Let Uncle Ralph educate you
Synthetic Viral Genomics:
Risks and Benefits for Science and Society

"Alternatively, “No See’m” sites can be used to insert foreign genes into viral, eukaryotic, or microbial genome or vector, simultaneously removing all evidence of the restriction sites that were used in the recombinant DNA manipulation"
By orientating the restriction sites as “No See’m”, the sites are removed during reassembly, leaving only the desired mutation in the final DNA product.
The dual properties of strand specificity & a variable end overhang that can be tailored to match any sequence allow for Esp3I sites to be engineered as “universal connectors” that can be joined with any other four nucleotide restriction site overhangs (e.g. EcoRI, PstX1, BamH1)
Seamless assembly (also called No See’m Sites (85)) cascades have been used to assemble full length cDNAs of the coronaviruses mouse hepatitis virus, transmissible gastroenteritis virus, infectious bronchitis virus and SARS-CoV (Refs: 85,86,87)
Type IIS restriction endonucleases recognize asymmetric binding sites & leave asymmetric ends
These enzymes can be used to create unique interconnecting junctions, which can be subsequently removed from final assembly product allowing seamless reconstruction of an exact sequence
With enzymes like Esp3I, interconnecting restriction site junctions can be located at ends of each cDNA & systematically removed during assembly of complete full-length cDNA product
Consequently, knowledgeable experts can theoretically reconstruct full length synthetic genomes for any of the high priority virus pathogens, although technical concerns may limit the robustness of these approaches.
Another approach might be to “humanize” zoonotic viruses by inserting mutations into virus attachment proteins or constructing chimeric proteins that regulate virus species specificity (viral attachment proteins bind receptors, mediating virus docking and entry into cells).
The pathogenicity of these chimeric coronaviruses is unknown
The pathogenicity of these chimeric coronaviruses is unknown
The pathogenicity of these chimeric coronaviruses is unknown
The pathogenicity of these chimeric coronaviruses is unknown
"Scapegoat option"
This powerful technique provides bioterrorists with a “scapegoat” option; leaving a sequence signature that misdirects efforts at tracking the true originators of the crime. Even better, the approach could be used to build mistrust &/or precipitate open warfare
Dual Use
Uncle Ralph summarises his findings (1)
Uncle Ralph Concludes (2)
Hence Ecohealth DARPA/DTRA spooks & virus thieves collaboration with Baric (UNC) Lipkin (Mailman) NIchols (Atlanta CDC) and USAMRIID (Bavari, Totura et al) & Jonathan Epstein's palpable concern about dual use references in the @USRightToKnow FOIA emails
A scary read for an experimental monkey!
Delving into the cold and calculating mind of a twisted genius?
https://t.co/MrwxYK93cx
Bring Uncle Ralph and his transgenic mice in for questioning!
unroll @threadreaderapp
You just read the Baric Paper, one of 6 in a series, the rest are available here in a 191 page document
https://t.co/rjNZ8aDNDl
Related Papers
1. Synthetic Genomics: Options for Governance (2008) https://t.co/A32jEfL1TQ
2. Sequence Screening - Robert Jones (2005)
https://t.co/zOqMroYbVU
3. Synthetic Biology as a Field of Dual-Use Bioethical Concern - Alexander Kelle
https://t.co/Va1movPqvs
Related papers (2)
4. Sanghvi Y. A Roadmap to the Assembly of Synthetic DNA from Raw Materials.
https://t.co/4kWu4vzcXC
5. Collett MS. Impact of Synthetic Genomics on the Threat of Bioterrorism with Viral Agents.
https://t.co/OcaTmuCUBy
Related Papers (3)
6. Fleming DO. Risk Assessment of Synthetic Genomics: A Biosafety & Biosecurity Perspective.
https://t.co/JBcLVLr005
7. Risk Governance of Synthetic Biology
https://t.co/9BE9X5s0Fb
8. US Competitiveness in Synthetic Biology
https://t.co/OCZJdsXSjl
Related papers (4)
9. Ensuring security of synthetic biology
https://t.co/7kPE1OpbrS
10. Synthetic biology: emerging research field in China
https://t.co/T3BcaDvUsa
11.
What rough beast? Synthetic biology, uncertainty,& the future of biosecurity (2016)
https://t.co/XTlBXILEWh
Back to Baric et Al
Reverse genetics with a full-length infectious cDNA of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (2003)
https://t.co/k8PI1rbcm8
Systematic Assembly of a Full-Length Infectious Clone of Human Coronavirus NL63 (2008)
https://t.co/bWhAv1wsC0
For the Record (WIV)
In 2016, Shi and her team at the WIV, in conjunction with the New York-based EcoHealth Alliance, constructed a full-length clone of a bat coronavirus called SL-CoV WIV1. They assembled it in discrete segments.
They genetically engineered the virus using the pGEM®-T Easy Vector Systems to join the segments. This system, also available on the internet, gives researchers several options for how to remove GM inserts that can be seen as signatures of a lab-made virus.18
pGEM®-T Easy Vector Systems:
“Thus, several options exist to remove the desired insert DNA with a single restriction digestion.”
This shows that researchers at the WIV have the ability to genetically engineer viruses and remove the signatures of the genetic engineering.
WIV & EcoHealth Alliance published a paper in 2017 on how they genetically modified spike proteins of 8 bat coronaviruses, by cutting & pasting genetic material from other coronaviruses, so that the viruses infected the human ACE2 receptor
They used pGEM®-T Easy Vector Systems to join the segments to genetically engineer these viruses.
They showed how they can insert new spikes into viruses. The researchers state:
“Then any spike could be substituted into the genome of SARSr-CoV WIV1 through this strategy.”
This shows that researchers at WIV have the ability to genetically modify multiple coronaviruses to insert new spikes, and these new viruses cannot be detected as genetically engineered.
The research clearly shows that GOF researchers at WIV could assemble SARS-CoV-2 from bat coronaviruses, such as RaTG13 or similar & spike protein from Malayan Pangolins & insert multi-basic cleavage sites into precise regions of spike & leave no evidence of genetic engineering.
All the above about WIV research is taken verbatim from an excellent article by Andre Leu on the website of @OrganicConsumer
COVID 19: The Spike and the Furin Cleavage
https://t.co/bDOMmhpJ1t

More from Billy Bostickson 🏴👁&👁 🆓

1. Messy Thread exploring connections between
@DARPA @doddtra PREDICT & @EcoHealthNYC
What happened to FLIRT?
https://t.co/wgttFlgcP1
EcoHealth Alliance analyzed all airports in the US by assessing how often passengers trickle in from areas with confirmed cases of Zika virus.

2. “I believe this is something that people should know,” said Andrew Huff, vice-president of group, who oversees efforts to forecast the spread of infectious diseases. “If you know where an infectious disease is, you can take precautions.”
Andrew Huff used to run their database


3. Andrew Huff
https://t.co/yqP8NbiN5X
Data papers:
https://t.co/mCdcAMTHNW
FLIRT (Zika)
https://t.co/MyUM3mt6c3
MANTLE https://t.co/dBsFAixRXv
MANTLE

4. GRITS and EcoHealth Alliance and DTRA
Global Disease Warning Software - May 28, 2015
EcoHealth Alliance and its Partners Create Biosurveillance Application with $2.2 million grant from the DTRA to continue the development of disease warning software

Global Rapid Identification Tool System (GRITS) software developed with ProMED, International Society for Infectious Disease, & Kitware
Biosurveillance app that enables infectious disease analysts to monitor textual data sources for infectious disease threats in near real time.
Zhengli Shi and Deyin Guo in 2015
Coronavirus nsp10/nsp16 Methyltransferase Can Be Targeted by nsp10-Derived Peptide In Vitro and In Vivo To Increase or Decrease Replication and Pathogenesis
https://t.co/YMlsqFOvZp


Deyin Guo 2016:
Molecular mechanisms of coronavirus RNA capping and methylation
https://t.co/xdEU5goLB6


Deyin Guo 2012
Short peptides derived from the interaction domain of SARS coronavirus nonstructural protein nsp10 can suppress the 2′-O-methyltransferase activity of nsp10/nsp16 complex
https://t.co/x30jPYFDTa


Deyin Guo 2013
Structure-function Analysis of SARS Coronavirus RNA Cap Guanine-N7 Methyltransferase.
https://t.co/NG57b85hcs


Deyin Guo 2016
Identification and Characterization of a Ribose 2’-O-Methyltransferase Encoded by the Ronivirus Branch of Nidovirales
https://t.co/zZ5V7erseD
1. Omicron Thread - A Compilation of Opinions

"finally, the time has slip and slid its slimy course through to us - and we're the vicious bastards of the new generation. we do not relent, and we should not be held to account for our ancestral faults"

https://t.co/mhJO6yOQRE


2. The Letter Chosen by the WHO

"It's amazing that the Xi variant seems to have somehow managed to evade detection..."

via @readomain

Why 'Omicron', Not 'Nu' or 'Xi'?

WHO Says Two Letters in Greek Alphabet Jumped to 'Avoid Stigma'

https://t.co/xnGR9XK2tF


3. The Omicron variant has been found in nearly every province of South Africa, as well as Botswana, Belgium, Israel, UK and Hong Kong.

This month, Israel held an exercise, The “Omega Exercise”, meant to prepare for a hypothetical, new COVID-19

4. Omicron Infographic

(appeared in Germany and Italy now)

https://t.co/oNFYBH1F1o


5. Overview of Omicron (B.1.1.529) from @nicd_sa

https://t.co/HN9csJqK0z

More from Science

"NO LONGER BEST IN THE WORLD"
UNEP's new Human Development Index includes a new (separate) index: Planetary pressures-adjusted HDI (PHDI). News in Norway is that its position drops from #1 to #16 because of this, while Ireland rises from #2 to #1.
Why?

https://t.co/aVraIEzRfh


Check out Norway's 'Domestic Material Consumption'. Fossil fuels are no different here to Ireland's. What's different is this huge 'non-metallic minerals' category.
(Note also the jump in 1998, suggesting data problems.)
https://t.co/5QvzONbqmN


In Norway's case, it looks like the apparent consumption equation (production+imports-exports) for non-metal minerals is dominated by production: extraction of material in Norway.
https://t.co/5QvzONbqmN


And here we see that this production of non-metallic minerals is sand, gravel and crushed rock for construction. So it's about Norway's geology.
https://t.co/y6rqWmFVWc


Norway drops 15 places on the PHDI list not because of its CO₂ emissions (fairly high at 41st highest in the world per capita), but because of its geology, because it shifts a lot of rock whenever it builds anything.
Ever since @JesseJenkins and colleagues work on a zero carbon US and this work by @DrChrisClack and colleagues on incorporating DER, I've been having the following set of thoughts about how to reduce the risk of failure in a US clean energy buildout. Bottom line is much more DER.


Typically, when we see zero-carbon electricity coupled to electrification of transport and buildings, implicitly standing behind that is totally unprecedented buildout of the transmission system. The team from Princeton's modeling work has this in spades for example.

But that, more even than the new generation required, runs straight into a thicket/woodchipper of environmental laws and public objections that currently (and for the last 50y) limit new transmission in the US. We built most transmission prior to the advent of environmental law.

So what these studies are really (implicitly) saying is that NEPA, CEQA, ESA, §404 permitting, eminent domain law, etc, - and the public and democratic objections that drive them - will have to change in order to accommodate the necessary transmission buildout.

I live in a D supermajority state that has, for at least the last 20 years, been in the midst of a housing crisis that creates punishing impacts for people's lives in the here-and-now and is arguably mostly caused by the same issues that create the transmission bottlenecks.

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