TRIPLE MUTANT & GENOME SEQUENCING

Subject : Science & tech

Context : Double Virus Strain First Detected in Oct, But its Gene Study was Stalled; A Triple Mutant Appears: Report.

Concept :

The report said that a third mutation in the B.1.167 has been identified now and experts are hoping that this time the pace of intervention and follow-up picks up.
Genome sequencing, the study of genetic structures of an organism and the changes happening in it, give information about the virus’ origins, routes taken to reach a particular area and the changes, or mutations, that are making the virus stronger or weaker.
India, in the first six months, barely conducted a few hundred genome sequencing, while other countries like China, the UK and US, had done several thousand and submitted these in public global depositories for scientists across the world to study.
It was only in December last year that the government announced setting up the Indian SARS-CoV2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) to expedite the gene sequencing effort from India through a consortium of 10 laboratories.
The CCMB, which is one of the labs under INSACOG, discovered the double mutant during genome sequencing last month.

Indian SARS-CoV-2 Consortium on Genomics (INSACOG):

INSACOG is a multi-laboratory, multi-agency, pan-India network to monitor genomic variations in the SARS-CoV-2.
It helps in the understanding of how the virus spreads and evolves.
Genomic surveillance can generate a rich source of information for tracking pathogen transmission and evolution on both national and international levels.