Chinese scientists on Friday announced a
breakthrough in decoding the evolutionary pattern of the
coronavirus, which caused the worldwide outbreak of severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) last year.
Zhao Guoping, a noted researcher
from the China National Human Genome Research Institute,
said in Guangzhou Friday that an eight-month extensive study
of the SARS coronavirus in south China revealed patterns in
various phases of the virus evolution.
Molecular analysis of virus isolated from SARS
patients in Guangdong Province and the Hong Kong Special
Administrative Region (HKSAR) demonstrated the initial phase
of the epidemic was characterized by quick amino acid
changes in the virus and relatively low infectivity.
The middle phase of virus evolution was marked
by the "super-spreader case" and a slower amino
acid substitution rate and high infectivity. The last phase
of the epidemic saw a relatively stable virus genome
structure.
The study also indicated the
mutation rate of the coronavirus is a third of that of the
AIDS virus.
Scientists analyzed the genetic
coding of 18 virus samples isolated from 24 SARS patients in
Guangdong Province and the HKSAR and 11 coronavirus-infected
biological samples.
After comparing the
genetic coding with those of the existing 32 human SARS
coronavirus and two coronavirus of civet cats, scientists
had a clearer understanding of the molecular mutational
patterns of SARS, shedding light on pre-emptive control
strategies and the development of therapies and vaccines for
the virus, according to experts.
More than 60
scientists from Guangdong, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Hong
Kong and the United States, assembled by the Chinese SARS
Molecular Epidemiology Consortium, agreed that effective
monitoring and control of the newly emerged animal SARS
coronavirus would contain the reappearance of last year's
SARS outbreak.
The study is also widely
expected to provide valuable reference for studies on other
animal-sourced infectious diseases such as the bird flu.
The Jan. 29 issue of Science Magazine in the
US published the latest outcome under the title The
Evolution of SARS.
(Xinhua News Agency January
31, 2004)
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Chinese Scientists Decode Evolution of SARS Virus (2004/01/31)
2004-03-09 13:51
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