Dr. Anan reveals the cause of coronavirus BA.2 spreads faster than other strains, reveals that BA.2 hides well, has mutations outside the spike protein This virus will create more problems.
On March 29, 65, Dr. Anan Chongkaewwatana, Director of Animal Health and Management Innovation Research Group National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology or Biotech and Virologist Post Facebook Anan Jongkaewwattana about COVID-19, stating that
One question virologists are monitoring changes in the properties of the COVID-19 virus. Still can’t find a clear answer. What causes a virus like BA.2 to spread more quickly than other strains?
Especially the omicron that dominated the area first, such as BA.1 or BA.1.1, and, importantly, the diffusion properties were very different. It can be noted from the current situation that positive ATK testing can be found on a daily basis with people around you.
From the original assumption that had been The virus alters the spike site, binding to the receptor protein more tightly. or better escape but today’s information I haven’t yet seen any such differences between BA.1 and BA.2 be explained. In other words, both virus strains bind to receptor proteins equally well. and escape the landscape equally So what makes BA.2 run faster than BA.1 like this?
the possibility is Mutations outside the spike protein. Today it has become clear that the discovery of a subspecies of BA.2 that has begun increasing its widespread distribution in Scotland has been referred to as “BA.2.8”, with data comparing its distribution to the original BA.2. .2.8 appears to be about 34% faster than normal BA.2 and 110% faster than BA.1.1.
BA.2.8 has the same spike as BA.2, the difference being that it has two mutations on a tiny protein called ORF3a, at 9 (T9K) and 31(A31T). This change is worrying. The reason is that we do not know ORF3a exactly what this protein does. It will be very difficult to study proteins that we do not know their precise functions. because the virus can’t be guessed
If BA.2.8 spreads as quickly as Scotland does, wherever the virus is spreading This virus will create more problems. And there will be something new for sure. Because what do we do with vaccines? to change Or can’t slow down the changes of ORF3a at all. Hopefully BA.2.8 is a virus that can be controlled. It doesn’t spread quickly.