Virus Detection by CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Strand Displacement in a Lateral Flow Assay

In public health emergencies or in resource-constrained settings, laboratory-based diagnostic methods, such as RT-qPCR, need to be complemented with accurate, rapid, and accessible approaches to increase testing capacity, as this will translate into better outcomes in disease prevention and manageme...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Montagud-Martínez, R, Marquez-Costa, R, Ruiz, R, Martínez-Aviñó, A, Ballesteros-Garrido, R, Navarro, D, Campins-Falcó, P, Rodrigo, G
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2025
País:España
Institución:INCLIVA
Repositorio:r-INCLIVA. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica de INCLIVA
OAI Identifier:oai:incliva.fundanetsuite.com:p19960
Acceso en línea:https://incliva.portalinvestigacion.com/publicaciones/19960
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:bioanalytics
CRISPR diagnostics
DNA nanotechnology
lateral flow immunochromatography
synthetic biology
Descripción
Sumario:In public health emergencies or in resource-constrained settings, laboratory-based diagnostic methods, such as RT-qPCR, need to be complemented with accurate, rapid, and accessible approaches to increase testing capacity, as this will translate into better outcomes in disease prevention and management. Here, we develop an original nucleic acid detection platform by leveraging CRISPR-Cas9 and lateral flow immunochromatography technologies. In combination with an isothermal amplification that runs with a biotinylated primer, the system exploits the interaction between the CRISPR-Cas9 R-loop formed upon targeting a specific nucleic acid and a fluorescein-labeled probe to generate a visual readout on a lateral flow device. Our method enables rapid, sensitive detection of nucleic acids, achieving a limit of 1-10 copies/mu L in 1 h at a low temperature. We validated the efficacy of the method by using clinical samples of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2. Compared with other assays, it operates with more accessible molecular elements and showcases a robust signal-to-noise ratio. Moreover, multiplexed detection was demonstrated using primers labeled with biotin and digoxigenin, achieving the simultaneous identification of target genes on lateral flow devices with two test lines. We successfully detected SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A (H1N1) in spiked samples, highlighting the potential of the method for multiplexed diagnostics of respiratory viruses. All in all, this represents a versatile and manageable platform for point-of-care testing, thereby supporting better patient outcomes and enhanced pandemic preparedness.