Coronavirus mutation could threaten the race to develop vaccine

[Initech]

A coronavirus strain isolated in India carried a mutation that could upend vaccine development around the globe, according to researchers from Australia and Taiwan.

The non-peer reviewed study said the change had occurred in part of the spike protein that allows the virus to bind with certain human cells.

This structure targets cells containing ACE2, an enzyme found in the lungs which also allowed the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) virus to infect people.

Scientists know more about this receptor than any other so had been working on antibodies that target it, but an unexpected structural change could render them useless.

The researchers – led by Wei-Lung Wang, from the National Changhua University of Education in Taiwan, and collaborators from Murdoch University in Australia – said this was the first report of a significant mutation that could threaten development of a vaccine for the virus that causes Covid-19.

“The observation of this study raised the alarm that Sars-CoV-2 mutation with varied epitope [something an antibody attaches itself to] profile could arise at any time,” they wrote in a paper released on preprint review site biorxiv.org on Saturday.

“[This] means current vaccine development against Sars-CoV-2 is at great risk of becoming futile.”
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3079678/coronavirus-mutation-threatens-race-develop-vaccine

Damn it, this does not bode well.

[Laelth]

1. k&r for visibility. n/t

-Laelth

[VMA131Marine]

2. A vaccine for COVID19...

would be the first ever developed for any type of coronavirus.

[DarthDem]

3. As usual, more hopeful information the further you read along:

The findings of the new study, which was not peer-reviewed, will need further verification. For instance, there was a possibility that the mutation was caused by a technical error during the sequencing process, according to the researcher, who requested not to be named due to the sensitivity of the issue.

He also said the results produced by the computer simulation may be misleading.

“Laboratory experiments will be needed to verify whether the protein changes in real life,” said the researcher.

Benjamin Neuman, professor and chair of biological sciences with the Texas A&M University in Texarkana, said the mutation appeared to be random, not the result of natural selection by the immune system because there were no more variants in that part of the spike than elsewhere in the genome.

He also agreed that the computer modeling might need improvement. "The mutation could make a small difference in binding affinity, though the actual effect of this mutation would be difficult to predict and would be better tested experimentally," Neuman said.

[Initech]

5. I first saw this on Fox so I had to do a bit of further Googling to find a more accurate source.

Good to know that this will aid rather than hinder. I think that might be a misleading headline.

[RKP5637]

11. Phew!!! Glad to hear! n/t

[jberryhill]

4. The same mutation, though, could render the mutated form to be less of a threat

"Without this bond, the virus may be less likely to bind with ACE2, or angiotensin converting enzyme-2, which is found in the lungs and other organs."

[Initech]

6. Interesting.

I'm all for finding whatever kills this virus so we can get back to life.

[DarthDem]

16. Exactly

The headline is depressing. That's what gets clicks these days. Then you read the article and you find that the headline is totally misleading. In a by-now familiar pattern, the detail in the article either mitigates the depressing headline or even sometimes (as here) actually completely contradicts it!

[cayugafalls]

7. Seems like there is some questions on the veracity of the genome sequencing.

We need more information, but this is indeed a nasty virus that seems to be charting its own path with over 3500 mutations thus far, according to the article.

We can just hope that something can be done.

If not, welcome to the new normal.

[intrepidity]

8. This is the reason for social distancing

The very best argument against allowing the virus to burn through a population (aside from, obviously, the huge death toll) is exactly this: RNA viruses experience an enormous mutation rate. The more they reproduce, the more they mutate.

You want to have a vaccine in hand before the virus mutates to a form that the vaccine cannot protect against.

[Initech]

9. So we're basically stuck in our houses until there's a vaccine?

Great.

[intrepidity]

12. I'm just reporting the facts of viral replication and mutation

The more opportunities the virus has to mutate (each infection), the more chances it *may* mutate to an even worse form.

There is no benefit to "just allowing" a virus like this to run freely through a population. I'm just trying to explain why that is, because it's not intuitive to everyone.

[Turin_C3PO]

13. Sadly,

I think that’s the way it’s going to be for those of us who are vulnerable. It definitely sucks, though.

[RKP5637]

10. I had wondered about that. Thanks for posting!!!

[Maru Kitteh]

14. Well hell. Add this to my list of nausea-causing news. What about ARB's and ACE inhibitors?

Should those medications be stopped?

I'm going to go take a shower. This day . . . . has issues.

[Initech]

15. This entire month has blown. And it just gets worse every day.

[jberryhill]

17. On ACE inhibitors

There are reasons to believe they could hurt or help, but the current advice is to continue with any medications you normally take.

Men with heart conditions are a high risk group. Men with heart conditions tend to be taking ACE inhibitors. Whether those two things have anything to do with each other is an open question. However, obviously if you have been prescribed ACE inhibitors there is no reason to believe you should not take them.