The United Kingdom, South African, and Brazilian variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus all display mutation N501Y. World Health Organization reported December 21, 2020 this may spread more rapidly between people. It does not appear to increase disease severity though, just cause more of the same. Now a company SinoBiological says it has developed recombinant antigens for mutation N501Y.
Recombinant Antigens How Do These Work?
A natural antigen is a substance that triggers our immune system to fight it. This may be something from the external environment, such as chemicals, bacteria, viruses, or pollen. However, it may also develop inside our bodies according to MedlinePlus. The common denominator is antigens recognize aliens and try to fight them off.
Recombinant antigens, on the other hand are the result of laboratory work that artificially combines genetic materials from multiple sources. But to take this a stage further, recombinant vaccines insert a small part of an antigen into a recipient’s body. This then triggers an immune response in the presence of the particular virus, that rejects the invader and cleanses the affected cells.
SinoBiological Announces Recombinant Antigens for Mutation N501Y
SinoBiological is a U.S. company committed to providing high-quality recombinant protein, antibody, and cDNA clones. Its laboratories in Beijing extend over 860,000 square feet, and are a market leader in recombinant technology. The company has now produced ‘a collection’ of recombinant antigens for mutation N501Y.
The company says it has ‘extensively validated’ these reagent’s abilities to efficiently assess the efficacy of antibodies, and vaccinations. Hence this appears to be an important step forward towards containing the spread of new variants from South Africa, Brazil and UK.
However, this does not mean we are through the pandemic, or even reaching the midpoint. It’s one thing to have an effective vaccine, but it’s another matter to persuade people to take it. We urge our readers to hear what science says, and to ignore unsubstantiated claims on social media.
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