Raman spectroscopy with spectral barcoding distinguished RNA from 20 SARS-CoV-2 variants and subvariants in a laboratory study.
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Researchers extracted viral RNA from cell-culture supernatants and analyzed spectra collected with a confocal Raman spectrometer using a 532-nm laser.
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The Raman barcodes differed across all 20 samples, whereas principal component analysis distinguished only some strains.
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Raman signals reflected RNA structural features, including backbone conformation, base pairing, and secondary structure, rather than identifying individual nucleotide substitutions.
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The proof-of-concept study used purified RNA, and recognition of unseen variants and performance with clinical specimens remain untested.
