Only one really interesting item today lads.
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, a Johns-Hopkins immunologist, has been dissecting 2019-nCoV-Wuhan-HU-1, and has noted the following peculiarities that have never been seen in other strains of coronavirus.
Dr. Feigl-Ding has noted that the average evolutionary rate for coronaviruses is ten to the fourth(no scientific notation on this thing, bear with me) nuclotide substitutions per site per year, with mutations arising during every replication cycle. 2019-nCoV is unusual in that sequences from 2019-nCoV from different patients are showing little or no mutations, with greater than 99.9% (resolution limit of instruments) sequence identicality.
This finding indicates the virus originated at a single point source, in a very short period, rather than from several stains as is usual.
Dr. Feigl-Ding cautions against reading too much into that, but notes it is very unusual.
However, very unusual proteins have been found in 2019-nCoV by other researchers that have not been seen to occur in coronaviruses.
To quote Dr. Feigl-Ding:
''WHOA!- the researchers said the finding was “Unexpectedly” related to genes from HIV virus. Notably there were 4 gene insertions. And so, which HIV gene proteins were found in the new coronarvirus-Gag protein and Gp120- key HIV proteins.''
That is, 4 'insertions' of gene proteins from HIV
In discussions last night with a couple of mates in the medical corps and CBRN business (a light colonel and brigadier, respectively) both noted 'Oh Sh*t!' and that 'if this thing isn't engineered, it's sure doing a damn good job of impersonating a virus that is manufactured.'
Related: US CHI officials have imposed a 14 day quarantine on people arriving from the PRC. 11,400-odd cases are now reported.
So far, provided the patient has no underlying medical conditions, and is reasonably healthy to start, (western hospitals) support measures have been successful.
Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding, a Johns-Hopkins immunologist, has been dissecting 2019-nCoV-Wuhan-HU-1, and has noted the following peculiarities that have never been seen in other strains of coronavirus.
Dr. Feigl-Ding has noted that the average evolutionary rate for coronaviruses is ten to the fourth(no scientific notation on this thing, bear with me) nuclotide substitutions per site per year, with mutations arising during every replication cycle. 2019-nCoV is unusual in that sequences from 2019-nCoV from different patients are showing little or no mutations, with greater than 99.9% (resolution limit of instruments) sequence identicality.
This finding indicates the virus originated at a single point source, in a very short period, rather than from several stains as is usual.
Dr. Feigl-Ding cautions against reading too much into that, but notes it is very unusual.
However, very unusual proteins have been found in 2019-nCoV by other researchers that have not been seen to occur in coronaviruses.
To quote Dr. Feigl-Ding:
''WHOA!- the researchers said the finding was “Unexpectedly” related to genes from HIV virus. Notably there were 4 gene insertions. And so, which HIV gene proteins were found in the new coronarvirus-Gag protein and Gp120- key HIV proteins.''
That is, 4 'insertions' of gene proteins from HIV
In discussions last night with a couple of mates in the medical corps and CBRN business (a light colonel and brigadier, respectively) both noted 'Oh Sh*t!' and that 'if this thing isn't engineered, it's sure doing a damn good job of impersonating a virus that is manufactured.'
Related: US CHI officials have imposed a 14 day quarantine on people arriving from the PRC. 11,400-odd cases are now reported.
So far, provided the patient has no underlying medical conditions, and is reasonably healthy to start, (western hospitals) support measures have been successful.
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