https://www.up.edu.ph/the-philippine-genome-center-stockpiling-for-covid-19/The Philippine Genome Center: Stockpiling for COVID-19
March 10, 2020
The GenAmplify Corona Virus Disease-2019 rRT PCR Detection Kit was the product of several days and hours of intensive research and testing by experts from the University who built upon the genome sequence of COVID-19, made available by the World Health Organization on its website.
According to PGC Executive Director Cynthia Palmes-Saloma, the kit was made possible after genetic experts from others countries used Next Generation DNA Sequencing in trying to understand the nature of the COVID-19 virus. Among the facilities of the center is its DNA Sequencing Laboratory which was established in 2013.
DNA or deoxyribonucleic acid is the building block of every living being. These molecules contain the genetic makeup of an organism, it is composed of nucleotides guanine, cytosine, thymine and adenine (G-C-T-A). Sequencing is the process of determining the order of the nucleotides in a DNA.
For the molecular biologist, Dr. Saloma, Next Generation Sequencing is essential in understanding the nature of living things, including viruses and bacteria. And it can even be used to determine the identity and properties of unknown organisms. “If there’s an emergency and there’s a totally unknown organism, and some might say that it’s a virus, it’s bacteria, or it’s an unknown, then Next Generation Sequencing will come in handy,” she said. The same process, she quickly added, was used in understanding the Novel Coronavirus from Wuhan, China.
Next Generation Sequencing, also known as Massive Parallel Sequencing, is a process by which several DNA samples can be simultaneously sequenced using computers, which produces more results when compared to the Sanger Sequencing, which can only process one DNA fragment at a time.
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The Philippine Genome Center: Stockpiling for COVID-19University of the Philippines
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