Thread by @evolutionarypsy

Does anyone know the actual mutations in this scariant? I haven’t found anything but vague reports that make it sound like B117 and B1617 were gettin’ together and making little baby viruses washingtonpost.com/world/vietnam-…

Viruses do not reproduce sexually but some microbes are prolific in swapping genes fwiw

B1617 has the L454R and the E484Q mutations at the tip of the spike protein (there are others too but these are thought to be the important ones. B117 has N501Y which seems to increase infectiousness.

I assume one of these variants spontaneously developed the mutation of the other one (just as in California there was a variant that had the same mutation L454R as in B1617 which increased its infectiousness by an estimated 20%)

Mostly putting these tweets up for me so I don’t have to look it up (again) when the genome comes out.

Here’s a similar report of a hybrid in Oregon where B117 (whose N501Y mutation is sometimes called “nelly” developed the additional “Eek” mutation E484K which was found also in P1 (Brazil) and a New York variant. globalhealthnow.org/2021-03/mutati…

Notice B1617 also has a mutation at position 484 (and you can also pronounce it eek if you want who cares it helps me remember both E484Q)

Well this is just another news report but sounds nasty

https://twitter.com/nungali/status/1398722012973985794?s=21

https://twitter.com/nungali/status/1398722012973985794