Scientists in Canada have published the first image of B.1.1.7 variant of Covid-19 virus. Through this, it will be known why it is so much more contagious than the earlier variants of the virus B.1.1.7.
Due to variants, not only the cases of corona increased in the UK, but also in India and Canada it became the cause of increase in cases of infection. The World Health Organization reported the first case of the B.1.1.7 variant in mid-December last year. Due to this, a large number of mutations were seen.
The University of British Columbia (UBC) issued a statement saying, “This picture has been taken at atomic-resolution, which will provide important information as to why the B.1.1.7 variant is more contagious.” B.1.1.7 variants were first discovered in Britain. Currently, this variant is the cause of Corona cases coming across Canada.
This team of UBC researchers was led by Dr. Sriram Subramaniam. He is a professor at UBC’s Medicine Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Faculty.
Dr. Sriram Subramaniam was particularly interested in a mutation called N501Y found in the spike protein of coronavirus. Coronavirus attaches itself to the cells present in the human body and infects it. He said, the pictures taken by us show the first structural glimpse of the N501Y mutant. It also shows that the changes occurring in it occur locally.
Dr. Subramaniam stated that the N501Y mutation is actually the only mutation present in the B.1.1.7 variant, which is located in the spike protein. This is what binds the ACE2 receptor present in the human body. The ACE2 receptor is an enzyme present on the surface of our body’s cells, which works by entry to the Sars-CoV-2 virus.
