THOSE SPIKY THINGS

In a conversation recently I mentioned newly emergent viruses in addition to old classics. And I realized that somehow, I had in my internet browsing kind of ovelooked the spike proteins and their great diversity.

Per Wikipedia: In virology, a spike protein or peplomer protein is a protein that forms a large structure known as a spike or peplomer projecting from the surface of an enveloped virus.  The proteins are usually glycoproteins that form dimers or trimers.

[Dimers or trimers: a macromolecular multimer formed by two or three protein monomers (single proteins).]


Spike proteins function, usually, to access or bind to the host cell. They are the infectious tools of a virus. The articles on corona virus spike proteins are long and involved, and cannot be easily summarized without sacrificing crucial detail. Which is why I encourage you to read and reread them several times. Doing so is rewarding.

The flu-virus is also fasinating, also worth rereading about.
Two types of spike porteins, oh joy!


Becoming infected with either type far less so.

When a virus multiplies there will eventually be minor differences among the descendants, some of which make it easier for the virus to cross over into a different host organism. Those that thrive in that new environment naturally dominate. Several mutations like that may occur, so there may be several resultant strains that flourish simultaneously. Sometimes they recombine, sharing improved features from their mixed ancestry.

[Viral recombination: an exchange of genetic material from different strains, sometimes leading to new and improved diseases.]

To put it differently, infection may be by multiple strains simultaneously.

It is because of recombination and mutation that viruses can evade defenses or become vaccine-resistant. Or, to throw that into sharper perspective, treatment resistant strains have a far greater chance of thriving and becoming the dominant strain(s) in one or more hosts. Basically, the most effective diseases are ones wich do not disable or immobilize their host (or at least not quickly) and will therefore be able to spread faster and more widely.
Diseases which kill within hours are just not very good at that.


This entire field is riddled with fascinating rabbit holes.



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