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We're going to hear more and more about various COVID mutations in the coming weeks and months. Their names, N501Y, D614G, etc. seem cryptic, and they are, but they are not arbitrary. Recall that proteins — in this case, the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2—are strings of amino acids.
The number 501 refers to the 501st amino acid in the protein. The letters refer to the amino acids themselves.
So N501Y means the original strain had an N, asparagine, in position 501. The mutation switched this position to a Y, tyrosine.
So N501Y means the original strain had an N, asparagine, in position 501. The mutation switched this position to a Y, tyrosine.
What about names like B.1.1.7? These are names of *lineages*, based on a hierarchical notation.
B is an original Chinese lineage, B.1 is the lineage that seeded the Italian outbreak, B.1.1 a European lineage derived from that, B.1.1.7 is the currently exploding UK lineage.
B is an original Chinese lineage, B.1 is the lineage that seeded the Italian outbreak, B.1.1 a European lineage derived from that, B.1.1.7 is the currently exploding UK lineage.
