January 19, 7pm PT

Save the date and register now! On January 19, we will conduct a Town Hall wherein a distinguished panel of experts will answer all of your questions about the new COVID-19 mutation. You learn what UCSC and our community leaders are doing to test and combat the virus. If you would like to submit questions in advance, as well as RSVP to the event, see the links below.

Interview with Mark Akeson

We asked Mark Akeson to give us some insights prior this event. Mark Akeson is a Professor of Biomolecular Engineering and a member of the Genomics Institute at UC Santa Cruz. He is a co-inventor of nanopore sequencing which is used worldwide for SARS-CoV-2 genome analysis. He is a scientific advisor to Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford UK.

SCW: What is a virus mutation?

Mark Akeson: Let me say first, so there is no mistake, COVID-19 is a mortal crisis for our community. It is a duty for all of us to control the spread of infections as much as possible. When I see someone wearing a mask I know that they care about their family and my family.

Basically viruses contain a genome (RNA or DNA ) that encodes proteins that determine how the virus infects humans and how dangerous it is. Mutations in viral genomes are uncommon and random -- usually they don’t matter. But once in a while they will alter a viral protein that makes the virus spread more quickly or makes it more harmful to an infected person. For example, a mutation in the spike protein of the new UK SARS-CoV-2 variant caused it to spread more quickly, however it does not appear to cause more severe disease. A new South African SARS-CoV-2 variant also spreads more quickly because of changes in the spike protein. Scientists still don’t know if causes more severe disease. 

I want to emphasize for all of these known SARS-CoV-2 variants, masks, handwashing, and social distancing are crucial.

SCW: Has COVID-19 mutated as expected / predicted?

Mark Akeson: First off, I am not an epidemiologist (someone who studies the spread of infections). But I can say that we knew with 100% certainty that some mutations in COVID-19 would occur. Exactly which mutations would be hard to predict.

SCW: How much more contagious is the mutation?

Mark Akeson: Some data show that the UK SARS-CoV-2 variant is about 50% more contagious than previous variants. This is why it became common so quickly in the UK. It is now present in California.

SCW: How does the mutated virus genetic sequence differ if at all?

Mark Akeson: The important mutations we known of in the UK and South African variants are in the spike protein. All of your readers have seen depictions of the SARS-CoV-2 virus – the red triangles sticking out of the surface are the spike proteins.

SCW: How does the mutation react to the current mRNA vaccine? 

Mark Akeson: The vaccines appear to work for the new UK variant; we still don’t know for sure if they work for the South African variant but early results are promising.

SCW: When did UCSC learn about the mutation?

Mark Akeson: To my knowledge, scientist at UCSC and elsewhere learned about the new UK variant about one week before Christmas. We learned about the South African about the same time.

SCW: What is UCSC’s strategy for addressing this mutation and others in the future?

Mark Akeson: Broad SARS-CoV-2 sequencing of positive samples should reveal the presence of new viral variants going forward.

SCW: If the virus’ genetic sequence was determined by using the human genome project findings (which is I believe based upon a single white male), how does the mRNA vaccine approach treat women and people of color. 

Mark Akeson: The SARS-CoV-2 sequence was determined independent of the human genome project. 

The mRNA vaccines are targeted at the virus not at human cells, so it should neutralize SARS-CoV-2 for all persons regardless of gender or ethnicity. To be sure, an individual’s vulnerability to the virus may depend on their genetic makeup – this is an area of extensive research but not in my laboratory.