What is known about the new mutations?

6 min readFeb 27, 2021

“There’s clearly something going on with this mutation. I think there’s a clear signature of an evolutionary benefit,” Jeremy Kamil, a virologist at LSU, about the B.1.1.7 variant.

Many variants of the Sars-CoV-2 have spread around the world, particularly:

In the United Kingdom- as known as B.1.1.7
In South Africa — as known as B.1.3.5.1
In Brazil- as known as P.1
Coronavirus variant B.1.5.2.5
Each virus tends to change over time, hence it is not surprising that the coronavirus faced mutation as well.

When a virus like COVID-19 enters the organism, it begins to multiply rapidly, and with each multiplication the probability of the virus changing increases. This process is called “mutation”. Mutation is the consistent change of a genotype, which occurs under the influence of external or internal environment. Mutation can be caused by DNA duplication errors during cell division. It is possible that new strains (variants) will emerge from a mix of different variants.

Coronavirus British variant

The British variant of the coronavirus B117 or 20I / 501Y.V1, VOC 202012/01 has been found in more than 70 countries around the world including the US, Australia, Denmark, and the Netherlands. It was first discovered in Kent in September 2020. The sharp increase in cases in the UK is attributed to this variant.

According to British scientists in January 2021, version B.1.1.7, compared to other versions, has a higher risk of death.
Further research is being done to better understand the risks of this variant. Recent studies, however, suggest that the variant B117 may have a higher risk of hospitalization and death than the original strain and, with a risk of up to 30% mortality. In other words, if in the case of the initial strain the mortality risk in 60-year-olds was 10 out of 1000, now it is 13–14. It is assumed that this option is 30–70% more transferable, all age groups are equally at risk, regardless of their health status.

Coronavirus South African variant

The South African variant, as known as 20H / 501Y.V2 or B.1.351, originated independently of B.1.1.7 and P.1 but contains identical mutations. Cases attributed to this version have been found in many countries outside of South Africa. As with the initial variant, the risk is highest for older or chronically ill people, but in this case, it can target young people as well.

The South African strain is not thought to be as deadly as the original strain, but it is known to spread more rapidly. Additional tests are performed at sites where cases have been detected to try to control the spread of the South African version. Some variations of this variant include the virus stem cell, the part through which the virus enters human cells. Because COVID vaccines affect stem protein, experts worry that mutations may not be affected by vaccines.

Coronavirus Brazilian variant

Another type of coronavirus that was first detected in travelers from Brazil has now reached Britain. The Brazilian version is known as P.1. It has 17 unique mutations, three in the binding domain of protein receptors. P1 is now very common in the Brazilian state of Amazonas and is found in South Korea and the United States. The Brazilian variant is not more deadly, but it spreads pretty rapidly. Although there is no evidence that this variant causes a more serious illness, however, this variant is the possible reason for the huge wave of infections in Manaus, the largest city in the state of Amazonas. The insufficient oxygen capacity of the city is one of the current concerns․ People die from suffocation due to lack of oxygen. The situation is more complicated in the rural areas of the state. The P1 variant was found in 42% of the test samples taken in Manaus. As of October 2020, approximately 75% of the state population was infected with SARS-CoV2. However, since mid-December, the number of cases in the region has increased. Moreover, if in the first week of January one-third of the patients in COVID-19 needed oxygen treatment in Tefé, then two weeks later that number reached two-thirds.

Thus, not only is the number of patients increasing, but their condition is deteriorating, leading to more catastrophic consequences. The emergence of this variant raises concerns about SARS-CoV-2 re-infection, transmission, or possible growth in numbers.

Coronavirus B1.525 variant

It is not clear where B1.525 came from, but it has already been found in 10 countries, including Denmark, the United States, and Australia. In addition, 32 cases have been reported in the UK so far.

Variant B1.525 is similar to B117 and B351 versions. This mutation can make the virus more contagious and more resistant to the body’s immune system. The earliest cases were in December, rising in the UK and Nigeria. The B1525 mutation is thought to contain the E484K mutation, which helps the virus avoid antibodies produced in the body.
What are the consequences of these variants?

Ability to spread faster in humans.
These new mutations have already been shown to spread faster than the SARS-CoV-2 variant. Evidence provided in laboratories shows that 614G mutations in human respiratory epithelial cells spread faster than the 614D mutations
Ability to cause (mild or severe) disease in humans. In January 2021, experts in the UK reported that the B.1.1.7 variant may be associated with an increased risk of death compared to other variants.
Ability to avoid detection by specific viral diagnostic tests.
Many reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests have multiple targets for the virus so that even if the mutation affects one of the targets, the RT-PCR can still detect the virus through its other targets.
Decreased sensitivity to antibodies.
Ability to avoid immunity from vaccines or natural infection. These mutations trigger a specific immune response against the infection that affects several parts of the protein.

The main features of the mutated variants are the following:

B117:

Full name: 20I / 501Y.V1 Variant of Concern (VOC) 202012/01
Appeared in the UK as early as September 2020
Has a high rate of infection, spreads quickly
Compared to other options, has a higher mortality rate

B1351:

Full name: 20H / 501Y.V2
Has several mutations, including K417N, E484K, N501Y
Appeared in South Africa in October 2020
Evidence shows that one of the protein mutations, E484K, can adversely affect the body’s immune system

P1:

First appeared in Brazil
Contains three mutations: K417T, E484K և N501Y
Mutations in the variant affect transmissibility and infectivity
Affect the ability of antibodies in the human body to recognize or neutralize the virus