Coronavirus study: more robust spike protein behind faster spread of variants

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A more robust spike protein could be the secret to the ability of newer COVID-19 variants to spread faster than the original strain, according to a new study.

Led by Professor Bing Chen, professor of pediatrics at Boston Children’s Hospital, the study looked at changes in peak proteins belonging to the D614G mutation, which is achieved by the Brazilian variants of South Africa and the United Kingdom. .

All of these variations are known to spread more easily compared to the original strain.

According to these results, which were published in the academic journal Science, the spike protein from the original strain would occasionally collapse on itself before it could properly bind to ACE2 receptors in a human host, meaning it would not fuse properly with cells . But this problem seems to have been corrected in the variants carrying the D614G mutation. However, these tips do not bond as well as the original variant.

“Let’s say the original virus has 100 peaks,” Chen explained in a press release. “Due to the instability of the shape, you can have only 50 percent of them functional. In the G614 variants, you can have 90% that are functional, so even if they don’t bond as well, the chances are greater that you have an infection. “

As news of the variants first surfaced, many expressed concern that existing COVID-19 vaccines would not be able to provide protection against this one. However, Chen and his team say that shouldn’t be a problem, because any vaccine based on the peak – and the Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all based on the peak – is actually more likely to be vaccinated against. the virus.



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