COVID-causing coronavirus following predictable mutational footsteps

New research has shown that the mutations arising in the COVID-19-causing SARS-CoV-2 virus seem to run in the family -- or at least the genus of coronaviruses most dangerous to humans. After comparing the early evolution of SARS-CoV-2 against that of its closest relatives, the betacoronaviruses, researchers found that SARS-CoV-2 mutations are occurring in essentially the same locations, both genetically and structurally.