New strain of coronavirus affect vaccination or not?

 

New strain of coronavirus affect vaccination or not?

Is new strain of coronavirus change the vaccine pattern. ?

The coronavirus variant circulating in the UK is defined by many mutations. Which ones are of particular concern? Why has WHO advised that it may evade some PCR tests and can it impact vaccination?

In Emerging information about the new variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 circulating in the UK, one mutation has been of particular concern. The variant, called VUI 202012/01 and reported as being capable of transmitting faster among people is defined by as many as 14 mutations and three deletions in its genetic material. Of particular concern is one mutation, N501Y. While the variant’s potential to impact testing and vaccination results are still being studied, health authorities are largely optimistic that most tests and vaccine swill still work.

What is a mutation?

A mutation means an alteration in genetic material. In an RNA virus such as SARS-CoV-2, proteins are made of a sequence of amino acids. Such a virus contains some 30,000 base pairs, which are like bricks placed next to each other to form a structure. An alteration in this base can be a mutation, effectively changing the shape and behaviour of the virus. In the UK variant, one mutation has made the virus more likely to bind with human proteins called receptors. This is called N501Y.

What is N501Y?

In simple terms, the amino acid represented by the letter N and present in the 501st place in the genetic structure of the coronavirus, is replaced by another amino acid, represented by Y. The position at which this change occurs in the spike The protein binding domain. (It is a viral spike protein that binds to the human receptor.)

Thus, mutations have increased coronavirus binding binding. The mutated virus is reported to have infected 60% of new infections in London. According to the Global Initiative on Sharing Avian Influenza Data (GISAID) database, similar mutations in the receptor binding center have been reported independently in many countries including South Africa and Australia. Sequential sequences have shown that this transformation emerged differently in the UK and South Africa.

What about the other mutations?

Genetic mutations are common, but most of them do not cause mutations in the protein structure around them - these are called ‘similar’ mutations, as they eventually convert to the same amino acids. Another type is a ‘different’ transformation, which can cause a change in amino acids.

In the rotating revolution in the UK, there are six similar changes and fourteen different changes. In addition, there are three 'removal' - amino acids are removed sequentially. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), with the exception of N501Y, mutations that can contribute to human transmission are P681H and HV69 / 70.

And what are P681H and HV69/70?

P681H: This mutation occurs in the existing amino acid at 681 - another position in the receptor binding domain. Here the amino acid P is inserted into the H. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has described the site as having "high variability in coronaviruses", and some mutations have appeared spontaneously.

The WHO said the mutation was "very important for biology". Previous researchers have shown that this mutation could promote the entry of epithelial cells into the respiratory tract and transfer of species. Recent samples followed at the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, at Redeemer's University, Nigeria showed a P681H sequence there.

However, the researchers said at the moment, "they have no evidence that the variant of P681H contributes to increasing the transmission of the virus in Nigeria".

HV69/70: This mutation is the result of the removal of amino acids from 69 and 70 positions. These positions are also in the viral spike protein. This removal has also been observed in France and South Africa. This duplicate removal occurs spontaneously, and may lead to a change in the shape of (e.g., a change in the alignment) of the spike protein ”. Investigators on behalf of the COVID-19 Genomics Consortium UK (CoG-UK), which has redefined the new variety in the UK, said in their first report that the removal was also the result of a mink-related outbreak in Denmark.

In humans, this removal is associated with another mutation, N439K, which also occurs in the receptor binding domain. The WHO has indicated that this removal may affect the performance of other RTPCR tests detecting the novel coronavirus.

How can it affect RT-PCR tests?

The WHO said the removal of 69/70 positions was found to affect the performance of a particular diagnostic PCR as it meant using the 'S gene target' (in 'S' or spike protein). However, the WHO also stated, "most PCR assays around the world use multiple protocols so the impact of variability in testing is not expected to be significant".

The ICDC, in turn, said that more commercial PCR testing has more objectives where it detects the virus, so that even if mutations change one of the goals, other PCR targets will still work. In fact, infections caused by a new strain in the UK, were also detected by routine RT-PCR tests.

Laboratories using internal PCR tests aimed at type S of the virus should also be aware of this potential issue. In order to limit the impact of genetically engineered forces, a different approach as it refers to similarities or multiplex experiments targeting different genes is also recommended to allow for possible genetic discovery, the WHO has recommended.

Will it impact vaccine development?

The CDC said the vaccine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was "polyclonal", producing antibodies targeting several parts of the spike protein. “This virus may need to assemble a large number of mutations in spike proteins to prevent immune system-induced or autoimmune infections.

And WHO stated: “Laboratory studies continue to determine whether these different viruses have different biological properties or alter the effectiveness of the vaccine. There is not enough information yet to determine whether these differences are related to any change in the severity of the disease, the viral response or the effectiveness of the vaccine. ”