3 ms·

But this isn’t how GoF works, it’s not like you can just turn a dial up to 11. GoF almost always works by acquiring some new function which in combination with

But this isn’t how GoF works, it’s not like you can just turn a dial up to 11. GoF almost always works by acquiring some new function which in combination with other functions results in drastically increased aggregate function (ie infection). So I’m not really sure how that excludes this research. The Ba1 spike is new function.

rolph 4y ago
is it something the virus didnt do before? if yes, thats Gain of function. if its something that the virus already did, but now does it to greater extent that is attenuation of function
- spfzero 4y ago
  "Attenuation" is a decrease. Gain is an increase. I may not understand the nuances of virology-speak, but: When we talk about GoF research as a dangerous activity, it is dangerous because a virus got better able to infect and hurt humans or other animals. Therefore if it escaped the lab, we'd be faced with a new, more dangerous pathogen, then if the research had not gone ahead. This research seemed to accomplish that, unless I'm missing something, which I might well be. But if we're nuancing the definition of GoF to say this research was not GoF, then I think we've lost track of what the concern was in the first place.
  - rolph 4y ago
    gain also means aquisition if you are not talking about signals the function of "lethality" was reduced in association with the recombination, thus attenuated in summary, if you look hard enough you may be able to find gains, but overall it is attenuation. this isnt the research you seem to be concerned about. you should be more concerned with codon scale editing of the nonstructural features of the virus as there is a direct influence upon interferon dynamics that is understood, and can be easily influenced by editing additional codons into the code at the "region" associated with interferon cascade mediated lethality. i will not give details here, but i you choose to look around and do some hard reading, you will discover, that the recipe for extremely lethal corona virus is not complex, but requires a lab capable of keeping and using the accesory biochemicals that allow primary sequence editing- that is to say any molecular genetics lab

rolph 4y ago

is it something the virus didnt do before? if yes, thats Gain of function. if its something that the virus already did, but now does it to greater extent that is attenuation of function

spfzero 4y ago
"Attenuation" is a decrease. Gain is an increase. I may not understand the nuances of virology-speak, but: When we talk about GoF research as a dangerous activity, it is dangerous because a virus got better able to infect and hurt humans or other animals. Therefore if it escaped the lab, we'd be faced with a new, more dangerous pathogen, then if the research had not gone ahead. This research seemed to accomplish that, unless I'm missing something, which I might well be. But if we're nuancing the definition of GoF to say this research was not GoF, then I think we've lost track of what the concern was in the first place.
- rolph 4y ago
  gain also means aquisition if you are not talking about signals the function of "lethality" was reduced in association with the recombination, thus attenuated in summary, if you look hard enough you may be able to find gains, but overall it is attenuation. this isnt the research you seem to be concerned about. you should be more concerned with codon scale editing of the nonstructural features of the virus as there is a direct influence upon interferon dynamics that is understood, and can be easily influenced by editing additional codons into the code at the "region" associated with interferon cascade mediated lethality. i will not give details here, but i you choose to look around and do some hard reading, you will discover, that the recipe for extremely lethal corona virus is not complex, but requires a lab capable of keeping and using the accesory biochemicals that allow primary sequence editing- that is to say any molecular genetics lab