Aspect of COVID-19 Pandemic: Case for Mass Spectrometry

Abstract

Fast spread of COVID-19 worldwide causing unprecedented number of coronavirus infections, Scientist community are in race to control the disease by the development of both novel effective diagnostics strategies and effective therapies. Ultimately an efficient vaccine. Research efforts has focused on recognition of the pathogen entry mechanisms to the host's cells, simultaneously characterize the host’s cellular defence mechanisms in response to the pathogen attack. Early genome sequencing enlighten us on the origin of the virus responsible for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) pandemic. PCR tests first implemented to recognize the presence of viral RNA. PCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 has no gold standard reference, which limits the accuracy of results and increases the percentages of false positives, besides PCR test are unable to predict disease status (progression). Alternative techniques where tested and evaluated, such as immunological based tests. Mass spectrometric methods. Which was suggested as a complementary method to the structural information gathered by molecular level test? Here, we highlight on the contributions of mass spectrometry to several areas of SARS-CoV-2 infectious disease research understanding the host’s cell proteome changes including diagnostics techniques, vaccines and therapies.