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Marchini A, Petrillo M, Parrish A, Buttinger G, Tavazzi S, Querci M, Betsou F, Elsinga G, Medema G, Abdelrahman T, Gawlik B, Corbisier P. New RT-PCR Assay for the Detection of Current and Future SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Viruses 2023; 15:206. [PMID: 36680246 PMCID: PMC9863853 DOI: 10.3390/v15010206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple lineages of SARS-CoV-2 have been identified featuring distinct sets of genetic changes that confer to the virus higher transmissibility and ability to evade existing immunity. The continuous evolution of SARS-CoV-2 may pose challenges for current treatment options and diagnostic tools. In this study, we have first evaluated the performance of the 14 WHO-recommended real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR assays currently in use for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 and found that only one assay has reduced performance against Omicron. We then developed a new duplex real-time RT-PCR assay based on the amplification of two ultra-conserved elements present within the SARS-CoV-2 genome. The new duplex assay successfully detects all of the tested SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (including Omicron sub-lineages BA.4 and BA.5) from both clinical and wastewater samples with high sensitivity and specificity. The assay also functions as a one-step droplet digital RT-PCR assay. This new assay, in addition to clinical testing, could be adopted in surveillance programs for the routine monitoring of SARS-CoV-2's presence in a population in wastewater samples. Positive results with our assay in conjunction with negative results from an Omicron-specific assay may provide timely indication of the emergence of a novel SARS-CoV-2 variant in a certain community and thereby aid public health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Marchini
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 2440 Geel, Belgium
| | | | - Amy Parrish
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire National de Santé, 3583 Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Gerhard Buttinger
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 2440 Geel, Belgium
| | - Simona Tavazzi
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
| | - Maddalena Querci
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
| | - Fay Betsou
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire National de Santé, 3583 Dudelange, Luxembourg
- Biological Resource Center of Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Goffe Elsinga
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Gertjan Medema
- KWR Water Research Institute, 3433 PE Nieuwegein, The Netherlands
| | - Tamir Abdelrahman
- Department of Microbiology, Laboratoire National de Santé, 3583 Dudelange, Luxembourg
| | - Bernd Gawlik
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), 21027 Ispra, Italy
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Van Puyvelde B, Van Uytfanghe K, Van Oudenhove L, Gabriels R, Van Royen T, Matthys A, Razavi M, Yip R, Pearson T, Drouin N, Claereboudt J, Foley D, Wardle R, Wyndham K, Hankemeier T, Jones D, Saelens X, Martens G, Stove CP, Deforce D, Martens L, Vissers JPC, Anderson NL, Dhaenens M. Cov 2MS: An Automated and Quantitative Matrix-Independent Assay for Mass Spectrometric Measurement of SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein. Anal Chem 2022; 94:17379-17387. [PMID: 36490367 PMCID: PMC9773173 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.2c01610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The pandemic readiness toolbox needs to be extended, targeting different biomolecules, using orthogonal experimental set-ups. Here, we build on our Cov-MS effort using LC-MS, adding SISCAPA technology to enrich proteotypic peptides of the SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein from trypsin-digested patient samples. The Cov2MS assay is compatible with most matrices including nasopharyngeal swabs, saliva, and plasma and has increased sensitivity into the attomole range, a 1000-fold improvement compared to direct detection in a matrix. A strong positive correlation was observed with qPCR detection beyond a quantification cycle of 30-31, the level where no live virus can be cultured. The automatable sample preparation and reduced LC dependency allow analysis of up to 500 samples per day per instrument. Importantly, peptide enrichment allows detection of the N protein in pooled samples without sensitivity loss. Easily multiplexed, we detect variants and propose targets for Influenza A and B detection. Thus, the Cov2MS assay can be adapted to test for many different pathogens in pooled samples, providing longitudinal epidemiological monitoring of large numbers of pathogens within a population as an early warning system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bart Van Puyvelde
- ProGenTomics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Katleen Van Uytfanghe
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Ralf Gabriels
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Tessa Van Royen
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000 Belgium
| | - Arne Matthys
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000 Belgium
| | - Morteza Razavi
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Box 53309, Washington, DC 20009, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Richard Yip
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Box 53309, Washington, DC 20009, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Terry Pearson
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Box 53309, Washington, DC 20009, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8P 5C2, Canada
| | - Nicolas Drouin
- Division of Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Dominic Foley
- Waters Corporation, Wilmslow SK9 4AX, United Kingdom.,Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - Robert Wardle
- Waters Corporation, Wilmslow SK9 4AX, United Kingdom.,Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - Kevin Wyndham
- Waters Corporation, Wilmslow SK9 4AX, United Kingdom.,Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - Thomas Hankemeier
- Division of Systems Biomedicine and Pharmacology, Leiden Academic Centre for Drug Research, Leiden University, 2333 AL Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Donald Jones
- Leicester Cancer Research Centre, RKCSB, Cardiovascular Research Centre, Glenfield Hospital, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom.,John and Lucille van Geest Biomarker Facility, Leicester LE3 9QP, United Kingdom.,The Department of Chemical Pathology and Metabolic Diseases, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Level 4, Sandringham Building, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom
| | - Xavier Saelens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, Ghent 9000 Belgium
| | - Geert Martens
- AZ Delta Medical Laboratories, AZ Delta General Hospital, 8800 Roeselare, Belgium
| | - Christophe P Stove
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Bioanalysis, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Dieter Deforce
- ProGenTomics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Lennart Martens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology, VIB, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.,Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Johannes P C Vissers
- Waters Corporation, Wilmslow SK9 4AX, United Kingdom.,Waters Corporation, Milford, Massachusetts 01757, United States
| | - N Leigh Anderson
- SISCAPA Assay Technologies, Inc., Box 53309, Washington, DC 20009, United States
| | - Maarten Dhaenens
- ProGenTomics, Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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de Souza AS, de Freitas Amorim VM, Guardia GDA, dos Santos FF, Ulrich H, Galante PAF, de Souza RF, Guzzo CR. Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants of Concern: A Perspective for Emerging More Transmissible and Vaccine-Resistant Strains. Viruses 2022; 14:827. [PMID: 35458557 PMCID: PMC9029021 DOI: 10.3390/v14040827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants of concern (VOC) are constantly threatening global public health. With no end date, the pandemic persists with the emergence of novel variants that threaten the effectiveness of diagnostic tests and vaccines. Mutations in the Spike surface protein of the virus are regularly observed in the new variants, potentializing the emergence of novel viruses with different tropism from the current ones, which may change the severity and symptoms of the disease. Growing evidence has shown that mutations are being selected in favor of variants that are more capable of evading the action of neutralizing antibodies. In this context, the most important factor guiding the evolution of SARS-CoV-2 is its interaction with the host's immune system. Thus, as current vaccines cannot block the transmission of the virus, measures complementary to vaccination, such as the use of masks, hand hygiene, and keeping environments ventilated remain essential to delay the emergence of new variants. Importantly, in addition to the involvement of the immune system in the evolution of the virus, we highlight several chemical parameters that influence the molecular interactions between viruses and host cells during invasion and are also critical tools making novel variants more transmissible. In this review, we dissect the impacts of the Spike mutations on biological parameters such as (1) the increase in Spike binding affinity to hACE2; (2) bound time for the receptor to be cleaved by the proteases; (3) how mutations associate with the increase in RBD up-conformation state in the Spike ectodomain; (4) expansion of uncleaved Spike protein in the virion particles; (5) increment in Spike concentration per virion particles; and (6) evasion of the immune system. These factors play key roles in the fast spreading of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern, including the Omicron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anacleto Silva de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (A.S.d.S.); (V.M.d.F.A.); (R.F.d.S.)
| | - Vitor Martins de Freitas Amorim
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (A.S.d.S.); (V.M.d.F.A.); (R.F.d.S.)
| | - Gabriela D. A. Guardia
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-060, Brazil; (G.D.A.G.); (F.F.d.S.); (P.A.F.G.)
| | - Filipe F. dos Santos
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-060, Brazil; (G.D.A.G.); (F.F.d.S.); (P.A.F.G.)
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil;
| | - Pedro A. F. Galante
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-060, Brazil; (G.D.A.G.); (F.F.d.S.); (P.A.F.G.)
| | - Robson Francisco de Souza
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (A.S.d.S.); (V.M.d.F.A.); (R.F.d.S.)
| | - Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo
- Department of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil; (A.S.d.S.); (V.M.d.F.A.); (R.F.d.S.)
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