Question

What Techniques are used for SAR-CoV2 RNA and the antibody, and describe the technique used for the development of vaccine. Please state how many protein covid 19 has and which one would be preferred to use for vaccine.

Answer 1

The SAR-CoV2 virus has spike protein, membrane glycoprotein, envelop protein, nucleocapsid protein and single stranded RNA as the nucleic acid material.

Spike protein (S) binds to the host cell receptor and help in entry to host cell.

Membrane glycoprotein (M) determines the shape of viral envelop.

Envelop protein (E) interacts with the membrane protein to form the envelop.

Nucleocapsid protein (N) is bound to the RNA to make the nucleocapsid.

Sceintists are developing a mRNA vaccine that could be first of its type approved for human use. The vaccine called mRNA1273 could be the first corona virus vaccine available in to the public. The development of vaccine began when the entire genome of the corona virus was sequenced and uploaded to a public database. The scientists then identified the sequence within the genome , for a key protein on the surface of the virus called the Spike protein as a good vaccine candidate. The spike protein is a surface protein, that the corona virus uses to bind to a human cell receptor allowing it to gain entry into the human cell. It is one of the major antigens of the corona virus that the human body can make antibodies aganist. The nucleic acid sequence that code for the spike protein was then encoded into an instruction molecule, a messenger RNA. The mRNA molecule can then be replicated many times and administered to patients directly as a vaccine. The mRNA then travels  through the body, and eventually instructs some immune cells like macrophages or dendritic cells to make copies of the spike protein. The spike protein antigen is then displayed on the cell surface of the immune cells that have taken up the mRNA. The presence of the spike protein lets the immune system think it has been infected by corona virus. Immune cells then learn about the spike prtein and mount an immune response aganist it. The immune cells that developed then remain in the body and can protect the person if they ever come in contact with the actual corona virus.

This novel approach is promising because the virus itself does not have to be propagated to make a vaccine. This cuts out a time consuming process and instead uses the human body in a sense to manufacture its own vaccine.