4 ms·

This already has been available for some time. I found it through a link on the wikipedia page. I had not see the tree before. Because it is close to coronoviru

This already has been available for some time. I found it through a link on the wikipedia page. I had not see the tree before. Because it is close to coronoviruses found in bats, one could conclude that bats are the animal reservoir for this type of virus (as was the case with SARS as well). I presume that China will forbid the trade and consumption of bats.

richajak 7y ago
I also noticed the article several days ago. Just wondering if there is any basic tutorial in python to analyze this type of data.
- fjfaase 7y ago
  I guess there is not much to analyze. Both the RNA sequence is given and their translation into amino-acids. The capital letters give the amino-acids. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid The lower case letter describe the RNA sequence. Sequences of three RNA base pairs are translated to one amino-acid. A table giving the standard decoding, can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_code#RNA_codon_table https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_code#RNA_codon_table The next step is taking the amino-acids sequence and determine the protein structure. amino-acids chains fold together in a complex structure, which determine their function. Determining how this folding happens is a very complex problem. If you want to get some more idea about it, I suggest you have a look at https://fold.it/ https://fold.it/
  - zedr 7y ago
    Do you think research on 2019-nCoV would benefit from having available a platform for distributed computing, e.g. a dedicated Folding@Home?
    - fjfaase 7y ago
      I am afraid not. If there would be any, I guess it would already have been organized. No, knowing the structure of the proteins that make up the virus, might give some understand about how it works. If that gives some information about prevention (developping a vaccine) or treatment (developing anti-viral drugs), I wonder. Knowing the genetic code, can be helpful with developing vaccine. I understand that one approach is to incorporate part of the DNA in a known 'disabled' virus and test if it has some protective effect in some animals, and only after positive results test it on humans.
throw_445326 7y ago
If I recall, the widely circulated video of the TV host eating bat soup was actually in Palau. So even if China did ban it, would other countries have to as well for it to be effective?
- beowulfey 7y ago
  Different species of bats have different degrees of similarity between human cell receptors. The edible bat soup may be a very different species that can’t transmit disease to humans.
fspeech 7y ago
You don't need to actually consume bats to have the viruses transmitted across species. Bat droppings could contaminate/infect some intermediary animal.
- hanniabu 7y ago
  Could you get sick from the air if you were in a cave full of bats with the virus?
  - krajzeg 7y ago
    From what I read, the viruses live in the intestine in bats. So no, only through consumption of bats themselves or contact with their excretions.
    - rjsw 7y ago
      If their excretions create an aerosol then you could breath it in.
      - tyfon 7y ago
        If I were to guess I'd say it is from collecting guano to use as fertiliser. This practice is quite common and used to be so common that there is an expression in Norwegian for something selling very well, "Det selger som hakka møkk" [1], which means "It is selling like chopped shit". [1] https://www.sprakradet.no/svardatabase/sporsmal-og-svar/som-hakka-mokk/ https://www.sprakradet.no/svardatabase/sporsmal-og-svar/som-... (Norwegian)
- blackrock 7y ago
  Who would’ve thought those cute little bats could be so deadly to humans. We’ve grown up too fond of The Batman.
  - fspeech 7y ago
    Bats naturally have high body temperature from flying. This likely make them more resistant to viral infection, which turns them into carriers. https://www.livescience.com/44870-bats-viruses-flight.html https://www.livescience.com/44870-bats-viruses-flight.html

richajak 7y ago

I also noticed the article several days ago. Just wondering if there is any basic tutorial in python to analyze this type of data.

fjfaase 7y ago
I guess there is not much to analyze. Both the RNA sequence is given and their translation into amino-acids. The capital letters give the amino-acids. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amino_acid The lower case letter describe the RNA sequence. Sequences of three RNA base pairs are translated to one amino-acid. A table giving the standard decoding, can be found at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_code#RNA_codon_table https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetic_code#RNA_codon_table The next step is taking the amino-acids sequence and determine the protein structure. amino-acids chains fold together in a complex structure, which determine their function. Determining how this folding happens is a very complex problem. If you want to get some more idea about it, I suggest you have a look at https://fold.it/ https://fold.it/
- zedr 7y ago
  Do you think research on 2019-nCoV would benefit from having available a platform for distributed computing, e.g. a dedicated Folding@Home?
  - fjfaase 7y ago
    I am afraid not. If there would be any, I guess it would already have been organized. No, knowing the structure of the proteins that make up the virus, might give some understand about how it works. If that gives some information about prevention (developping a vaccine) or treatment (developing anti-viral drugs), I wonder. Knowing the genetic code, can be helpful with developing vaccine. I understand that one approach is to incorporate part of the DNA in a known 'disabled' virus and test if it has some protective effect in some animals, and only after positive results test it on humans.

throw_445326 7y ago

If I recall, the widely circulated video of the TV host eating bat soup was actually in Palau. So even if China did ban it, would other countries have to as well for it to be effective?

beowulfey 7y ago
Different species of bats have different degrees of similarity between human cell receptors. The edible bat soup may be a very different species that can’t transmit disease to humans.

fspeech 7y ago

You don't need to actually consume bats to have the viruses transmitted across species. Bat droppings could contaminate/infect some intermediary animal.

hanniabu 7y ago
Could you get sick from the air if you were in a cave full of bats with the virus?
- krajzeg 7y ago
  From what I read, the viruses live in the intestine in bats. So no, only through consumption of bats themselves or contact with their excretions.
  - rjsw 7y ago
    If their excretions create an aerosol then you could breath it in.
    - tyfon 7y ago
      If I were to guess I'd say it is from collecting guano to use as fertiliser. This practice is quite common and used to be so common that there is an expression in Norwegian for something selling very well, "Det selger som hakka møkk" [1], which means "It is selling like chopped shit". [1] https://www.sprakradet.no/svardatabase/sporsmal-og-svar/som-hakka-mokk/ https://www.sprakradet.no/svardatabase/sporsmal-og-svar/som-... (Norwegian)
blackrock 7y ago
Who would’ve thought those cute little bats could be so deadly to humans. We’ve grown up too fond of The Batman.
- fspeech 7y ago
  Bats naturally have high body temperature from flying. This likely make them more resistant to viral infection, which turns them into carriers. https://www.livescience.com/44870-bats-viruses-flight.html https://www.livescience.com/44870-bats-viruses-flight.html