In a recent web interview on "Frau Antjes Salon," biologist Prof. Dr. Ulrike Kämmerer from the University Hospital of Würzburg discusses the recent controversy surrounding plasmid DNA contamination, covering everything from SV40 promoters to spidroins.
For those unfamiliar with DNA plasmid integration, this interview provides a comprehensive explanation from A to Z. Feel free to share it with your friends.
I suspect this issue will escalate in the coming months as scientists worldwide are conducting tests on DNA plasmid integration, with results expected in a few months.
I've made a 7-minute short clip with highlights (above), and if you have an hour to spare, you can watch the full clip below! Alternatively, feel free to jump to the topics according to the timeline provided below.
The final 10 minutes of the interview seem to be quite interesting, particularly when they discuss spidroins, as well as amyloidosis.
(Update 9 hours after I posted this: The spider silk/Spidroins story is new to me and there are discussions behind the scenes - just so you know that this isn’t conclusive, like DNA contamination/SV40. I will share further details as they come in)
Timeline
00:00:00 - Introduction to Frau Antje's Salon and introduction of guest, Professor Ulrike Kemmerer, biologist specialized in virology and immunology.
00:00:40 - Controversial topic of potential foreign DNA contamination in COVID-19 vaccines.
00:01:24 - Discussion about plasmids and their role in bacterial genetic exchange.
00:03:45 - Transfection process and its application in genetic engineering for pharmaceutical production.
00:04:40 - Importance of plasmids and bacteria separation in the production of insulin.
00:10:38 - Production processes of COVID-19 vaccines by large manufacturers (Biontech, Pfizer, Moderna) and associated risks.
00:11:24 - Explanation of RNA production from DNA and the biological process of gene expression.
00:14:37 - Different production processes used in vaccine trial phase.
00:15:29 - Process 2 for vaccine production involving plasmids and bacteria.
00:18:00 - Overview of the process to isolate plasmids and bacterial DNA for vaccine production.
00:25:18 - Discussion on regulatory threshold values and the ability to detect foreign DNA contamination.
00:25:52 - Potential effects of foreign DNA, including DNA from bacteria, found in vaccines.
00:26:21 - Modification of RNA to avoid triggering immune system responses.
00:29:02 - Insufficient regulatory testing and monitoring of vaccine production by the Paul-Ehrlich Institute.
00:32:38 - Previous research by the head of the PEI on RNA and DNA contamination in vaccines.
00:33:31 - The potential health risks associated with foreign DNA contamination.
00:36:03 - Discovery of intact plasmids and SV40 promoter sequences in vaccine batches.
00:39:52 - Possible implications of SV40 promoter sequence contamination, including cancer risks.
00:43:16 - Discovery of unusual gene sequences within the spike protein that relate to spider silk protein production
00:46:56 - Reference to unexplained deposits found post-vaccination, similar to amyloidosis, and mention of spider silk protein genes potentially coded in the vaccine's plasmid.
Signing off for now
A17
Biologist Prof. Dr. Ulrike Kammerer from University Hospital of Würzburg shares her concerns about DNA Plasmid Contaminations, SV40 Promoters and Spidroins in mRNA vaccines.