Thx - helpful
NIH has tracked mutations in many (all?) genes in sars cov-2.
I looked at the spike protein mutations they have found, and there are thousands. it is a much smaller number of these mutations that are commonly recurring. (40ish)
The spike protein was a bad choice for a vaccine, because mutations there are less deleterious. IMO
It seems there are many sequencing exercises happening, and they are being tracked/cataloged.
Is the nucleoside sequence used in the vaccine being adjusted to the prevailing mutations, or are they still the original type from the wuhan lab?
It seems the vaccine would predictably lose efficacy if it stayed with a static nucleoside sequence. would it also be a new drug with every update, needing new approval?
Maybe that is why the sequences used in each vaccine is kept secret from the public.
—- complicated stuff—-
I looked at the spike protein mutations they have found, and there are thousands. it is a much smaller number of these mutations that are commonly recurring. (40ish)
Interesting. I had no idea there were that many. For the time being, delta has crowded out all others with some 95%+ of infections. Hopefully, between vaccination and natural immunity, this disease becomes endemic and eventually fades away. Hopefully.
The spike protein was a bad choice for a vaccine, because mutations there are less deleterious. IMO
From an older article I've read, the researchers chose the spike protein to guard against ADE. And so far both the adenovirus DNA and mRNA vaccines have proven more efficacious than the Sinovac whole virus approach.
"From the early stages of COVID-19 vaccine development, scientists sought to target a SARS-CoV-2 protein that was least likely to cause ADE. For example, when they found out that targeting the nucleoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 might cause ADE, they quickly abandoned that approach. The safest route seemed to be targeting the S2 subunit of the spike protein, and they ran with that, wrote Derek Lowe, PhD, in his Science Translational Medicine blog "In the Pipeline." Scientists designed animal studies to look for ADE. They looked for it in human trials, and they've been looking for it in the real-world data for COVID-19 vaccines with emergency use authorization."
It seems there are many sequencing exercises happening, and they are being tracked/cataloged.
As I had speculated earlier in this thread, COVID is probably the most genetically studied pathogen in history. With the possible exception of AIDS I suppose.
Is the nucleoside sequence used in the vaccine being adjusted to the prevailing mutations, or are they still the original type from the wuhan lab?
The current vaccines haven't yet been tweaked from the original version. I know both Moderna and Pfizer have trials in progress tailored to the current variants of concern. I suspect those will not be needed and could be reformulated once again should one of the delta sub-variants or other variant of concern arise. IMO.
It seems the vaccine would predictably lose efficacy if it stayed with a static nucleoside sequence. would it also be a new drug with every update, needing new approval?
The approval process for a "tweeked" formulation would be handled as the annual Flu vaccines are. Efficacy and safety are again confirmed, but the process is expedited. That's my understanding at least.
—- complicated stuff—-
LOL. Yes, it is. Especially for this old tip & ring man. I'm just glad much smarter people than I are working to defeat this Chicom bug.