A virus preservation solution that inactivates the virus while maintaining the virus particle intact

Area of Science:

• Virology
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the need for rapid and accurate viral diagnostics.
• Nucleic acid detection, such as RT-PCR, is crucial for diagnosing infections like COVID-19.
• High false-negative rates in current COVID-19 nucleic acid tests necessitate improved sample preservation methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel virus preservation solution.
• To assess the solution's efficacy in virus inactivation and nucleic acid stability.
• To evaluate the impact of the solution on virion integrity for improved diagnostic accuracy.

Main Methods:

• HEK293T cells and lentivirus were utilized for experimental validation.
• Fluorescence methods were employed to confirm virus inactivation.
• Real-time fluorescence PCR and protein gel electrophoresis assessed nucleic acid and virion integrity, respectively.

Main Results:

• The new solution inactivates viruses within 5 minutes at room temperature.
• Viral nucleic acid stability was maintained for at least 7 days.
• The solution preserved virion integrity, as indicated by cycle threshold (Ct) values, without guanidinium.

Conclusions:

• The developed preservation solution offers rapid inactivation and long-term nucleic acid stability.
• It has the potential to reduce false negatives in viral detection and minimize laboratory exposure risks.
• Room temperature preservation facilitates sample transportation, benefiting clinical diagnostics for viruses like COVID-19.