» Articles » PMID: 33219225

Streamlined Inactivation, Amplification, and Cas13-based Detection of SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted that new diagnostic technologies are essential for controlling disease transmission. Here, we develop SHINE (Streamlined Highlighting of Infections to Navigate Epidemics), a sensitive and specific diagnostic tool that can detect SARS-CoV-2 RNA from unextracted samples. We identify the optimal conditions to allow RPA-based amplification and Cas13-based detection to occur in a single step, simplifying assay preparation and reducing run-time. We improve HUDSON to rapidly inactivate viruses in nasopharyngeal swabs and saliva in 10 min. SHINE's results can be visualized with an in-tube fluorescent readout - reducing contamination risk as amplification reaction tubes remain sealed - and interpreted by a companion smartphone application. We validate SHINE on 50 nasopharyngeal patient samples, demonstrating 90% sensitivity and 100% specificity compared to RT-qPCR with a sample-to-answer time of 50 min. SHINE has the potential to be used outside of hospitals and clinical laboratories, greatly enhancing diagnostic capabilities.

Citing Articles

Structure-Guided design of Cas12a variants improves detection of nucleic acids.

Tong X, Li T, Zhang K, Zhao D, Zhang Y, Yin H Cell Insight. 2025; 4(2):100228.

PMID: 40061934 PMC: 11889556. DOI: 10.1016/j.cellin.2025.100228.


A Streamlined Point-of-Care CRISPR Test for Tuberculosis Detection Directly from Sputum.

Dunkley O, Bell A, Modi N, Huang Y, Tseng S, Reiss R medRxiv. 2025; .

PMID: 40034782 PMC: 11875272. DOI: 10.1101/2025.02.19.25322517.


Rapid and specific on-site H5Nx avian influenza diagnosis via RPA and PAM-independent CRISPR-Cas12a assay combined with anti-NP antibody-based viral RNA purification.

Song J, Son S, Kim H, Kim S, An S, Lee C Front Vet Sci. 2025; 12:1520349.

PMID: 39896844 PMC: 11782159. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1520349.


Topologically constrained DNA-mediated one-pot CRISPR assay for rapid detection of viral RNA with single nucleotide resolution.

Li Y, Xu R, Quan F, Wu Y, Wu Y, Zhang Y EBioMedicine. 2025; 112:105564.

PMID: 39862805 PMC: 11873568. DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105564.


Rapid and automated interpretation of CRISPR-Cas13-based lateral flow assay test results using machine learning.

Xue M, Gonzalez D, Osikpa E, Gao X, Lillehoj P Sens Diagn. 2025; 4(2):171-181.

PMID: 39817182 PMC: 11726308. DOI: 10.1039/d4sd00314d.


References
1.
East-Seletsky A, OConnell M, Burstein D, Knott G, Doudna J . RNA Targeting by Functionally Orthogonal Type VI-A CRISPR-Cas Enzymes. Mol Cell. 2017; 66(3):373-383.e3. PMC: 5999320. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.04.008. View

2.
Wang C, Horby P, Hayden F, Gao G . A novel coronavirus outbreak of global health concern. Lancet. 2020; 395(10223):470-473. PMC: 7135038. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30185-9. View

3.
Abudayyeh O, Gootenberg J, Konermann S, Joung J, Slaymaker I, Cox D . C2c2 is a single-component programmable RNA-guided RNA-targeting CRISPR effector. Science. 2016; 353(6299):aaf5573. PMC: 5127784. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaf5573. View

4.
Broughton J, Deng X, Yu G, Fasching C, Servellita V, Singh J . CRISPR-Cas12-based detection of SARS-CoV-2. Nat Biotechnol. 2020; 38(7):870-874. PMC: 9107629. DOI: 10.1038/s41587-020-0513-4. View

5.
Gootenberg J, Abudayyeh O, Kellner M, Joung J, Collins J, Zhang F . Multiplexed and portable nucleic acid detection platform with Cas13, Cas12a, and Csm6. Science. 2018; 360(6387):439-444. PMC: 5961727. DOI: 10.1126/science.aaq0179. View