Exceptional enrichment of rare C-to-G transversions in the SARS-CoV-2 Delta spike
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SARS-CoV-2 evolution is constrained by strong mutational biases, with C→G transversions being exceptionally rare. We show that this constraint is uniquely violated in the Delta variant spike, where C→G substitutions are significantly enriched compared with inter- and intra-lineage backgrounds. This deviation highlights an unusual evolutionary trajectory with potential epidemiologic significance.
