Rutgers scientists have developed a laboratory test that can quickly and easily determine which variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 has infected a person, a step that is expected to greatly assist health officials monitoring the disease and doctors treating infected patients.
Details of the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test have been published in Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. The paper includes instructions on how to use so-called “molecular beacons,” a powerful technique for finding molecules that carry genetic information to make proteins, invented by one of the authors. fake of the article, Sanjay Tyagia professor of medicine at Public Health Research Institute in Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.
“We can do PCR tests, like those related to Diagnosis of COVID-19Ryan Dikdan, a doctoral student in the lab of Tyagi, the first author of the paper, said. “This is important because we can now identify variations as they appear in every sample, very quickly.”
Most COVID-19 PCR tests performed by patients – often offered through a drugstore drive-through window or mailing packages – detect only the presence of the virus and do not identify any strains. any specific. If public health professionals want to collect data on variants to track how and if the virus mutates, they often have to physically visit areas known to have had outbreaks, sample and then run an extremely complex sequencing process. The Rutgers test can be used in conjunction with any COVID-19 PCR test, providing more specific information.
Scientists want to share the technology with other testing labs and companies to make information available about variants, which is often important when coordinating the use of treatments such as monoclonal antibodies.
“Since PCR machines are now almost as ubiquitous as coffee machines, tension typing can be done anywhere without missing a case,” says Tyagi.
His professor and former student, Arjun Raj, was recognized with the Edison Invention Award from the Research and Development Board of New Jersey for their invention of fluorescent detectors. “The trial will allow for more precise treatment for severe COVID because rapid PCR testing to identify variants can now be performed at a local hospital,” said Tyagi.
PCR tests use a technique known as polymerase chain reaction, a widely used method that allows researchers to take a small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount that it can be studied. .
The molecular beacon technology co-invented by Tyagi involves extremely small biochemical probes that are so precise that they can distinguish between different gene sequence targets differing only by a single chemical basis. best. When the probes stick to the target, they will glow – serve as beacons for scientists to trace the genetic origin of virus particles.
Several PCR tests that focus on COVID have been developed before, but they only target single mutations in the “mutant” protein, resulting in the virus’ attack on human cells and failure to differentiate. between the many variants circulating in a population. The Rutgers test detects eight different mutations in the mutant protein – mutations that have been shown to increase the virus’s ability to transmit and evade the human immune system.
Because such mutations are likely to be conserved in emerging variants, the scientists hope the test will be useful for detecting new variants arising from new combinations of mutations. .
Source: Rutgers University
