Prof. Gut: We have approx. 15 thousand. coronavirus mutation, but it is people’s behavior that determines the extent of the pandemic

Viruses keep mutating – everyone knows that by now. Prof. Włodzimierz Gut, a virologist from NIPH-PZH explains that in most cases these mutations are of little importance. However, he emphasizes that it is important for us that a person is a virus carrier, so it is primarily his behavior that determines the transmission of the virus and subsequent diseases.

1. – The primary feature of viruses about which 90 percent. the speaker forgets that it is alive only in the cell, outside the cell it is a dead structure – emphasizes prof. Gut
2. The expert says that so far we already have approx. 15 thousand. coronavirus mutation
3. According to the professor, it is not mutations, but people that have the greatest influence on the extent of the pandemic
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Monika Wysocka, Zdrowie.pap.pl / Serwis Zdrowie: Let’s start with answering the question: what are viruses?

Prof. Włodzimierz Gut: Viruses are complex organic molecules without a cellular structure, made of proteins and nucleic acids. They reproduce by infecting living cells. For this they use the copying apparatus contained in the cells. Viruses contain genetic material in the form of RNA or DNA, but they show features of both cellular living organisms and inanimate matter. They are absolute parasites, and therefore have a rather small genome in relation to other organisms. The effect is that a large number of mutations are possible while maintaining the ability to reproduce in specific structures. Outside the living organism, the virus is a dead molecule. On the other hand, in a living cell it uses its potential and all systems.

As for mutations, viruses with DNA are more stable as they additionally use the host’s repair systems to approach the nucleus. RNA-only viruses that reproduce in the cytoplasm, as a rule, have a very high variability, i.e. mutation frequency. While in karyotic organisms, i.e. those with a normal genome and reproducing in the form of duplication, the mutation rate is one event per trillion of prescribed nucleotides, for viruses with DNA it is one event in a million, and for those with RNA – one in a thousand.

For a virus that is around 30k of nucleotides, each time a new molecule is formed, there will be about 30 sequence changes or mutations. Ultimately, the number of mutations is enormous.

1. Who is the most infected with the coronavirus? The expert indicates a specific activity

«Mutation» sounds a bit dangerous. Should we be afraid?

Virtually all molecules contain mutations – this is their hallmark. Viruses constantly mutate, and in most cases these mutations are of minor importance at best. One viral particle produces about a trillion more. Most mutations, or changes in nucleotide sequences, are suppressed by the genetic code system because it is designed to prevent certain mutations from occurring.

With other mutations, most are mutations replacing the same, or something quite similar.

So where is the problem?

Man is the carrier. It is he who expels the virus outside, infecting another human being. Its behavior determines the transmission of the virus. A radical change of the virus would entail the fact that it would have to multiply absolutely in a different place and thus cause different disease symptoms. Yes, multiplication time can be disturbed, but these are all changes inside the cell. Outwardly, a mutation changes neither the properties nor the structure of the virus, since outside the host it is a dead molecule.

So at what point do they start to be significant for us?

When they adapt to their host or change their multiplication profile, that is, they allow them to multiply in other cells.

Is this why the flu vaccine has to be prepared from scratch every season?

Flu is a completely different type of virus. Meanwhile, the SARS-CoV-2 virus is stable and it helps itself a little so as not to change too much. It is adapted to a specific ACE2 receptor (one of the proteins on human cells) and if it changes its properties in this respect, it will disappear. What I wish, but it is unreal.

How do these mutations affect vaccines? Do we have reasons to be concerned?

Virtually none. Because the vaccine is the area of ​​the protein that is responsible for recognizing the receptor on the cell. If he changes that, he’ll just disappear.

The main feature of viruses about which 90 percent. he is forgetting that he is only living inside the cell, outside the cell he is a dead structure.

The British, South African, Brazilian or Californian virus is just a great way to analyze the ways of spreading the virus, from whom it went to whom. At the moment, we have about 15. mutation of this virus. If we did the research in the Czech Republic, it might turn out that the Czech variant came to us. And before that, Italian, only through Germany. Because wherever people go, the virus passes from one person to the next, leaving a trace in its wake.

1. The UK variant of the coronavirus has mutated again. Has he gotten more dangerous?

This is a question of human behavior, not of the virus itself. So we can use these messages to track the spread of the virus – an interesting activity for those who want to find out how the virus is circulating around the world and who is transmitting it from where.

Author: Monika Wysocka, Zdrowie.pap.pl / Serwis Zdrowie

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