Researchers have now found that the corona virus looks different than was first assumed.
Frankfurt/Kassel – It has been keeping the world in suspense since 2020: the corona virus. Round and covered with many spikes, such images of the pathogen are often found in our everyday life. Scientists have now examined the appearance of the corona virus again more closely – with surprising results.
Because the researchers of Coronavirus Structural Task Force have concluded that the depictions of the coronavirus as we know it are not entirely correct. There is even one on the website of the project funded by the University of Hamburg and the Ministry of Education and Research Corona virus print template for a 3D printer. With this, inquisitive people can recreate the virus in its updated form themselves.
December 31, 2020 | 1,719,737 |
June 30, 2021 | 3,728,141 |
December 30, 2021 | 7.109.182 |
June 30, 2022 | 28.180.861 |
September 26, 2022 (current) | 32.952.050 |
Source: Robert Koch Institute |
Corona: At the beginning, findings from the SARS-CoV-1 virus served as a model
At the beginning of corona–Pandemic the depiction of the corona virus was based primarily on the existing knowledge of other corona viruses. The SARS-CoV-1 virus was a role model here, like that Coronavirus Structural Task Force writes.
In the time since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, many new findings and images have been added. Combining these results in a different picture than initially assumed.
Corona pandemic: The virus is not perfectly round
One of the new findings is that although the virus forms in an almost perfect sphere, it deforms when it comes into contact with other substances. Therefore, the virus in the updated form is no longer perfectly round like the Coronavirus Structural Task Force indicates.
Another crucial aspect is the size of the virus. SARS-CoV-2 appears to be smaller than other corona viruses. The task force therefore reduced the diameter of their model by 12 percent.
Corona virus: This is what the new model looks like
The spikes on its surface are characteristic of the corona virus. While the first model contained around 100 spikes, the latest findings have drastically reduced the number. In addition, the spike proteins are not vertical as initially assumed, but at an angle of 40 percent on average, like the knowledge magazine scinexx reported.
The new model only has 26 so-called spike proteins, explains the Coronavirus Structural Task Force on. The large, round virus model with many red spines has now (at least in this representation) become a smaller, non-round corona virus with a few green spines. There are always new scientific findings about the corona virus. One The last study found out how well a booster vaccination really protects can. (lm)
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