Slack / Private Message Drop — page 78

Looks like SARS-CoV-2 can infect and readily transmit in mink (in the Netherlands). https://www.eurosurveillance.org/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2020.25.23.2001005#html_fulltext - some severe disease too. Infects cats. So broad host range. Look into that press-release about infecting fruit bats (and cats). Recombination of RBD variable loop out of RaTG13 rather than in to SARS-CoV-2 from pangolins. Large variety of pangolin viruses (these are illegally imported from SE Asia - so where are they getting them from). Seems to readily loose furin site in cell culture. Really odd mutation patterns with lots of C->T and A->T, much higher NSyn/Syn ratio than you would expect? RmYN02 being closer in ORF1ab but recombines out in the rest - tell us something but not sure what just yet. Deletions in the accessory genes - suggests ORF7 & 8 maybe don't have much function in humans - some batty thing? [2020-06-13 10:08:29] [Robert Garry] Well done Kristian [to BBC] and Andrew [above}! Andrew's list is great - I don't see anything that points to active [cloning] or passive [cell or animal passage] lab manipulation however for balance we could put in some of Kristian's points above. [shared file(s): 220px-Leafy_Seadragon_on_Kangaroo_Island.jpg] [2020-06-13 10:24:24] [Andrew Rambaut] We just resubmitted our revised MS on the 'distal' origin. I added a new figure to supplementary on the variable loop recombination: [shared file(s): image.png] [2020-06-13 10:31:18] [Andrew Rambaut] Shows better how the pangolin distance is exactly the same in the variable as the rest of the CTD whereas RaTG13 jumps out. [2020-06-13 13:25:20] [Robert Garry] NIce work Andrew - hope that paper appears shortly - also Kristian very constructive engagement with BBC - well done - it's not clear where BBC is going with their story. May not be good... [2020-06-13 13:28:35] [Kristian Andersen] Yeah, it's unclear where they want to go with this - hence my refusal to address specific (and exceptionally stupid) questions. We shall see - he has been warned. [2020-06-13 13:32:30] [Kristian Andersen] [and yes - I realize my replies were exceptionally arrogant. That was the intend in this case...] [2020-06-13 13:39:15] [Robert Garry] exceptionally arrogant - not really [2020-06-13 14:58:35] [Eddie Holmes] Mornin'. Anything interesting happen overnight? [2020-06-13 15:13:00] [Eddie Holmes] A few thoughts: (i) John clearly likes the lab escape angle and I guess will compile a list of compelling factoids; (ii) good idea from Bob to try and get an external body involved. Sir Jeremy's original idea was to get WHO involved and I'm not sure what happened there. I'll ask him again. Alas, the involvement of WHO will upset some people but I