Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (shortened to SARS-CoV-2), is a strain of SARS-related coronavirus (Betacoronavirus pandemicum). It is responsible for the major worldwide pandemic from 2020 to 2023, in both the real world and Virus Attack.
It was first discovered in China, during late 2019. From there, it quickly spread to the rest of the world and has killed approx 7 million people worldwide.
SARS-CoV-2 causes Coronavirus disease 2019 (shortened to COVID-19) in humans. Most infected people show some of the classic flu-like symptoms, such as (high)fever, dry cough, fatigue, muscle aches etc. Though, it may also cause more severe symptoms, such as deadly pneumonia, blood clots and hypoxia (low oxygen levels in the body).
COVID-19 is officially classified as a respiratory disease, given it mainly affects the respiratory tract. However, because it may cause some completely different type of symptoms, as well as damage to other organs and seriously large blood clots in some people if given the chance to, it rather seems like a multi-systemic disease in some patients.
Name
The virus is officially known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2, though, this is quite the mouth full or too long to write, so it's almost always shortened to SARS-CoV-2 (heck, even my characters of this species use SARS-CoV-2 over the full name XD). The shortened name may read a bit weird, but it's simply pronounced as 'sars coronavirus two'.
It has multiple other (nick)names too, such as Human coronavirus 2019 (HCoV-19) or COVID-19 virus. Most people refer to it as simply 'coronavirus' and 'Corona' for the disease it causes. It was formerly known as 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV).
Comic and Lore
SARS-CoV-2 is the main antagonist in Virus Attack and both prequel comics, because all three comics are in fact specifically based on the COVID-19 pandemic. One virion, King Matthias , is the main character and he serves as a representive mascot for this species.
This virus is real, but the version that is described here is not. All the lore I created for this species is obviously fiction and most only applies to this fictional version! Yet part of it is based on true facts! Above are links to websites which describe this virus's real world's counterpart.
2019 wild-type and D614G mutant (smaller one).
It is a positive-sense single-stranded (+ssRNA) virus. The virus has six legs, three tails and the highest ranking virions have a crown of peplomers on their heads. Like any member of the Sarbecovirus (SARS-related coronavirus) subgenus, SARS-CoV-2 resembles a type of canid.
The original generation of Wuhan-Hu-1 (2019 Wild-type) looks like a huge wolf, while other generations of Whuhan-Hu-1 and D614G mutant variants are smaller and look more like domesticated dog breeds. Virions are often quite muscular or slender, and they are often between 100-120 nanometer at the withers. 2019 Wuhan-Hu-1 is between 120-140 nanometer at the withers, the others are around 100-120 nanometer. Due to being nocturnal and using the darkness to hide, they're adaptive melanistic, so most virions have entirely black coats which helps them blend in with the darkness. Though many melanistic virions do have some white or other colored markings, and some virions come in a completely different color all together. Many color mutations seen in animals do occur in many viruses too, and SARS-CoV-2 is one of these viruses; virions can be born with albinism (entirely white and with red eyes due to lack of melanin) or piebaldism (white patches) for example.
It has a dog nose, almond-shaped eyes with slit pupils, and either upright standing ears or floppy ears. They appear to have rat tails when covered in shorter proteins, and most virions have really long tails too, though some have shorter tails, and some virions may have longer proteins which make their tails appear rather bushy.
Virions have four toes and a dewclaw (small thumb-like digit) on each front paw, and four toes on both hind-legs. Some virions may have one or two dewclaws on their hind-legs too. Virions have webbed paws, and their pads are covered in billions of tiny hair-like structures which help them stick onto their host's tissue.
A virion has several glands on his body. Peplomers (the spikes on head, neck and shoulders) are literal scent glands on stilts. Peplomers produce a colorless, oily liquid which emits a pungent rotting flesh odor. SARS-CoV-2 doesn't mind its own stinky smell, but a lot of other microbes (especially animal cells!) hate it. Virions use their peplomers to mark their territory. Peplomers are quite flexible, yet they may break off easily when too much force is used on them.
It also has normal scent glands on the snout, between the toes and two under their middle tail. Virions sniff these locations when greeting each other or when they meet each other for the first time.
Virions have pheromone producing glands on their belly and said glands are active whenever a virion has very young pups. When pups are restless or scared, their father's pheromones will have a soothing effect on them. Pups will eventually fall asleep when under full influence of these pheromones. The pheromones even have slight soothing effect on adults still, but not as much as young pups as virions develop a weak immunity to the pheromones as they mature. Adult virions will usually become relaxed when under influence of the pheromones.
Virions have sweat glands too. These are found everywhere on their body. Virions mainly start to sweat when their host has a fever, and it only happens when panting only won't help much keeping the body cool when it's getting too hot. Virions may also sweat when they're scared to death, in pain or sick.
Peplomers are handy to determine to which caste a virion belongs! Virions of the Royal Caste have their head peplomers arranged in either a circle, a gem or a hexagon shape to form a 'crown'. For this reason, the head peplomers of these virions are more specifically referred to as coronae (like the word corona, this also means 'crown'). Neck and shoulder peplomers are scattered, which resembles the decorations on a monarch's suit/uniform or the royal capes with white and black speckled parts.
Virions of the Middle Caste have their peplomers form a straight, vertical line from head to somewhere between the second pair of shoulders. Neck and shoulder peplomers also form straight lines. The peplomers on the head are suposed to resemble the ridge or brush on a human knight's helmet, while those on the neck and shoulders resemble the armored suit. Virions of the Lower Caste lack head peplomers entirely. Their head and shoulder peplomers can either be scattered or form straight lines, which depends from which type of litter they originate.
SARS-CoV-2 is native to a bat belonging to the Rhinolophus genus. However, humans are now its new main host. It first emerged in China, but has spread all over the world.
SARS-CoV-2 especially loves damp and oxygen rich atmospheres, so the organs which meet these demands are most likely to be selected. Lungs are most popular and most young Kings will nest somewhere deep inside the lower part of the lung. The right lung seems to be the most popular place to nest in general.
Territory
This virus is extremely territorial and will attack every microbe that it sees as its enemy. The territory starts off quite small but will expand as more virions will be born. The Nest is the the home-base and the initial starting point from where the infection spreads to more parts of the host's body.
The area around an alveolus is the virus's Nest at first, but once there's a certain number of virions, the entire alveolus itself will be invaded and claimed. Parts where immune cells can normally enter will be blocked with blood clots, and Guards will often patrol within the surrounding claimed territory and fiercely fight every immune cell that tries to break in. Once the territory has been expanded, virions will start to mark by rubbing their peplomers on the walls, by leaving claw marks and howl. Howling is more meant as a message to potential other packs that are located further away, so they know not to come too close by.
SARS-CoV-2 is a group virus, and even though only the D614G mutant can truly be called a 'social group virus', the wild-type form does opperate as a team at the very least.
Wild-type
Like all coronaviruses, the wild-type is rather distant to fellow pack-mates and they lack emotions/feelings, such as love, compassion, sorrow, happiness (they can be very proud of something, though) and guilt. No virion ever grows attached to pack-mates, even though they're all family. They're merely colleagues to each other and everyone is just a number, which can be replaced easily by hundreds of new ones, in case they die. No death will be mourned and deceased virions might already not be spoken or thought about anymore after a day, if not just a few hours, given no one was attached to said deceased virion anyway.
With their specific type of monarchy being absolutism, the king reigns with an iron paw and his words are always law. No virion has any rights, except for the king's firstborn son, who is literally born with the right to succeed his father as the next king in line. The other virions are just followers. Kings don't care about the safety and well-being of his virions and no virion is allowed to disobey. They're strictly obligated to follow and perform their duties, nothing more.
Some kings may be so strict and power-hungry, that they may start to behave more like a dictator than a leader. King Lucius is a good example of a wild-type virion who was like this.
D614G Mutants
As mentioned before, these are very different in behavior than the wild-type. Because of the D614G mutation, the mutated form developed the emotions and feelings that the wild-type lacks, and virions can grow attached to and develop strong bonds with pack-mates. They work together as a family and no virion is seen as 'just a number' anymore. Virions have each other's back, and the death of every single pack-mate will be mourned. Mutants have introduced traditions and rituals, such as the celebration of a birth, funerals, graduation parties or whatever small archievement of a pack-mate to the species, making SARS-CoV-2 the very first coronavirus ever to partake in such events.
The way a king reigns is much different too. The original mutant form has introduced enlightened absolutism, which is a form of absolutism, but different by the fact that the lower placed virions aren't just the king's followers. To mutant kings, his virions are his children and it's his duty to teach and guide them in all their lives. He shows them his love and compassion, and he's very concerned about their safety and well-being. He also respects them as much as they respect him in return for their service within the pack, and virions have the right to disagree with their king or refuse to obey him (if there's a good reason to, because pure laziness or disrespect for no reason aren't allowed of course).
D614G mutants have more diverse types of personalities than wild-types. While D614G mutants are known to be so kind and compassionate toward pack-mates, there are a few virions who might develop nasty personalities, and therefore they might be exceptionally bad or ill-minded kings. Lower placed virions might have nasty traits that may cause them to think bad about their king, or it's just because they can't get along with him very well, as virions also can't like everyone they meet in their lives.
The mutant virion who first introduced enlightened absolutism, was King Matthias. He was the second virion born with the D614G mutation, but the first who created a whole pack and was so sweet to his virions.
Pack And Hierarchy
A pack is a family which mainly exist of virions who are all related to the King who originally founded it. In rare cases, a lost or orphaned pup of a different pack may be adopted. Go to Viral Social Systems to read about the hiararchy of members of the Orthocoronavirinae (search for 'Monarchy' on this page).
Communication
SARS-CoV-2 has several different ways of communication; its own first language, human language, body language and telepathy. Below are list of these types of communications, though only with the special things included... because I want to keep the lists short. Most noises and body language are the same as the animals SARS-CoV-2's design is based on in the comic. So, just look up dog or wolf communication and you'll find what I left out here :)
Original language (animal noises)- Roaring - Sounds like a tiger's growling noise. King uses this noise mostly when there are enough other adult pack-mates. It is used as a battle cry and it prompts all of his virions to attack. In case he's alone, he does this to appear extra threathening and tries to scare away cells, as the latter will think that they'll be jumped by the king's knights. So, this noise may be both used as an order or a bluff.
- Roar-barking - Similar to the roar-barking of a maned wolf, but much lower pitched. King uses this to silence all virions at once.
- Calling Pups - Sounds like a deep and short 'hwrooo'. Virion keeps his head low and howls repeatedly. All virions use this noise to call all of their pups at once and pups learn to recognize and only respond to the call of their own father.
- Purring - Sounds like a cat's purr. Only Prince Scratcher is known to purr and he does this when he's happy or content, but also when he's scared/stressed out, in pain or not feeling well in general. So, purring may be his unique coping mechanism as well.
- Hissing - Sounds like a snake's hissing when trying to appear extra threatening, or as a cat's shorter spitting hiss when startled or angered. Only Prince Scratcher is known to hiss.
King (larger virion) is scent-flagging his lead-heir.
Other (body language, use of scents etc.)
- Snout Biting - Friendly intention in dogs, aggressive way of teaching the other some respect in SARS-CoV-2. May become so violent that injuries may be involved even! However, the punished virion must've done something really outrageous for him to be bitten on the snout. All virions can do this to an another virion who's ranking lower than him.
- Scent-flagging - Only the King does this. King rubs his peplomers on all of his virions to leave his scent on them. The virions then rub themselves against the host's tissue to mark the territory with their King's scent, and when virions of an another pack meet them, the first scent they pick up is the one of the King. This way, the scent works kinda like a business card. King often sniffs his virions to check up on the scent flags he left, and if they seem to fade, he'll apply a new one. Lower placed virions stand and bow their heads while they let the king do his thing, but the lead-heir may 'hug' the king back, especially if the lead-heir has a strong bond with the king (see picture).
- Telepathy - Only D614G mutant variants are able to also communicate by using telepathy! They mainly do this while hunting, so that cells can't hear them talking to each other. But, they have the ability to break into the minds of cells too, and they do this specifically when they WANT cells to hear them, to play tricks on their minds or to make them do things without the cell's own knowledge (the cell completely blacks out for as long the virion has full telepathic control over their mind and body).
Virions can also break into the mind of an another virion and gain full control over them. Especially the king is able to this without any probelem, but most kings value the privacy and respect for their virions (besides, breaking into the mind of pack-mates without their consent, causes mistrust and rebellion against him if they find out. No king wants that!). Lower placed virions are technically able to do this too, but their minds are less strong than the king's mind, and most virions in turn are strong enough to block the attempts of other lower placed virions.
Hunting and Tropism
SARS-CoV-2 mostly hunts in groups, but sometimes alone. Lone virions and young Kings who don't have created a pack yet, are examples of virions who hunt alone. The virus mainly infect cells that express angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE-2) on their surface, which are pneumocytes (lungs) and epithelial cells (heart) respectively. Other cells that can be infected are fat cells, interstitial macrophages, dendritic cells and neurons. Cells that lack certain proteins that the virus needs to bind to aren't infectable, and thus will be killed instantly.
Infection, Replication and Pups
When infecting a cell, a virion holds on to them and bite. When biting, the virion's teeth will lock and press onto the cell's ACE-2. This causes the area between the pressed down ACE-2 particles to soften and allow the virion to push the cell's skin into their body with his tongue. The virion will secrete some RNA from pores on the sides of the tongue into the pressed down skin. The cell will finish the infection process by forming a vesicle around the RNA and transporting it to a ribosome inside their body (endocytosis). Ribosomes, rough endoplasmic reticulum and golgi apparatus then will start the transcribing process and forming of the virion's pups. 24 hours after infection, a litter of thousands to millions of pups will bud from the infected cell. This process is called exocytosis and appears like the pups grow on the outside of the cell's membrane, until they fall off. It doesn't kill the infected cell right away, though the cell eventually dies of exhaustion due to using up all the sources to produce the virion's young. When budding, pups take a part of the cell's membrane in order to create their own lipid bilayer (envelope), which is basically an extra layer of skin.
Wild-type virions usually don't take care of their pups for long. They ditch them in the nursery as soon as their eyes open, and they will never come back for them. D614G mutant virions will intensively care for their pups, even when the latter have grown into adults.
Cyncytia
SARS-CoV-2's D614G mutant form is one of some viruses known to cause syncytia. When a cell has been infected, filopodia start to grow from their body. Filopodia are tentacle-like organs which are made from a mutant gene in the virus's genome and, while not being alive, they seem to have a mind of their own. They constantly move around as they're 'scanning' the area. When they sense a cell, but not the same type as the one they're growing from, they will ignore the cell and continue moving around. When they sense a cell of the same type as the one they're growing from, they will stop moving and point to the cell's direction in a magnetized-like manner. Even following the cell around like an object would do when you hold a magnet near and move it around it. Once the cell comes too close, the filopodia will grab on to the cell and drag them closer to the infected cell, until they start to fuse together.
Filopodia will infect the grabbed cell while dragging them closer to the already infected cell. Once fused into one larger cell, not only the nucleus has been duplicated, the organs that SARS-CoV-2 uses for replication also has been duplicated. This means that the virus's litter size doubles too. For this reason, syncytia are more specifically known as 'viral factories'. A viral factory is a stealthy way to infect multiple cells at once, often without any intervention by immune cells.
Filopodia have the same 'pole' as the virus itself, and thus a virion will have a rather repellent effect on them. It doesn't matter if the virion is the one who infected the cell or not.
Mutations
Being a RNA virus, SARS-CoV-2 is quite unstable genetically-wise. It constantly developes new mutations and at a much faster rate than most other viruses. This is a reason why new variants emerge so shortly after the other for example. Mutations can be in the virus's advantage, as is the case with the infamous D614G mutation, but it can be bad too.
Mutations are mainly changes or deletions in a virus's proteins, but may also be (re)combinations between different variants of the same species or even other species. Combinations between different species cause hybrids and new species. SARS-CoV-2 itself may have been the result of a combination between two other coronavirus species, which co-infected the same host at the time of its emergence.
In Virus Attack's world, bad mutations are the cause of both physical and mental conditions seen in some characters. These mutations may be inheritable too, but due to the virus's proofreading ability, said mutations are often deleted from the genetic makeup of new generations. It isn't entirely gone, but rather 'skipped' by most litters of a carrier of the mutation. Sometimes, a mutation may occur only once. Prince Scratcher's ERS (Epileptic Rage Syndrome) is an extremely rarily inherited mutated gene, as no other of his featured descendants express it, until a pup born somewhere in summer 2021 (long after the events of Virus Attack, and basically around a thousand years since Prince Scratcher's death, if you look at it from the virus's perspective).
Diseases
SARS-CoV-2 in general is a quite healthy virus, but individual virions can become sick due to exposure to something or a badly healing injury. It can get Acid Disease from exposure to the host's stomach acid. Acid Disease is strongly similar to stomach torsion (or 'bloat') in animals, but in microbes this bloating is rather caused by gases and smoke building up from burning insides of the affected individual. Stomach acid causes severe burn wounds on microbes, when they get exposed to it on the outside. Acid Disease, both the outside and bloating form, can be cured with an almond milk-based antidote, which Bifidobacteria may have this antidote in their inventorium sometimes. The bloat form of this disease will end in the lysis (fatal rupture) of the affected virion if help doesn't come in time!
A disease similar to cancer is rare, but does occur. Cancerous growths may be seen on virions whose proteins have spontaneously become corrupted and started to infect other protein chains and stick together. Just like animals, virions seem very sick and may lose weight when they have cancer. Growths can be removed, but because microbes can't use chemo's, so affected virions are doomed to die.
Age-related diseases or conditions may occur too, such as dementia, cataracts, arthritis/arthrosis, decrease in hearing and/or vision etc.
D614G mutants perform 'mercy killing' on terminally ill pack-mates or those are in too much pain and/or slowly dying a painful death.
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Eyes
The virus has almond shaped eyes and vertical slit pupils (like cats and foxes). Inside the eyes, behind the retina, is a layer of iridescent colors that reflect light. This layer is called the tapetum lucidum. The tapetum lucidum makes it possible to see better in darkness and, when a little light shines on the eyes, the reflection of it makes the pupils appear to glow.
The virus can't see well from a great distance due to naturally being born nearsighted. Chances are that, when a cell stands completely still in front of a virion at a certain distance, the virion can't see them. Especially red blood cells can do this, even when standing closer to the virion, because they blend in with the reddish colored surroundings. The virus is a dichromat, which means that it perceives the world in only two color hues, while other colors appear either yellowish or brownish (green and red) or blueish (purple/violet).
The eyes come in many different colors and different shades of said colors, but the most common colors are yellow and red. Other colors are green, brown and amber. More rare colors are blue, teal and purple. Especially purple is an extremely rare eye color. SARS-CoV-2 is prone to heterochromia too. This causes both eyes to have two different colors, or the iris to have two colors. This doesn't affect the eyes in any bad way, as heterochromia on its own isn't a disease, but it can be part of a disease if said disease causes damaging color changes in the eyes. The heterochromia described here is harmless and rather just a cool trait that a virion may be born with.
Virions have transparent nictitating membranes, which they use as 'diving goggles' when they dive under water. These membranes protect their eyes and help virions see clearly under water.
Ears
SARS-CoV-2's hearing is similar to that of a dog, and thus 4 times better than human and cell hearing range. Virions can pick up tones that are between 67 Hz and 45,000 Hz in frequency. They can also hear noises that are otherwise inaudible to humans and cells, and noises that are far away.
Probiotic gut bacteria, who mastered the ability to make usable objects, sometimes make so called 'covid-flutes' which produce high-pitched tones. They and cells can't hear those tones, but SARS-CoV-2 can. Covid-flutes are meant to scare virions away, and bacteria may share these flutes with cells as a way to aid them in the battle against the virus, or as a protection against infection.
Ears come in all shapes and sizes, mostly similar to dog ears. Some virions, like the one pictured on above first image, can have pointy ears which look like they've been cropped (as seen in some dog breeds, like the dobermann or great dane), but aren't really. The pointy ears are just a design choice made by me, for the sake of diversity in character designs.
Ears can move to all direction. When trying to locate the source or direction of a picked up sound, the ears turn to that way. Movements or poses of the ears are also used in body language.
The ears can be closed whenever a virion dives under water. This is not only to prevent water entering the ears, but also to prevent the eardrums from being damaged by pressure. The ears can be closed off with a valve-like structure inside the ear canals. Same mechanic may be used when a virion is bothered by a too sharp, loud or simply annoying noise. So, basically, SARS-CoV-2 virions are born with built-in earplugs.
Nose
Like many animals, SARS-CoV-2 can pick up some pheromone-based scents with a specialized organ in their hard palate, the vomeronasal organ. They are sensitive to the pheromones of permissive cells too, which is why they know exactly which cell to select and infect.
Just like the ears, the nostrils can be closed off with valve-like structures. This is so water won't be able to enter the nostrils.
Taste
Given it doesn't need to eat, SARS-CoV-2 evolved to have no taste buds. Virions don't taste anything when they do lick at something.
Whiskers
The virus can feel vibrations with its whiskers. Virions specifically make use of this ability to 'see' the distance between them and an obstacle, in places where it's so dark that even they can't see anything.
Spike Glyco-protein
The Spike-glyco Protein, also known as S-protein or just S, is SARS-CoV-2's most important protein. It is mostly pointy and sharp (hence the name Spike protein), and a virion uses this protein when he binds to and infects a cell. The protein is devided into two parts, S1 and S2. S2 forms the teeth and claws, while S1 forms the tongue.
The claws look like dog claws, but can have various natural lengths. All virions have claws, but some virions have claws so short that they're almost not visible or completely hidden in the fur on the toes. Virions that appear to be clawless have paws that are referred to as 'cotton paws' due to the soft and harmless look of the paws. Most virions have claws about the same length as dog claws, and some may have 'bear claws', which are really long and sharp. Like dog claws, the claws of virions will wear out over time, but less than dog claws because the ground virions walk on is rather soft, compared to sidewalks. For this reason, the claws don't make the same characteristic tappy noises when a virion walks, unless he's walking on a hardened surface (e.g. bones, teeth).
Claws are black or at least dark colored on most black/dark colored virions, but there are virions with lighter colored claws too. Lighter or white colored virions usually have lighter colored claws, but there may be virions with black colored claws. Albino virions always have lighter colored claws due to their lack of pigmentation.
S1 looks just like a dog's tongue when in rest, when the virion is panting or when he's licking. It looks more stake-shaped when a virion tenses the muscles. The stake tongue will be used in battles with cells and thus causing damage. It is used during infection when also the receptor binding domain and RNA pores are activated. When infecting, the stake tongue won't be damaging to the cell at all. The tongue is blueish-purple in color, sometimes with darker colored spots on it. Albino's have a pink colored tongue.
The receptor binding domain (RBD) is a thorn-shaped protrusion on the tongue, which is retracted and thus not visible when the virion isn't infecting a cell. The RBD works like a barb and keeps the tongue in place during infection. Only this part of the tongue could do damage to the host-cell's membrane, in case an another cell would try to remove the virion. Opened RNA pores look like black dots on each side of the stake tongue and they secrete a bit of the virion's blood (RNA) into a pit in the host-cell's membrane. This isn't harmless to the virion. Like the RBD, the pores aren't visible when the virion isn't infecting.
Membrane Protein
The Membrane protein, also known as Matrix protein, M-protein or just M, are small protrusions found on the outer surface of a virion in real life. In this fictional version however, it appears to be a virion's fur, and due to mutations, M-protein may come in many different forms and lengths. M-protein in SARS-CoV-2 is similar to dog fur regarding structure and touch from the perspective of other residents of the microscopic world.
However, most human non-immune cells believe that viruses (SARS-CoV-2 included) must feel painfully rough and ice cold to the touch, despite their fur or feathers appearing rather soft and warm. This probably comes from the fact that most viruses display some spike-like protrusions and that they are known to be cold-blooded (can't regulate their own body temperature by themselves). Most furred or feathered viruses feel soft and warm, because of the structure of their proteins and the fact that their bodies adapt to be the same as their host's body temperature.
A virion's coat is there to keep him warm with warmer air trapped underbeneath it, during times when the host's body temperature drops a bit. Or keep him cool with trapped colder air, during times when the temperature rises a bit. It doesn't isolate from too cold (when outside host), or too hot (when host developes a fever) temperatures. However, a virion survives too cold temperatures by going into a state of torpor (programmed coma), while too hot temperatures may kill him. Especially virions with a relatively thick coat are sensitive to too hot temperatures.
It also is water resistent and prevents the skin from getting wet. The hairs themselves do in fact get wet when the virion is swimming, but because it is covered in an oily substance, it dries relatively quick. When out of the water, hairs stick together to form 'spikes', which helps water leaving the virion's coat much easier, which is why the coat dries so fast. Unlike dog coats though, the coats of SARS-CoV-2 virions are denser and lay more flat against the body, which is why it protects the skin from getting wet.
The Membrane proteins of young pups aren't as well developed, and thus they can get cold or wet more easily. Pups may even go in a state of torpor or become temporarily paralyzed due to mild hypothermia, if not protected well enough during their host's slight temperature drops.
Types Of Membrane ProteinsMembrane proteins come in various types and/or structures;
- Short - The smallest type of Membrane proteins. Comes in two sub-varieties; normal and smooth (or satin). The normal short coat is very similar to the fur of dogs like the dobermann or (short coat jack russel), whereas the smooth variety seems more sleek. The smooth variety has thinner hairs and displays a more glossy, satin-like gloss to it (hence why it is also known as 'satin'). Both variety isolate poorly against colder temperatures, but more so in the smooth variety, and virions with this type of coat may try to stay warm by curling up to their thick-coated pack-mates when the host's body temperature is lower.
- Long - The longest type of Membrane Protein. Comes in two sub-varieties; normal and silky. The normal long coat appears straight, while the silky variety is more wavey and glossy, and softer to the touch. This coat isolates quite well against colder temperatures, but less against warmer temperatures. Like the smooth coat though, the silky coat has somewhat poorer isolation against cold temperatures, due to the hairs being thinner.
- Double - Wooly undercoat with longer, tougher hairs (guard hairs) laying flat over it. Comes in four varieties; short, natural, half-long and long. The short coat is similar to the coat of a labrador retriever, while the natural is more similar to that of a German shepherd or wolf. Half-long and long looks similar to long-hair German shepherds. Virions with this type of coat are notorious shedders, especially when they live during certain periods of the year, they shed A LOT of their underwool. Best isolation against both colder and warmer temperatures!
- Wired - Also known as 'rough' due to the rougher structure. Comes in two varieties; normal and long. The coat looks spiky, and slightly longer in the long variety. Hairs are usually longer on snout and chin, as well as above the eyes. So, it appears as if these virions have a thick mustache, beard and eyebrows. This coat doesn't isolate well against both colder and warmer temperatures, though it's better at it than the smooth coat. It may not be good at protecting the virion's skin from getting wet when its structure is too spiky.
- Curled Very similar to wired, but curled. Can ve seen as just a curly variety of the wired even. The curled coat also has a mustache, beard and eyebrows, but somewhat shorter. Has better isolation to both colder and warmer temperatures than the wired, and protects the skin from getting wet due to the hairs laying closer to it.
Most virions are born melanistic, which means that they're entirely black. But, the ones who aren't melanistic may come in various colors. Colors are the same as seen in dogs, including the same morphs and/or markings. Some colors and/or markings may be fictional and thus applying only to this version of SARS-CoV-2, as they aren't found in dogs. Below are pictures of coat colors and markings.
Envelope Protein
The Envelope Protein, also known as Small Envelope Protein, E-protein or just E, are the three tails. E is long in most virions, but some virions may have shorter tails. In rare cases, a virion may have bobtails. Virions with long tails also often have prehensile tails to, and can grab or hold on to others or objects with their tails. They may use their tails as a safety rope when walking on branch-like parts in their host's body, and they can even hang from their tails.
E is an organ for balance, as seen in many animals with tails, but it can be used for various other reasons too, such as a rope around a cell during infection, as stirs while swimming and of course as a tool in body language. E has the same meanings as in dog body language.
E appears segmented in virions who have shorter or less dense fur on their tails. Virions with bushy E don't have visible segmenting (it is there though, but just not visible under all the fur). When E is of medium length, it may appear more similar to a dog's tail and also come in the same shapes.
Nucleocapsid
Ever seen green colored 'intestines' coming out of a virion in Virus Attack? That's the Nucleocapsid, also known as N-protein or just N. The nucleocapsid isn't actually the virus's intestines, given it lacks a metabolism and thus not needing gastrointestinal organs. But yeah... I kinda made it look that way. Anyway, N is a protective protein, as it encapsulates the concentrated form of the virus's RNA. When infecting a cell, bits of the RNA is lost, but with the help of RNA replicase (blood), N reconstructs it when the virion is resting. When a virion infects multiple cells in a row, but doesn't take time to rest, he'll die due to the loss of too much RNA. For this reason, virions usually don't infect too many cells, and the king will bring along almost his entire pack when he wants many cells to be infected. This way, virions who have infected two or three cells will have time to reconstruct their RNA, while infection of as many cells as possible will still be ongoing by (re)charged pack-mates.
Other Proteins
Next to the four main proteins, a lot of other types of proteins make up a virion's body too.
NSP'sNSP3 - Papain-like protease. This protein forms the muscles. Muscle mass differs per virions, as one seems bulkier than the other. The king virion has the strongest muscles and seems the most massive when standing next to his lower placed pack-mates.
NSP5 - Main protease (or Mpro). This protein forms the heart. It is literally the shape of a cartoon heart and located in the chest cavity of a virion. The heart is relatively large, which is an addaption to being semi-aquatic and needing to being able to hold the breath for a long time when hiding under water. A virion instantly dies once his heart stops beating. In the real SARS-CoV-2, this protein is also heart-shaped.
NSP9 - RNA replicase. This forms the green colored blood. It is used by the Nucleocapsid to reconstruct the RNA.
NSP7, NSP8 and NSP12 - NSP12 is also known as RdRP. These form the bones. Like in most animals, the skeleton (along with NSP3) forms the bodily features of a virion. The bones also protect the vital organs and Nucleocapsid of a virion.
NSP10 and NSP16 - NSP16 is also known as 2'-0-methyltransferase. These form the brains. The brain of SARS-CoV-2's mutant variants is somewhat larger than that of the original form. Especially for their telepathic ability, mutants use more of their brainpower than the original.
NSP13 - Helicase. This forms cartilage. Some parts of the skeleton and body are made of this protein.
NSP14 - ExoN. This forms the nervous system of a virion. This protein also has a proofreading ability during the embryonal stage of a virion. If everything goes right, ExoN should correct all defective mutations by deleting them from the virion's genetic makeup. Bad stuff added to the genes while within a host cell, such as anti-virals, will be be removed from the genes in the pups of targeted virions. This will cause the virus to build immunity to anti-virals and that's why it's so hard to make a good working and long lasting ant-viral drug against SARS-CoV-2.
NSP14 - NendoU. This forms the lungs. SARS-CoV-2 has a relatively large lung capacity, and the lungs aid a virion in manipulating his buoyancy while in water.
ORF7a
This protein forms the whiskers. Whiskers are thick hairs on the snout, chin, underside of the lower jaw, cheeks and above the eyes. Whiskers are very sensitive and are used for picking up vibrations in very deep (thus too dark) water. This way, a virion can 'see' who or what else is in the water and what the distance between the virion and the other virion or object is.
RNARibonucleic acid (RNA) contains SARS-CoV-2's genes. It is the only actual part which is infectious to cells and can be copied by them, which is why a virion uses it when he infects a cell. RNA looks similar to DNA, but because SARS-CoV-2 has a single stranded form of it, it doesn't look like the fusilli pasta structure we see in our own DNA.
GlycansSimple sugar molecules, or saccharides, functions as the virus's saliva. Glycans mimic those of healthy cells, and when a virion applies a glycan coating to his body, his scent disappears and he'll become invisible to cells. The same effect occurs when a virion applies it to an infected cell. Glycans don't work on healthy cells, but SARS-CoV-2 and infected cells become invisible because of the 'pattern' in molecules recognized as a healthy cell, not matching with those of the virion or a sick/infected cell underbeneath the coating.
Due to similarities in shape and build, SARS-CoV-2 moves the same way as dogs. Though, with the use of two extra front legs. Also like dogs, SARS-CoV-2 is digitigrade, meaning that virions walk on their toes, rather than on their entire feet (like humans do for example). This helps them to move faster, especially when running.
Gait
(Left) Double Suspension. (Right) Gallop.
The gait of SARS-CoV-2 virions is the same as in dogs, but with six legs. Gaits that are more related to a spific breed are also related to virions who resemble said breed, or at least look very similar. The double suspension is a type of gait more seen in virions who strongly resemble fast running sighthounds for example.
Swimming
The way SARS-CoV-2 swims at normal speed is similar to how a dog swims; slowly paddling with all paws. At full speed though, a virion usually keeps his front legs pressed against the body, while his rear end moves up and down and his back legs make backward kicking movements in order to propel the body forward. Because the paws are equipped with webbing, virions basically use them as paddles while swimming. While under water, the tails move like snakes and synchronized, and they are used as stirs when the virion needs to quickly make a turn. Though, this is best visible in virions with long tails.
Virions with upright standing ears keep their ears flattened against their neck. Like keeping the front legs pressed against the body, flattening the ears helps with making the body as streamlined as possible, and thus reaching higher speed under water.
Walking On Walls And Ceiling?
Thanks to the hair-like structure on the pawpads, virions are able to perfectly stick to walls and ceiling like a gecko or spider. They can also walk on walls and ceiling, but they'll move in a more lizard-like way, because walking normally is harder due to gravity pulling at their body weight. This way, even the heaviest virions can stick and walk on walls and ceiling.
Notable Mutant Variants
You've most likely heard of the Alpha, Gamma, Delta or Omicron variants during the pandemic. These appear in Virus Attack too, but they're not noticable other by certain distinct personality traits. On the outside, they look like typical SARS-CoV-2 virions. Below is a list of variants, their signature mutation (next to D614G) and their peronality traits. Also how much more infectious and virulent (damaging) they are than the wild-type, and how much more hospitalisations they cause, when and where they started to outcompete each other and if they still circulate. Of some variants is this all unknown or varying on websites that I use for said info, so I decided to either use the most used info or I added a '?' in case I really couldn't find it anywhere.
- B.1.112 (Prota, original D614G mutant)
- B.1.1.7 (Alpha)
- B.1.351 (Beta)
- P.1 (Gamma)
- B.1.617.2 (Delta)
- B.1.427 and B.1.429 (both are Epsilon)
- P.2 (Zeta)
- BA.1 (original Omicron)
SARS-CoV-2 has officially become endemic all over the world and still causes 'waves' of infections every year, though not as much and lethal as it did back in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It has lost its Category A status since it became milder and less lethal to most people, which is why it is now treated the same as other yearly recurring viruses, such as influenza, rhinovirus and RSV. Like most viruses, it isn't loved by humans.
Humans either receive vaccinations to prevent severe symptoms caused by this virus or they use anti-viral medication when infected. Despite this, SARS-CoV-2 is still a globally successful and thriving species.
Related Species
SARS-CoV-2 is closely related to most other members of the Sarbecovirus subgenus, including SARS-CoV-1 (79% identical nucleotides).
There are two other viruses which are even more closely related. RaTG13 (96,1% identical nucleotides) and BANAL-52 (96,8% identical nucleotides). Like SARS-CoV-2, RaTG13 and BANAL-52 are native to horseshoe bats.