Mutation News and Research

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SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations during transmission among humans and to animals

A fascinating new study discusses the 40 mutations that are seen on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike protein and their potential effects on viral biology.

3 May 2021

New gene therapy restores dystrophin protein in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

UT Southwestern scientists successfully employed a new type of gene therapy to treat mice with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), uniquely utilizing CRISPR-Cas9-based tools to restore a large section of the dystrophin protein that is missing in many DMD patients.

3 May 2021

Researchers identify novel SARS-CoV-2 variant with mutations in membrane protein-encoding gene

A recent study published in the Journal Emerging Microbes and Infections has highlighted the emergence of a novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variant with mutations in the membrane protein-encoding gene. Two potential mutations, M:I82T and M:V70L, have been identified within the transmembrane helices, which are expected to improve viral fitness by modulating glucose uptake during replication.

3 May 2021

Correcting mutations in muscle stem cells using new gene-editing technology

A new gene-editing technique can be used to correct mutations in muscle stem cells, paving the way for the first potential cell therapy for genetic muscle disorders.

30 Apr 2021

Monoclonal antibody CT-P59 shows preclinical efficacy against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

Researchers in the Republic of Korea (South Korea), The Netherlands, and South Africa have demonstrated the potential of the monoclonal antibody CT-P59 as an effective therapeutic for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the South African B.1.351 variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

29 Apr 2021

Researchers characterize a large set of therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants

A team of scientists from A-Alpha Bio., USA, has recently conducted a large-scale screening of 33 therapeutic antibodies to examine their binding affinity to a number of SARS-CoV-2 variants. The team analyzed the impact of potential mutations in the spike RBD on antibody efficacy.

29 Apr 2021

Is Hong Kong’s fourth wave of COVID-19 due to the Q57H SARS-CoV-2 variant?

A recent article in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Emerging Infectious Diseases reveals that the last of these was probably due to the introduction of a new variant from Nepal. This novel variant had been circulating in the community for about a month before the last outbreak was reported.

29 Apr 2021

Immunocompromised children and young adults may experience prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection

Children and young adults with compromised immune systems, such as those undergoing cancer treatment, may experience a prolonged period of infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and the extended duration of infection may increase the incidence of mutations.

29 Apr 2021

New insights into how South African SARS-CoV-2 variant sacrifices tight binding for antibody evasion

The highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 variant that recently emerged in South Africa, known as B.1.351, has scientists wondering how existing COVID-19 vaccines and therapies can be improved to ensure strong protection.

29 Apr 2021

Potent monoclonal antibody shows promise against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

In a new study currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, a group of US-based researchers developed a panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 that can block viral attachment to cells – and pinpointed a specific one that can potently neutralize all tested variants of concern.

28 Apr 2021

Researchers develop first 3D organoid models of the pancreas from human stem cells

This year, more than 60,000 adults in the United States will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and, statistically, as few as 10 percent will survive five years after diagnosis, according to the American Cancer Society.

28 Apr 2021

Mutation in a cancer-causing gene could exacerbate cerebral cavernous malformations in the brain

Researchers have discovered an explanation for why cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs)--clusters of dilated blood vessels in the brain--can suddenly grow to cause seizures or stroke.

28 Apr 2021

Peptide nucleocapsid vaccine candidate elicits protective T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in vivo

A new study describes a synthetic peptide used as a platform to generate protective adaptive cellular immunity to the virus in rhesus macaques, which are the gold standard for preclinical testing in humans.

28 Apr 2021

First-of-its-kind method cryopreserves fruit fly embryos in liquid nitrogen

Cryopreservation, or the long-term storage of biomaterials at ultralow temperatures, has been used across cell types and species.

28 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 recruits heme metabolites in antibody evasion

A research paper recently published in the journal Science Advances by Cherepanov et al. (April 22nd, 2021) demonstrated that the NTD binds to biliverdin, a product of heme catabolism, leading to enhanced antibody escape at physiologically relevant concentrations.

28 Apr 2021

CU Cancer Center researchers receive PRCRP grant to investigate metastasis

Two members of the University of Colorado Cancer Center have received prestigious Idea Awards from the U.S. Department of Defense's Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program.

27 Apr 2021

World Immunization Week: Vaccination in 2021

News-Medical talks to experts in different areas of the medical sector on why immunization week is so prevalent in 2021.

27 Apr 2021

First cases of B.1.1.7 variant with E484K mutation in Pennsylvania

The E484K mutation has also been found on the B.1.351 and P.1 variant, contributing to their status as variants of concern. In February 2021, Public Health England published a report of 11 B.1.1.7 genomes that also had the E484K spike mutation. Currently, there are 247 isolates of B.1.1.7 + E484K reported globally, and new research finds the first reports of it in southeastern Pennsylvania.

27 Apr 2021

Triple mutation in SARS-CoV-2 seen in second wave of COVID-19 in India

Researchers sequenced the viral genome from samples in the state of Maharashtra and found a unique combination of three mutations that suggest the SARS-CoV-2 virus is continually evolving to evade the human immune response.

27 Apr 2021

Host cell transmembrane protein MARCH8 targets lysine residues to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses

A new study deals with the inhibitory activity of a membrane protein that has broad-spectrum activity against multiple viruses, showing that this is due to its effect on cytoplasmic lysine residue incorporation into replicating virions.

26 Apr 2021

Mutation News and Research

SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations during transmission among humans and to animals

New gene therapy restores dystrophin protein in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Researchers identify novel SARS-CoV-2 variant with mutations in membrane protein-encoding gene

Correcting mutations in muscle stem cells using new gene-editing technology

Monoclonal antibody CT-P59 shows preclinical efficacy against South African SARS-CoV-2 variant

Researchers characterize a large set of therapeutic antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 variants

Is Hong Kong’s fourth wave of COVID-19 due to the Q57H SARS-CoV-2 variant?

Immunocompromised children and young adults may experience prolonged SARS-CoV-2 infection

New insights into how South African SARS-CoV-2 variant sacrifices tight binding for antibody evasion

Potent monoclonal antibody shows promise against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern

Researchers develop first 3D organoid models of the pancreas from human stem cells

Mutation in a cancer-causing gene could exacerbate cerebral cavernous malformations in the brain

Peptide nucleocapsid vaccine candidate elicits protective T cell immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in vivo

First-of-its-kind method cryopreserves fruit fly embryos in liquid nitrogen

SARS-CoV-2 recruits heme metabolites in antibody evasion

CU Cancer Center researchers receive PRCRP grant to investigate metastasis

World Immunization Week: Vaccination in 2021

First cases of B.1.1.7 variant with E484K mutation in Pennsylvania

Triple mutation in SARS-CoV-2 seen in second wave of COVID-19 in India

Host cell transmembrane protein MARCH8 targets lysine residues to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and other viruses

Industry Focus eBook - Cell & Gene Therapy (1st Edition) eBook

Managing vibration in IVF laboratories

A New Approach to Preventing Bladder Cancer Recurrence

Bringing real-time analytics to downstream bioprocess monitoring

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