B.1.617.2 VARIANT
- May 17, 2021
- Posted by: OptimizeIAS Team
- Category: DPN Topics
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B.1.617.2 VARIANT
Subject: Science & tech
Context : COVID vaccines almost certainly less effective against transmission of B.1.617.2 variant, says UK expert
Concept :
- While the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus as a ‘variant of concern‘, it appears that this lineage consists of at least 3 sub-lineages — B.1.617.1, B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3.
- The lineage B.1.617 was defined by the mutations E484Q, L452R and P681R -—along with D614G — in the spike protein.
- 1.617.2 is defined by more mutations in the spike protein, namely T19R, DEL157/158, T478K and D950N.
- It is important to note that each of these viral lineages have more mutations, but the ones mentioned above are considered to be more important since they occur in the spike protein of the virus which facilitates the entry of the virus into the host cells.