Posted on 02/13/2022 3:30:05 AM PST by gattaca
Hungarian scientists claim that samples of Antarctic soil sent to a Shanghai firm in 2019 became contaminated with an unknown variant
“ Hungarian scientists claim that samples of Antarctic soil sent to a Shanghai firm in 2019 became contaminated with an unknown variant
An early version of Covid-19 that appears to have been grown in a laboratory has been discovered in samples from a Chinese biotechnology firm.
The finding lends weight to claims that the virus may have started life as a lab experiment that accidentally leaked out.
Bioinformatics experts from the University of Veterinary Medicine and Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, made the discovery by accident while examining genetic data from soil samples collected from Antarctica in late 2018 and early 2019.
The samples were sent to Sangon Biotech in Shanghai for sequencing in Dec 2019, where they became contaminated with a previously unknown variant of Covid-19.
The variant has mutations that bridge the gap between bat coronavirus and the earliest Wuhan strain, so it may be an ancestral version of the virus.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Now we need the connection to the outsourcing of the gain of function, from the US to China, by Fauci and co.
Not sure I buy this one.
Speaking of the gerbil, anyone else note his absence from the stage these days. Kind of like tossing a used tissue.
The Article
https://www.covidstrategies.org/early-lab-grown-covid-virus-found-in-sample-lends-weight-to-wuhan-theory/
This story is suspicious in that it claims that the Antarctic sample was contaminated not only with a covid variant but also with DNA from two different cell lines. That doesn’t make sense unless the DNA contamination was purposely added.
Not true:
It points to a sloppy lab, something for which - if you recall - US labs were barred from performing certain research for a time.
Paywall.
An early version of Covid-19 that appears to have been grown in a laboratory has been discovered in samples from a Chinese biotechnology firm.
The finding lends weight to claims that the virus may have started life as a lab experiment that accidentally leaked out.
Bioinformatics experts from the University of Veterinary Medicine and Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, made the discovery by accident while examining genetic data from soil samples collected from Antarctica in late 2018 and early 2019.
The samples were sent to Sangon Biotech in Shanghai for sequencing in Dec 2019, where they became contaminated with a previously unknown variant of Covid-19.
The variant has mutations that bridge the gap between bat coronavirus and the earliest Wuhan strain, so it may be an ancestral version of the virus.
The samples also contain DNA from hamsters and monkeys, suggesting that the early virus may have been grown in animal cell lines.
Viscount Ridley, author of Viral: The Search for the Origin of Covid-19, said: “The unique mutations hint at it being an ancestral variant. So if it was sequenced in say mid-December, before anybody had identified the virus in people and started trying to grow it in labs, then it points to secret samples in labs in 2019.”
Commenting on the animal DNA discovered, he said: “These are not from seals or penguins but from African green monkeys and Chinese hamsters. Both species are the source of commonly used laboratory cell lines.”
Sangon Biotech in the spotlight
Sangon Biotech is frequently used by Chinese scientists for sequencing, including the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which some experts think is the most likely location for a leak.
The exact date at which the DNA extraction took place is uncertain. However, researchers say that if it took place in December 2019, the virus could be the ancestor of the original human Wuhan strain.
If it was sequenced in early 2020, it may have been contaminated from experiments carried out by researchers trying to learn more about the emerging virus.
Dr Jesse Bloom, a virologist from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, re-ran the data and confirmed that the Antarctic samples did contain Covid-19 which had three key mutations which brought bat coronaviruses closer to the first human Wuhan strain, Wuhan-Hu-1.
Currently, the closest natural relatives to Covid-19 have been found in bats. One such bat coronavirus, named RaTG13, was found in caves in Yunnan Province, in south-western China, while several others, named Banal 20 to 52, were discovered in Laos, which shares a border with Yunnan.
Both areas were being studied by “virus hunters” with samples sent to researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Covid virus origins
Describing the significance of the discovery, Dr Bloom said: “Those three mutations are intriguing because they are all ancestral mutations that move the sequence ‘closer’ to the bat coronavirus relatives RaTG13 and Banal 20-52 relative to first reported Wuhan-Hu-1 sequence from the Huanan Seafood Market.”
In May 2021, a team of US evolutionary biologists published research on what an ancestor to Covid-19 should look like, and came up with two options. One had the same three mutations found in the samples.
“A virus with those three mutations relative to Wuhan-Hu-1 is one of the two plausible progenitors for all currently known human SarsCov2s,” added Dr Bloom.
“The timeline matters a lot here. If they were sequenced in Dec 2019 then it’s exceptionally important, because [China] holds SarsCov2s not discovered until December 30 to 31.
“On other hand, if sequenced in early 2020 then they could be contaminated with some early patient samples and still concord with Chinese government timeline. Right now, it doesn’t seem there is enough info to narrow down timeline to distinguish between these.
“All we can say is that these samples were contaminated at Sangon Biotech with some early SarsCov2 viruses, some of which appear to have been from lab-grown samples.”
The Hungarian team say that when it first pointed out the discrepancy in the sequencing data, the samples were immediately removed from the genetic database by the Chinese, although have since been restored.
Sangon Biotech has been approached for comment.
“It points to a sloppy lab, something for which - if you recall - US labs were barred from performing certain research for a time.”
This is far far beyond sloppy. Someone would have to mix the contents of TWO different cell cultures and add them to the sample. Not possible to do by accident.
Not true.
“Not true.”
Please enlighten me as to how this could happen by accident. I’d really like to know.
“Speaking of the gerbil, anyone else note his absence from the stage these days. Kind of like tossing a used tissue.”
He’s waiting for the new hemorrhagic virus that is coming from his buds the Chinese to get here.
You seem eager to discredit the article, or make prodigious assumptions on bioengineering, lab safety & state tradecraft. You also miss the key point.
Please enlighten us as to why or how US researchers could possibly be reckless with BSL 3 & 4 pathogens to prompt a national safety shutdown.
Then explain how that is less likely to occur in foreign labs where safety is markedly & historically worse.
Then enlighten us as to why such samples would be comingled with purpose, apparently presumed - by you - to be driven by state intelligence apparatus with access to BSL4 bioengineering to manufacture one of two predicted genetic sequences as a marker for a SARS-CoV-2 ancestor.
Only a state apparatus could have achieved these goals.
Then enlighten us to the report on how these state actors acquired said soil samples - which could only have been stolen from the Bulgarian lab - and then delivered it back to the cited laboratory surreptitiously...let alone how they would possibly know of samples collected 3-4 years ago, AND have had access to the chain of custody to mark its presence at Sangon Biotech in Shangha.
I can think of far better use of such tradecraft resources than to spur conspiracy theories markedly absent a literal smoking gun.
In contrast, our own state apparatus couldn’t even hide outbreaks associated with Plum Island (only discredit them; an irony).
As well, please enlighten us as to how - let alone why - the coronavirus sample was manipulated to have a genetic fingerprint which labels it an ancestral variant to all known genomes of the virus if this was an intentional act by state actors...unless it was intended to punk the ‘virus hunters’.
In short, what you are alleging is a complex, multifaceted, intelligence op incorporating BSL4 biotechnology engineering meeting a very specific lab timeline designed to fabricate evidence to make the CCP culpable in the origin of the so-called pandemic...all with manufactured ‘evidence.’
I’m not alone in the opinion that such an effort could have produced a smoking gun. Does the OP article describe a smoking gun? I think not.
I have always asserted that this ‘pandemic’ was an accidental lab leak of a virus they were engineering for biowarfare purposes, having escaped the lab long before they were done, let alone long before they had a vaccine. EVERYTHING we know about the virus reinforces the puzzle which points to a lab origin...EVEN IF they later released the virus intentionally in the Wuhan wet market to cover their tracks. This article outlines merely one more small piece, albeit a key piece, of the puzzle.
Occam’s razor.
The article cites the Chinese reaction as to delete the sample sequences from the database, but fails to note whether the restored sequences are unmodified.
Kudos to the ‘virus hunters’ and the keen Bulgarian scientists...but the big IF here is “When?” the virus was sequenced, in which case the article is definitively & wholly discredited if it was 2020 rather than 2019.
“You seem eager to discredit the article, or make prodigious assumptions on bioengineering, lab safety & state tradecraft. You also miss the key point.”
I see that you would rather write a long rambling diatribe than ANSWER the question you were asked. In case you forgot it was how a SOIL sample from Antarctica was “accidentally or sloppily” contaminated by DNA from TWO different types of tissue culture cells?
Until you answer this question I will not bother addressing any of yours.
TP is more effective on fecal matter in the ears than Qtips.
“TP is more effective on fecal matter in the ears than Qtips.”
I accept your unconditional surrender on our disagreement and hope you find a way to stop the sh*t in your head from leaking out of your ears.
Right. Just like a lib. Inability to read, one-way demands. Nice. /s Took you an hour to come up with a one-liner to-boot.
Curious: How many times/day do you shave your palm(s)?
There is no disagreement: You are experiencing encephalitis from your poor hygiene.
The physical contortion...well, I have to admit that I’m impressed as hell.
“Right. Just like a lib. Inability to read, one-way demands. Nice. /s Took you an hour to come up with a one-liner to-boot.”
Sad to see the sh*t in your head is now coming out of your mouth.
Ow, that hurt. /s
BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAhahahahahaha
You’re very childish and I’m not going to waste any more time on you.
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