Researchers have uncovered a mysterious gene in the genetic code of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 – a segment virtually hidden from view in the virus’s genome, and largely overlooked until now. Source: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-mysterious-gene-inside-gene-discovered.html
Tag: SARS-CoV-2
Why It’s a Big Deal If the First COVID-19 Vaccine Is ‘Genetic’
An anonymous reader shares an excerpt from Wired: On Monday morning, when representatives from the drug company Pfizer said that its Covid-19 vaccine appears to be more than 90 percent effective, stocks soared, White House officials rushed to (falsely) claim credit, and sighs of relief went up all around the internet. […] The arrival of an effective vaccine to fight SARS-CoV-2…
New Nasal Spray Prevents Covid Infection in Ferrets, Study Finds
The New York Times reports: A nasal spray that blocks the absorption of the SARS-CoV-2 virus has completely protected ferrets it was tested on, according to a small study released on Thursday by an international team of scientists. The study, which was limited to animals and has not yet been peer-reviewed, was assessed by several health experts at the request of…
The T-Cell Immune Response To COVID-19 Lasts At Least Six Months
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Economist: Over the past year, many reports have shown rapidly waning levels of covid-specific antibodies after the initial burst caused by an infection. […] Yet antibodies tell only part of the story. Another important actor is the T-cell. Rather than attacking viruses directly, T-cells attack infected cells, to stop the virus reproducing. The…
COVID-19 causes some patients’ immune systems to attack their own bodies
Across the world, immunologists who retooled their labs to join the fight against SARS-CoV-2 are furiously trying to explain why some people get so sick while others recover unscathed. Source: https://www.livescience.com/covid-19-auto-immune-system-attack.html
Folding@Home Exascale Supercomputer Finds Potential Targets For COVID-19 Cure
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Network World: The Folding@home project has shared new results of its efforts to simulate proteins from the SARS-CoV-2 virus to better understand how they function and how to stop them. Folding@home is a distributed computing effort that uses small clients to run simulations for biomedical research when users’ PCs are idle. The clients operate…
What does ‘close contact’ for COVID-19 really mean? Epidemiologist explains.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has new guidance clarifying what exactly “close contact” means when it comes to transmission of SARS-Cov-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Source: https://www.livescience.com/close-contact-covid-19-explained.html
Researchers Discover Second ‘Key’ Used By Coronavirus To Enter Human Cells
Kiuas writes: Researchers from the Technical University of Munich and the University of Helsinki have discovered a second receptor (called neuropilin-1) which is used by the SARS-CoV-2 virus to enter into human cells via the nasal cavity. The discovery is important as it helps explain the rapid spread of the virus, and also helps define a potential target for antirviral intervention……
SARS-CoV-2 uses a second secret doorway into cells
Scientists have found a second doorway, called neuropilin-1, that the novel coronavirus uses to invade human cells. Source: https://www.livescience.com/coronavirus-second-secret-doorway-into-cells.html
Covid-19 will probably become endemic. Here’s what that means
Rather than completely disappear – even when vaccines become available- it’s likely that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 will be added to the family of infectious diseases known as “endemic” in the human population. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/covid-19-coronavirus-will-probably-become-endemic-defintion…