Several people have expressed concern over the Pfizer/Moderna vaccines because of their mRNA composition and the alleged possibility that this mRNA could integrate into our DNA and remain in our DNA forever (kind of like HIV does). Short threat about why this can't happen. (1/n)

I attach a graphic that illustrates the central genetic dogma. Generally, our human DNA is transcribed into RNA (red arrow), which is then translated into protein (green arrow). (2/n)

HIV is an RNA virus that goes against this dogma and is “reverse transcribed” into DNA in the cytoplasm of our cells after it enters our cells, using an enzyme called “reverse transcriptase” (straight yellow arrow). (3/n)

That reverse transcribed DNA then enters our nucleus where it is integrated into our DNA using an enzyme called “integrase.” Both reverse transcriptase and integrase are enzymes that are encoded by HIV. (4/n)

As I have posted before, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines consist of an mRNA molecule. That is a “messenger” RNA that is immediately translated into a protein – the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, which is then recognized by our immune system as foreign. (5/n)

Our immune system then produces antibodies against this protein. The SARS-CoV-2 mRNA and the protein that are produced from this mRNA both only stick around in the cell for a short period of time – the mRNA sticks around long enough so that it becomes translated... (6/n)

...and the protein sticks around long enough so that it can induce production of antibodies; then after a while they degrade. Unlike as with HIV, there is no reverse transcriptase to make DNA from the vaccine mRNA. (7/n)

Since there is no resulting DNA, it does not go to the nucleus, and even if this did happen, there is no integrase enzyme to integrate the DNA into our genome. (8/9)

Long story short, any concerns about the vaccine “changing our DNA” or becoming a permanent part of our genome are unfounded. (end)