Mutation News and Research

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PCR-based reverse genetic system helps analyze SARS-CoV-2 mutations

SARS-CoV-2 is the virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. We know that mutations in the genome of SARS-CoV-2 have occurred and spread, but what effect do those mutations have?

13 Apr 2021

Broadly cross-reactive antibody to SARS-CoV-2 RBD with robust resistance to mutational escape

A new study addresses an urgent need – namely, a therapeutic antibody directed specifically against a key SARS-CoV-2 antigen which is highly conserved among similar viruses, and is not easily bypassed by viral escape mutations.

12 Apr 2021

P681 mutation has little impact on transmissibility in the SARS-CoV-2 UK variant, finds study

A new preprint, recently released on the bioRxiv* server, explores the impact of a single mutation, the P681H mutation, on the transmissibility of the virus.

12 Apr 2021

SARS-CoV-2 spike E484K mutation reduces antibody neutralization

Researchers at the Department of Microbiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai New York, USA, showed that the SARS-CoV-2 spike E484K mutation reduces antibody neutralization.

12 Apr 2021

Could N protein-based COVID-19 vaccines hinder SARS-CoV-2's NK cell inhibition?

Upon SARS-CoV-2 infection, what are the changes occurring on the surface of the host cell? To address this, and a team of researchers undertook a study exploring the natural killer (NK) cells and their role during a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

12 Apr 2021

More than 100 economies receive life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX

More than one hundred economies have received life-saving COVID-19 vaccines from COVAX, the global mechanism for equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines. The milestone comes 42 days after the first COVAX doses were shipped and delivered internationally, to Ghana on 24 February 2021.

12 Apr 2021

Lung microbiome predicts COVID-19 disease severity

A new preprint research paper posted to the medRxiv* server found changes to the lung microbiome during severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection influence COVID-19 disease severity.

12 Apr 2021

Aneuploidy testing can be key in determining optimal treatment for lung cancer patients

Patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) whose cancer cells have low levels of aneuploidy - an abnormal number of chromosomes - tend to respond better to immune checkpoint inhibitor drugs than patients with higher levels, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute researchers will report at the virtual AACR Annual Meeting 2021.

12 Apr 2021

L452R and Y453F SARS-CoV-2 mutations increase transmission and evade immunity

Mutations from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) have created multiple variants. Some variants, such as those found in South Africa and Brazil, have caused concern for their potential to evade the immune response. While vaccination efforts are underway, the world is racing against the viruses’ ability to evolve under selective pressure.

11 Apr 2021

Researchers discover a new monoclonal antibody that is effective against SARS-CoV-2 variants

A new monoclonal antibody targets a particular region of the RBD on the SARS-CoV-2. This region is usually not accessible to immune cells, which may be why it has broad neutralizing capabilities.

9 Apr 2021

Toward a transformative therapy for sickle cell patients

For the millions of people worldwide who have sickle cell disease, there are only a few treatment options, which include risky bone marrow transplants, gene therapy or other treatments that address a subset of symptoms.

9 Apr 2021

Does natural infection with SARS-CoV-2 offer more protection than a vaccine against new variants?

A new study demonstrates that vaccines may be less effective at countering the newer SARS-CoV-2 variants compared to natural infection.

9 Apr 2021

Mitochondrial DNA mutations can reduce death risk in people with bowel cancer

Mutations in the DNA of the cell's energy 'factories' increases the chances of survival for people with bowel cancer, according to a study published today (Thursday) in Nature Metabolism.

9 Apr 2021

More new SARS-CoV-2 variants are highly likely

In a recent report posted to the bioRxiv preprint server, researchers from the United Kingdom and Uganda reveal unique protein features of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) relative to other representatives of Sarbecoviruses.

8 Apr 2021

Full assembly of human chromosome 8 reveals novel genes, disease risks

The full assembly of human chromosome 8 is reported this week in Nature. While on the outside this chromosome looks typical, being neither short nor long or distinctive, its DNA content and arrangement are of interest in primate and human evolution, in several immune and developmental disorders, and in chromosome sequencing structure and function generally.

8 Apr 2021

IRB Barcelona researchers find the Achilles heel of some lung tumors

In cancer, personalized medicine takes advantage of the unique genetic changes in an individual tumor to find its vulnerabilities and fight it.

8 Apr 2021

Mouse monoclonal antibodies protect against SARS-CoV-2 wildtype, UK and South African variants

A new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv server reports on the ability of a set of neutralizing mouse antibodies to protect mice against multiple lineages of SARS-CoV-2.

8 Apr 2021

PNA-based gene editing technique can advance gene discovery

In an article published in the April 8 issue of Nature, the National Institutes of Health's Somatic Cell Gene Editing Consortium provided a detailed update on the progress of their nationwide effort to develop safer and more effective methods to edit the genomes of disease-relevant somatic cells and reduce the burden of disease caused by genetic changes.

8 Apr 2021

Evidence of monoclonal antibodies effectively neutralizing SARS-CoV-2 variants

Makdasi et al. The neutralization potency of anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic human monoclonal antibodies is retained against novel viral variants. bioRxiv, 2021. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.01.438035, https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.04.01.438035v2

7 Apr 2021

Mouse model provides new understanding about Folling Disease

In Norway, all newborn children are tested for 25 rare genetic diseases through the Newborn Screening program, and the most common of these is phenylketonuria (abbreviated to PKU), known as Folling Disease.

7 Apr 2021