"We used detailed phylogenetic analysis, ancestral sequence reconstruction, & molecular dynamics simulations to examine the Spike-RBD functional evolution, finding to our surprise that it has likely possessed high affinity for hACE2 since at least 2013."
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
biorxiv.org/content/10.110…
"If this is the case – that this viral lineage possessed the ability to bind hACE2 with high affinity
for at least the past 7 years – then why did it not emerge as a public health issue until recently?"
for at least the past 7 years – then why did it not emerge as a public health issue until recently?"
"One possibility is that binding hACE2 by the Spike-RBD is not sufficient, on its own, to
infect humans, and that other molecular components first needed to acquire new functions to do so."
infect humans, and that other molecular components first needed to acquire new functions to do so."
"A second possibility is that this virus may have been capable of infecting human cells for a
longer period of time in the past, but that its ancestral form either presented with far fewer
symptoms (making it less disruptive and/or noticeable to those infected)...
longer period of time in the past, but that its ancestral form either presented with far fewer
symptoms (making it less disruptive and/or noticeable to those infected)...
..or that it was far less infectious (thereby impacting only a small number of people), in either case escaping the notice of public health monitoring"
Hmmm...
@luigi_warren @BahulikarRahul @AntGDuarte @franciscodeasis
@RolandBakerIII @BillyBostickson
Hmmm...
@luigi_warren @BahulikarRahul @AntGDuarte @franciscodeasis
@RolandBakerIII @BillyBostickson
