Novel Method To Understand How Coronavirus Evolves Developed
LONDON, 20 APRIL 2020:
Researchers have developed a new method to analyse the genetic code of the novel coronavirus, an advance that can shed light on how the virus evolves, and help identify new clusters of the disease.
According to the scientists, including those from the University of York in the UK, analysing global data on the published genome sequences of the novel coronavirus can help accelerate our understanding of COVID-19.
In the study, published in the journal Transboundary and Emerging Diseases, the scientists developed a novel platform, originally used to analyse the human genome, to pinpoint differences among the thousands of genetic sequences of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2.
The researchers assessed the first 181 published genome sequences from the current COVID-19 outbreak to understand how changes in the virus could affect its behaviour and impact.
"This RNA virus is expected to evolve into a number of distinct clusters that share mutations, which is what we have confirmed and visualised," said S S Vasan, corresponding author of the study from the Australian federal government agency The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO).
The scientists noted in the study that understanding these mutations may not affect the development and evaluation of COVID-19 vaccines, therapies, and diagnostics.
However, they said it is important information to monitor as preclinical and clinical studies progress.
"The more we know about this virus, the better armed we'll be to fight it," said Larry Marshall, study co-author and the Chief Executive of CSIRO. PTI