Private channel session 8

7 messages over 1h 38m, 2020-05-01 – 2020-05-01.

A “conversation” here is an activity session — a run of messages with under 60 minutes of silence inside it. The channel had no native conversation boundaries.

1. 2020-05-01 07:49 Andrew Rambaut open PDF p.3
   UK clusters by duration: [shared file(s): image.png]
2. 2020-05-01 07:50 Andrew Rambaut open PDF p.3
   and numbers of sequences: [shared file(s): image.png]
3. 2020-05-01 07:51 Andrew Rambaut open PDF p.3
   @Eddie Holmes Yes. Funny that - just got it to review. Will turn it down (on the basis I am already writing a rebuttalto their preprint).
4. 2020-05-01 08:23 Kristian G. Andersen open PDF p.3
   Clearly no difference...
5. 2020-05-01 08:26 Andrew Rambaut open PDF p.3
   ```Ref.: Ms. No. THEIJID-D-20-01291 The 5' UTR of SARS-CoV-2 seems to be genetically unique; implications for improved molecular diagnostics and treatment strategies International Journal of Infectious Diseases Dear Professor Rambaut, You may remember that on 22 Apr 2020 I asked if you would be able to review the above manuscript for us. I have not yet heard from you and would ask you to let us know as soon as possible whether or not you will be able to dothis for us.The manuscript abstract appears below.In our paper we describe some unusual characteristics of the regulatory 5' UTR sequences of SARS-CoV-2 that might imply its non-natural origin. Moreover, we have developed and internally validated a robust, sensitive and specific quantitative Real-Time PCR assay targeting this very unique part of the SARS-CoV-2 genome, which wehave been using for routine diagnostics instead of the original, N gene targeting protocol; our 5' UTR-targetingprotocol can be found in the Supplementary material of this paper. We are also discussing possible therapeuticimplications of this finding - especially RNA interference and direct knock-out of the unique 5' UTR regulatory sequences of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, which, due to the high replication (and error) rate of SARS-CoV-2 might besuperior to the development of conventional immunogenic vaccines and might be an interesting idea to pursue.```5' UTR apparently has a non-natural origin.
6. 2020-05-01 09:23 Kristian G. Andersen open PDF p.4
   Oh, okay - I guess we were totally wrong all the time then. Should we just go ahead and retract our paper?
7. 2020-05-01 09:27 Andrew Rambaut open PDF p.4
   Should just reply to the editor - 'Did you read our paper at all'.