---
type: Conversation
title: Private channel session 1255
description: "slack conversation, 17 messages, 2021-04-16."
tags:
  - conversation
  - slack
medium: slack
message_count: 17
started_at: "2021-04-16T11:05:30"
ended_at: "2021-04-16T13:50:14"
duration_seconds: 9884
sources:
  - { id: slack_pm, resource: /sources/slack-pm.md, title: Slack / Private Message Drop, author: "process:senate-hsgac-release" }
generated: { by: randpaul-corpus-pipeline/1.0, at: "2026-08-01T12:42:27Z" }
status: stable
---

A slack conversation of 17 messages spanning 2h 44m.

# Metadata

- **Started:** 2021-04-16T11:05:30
- **Ended:** 2021-04-16T13:50:14
- **Duration:** 2h 44m
- **Participants:** 3
- **Source:** [slack_pm](/sources/slack-pm.md)
- **Pages:** 711-712

# Participants

* [Andrew Rambaut](/people/andrew-rambaut.md)
* [Edward C. Holmes](/people/edward-c-holmes.md)
* [Kristian G. Andersen](/people/kristian-g-andersen.md)
* [Robert F. Garry](/people/robert-f-garry.md)

# Transcript

**[2021-04-16T11:05:30] Kristian G. Andersen:** @Robert Garry - thoughts on some of these mutations in the "Indian" B.1.617 variant? The three spike mutations at154, 452, and 484 certainly appear immune related. [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-04-16 at 11.04.11 AM.png]

**[2021-04-16T11:12:07] Kristian G. Andersen:** Interestingly, B.1.617 doesn't have the deletion in ORF1a, but it has a mutation very close by - I wonder if it might behaving the same effect.https://outbreak.info/compare-lineages?pango=B.1.1.7&pango=B.1.351&pango=P.1&pango=[...]pango=B.1.617&gene=ORF3a&gene=N&gene=ORF1a&gene=S&threshold=75 [shared file(s): Screen Shot 2021-04-16 at 11.10.13 AM.png]

**[2021-04-16T11:23:50] Robert F. Garry:** It's the corridor that was discussed above. PhiL and DouG (or similar mutations) open a door and the virus walksdown to improve infection of humans. So the corridor involves: NTD front face: e.g. E154K (Eek, Jr?) or others, oneor couple of RBD mutants (enhanced binding/immune escape) and a FCS enhancing mutation. Throw in the nsp6 loop deletion or another mutation near and you've got amore efficient virus.

**[2021-04-16T11:26:46] Kristian G. Andersen:** Eek, Jr - love it :wink:. the del3675/77 is the nsp6 deletion, correct?

**[2021-04-16T11:31:18] Robert F. Garry:** I think that's correct. Also, the nonbat "mutations in" Spike (A372 - knocks out a glycosylation site and H519) likely give SC2 a leg up - ie maybe makes it more pan-tropic. Of course need to mention the PRRA nonbat insertion too.

**[2021-04-16T11:39:30] Robert F. Garry:** I think this is the NSP6 mutation in B.1.617 [shared file(s): image.png]

**[2021-04-16T11:48:11] Kristian G. Andersen:** Which one in that figure?

**[2021-04-16T11:58:08] Robert F. Garry:** T80A if I have counted right. The other NSP mutations are in A.23.1. NSP6: L98F, M83I, M86I. A.23.1 used Q613H and Y346H to open the door instead of PhiL and DouG.

**[2021-04-16T12:09:50] Robert F. Garry:** WELL it's T77A - I didn't count right the first time.

**[2021-04-16T12:12:20] Robert F. Garry:** shared file(s): image.png

**[2021-04-16T12:23:58] Kristian G. Andersen:** Interesting - 77 is pretty buried, so may not really play a role.

**[2021-04-16T12:32:44] Robert F. Garry:** Actually I think that TM domain is probably doing some "business." I wouldn't discount some sort of "channel" activityso the T to A change could make a difference.

**[2021-04-16T12:33:47] Robert F. Garry:** Remodeling lipids is another possibility.

**[2021-04-16T13:28:50] Edward C. Holmes:** Attacked by Tucker Carlson - badge of honour Bob. China are definitely not trying hard to get the bottom of the lab because they've ruled that out already.

**[2021-04-16T13:38:29] Kristian G. Andersen:** I think they're perfectly contend with the Americans running around in circles and falling over themselves talking about lab escapes.

**[2021-04-16T13:43:46] Robert F. Garry:** Good points!

**[2021-04-16T13:50:14] Edward C. Holmes:** I agree!