Whole Genome Sequencing News and Research

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Fine aerosols generated during talking, singing may play a major role in SARS-CoV-2 transmission

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been thought to spread primarily when an infected person coughs or sneezes, but little is known about its transmissibility through activities such as breathing, talking, and singing.

11 Aug 2021

Genetic testing in ambulatory cardiology clinics can benefit many patients

A person's genetics may hold the key to early intervention in cardiovascular disease, leading to better outcomes in patient care.

9 Aug 2021

Researchers create new model for studying earliest stages of retinoblastoma

Scientists at St. JudeChildren's Research Hospital have created a laboratory model for studying retinoblastoma driven by inherited mutations in theRB1gene.Retinoblastoma is a rare cancer of the retina, the thin tissue inside the back of the eye.

6 Aug 2021

PD1 gene deletions associated with worse prognoses of cutaneous T-cell lymphomas

Immunohistochemistry staining showing PD1 expression on tumor cells in a skin biopsy from a cutaneous T-cell lymphoma patient.

5 Aug 2021

Immunocompromised patients could be potential hosts for immune-escape mutants of SARS-CoV-2

In a recently published article in The New England Journal of Medicine, scientists have described how multi-mutational variants of SARS-CoV-2 may evolve in patients with immunosuppression.

5 Aug 2021

Next-Generation Sequencing and the Diagnosis of Disease

In this interview, Professor John Rossen talks about next-generation sequencing and it's implications for the diagnosis of disease.

From Tecan 4 Aug 2021

Purifying selection drives time-dependency of short-term mutation rates in SARS-CoV-2 and pH1N1 influenza

A new paper, available on the medRxiv* preprint server, indicates the adaptation undergone by the SARS-CoV-2 molecular genome and the pH1N1 influenza pandemic strain during the first year of their spread, separately. Using statistical and phylogenetic skills, the researchers present a picture of the emergence, rates of change, and of growth, of these two viruses as time passes.

3 Aug 2021

A quantitative assessment of SARS-CoV-2 bioaerosol production

In an effort to improve the sensitivity and sample recovery of mask sampling, researchers developed a mask sampling tool to assess bioaerosol variation.

28 Jul 2021

Comprehensive genomic sequencing essential to capitalize precision medicine for pediatric cancer care

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital investigators have demonstrated that comprehensive genomic sequencing of all pediatric cancer patients is feasible and essential to capitalize on the lifesaving potential of precision medicine.

26 Jul 2021

Study examines the host and viral factors that drive SARS-CoV-2 evolution

In a new paper recently uploaded to the preprint server bioRxiv*, two clinical isolates of SARS-CoV-2 are monitored by whole genome sequencing as they are passaged through several generations of Vero cells or human-derived primary nasal epithelial cells (PNEC), allowing direct observation of the occurrence of virus enhancing mutations and the way in which host cell factors shape virus evolution.

21 Jul 2021

Scientists explore susceptibility of different animals to SARS-CoV-2 infection

A team of researchers at the Institute of Infectious Diseases (IFIK) at the University of Bern and the Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI) has utilized a unique collection of advanced cell culture models of cells lining the airways from various domesticated and wildlife animals. This way, the team can determine which animals are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

20 Jul 2021

Transient chromosomal errors can spur the formation of tumors, study finds

A Ludwig Cancer Research study has found that inducing random chromosome instability (CIN) events in mice for as little as one week is enough to trigger harmful chromosomal patterns in cells that spur the formation of tumors.

16 Jul 2021

Mass spectrometry: An important tool to unravel mechanisms underlying Huntington's disease

Mass spectrometry has emerged as an important analytical tool for gaining a better understanding of mechanisms underlying Huntington's disease (HD), alongside the increased availability of cell and animal models of the disease.

14 Jul 2021

Real-world evidence SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccines work and help prevent worst outcomes

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study demonstrating the real-world effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 and Moderna mRNA-1273 vaccines at preventing hospitalizations due to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

12 Jul 2021

The progressive increase in transmissibility and virulence of emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants could lead to a significantly more deadly pandemic

Researchers from Toronto University, Canada, recently showed that these emerging VOCs were linked to increased virulence, as determined by hospitalization risk, ICU admission, and mortality. This study is currently available on the medRxiv* preprint server.

12 Jul 2021

Researchers model probability of extinction of SARS-CoV-2 variant in an outbreak

However, it cannot be confirmed for certain that the strain has been eliminated, raising the question of how long a strain must go undetected before being considered, in all probability, extinct.

9 Jul 2021

Breakthrough SARS-CoV-2 infection among fully vaccinated likely to be less transmissible

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study suggesting that individuals fully vaccinated against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who develop breakthrough infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are less likely to transmit the virus to others than unvaccinated infected individuals.

8 Jul 2021

Mother-to-baby SARS-CoV-2 transmission in pregnancy possible but rare, says study

A new meta-analysis, released on the medRxiv* preprint server, suggests that, though possible, the virus is rarely transmitted to the newborn in real life. A scientific brief from the World Health Organization (WHO) in February 2021 describes three mechanisms by which the virus might be transmitted from the mother to the fetus or newborn.

7 Jul 2021

Researchers develop random priming amplification method for whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 and H1N1

Researchers from the UK recently compared the performance of 4 different random priming amplification methods to recover SARS-CoV-2 RNA. In method 1 (H-P), the reverse transcriptase (RT) step included random hexamers, whereas, in methods 2-4, RT incorporated an octamer primer with a known tag. This study is published on the bioRxiv preprint server.

5 Jul 2021

Study shows rapid expansion of SARS-CoV-2 Delta lineage in Ontario, Canada

A recent short report from Canada, currently available on medRxiv* preprint server, shows a rapid increase in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) cases characterized by the N501Y-/E484K- mutation in the Ontario province, which implies that Delta variant will rapidly overtake the Alpha variant.

28 Jun 2021