Once inside the cell nucleus, certain parts of the spike protein splice, or split apart, creating mutant versions, which are unable to bind to the cell membrane where important immunisation takes place. “When these ... virus genes are in the nucleus they can create some problems,” Prof Marschalek told the Financial Times. In Europe, at least 142 people have experienced the blood clots out of 16 million recipients of the vaccine. But Prof Marschalek believes there is a straight forward “way out” if the vaccine developers can modify the gene sequence that codes for the spike protein to prevent it splitting apart. Spike proteinThe instructions for the spike protein in the J&J shot were already less prone to “splicing” than the instructions for the spike protein in the AstraZeneca jab, making the reaction less common, according to Prof Marschalek.

Source: The Irish Times May 27, 2021 08:12 UTC