Fast, simple Covid-19 test8 Jun 2020 22:34
Researchers from the lab of molecular biologist Peter Unrau at Simon Fraser University are applying their current work on visualizing RNA molecules to the task of quickly identifying the presence of Sars-CoV-2 viruses responsible for Covid-19 infections. Unrau and postdoctoral fellow Lena Dolgosheina developed a technology they call Mango that binds together RNA molecules and fluorescent dyes. The term Mango comes from the bright orange color that appears when a target RNA molecule is detected.
Mango uses aptamers, short strands of RNA that occur in nature, but can also be synthesized. Aptamers seek out and bind tightly to target RNA molecules, which makes them useful for biological sensing tasks. In a paper published on 9 March in the journal Nature Communications, Unrau and colleagues demonstrate Mango’s ability to detect and visualize RNA molecules in live cells, with high contrast and single-molecule sensitivity.
These properties make Mango useful for detection of viruses with characteristic RNA signatures, such as Sars-CoV-2. Another desirable quality is its speed. Unlike reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, or RT-PCR, analysis used in most Covid-19 tests today, Mango does not requires expensive lab equipment or hours to complete. The SFU team says the Mango-based test can return results in minutes rather than hours.
The Canadian Institute of Health Research is funding Unrau’s lab with a $517,000 award to adapt Mango to a Covid-19 test. “We are made of molecules so when something goes wrong within a cell it happens at the molecular level,” says Unrau in a university statement. “We are using the Mango system as a catalyst, to allow us to not only extend fundamental research questions but also to detect pathogens like the coronavirus, faster and more efficiently.”
https://sciencebusiness.technewslit.com/?p=38690
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