Posted on 07/05/2021 1:28:29 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
Three mutations in the Epsilon coronavirus Spike protein dampen the neutralizing potency of antibodies induced by current vaccines or past COVID infections.
The mutations give this coronavirus variant of concern a means to totally evade specific monoclonal antibodies used in clinics and reduces the effectiveness of antibodies from the plasma of vaccinated people.
To better understand the exact immune escape strategies at work here, the scientists visualized this variant’s infection machinery to see what is different from the original configuration of the pandemic coronavirus, and what the implications of these changes are.
The international project was led by David Veesler’s lab in the Department of Biochemistry at the University of Washington in Seattle and by Luca Piccoli and Davide Corti of Vir Biotechnology.
For several years, the Veesler lab and its collaborators have been exploring the molecular conformation and infection mechanics of SARS-like coronaviruses. They also examine how antibodies attempt to block infection mechanisms, and how variants come up with new dodges.
Their latest data shows that the Epsilon variant “relies on an indirect and unusual neutralization-escape strategy,” according to the researchers.
Their findings are published as a First Release paper in the latest edition of Science. Read the paper.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsroom.uw.edu ...
The Zulu COVID variant is the real killer, it has electrolytes.
I’d wondered what had happened to epsilon. How many variants does that make now?
Brawndo cures everything!
It’s all the fault of unvaccinated people. Fauci says so.
“I don’t see no plants grow out of no toilet.”
It’s funny given the current state of education in America and ignorance of the Classics. Moving from Delta to Epsilon is not something that would raise eyebrows. But what’s next? Would we jump to Zeta? And after that Eta? And Theta? Peoples’ heads would spin.
And the basic idea that a coronavirus is mutating every few weeks into some “NEW”!! and “DIFFERENT”!! and “DEADLY”!! Can we get real? This thing was never really bad at all and it’s not some ever-changing demonic plague that can’t be stopped. Sheesh.
And pointed sticks.
And the basic idea that a coronavirus is mutating every few weeks into some “NEW”!! and “DIFFERENT”!! and “DEADLY”!! Can we get real? This thing was never really bad at all and it’s not some ever-changing demonic plague that can’t be stopped. Sheesh.
The basic idea is making money by selling a booster for each variant.
If people were more aware that having a lot of stored iron is a health problem, they would immediately notice that groups at higher risk for the wuhan coronavirus have more stored iron.
This is great work, but it’s basic structural biology and the title if this press release is a lie: “Epsilon variant mutations contribute to COVID immune evasion”.
There is absolutely no known clinical or immunophysioligical significance to the findings.
It does not mean this variant escapes the immune system. It does not even study that.
Very good biochemistry. Good basic research.
Dumb question I know but here goes, Are these variants being developed in labs as part of R&D into the coronavirus and developing vaccines? If so are they exclusively in the lab and not in the general population?
Is this The Babylon Bee? Epsilon?
And I STILL won’t take the experimental gene therapies...
“I’d wondered what had happened to epsilon.”
The California variant (Epsilon, B.1.429) had a small run early in the year, but was never a big proportion of US cases.
The UK variant (Alpha B.1.17) was big until recently, when the Indian (Delta, B.1.617.2) and Brazilian (Gamma, P.1) have started spreading more widely. Delta will likely be the dominant strain in the USA this month, and already is in a few States and Los Angeles County.
I guess we should all cower in our homes and wear at least 3 masks, bathe in lysol, and kill anyone that violates the 6 foot law./s
Overall, the case numbers (and hospitalizations and deaths) are now far below what would qualify as an epidemic.
Risk is overwhelmingly determined by age and obesity. Effective vaccines are free and readily available. Clearly, the worst of COVID is already past.
COVID19 has its own fraternity...
The epsilon variant, and more so, the lambda variant (Peru) are in fact quite worrisome.
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