RNA News and Research

RSS

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) is a biologically important type of molecule that consists of a long chain of nucleotide units. Each nucleotide consists of a nitrogenous base, a ribose sugar, and a phosphate.

New insights on antibody testing and RNA testing for SARS-CoV-2

Two types of tests are used to track SARS-CoV-2. Reverse transcriptase PCR (rt-PCR) tests for current infection. Antibody tests reveal that an infection has taken place, even long after the fact.

22 Jun 2020

Favipiravir has weak effect on SARS-CoV-2 and Hydroxychloroquine none at all in hamster model

A new study from Belgian researchers shows that antiviral drug Favipiravir could have a weak effect against the dreaded novel coronavirus or severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) as seen in hamster models. However, the study also finds there is no efficacy of the much-touted drug Hydroxychloroquine.

22 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 saliva testing that omits the RNA extraction step

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic progresses throughout the world, the lack of consistent diagnostic testing has been a bugbear, preventing public health control of the spread of infection. A new study by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 reports a new testing method that uses saliva, does not require RNA extraction, and can be scaled up quickly and inexpensively.

21 Jun 2020

Massive proteomics investigation of COVID-19 infection

Researchers from Germany and Switzerland revealed functional effects of individual severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) proteins on cellular level after infection. They placed the findings into the context of host signaling pathways in order to identify vulnerable parts of the virus amenable to treatment. The study is currently available on the bioRxiv preprint server.

21 Jun 2020

Research explores the biophysical behavior of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein

In a groundbreaking paper currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server, the researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine and Stony Brook University showed how nucleocapsid protein of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is dynamic, disordered and phase separates with RNA – informing, in turn, the discovery of drugs that disrupt viral packaging.

21 Jun 2020

Environmental conditions affect the stability of SARS-CoV-2, study finds

A new study led by Marshall University researcher M. Jeremiah Matson found that environmental conditions affect the stability of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human nasal mucus and sputum.

21 Jun 2020

Killifish model helps unravel molecular events that lead to loss of protein homeostasis during brain aging

Aging is the main risk factor for dementia and Parkinson's disease. As age progresses, toxic protein aggregates pile up in the brain and impair neuronal function.

21 Jun 2020

Balanced B and T cell response required to control SARS-CoV-2

A new study by researchers in the Netherlands and published on the preprint server bioRxiv in June 2020 describes the differences in T and B cell responses seen in patients with severe COVID-19.

21 Jun 2020

Viruses can steal genetic signals from hosts to expand their own genomes

Like a scene out of "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," a virus infects a host and converts it into a factory for making more copies of itself.

19 Jun 2020

Characterizing "re-positives" in recovered COVID-19 patients

The novel coronavirus pandemic has been spreading silently or explosively in almost every country of the world, causing almost half a million deaths and nearly 8.5 million reported cases in just six months. While much is known about the virus and the illness by now, far more remains unclear. One such is the prevalence and persistence of antiviral immunity following severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

19 Jun 2020

Widespread testing could help stop the spread of COVID-19

The world is now in the grips of a historic pandemic. The death toll from the novel coronavirus has climbed to more than 117,000 in the United States and 448,000 around the world.

18 Jun 2020

Using stem cells to study the developmental effects of Neandertal DNA

Protocols that allow the transformation of human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines into organoids have changed the way scientists can study developmental processes and enable them to decipher the interplay between genes and tissue formation, particularly for organs where primary tissue is not available.

18 Jun 2020

First genome-wide CRISPR screen reveals genes that control SARS-CoV-2 infection

By performing a genome-wide CRISPR screen on the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), U.S. researchers identified novel proviral genes and pathways, and highlighted host genes that may regulate coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pathogenesis, as well as revealing potential targets for novel treatment approaches. Their findings are currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

18 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 in breast milk can be inactivated using Holder pasteurization

Researchers in Germany have shown that human milk infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can be pasteurized using a standard method to ensure it is safe for breastfeeding.

18 Jun 2020

Study identifies a previously unknown mechanism that contributes to intestinal cancer

A MedUni Vienna study group has identified a previously unknown mechanism involved in the development of intestinal cancer: The bacterial microbiome activates the so-called immune checkpoint Ido1 in Paneth cells, a special cell that is only found in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby preventing local intestinal inflammation.

18 Jun 2020

Scientists use CRISPR tool to make rapid, precise cuts in genomic material

In a series of experiments using human cancer cell lines, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine say they have successfully used light as a trigger to make precise cuts in genomic material rapidly, using a molecular scalpel known as CRISPR, and observe how specialized cell proteins repair the exact spot where the gene was cut.

18 Jun 2020

SARS-CoV-2 found in river water, flags risk for humans, wildlife and livestock

Now, a new study by scientists in Ecuador and published on the preprint server medRxiv in June 2020 shows that the virus is present in river water too, which could imply a significant transmission risk in developing countries with inadequate sanitation facilities.

17 Jun 2020

Study reveals new insight into Fuchs’ endothelial corneal dystrophy

The molecular changes that lead to Fuchs' endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD) occur decades before the disease causes blurry vision and other noticeable symptoms in patients, new research by UT Southwestern scientists shows.

17 Jun 2020

ACE2 and pattern recognition receptor genes increase with age

A recent study by researchers in California and published on the preprint server bioRxiv* in June 2020 shows that advancing age is associated with increased expression of pattern recognition receptor (PRR) genes and ACE2 receptors, possibly accounting in part for the increased severity of the disease in older adults.

17 Jun 2020

Highly conserved RNA structures are essential for SARS-CoV-2 replication and pathogenesis

A recent study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill revealed how selective pressure helps in preserving secondary RNA structures in coronavirus genomes, unveiling a pivotal role of these elements in viral replication and pathogenesis. The paper is currently available on the bioRxiv* preprint server.

17 Jun 2020