CRISPR And Spit Might Be Keys To Faster, Cheaper, Easier Tests For The Coronavirus
Being able to test for coronavirus infections is a critical component to reopening society—even a little bit—after the initial wave of COVID-19. So there is an urgent need for faster, cheaper tests than the ones available at present. According to an NPR report, one approach to the next generation of tests is being developed by the University of California, San Francisco Medical School and Mammoth Biosciences. In a paper released Thursday in the journal Nature Biotechnology, researchers describe a test based on a new technology known as CRISPR.
CRISPR systems have been widely used by researchers to modify the genetic material in living cells. In this case, a system known as CRISPR-Cas12 is used to recognize genetic signatures of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and then make cuts in it to release a fluorescent molecule that will show whether the virus is present or not.