Vaccine disinformation

I wrote a background piece on the mRNA vaccine recently. Since then I've come across some weird false claims about it, so I figured I'd take a minute to set things straight.

A very quick review

 

I won't  take up a lot of time with the basics of the cellular machinery, but as you ought to know if you don't already DNA, which resides in the cellular nucleus, contains the instructions for making proteins. A "gene," basically, means the instructions for making a specific protein. Proteins are long chains of smaller chemicals called amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids encoded by DNA. (Some others occur biologically but that's a complication we can ignore for now.) 

DNA consists of two strands, each consisting of a sequence of four different "bases," designated A, G, T and C. A always bonds with T, and G with C. Three letter sequences of A, G, T and C are the "words" that specify amino acids. One of the DNA strands, called the 'sense' strand, contains the codes. The other is a template that allows the DNA to reproduce when the cell divides. When it's time to make a protein, the DNA unzips to present the sense strand, and the cellular machinery makes a corresponding messenger RNA strand to carry the information out into the cell. Little cellular machines called ribosomes attach to the mRNA and move along it assembling the proteins. Once the proteins are made, the cell destroys the mRNA. 

 
Of course, the vaccine introduces the mRNA into your cells directly, it doesn't affect your DNA at all.

 

So, to debunk a totally false claim that seems to be going around, mRNA does not and cannot replicate. The total amount of mRNA that's in the vaccine is the total amount that will ever be in your body, and it won't be there for long. Even if the cell tried to replicate it, which it doesn't, you'd end up with an anti-sense strand that doesn't do anything. The only permanent effect will be that the cell will display the proteins specified by the mRNA on its surface, and your immune system will make antibodies to them.

Second, the proteins specified by the the mRNA vaccine are part of the so-called viral "spike" that binds to the ACE2 receptor, but the vaccine does not create functional spikes. Just to review, the ACE2 receptor is a protein complex displayed on the surface of many cells, which regulates the balance between two signalling molecules called angiotensin II and angiotensin, thereby regulating your blood pressure and inflammatory response. The coronavirus spike fits in the receptor like a lock into a key, and uses it to get its genetic material into the cell. However, again, the proteins made by the mRNA vaccine do not create a functional spike and even if they did, there are so few of them that even if they did bind to some ACE2 receptors, it wouldn't be enough to raise your blood pressure or cause inflammation. The multiple millions of viral particles if you get an actual infection, however, could indeed wreak havoc in that way. That's why you want to get the vaccine, to make sue that doesn't happen. 

 

The reason I make these geeky explanations is because I am very puzzled why people who don't have the least idea what they are talking about are getting onto public platforms and spewing bullshit that endangers people's lives. They say all this complicated stuff that makes it seem like they know what they are talking about for people who don't know the basic biology, but it's unmitigated nonsense. I don't know if they're trying to develop a following of dupes who will give them money, or they just like to make people  think they're smart since they know they really aren't. But I'm going to carry on with this theme of bullshit artists in the next post.