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López-Domene R, Manteca A, Rodriguez-Abetxuko A, Beloqui A, Cortajarena AL. In vitro Production of Hemin-Based Artificial Metalloenzymes. Chemistry 2024; 30:e202303254. [PMID: 38145337 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202303254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Developing enzyme alternatives is pivotal to improving and enabling new processes in biotechnology and industry. Artificial metalloenzymes (ArMs) are combinations of protein scaffolds with metal elements, such as metal nanoclusters or metal-containing molecules with specific catalytic properties, which can be customized. Here, we engineered an ArM based on the consensus tetratricopeptide repeat (CTPR) scaffold by introducing a unique histidine residue to coordinate the hemin cofactor. Our results show that this engineered system exhibits robust peroxidase-like catalytic activity driven by the hemin. The expression of the scaffold and subsequent coordination of hemin was achieved by recombinant expression in bulk and through in vitro transcription and translation systems in water-in-oil drops. The ability to synthesize this system in emulsio paves the way to improve its properties by means of droplet microfluidic screenings, facilitating the exploration of the protein combinatorial space to discover improved or novel catalytic activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rocío López-Domene
- Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20014, Spain
- POLYMAT and Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20018, Spain
| | - Aitor Manteca
- Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20014, Spain
| | - Andoni Rodriguez-Abetxuko
- POLYMAT and Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20018, Spain
| | - Ana Beloqui
- POLYMAT and Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20018, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Aitziber L Cortajarena
- Centre for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Paseo de Miramón 194, Donostia-San Sebastián, E-20014, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Plaza Euskadi 5, E-48009, Bilbao, Spain
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2
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Elias M, Guan X, Hudson D, Bose R, Kwak J, Petrounia I, Touah K, Mansour S, Yue P, Errasti G, Delacroix T, Ghosh A, Chakrabarti R. Evolution of Organic Solvent-Resistant DNA Polymerases. ACS Synth Biol 2023; 12:3170-3188. [PMID: 37611245 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.2c00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
The introduction of thermostable polymerases revolutionized the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and biotechnology. However, many GC-rich genes cannot be PCR-amplified with high efficiency in water, irrespective of temperature. Although polar organic cosolvents can enhance nucleic acid polymerization and amplification by destabilizing duplex DNA and secondary structures, nature has not selected for the evolution of solvent-tolerant polymerase enzymes. Here, we used ultrahigh-throughput droplet-based selection and deep sequencing along with computational free-energy and binding affinity calculations to evolve Taq polymerase to generate enzymes that are both stable and highly active in the presence of organic cosolvents, resulting in up to 10% solvent resistance and over 100-fold increase in stability at 97.5 °C in the presence of 1,4-butanediol, as well as tolerance to up to 10 times higher concentrations of the potent cosolvents sulfolane and 2-pyrrolidone. Using these polymerases, we successfully amplified a broad spectrum of GC-rich templates containing regions with over 90% GC content, including templates recalcitrant to amplification with existing polymerases, even in the presence of cosolvents. We also demonstrated dramatically reduced GC bias in the amplification of genes with widely varying GC content in quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). By expanding the scope of solvent systems compatible with nucleic acid polymerization, these organic solvent-resistant polymerases enable a dramatic reduction of sequence bias not achievable through thermal resistance alone, with significant implications for a wide range of applications including sequencing and synthetic biology in mixed aqueous-organic media.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Elias
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Xiangying Guan
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Devin Hudson
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Rahul Bose
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Joon Kwak
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Ioanna Petrounia
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Kenza Touah
- Center for Protein Engineering & Drug Discovery, PMC Isochem SAS, 32 Rue Lavoisier, Vert-Le-Petit 91710, France
| | - Sourour Mansour
- Center for Protein Engineering & Drug Discovery, PMC Isochem SAS, 32 Rue Lavoisier, Vert-Le-Petit 91710, France
| | - Peng Yue
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
| | - Gauthier Errasti
- Center for Protein Engineering & Drug Discovery, PMC Isochem SAS, 32 Rue Lavoisier, Vert-Le-Petit 91710, France
| | - Thomas Delacroix
- Center for Protein Engineering & Drug Discovery, PMC Isochem SAS, 32 Rue Lavoisier, Vert-Le-Petit 91710, France
| | - Anisha Ghosh
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
- McGill University, 845 Rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC H3A 0G4, Canada
| | - Raj Chakrabarti
- Chakrabarti Advanced Technology, LLC, PMC Group Building, 1288 Route 73, Suite 110, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054, United States
- Center for Protein Engineering & Drug Discovery, PMC Isochem SAS, 32 Rue Lavoisier, Vert-Le-Petit 91710, France
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3
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Sun Y, Ko DH, Gao J, Fu K, Gao Y, Zhang Q, Baldi S, Hong T, Ivanov I, He Y, Tian H. Unraveling the salt tolerance of Phi29 DNA polymerase using compartmentalized self-replication and microfluidics platform. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1267196. [PMID: 38029082 PMCID: PMC10661337 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1267196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
In Phi29-α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore sequencing systems, a strong electrochemical signal is dependent on a high concentration of salt. However, high salt concentrations adversely affect polymerase activity. Sequencing by synthesis (SBS) requires the use of phi29 polymerase without exonuclease activity to prevent the degradation of modified nucleotide tags; however, the lack of exonuclease activity also affects polymerase processivity. This study aimed to optimize phi29 polymerase for improved salt tolerance and processivity while maintaining its lack of exonuclease activity to meet the requirements of nanopore sequencing. Using salt tolerance compartmentalized self-replication (stCSR) and a microfluidic platform, we obtained 11 mutant sites with enhanced salt tolerance attributes. Sequencing and biochemical analyses revealed that the substitution of conserved amino acids such as G197D, Y369E, T372N, and I378R plays a critical role in maintaining the processivity of exonuclease-deficient phi29 polymerase under high salt conditions. Furthermore, Y369E and T372N have been identified as important determinants of DNA polymerase binding affinity. This study provides insights into optimizing polymerase processability under high-salt conditions for real-time polymerase nanopore sequencing, paving the way for improved performance and applications in nanopore sequencing technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Sun
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Danny Hsu Ko
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Jie Gao
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Kang Fu
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Yaping Gao
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Qiwen Zhang
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Salem Baldi
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Tao Hong
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Igor Ivanov
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Yun He
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Tian
- Research Center of Molecular Diagnostics and Sequencing, Axbio Biotechnology (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
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Oscorbin I, Filipenko M. Bst polymerase - a humble relative of Taq polymerase. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2023; 21:4519-4535. [PMID: 37767105 PMCID: PMC10520511 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA polymerases are a superfamily of enzymes synthesizing DNA using DNA as a template. They are essential for nucleic acid metabolism and for DNA replication and repair. Modern biotechnology and molecular diagnostics rely heavily on DNA polymerases in analyzing nucleic acids. Among a variety of discovered DNA polymerases, Bst polymerase, a large fragment of DNA polymerase I from Geobacillus stearothermophilus, is one of the most commonly used but is not as well studied as Taq polymerase. The ability of Bst polymerase to displace an upstream DNA strand during synthesis, coupled with its moderate thermal stability, has provided the basis for several isothermal DNA amplification methods, including LAMP, WGA, RCA, and many others. Bst polymerase is one of the key components defining the robustness and analytical characteristics of diagnostic test systems based on isothermal amplification. Here, we present an overview of the biochemical and structural features of Bst polymerase and provide information on its mutated analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Oscorbin
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICBFM SB RAS), 8 Lavrentiev Avenue, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
| | - Maxim Filipenko
- Laboratory of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Chemical Biology and Fundamental Medicine, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (ICBFM SB RAS), 8 Lavrentiev Avenue, Novosibirsk 630090, Russia
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5
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Ordóñez CD, Redrejo-Rodríguez M. DNA Polymerases for Whole Genome Amplification: Considerations and Future Directions. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119331. [PMID: 37298280 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the same way that specialized DNA polymerases (DNAPs) replicate cellular and viral genomes, only a handful of dedicated proteins from various natural origins as well as engineered versions are appropriate for competent exponential amplification of whole genomes and metagenomes (WGA). Different applications have led to the development of diverse protocols, based on various DNAPs. Isothermal WGA is currently widely used due to the high performance of Φ29 DNA polymerase, but PCR-based methods are also available and can provide competent amplification of certain samples. Replication fidelity and processivity must be considered when selecting a suitable enzyme for WGA. However, other properties, such as thermostability, capacity to couple replication, and double helix unwinding, or the ability to maintain DNA replication opposite to damaged bases, are also very relevant for some applications. In this review, we provide an overview of the different properties of DNAPs widely used in WGA and discuss their limitations and future research directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos D Ordóñez
- CIC bioGUNE, Bizkaia Science and Technology Park, Building 800, 48160 Derio, Spain
| | - Modesto Redrejo-Rodríguez
- Department of Biochemistry, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", CSIC-UAM, 28029 Madrid, Spain
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6
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Gantz M, Neun S, Medcalf EJ, van Vliet LD, Hollfelder F. Ultrahigh-Throughput Enzyme Engineering and Discovery in In Vitro Compartments. Chem Rev 2023; 123:5571-5611. [PMID: 37126602 PMCID: PMC10176489 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.2c00910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Novel and improved biocatalysts are increasingly sourced from libraries via experimental screening. The success of such campaigns is crucially dependent on the number of candidates tested. Water-in-oil emulsion droplets can replace the classical test tube, to provide in vitro compartments as an alternative screening format, containing genotype and phenotype and enabling a readout of function. The scale-down to micrometer droplet diameters and picoliter volumes brings about a >107-fold volume reduction compared to 96-well-plate screening. Droplets made in automated microfluidic devices can be integrated into modular workflows to set up multistep screening protocols involving various detection modes to sort >107 variants a day with kHz frequencies. The repertoire of assays available for droplet screening covers all seven enzyme commission (EC) number classes, setting the stage for widespread use of droplet microfluidics in everyday biochemical experiments. We review the practicalities of adapting droplet screening for enzyme discovery and for detailed kinetic characterization. These new ways of working will not just accelerate discovery experiments currently limited by screening capacity but profoundly change the paradigms we can probe. By interfacing the results of ultrahigh-throughput droplet screening with next-generation sequencing and deep learning, strategies for directed evolution can be implemented, examined, and evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Gantz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Stefanie Neun
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Elliot J Medcalf
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Liisa D van Vliet
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
| | - Florian Hollfelder
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, 80 Tennis Court Rd, Cambridge CB2 1GA, U.K
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7
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Wang J, Wang Y, Lai J, Li J, Yu K. Improvement and application of qPCR assay revealed new insight on early warning of Phaeocystis globosa bloom. WATER RESEARCH 2023; 229:119439. [PMID: 36473412 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Phaeocystis globosa bloom develops from its early solitary cells, providing clues for early warning of its bloom and timely responding to possible consequences. However, the early prediction requires quantification of the solitary cells for a thorough understanding of bloom formation. Therefore, we developed an accurate, sensitive, and specific qPCR assay for this need. Results show that the accuracy of qPCR was significantly enhanced by ameliorating DNA barcode design, improving genomic DNA extraction, and introducing a strategy of internal amplification control (IAC). This approach reached a quantification limit of 1 cell/reaction, making low-abundance cells (101-103 cells/L) detection possible, and we also observed a plunge in the abundance of the solitary cells before the bloom outbreak in two winters in 2019 and 2020 for the first time, which is quite unique from laboratory results showing an increase instead. The plunge in solitary-cell abundance might be associated with the attachment of solitary cells to solid matrices to form non-solitary attached aggregate, the precursor of colonies, which gains supports from other studies and needs more investigations in the future. Therefore, as the plunge in solitary-cell abundance is a sign of colony formation, it can be used as an early warning indicator to P. globosa bloom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiale Wang
- School of Marine Science, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reef in the South China Sea and Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- School of Marine Science, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reef in the South China Sea and Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
| | - Junxiang Lai
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center and Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China.
| | - Jie Li
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center and Guangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanning 530007, China
| | - Kefu Yu
- School of Marine Science, Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reef in the South China Sea and Coral Reef Research Center of China, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
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8
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Sieskind R, Cortajarena AL, Manteca A. Cell-Free Production Systems in Droplet Microfluidics. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 185:91-127. [PMID: 37306704 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The use of cell-free production systems in droplet microfluidic devices has gained significant interest during the last decade. Encapsulating DNA replication, RNA transcription, and protein expression systems in water-in-oil drops allows for the interrogation of unique molecules and high-throughput screening of libraries of industrial and biomedical interest. Furthermore, the use of such systems in closed compartments enables the evaluation of various properties of novel synthetic or minimal cells. In this chapter, we review the latest advances in the usage of the cell-free macromolecule production toolbox in droplets, with a special emphasis on new on-chip technologies for the amplification, transcription, expression, screening, and directed evolution of biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Sieskind
- Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris, Unité d'Architecture et de Dynamique des Macromolécules Biologiques, Paris, France
| | - Aitziber L Cortajarena
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Aitor Manteca
- Center for Cooperative Research in Biomaterials (CIC biomaGUNE), Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Donostia-San Sebastián, Spain.
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9
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Shirshikov FV, Bespyatykh JA. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification: From Theory to Practice. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2022; 48:1159-1174. [PMID: 36590469 PMCID: PMC9788664 DOI: 10.1134/s106816202206022x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Increasing the accuracy of pathogen identification and reducing the duration of analysis remain relevant for modern molecular diagnostics up to this day. In laboratory and clinical practice, detection of pathogens mostly relies on methods of nucleic acid amplification, among which the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is considered the "gold standard." Nevertheless, in some cases, isothermal amplification methods act as an alternative to PCR diagnostics. Upon more than thirty years of the development of isothermal DNA synthesis, the appearance of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has enabled new directions of in-field diagnostics of bacterial and viral infections. This review examines the key characteristics of the LAMP method and corresponding features in practice. We discuss the structure of LAMP amplicons with single-stranded loops, which have the sites for primer annealing under isothermal conditions. The latest achievements in the modification of the LAMP method are analyzed, which allow considering it as a unique platform for creating the next-generation diagnostic assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- F. V. Shirshikov
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
| | - J. A. Bespyatykh
- Federal Research and Clinical Center of Physical-Chemical Medicine of Federal Medical Biological Agency, 119435 Moscow, Russia
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10
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Wang G, Du Y, Ma X, Ye F, Qin Y, Wang Y, Xiang Y, Tao R, Chen T. Thermophilic Nucleic Acid Polymerases and Their Application in Xenobiology. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314969. [PMID: 36499296 PMCID: PMC9738464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases, isolated from organisms that thrive in extremely hot environments, possess great DNA/RNA synthesis activities under high temperatures. These enzymes play indispensable roles in central life activities involved in DNA replication and repair, as well as RNA transcription, and have already been widely used in bioengineering, biotechnology, and biomedicine. Xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), which are analogs of DNA/RNA with unnatural moieties, have been developed as new carriers of genetic information in the past decades, which contributed to the fast development of a field called xenobiology. The broad application of these XNA molecules in the production of novel drugs, materials, and catalysts greatly relies on the capability of enzymatic synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of them, which have been partially achieved with natural or artificially tailored thermophilic nucleic acid polymerases. In this review, we first systematically summarize representative thermophilic and hyperthermophilic polymerases that have been extensively studied and utilized, followed by the introduction of methods and approaches in the engineering of these polymerases for the efficient synthesis, reverse transcription, and amplification of XNAs. The application of XNAs facilitated by these polymerases and their mutants is then discussed. In the end, a perspective for the future direction of further development and application of unnatural nucleic acid polymerases is provided.
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11
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Sun L, Ma X, Zhang B, Qin Y, Ma J, Du Y, Chen T. From polymerase engineering to semi-synthetic life: artificial expansion of the central dogma. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:1173-1197. [PMID: 36320892 PMCID: PMC9533422 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00116k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acids have been extensively modified in different moieties to expand the scope of genetic materials in the past few decades. While the development of unnatural base pairs (UBPs) has expanded the genetic information capacity of nucleic acids, the production of synthetic alternatives of DNA and RNA has increased the types of genetic information carriers and introduced novel properties and functionalities into nucleic acids. Moreover, the efforts of tailoring DNA polymerases (DNAPs) and RNA polymerases (RNAPs) to be efficient unnatural nucleic acid polymerases have enabled broad application of these unnatural nucleic acids, ranging from production of stable aptamers to evolution of novel catalysts. The introduction of unnatural nucleic acids into living organisms has also started expanding the central dogma in vivo. In this article, we first summarize the development of unnatural nucleic acids with modifications or alterations in different moieties. The strategies for engineering DNAPs and RNAPs are then extensively reviewed, followed by summarization of predominant polymerase mutants with good activities for synthesizing, reverse transcribing, or even amplifying unnatural nucleic acids. Some recent application examples of unnatural nucleic acids with their polymerases are then introduced. At the end, the approaches of introducing UBPs and synthetic genetic polymers into living organisms for the creation of semi-synthetic organisms are reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leping Sun
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Xingyun Ma
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Binliang Zhang
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Yanjia Qin
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Jiezhao Ma
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Yuhui Du
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
| | - Tingjian Chen
- MOE International Joint Research Laboratory on Synthetic Biology and Medicines, School of Biology and Biological Engineering, South China University of Technology 510006 Guangzhou China
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12
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Paik I, Bhadra S, Ellington AD. Charge Engineering Improves the Performance of Bst DNA Polymerase Fusions. ACS Synth Biol 2022; 11:1488-1496. [PMID: 35320674 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The charge states of proteins can greatly influence their stabilities and interactions with substrates, and the addition of multiple charges (supercharging) has been shown to be a successful approach for engineering protein stability and function. The addition of a fast-folding fusion domain to the Bacillus stearothermophilus DNA polymerase improved its functionality in isothermal amplification assays, and further charge engineering of this domain has increased both protein stability and diagnostics performance. When combined with mutations that stabilize the core of the protein, the charge-engineered fusion domain leads to the ability to carry out loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) at temperatures up to 74° C or in the presence of high concentrations of urea, with detection times under 10 min. Adding both positive and negative charges to the fusion domain led to changes in the relative reverse transcriptase and DNA polymerase activities of the polymerase. Overall, the development of a modular fusion domain whose charged surface can be modified at will should prove to be of use in the engineering of other polymerases and, in general, may prove useful for protein stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inyup Paik
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Sanchita Bhadra
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
| | - Andrew D. Ellington
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
- Center for Systems and Synthetic Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas 78712, United States
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13
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Padzil F, Mariatulqabtiah AR, Tan WS, Ho KL, Isa NM, Lau HY, Abu J, Chuang KP. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) as a Promising Point-of-Care Diagnostic Strategy in Avian Virus Research. Animals (Basel) 2021; 12:ani12010076. [PMID: 35011181 PMCID: PMC8744981 DOI: 10.3390/ani12010076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 12/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Many of the existing screening methods of avian viruses depend on clinical symptoms and pathological gross examinations that still necessitate confirmatory microscopic testing. Confirmation of a virus is often conducted at centralized laboratories that are well-equipped with instruments for virus isolation, hemagglutinin inhibition, virus neutralization, ELISA, PCR and qPCR. These assays are known for their great accuracy and sensitivity, and hence are set as standard practices. Nevertheless, limitations arise due to the time, cost and on-site applicability. As the technology progresses, molecular diagnostics should be more accessible to isolated areas and even practicable for use by non-skilled personnel such as farmers and private breeders. One of the point-of-care diagnostic strategies to consider for such matters is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Abstract Over the years, development of molecular diagnostics has evolved significantly in the detection of pathogens within humans and their surroundings. Researchers have discovered new species and strains of viruses, while mitigating the viral infections that occur, owing to the accessibility of nucleic acid screening methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative (real-time) polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and reverse-transcription qPCR (RT-qPCR). While such molecular detection methods are widely utilized as the benchmark, the invention of isothermal amplifications has also emerged as a reliable tool to improvise on-field diagnosis without dependence on thermocyclers. Among the established isothermal amplification technologies are loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), recombinant polymerase amplification (RPA), strand displacement activity (SDA), nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) and rolling circle amplification (RCA). This review highlights the past research on and future prospects of LAMP, its principles and applications as a promising point-of-care diagnostic method against avian viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faiz Padzil
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (F.P.); (W.S.T.); (N.M.I.)
- Institute for Medical Research, National Institute of Health, Setia Alam, Shah Alam 40170, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abdul Razak Mariatulqabtiah
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (F.P.); (W.S.T.); (N.M.I.)
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +60-297-691-938
| | - Wen Siang Tan
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (F.P.); (W.S.T.); (N.M.I.)
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Kok Lian Ho
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Nurulfiza Mat Isa
- Laboratory of Vaccine and Biomolecules, Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia; (F.P.); (W.S.T.); (N.M.I.)
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Han Yih Lau
- Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Research Centre, Malaysian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MARDI), Persiaran MARDI-UPM, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Jalila Abu
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang 43400, Selangor, Malaysia;
| | - Kuo-Pin Chuang
- International Degree Program in Animal Vaccine Technology, International College, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan;
- Graduate Institute of Animal Vaccine Technology, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
- School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
- Research Center for Animal Biologics, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
- School of Dentistry, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan
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14
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Moore KJM, Cahill J, Aidelberg G, Aronoff R, Bektaş A, Bezdan D, Butler DJ, Chittur SV, Codyre M, Federici F, Tanner NA, Tighe SW, True R, Ware SB, Wyllie AL, Afshin EE, Bendesky A, Chang CB, Dela Rosa R, Elhaik E, Erickson D, Goldsborough AS, Grills G, Hadasch K, Hayden A, Her SY, Karl JA, Kim CH, Kriegel AJ, Kunstman T, Landau Z, Land K, Langhorst BW, Lindner AB, Mayer BE, McLaughlin LA, McLaughlin MT, Molloy J, Mozsary C, Nadler JL, D'Silva M, Ng D, O'Connor DH, Ongerth JE, Osuolale O, Pinharanda A, Plenker D, Ranjan R, Rosbash M, Rotem A, Segarra J, Schürer S, Sherrill-Mix S, Solo-Gabriele H, To S, Vogt MC, Yu AD, Mason CE. Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Detection of SARS-CoV-2 and Myriad Other Applications. J Biomol Tech 2021; 32:228-275. [PMID: 35136384 PMCID: PMC8802757 DOI: 10.7171/jbt.21-3203-017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
As the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic begins, it remains clear that a massive increase in the ability to test for SARS-CoV-2 infections in a myriad of settings is critical to controlling the pandemic and to preparing for future outbreaks. The current gold standard for molecular diagnostics is the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but the extraordinary and unmet demand for testing in a variety of environments means that both complementary and supplementary testing solutions are still needed. This review highlights the role that loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has had in filling this global testing need, providing a faster and easier means of testing, and what it can do for future applications, pathogens, and the preparation for future outbreaks. This review describes the current state of the art for research of LAMP-based SARS-CoV-2 testing, as well as its implications for other pathogens and testing. The authors represent the global LAMP (gLAMP) Consortium, an international research collective, which has regularly met to share their experiences on LAMP deployment and best practices; sections are devoted to all aspects of LAMP testing, including preanalytic sample processing, target amplification, and amplicon detection, then the hardware and software required for deployment are discussed, and finally, a summary of the current regulatory landscape is provided. Included as well are a series of first-person accounts of LAMP method development and deployment. The final discussion section provides the reader with a distillation of the most validated testing methods and their paths to implementation. This review also aims to provide practical information and insight for a range of audiences: for a research audience, to help accelerate research through sharing of best practices; for an implementation audience, to help get testing up and running quickly; and for a public health, clinical, and policy audience, to help convey the breadth of the effect that LAMP methods have to offer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith J M Moore
- School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City 1108, Philippines
| | | | - Guy Aidelberg
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1284, Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity (CRI), 75006 Paris, France
- Just One Giant Lab, Centre de Recherches Interdisciplinaires (CRI), 75004 Paris, France
| | - Rachel Aronoff
- Just One Giant Lab, Centre de Recherches Interdisciplinaires (CRI), 75004 Paris, France
- Action for Genomic Integrity Through Research! (AGiR!), Lausanne, Switzerland
- Association Hackuarium, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ali Bektaş
- Oakland Genomics Center, Oakland, CA 94609, USA
| | - Daniela Bezdan
- Institute of Medical Genetics and Applied Genomics, University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- NGS Competence Center Tübingen (NCCT), University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Poppy Health, Inc, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Institute of Medical Virology and Epidemiology of Viral Diseases, University Hospital, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel J Butler
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Sridar V Chittur
- Center for Functional Genomics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, 12222, USA
| | - Martin Codyre
- GiantLeap Biotechnology Ltd, Wicklow A63 Kv91, Ireland
| | - Fernan Federici
- ANID, Millennium Science Initiative Program, Millennium Institute for Integrative Biology (iBio), Institute for Biological and Medical Engineering, Schools of Engineering, Biology and Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago 8331150, Chile
| | | | | | - Randy True
- FloodLAMP Biotechnologies, San Carlos, CA 94070, USA
| | - Sarah B Ware
- Just One Giant Lab, Centre de Recherches Interdisciplinaires (CRI), 75004 Paris, France
- BioBlaze Community Bio Lab, 1800 W Hawthorne Ln, Ste J-1, West Chicago, IL 60185, USA
- Blossom Bio Lab, 1800 W Hawthorne Ln, Ste K-2, West Chicago, IL 60185, USA
| | - Anne L Wyllie
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Evan E Afshin
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Andres Bendesky
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Connie B Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, 59717, USA
- Center for Biofilm Engineering, Montana State University, Bozeman, 59717, USA
| | - Richard Dela Rosa
- School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City 1108, Philippines
| | - Eran Elhaik
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, Sweden
| | - David Erickson
- Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | | | - George Grills
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104, USA
| | - Kathrin Hadasch
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1284, Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity (CRI), 75006 Paris, France
- Department of Biology, Membrane Biophysics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
- Lab3 eV, Labspace Darmstadt, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
- IANUS Verein für Friedensorientierte Technikgestaltung eV, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andrew Hayden
- Center for Functional Genomics, Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Public Health, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, 12222, USA
| | | | - Julie A Karl
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison 53705, USA
| | | | | | | | - Zeph Landau
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720, USA
| | - Kevin Land
- Mologic, Centre for Advanced Rapid Diagnostics, (CARD), Bedford Technology Park, Thurleigh MK44 2YA, England
- Department of Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineering, University of Pretoria, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Ariel B Lindner
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1284, Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity (CRI), 75006 Paris, France
| | - Benjamin E Mayer
- Department of Biology, Membrane Biophysics, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64289 Darmstadt, Germany
- Lab3 eV, Labspace Darmstadt, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Matthew T McLaughlin
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison 53705, USA
| | - Jenny Molloy
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0AS, England
| | - Christopher Mozsary
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Jerry L Nadler
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, 10595, USA
| | - Melinee D'Silva
- Department of Pharmacology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, 10595, USA
| | - David Ng
- Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - David H O'Connor
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Madison 53705, USA
| | - Jerry E Ongerth
- University of Wollongong, Environmental Engineering, Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia
| | - Olayinka Osuolale
- Applied Environmental Metagenomics and Infectious Diseases Research (AEMIDR), Department of Biological Sciences, Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Nigeria
| | - Ana Pinharanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Dennis Plenker
- Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724, USA
| | - Ravi Ranjan
- Genomics Resource Laboratory, Institute for Applied Life Sciences, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, 01003, USA
| | - Michael Rosbash
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | | | | | | | - Scott Sherrill-Mix
- Department of Microbiology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 19104, USA
| | | | - Shaina To
- School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City 1108, Philippines
| | - Merly C Vogt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Albert D Yu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Christopher E Mason
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Bin Abdulaziz Alsaud Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The WorldQuant Initiative for Quantitative Prediction, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
- The Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA
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15
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Zyrina NV, Antipova VN. Nonspecific Synthesis in the Reactions of Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification. BIOCHEMISTRY (MOSCOW) 2021; 86:887-897. [PMID: 34284713 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921070099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The review focuses on the main factors involved in the formation of nonspecific products in isothermal nucleic acid amplification, such as mispriming, ab initio DNA synthesis, and additional activities of DNA polymerases, and discusses approaches to prevent formation of such nonspecific products in LAMP, RPA, NASBA, RCA, SDA, LSDA, NDA, and EXPAR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadezhda V Zyrina
- Institute of Protein Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.,Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia
| | - Valeriya N Antipova
- Institute of Theoretical and Experimental Biophysics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pushchino, Moscow Region, 142290, Russia.
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16
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Yu L, Wang J, Li X, Mao L, Sui Y, Chen W, Pelechano V, Guo X, Yin X. Simultaneous detection of SARS-CoV-2 and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus with real-time isothermal platform. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07584. [PMID: 34307953 PMCID: PMC8280398 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The recent ongoing outbreak of novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (known as COVID-19) is a severe threat to human health worldwide. By press time, more than 3.3 million people have died from COVID-19, with many countries experiencing peaks in infections and hospitalizations. The main symptoms of infection with SARS-CoV-2 include fever, chills, coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches and pains. While the symptoms of the pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus have many similarities to the signs and transmission routes of the novel coronavirus, e.g., fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. And a few cases of serious illness, rapid progress, can appear viral pneumonia, combined with respiratory failure, multiple organ function damage, serious people can die. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a rapid and accurate field diagnostic method to effectively identify the two viruses and treat these early infections on time, thus helping to control the spread of the disease. Among molecular detection methods, RT-LAMP (real-time reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification) has some advantages in pathogen detection due to its rapid, accurate and effective detection characteristics. Here, we combined the primers of the two viruses with the fluorescent probes on the RT-LAMP detection platform to detect the two viruses simultaneously. Firstly, RT-LAMP method was used respectively to detect the two viruses at different concentrations to determine the effectiveness and sensitivity of probe primers to the RNA samples. And then, the two virus samples were detected simultaneously in the same reaction tube to validate if testing for the two viruses together had an impact on the results compared to detecting alone. We verified the detection efficiency of three highly active BST variants during RT-LAMP assay. We expect that this assay can effectively and accurately distinguish COVID-19 from the pandemic (H1N1) 2009, so that these two diseases with similar symptoms can be appropriately differentiated and treated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yu
- Applied Biology Laboratory, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, China
| | - Jingyao Wang
- Biotech & Biomedicine (Shenyang) Group Ltd., Shenyang, 110000, China
| | - Xuelong Li
- Applied Biology Laboratory, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, China
| | - Lingling Mao
- Liaoning Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 110005, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Yi Sui
- Department of Neurology, Shenyang First People's Hospital (Shenyang Brain Hospital), Shenyang, 110041, China
| | - Weihua Chen
- Biotech & Biomedicine (Shenyang) Group Ltd., Shenyang, 110000, China
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biophysics of the Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics and Molecular-imaging, Center for Artificial Intelligence Biology, Department of Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 430074 Wuhan, Hubei, China
- College of Life Science, HeNan Normal University, 453007 Xinxiang, Henan, China
- Pluri Biotech Co.Ltd, Xuzhou, 221001, China
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Solna 17165, Sweden
| | - Xing Guo
- Department of Neurobiology, Key Laboratory of Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xiushan Yin
- Applied Biology Laboratory, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, China
- Biotech & Biomedicine (Shenyang) Group Ltd., Shenyang, 110000, China
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institute, Solna 17165, Sweden
- Pluri Biotech Co.Ltd, Xuzhou, 221001, China
- Nanog Biotech Co.Ltd, Shanghai, 200000, China
- Biotech & Biomedicine Science (Jiangxi) Co. Ltd, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang 110024, China
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17
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Wu S, Liu X, Ye S, Liu J, Zheng W, Dong X, Yin X. Colorimetric isothermal nucleic acid detection of SARS-CoV-2 with dye combination. Heliyon 2021; 7:e06886. [PMID: 33903853 PMCID: PMC8059943 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e06886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
RT-LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 has been demonstrated to be a valuable diagnostic method for the diagnosis of COVID-191,2, which can rapidly screen carriers of the virus to effectively control the spread of the SARS-CoV-2. Here, we present a combination of dyes for isothermal detection of SARS-CoV-2 as a commercial alternative, with expanded colorimetric spectrum. We compared them with commercial reagents and proved their suitability and sensitivity through clinical RNA samples. In addition, together with commercial single dye indicators, we believe the expanded color spectrum developed here as an indicator of rapid detection will promote the diagnosis of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanshan Wu
- Applied Biology Laboratory, College of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, China
| | - Xiyang Liu
- Biotech & Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
| | - Shenglong Ye
- Biotech & Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
| | - Jianmin Liu
- Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 110031, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Liaoning Cancer Hospital and Institute, No. 44 Xiaoheyan Rd, Dadong District, ShenYang, 110042 China
| | - Xue Dong
- Shenyang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 110031, Shenyang, Liaoning, China
- Corresponding author.
| | - Xiushan Yin
- Applied Biology Laboratory, College of Pharmaceutical and Biological Engineering, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, 110142, Shenyang, China
- Biotech & Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology. Karolinska Institutet, Solna 17165, Sweden
- Pluri Biotech Co.Ltd, Xuzhou, 221001, China
- Nanog Biotech Co.Ltd, Shanghai, 200000, China
- Biotech & Biomedicine Science (Jiangxi) Co. Ltd, Ganzhou, 341000, China
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Central Hospital Affiliated to Shenyang Medical College, Shenyang 110024, People's Republic of China
- Corresponding author.
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18
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Gharizadeh B, Yue J, Yu M, Liu Y, Zhou M, Lu D, Zhang J. Navigating the Pandemic Response Life Cycle: Molecular Diagnostics and Immunoassays in the Context of COVID-19 Management. IEEE Rev Biomed Eng 2021; 14:30-47. [PMID: 32356761 DOI: 10.1109/rbme.2020.2991444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). To counter COVID-19 spreading, an infrastructure to provide rapid and thorough molecular diagnostics and serology testing is the cornerstone of outbreak and pandemic management. We hereby review the clinical insights with regard to using molecular tests and immunoassays in the context of COVID-19 management life cycle: the preventive phase, the preparedness phase, the response phase and the recovery phase. The spatial and temporal distribution of viral RNA, antigens and antibodies during human infection is summarized to provide a biological foundation for accurate detection of the disease. We shared the lessons learned and the obstacles encountered during real world high-volume screening programs. Clinical needs are discussed to identify existing technology gaps in these tests. Leverage technologies, such as engineered polymerases, isothermal amplification, and direct amplification from complex matrices may improve the productivity of current infrastructure, while emerging technologies like CRISPR diagnostics, visual end point detection, and PCR free methods for nucleic acid sensing may lead to at-home tests. The lessons learned, and innovations spurred from the COVID-19 pandemic could upgrade our global public health infrastructure to better combat potential outbreaks in the future.
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19
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Alekseenko A, Barrett D, Pareja-Sanchez Y, Howard RJ, Strandback E, Ampah-Korsah H, Rovšnik U, Zuniga-Veliz S, Klenov A, Malloo J, Ye S, Liu X, Reinius B, Elsässer SJ, Nyman T, Sandh G, Yin X, Pelechano V. Direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 using non-commercial RT-LAMP reagents on heat-inactivated samples. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1820. [PMID: 33469065 PMCID: PMC7815738 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80352-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RT-LAMP detection of SARS-CoV-2 has been shown to be a valuable approach to scale up COVID-19 diagnostics and thus contribute to limiting the spread of the disease. Here we present the optimization of highly cost-effective in-house produced enzymes, and we benchmark their performance against commercial alternatives. We explore the compatibility between multiple DNA polymerases with high strand-displacement activity and thermostable reverse transcriptases required for RT-LAMP. We optimize reaction conditions and demonstrate their applicability using both synthetic RNA and clinical patient samples. Finally, we validate the optimized RT-LAMP assay for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in unextracted heat-inactivated nasopharyngeal samples from 184 patients. We anticipate that optimized and affordable reagents for RT-LAMP will facilitate the expansion of SARS-CoV-2 testing globally, especially in sites and settings where the need for large scale testing cannot be met by commercial alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa Alekseenko
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Donal Barrett
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Yerma Pareja-Sanchez
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165, Solna, Sweden
| | - Rebecca J Howard
- SciLifeLab, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 17121, Solna, Sweden
| | - Emilia Strandback
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Henry Ampah-Korsah
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Urška Rovšnik
- SciLifeLab, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, 17121, Solna, Sweden
| | - Silvia Zuniga-Veliz
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alexander Klenov
- Hudak Lab, Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Jayshna Malloo
- Hudak Lab, Department of Biology, York University, 4700 Keele St, Toronto, ON, M3J 1P3, Canada
| | - Shenglong Ye
- Biotech and Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
| | - Xiyang Liu
- Biotech and Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
| | - Björn Reinius
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Simon J Elsässer
- SciLifeLab, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Division of Genome Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Tomas Nyman
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Solna, Sweden
| | - Gustaf Sandh
- Department of Clinical Microbiology, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Xiushan Yin
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165, Solna, Sweden
- Biotech and Biomedicine Science (Shenyang) Co. Ltd, Shenyang, 110000, China
- Applied Biology Laboratory, Shenyang University of Chemical Technology, Shenyang, 110142, China
| | - Vicent Pelechano
- SciLifeLab, Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Karolinska Institutet, Tomtebodavägen 23A, 17165, Solna, Sweden.
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20
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Siau JW, Nonis S, Chee S, Koh LQ, Ferrer FJ, Brown CJ, Ghadessy FJ. Directed co-evolution of interacting protein-peptide pairs by compartmentalized two-hybrid replication (C2HR). Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 48:e128. [PMID: 33104786 PMCID: PMC7736784 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Directed evolution methodologies benefit from read-outs quantitatively linking genotype to phenotype. We therefore devised a method that couples protein–peptide interactions to the dynamic read-out provided by an engineered DNA polymerase. Fusion of a processivity clamp protein to a thermostable nucleic acid polymerase enables polymerase activity and DNA amplification in otherwise prohibitive high-salt buffers. Here, we recapitulate this phenotype by indirectly coupling the Sso7d processivity clamp to Taq DNA polymerase via respective fusion to a high affinity and thermostable interacting protein–peptide pair. Escherichia coli cells co-expressing protein–peptide pairs can directly be used in polymerase chain reactions to determine relative interaction strengths by the measurement of amplicon yields. Conditional polymerase activity is further used to link genotype to phenotype of interacting protein–peptide pairs co-expressed in E. coli using the compartmentalized self-replication directed evolution platform. We validate this approach, termed compartmentalized two-hybrid replication, by selecting for high-affinity peptides that bind two model protein partners: SpyCatcher and the large fragment of NanoLuc luciferase. We further demonstrate directed co-evolution by randomizing both protein and peptide components of the SpyCatcher–SpyTag pair and co-selecting for functionally interacting variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wei Siau
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Samuel Nonis
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Sharon Chee
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Li Quan Koh
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Fernando J Ferrer
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Christopher J Brown
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
| | - Farid J Ghadessy
- p53 Laboratory, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 8A Biomedical Grove, 138648, Singapore
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21
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Duffy K, Arangundy-Franklin S, Holliger P. Modified nucleic acids: replication, evolution, and next-generation therapeutics. BMC Biol 2020; 18:112. [PMID: 32878624 PMCID: PMC7469316 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-020-00803-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Modified nucleic acids, also called xeno nucleic acids (XNAs), offer a variety of advantages for biotechnological applications and address some of the limitations of first-generation nucleic acid therapeutics. Indeed, several therapeutics based on modified nucleic acids have recently been approved and many more are under clinical evaluation. XNAs can provide increased biostability and furthermore are now increasingly amenable to in vitro evolution, accelerating lead discovery. Here, we review the most recent discoveries in this dynamic field with a focus on progress in the enzymatic replication and functional exploration of XNAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Duffy
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK
| | | | - Philipp Holliger
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, UK.
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22
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Ali Z, Aman R, Mahas A, Rao GS, Tehseen M, Marsic T, Salunke R, Subudhi AK, Hala SM, Hamdan SM, Pain A, Alofi FS, Alsomali A, Hashem AM, Khogeer A, Almontashiri NAM, Abedalthagafi M, Hassan N, Mahfouz MM. iSCAN: An RT-LAMP-coupled CRISPR-Cas12 module for rapid, sensitive detection of SARS-CoV-2. Virus Res 2020; 288:198129. [PMID: 32822689 PMCID: PMC7434412 DOI: 10.1016/j.virusres.2020.198129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 191] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 affects all aspects of human life. Detection platforms that are efficient, rapid, accurate, specific, sensitive, and user friendly are urgently needed to manage and control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. RT-qPCR based methods are the gold standard for SARS-CoV-2 detection. However, these methods require trained personnel, sophisticated infrastructure, and a long turnaround time, thereby limiting their usefulness. Reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), a one-step nucleic acid amplification method conducted at a single temperature, has been used for colorimetric virus detection. CRISPR-Cas12 and CRISPR-Cas13 systems, which possess collateral activity against ssDNA and RNA, respectively, have also been harnessed for virus detection. Here, we built an efficient, rapid, specific, sensitive, user-friendly SARS-CoV-2 detection module that combines the robust virus amplification of RT-LAMP with the specific detection ability of SARS-CoV-2 by CRISPR-Cas12. Furthermore, we combined the RT-LAMP-CRISPR-Cas12 module with lateral flow cells to enable highly efficient point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 detection. Our iSCAN SARS-CoV-2 detection module, which exhibits the critical features of a robust molecular diagnostic device, should facilitate the effective management and control of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahir Ali
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rashid Aman
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Mahas
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gundra Sivakrishna Rao
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Muhammad Tehseen
- Laboratory of DNA Replication and Recombination, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Tin Marsic
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Rahul Salunke
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Amit K Subudhi
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sharif M Hala
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia; King Abdullah International Medical Research Centre - Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samir M Hamdan
- Laboratory of DNA Replication and Recombination, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Arnab Pain
- Pathogen Genomics Laboratory, BESE Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fadwa S Alofi
- Infectious Diseases Department, King Fahad Hospital, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Afrah Alsomali
- King Abdullah Medical Complex (KAMC), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Anwar M Hashem
- Vaccines and Immunotherapy Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asim Khogeer
- Plan and Research Department, General Directorate of Health Affairs Makkah Region, MOH, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naif A M Almontashiri
- College of Applied Medical Sciences and Center for Genetics and Inherited Diseases, Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Malak Abedalthagafi
- King Fahad Medical City and King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Norhan Hassan
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Magdy M Mahfouz
- Laboratory for Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology, Division of Biological Sciences, 4700 King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia.
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23
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Liberles DA, Chang B, Geiler-Samerotte K, Goldman A, Hey J, Kaçar B, Meyer M, Murphy W, Posada D, Storfer A. Emerging Frontiers in the Study of Molecular Evolution. J Mol Evol 2020; 88:211-226. [PMID: 32060574 PMCID: PMC7386396 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-020-09932-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A collection of the editors of Journal of Molecular Evolution have gotten together to pose a set of key challenges and future directions for the field of molecular evolution. Topics include challenges and new directions in prebiotic chemistry and the RNA world, reconstruction of early cellular genomes and proteins, macromolecular and functional evolution, evolutionary cell biology, genome evolution, molecular evolutionary ecology, viral phylodynamics, theoretical population genomics, somatic cell molecular evolution, and directed evolution. While our effort is not meant to be exhaustive, it reflects research questions and problems in the field of molecular evolution that are exciting to our editors.
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Affiliation(s)
- David A Liberles
- Department of Biology and Center for Computational Genetics and Genomics, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA.
| | - Belinda Chang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G5, Canada
| | - Kerry Geiler-Samerotte
- Center for Mechanisms of Evolution, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Aaron Goldman
- Department of Biology, Oberlin College and Conservatory, K123 Science Center, 119 Woodland Street, Oberlin, OH, 44074, USA
| | - Jody Hey
- Department of Biology and Center for Computational Genetics and Genomics, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, 19122, USA
| | - Betül Kaçar
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA
| | - Michelle Meyer
- Department of Biology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - William Murphy
- Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - David Posada
- Biomedical Research Center (CINBIO), University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Andrew Storfer
- School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164, USA
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24
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Engineering Polymerases for New Functions. Trends Biotechnol 2019; 37:1091-1103. [PMID: 31003719 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2019.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA polymerases are critical tools in biotechnology, enabling efficient and accurate amplification of DNA templates, yet many desired functions are not readily available in natural DNA polymerases. New or improved functions can be engineered in DNA polymerases by mutagenesis or through the creation of protein chimeras. Engineering often necessitates the development of new techniques, such as selections in water-in-oil emulsions that connect genotype to phenotype and allow more flexibility in engineering than phage display. Engineering efforts have led to DNA polymerases that can withstand extreme conditions or the presence of inhibitors, as well as polymerases with the ability to copy modified DNA templates. In this review we discuss polymerases for biotechnology that have been reported along with tools to enable further development.
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25
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Bhadra S, Pothukuchy A, Shroff R, Cole AW, Byrom M, Ellefson JW, Gollihar JD, Ellington AD. Cellular reagents for diagnostics and synthetic biology. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201681. [PMID: 30110361 PMCID: PMC6093680 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We have found that the overproduction of enzymes in bacteria followed by their lyophilization leads to 'cellular reagents' that can be directly used to carry out numerous molecular biology reactions. We demonstrate the use of cellular reagents in a variety of molecular diagnostics, such as TaqMan qPCR with no diminution in sensitivity, and in synthetic biology cornerstones such as the Gibson assembly of DNA fragments, where new plasmids can be constructed solely based on adding cellular reagents. Cellular reagents have significantly reduced complexity and cost of production, storage and implementation, features that should facilitate accessibility and use in resource-poor conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanchita Bhadra
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Arti Pothukuchy
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Raghav Shroff
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Austin W. Cole
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Michelle Byrom
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Jared W. Ellefson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Jimmy D. Gollihar
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Andrew D. Ellington
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, College of Natural Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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