CONSIDERATIONS ABOUT A CORONAVIRUS VACCINE

COVID-19 and GLYCANS

Although the task of successfully coping with the virus causing the Covid-19 pandemic, exhibits several scenarios. One important area is to continue to unravel the biology of coronaviruses. 1) We subscribe  this potential definition of viruses: proto-life nanostructures, containing glycans (sugars) and peptides or proteins with special conformations: semi-helices (counterparts of DNA or RNA), subject to the laws of physics and chemistry, inactive in the environment, but capable of becoming reproductively active, when under certain contexts,  are conditioned to couple with their counterparts: DNA or RNA semi-helices, located inside human, animal or plant cells, where they self-replicate using the capacities of the respective genomes. 2) It is important  to discover the reasons that drive the virus to enter the human respiratory tract, usually without damaging it by settling in the pulmonary alveoli: a) because the cells of the immune system in these areas are late to generate an immune response or because the virus by knowing the responses of the immune system (thanks to previous coronavirus experiences), hides or eliminates its vulnerable points, making it invisible to the immune attack. b) It is important  also to know the energetic foundations of the viral movements. Lacking energy generation pathways and mitochondria, the virus would seek to use the  energy generated by electron gain or loss feasible to occur during iron oxidation or that generated by the conformational change of heme group porphyrins during iron oxidation that changes from ferrous to ferric, when venous blood passes through the periphery of the alveoli trying to oxygenate itself as much as possible. One or another thing, it would be happening by  judging the report of Jordana Cepelewicz (Staff Writer, Quantamagazine), who recounts the recent investigations of various teams of researchers, focused on the complex and changing structures of glycans (sugars of the virus), identified as tree covers in charge of hiding and protecting vulnerable parts of the polypeptide or protein section inserted and folded inside the viral structure. A protective shield (See Max Crispin), against the attack of the immune system (See Alexandra C. Walls), to the point of currently considering that a vaccine directed against only the peptide or protein fraction would not be advantageous. rendering the vaccine ineffective. While viral proteins or peptides assemble as counterparts to known templates, glycans do not need known templates, as they potentially have more configurations than DNA and RNA. For now, these glycans are known to play a role in interactions with other molecules and cells, activating, regulating and directing the immune response, helping proteins to fold properly, promoting the adequacy of cell surface receptors to their needs, role in determining the human blood type, being involved in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, etc. Any vaccine against HIV requires first to think about its glycans, because this virus tends to cover itself with human glycans that would serve to bypass the immune system. Consider that antibodies usually attack proteins, not sugars, so any coronavirus vaccine should consider glycans to promote an adequate immune response.