Researchers in Canada have discovered two novel variants in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) gene sequences collected from mink in the United States.
The team identified a two-mutation (N501T-G142D) variant and a three-mutation (N501T-G142D-F486L) variant in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein – the main structure the virus uses to bind to and infect cells.
