The N501Y change, which involves a switch from asparagine to tyrosine at position 501, is located in the receptor-binding domain of the spike protein. This is a crucial section, as it interacts directly with the ACE2 receptor.Another mutation in the RNA that encodes the spike protein allows researchers to detect this variant in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test samples. This is because the mutation lies in one of the targeted areas that many diagnostic PCR tests use.These tests also use other targets, usually a combination of at least two. Scientists can look for PCR tests that are negative for the spike sequence but positive for the other targets. This would indicate that the person has the B.1.1.7 variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.Researchers from Public Health England used this method to track the spread of the variant in the British population and estimate how its transmissibility compared with those of earlier variants.

То есть использованный метод даже не обязательно ловит данную мутацию, он среагирует на любую мутацию на отрезке спайк-протеина используемого в ПЦР-тестах. На основе этих данных была сделана математическая модель распространения этого варианта, и отсюда были выведены оценки в 50-70% большую transmissibility. Пространства для ошибок тут море.

Доказательная медицина, COVID-19, ЗОЖ