Young Tobacco Plant (Nicotiana benthamiana). PHOTO CREDIT: Hanjo Hellmann / Shutterstock
SYDNEY: An ancient tobacco plant, native to Northern and Central Australia, could hold the key to fast-tracking the COVID-19 vaccine production, according to local scientists.
Lead researcher, Professor Peter Waterhouse from Australia’s Queensland University of Technology (QUT), told Xinhua on Wednesday that the plant holds very unique properties.
“This is a very amazing plant — what is special about it is that it seems to have lost its defense mechanism,” Waterhouse told Xinhua.
“So when you put in the DNA instructions into plants, most of them will reject it, but this plant follows the instructions and produces the protein you want.”
In the past the plant has been used for a wide spectrum of vaccines and antibodies, including Ebola.
Singapore scientists study genes to fast-track coronavirus vaccine
According to Waterhouse, a vast amount of vaccines produced by the plant are ready to harvest in just three to four days — without using sophisticated animal protein growing environments as conventional vaccine production methods do.
Professor Peter Waterhouse. PHOTO COURTESY: QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
Sensing the urgency of fighting COVID-19, Waterhouse said they would release the entire chromosome-level genome sequence of this plant to relevant researchers instead of publishing in academic journals first.
“We are now making this unpublished information available to any team working on fighting the COVID-19 pandemic,” Waterhouse said.
“This will allow them to ‘tweak’ the genome to produce better quality vaccines and therapeutics that are tailor-made for use in humans.”
- Trump critic hopes to become the first Native American woman in Congress
- Court action over alleged endangered plant destruction
- Aussies and Filipinos 'sorry' for #basketbrawl in Manila
- 19 arrested in drug raids
- Acocks Green mum appeals for help to catch carjackers who risked her baby’s life
- Opinion: Why don't more New Zealanders get the flu vaccination?
- Jason Roy 120 and four wickets for Liam Plunkett help superb England to 2-0 series lead over Australia
- North West 200: Kiwi Mettam following in compatriot Anstey's tyre tracks
- Edited Transcript of CRL earnings conference call or presentation 31-Jul-19 12:30pm GMT
- Millions of trees to be planted along route of HS2 high speed railway
- 19 of Grimsby's oldest buildings whose future MUST be saved
- Bloodied cougar attack victim begs for help in harrowing 911 call after his pal was dragged away to his death
Aussie native plant to help fast-track COVID-19 vaccine have 390 words, post on tribune.com.pk at April 8, 2020. This is cached page on VietNam Breaking News. If you want remove this page, please contact us.
