Posted on 12/07/2021 10:03:14 PM PST by SeekAndFind
2 Jiahui Chen, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States.
3 Guo-Wei Wei, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States.
PMID: 34873910 DOI: ACS PUBLICATIONS
The importance of understanding SARS-CoV-2 evolution cannot be overlooked. Recent studies confirm that natural selection is the dominating mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 evolution, which favors mutations that strengthen viral infectivity.
Here, we demonstrate that vaccine-breakthrough or antibody-resistant mutations provide a new mechanism of viral evolution. Specifically, vaccine-resistant mutation Y449S in the spike (S) protein receptor-binding domain, which occurred in co-mutations Y449S and N501Y, has reduced infectivity compared to that of the original SARS-CoV-2 but can disrupt existing antibodies that neutralize the virus.
By tracking the evolutionary trajectories of vaccine-resistant mutations in more than 2.2 million SARS-CoV-2 genomes, we reveal that the occurrence and frequency of vaccine-resistant mutations correlate strongly with the vaccination rates in Europe and America.
We anticipate that as a complementary transmission pathway, vaccine-breakthrough or antibody-resistant mutations, like those in Omicron, will become a dominating mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 evolution when most of the world’s population is either vaccinated or infected.
Our study sheds light on SARS-CoV-2 evolution and transmission and enables the design of the next-generation mutation-proof vaccines and antibody drugs.
Good post. I linked that same abstract in the thread where I replied to you (and Owen) a few minutes. ago.
Thanks. I just saw your post after I posted this study, but the more we share, the more people get educated.
We got the Delta Variant without the help of the vaccine.
That’s a curious thing to say!
First identified in India in December 2020, Delta swept rapidly through that country and Great Britain before reaching the U.S. India did not have any vaccine at that time. So, with Delta we have an example of a mutant variant that did not come because of any vaccination program. As I said, we got the Delta Variant without the help of the vaccine.
Absolutely.
My fervent prayer is that the word spreads enough in the scientific community that they start looking for a way to kill these viruses, instead of just reducing the likelihood of dying from it. Then we might have a handle on stopping the mutations and variant breeding.
But prayers have a hard time against the greed of those individuals and companies that get rich selling the next vaccine-du-jour over and over and over. And the arrogance of those in the scientific community who have been co-opted by the sellers.
I got used to the idea of an annual flu shot, many years ago, and accepted that continuing mutations of the "cold/flu" viruses meant that any given year's shot was only a 50/50 hedge against the coming season's new variant. Like the technology of war, it's always evolving, and one must think ahead to avoid fighting the next war with the last war's weaponry.
Hopefully (?!?) Covid will end up like the cold/flu -- an annual shot that does some good. But it sure would be nice to find something that truly and effectively kills the damn stuff.
As long as the vaccine doesn’t mess with our genetic biochemistry. But the virus may also mutate itself out of pathogenecity. Mutation can go more ways then one( i.e. not always more virulent or more contagious). Example...where did MERS go?
MERS has dropped back to a very low threat level, but it's not gone. It's mostly confined to hospitals these days.
Not necessarily true.
I live in King County (Seattle).
Every day, and through out 2020, dozens of Asian Indian software engineers arrived at SeaTac airport or departed back to India.
Thousands of engineers and their families returned to India after being vaccinated in the USA.
It is also noteworthy that the Delta virus emerged in the same time period that Chinese and Indian soldiers were killing each other over a disputed border region.
It is entirely possible that the Delta variant emerged from the same lab that created COVID-zero, and that it was deliberately spread around India by the Chinese.
“So, with Delta we have an example of a mutant variant that did not come because of any vaccination program.”
Viruses tend to mutate, particularly coronaviruses, but a mutated variant would remain rare, or vanish, if it didn’t have the ability to replicate more effectively than the original form.
The vaccines create an artificial selection advantage for any variant that can elude the narrow immunity that they provide. That, I imagine, is how a rare variant in India became the dominant strain worldwide.
yup
It’s purely theoretical. A computer modeling article that uses antibodies in the model that are not induced by the vaccine.
It’s meaningless in real life.
MERS never became widespread. CDC suggests there is no record of community spread - all cases were traceable from the camels to an infected person and then to their immediate close contacts.
The variants are a result of eluding the natural immune system too. So. which promotes more mutations, natural or vaccine primed immunity?
That "rare variant" (i.e. the Delta Variant) emerged when India had no vaccines for COVID-19. In the case of the Delta Variant, it spread wildly throughout India and to the rest of the world, when vaccines were in their early stages of distribution. The mutation affected the transmittability of the virus. That's because the virus was more able to dock the Spike into the ACE-2 receptor. The Delta was a real super stud.
“The variants are a result of eluding the natural immune system too. So. which promotes more mutations, natural or vaccine primed immunity?”
I imagine that the vaccines would, because they exclusively target the spike protein. A couple of tweaks to that protein, via mutation, would make them much less effective, allowing the variant to thrive, relative to the original virus.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.