Two researchers from the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics under the Department of Central Biotechnology are behind the study. They describe the virus that originated in China as ‘O’. Often it has 10 variants. One of these, A2a, was more widespread than the others. By the end of March, these variants had become totalitarian, overriding the others.
The study was published in ICMR’s Indian Journal of Medical Research.
The study used 3600 RNA elements of the virus, collected from 55 countries. The study analyzed virus samples collected from December 2019 to April 6 last year, when the first reported Covid infection.
The study found that ‘A2a’ variants are up to 80% in many countries. The incidence of the virus was 45 per cent in India.
Researchers say that ‘A2a’ has the ability to spread and cause more disease than other variants of the Sares Cove-2 virus. Researcher Partha Majumdar says the main problem is that if the vaccine or other drugs are to be developed against the virus, then it must be against the variant.
Mutations in the RNA of the virus were caused by the ‘A2a’ variant. The glycine substituted for aspartic acid in the genome of the virus’s spike protein, they say, could make the virus enter the lungs more quickly. This is what caused the virus epidemic.
Human lung cells produce a protein called ACE2. They are found in the cell wall. The spike protein of the virus is bound to the ‘ACE2’ in the lung. The virus then transmits its RNA into cells using other proteins.
The virus with the most ability can penetrate the cells very quickly. Mutations in the spike protein system resulted in increased capacity for the ‘A2a’ virus. Researchers explain that its spike protein contains glycine instead of aspartic acid compared to other viruses.
Researchers say that another similar change 10 years ago could have made its predecessor, the Sars Cove virus, dangerous.
