A team of scientists from India, Sweden and Japan has developed a new diagnostic tool capable of keeping pace with rapidly mutating bacteria and viruses. It's called AutoPLP.
published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal ACS Infectious Diseases on Wednesday.
The tool, a computer program called AutoPLP, builds on the technology polymerase chain reaction tests use to detect viruses and bacteria based on their genetic material. PCR tests use– short, single-stranded sequences of DNA or RNA coded to match a specific pathogen – to diagnose infections by searching for the matching DNA or RNA associated with the pathogen they're testing for.
The caveat is, because padlock probes are so precise, it takes more work to pinpoint specific genetic sequences for them to target. On top of that, as a pathogen mutates, its genetic sequence changes as well, forcing scientists to redesign their probes each time. AutoPLP designs PLPs automatically to match genetically mutating bacteria and viruses, while systematically considering "all the necessary technical parameters at once to make the entire process easier and more robust."
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