Are vaccines in danger?
Scientists have found that the coronavirus has mutated and become more contagious
Sofia Jabotinskaya, Naked Science
Scientists from the Los Alamos National Laboratory of the USA (LANL) published a report on this on the bioRxiv preprint portal Korber et al., Spike mutation pipeline reveals the emergence of a more transmissible form of SARS-CoV-2). Researchers warn that if the coronavirus does not weaken over the summer, like seasonal flu, it can have unpleasant consequences.
The new strain began spreading across Europe in early February, and then migrated to other parts of the world, including the United States, and by the end of March had become the global dominant form of the virus. If mutations continue at the same rate, and it becomes easier to get infected, this may threaten the vaccines currently being developed.
It is worth emphasizing that the work has not yet been reviewed, but the researchers noted that the news about the mutation was "urgent." More than 100 vaccines to prevent Covid-19 are currently under development.
"This is hard news. But please don't be upset," comments the lead author of the work, bioinformatician Bette Korber. –Our team at LANL was able to document this mutation and its impact on transmission [of the virus] only thanks to the huge global efforts of clinicians and experimental groups who are sequencing new mutations of the virus (SARS-CoV-2) in their local communities and making [this data] available as quickly as possible."
SARS-CoV-2 virus S-protein mutation sites. A drawing from an article in bioRxiv.
In early March, Chinese researchers announced the discovery of two different types of a new coronavirus. According to the study, approximately 70% of the analyzed samples were more aggressive, while 30% were associated with a less aggressive type. It was found that the most aggressive and deadly strain spread in the early stages of the outbreak in Wuhan, the Chinese city where the virus first appeared.
Researchers from Los Alamos, with the support of scientists from Duke and Sheffield Universities in England, were able to analyze thousands of coronavirus sequences collected as part of GISAID, a global initiative to share data on all types of influenza. Thanks to this organization, scientists have the opportunity to quickly exchange information about all changes in influenza and coronavirus viruses.
Researchers have already identified 14 mutations. They concern changes in S-protein, a complex multicomponent molecule that allows SARS–CoV-2 to enter host cells.
The more open and coordinated the work of scientists around the world is, the sooner and more effectively it will be possible to take measures that will allow us to return to a "peaceful" mode of life.
As of May 6, more than 3.74 million cases of coronavirus infection have been diagnosed in the world, more than 249 thousand people have died. For Russia, according to official data, these are 165929 and 1537 people, respectively.
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