Can genome sequencing unravel the Covid-19 riddle?

Scientists across the globe are trying to solve the mystery of the novel coronavirus as they look into unlocking the genetic code of the deadly virus through genome analysis.

The results of these studies would help not only in routine surveillance, but also in setting the stage for the development of an effective vaccine.

In India, Redcliffe Life Sciences, a diagnostics company, has come out with the capability to undertake Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to tackle the Covid-19 spread. It has written to ICMR and the Health Ministry, proposing a partnership for sequencing the positive sample of novel coronavirus and building the underlying thesis for drug and vaccine companies.

WGS is the method used to determine the complete DNA sequence of a specific organism's genome.

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According to Ashish Dubey, Co-Founder, Redcliffe Lifesciences, “The biggest challenge during any outbreak for scientists is to predict the pattern or evolution and disease spread, especially with RNA viruses such as the Covid-19, which have a very high genetic variability. This makes it difficult to understand the transmission pattern, number of active strains and their geographical locations, or if a person is affected with multiple strains.”

The process of genome sequencing for Covid-19, says Dubey, is identical to the globally practiced WGS process. “Through this process, we aim to understand whether multiple strains of Covid-19 exist among Indian public. If yes, then we will evaluate the dispersal patterns of such mutations in various geographic areas. We also endeavour to predict how effective the response drugs will be from one viral strain to another.”

WGS is a globally accepted practice and can prove to be a game changer in this regard, by providing the highest possible resolution information about an organism’s genome, says Dubey.

The company in 2017 had invested Rs 65 lakh to sub-atomic diagnostics start-up Mylab for automation of tests in pooled capacity. This automation is helping the company in the current scenario.

“Redcliffe’s assay approach is helpful in targeting the entire coronavirus genome and can cover more than 99% of the viral genome and its variants. They have a proprietary computational pipeline that can automatically analyse the sequences and identify various viral strains based on patient samples,” Dubey explains.

The sequencing techniques of the company, according to Dubey, have been designed to cover the entire genome and there is a capacity to sequence a minimum of 96 samples in a day using high-throughput Next Generation Sequencers.

“We have proven our sequencing capabilities throughout the two years of our experience. Today, we undertake WGS for various studies and routinely research on various microbes like bacteria and virus in our lab,” Dubey says.

On how it would help in finding a vaccine, he says, “WGS will help in understanding the spread patterns of the virus across different geographic regions, which will be crucial in predicting the response of various drugs on each of the viral strains. It is this knowledge that will eventually lead to successful development of vaccines to combat the disease.”