1. A novel single nucleotide polymorphism assay for the detection of N501Y SARS-CoV-2 variants
- Author
-
M. Sandoval Torrientes, F. Abreu Salinas, Z. Pérez Martínez, G. Martín Rodríguez, Marta E. Alvarez-Argüelles, S. Melón García, Susana Rojo-Alba, E. Coto García, J. Boga Riveiro, I. Costales González, C. Castelló Abietar, and J. Gómez de Oña
- Subjects
Adult ,Male ,2019-20 coronavirus outbreak ,Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) ,Adolescent ,Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) ,Single-nucleotide polymorphism ,Biology ,Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ,Sensitivity and Specificity ,Article ,Young Adult ,new generation sequencing ,Virology ,Nasopharynx ,SNP ,Humans ,Sequencing ,Prospective Studies ,N501Y ,Child ,Aged ,Aged, 80 and over ,SARS-CoV-2 ,Infant, Newborn ,COVID-19 ,Infant ,Mean age ,Middle Aged ,Infant newborn ,COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing ,Child, Preschool ,Mutation ,Spike Glycoprotein, Coronavirus ,variant discrimination assay ,Female - Abstract
The N501Y mutation in SARS-CoV-2 variants found in several strains from the UK, South Africa and Brazil has been linked to increased transmission. In order to discriminate N501Y variants quickly, a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discrimination assay was designed and validated. It was then deployed prospectively in 757 nasopharyngeal swabs. Validation of the novel variant discrimination assay corroborated the results in all validation panel samples (n = 63) through sequencing. This novel variant discrimination assay was then deployed prospectively in 757 clinical nasopharyngeal swabs during the last week of January 2021. N501Y was found in 206 (27.4 %) of the samples: 94 (28.2 %) men and 112 (26.85 %) women (p = 0.73). The patients in whom it was identified had a mean age of 47.8 ± 25.8 (0-96) years, similar to that of patients without this variant: 51.7 ± 25.9 (0-104) years (p = 0.06). 501Y variant was confirmed in 34 samples by sequence method and 501 N wild type was confirmed in 67. This method is sensitive, specific, and simple to apply in any microbiology lab.
- Published
- 2021