COVID-19 Mutation Increases Infection Rate Says a Research Organization in the US

According to a study by a US research organization, the mutation in the SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the Coronavirus Disease or COVID-19, increases the chance of infection.

The Mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 Study

This study headed by Scripps Research Institute virologist Hyeryun Choe, Ph.D. and co-author Michael Farzan, Ph.D., co-chairman of the institute’s Department of Immunology and Microbiology is entitled, “The D614G mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein reduces S1 shedding and increases infectivity.”

Coronavirus Mutation Explained by Authors of the Study

“Viruses with this mutation were much more infectious than those without the mutation in the cell culture system we used.”

– Hyeryun Choe, Ph.D., Virologist at Scripps Research and senior author of the study

According to Choe, the genetic mutation increased the number of functional spikes on the surface of the coronavirus which allow the virus to bind to and infect cells.

Moreover, co-author Michael Farzan, Ph.D., further explained that these spikes are what give the coronavirus its crown-like appearance and enable it to latch onto target cell receptors called ACE2.

“The mutation, called D614G, provides greater flexibility to the spike’s ‘backbone’,” Farzan added. And with flexible spikes, the virus becomes much more stable, with less tendency to fall apart prematurely on its journey to infect a target cell.

“Over time, it has figured out how to hold on better and not fall apart until it needs to,” Farzan says. “The virus has, under selection pressure, made itself more stable.”

However, the researchers concluded that further studies will be necessary to determine the impact of this change on the nature and severity of COVID-19.”

About the Scripps Research Institute

Based on the Scripps Research overview, the Scripps Research Institute is ranked the most influential institution in the world for its impact on innovation.

They expand basic knowledge in the biosciences and use these advancements to develop innovations that improve wellbeing.

Furthermore, their researchers lead breakthrough studies that address the world’s most pressing health concerns.

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SOURCE

The Scripps Research Institute Study

The Scripps Research Institute, June 12, 2020

The Scripps Research Institute Official Facebook Page

The Scripps Research Institute, Official Twitter Account

The Scripps Research Institute, Hyeryun Choe, PhD

The Scripps Research Institute, Michael Farzan, PhD