4 ms·

> a "gain of function" virus would contain random differences, and would look indistinguishable from something "created by nature." No, a chimeric virus create

> a "gain of function" virus would contain random differences, and would look indistinguishable from something "created by nature." No, a chimeric virus created in a gain-of-function experiment would look extremely similar to known viruses, because these chimeras are created by combining elements of known viruses. It would not be 4% different from the closest known natural virus. Accumulating thousands of mutations throughout the entire genome takes decades of evolution. In the wild, that means thousands of generations of hosts. A virus created in a gain-of-function experiment would also use a well-known backbone. It would not be based on some virus that nobody had ever heard of.

scottlocklin 6y ago
Yeah dude that could never happen. Except it already did: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4797993/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4797993/ https://norkinvirology.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/genetically-modified-emerging-viruses-debate-over-gain-of-function-research/ https://norkinvirology.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/genetically-... https://www.pnas.org/content/113/11/3048 https://www.pnas.org/content/113/11/3048 I don't know what your purpose is in regurgitating verifiable but admittedly realistic-sounding bullshit on hacker news, but virtually every statement you have made here is obvious bullshit. I don't even particularly believe the "possibly released from a lab" meme, and am generally against the shadowy dipshits that push it. But you're not helping here.
- DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
  What happened? Are you saying that a chimeric virus created in a lab was found to have thousands of seemingly random mutations throughout its genome? Or are you claiming that a chimeric virus was created using a backbone that nobody had ever heard of? Be specific, because it's impossible to respond if you vaguely call what I'm saying BS.

scottlocklin 6y ago

Yeah dude that could never happen. Except it already did: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4797993/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4797993/ https://norkinvirology.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/genetically-modified-emerging-viruses-debate-over-gain-of-function-research/ https://norkinvirology.wordpress.com/2015/12/04/genetically-... https://www.pnas.org/content/113/11/3048 https://www.pnas.org/content/113/11/3048 I don't know what your purpose is in regurgitating verifiable but admittedly realistic-sounding bullshit on hacker news, but virtually every statement you have made here is obvious bullshit. I don't even particularly believe the "possibly released from a lab" meme, and am generally against the shadowy dipshits that push it. But you're not helping here.

DiogenesKynikos 6y ago
What happened? Are you saying that a chimeric virus created in a lab was found to have thousands of seemingly random mutations throughout its genome? Or are you claiming that a chimeric virus was created using a backbone that nobody had ever heard of? Be specific, because it's impossible to respond if you vaguely call what I'm saying BS.