New CRISPR-based test for Covid-19 could be a simple, cheap at-home diagnostic, scientists say https://www.statnews.com/2020/05/05/crispr-covid-19-test-could-be-simple-cheap-at-home-diagnostic/
> STOP stands for “Sherlock Testing in One Pot.” It builds on Zhang’s 2017 > CRISPR invention, called Sherlock. Like the better-known, genome-editing > versions of CRISPR, Sherlock starts with a guide molecule that homes in on a > specific stretch of DNA — or RNA, which constitutes the genome of the new > coronavirus. An enzyme called AapCas12b, from the bacterium Alicyclobacillus > acidophilus, cuts the RNA in a way that generates a fluorescent signal > detectable much as home pregnancy tests detect the presence of a > pregnancy-related hormone. > > For STOP, the scientists targeted their guide molecule at the coronavirus’s N > gene, which codes for the nucleocapsid, or shell, that encloses its genome. > The PCR test developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also > targets the N gene. > > The MIT scientists tested STOP on nasopharyngeal swabs from Covid-19 patients > and on saliva samples from healthy people to which the new coronavirus was > added. STOP had 100% specificity — it never “found” the coronavirus if the > microbe wasn’t really there — and 97% sensitivity, meaning if the virus was > present, the test missed it only 3% of the time. The existing PCR test misses > up to 30% of cases, scientists have said. > > The scientists have prepared enough material so far for 10,000 tests, and are > making it free to researchers who want to evaluate its potential diagnostic > use. -- ☣ uǝlƃ .-. .- -. -.. --- -- -..-. -.. --- - ... -..-. .- -. -.. -..-. -.. .- ... .... . ... FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Zoom Fridays 9:30a-12p Mtn GMT-6 bit.ly/virtualfriam unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com archives: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/
