Indian researchers commence working on novel coronavirus Genome Sequencing

According to a statement from the science ministry, two institutes of Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), New Delhi and Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad -- have started working in tandem on the whole genome sequencing of novel coronavirus. According to Dr Rakesh Mishra, Director of CCMB, this would help them to fathom the progress of the virus. It would let them know how dynamic is it and how rapid it imitates. Whole-genome sequencing is the procedure used to find the complete DNA sequence of a particular organism's genome.

According to a statement, the approach for sequencing the latest coronavirus encompasses obtaining samples from patients that are found to be positive and transmitting these samples to a sequencing centre. For the study, genome sequencing requires a very large number of samples. On the whole genome sequencing, three to four people from each institute are incessantly working. Researchers would be able to obtain a minimum of 200-300 isolates in the next 3-4 weeks. According to the statement, this information would assist them to make some further conclusions about behaviour of this virus. For this purpose, National Institute of Virology (NIV), Pune has also been urged to give virus that has been isolated from varied places.

To obtain a bigger and better picture, this would help the scientist to cover the entire country. Further, this will help the institutes to set up the family tree of the virus. Dr Mishra asserted that it will give some strategic clues to understand it and to implement better isolation strategies.

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