A sensitive and affordable multiplex RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection

Martin A. M. Reijns; Louise Thompson; Juan Carlos Acosta; Holly A. Black; Francisco J. Sanchez-Luque; Austin Diamond; David A. Parry; Alison Daniels; Marie O'Shea; Carolina Uggenti; Maria C. Sanchez; Alan O'Callaghan; Michelle L. L. McNab; Martyna Adamowicz; Elias T. Friman; Toby Hurd; Edward J. Jarman; Frederic Li Mow Chee; Jacqueline K. Rainger; Marion Walker; Camilla Drake; Dasa Longman; Christine Mordstein; Sophie J. Warlow; Stewart McKay; Louise Slater; Morad Ansari; Ian P. M. Tomlinson; David Moore; Nadine Wilkinson; Jill Shepherd; Kate Templeton; Ingolfur Johannessen; Christine Tait-Burkard; Jürgen G. Haas; Nick Gilbert; Ian R. Adams; Andrew P. Jackson

doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3001030

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Methods and Resources report novel methods, substantial improvements to current methodologies, or informational datasets.

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A sensitive and affordable multiplex RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection

Martin A. M. Reijns ,

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Supervision, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: martin.reijns@igmm.ed.ac.uk

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5048-2752

⨯
Louise Thompson,

Roles Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology

Affiliation The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Juan Carlos Acosta,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Holly A. Black,

Roles Formal analysis, Investigation

Affiliations The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3250-2665

⨯
Francisco J. Sanchez-Luque,

Roles Methodology, Resources, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Centre Pfizer-University of Granada-Andalusian Government for Genomics and Oncological Research (Genyo), Granada, Spain

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1138-6124

⨯
Austin Diamond,

Roles Methodology, Supervision

Affiliation The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9615-229X

⨯
David A. Parry,

Roles Formal analysis, Methodology, Software

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0376-7736

⨯
Alison Daniels,

Roles Investigation, Methodology

Affiliation Division of Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7308-4140

⨯
Marie O'Shea,

Roles Resources

Affiliation The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Carolina Uggenti,

Roles Methodology, Resources

Affiliation Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2673-5120

⨯
Maria C. Sanchez,

Roles Investigation, Methodology

Affiliation Division of Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8596-9528

⨯
Alan O'Callaghan,

Roles Formal analysis

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4817-6171

⨯
Michelle L. L. McNab,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Division of Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0938-7267

⨯
Martyna Adamowicz,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9957-4439

⨯
Elias T. Friman,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9944-6560

⨯
Toby Hurd,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Edward J. Jarman,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5466-4430

⨯
Frederic Li Mow Chee,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4838-1028

⨯
Jacqueline K. Rainger,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Marion Walker,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Camilla Drake,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Dasa Longman,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5373-0777

⨯
Christine Mordstein,

Roles Resources

Affiliations MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, The Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4003-2819

⨯
Sophie J. Warlow,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Centre for Genomic & Experimental Medicine, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Stewart McKay,

Roles Resources

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Louise Slater,

Roles Methodology

Affiliation The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Morad Ansari,

Roles Methodology

Affiliation The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Ian P. M. Tomlinson,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3037-1470

⨯
David Moore,

Roles Project administration, Resources

Affiliation The South East of Scotland Clinical Genetic Service, Western General Hospital, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9308-5741

⨯
Nadine Wilkinson,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Medical Microbiology and Virology Service, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5994-0492

⨯
Jill Shepherd,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Medical Microbiology and Virology Service, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Kate Templeton,

Roles Methodology, Resources, Supervision

Affiliation Medical Microbiology and Virology Service, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7414-1277

⨯
Ingolfur Johannessen,

Roles Resources

Affiliation Medical Microbiology and Virology Service, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Christine Tait-Burkard,

Roles Resources, Supervision

Affiliation The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
⨯
Jürgen G. Haas,

Roles Methodology, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Division of Infection Medicine, Edinburgh Medical School, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4658-4673

⨯
Nick Gilbert,

Roles Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0505-6081

⨯
Ian R. Adams,

Roles Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8838-1271

⨯
[ ... ],
Andrew P. Jackson

Roles Conceptualization, Funding acquisition, Project administration, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8739-2646

⨯
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A sensitive and affordable multiplex RT-qPCR assay for SARS-CoV-2 detection

Martin A. M. Reijns,
Louise Thompson,
Juan Carlos Acosta,
Holly A. Black,
Francisco J. Sanchez-Luque,
Austin Diamond,
David A. Parry,
Alison Daniels,
Marie O'Shea,
Carolina Uggenti

Published: December 15, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3001030

Reader Comments (2)

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06 Jan 2021
10:02 GMT
Most Recent

N1E-RP and N2E-RP multiplex assays still detect variants B.1.1.7, 501_V2, 20A.EU1 and 20A.EU2 Posted by mreijns on 06 Jan 2021 at 10:02 GMT
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23 Dec 2020
13:31 GMT
Most Recent

N1E-RP and N2E-RP assays detect B.1.1.7 lineage SARS-CoV-2 variant Posted by mreijns on 23 Dec 2020 at 13:31 GMT

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