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Dr Steven Quay
@quay_dr
@quay_dr
@jbloom_lab
@WSJopinion
@JamieMetzl
@hiltzikm
Attached is the 5 p. explanation I emailed to Michael Hiltzik when he asked for clarification about the 99.5% optimization of the receptor binding domain of SARS-CoV-2. You decide for yourself if this is 'propaganda.'
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Michael Hiltzik
@hiltzikm
Column: When will the Wall Street Journal stop publishing lab-leak propaganda? latimes.com/business/story
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Dr Steven Quay
@quay_dr
Jesse Bloom & I agree CoV-2 had a highly optimized receptor binding region (RBR). He might use Laos viruses RBR to conclude CoV-2 came from nature. I look at the 17% optimization of the SARS1 zoonosis before h2h spread and say, CoV-2 is not natural. That's called science.
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Bloom Lab
@jbloom_lab
Replying to
@quay_dr
To clarify, I simply don't think affinity of #SARSCoV2 RBD sheds much light on proximal origins either way: twitter.com/jbloom_lab/sta. Also, this debate shows why we need more forums like
@sciencecohen
's (youtube.com/watch?v=O4qFTM) that are more conducive to scientific back & forth.
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Bloom Lab
@jbloom_lab
To answer below question, most bat CoV don't bind human ACE2 strongly, but can happen incidentally in evolution. Presumably because some mutations that increase binding to bat ACE2s incidentally increase binding to human ACE2, which has substantial homology to bat ACE2s. (1/6) twitter.com/lab_leak/statu…
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