Key Takeaways
1. Scientists successfully reconstructed the genetic code of the 1918 flu virus from preserved specimens.
2. The project was led by Verena Schünemann, who faced challenges due to the virus’s RNA material deteriorating quickly.
3. The reconstructed genome is the first accurately dated from the 1918 outbreak.
4. The analysis revealed three critical mutations that helped the virus thrive in humans, including evasion of the immune response.
5. Findings may help in developing better pandemic preparedness models and vaccines.
An international group of scientists has successfully brought back to life the flu virus from the 1918 pandemic by reconstructing its full genetic code. This pandemic was one of the deadliest events in history, occurring between 1918 and 1920, and it is estimated to have caused the deaths of 20 to 100 million people.
Extracting Genetic Material
The project was spearheaded by paleogeneticist Verena Schünemann, who and her team obtained genetic material from a specimen preserved in formalin. This specimen was from an 18-year-old patient in Switzerland. Because the virus is an RNA type, its genetic material deteriorates more quickly than that of DNA, which posed a significant challenge for the researchers. To tackle this issue, they devised a new, highly effective approach for retrieving and sequencing the old RNA fragments.
Surprising Findings
The reconstructed genome, which is the first accurately dated from the 1918 outbreak, revealed some unexpected findings. Analysis showed that right from the beginning of the pandemic, the virus already possessed three important mutations that enabled it to thrive in humans. Two of these mutations assisted the virus in evading the human immune response, while the third mutation enhanced its capacity to attach to human cells, increasing its lethality.
The knowledge gained about the virus’s evolution could aid scientists in developing better models for preparing for future pandemics and in creating vaccines.
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