The NSPRRA region of SARS-CoV-2 is a possible DELETION variant for a promising vaccine candidate.

GENTLE READERS:

PLAIN ENGLISH IS FOUND BELOW THE SCIENCE BASED TERMINOLOGY.

" Remarkably, the recently reported SARS-CoV-2-like bat strain, RmYN02, also displays a deletion of QTQT (16), indicating that some SARS-CoV-2-like viruses in animals may not encode QTQTN in their spike gene. The origin of the polybasic cleavage site (PRRA) is important for understanding the evolutionary history and for tracing the potential animal reservoir(s) of SARS-CoV-2. Here, the different deletion frequencies observed in vitro and in vivo have provided clues that will aid further investigation of this evolutionary tale.

 The absence of NSPRRA in isolated SARS-CoV-2 strains could be used to further investigate its infectivity in different potential intermediate animal hosts and resolve the origin of this feature of the SARS-CoV-2 genome. In addition, the different selective pressures observed on the NSPRRA region of SARS-CoV-2 in vivo and in vitro highlight the NSPRRA deletion variant observed in this study as a promising vaccine candidate in the future."

IN PLAIN ENGLISH:

 SOME ANIMALS HARBOUR A VIRUS WHICH RESEMBLES THE SARS-COV-2 VIRUS, BUT WHICH DOES NOT ENCODE QTQTN IN IT'S SPIKE GENE. FOR THESE ANIMALS, A NATURAL IMMUNITY IS CREATED AGAINST SARS-COV-2.

RESEARCHERS ARE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THIS WORKS.

 A BAT STRAIN OF SARS-COV-2 DISPLAYS A DELETION VARIANT KEEPING THE BAT PROTECTED FROM THE VIRUS. THIS DELETION VARIENT MAY PROVIDE A PROMISING VACCINE CANDIDATE IN THE FUTURE.

 THE QUESTION IS...HOW FAR IN THE FUTURE?

J.N.R.