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A multi-pronged approach to fight COVID-19
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CSIR continues its the fight against COVID-19 through multiple ways. Check the discussion with the vertical heads here.
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CCMB's approach - Testing, Virus Culturing, Genome Sequencing
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Images by Manendar Singh, CSIR-NISCAIR
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Over the last two months, we have not only tested more than 3000 COVID-19 samples, and trained personnel from multiple other testing centres, we have figured out ways of making the tests cheaper and faster. One of the suggestions that is already widely followed is pooling samples together if they come from areas of low COVID-19 incidence.
With Syngene we are now exploring if we can use Next Gen Sequencing facilities in different parts of the country to sequence upto 20,000 at one go, at a cost of Rs 25 per sample.
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We now have stable cultures of the coronavirus growing on Vero cell lines. These cultures enable us to test efficacy of potential drugs and disinfectants against them as well as develop inactivated virus that can be used for vaccine development.
At the same time, we are also culturing the virus in human lung epithelial cells to study the biology of infection of the virus.
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Our efforts in sequencing the genome of the coronavirus helps us to see if there are mutations in the virus across different parts of India. These sequences are available to all for use on the GISAID website. Their availability makes it possible for governments to take fast and evidence-based decisions on COVID-19 management strategies, and organizations to come together to build an end-to-end solution. The CSIR collaboration with Intel India and IIIT, Hyderabad is one such example.
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Strength in genomes to fight wars
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Evolution shapes the fine mechanisms for the fight of survival of a species. Shagufta Khan et al from Rakesh Mishra Lab bring us the genome analysis of wasp to try understand how it parasitizes Drosophila.
The wasp lays its egg in the Drosophila larva. The competition continues as the larva goes into its cocoon. What shapes the competition which ultimately decides if a wasp or a Drosophila emerges out of the cocoon?
Read the paper here.
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Wars need machines - the proteins
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Microbes attack plants (too). To enter the plant cells, microbes break open their cell-walls. But that also activates the plant's immune response. What are these proteins that help a plant fight?
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Kamal K Malukani et al from Ramesh Sonti's group ran a transcriptome analysis to figure out the genes that are expressed in rice plants when it is under an attack. They find a protein, called OsWAKL21.2, which when expressed in leaves of rice or Arabidopsis plants, induces their immune responses. However they find that the protein functions via two different mechanisms in the two cases - the first protein to show such a function.
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It's all about molecular signals
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Embryonic development is all about concerted cell division, and assigning the right identity to the cells at the right time and place. Just equally beautiful is the orchestration played by signalling proteins in and around these cells that enable this.
Sanjeev Nayak and V Radha's latest publication highlights the role of a protein C3G in controlling the centriole and primary cilium - the two key organelles involved in cell-division.
Read the paper here.
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Stress, depression, therapeutics
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Pravin K Mishra et al from Anant Patel and Arvind Kumar's groups establish a model to study chronic unpredictable mild stress in mice. The stress paradigm causes anhedonia and helplessness with impaired metabolism in neurons and astroglial cells in the prefrontal cortex of the mice brains. They are also able to reverse the behavior and metabolic impairment using lanicemine - a potential antidepressant drug (but unapproved for human use).
Read the paper here.
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Check out the PhD and postdoc positions open in the brand new labs of Jahnavi Joshi and Meghna Krishnadas at LaCONES. If you are an ecology enthusiast, these are the positions you would want to consider.
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Beat the heat, think of the big questions of life
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We bring to you profound questions of life through these colorful zines. Read, discuss with your peers and spread the happiness of thinking about the unsolved.
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CCMB analyzed genomes of apple varieties to find those that can grow with low chill exposures - varieties that can be grown in areas of India other than the Himalayan foothills. The varieties suggested are now grown and are bearing fruits in Telangana.
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If you have enjoyed reading the CCMB Daak, do subscribe and share it with your friends and colleagues!
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Please send us your feedback at socialmedia[at]csirccmb[dot]org. Looking forward to them.
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