Scientists have developed a new technology to perform the COVID-19 diagnostic test that uses a smartphone camera to provide accurate results in less than 30 minutes. The CRISPR-based test can not only produce a positive or negative result, but it also measures the concentration of virus in a given sample.
All other CRISPR diagnostics require viral RNA to be converted to DNA and amplified prior to detection, adding time and complexity to the process. But the new approach skips all conversion and amplification steps, using CRISPR to directly detect viral RNA, the researchers said.
“One of the reasons we’re excited about CRISPR-based diagnostics is the ability to get fast and accurate results at the point where they are needed,” said Jennifer Doudna, principal investigator at the Gladstone Institutes in the US. .
‘This is especially useful in places with limited access to testing, or when rapid and frequent testing is needed. It could remove many of the bottlenecks that we have seen with COVID-19, ‘he said.
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How does it work?
In the latest test, the Cas13 protein is combined with a reporter molecule that turns fluorescent when cut and then mixed with a patient sample from a nasal swab, the researchers said. The sample is placed in a device that is connected to a smartphone. If the sample contains SARS-CoV-2 RNA, Cas13 will become activated and cut the reporter molecule, thereby emitting a fluorescent signal, they said. According to the researchers, the smartphone camera, turned into a microscope, can detect fluorescence and report that a swab tested positive for the virus.
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The procedure could be applied to a variety of mobile phones, making the test easily accessible. After testing the device with patient samples, the researchers confirmed that it could provide very fast results for samples with a clinically relevant concentration of virus.
The research found that the device accurately detected a set of positive samples within five minutes. For samples with a concentration of virus, the device required up to 30 minutes to determine the result.
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(With input from PTI | Image Credits: Unsplash)
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