One simple point mutation caused the pandemic​ ​

[John Clark]

A new study in the July 6 issue of the journal "Cell" indicates that one single point mutation in a Covid virus's RNA that is common in bats caused the worldwide pandemic. That mutation caused the RNA base Adenine to change to the RNA base Guanine, and that resulted in the RNA producing a protein in which the amino acid Threonine is replaced by the amino acid Alanine, and that produced a change in the virus's outer coat. And that new variation of COVID is what we now call COVID-19. The pre-mutation version had sugars at certain spots on the virus's protein receptor spikes that prevented the virus from latching onto human cells and infecting them, but the mutation produced a modified protein that removed those sugars that had gotten in the way, and so nothing prevented the virus from latching on and infecting people. It is still not clear when or where this mutation occurred. 

A selective sweep in the Spike gene has driven SARS-CoV-2 human adaptation.

John K Clark    See what's on my new list at  Extropolis

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