Rikiya Watanabe, Senior Researcher, Hajime Shinoda, Professor Hiroshi Nishimasu, Center for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Tokyo, Professor Osamu Wetsuki, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Takeshi Noda, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Sciences, Kyoto University The research group of the professors has developed a new technology to detect viral RNA (ribonucleic acid) derived from the new corona virus within 5 minutes.
According to RIKEN, the PCR method for purifying viral RNA and then amplifying and detecting it is used for the definitive diagnosis of the new coronavirus, but it takes a minimum of 1 hour to detect and an error occurs, so a large number of samples are used. Was difficult to analyze with high accuracy in a short time.
Therefore, the research group has developed a new method that combines RIKEN's "single molecule detection technology for enzymatic reactions using microchips" and the "nucleic acid detection technology" at the University of Tokyo.With this method, if the target viral RNA is present in the sample, the reagent will emit light and can be confirmed within 1 minutes.The accuracy is not much different from the PCR test.Mutant viruses can also be detected, but they are still indistinguishable from conventional ones.
The research group wants to start clinical research in 2022 and put it on the market as soon as possible.It is expected to be applied to simultaneous diagnosis with other viruses and early detection of cancer.
Paper information:[Communications Biology] Amplification-free RNA detection with CRISPR-Cas13
