@NCPV @Micro_MDPI Can you comment on Professor Gallaher's statement concerning the possibility of SARS-COV-2 recombining with

@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI Gallaher's "Prophecy" Is it Likely?
MERS + SARS-COV-2 Combo Event
MERS Situation Update - January 2020
https://t.co/K2AB0fTpJT
SA Cases:
https://t.co/ix083ozN0v
UAE Cases:
https://t.co/eCBVg3oSPo
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 1. "Specificity of S is largely responsible for widespread & rapid communicability of SARS-CoV-2, with relatively low virulence in most infected; in contrast, spread of MERS is more easily contained, but its virulence is much higher, at 35%."
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 2. A virus with high communicability of SARS-CoV-2 & the virulence of MERS would be apocalyptic in its impact!
There is a breakpoint sequence in MERS S (25215CAGAT) that is similarly very close in relative position to 25047CAGAT in SARS-CoV-2.....
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 3. There is a 4th breakpoint sequence, between the receptor binding domain of MERS & the S1/S2 junction, that is precisely conserved in sequence & position with the corresponding location of SARS-CoV-2:
23577CAGAC in MERS
23300CAGAC in SARS-CoV-2
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 4. This breakpoint, is identical in both viruses at the same relative position in the S1 protein sequence, where it defines an identical dipeptide, QT
(see underlined section in the PDF)
https://t.co/Glh98zcbWP
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 5. There is potential, based on closely apposed or identical breakpoint sequences, that the bulk of the S1A and S1B domains of the S1 attachemnt subunit could be exchanged between MERS and SARS-CoV-2 in any mixed infection.
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 6. While there is no indication that this has occurred in the wild, during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic we face the unique situation of SARS-CoV-2 being present simultaneously in a substantial number of human beings worldwide.
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 7. Simultaneous outbreaks of MERS, within or without areas where it has been found prevalent, could produce mixed infections in humans that we know have resulted in frequent recombination among Covs in the wild or in captive populations of animals.
@Pirbright_Inst @NCPV @Micro_MDPI 8. To the viruses, there is no known theoretical difference!
"Public health authorities should especially guard against simultaneous spread of more than one coronavirus in the human population at the same time & location"
https://t.co/O2CHJQVCXP

More from Billy Bostickson ๐Ÿด๐Ÿ‘&๐Ÿ‘ ๐Ÿ†“

1. Thread: RaTG13 Real or Fake?
A Norwegian Scientist @Vehuardo recently claimed RaTG13 is an "authentic virus"
https://t.co/tAXMNTwdhA
This failed to take into account the work of our DRASTIC colleagues & other published analyses.
This thread is a polite attempt to educate.

2.
https://t.co/tw606vgHwp
which says RaTG13 doesn't make sense on how it was sequenced, or how the data got so messed up in the lab as to include copy paste mistakes, bat dna, pangolin dna, rice dna, mice dna, & nobody should use it to form conclusions until it's properly vetted

2 (cont)
"sequence is incomplete & provided segment doesn't function. The identified markers suggest partial match basis & actual virus itself as described by the sequence can't functionally exist due to incoherent structures that appear to be the result of sample contamination"


3. RaTG13 integrity is further attacked here:
The Validity of critical pieces of evidence for the natural origin of SARS-CoV-2 is Dubious, and needed to be

4. and here:
Major Concerns on the Identification of Bat Coronavirus Strain RaTG13 and Quality of Related Nature
Same covid-19 mutations are appearing in different places, which may or may not be strange....
41,000 mutations documented in 880 lineages.
Most in spike protein
What explains it?


https://t.co/MvHzUb4peo


https://t.co/PAwgC3lgsO


https://t.co/f9rnyFI0vq


https://t.co/wAlyNzuI0W
1/ Directed Evolution and Serial passage of RNA Viruses
A quick (I hope) thread on RNA viruses & some others, mainly for my own learning process, but also as evidence (as if it was needed) of what modern virology & microbiology is capable of doing to viruses in their laboratories

2/ In Vivo Continuous Directed Evolution
1 Recent advances in the field of in vivo continuous evolution
2 Advances in continuous culture of microbes enable continuous evolution
3 Viruses, prokaryotes, & eukaryotes mediate in vivo continuous evolution
https://t.co/BfR0B2Hwsf


3/ Continuous Directed Evolution of Biomolecules
By greatly accelerating laboratory evolution, PACE may provide solutions to otherwise intractable directed evolution problems and address novel questions about molecular evolution.
https://t.co/G3mIptI54H


4/ CDE for Strain & Protein Engineering
Inducible hypermutator systems accelerate strain evolution without compromising genome integrity.
Site-specific in vivo mutagenesis strategies have facilitated continuous protein engineering.
Automation

5/ Targeted mutagenesis:
A sniper-like diversity generator in microbial engineering
https://t.co/wdKyXghRYe
Advances in the directed evolution of proteins
https://t.co/1xXTtw1i3i
In vivo continuous directed evolution
https://t.co/xKRVSjVvo4

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