LUBBOCK, Texas — For some COVID-19 patients, getting over their infection is just the beginning of the recovery. Over the last year, COVID “long haulers” have continued experiencing a variety of symptoms months after the virus clears. These include anything from skin problems, to shortness of breath, to losing the sense of taste or smell. Now, researchers say they may know why this is happening. A new study finds coronavirus actually causes long-term changes to an infected patient’s genes.

Specifically, scientists reveal the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, creates long-lasting changes to human gene expression. These tiny spikes cover the surface of coronavirus cells. They allow the virus to bind to certain receptors on human cells and hijack their functions — leading to COVID infection. Once the spike cuts into a patient’s cells, the virus releases its own genetic material into the cell so it can replicate.

“We found that exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein alone was enough to change baseline gene expression in airway cells,” explains Nicholas Evans, a master’s student at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, in a media release. “This suggests that symptoms seen in patients may initially result from the spike protein interacting with the cells directly.”