Double mutant coronavirus variant is found in California

A possibly worrisome variant of the coronavirus; first identified in India; has been found in California by scientists at Stanford University.

Nicknamed the “double mutant” variant by the BBC and others; the variant is sparking concern among some scientists because it contains not just one, but two worrisome mutations in its genetic composition.

“We don’t know how those two mutations behave when they’re paired together,” Dr. Benjamin Pinsky, a Stanford virologist who helped discover the variant, told the LA Times.

Most mutations are innocuous, but sometimes, a combination of genetic tweaks emerges that helps the virus survive or spread better. The “double mutant” brings together two worrisome mutations in the same variant for the first time.

One mutation, known as L452R, helps the virus’ spike protein bind more tightly to cells. That same mutation is also present in a variant first spotted in Los Angeles last fall. The other mutation – called E484Q – bears a “chilling” resemblance to a mutation found in variants from South Africa and Brazil, according to Chin-Hong.

That tweak helps the variant evade detection by antibodies the body has developed in response to an infection with the original virus.

“There’s a reasonable amount of information about those individually,” Pinsky said of the two mutations. But he added: “Will it be worse if they’re together?” We don’t really know how they’re going to interact.”

No studies yet have found that this “double mutant” is deadlier than earlier versions of the virus, or that it can evade vaccines.
That said, some “early hallmarks” suggest the variant could be more transmissible, Chin-Hong said.

In the last week, Maharashtra saw a 55% increase in infections. The Indian government says there’s not enough evidence to link that surge to this variant, but epidemiology researchers at the Indian Institute of Public Health have suggested that it’s the most likely explanation