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Well, looks like we’re in it for a long summer.
The South African mutation is separate from the UK, is also more contagious and seems to have
“ Dr Simon Clarke, who is an expert in cell microbiology at the University of Reading, said: "The South African variant has a number of additional mutations including changes to some of the virus' spike protein which are concerning."
What is a spike protein?
- The spike protein is composed of a linear chain of 1,273 amino acids, neatly folded into a structure, which is studded with up to 23 sugar molecules. Spike proteins like to stick together and three separate spike molecules bind to each other to form a functional “trimeric” unit.
The spike can be subdivided into distinct functional units, known as domains, which fulfil different biochemical functions of the protein, such as binding to the target cell, fusing with the membrane, and allowing the spike to sit on the viral envelope.
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One of the most concerning features of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is how it moves or changes over time during the evolution of the virus. Encoded within the viral genome, the protein can mutate and changes its biochemical properties as the virus evolves.
Most mutations will not be beneficial and either stop the spike protein from working or have no effect on its function. But some may cause changes that give the new version of the virus a selective advantage by making it more transmissible or infectious.
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