COVID-19 Delta Variant Breakthroughs

As more and more information on the SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant comes to light with research, clinical trials, and data collection. With the characteristic of being about twice as infectious as other COVID-19 strains, as explained by Wadman in this Science article, exploring the mutational ability and genetic structure of this variant is vital. Despite all the uncertainty of the exact aspects of COVID contraction and resistance, new lab experimentation allows researchers to safely and efficiently study SARS-CoV-2 mutations. The most promising result of this was “a little-noticed mutation in Delta that allows the virus to stuff more of its genetic code into host cells, thus boosting the chances that each infected cell will spread the virus to another cell”, a mutation that “makes the virus better at making infectious particles and because of that, it spreads more quickly”. This discovery further explains the high Delta infection rates along with producing foundations for the comprehension of how future COVID-19 variants might function in their viral replication abilities. The creation of this research tool makes this experimental process more efficient and accessible widening the ability for testing on this topic- a vital concept during a pandemic with vast population in desperate need of more information.

This breakthrough tool is a tweak of VLPs, particles that “contain all a virus’ structural proteins but lack its genome” allowing researchers to simulate and rework viral cell binding and invasions without subjecting the experiment to unexpected cell spreading. This new adaptation includes the insertion of a part of mRNA that “causes cells invaded by the VLPs to light up and glow” as an indicator of VLP success. The Gladstone Institute of Virology explains in detail the benefits of this innovation leading to the Delta breakthrough of the R203M mutation that changes the nucleocapsid protein promoting the ability to stabilize and release the virus’ genetic material. This visible marking ability allows for more obvious comparing in the infectious levels and cell replication abilities of the various COVID-19 strains. With this tool pointing researchers to targets in the SARS-CoV-2 replication sequences it has become revolutionary in the COVID-19 pandemic research field.

As a comparison to earlier versions of these virus-like particles in viral experimentation, particularly COVID-19 research, this new and improved process allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the virus. With the ability to interfere in the processes researchers are able to monitor and predict virus behavior and variant patterns in transmission efficacy and infectious nature helping people better prepare for safe measure and creation of necessary vaccines or drugs. While the replication isn’t an exact replacement, it is vital in lab biosafety and clinical development. For the sake of COVID-19 and its vast unknowns, technological improvement in this regard is incredibly influential in exploring current viral mutations in association with the new variants and its implications on our medical advancements. This article and new tool gives hope in the ability for other labs like Gladstone to get ahead of, or at least keep up with, the constant modifications thrown our way by the COVID-19 pandemic.