Medical What makes the current coronavirus different from the others?

[TeethWhitener]

What is a viral ferment?

At any rate, PCR uses a special DNA polymerase that is thermally cyclable in the amplification step. As the name suggests, DNA polymerase amplifies DNA, not RNA.

 

[atyy]

Also, in general RNA is fragile, while DNA can contain equivalent information but is chemically more stable.

Question: would RNA survive the heating step in PCR? When RNA has to be preserved it is common to keep samples cold, which is why I think many versions of the COVID-19 swab test require samples to be refrigerated, eg. https://stanfordhealthcare.org/heal...covid-19-test/covid-19-molecular-testing.html "Specimen must be kept at 2-8°C (refrigerated/cool) or frozen"

There seems to be an all RNA-version of PCR https://www.pnas.org/content/113/35/9786 (not sure how practical this is).

 

[Phil Core]

Stability and ability to sustain more heat make sense. Thanks