA, Algeria, refer to the JSBB articles under the themes Genomics & COVID-19 and Bio-Databses, the links below: