Genetic variant(s) of concern (VoC) of SARS-CoV-2 have been emerging worldwide due to mutations in the gene encoding spike glycoprotein. We performed comprehensive analyses of spike protein mutations in the significant variant clade of SARS-CoV-2, using the data available on the Nextstrain server. We selected various mutations, namely, A222V, N439K, N501Y, L452R, Y453F, E484K, K417N, T478K, L981F, L212I, N856K, T547K, G496S, and Y369C for this study. These mutations were chosen based on their global entropic score, emergence, spread, transmission, and their location in the spike receptor binding domain (RBD). The relative abundance of these mutations was mapped with global mutation D614G as a reference. Our analyses suggest the rapid emergence of newer global mutations alongside D614G, as reported during the recent waves of COVID-19 in various parts of the world. These mutations could be instrumentally imperative for the transmission, infectivity, virulence, and host immune system’s evasion of SARS-CoV-2. The probable impact of these mutations on vaccine effectiveness, antigenic diversity, antibody interactions, protein stability, RBD flexibility, and accessibility to human cell receptor ACE2 was studied in silico. Overall, the present study can help researchers to design the next generation of vaccines and biotherapeutics to combat COVID-19 infection.

Global temperature rise has become a critical challenge to agricultural sustainability, severely affecting crop growth, productivity, and survival. Human-induced climate change and greenhouse gas emissions cause heat stress, disrupting plant metabolism and physiology at all developmental stages from germination to harvest. Elevated temperatures during germination impair water uptake, enzyme activity, and energy metabolism, leading to poor or uneven seedling emergence. At key phases such as flowering and grain filling, heat stress limits photosynthesis and transpiration by inducing stomatal closure, restricting carbon dioxide intake, and reducing photosynthetic efficiency. The reproductive stage is particularly vulnerable to high temperatures, impairing pollen viability, preventing anther dehiscence, and reducing fertilization success. Membrane instability further accelerates chlorophyll degradation and leaf senescence. Heat stress also alters biochemical and hormonal balances by disrupting the synthesis and signaling of auxins, gibberellins, and abscisic acid (ABA). Elevated ABA promotes stomatal closure to enhance stress tolerance, while increased ethylene levels trigger premature leaf senescence and abscission. These hormonal shifts and oxidative stress hinder plant growth and reproduction, threatening global food security. Although plants employ adaptive mechanisms such as heat shock protein expression and stress-responsive gene regulation, current strategies remain inadequate, highlighting the urgent need for innovative approaches to improve crop resilience under rising temperatures.