an international group of scientists from Australia and Taiwan have discovered a new mutated form of the SARS-CoV-2. Her discovery has raised fears that the developed vaccine may be ineffective in the future, if the coronavirus will continue to mutate. Preprint of article published in the repository bioRxiv.
the Researchers conducted a phylogenetic analysis of 106 of the genomes of SARS-CoV-2 and 39 of the genomes of SARS. It turned out that the new coronavirus mutates less frequently than SARS. So, the protein that forms the spikes, turned out to be relatively conservative, that is, in the encoder it’s rare gene have a mutation, is able to gain a foothold. This protein having a receptor binding domain (RBD), plays an important role in attaching the virus to the cell and penetration inside her, so any changes in the gene which encodes it can harm the virus.
However, in the sample of coronavirus, dedicated January 27, 2020 in a patient from India, have been identified and established mutation that impairs the ability of SARS-CoV-2 bind to a receptor. The problem is that adhesions forming protein is a key target for future antiviral drugs. Any structural transformation in the molecule can reduce the effectiveness of therapy. If will be detected more mutations, it will jeopardize the efforts of scientists to develop a vaccine.
