Kivlehan, Francine; Mavré, François; Talini, Luc; Limoges, Benoît; Marchal, Damien
2011-09-21
We described an electrochemical method to monitor in real-time the isothermal helicase-dependent amplification of nucleic acids. The principle of detection is simple and well-adapted to the development of portable, easy-to-use and inexpensive nucleic acids detection technologies. It consists of monitoring a decrease in the electrochemical current response of a reporter DNA intercalating redox probe during the isothermal DNA amplification. The method offers the possibility to quantitatively analyze target nucleic acids in less than one hour at a single constant temperature, and to perform at the end of the isothermal amplification a DNA melt curve analysis for differentiating between specific and non-specific amplifications. To illustrate the potentialities of this approach for the development of a simple, robust and low-cost instrument with high throughput capability, the method was validated with an electrochemical system capable of monitoring up to 48 real-time isothermal HDA reactions simultaneously in a disposable microplate consisting of 48-electrochemical microwells. Results obtained with this approach are comparable to that obtained with a well-established but more sophisticated and expensive fluorescence-based method. This makes for a promising alternative detection method not only for real-time isothermal helicase-dependent amplification of nucleic acid, but also for other isothermal DNA amplification strategies.
Miniaturized isothermal nucleic acid amplification, a review.
Asiello, Peter J; Baeumner, Antje J
2011-04-21
Micro-Total Analysis Systems (µTAS) for use in on-site rapid detection of DNA or RNA are increasingly being developed. Here, amplification of the target sequence is key to increasing sensitivity, enabling single-cell and few-copy nucleic acid detection. The several advantages to miniaturizing amplification reactions and coupling them with sample preparation and detection on the same chip are well known and include fewer manual steps, preventing contamination, and significantly reducing the volume of expensive reagents. To-date, the majority of miniaturized systems for nucleic acid analysis have used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for amplification and those systems are covered in previous reviews. This review provides a thorough overview of miniaturized analysis systems using alternatives to PCR, specifically isothermal amplification reactions. With no need for thermal cycling, isothermal microsystems can be designed to be simple and low-energy consuming and therefore may outperform PCR in portable, battery-operated detection systems in the future. The main isothermal methods as miniaturized systems reviewed here include nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), helicase-dependent amplification (HDA), rolling circle amplification (RCA), and strand displacement amplification (SDA). Also, important design criteria for the miniaturized devices are discussed. Finally, the potential of miniaturization of some new isothermal methods such as the exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR), isothermal and chimeric primer-initiated amplification of nucleic acids (ICANs), signal-mediated amplification of RNA technology (SMART) and others is presented.
Isothermal amplification detection of nucleic acids by a double-nicked beacon.
Shi, Chao; Zhou, Meiling; Pan, Mei; Zhong, Guilin; Ma, Cuiping
2016-03-01
Isothermal and rapid amplification detection of nucleic acids is an important technology in environmental monitoring, foodborne pathogen detection, and point-of-care clinical diagnostics. Here we have developed a novel method of isothermal signal amplification for single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) detection. The ssDNA target could be used as an initiator, coupled with a double-nicked molecular beacon, to originate amplification cycles, achieving cascade signal amplification. In addition, the method showed good specificity and strong anti-jamming capability. Overall, it is a one-pot and isothermal strand displacement amplification method without the requirement of a stepwise procedure, which greatly simplifies the experimental procedure and decreases the probability of contamination of samples. With its advantages, the method would be very useful to detect nucleic acids in point-of-care or field use. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Two methods for increased specificity and sensitivity in loop-mediated isothermal amplification
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The technique of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) utilizes 4 (or 6) primers targeting 6 (or 8) regions within a fairly small segment of a genome for amplification, with concentration higher than that used in traditional PCR methods. The high concentrations of primers used leads to an in...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Recently several isothermal amplification techniques have been developed that are extremely tolerant towards inhibitors present in many plant extracts. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays for the genus Phytophthora have been developed which provide a simple and rapid method to macerate...
Isothermal Amplification Methods for the Detection of Nucleic Acids in Microfluidic Devices
Zanoli, Laura Maria; Spoto, Giuseppe
2012-01-01
Diagnostic tools for biomolecular detection need to fulfill specific requirements in terms of sensitivity, selectivity and high-throughput in order to widen their applicability and to minimize the cost of the assay. The nucleic acid amplification is a key step in DNA detection assays. It contributes to improving the assay sensitivity by enabling the detection of a limited number of target molecules. The use of microfluidic devices to miniaturize amplification protocols reduces the required sample volume and the analysis times and offers new possibilities for the process automation and integration in one single device. The vast majority of miniaturized systems for nucleic acid analysis exploit the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification method, which requires repeated cycles of three or two temperature-dependent steps during the amplification of the nucleic acid target sequence. In contrast, low temperature isothermal amplification methods have no need for thermal cycling thus requiring simplified microfluidic device features. Here, the use of miniaturized analysis systems using isothermal amplification reactions for the nucleic acid amplification will be discussed. PMID:25587397
Niessen, Ludwig
2015-01-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification is a rather novel method of enzymatic deoxyribonucleic acid amplification which can be applied for the diagnosis of viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Although firmly established in viral and bacterial diagnosis, the technology has only recently been applied to a noteworthy number of species in the filamentous fungi and yeasts. The current review gives an overview of the literature so far published on the topic by discussing the different groups of fungal organisms to which the method has been applied. Moreover, the method is described in detail as well as the different possibilities available for signal detection and quantification and sample preparation. Future perspective of loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based assays is discussed in the light of applicability for fungal diagnostics.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Du, Yan; Hughes, Randall A.; Bhadra, Sanchita; Jiang, Yu Sherry; Ellington, Andrew D.; Li, Bingling
2015-06-01
Strand exchange nucleic acid circuitry can be used to transduce isothermal nucleic acid amplification products into signals that can be readable on an off-the-shelf glucometer. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is limited by the accumulation of non-specific products, but nucleic acid circuitry can be used to probe and distinguish specific amplicons. By combining this high temperature isothermal amplification method with a thermostable invertase, we can directly transduce Middle-East respiratory syndrome coronavirus and Zaire Ebolavirus templates into glucose signals, with a sensitivity as low as 20-100 copies/μl, equating to atto-molar (or low zepto-mole). Virus from cell lysates and synthetic templates could be readily amplified and detected even in sputum or saliva. An OR gate that coordinately triggered on viral amplicons further guaranteed fail-safe virus detection. The method describes has potential for accelerating point-of-care applications, in that biological samples could be applied to a transducer that would then directly interface with an off-the-shelf, approved medical device.
Khorosheva, Eugenia M.; Karymov, Mikhail A.; Selck, David A.; Ismagilov, Rustem F.
2016-01-01
In this paper, we asked if it is possible to identify the best primers and reaction conditions based on improvements in reaction speed when optimizing isothermal reactions. We used digital single-molecule, real-time analyses of both speed and efficiency of isothermal amplification reactions, which revealed that improvements in the speed of isothermal amplification reactions did not always correlate with improvements in digital efficiency (the fraction of molecules that amplify) or with analytical sensitivity. However, we observed that the speeds of amplification for single-molecule (in a digital device) and multi-molecule (e.g. in a PCR well plate) formats always correlated for the same conditions. Also, digital efficiency correlated with the analytical sensitivity of the same reaction performed in a multi-molecule format. Our finding was supported experimentally with examples of primer design, the use or exclusion of loop primers in different combinations, and the use of different enzyme mixtures in one-step reverse-transcription loop-mediated amplification (RT-LAMP). Our results show that measuring the digital efficiency of amplification of single-template molecules allows quick, reliable comparisons of the analytical sensitivity of reactions under any two tested conditions, independent of the speeds of the isothermal amplification reactions. PMID:26358811
Nixon, Gavin J; Svenstrup, Helle F; Donald, Carol E; Carder, Caroline; Stephenson, Judith M; Morris-Jones, Stephen; Huggett, Jim F; Foy, Carole A
2014-12-01
Molecular diagnostic measurements are currently underpinned by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). There are also a number of alternative nucleic acid amplification technologies, which unlike PCR, work at a single temperature. These 'isothermal' methods, reportedly offer potential advantages over PCR such as simplicity, speed and resistance to inhibitors and could also be used for quantitative molecular analysis. However there are currently limited mechanisms to evaluate their quantitative performance, which would assist assay development and study comparisons. This study uses a sexually transmitted infection diagnostic model in combination with an adapted metric termed isothermal doubling time (IDT), akin to PCR efficiency, to compare quantitative PCR and quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification (qLAMP) assays, and to quantify the impact of matrix interference. The performance metric described here facilitates the comparison of qLAMP assays that could assist assay development and validation activities.
A Simple, Low-Cost Platform for Real-Time Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification
Craw, Pascal; Mackay, Ruth E.; Naveenathayalan, Angel; Hudson, Chris; Branavan, Manoharanehru; Sadiq, S. Tariq; Balachandran, Wamadeva
2015-01-01
Advances in microfluidics and the introduction of isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays have resulted in a range of solutions for nucleic acid amplification tests suited for point of care and field use. However, miniaturisation of instrumentation for such assays has not seen such rapid advances and fluorescence based assays still depend on complex, bulky and expensive optics such as fluorescence microscopes, photomultiplier tubes and sensitive lens assemblies. In this work we demonstrate a robust, low cost platform for isothermal nucleic acid amplification on a microfluidic device. Using easily obtainable materials and commercial off-the-shelf components, we show real time fluorescence detection using a low cost photodiode and operational amplifier without need for lenses. Temperature regulation on the device is achieved using a heater fabricated with standard printed circuit board fabrication methods. These facile construction methods allow fabrications at a cost compatible with widespread deployment to resource poor settings. PMID:26389913
Lee, David; La Mura, Maurizio; Allnutt, Theo R; Powell, Wayne
2009-02-02
The most common method of GMO detection is based upon the amplification of GMO-specific DNA amplicons using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Here we have applied the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to amplify GMO-related DNA sequences, 'internal' commonly-used motifs for controlling transgene expression and event-specific (plant-transgene) junctions. We have tested the specificity and sensitivity of the technique for use in GMO studies. Results show that detection of 0.01% GMO in equivalent background DNA was possible and dilutions of template suggest that detection from single copies of the template may be possible using LAMP. This work shows that GMO detection can be carried out using LAMP for routine screening as well as for specific events detection. Moreover, the sensitivity and ability to amplify targets, even with a high background of DNA, here demonstrated, highlights the advantages of this isothermal amplification when applied for GMO detection.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Aims: To design and validate a colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of P. infestans DNA. Methods and Results: Two sets of LAMP primers were designed and evaluated for their sensitivity and specificity for P. infestans. ITSII primers targeted a portion of the ...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus agalactiae are the three main pathogens causing bovine mastitis, with great losses to the dairy industry. Rapid and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification methods (LAMP) for identification and differentiation of these three ...
Khorosheva, Eugenia M; Karymov, Mikhail A; Selck, David A; Ismagilov, Rustem F
2016-01-29
In this paper, we asked if it is possible to identify the best primers and reaction conditions based on improvements in reaction speed when optimizing isothermal reactions. We used digital single-molecule, real-time analyses of both speed and efficiency of isothermal amplification reactions, which revealed that improvements in the speed of isothermal amplification reactions did not always correlate with improvements in digital efficiency (the fraction of molecules that amplify) or with analytical sensitivity. However, we observed that the speeds of amplification for single-molecule (in a digital device) and multi-molecule (e.g. in a PCR well plate) formats always correlated for the same conditions. Also, digital efficiency correlated with the analytical sensitivity of the same reaction performed in a multi-molecule format. Our finding was supported experimentally with examples of primer design, the use or exclusion of loop primers in different combinations, and the use of different enzyme mixtures in one-step reverse-transcription loop-mediated amplification (RT-LAMP). Our results show that measuring the digital efficiency of amplification of single-template molecules allows quick, reliable comparisons of the analytical sensitivity of reactions under any two tested conditions, independent of the speeds of the isothermal amplification reactions. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.
[Principle of LAMP method--a simple and rapid gene amplification method].
Ushikubo, Hiroshi
2004-06-01
So far nucleic acid test (NAT) has been employed in various fields, including infectious disease diagnoses. However, due to its complicated procedures and relatively high cost, it has not been widely utilized in many actual diagnostic applications. We have therefore developed a simple and rapid gene amplification technology, Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method, which has shown prominent results of surpassing the performance of the conventional gene amplification methods. LAMP method acquires three main features: (1) all reaction can be carried out under isothermal conditions; (2) the amplification efficiency is extremely high and tremendous amount of amplification products can be obtained; and (3) the reaction is highly specific. Furthermore, developed from the standard LAMP method, a rapid LAMP method, by adding in the loop primers, can reduce the amplification time from the previous 1 hour to less than 30 minutes. Enormous amount of white precipitate of magnesium pyrophosphate is produced as a by-product of the amplification, therefore, direct visual detection is possible without using any reaction indicators and detection equipments. We believe LAMP technology, with the integration of these features, can rightly apply to clinical genetic testing, food and environmental analysis, as well as NAT in different fields.
Eboigbodin, Kevin; Filén, Sanna; Ojalehto, Tuomas; Brummer, Mirko; Elf, Sonja; Pousi, Kirsi; Hoser, Mark
2016-06-01
Rapid and accurate diagnosis of influenza viruses plays an important role in infection control, as well as in preventing the misuse of antibiotics. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods offer significant advantages over the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), since they are more rapid and do not require the sophisticated instruments needed for thermal cycling. We previously described a novel isothermal nucleic acid amplification method, 'Strand Invasion Based Amplification' (SIBA®), with high analytical sensitivity and specificity, for the detection of DNA. In this study, we describe the development of a variant of the SIBA method, namely, reverse transcription SIBA (RT-SIBA), for the rapid detection of viral RNA targets. The RT-SIBA method includes a reverse transcriptase enzyme that allows one-step reverse transcription of RNA to complementary DNA (cDNA) and simultaneous amplification and detection of the cDNA by SIBA under isothermal reaction conditions. The RT-SIBA method was found to be more sensitive than PCR for the detection of influenza A and B and could detect 100 copies of influenza RNA within 15 min. The development of RT-SIBA will enable rapid and accurate diagnosis of viral RNA targets within point-of-care or central laboratory settings.
Barreda-García, Susana; Miranda-Castro, Rebeca; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Miranda-Ordieres, Arturo J; Lobo-Castañón, M Jesús
2016-12-01
Methods for the early and sensitive detection of pathogenic bacteria suited to low-resource settings could impact diagnosis and management of diseases. Helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (HDA) is an ideal tool for this purpose, especially when combined with a sequence-specific detection method able to improve the selectivity of the assay. The implementation of this approach requires that its analytical performance is shown to be comparable with the gold standard method, polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In this study, we optimize and compare the asymmetric amplification of an 84-base-long DNA sequence specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by PCR and HDA, using an electrochemical genomagnetic assay for hybridization-based detection of the obtained single-stranded amplicons. The results indicate the generalizability of the magnetic platform with electrochemical detection for quantifying amplification products without previous purification. Moreover, we demonstrate that under optimal conditions the same gene can be amplified by either PCR or HDA, allowing the detection of as low as 30 copies of the target gene sequence with acceptable reproducibility. Both assays have been applied to the detection of M. tuberculosis in sputum, urine, and pleural fluid samples with comparable results. Simplicity and isothermal nature of HDA offer great potential for the development of point-of-care devices. Graphical Abstract Comparative evaluation of isothermal helicase-dependent amplification and PCR for electrochemical detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhang, Wancun; Zhang, Qi; Qian, Zhiyu; Gu, Yueqing
2017-02-01
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in a wide range of biological processes, including proliferation, development, metabolism, immunological response, tumorigenesis, and viral infection. The detection of miRNAs is imperative for gaining a better understanding of the functions of these biomolecules and has great potential for the early diagnosis of human disease as well as the discovery of new drugs through the use of miRNAs as targets. In this article, we develop a highly sensitive, and specific miRNA assay based on the two-stage isothermal amplification reactions and molecular beacon. The two-stage isothermal amplification reactions involves two templates and two-stage amplification reactions under isothermal conditions. The first template enables the amplification of miRNA, and the second template enables the conversion of miRNA to the reporter oligonucleotide(Y). Importantly, different miRNAs can be converted to the same Y seperately, which can hybridize with the same set of molecular beacon to generate fluorescent signals. This assay is highly sensitive and specific with a detection limit of 1 fM and can even discriminate single-nucleotide differences. Moreover, in combination with the specific templates, this method can be applied for multiplex miRNA assay by simply using the same molecular beacon. This method has potential to become a promising miRNA quantification method in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis.
Diagnostic testing for Giardia infections.
Heyworth, Martin F
2014-03-01
The traditional method for diagnosing Giardia infections involves microscopic examination of faecal specimens for Giardia cysts. This method is subjective and relies on observer experience. From the 1980s onwards, objective techniques have been developed for diagnosing Giardia infections, and are superseding diagnostic techniques reliant on microscopy. Detection of Giardia antigen(s) by immunoassay is the basis of commercially available diagnostic kits. Various nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) can demonstrate DNA of Giardia intestinalis, and have the potential to become standard approaches for diagnosing Giardia infections. Of such techniques, methods involving either fluorescent microspheres (Luminex) or isothermal amplification of DNA (loop-mediated isothermal amplification; LAMP) are especially promising.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the detection of Apple chlorotic leaf spot virus (ACLSV) was developed. In this method, a set of four primers was designed based on the conserved regions in the coat protein gene of ACLSV, and was synthesized for the ...
Chahar, Madhvi; Anvikar, Anup; Dixit, Rajnikant; Valecha, Neena
2018-07-01
Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay is sensitive, prompt, high throughput and field deployable technique for nucleic acid amplification under isothermal conditions. In this study, we have developed and optimized four different visualization methods of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect Pfcrt K76T mutants of P. falciparum and compared their important features for one-pot in-field applications. Even though all the four tested LAMP methods could successfully detect K76T mutants of P. falciparum, however considering the time, safety, sensitivity, cost and simplicity, the malachite green and HNB based methods were found more efficient. Among four different visual dyes uses to detect LAMP products accurately, hydroxynaphthol blue and malachite green could produce long stable color change and brightness in a close tube-based approach to prevent cross-contamination risk. Our results indicated that the LAMP offers an interesting novel and convenient best method for the rapid, sensitive, cost-effective, and fairly user friendly tool for detection of K76T mutants of P. falciparum and therefore presents an alternative to PCR-based assays. Based on our comparative analysis, better field based LAMP visualization method can be chosen easily for the monitoring of other important drug targets (Kelch13 propeller region). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Jevtuševskaja, Jekaterina; Krõlov, Katrin; Tulp, Indrek; Langel, Ülo
2017-04-01
The use of rapid amplification methods to detect pathogens in biological samples is mainly limited by the amount of pathogens present in the sample and the presence of inhibiting substances. Inhibitors can affect the amplification efficiency by either binding to the polymerase, interacting with the DNA, or interacting with the polymerase during primer extension. Amplification is performed using DNA polymerase enzymes and even small changes in their activity can influence the sensitivity and robustness of molecular assays Methods: The main purpose of this research was to examine which compounds present in urine inhibit polymerases with strand displacement activity. To quantify the inhibition, we employed quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification Results: The authors found that the presence of BSA, Mg 2+, and urea at physiologically relevant concentrations, as well as acidic or alkaline conditions did not affect the activity of any of the tested polymerases. However, addition of salt significantly affected the activity of the tested polymerases. These findings may aid in the development of more sensitive, robust, cost effective isothermal amplification based molecular assays suitable for both point-of-care testing and on-site screening of pathogens directly from unprocessed urine which avoid the need for long and tedious DNA purification steps prior to amplification.
Hanaoka, Nozomu; Matsutani, Minenosuke; Satoh, Masaaki; Ogawa, Motohiko; Shirai, Mutsunori; Ando, Shuji
2017-01-24
We developed a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect Rickettsia spp., including Rickettsia prowazekii and R. typhi. Species-specific LAMP primers were developed for orthologous genes conserved among Rickettsia spp. The selected modified primers could detect all the Rickettsia spp. tested. The LAMP method was successfully used to detect 100 DNA copies of Rickettsia spp. within approximately 60 min at 63℃. Therefore, this method may be an excellent tool for the early diagnosis of rickettsiosis in a laboratory or in the field.
Le, Binh Huy; Seo, Young Jun
2018-01-25
We have developed a gold nanoparticle (AuNP)-based CTG repeat probing system displaying high quenching capability and combined it with isothermal amplification for the detection of miRNA 146a. This method of using a AuNP-based CTG repeat probing system with isothermal amplification allowed the highly sensitive (14 aM) and selective detection of miRNA 146a. A AuNP-based CTG repeat probing system having a hairpin structure and a dT F fluorophore exhibited highly efficient quenching because the CTG repeat-based stable hairpin structure imposed a close distance between the AuNP and the dT F residue. A small amount of miRNA 146a induced multiple copies of the CAG repeat sequence during rolling circle amplification; the AuNP-based CTG repeat probing system then bound to the complementary multiple-copy CAG repeat sequence, thereby inducing a structural change from a hairpin to a linear structure with amplified fluorescence. This AuNP-based CTG probing system combined with isothermal amplification could also discriminate target miRNA 146a from one- and two-base-mismatched miRNAs (ORN 1 and ORN 2, respectively). This simple AuNP-based CTG probing system, combined with isothermal amplification to induce a highly sensitive change in fluorescence, allows the detection of miRNA 146a with high sensitivity (14 aM) and selectivity. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Reid, Michael S; Le, X Chris; Zhang, Hongquan
2018-04-27
Isothermal exponential amplification techniques, such as strand-displacement amplification (SDA), rolling circle amplification (RCA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), helicase-dependent amplification (HDA), and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), have great potential for on-site, point-of-care, and in-situ assay applications. These amplification techniques eliminate the need for temperature cycling required for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) while achieving comparable amplification yield. We highlight here recent advances in exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) for the detection of nucleic acids, proteins, enzyme activities, cells, and metal ions. We discuss design strategies, enzyme reactions, detection techniques, and key features. Incorporation of fluorescence, colorimetric, chemiluminescence, Raman, and electrochemical approaches enables highly sensitive detection of a variety of targets. Remaining issues, such as undesirable background amplification resulting from non-specific template interactions, must be addressed to further improve isothermal and exponential amplification techniques. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Daher, Rana K; Stewart, Gale; Boissinot, Maurice; Bergeron, Michel G
2014-04-01
Group B streptococcal infections are the leading cause of sepsis and meningitis in newborns. A rapid and reliable method for the detection of this pathogen at the time of delivery is needed for the early treatment of neonates. Isothermal amplification techniques such as recombinase polymerase amplification have advantages relative to PCR in terms of the speed of reaction and simplicity. We studied the clinical performance of recombinase polymerase amplification for the screening of group B streptococci in vaginal/anal samples from 50 pregnant women. We also compared the limit of detection and the analytical specificity of this isothermal assay to real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Compared to RT-PCR, the recombinase polymerase amplification assay showed a clinical sensitivity of 96% and a clinical specificity of 100%. The limit of detection was 98 genome copies and the analytical specificity was 100% for a panel of 15 bacterial and/or fungal strains naturally found in the vaginal/anal flora. Time-to-result for the recombinase polymerase amplification assay was <20 min compared to 45 min for the RT-PCR assay; a positive sample could be detected as early as 8 min. We demonstrate the potential of isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification assay as a clinically useful molecular diagnostic tool that is simple and faster than PCR/RT-PCR. Recombinase polymerase amplification offers great potential for nucleic acid-based diagnostics at the point of care.
Fukuda, Shinji; Sasaki, Yukie; Seno, Masato
2008-01-01
We developed a two-step isothermal amplification assay system, which achieved the detection of norovirus (NoV) genomes in oysters with a sensitivity similar to that of reverse transcription-seminested PCR. The time taken for the amplification of NoV genomes from RNA extracts was shortened to about 3 h. PMID:18456857
Diagnostic devices for isothermal nucleic acid amplification.
Chang, Chia-Chen; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Wei, Shih-Chung; Lu, Hui-Hsin; Liang, Yang-Hung; Lin, Chii-Wann
2012-01-01
Since the development of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, genomic information has been retrievable from lesser amounts of DNA than previously possible. PCR-based amplifications require high-precision instruments to perform temperature cycling reactions; further, they are cumbersome for routine clinical use. However, the use of isothermal approaches can eliminate many complications associated with thermocycling. The application of diagnostic devices for isothermal DNA amplification has recently been studied extensively. In this paper, we describe the basic concepts of several isothermal amplification approaches and review recent progress in diagnostic device development.
Diagnostic Devices for Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification
Chang, Chia-Chen; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Wei, Shih-Chung; Lu, Hui-Hsin; Liang, Yang-Hung; Lin, Chii-Wann
2012-01-01
Since the development of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, genomic information has been retrievable from lesser amounts of DNA than previously possible. PCR-based amplifications require high-precision instruments to perform temperature cycling reactions; further, they are cumbersome for routine clinical use. However, the use of isothermal approaches can eliminate many complications associated with thermocycling. The application of diagnostic devices for isothermal DNA amplification has recently been studied extensively. In this paper, we describe the basic concepts of several isothermal amplification approaches and review recent progress in diagnostic device development. PMID:22969402
Nkouawa, Agathe; Sako, Yasuhito; Li, Tiaoying; Chen, Xingwang; Nakao, Minoru; Yanagida, Tetsuya; Okamoto, Munehiro; Giraudoux, Patrick; Raoul, Francis; Nakaya, Kazuhiro; Xiao, Ning; Qiu, Jiamin; Qiu, Dongchuan; Craig, Philip S; Ito, Akira
2012-12-01
In this study, we applied a loop-mediated isothermal amplification method for identification of human Taenia tapeworms in Tibetan communities in Sichuan, China. Out of 51 proglottids recovered from 35 carriers, 9, 1, and 41 samples were identified as Taenia solium, Taenia asiatica and Taenia saginata, respectively. Same results were obtained afterwards in the laboratory, except one sample. These results demonstrated that the LAMP method enabled rapid identification of parasites in the field surveys, which suggested that this method would contribute to the control of Taenia infections in endemic areas. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Nagai, Satoshi; Yamamoto, Keigo; Hata, Naotugu; Itakura, Shigeru
2012-09-01
In a previous study, we experienced instable amplification and a low amplification success in loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reactions from naturally occurring vegetative cells or resting cysts of the toxic dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense and Alexandrium catenella. In this study, we examined 4 methods for extracting DNA from single resting cysts of A. tamarense and A. catenella to obtain more stable and better amplification success and to facilitate unambiguous detection using the LAMP method. Apart from comparing the 4 different DNA extraction methods, namely, (1) boiling in Tris-EDTA (TE) buffer, (2) heating at 65 °C in hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide buffer, (3) boiling in 0.5% Chelex buffer, and (4) boiling in 5% Chelex buffer, we also examined the need for homogenization to crush the resting cysts before DNA extraction in each method. Homogenization of resting cysts was found to be essential for DNA extraction in all 4 methods. The detection time was significantly shorter in 5% Chelex buffer than in the other buffers and the amplification success was 100% (65/65), indicating the importance of DNA extraction and the effectiveness of 5% Chelex buffer in the Alexandrium LAMP. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, Guoping; Ding, Xiong; Hu, Jiumei; Wu, Wenshuai; Sun, Jingjing; Mu, Ying
2017-10-24
Existing isothermal nucleic acid amplification (INAA) relying on the strand displacement activity of DNA polymerase usually requires at least two primers. However, in this paper, we report an unusual isothermal multimerization and amplification (UIMA) which only needs one primer and is efficiently initiated by the strand-displacing DNA polymerases with reverse transcription activities. On electrophoresis, the products of UIMA present a cascade-shape band and they are confirmed to be multimeric DNAs with repeated target sequences. In contrast to current methods, UIMA is simple to product multimeric DNA, due to the independent of multiple primers and rolling circle structures. Through assaying the synthesized single-stranded DNA targets, UIMA performs high sensitivity and specificity, as well as the universality. In addition, a plausible mechanism of UIMA is proposed, involving short DNA bending, mismatch extension, and template slippage. UIMA is a good explanation for why nonspecific amplification easily happens in existing INAAs. As the simplest INAA till now, UIMA provides a new insight for deeply understanding INAA and opens a new avenue for thoroughly addressing nonspecific amplification.
Giuffrida, Maria Chiara; Zanoli, Laura Maria; D'Agata, Roberta; Finotti, Alessia; Gambari, Roberto; Spoto, Giuseppe
2015-02-01
Nucleic-acid amplification is a crucial step in nucleic-acid-sequence-detection assays. The use of digital microfluidic devices to miniaturize amplification techniques reduces the required sample volume and the analysis time and offers new possibilities for process automation and integration in a single device. The recently introduced droplet polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) amplification methods require repeated cycles of two or three temperature-dependent steps during the amplification of the nucleic-acid target sequence. In contrast, low-temperature isothermal-amplification methods have no need for thermal cycling, thus requiring simplified microfluidic-device features. Here, the combined use of digital microfluidics and molecular-beacon (MB)-assisted isothermal circular-strand-displacement polymerization (ICSDP) to detect microRNA-210 sequences is described. MicroRNA-210 has been described as the most consistently and predominantly upregulated hypoxia-inducible factor. The nmol L(-1)-pmol L(-1) detection capabilities of the method were first tested by targeting single-stranded DNA sequences from the genetically modified Roundup Ready soybean. The ability of the droplet-ICSDP method to discriminate between full-matched, single-mismatched, and unrelated sequences was also investigated. The detection of a range of nmol L(-1)-pmol L(-1) microRNA-210 solutions compartmentalized in nanoliter-sized droplets was performed, establishing the ability of the method to detect as little as 10(-18) mol of microRNA target sequences compartmentalized in 20 nL droplets. The suitability of the method for biological samples was tested by detecting microRNA-210 from transfected K562 cells.
Giuffrida, Maria Chiara; D'Agata, Roberta; Spoto, Giuseppe
2017-01-01
Droplet microfluidics combined with the isothermal circular strand displacement polymerization (ICSDP) represents a powerful new technique to detect both single-stranded DNA and microRNA sequences. The method here described helps in overcoming some drawbacks of the lately introduced droplet polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification when implemented in microfluidic devices. The method also allows the detection of nanoliter droplets of nucleic acids sequences solutions, with a particular attention to microRNA sequences that are detected at the picomolar level. The integration of the ICSDP amplification protocol in droplet microfluidic devices reduces the time of analysis and the amount of sample required. In addition, there is also the possibility to design parallel analyses to be integrated in portable devices.
Mashooq, Mohmad; Kumar, Deepak; Niranjan, Ankush Kiran; Agarwal, Rajesh Kumar; Rathore, Rajesh
2016-07-01
A one step, single tube, accelerated probe based real time loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT LAMP) assay was developed for detecting the invasion gene (InvA) of Salmonella. The probe based RT LAMP is a novel method of gene amplification that amplifies nucleic acid with high specificity and rapidity under isothermal conditions with a set of six primers. The whole procedure is very simple and rapid, and amplification can be obtained in 20min. Detection of gene amplification was accomplished by amplification curve, turbidity and addition of DNA binding dye at the end of the reaction results in colour difference and can be visualized under normal day light and in UV. The sensitivity of developed assay was found 10 fold higher than taqman based qPCR. The specificity of the RT LAMP assay was validated by the absence of any cross reaction with other members of enterobacteriaceae family and other gram negative bacteria. These results indicate that the probe based RT LAMP assay is extremely rapid, cost effective, highly specific and sensitivity and has potential usefulness for rapid Salmonella surveillance. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Chen, Changguo; Zhao, Qiangyuan; Guo, Jianwei; Li, Yanjun; Chen, Qiuyuan
2017-08-01
The aim of this study was to develop a rapid detection assay to identify methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by simultaneous testing for the mecA, nuc, and femB genes using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. LAMP primers were designed using online bio-software ( http://primerexplorer.jp/e/ ), and amplification reactions were performed in an isothermal temperature bath. The products were then examined using 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. MecA, nuc, and femB were confirmed by triplex TaqMan real-time PCR. For better naked-eye inspection of the reaction result, hydroxy naphthol blue (HNB) was added to the amplification system. Within 60 min, LAMP successfully amplified the genes of interest under isothermal conditions at 63 °C. The results of 2% gel electrophoresis indicated that when the Mg 2+ concentration in the reaction system was 6 μmol, the amplification of the mecA gene was relatively good, while the amplification of the nuc and femB genes was better at an Mg 2+ concentration of 8 μmol. Obvious color differences were observed by adding 1 μL (3.75 mM) of HNB into 25 μL reaction system. The LAMP assay was applied to 128 isolates cases of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, which were separated from the daily specimens and identified by Vitek microbial identification instruments. The results were identical for both LAMP and PCR. LAMP offers an alternative detection assay for mecA, nuc, and femB and is faster than other methods.
Accelerated isothermal nucleic acid amplification in betaine-free reaction.
Ma, Cuiping; Wang, Yifan; Zhang, Pansong; Shi, Chao
2017-08-01
Betaine was used as a common additive to isothermal nucleic acid amplification reactions because of lowering the melting temperature (Tm) of DNA. Herein, we reported a novel finding that betaine was inhibiting the reaction efficiency of isothermal amplification reactions. In this work, we have verified this finding by classical loop-mediated isothermal amplification that the addition of 0.8 M betaine inhibited the efficiency of reaction dropping to approximately 1%. Additionally, we clarified the mechanism of betaine hindering isothermal amplification reactions with a molecular barrier to lower associate rate constant K1 for intermolecular hybridization. This finding would be very significant for studies on the interaction between small molecule substance and DNA, and the development of point-of-care testing because of simplifying reaction system and increasing reaction efficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
HIRAYAMA, Hiroki; KAGEYAMA, Soichi; MORIYASU, Satoru; SAWAI, Ken; MINAMIHASHI, Akira
2013-01-01
Abstract In domestic animals of the family Bovidae, sex preselection of offspring has been demanded for convenience of milk/beef production and animal breeding. Development of the nonsurgical embryo transfer technique and sexing methods of preimplantation embryos made it possible. Sexing based on detection of Y chromosome-specific DNA sequences is considered the most reliable method to date. PCR enables amplification of a target sequence from a small number of blastomeres. However, it requires technical skill and is time consuming. Furthermore, PCR has the risk of false positives because of DNA contamination during handling of the PCR products in duplicate PCR procedures and/or electrophoresis. Therefore, for embryo sexing to become widely used in the cattle embryo transfer industry, a simple, rapid and precise sexing method needs to be developed. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel DNA amplification method, and the reaction is carried out under isothermal conditions (range, 60 to 65 C) using DNA polymerase with strand displacement activity. When the target DNA is amplified by LAMP, a white precipitate derived from magnesium pyrophosphate (a by-product of the LAMP reaction) is observed. It is noteworthy that LAMP does not need special reagents or electrophoresis to detect the amplified DNA. This review describes the development and application of an embryo sexing method using LAMP in cattle and water buffaloes. PMID:23965599
Huang, Guoliang; Huang, Qin; Ma, Li; Luo, Xianbo; Pang, Biao; Zhang, Zhixin; Wang, Ruliang; Zhang, Junqi; Li, Qi; Fu, Rongxin; Ye, Jiancheng
2014-01-01
A sensitive DNA isothermal amplification method for the detection of DNA at fM to aM concentrations for pathogen identification was developed using a non-stick-coated metal microfluidic bioreactor. A portable confocal optical detector was utilized to monitor the DNA amplification in micro- to nanoliter reaction assays in real-time, with fluorescence collection near the optical diffraction limit. The non-stick-coated metal microfluidic bioreactor, with a surface contact angle of 103°, was largely inert to bio-molecules, and DNA amplification could be performed in a minimum reaction volume of 40 nL. The isothermal nucleic acid amplification for Mycoplasma pneumoniae identification in the non-stick-coated microfluidic bioreactor could be performed at a minimum DNA template concentration of 1.3 aM, and a detection limit of three copies of genomic DNA was obtained. This microfluidic bioreactor offers a promising clinically relevant pathogen molecular diagnostic method via the amplification of targets from only a few copies of genomic DNA from a single bacterium. PMID:25475544
Single Cell Total RNA Sequencing through Isothermal Amplification in Picoliter-Droplet Emulsion.
Fu, Yusi; Chen, He; Liu, Lu; Huang, Yanyi
2016-11-15
Prevalent single cell RNA amplification and sequencing chemistries mainly focus on polyadenylated RNAs in eukaryotic cells by using oligo(dT) primers for reverse transcription. We develop a new RNA amplification method, "easier-seq", to reverse transcribe and amplify the total RNAs, both with and without polyadenylate tails, from a single cell for transcriptome sequencing with high efficiency, reproducibility, and accuracy. By distributing the reverse transcribed cDNA molecules into 1.5 × 10 5 aqueous droplets in oil, the cDNAs are isothermally amplified using random primers in each of these 65-pL reactors separately. This new method greatly improves the ease of single-cell RNA sequencing by reducing the experimental steps. Meanwhile, with less chance to induce errors, this method can easily maintain the quality of single-cell sequencing. In addition, this polyadenylate-tail-independent method can be seamlessly applied to prokaryotic cell RNA sequencing.
Ferrara, M; Perrone, G; Gallo, A; Epifani, F; Visconti, A; Susca, A
2015-06-02
The need of powerful diagnostic tools for rapid, simple, and cost-effective detection of food-borne fungi has become very important in the area of food safety. Currently, several isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods have been developed as an alternative to PCR-based analyses. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is one of these innovative methods; it requires neither gel electrophoresis to separate and visualize the products nor expensive laboratory equipment and it has been applied already for detection of pathogenic organisms. In the current study, we developed a LAMP assay for the specific detection of Penicillium nordicum, the major causative agent of ochratoxin A contamination in protein-rich food, especially dry-cured meat products. The assay was based on targeting otapksPN gene, a key gene in the biosynthesis of ochratoxin A (OTA) in P. nordicum. Amplification of DNA during the reaction was detected directly in-tube by color transition of hydroxynaphthol blue from violet to sky blue, visible to the naked eye, avoiding further post amplification analyses. Only DNAs isolated from several P. nordicum strains led to positive results and no amplification was observed from non-target OTA and non OTA-producing strains. The assay was able to detect down to 100 fg of purified targeted genomic DNA or 10(2) conidia/reaction within 60 min. The LAMP assay for detection and identification of P. nordicum was combined with a rapid DNA extraction method set up on serially diluted conidia, providing an alternative rapid, specific and sensitive DNA-based method suitable for application directly "on-site", notably in key steps of dry-cured meat production. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Coupled isothermal polynucleotide amplification and translation system
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Joyce, Gerald F. (Inventor)
1998-01-01
A cell-free system for polynucleotide amplification and translation is disclosed. Also disclosed are methods for using the system and a composition which allows the various components of the system to function under a common set of reaction conditions.
Huang, Mengqi; Zhou, Xiaoming; Wang, Huiying; Xing, Da
2018-02-06
A novel CRISPR/Cas9 triggered isothermal exponential amplification reaction (CAS-EXPAR) strategy based on CRISPR/Cas9 cleavage and nicking endonuclease (NEase) mediated nucleic acids amplification was developed for rapid and site-specific nucleic acid detection. CAS-EXPAR was primed by the target DNA fragment produced by cleavage of CRISPR/Cas9, and the amplification reaction performed cyclically to generate a large number of DNA replicates which were detected using a real-time fluorescence monitoring method. This strategy that combines the advantages of CRISPR/Cas9 and exponential amplification showed high specificity as well as rapid amplification kinetics. Unlike conventional nucleic acids amplification reactions, CAS-EXPAR does not require exogenous primers, which often cause target-independent amplification. Instead, primers are first generated by Cas9/sgRNA directed site-specific cleavage of target and accumulated during the reaction. It was demonstrated this strategy gave a detection limit of 0.82 amol and showed excellent specificity in discriminating single-base mismatch. Moreover, the applicability of this method to detect DNA methylation and L. monocytogenes total RNA was also verified. Therefore, CAS-EXPAR may provide a new paradigm for efficient nucleic acid amplification and hold the potential for molecular diagnostic applications.
Fischbach, Jens; Xander, Nina Carolin; Frohme, Marcus; Glökler, Jörn Felix
2015-04-01
The need for simple and effective assays for detecting nucleic acids by isothermal amplification reactions has led to a great variety of end point and real-time monitoring methods. Here we tested direct and indirect methods to visualize the amplification of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and compared features important for one-pot in-field applications. We compared the performance of magnesium pyrophosphate, hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB), calcein, SYBR Green I, EvaGreen, and berberine. All assays could be used to distinguish between positive and negative samples in visible or UV light. Precipitation of magnesium-pyrophosphate resulted in a turbid reaction solution. The use of HNB resulted in a color change from violet to blue, whereas calcein induced a change from orange to yellow-green. We also investigated berberine as a nucleic acid-specific dye that emits a fluorescence signal under UV light after a positive LAMP reaction. It has a comparable sensitivity to SYBR Green I and EvaGreen. Based on our results, an optimal detection method can be chosen easily for isothermal real-time or end point screening applications.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Su, Qiang; Zhou, Xiaoming
2008-12-01
Many pathogenic and genetic diseases are associated with changes in the sequence of particular genes. We describe here a rapid and highly efficient assay for the detection of point mutation. This method is a combination of isothermal rolling circle amplification (RCA) and high sensitive electrochemluminescence (ECL) detection. In the design, a circular template generated by ligation upon the recognition of a point mutation on DNA targets was amplified isothermally by the Phi29 polymerase using a biotinylated primer. The elongation products were hybridized with tris (bipyridine) ruthenium (TBR)-tagged probes and detected in a magnetic bead based ECL platform, indicating the mutation occurrence. P53 was chosen as a model for the identification of this method. The method allowed sensitive determination of the P53 mutation from wild-type and mutant samples. The main advantage of RCA-ECL is that it can be performed under isothermal conditions and avoids the generation of false-positive results. Furthermore, ECL provides a faster, more sensitive, and economical option to currently available electrophoresis-based methods.
Rapid screening method for male DNA by using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay.
Kitamura, Masashi; Kubo, Seiji; Tanaka, Jin; Adachi, Tatsushi
2017-08-12
Screening for male-derived biological material from collected samples plays an important role in criminal investigations, especially those involving sexual assaults. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting multi-repeat sequences of the Y chromosome for detecting male DNA. Successful amplification occurred with 0.5 ng of male DNA under isothermal conditions of 61 to 67 °C, but no amplification occurred with up to 10 ng of female DNA. Under the optimized conditions, the LAMP reaction initiated amplification within 10 min and amplified for 20 min. The LAMP reaction was sensitive at levels as low as 1-pg male DNA, and a quantitative LAMP assay could be developed because of the strong correlation between the reaction time and the amount of template DNA in the range of 10 pg to 10 ng. Furthermore, to apply the LAMP assay to on-site screening for male-derived samples, we evaluated a protocol using a simple DNA extraction method and a colorimetric intercalating dye that allows detection of the LAMP reaction by evaluating the change in color of the solution. Using this protocol, samples of male-derived blood and saliva stains were processed in approximately 30 min from DNA extraction to detection. Because our protocol does not require much hands-on time or special equipment, this LAMP assay promises to become a rapid and simple screening method for male-derived samples in forensic investigations.
Kumar, P V; Sharma, S K; Rishi, N; Ghosh, D K; Baranwal, V K
Management of viral diseases relies on definite and sensitive detection methods. Citrus yellow mosaic virus (CYMV), a double stranded DNA virus of the genus Badnavirus, causes yellow mosaic disease in citrus plants. CYMV is transmitted through budwood and requires a robust and simplified indexing protocol for budwood certification programme. The present study reports development and standardization of an isothermal based recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay for a sensitive, rapid, easy, and cost-effective method for detection and diagnosis of CYMV. Two different oligonucleotide primer sets were designed from ORF III (coding for polyprotein) and ORF II (coding for virion associated protein) regions of CYMV to perform amplification assays. Comparative evaluation of RPA, PCR and immuno-capture recombinase polymerase amplification (IC-RPA) based assays were done using purified DNA and plant crude sap. CYMV infection was efficiently detected from the crude sap in RPA and IC-RPA assays. The primer set used in RPA was specific and did not show any cross-amplification with banana streak MY virus (BSMYV), another Badnavirus species. The results from the present study indicated that RPA assay can be used easily in routine indexing of citrus planting material. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on development of a rapid and simplified isothermal detection assay for CYMV and can be utilized as an effective technique in quarantine and budwood certification process.
Guo, Xu-Guang; Zhou, Shan
2014-01-01
Background and aim of study A significant human pathogenic bacterium, Streptococcus pneumoniae was recognized as a major cause of pneumonia, and is the subject of many humoral immunity studies. Diagnosis is generally made based on clinical suspicion along with a positive culture from a sample from virtually any place in the body. But the testing time is too long. This study is to establish a rapid diagnostic method to identification of Streptococcus pneumoniae. Methods Our laboratory has recently developed a new platform called real-amp, which combines loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with a portable tube scanner real-time isothermal instrument for the rapid detection of Streptococcus pneumonia. Two pairs of amplification primers required for this method were derived from a conserved DNA sequence unique to the Streptococcus pneumoniae. The amplification was carried out at 63 degree Celsius using SYBR Green for 60 minutes with the tube scanner set to collect fluorescence signals. Clinical samples of Streptococcus pneumoniae and other bacteria were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the primers by comparing with traditional culture method. Results The new set of primers consistently detected in laboratory-maintained isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae from our hospital. The new primers also proved to be more sensitive than the published species-specific primers specifically developed for the LAMP method in detecting Streptococcus pneumoniae. Conclusions This study demonstrates that the Streptococcus pneumoniae LAMP primers developed here have the ability to accurately detect Streptococcus pneumoniae infections by real-time fluorescence LAMP. PMID:25276360
Sun, Yi; Quyen, Than Linh; Hung, Tran Quang; Chin, Wai Hoe; Wolff, Anders; Bang, Dang Duong
2015-04-21
Foodborne disease is a major public health threat worldwide. Salmonellosis, an infectious disease caused by Salmonella spp., is one of the most common foodborne diseases. Isolation and identification of Salmonella by conventional bacterial culture or molecular-based methods are time consuming and usually take a few hours to days to complete. In response to the demand for rapid on line or on site detection of pathogens, in this study, we describe for the first time an eight-chamber lab-on-a-chip (LOC) system with integrated magnetic bead-based sample preparation and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for rapid and quantitative detection of Salmonella spp. in food samples. The whole diagnostic procedures including DNA isolation, isothermal amplification, and real-time detection were accomplished in a single chamber. Up to eight samples could be handled simultaneously and the system was capable to detect Salmonella at concentration of 50 cells per test within 40 min. The simple design, together with high level of integration, isothermal amplification, and quantitative analysis of multiple samples in short time, will greatly enhance the practical applicability of the LOC system for rapid on-site screening of Salmonella for applications in food safety control, environmental surveillance, and clinical diagnostics.
Zahradnik, Celine; Kolm, Claudia; Martzy, Roland; Mach, Robert L; Krska, Rudolf; Farnleitner, Andreas H; Brunner, Kurt
2014-11-01
In 2003 the European Commission introduced a 0.9% threshold for food and feed products containing genetically modified organism (GMO)-derived components. For commodities containing GMO contents higher than this threshold, labelling is mandatory. To provide a DNA-based rapid and simple detection method suitable for high-throughput screening of GMOs, several isothermal amplification approaches for the 35S promoter were tested: strand displacement amplification, nicking-enzyme amplification reaction, rolling circle amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and helicase-dependent amplification (HDA). The assays developed were tested for specificity in order to distinguish between samples containing genetically modified (GM) maize and non-GM maize. For those assays capable of this discrimination, tests were performed to determine the lower limit of detection. A false-negative rate was determined to rule out whether GMO-positive samples were incorrectly classified as GMO-negative. A robustness test was performed to show reliable detection independent from the instrument used for amplification. The analysis of three GM maize lines showed that only LAMP and HDA were able to differentiate between the GMOs MON810, NK603, and Bt11 and non-GM maize. Furthermore, with the HDA assay it was possible to realize a detection limit as low as 0.5%. A false-negative rate of only 5% for 1% GM maize for all three maize lines shows that HDA has the potential to be used as an alternative strategy for the detection of transgenic maize. All results obtained with the LAMP and HDA assays were compared with the results obtained with a previously reported real-time PCR assay for the 35S promoter in transgenic maize. This study presents two new screening assays for detection of the 35S promoter in transgenic maize by applying the isothermal amplification approaches HDA and LAMP.
Fujita, Hiroto; Kataoka, Yuka; Tobita, Seiji; Kuwahara, Masayasu; Sugimoto, Naoki
2016-07-19
We have developed a novel RNA detection method, termed signal amplification by ternary initiation complexes (SATIC), in which an analyte sample is simply mixed with the relevant reagents and allowed to stand for a short time under isothermal conditions (37 °C). The advantage of the technique is that there is no requirement for (i) heat annealing, (ii) thermal cycling during the reaction, (iii) a reverse transcription step, or (iv) enzymatic or mechanical fragmentation of the target RNA. SATIC involves the formation of a ternary initiation complex between the target RNA, a circular DNA template, and a DNA primer, followed by rolling circle amplification (RCA) to generate multiple copies of G-quadruplex (G4) on a long DNA strand like beads on a string. The G4s can be specifically fluorescence-stained with N(3)-hydroxyethyl thioflavin T (ThT-HE), which emits weakly with single- and double-stranded RNA/DNA but strongly with parallel G4s. An improved dual SATIC system, which involves the formation of two different ternary initiation complexes in the RCA process, exhibited a wide quantitative detection range of 1-5000 pM. Furthermore, this enabled visual observation-based RNA detection, which is more rapid and convenient than conventional isothermal methods, such as reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification, signal mediated amplification of RNA technology, and RNA-primed rolling circle amplification. Thus, SATIC methodology may serve as an on-site and real-time measurement technique for transcriptomic biomarkers for various diseases.
Protein detection through different platforms of immuno-loop-mediated isothermal amplification
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pourhassan-Moghaddam, Mohammad; Rahmati-Yamchi, Mohammad; Akbarzadeh, Abolfazl; Daraee, Hadis; Nejati-Koshki, Kazem; Hanifehpour, Younes; Joo, Sang Woo
2013-11-01
Different immunoassay-based methods have been devised to detect protein targets. These methods have some challenges that make them inefficient for assaying ultra-low-amounted proteins. ELISA, iPCR, iRCA, and iNASBA are the common immunoassay-based methods of protein detection, each of which has specific and common technical challenges making it necessary to introduce a novel method in order to avoid their problems for detection of target proteins. Here we propose a new method nominated as `immuno-loop-mediated isothermal amplification' or `iLAMP'. This new method is free from the problems of the previous methods and has significant advantages over them. In this paper we also offer various configurations in order to improve the applicability of this method in real-world sample analyses. Important potential applications of this method are stated as well.
Mandappa, I M; Joglekar, Prasanna; Manonmani, H K
2015-07-01
A multiplex real-time isothermal amplification assay was developed using molecular beacons for the detection of Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus by targeting four important virulence genes. A correlation between targeting highly accessible DNA sequences and isothermal amplification based molecular beacon efficiency and sensitivity was demonstrated using phi(Φ)29 DNA polymerase at a constant isothermal temperature of 30 °C. It was very selective and consistently detected down to 10(1) copies of DNA. The specificity and sensitivity of this assay, when tested with pure culture were high, surpassing those of currently used PCR assays for the detection of these organisms. The molecular beacon based real-time isothermal amplification (MBRTIA) assay could be carried out entirely in 96 well plates or well strips, enabling a rapid and high-throughput detection of food borne pathogens.
Trangoni, Marcos D; Gioffré, Andrea K; Cravero, Silvio L
2017-01-01
LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique that is characterized by its efficiency, rapidity, high yield of final product, robustness, sensitivity, and specificity, with the blueprint that it can be implemented in laboratories of low technological complexity. Despite the conceptual complexity underlying the mechanistic basis for the nucleic acid amplification, the technique is simple to use and the amplification and detection can be carried out in just one step. In this chapter, we present a protocol based on LAMP for the rapid identification of isolates of Brucella spp. and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis, two major bacterial pathogens in veterinary medicine.
Ting, Li; Kun, Yang
2018-04-16
The in vitro nucleic acid amplification technique based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been successfully applied to scientific researches. In recent years, the emergence of isothermal amplification technology is increasingly applied in the molecular diagnosis and disease detection because of its advantages of constant temperature, high efficiency, short time-consuming, and less reliance on equipment and instruments. The principle, characteristics and application of the partial isothermal amplification technique in the pathogen detection in parasitic and other diseases are reviewed in this paper, and the prospects of the wide development of the technique are also discussed.
Maeda, Hiroshi; Kokeguchi, Susumu; Fujimoto, Chiyo; Tanimoto, Ichiro; Yoshizumi, Wakako; Nishimura, Fusanori; Takashiba, Shogo
2005-02-01
A method for nucleic acid amplification, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was employed to develop a rapid and simple detection system for periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis. A set of six primers was designed by targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. By the detection system, target DNA was amplified and visualized on agarose gel within 30 min under isothermal condition at 64 degrees C with a detection limit of 20 cells of P. gingivalis. Without gel electrophoresis, the LAMP amplicon was directly visualized in the reaction tube by addition of SYBR Green I for a naked-eye inspection. The LAMP reaction was also assessed by white turbidity of magnesium pyrophosphate (a by-product of LAMP) in the tube. Detection limits of these naked-eye inspections were 20 cells and 200 cells, respectively. Although false-positive DNA amplification was observed from more than 10(7) cells of Porphyromonas endodontalis, no amplification was observed in other five related oral pathogens. Further, quantitative detection of P. gingivalis was accomplished by a real-time monitoring of the LAMP reaction using SYBR Green I with linearity over a range of 10(2)-10(6) cells. The real-time LAMP was then applied to clinical samples of dental plaque and demonstrated almost identical results to the conventional real-time PCR with an advantage of rapidity. These findings indicate the potential usefulness of LAMP for detecting and quantifying P. gingivalis, especially in its rapidity and simplicity.
Tao, Zhi-Yong; Zhou, Hua-Yun; Xia, Hui; Xu, Sui; Zhu, Han-Wu; Culleton, Richard L; Han, Eun-Taek; Lu, Feng; Fang, Qiang; Gu, Ya-Ping; Liu, Yao-Bao; Zhu, Guo-Ding; Wang, Wei-Ming; Li, Ju-Lin; Cao, Jun; Gao, Qi
2011-06-21
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a high performance method for detecting DNA and holds promise for use in the molecular detection of infectious pathogens, including Plasmodium spp. However, in most malaria-endemic areas, which are often resource-limited, current LAMP methods are not feasible for diagnosis due to difficulties in accurately interpreting results with problems of sensitive visualization of amplified products, and the risk of contamination resulting from the high quantity of amplified DNA produced. In this study, we establish a novel visualized LAMP method in a closed-tube system, and validate it for the diagnosis of malaria under simulated field conditions. A visualized LAMP method was established by the addition of a microcrystalline wax-dye capsule containing the highly sensitive DNA fluorescence dye SYBR Green I to a normal LAMP reaction prior to the initiation of the reaction. A total of 89 blood samples were collected on filter paper and processed using a simple boiling method for DNA extraction, and then tested by the visualized LAMP method for Plasmodium vivax infection. The wax capsule remained intact during isothermal amplification, and released the DNA dye to the reaction mixture only when the temperature was raised to the melting point following amplification. Soon after cooling down, the solidified wax sealed the reaction mix at the bottom of the tube, thus minimizing the risk of aerosol contamination. Compared to microscopy, the sensitivity and specificity of LAMP were 98.3% (95% confidence interval (CI): 91.1-99.7%) and 100% (95% CI: 88.3-100%), and were in close agreement with a nested polymerase chain reaction method. This novel, cheap and quick visualized LAMP method is feasible for malaria diagnosis in resource-limited field settings.
Wang, Yi; Wang, Yan; Ma, Ai-Jing; Li, Dong-Xun; Luo, Li-Juan; Liu, Dong-Xin; Jin, Dong; Liu, Kai; Ye, Chang-Yun
2015-07-08
We have devised a novel amplification strategy based on isothermal strand-displacement polymerization reaction, which was termed multiple cross displacement amplification (MCDA). The approach employed a set of ten specially designed primers spanning ten distinct regions of target sequence and was preceded at a constant temperature (61-65 °C). At the assay temperature, the double-stranded DNAs were at dynamic reaction environment of primer-template hybrid, thus the high concentration of primers annealed to the template strands without a denaturing step to initiate the synthesis. For the subsequent isothermal amplification step, a series of primer binding and extension events yielded several single-stranded DNAs and single-stranded single stem-loop DNA structures. Then, these DNA products enabled the strand-displacement reaction to enter into the exponential amplification. Three mainstream methods, including colorimetric indicators, agarose gel electrophoresis and real-time turbidity, were selected for monitoring the MCDA reaction. Moreover, the practical application of the MCDA assay was successfully evaluated by detecting the target pathogen nucleic acid in pork samples, which offered advantages on quick results, modest equipment requirements, easiness in operation, and high specificity and sensitivity. Here we expounded the basic MCDA mechanism and also provided details on an alternative (Single-MCDA assay, S-MCDA) to MCDA technique.
Graphene Nanoprobes for Real-Time Monitoring of Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification.
Li, Fan; Liu, Xiaoguo; Zhao, Bin; Yan, Juan; Li, Qian; Aldalbahi, Ali; Shi, Jiye; Song, Shiping; Fan, Chunhai; Wang, Lihua
2017-05-10
Isothermal amplification is an efficient way to amplify DNA with high accuracy; however, the real-time monitoring for quantification analysis mostly relied on expensive and precisely designed probes. In the present study, a graphene oxide (GO)-based nanoprobe was used to real-time monitor the isothermal amplification process. The interaction between GO and different DNA structures was systematically investigated, including single-stranded DNA (ssDNA), double-stranded DNA (dsDNA), DNA 3-helix, and long rolling circle amplification (RCA) and hybridization chain reaction (HCR) products, which existed in one-, two-, and three-dimensional structures. It was found that the high rigid structures exhibited much lower affinity with GO than soft ssDNA, and generally the rigidity was dependent on the length of targets and the hybridization position with probe DNA. On the basis of these results, we successfully monitored HCR amplification process, RCA process, and the enzyme restriction of RCA products with GO nanoprobe; other applications including the detection of the assembly/disassembly of DNA 3-helix structures were also performed. Compared to the widely used end-point detection methods, the GO-based sensing platform is simple, sensitive, cost-effective, and especially in a real-time monitoring mode. We believe such studies can provide comprehensive understandings and evocation on design of GO-based biosensors for broad application in various fields.
Electricity-free amplification and detection for molecular point-of-care diagnosis of HIV-1.
Singleton, Jered; Osborn, Jennifer L; Lillis, Lorraine; Hawkins, Kenneth; Guelig, Dylan; Price, Will; Johns, Rachel; Ebels, Kelly; Boyle, David; Weigl, Bernhard; LaBarre, Paul
2014-01-01
In resource-limited settings, the lack of decentralized molecular diagnostic testing and sparse access to centralized medical facilities can present a critical barrier to timely diagnosis, treatment, and subsequent control and elimination of infectious diseases. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods, including reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), are well-suited for decentralized point-of-care molecular testing in minimal infrastructure laboratories since they significantly reduce the complexity of equipment and power requirements. Despite reduced complexity, however, there is still a need for a constant heat source to enable isothermal nucleic acid amplification. This requirement poses significant challenges for laboratories in developing countries where electricity is often unreliable or unavailable. To address this need, we previously developed a low-cost, electricity-free heater using an exothermic reaction thermally coupled with a phase change material. This heater achieved acceptable performance, but exhibited considerable variability. Furthermore, as an enabling technology, the heater was an incomplete diagnostic solution. Here we describe a more precise, affordable, and robust heater design with thermal standard deviation <0.5°C at operating temperature, a cost of approximately US$.06 per test for heater reaction materials, and an ambient temperature operating range from 16°C to 30°C. We also pair the heater with nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF)-detection for a visual readout. To further illustrate the utility of the electricity-free heater and NALF-detection platform, we demonstrate sensitive and repeatable detection of HIV-1 with a ß-actin positive internal amplification control from processed sample to result in less than 80 minutes. Together, these elements are building blocks for an electricity-free platform capable of isothermal amplification and detection of a variety of pathogens.
Electricity-Free Amplification and Detection for Molecular Point-of-Care Diagnosis of HIV-1
Singleton, Jered; Osborn, Jennifer L.; Lillis, Lorraine; Hawkins, Kenneth; Guelig, Dylan; Price, Will; Johns, Rachel; Ebels, Kelly; Boyle, David; Weigl, Bernhard; LaBarre, Paul
2014-01-01
In resource-limited settings, the lack of decentralized molecular diagnostic testing and sparse access to centralized medical facilities can present a critical barrier to timely diagnosis, treatment, and subsequent control and elimination of infectious diseases. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods, including reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), are well-suited for decentralized point-of-care molecular testing in minimal infrastructure laboratories since they significantly reduce the complexity of equipment and power requirements. Despite reduced complexity, however, there is still a need for a constant heat source to enable isothermal nucleic acid amplification. This requirement poses significant challenges for laboratories in developing countries where electricity is often unreliable or unavailable. To address this need, we previously developed a low-cost, electricity-free heater using an exothermic reaction thermally coupled with a phase change material. This heater achieved acceptable performance, but exhibited considerable variability. Furthermore, as an enabling technology, the heater was an incomplete diagnostic solution. Here we describe a more precise, affordable, and robust heater design with thermal standard deviation <0.5°C at operating temperature, a cost of approximately US$.06 per test for heater reaction materials, and an ambient temperature operating range from 16°C to 30°C. We also pair the heater with nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF)-detection for a visual readout. To further illustrate the utility of the electricity-free heater and NALF-detection platform, we demonstrate sensitive and repeatable detection of HIV-1 with a ß-actin positive internal amplification control from processed sample to result in less than 80 minutes. Together, these elements are building blocks for an electricity-free platform capable of isothermal amplification and detection of a variety of pathogens. PMID:25426953
Konry, Tania; Yarmush, Joel M.; Irimia, Daniel
2011-01-01
With advances in immunology and cancer biology, there is an unmet need for increasingly sensitive systems to monitor the expression of specific cell markers for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic tools. To address this challenge, we have applied a highly sensitive labeling method that translates antigen-antibody recognition processes into DNA detection event that can be greatly amplified via isothermal Rolling Circle Amplification (RCA). By merging the single-molecule detection power of RCA reaction with microfluidic technology we were able to demonstrate that identification of specific protein markers can be achieved on tumor cell surface in miniaturized nano-liter reaction droplets. Furthermore, this combined approach of signal amplification in a microfluidic format could extend the utility of existing methods by reducing sample and reagent consumption and enhancing the sensitivities and specificities for various applications, including early diagnosis of cancer. PMID:21294269
Valverde, Estefanía J; Cano, Irene; Castro, Dolores; Paley, Richard K; Borrego, Juan J
2017-03-01
Lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) infections have been described in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) and Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis, Kaup), two of the most important marine fish species in the Mediterranean aquaculture. In this study, a rapid, specific, and sensitive detection method for LCDV genotype VII based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was developed. The LAMP assay, performed using an apparatus with real-time amplification monitoring, was able to specifically detect LCDV genotype VII from clinically positive samples in less than 12 min. In addition, the assay allowed the detection of LCDV in all asymptomatic carrier fish analysed, identified by qPCR, showing an analytical sensitivity of ten copies of viral DNA per reaction. The LCDV LAMP assay has proven to be a promising diagnostic method that can be used easily in fish farms to detect the presence and spread of this iridovirus.
Glais, Laurent; Jacquot, Emmanuel
2015-01-01
Numerous molecular-based detection protocols include an amplification step of the targeted nucleic acids. This step is important to reach the expected sensitive detection of pathogens in diagnostic procedures. Amplifications of nucleic acid sequences are generally performed, in the presence of appropriate primers, using thermocyclers. However, the time requested to amplify molecular targets and the cost of the thermocycler machines could impair the use of these methods in routine diagnostics. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) technique allows rapid (short-term incubation of sample and primers in an enzymatic mixture) and simple (isothermal) amplification of molecular targets. RPA protocol requires only basic molecular steps such as extraction procedures and agarose gel electrophoresis. Thus, RPA can be considered as an interesting alternative to standard molecular-based diagnostic tools. In this paper, the complete procedures to set up an RPA assay, applied to detection of RNA (Potato virus Y, Potyvirus) and DNA (Wheat dwarf virus, Mastrevirus) viruses, are described. The proposed procedure allows developing species- or subspecies-specific detection assay.
Williams, Maggie R; Stedtfeld, Robert D; Engle, Cathrine; Salach, Paul; Fakher, Umama; Stedtfeld, Tiffany; Dreelin, Erin; Stevenson, R Jan; Latimore, Jo; Hashsham, Syed A
2017-01-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of aquatic invasive species environmental DNA (AIS eDNA) was used for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of Dreissena sp. relevant to the Great Lakes (USA) basin. The method was validated for two uses including i) direct amplification of eDNA using a hand filtration system and ii) confirmation of the results after DNA extraction using a conventional thermal cycler run at isothermal temperatures. Direct amplification eliminated the need for DNA extraction and purification and allowed detection of target invasive species in grab or concentrated surface water samples, containing both free DNA as well as larger cells and particulates, such as veligers, eggs, or seeds. The direct amplification method validation was conducted using Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis and uses up to 1 L grab water samples for high target abundance (e.g., greater than 10 veligers (larval mussels) per L for Dreissena sp.) or 20 L samples concentrated through 35 μm nylon screens for low target abundance, at less than 10 veligers per liter water. Surface water concentrate samples were collected over a period of three years, mostly from inland lakes in Michigan with the help of a network of volunteers. Field samples collected from 318 surface water locations included i) filtered concentrate for direct amplification validation and ii) 1 L grab water sample for eDNA extraction and confirmation. Though the extraction-based protocol was more sensitive (resulting in more positive detections than direct amplification), direct amplification could be used for rapid screening, allowing for quicker action times. For samples collected between May and August, results of eDNA direct amplification were consistent with known presence/absence of selected invasive species. A cross-platform smartphone application was also developed to disseminate the analyzed results to volunteers. Field tests of the direct amplification protocol using a portable device (Gene-Z) showed the method could be used in the field to obtain results within one hr (from sample to result). Overall, the direct amplification has the potential to simplify the eDNA-based monitoring of multiple aquatic invasive species. Additional studies are warranted to establish quantitative correlation between eDNA copy number, veliger, biomass or organismal abundance in the field.
Stedtfeld, Robert D.; Engle, Cathrine; Salach, Paul; Fakher, Umama; Stedtfeld, Tiffany; Dreelin, Erin; Stevenson, R. Jan; Latimore, Jo; Hashsham, Syed A.
2017-01-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of aquatic invasive species environmental DNA (AIS eDNA) was used for rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of Dreissena sp. relevant to the Great Lakes (USA) basin. The method was validated for two uses including i) direct amplification of eDNA using a hand filtration system and ii) confirmation of the results after DNA extraction using a conventional thermal cycler run at isothermal temperatures. Direct amplification eliminated the need for DNA extraction and purification and allowed detection of target invasive species in grab or concentrated surface water samples, containing both free DNA as well as larger cells and particulates, such as veligers, eggs, or seeds. The direct amplification method validation was conducted using Dreissena polymorpha and Dreissena bugensis and uses up to 1 L grab water samples for high target abundance (e.g., greater than 10 veligers (larval mussels) per L for Dreissena sp.) or 20 L samples concentrated through 35 μm nylon screens for low target abundance, at less than 10 veligers per liter water. Surface water concentrate samples were collected over a period of three years, mostly from inland lakes in Michigan with the help of a network of volunteers. Field samples collected from 318 surface water locations included i) filtered concentrate for direct amplification validation and ii) 1 L grab water sample for eDNA extraction and confirmation. Though the extraction-based protocol was more sensitive (resulting in more positive detections than direct amplification), direct amplification could be used for rapid screening, allowing for quicker action times. For samples collected between May and August, results of eDNA direct amplification were consistent with known presence/absence of selected invasive species. A cross-platform smartphone application was also developed to disseminate the analyzed results to volunteers. Field tests of the direct amplification protocol using a portable device (Gene-Z) showed the method could be used in the field to obtain results within one hr (from sample to result). Overall, the direct amplification has the potential to simplify the eDNA-based monitoring of multiple aquatic invasive species. Additional studies are warranted to establish quantitative correlation between eDNA copy number, veliger, biomass or organismal abundance in the field. PMID:29036210
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Salmonella ser. Enteritidis is a major public health concern worldwide. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel simple, easy-to-operate detection technology that amplifies DNA with high speed, efficiency, and specificity under isothermal conditions. The objective of this study was t...
2010-01-01
Background Citrus Bacterial Canker (CBC) is a major, highly contagious disease of citrus plants present in many countries in Asia, Africa and America, but not in the Mediterranean area. There are three types of Citrus Bacterial Canker, named A, B, and C that have different genotypes and posses variation in host range within citrus species. The causative agent for type A CBC is Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri, while Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii, strain B causes type B CBC and Xanthomonas fuscans subsp. aurantifolii strain C causes CBC type C. The early and accurate identification of those bacteria is essential for the protection of the citrus industry. Detection methods based on bacterial isolation, antibodies or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have been developed previously; however, these approaches may be time consuming, laborious and, in the case of PCR, it requires expensive laboratory equipment. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which is a novel isothermal DNA amplification technique, is sensitive, specific, fast and requires no specialized laboratory equipment. Results A loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for the diagnosis of Citrus Bacterial Canker (CBC-LAMP) was developed and evaluated. DNA samples were obtained from infected plants or cultured bacteria. A typical ladder-like pattern on gel electrophoresis was observed in all positive samples in contrast to the negative controls. In addition, amplification products were detected by visual inspection using SYBRGreen and using a lateral flow dipstick, eliminating the need for gel electrophoresis. The sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluated in different conditions and using several sample sources which included purified DNA, bacterium culture and infected plant tissue. The sensitivity of the CBC-LAMP was 10 fg of pure Xcc DNA, 5 CFU in culture samples and 18 CFU in samples of infected plant tissue. No cross reaction was observed with DNA of other phytopathogenic bacteria. The assay was capable of detecting CBC-causing strains from several geographical origins and pathotypes. Conclusions The CBC-LAMP technique is a simple, fast, sensitive and specific method for the diagnosis of Citrus Bacterial Canker. This method can be useful in the phytosanitary programs of the citrus industry worldwide. PMID:20565886
Advances in the detection of telomerase activity using isothermal amplification
Zhang, Xiaojin; Lou, Xiaoding; Xia, Fan
2017-01-01
Telomerase plays a significantly important role in keeping the telomere length of a chromosome. Telomerase overexpresses in nearly all tumor cells, suggesting that telomerase could be not only a promising biomarker but also a potential therapeutic target for cancers. Therefore, numerous efforts focusing on the detection of telomerase activity have been reported from polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based telomeric repeat amplification protocol (TRAP) assays to PCR-free assays such as isothermal amplification in recent decade. In this review, we highlight the strategies for the detection of telomerase activity using isothermal amplification and discuss some of the challenges in designing future telomerase assays as well. PMID:28638472
Wong, Y-P; Othman, S; Lau, Y-L; Radu, S; Chee, H-Y
2018-03-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) amplifies DNA with high specificity, efficiency and rapidity under isothermal conditions by using a DNA polymerase with high displacement strand activity and a set of specifically designed primers to amplify targeted DNA strands. Following its first discovery by Notomi et al. ( Nucleic Acids Res 28: E63), LAMP was further developed over the years which involved the combination of this technique with other molecular approaches, such as reverse transcription and multiplex amplification for the detection of infectious diseases caused by micro-organisms in humans, livestock and plants. In this review, available types of LAMP techniques will be discussed together with their applications in detection of various micro-organisms. Up to date, there are varieties of LAMP detection methods available including colorimetric and fluorescent detection, real-time monitoring using turbidity metre and detection using lateral flow device which will also be highlighted in this review. Apart from that, commercialization of LAMP technique had also been reported such as lyophilized form of LAMP reagents kit and LAMP primer sets for detection of pathogenic micro-organisms. On top of that, advantages and limitations of this molecular detection method are also described together with its future potential as a diagnostic method for infectious disease. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
2017-01-01
We report a novel molecular assay, based on helicase-dependent amplification (HDA), for the detection of enterococci as markers for fecal pollution in water. This isothermal assay targets the same Enterococcus 23S rRNA gene region as the existing quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Methods 1611 and 1609 but can be entirely performed on a simple heating block. The developed Enterococcus HDA assay successfully discriminated 15 enterococcal from 15 non-enterococcal reference strains and reliably detected 48 environmental isolates of enterococci. The limit of detection was 25 target copies per reaction, only 3 times higher than that of qPCR. The applicability of the assay was tested on 30 environmental water sample DNA extracts, simulating a gradient of fecal pollution. Despite the isothermal nature of the reaction, the HDA results were consistent with those of the qPCR reference. Given this performance, we conclude that the developed Enterococcus HDA assay has great potential as a qualitative molecular screening method for resource-limited settings when combined with compatible up- and downstream processes. This amplification strategy can pave the way for developing a new generation of rapid, low-cost, and field-deployable molecular diagnostic tools for water quality monitoring. PMID:28541661
KINOSHITA, Yuta; NIWA, Hidekazu; KATAYAMA, Yoshinari; HARIU, Kazuhisa
2015-01-01
ABSTRACT Taylorella equigenitalis is a causative bacterium of contagious equine metritis (CEM), and Taylorella asinigenitalis is species belonging to genus Taylorella. The authors developed two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) methods, Te-LAMP and Ta-LAMP, for detecting T. equigenitalis and T. asinigenitalis, respectively. Using experimentally spiked samples, Te-LAMP was as sensitive as a published semi-nested PCR method, and Ta-LAMP was more sensitive than conventional PCR. Multiplex LAMP worked well without nonspecific reactions, and the analytical sensitivities of multiplex LAMP in the spiked samples were almost equivalent to those of Te-LAMP and Ta-LAMP. Therefore, the LAMP methods are considered useful tools to detect T. equigenitalis and/or T. asinigenitalis, and preventive measures will be rapidly implemented if the occurrence of CEM is confirmed by the LAMP methods. PMID:25829868
Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Signature Identification Software
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Torres, C.
2009-03-17
This is an extendable open-source Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification (LAMP) signature design program called LAVA (LAMP Assay Versatile Analysis). LAVA was created in response to limitations of existing LAMP signature programs.
Branavan, Manoharanehru; Mackay, Ruth E; Craw, Pascal; Naveenathayalan, Angel; Ahern, Jeremy C; Sivanesan, Tulasi; Hudson, Chris; Stead, Thomas; Kremer, Jessica; Garg, Neha; Baker, Mark; Sadiq, Syed T; Balachandran, Wamadeva
2016-08-01
This paper presents the design of a modular point of care test platform that integrates a proprietary sample collection device directly with a microfluidic cartridge. Cell lysis, within the cartridge, is conducted using a chemical method and nucleic acid purification is done on an activated cellulose membrane. The microfluidic device incorporates passive mixing of the lysis-binding buffers and sample using a serpentine channel. Results have shown extraction efficiencies for this new membrane of 69% and 57% compared to the commercial Qiagen extraction method of 85% and 59.4% for 0.1ng/µL and 100ng/µL salmon sperm DNA respectively spiked in phosphate buffered solution. Extraction experiments using the serpentine passive mixer cartridges incorporating lysis and nucleic acid purification showed extraction efficiency around 80% of the commercial Qiagen kit. Isothermal amplification was conducted using thermophillic helicase dependant amplification and recombinase polymerase amplification. A low cost benchtop real-time isothermal amplification platform has been developed capable of running six amplifications simultaneously. Results show that the platform is capable of detecting 1.32×10(6) of sample DNA through thermophillic helicase dependant amplification and 1×10(5) copy numbers Chlamydia trachomatis genomic DNA within 10min through recombinase polymerase nucleic acid amplification tests. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.
Bentaleb, El Mehdi; Abid, Mohammed; El Messaoudi, My Driss; Lakssir, Brahim; Ressami, El Mostafa; Amzazi, Saaïd; Sefrioui, Hassan; Ait Benhassou, Hassan
2016-09-27
Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health problem and remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Routinely used TB diagnostic methods, in most endemic areas, are time-consuming, often less-sensitive, expensive and inaccessible to most patients. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the development of early, easy to use and effective diagnosis tools of TB, which can be effectively integrated into resource limited settings, to anticipate the early treatment and limit further spread of the disease. Over the last decade, Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays have become a powerful tool for rapid diagnosis of infectious diseases because of the simplicity of device requirements. Indeed, LAMP is a simple, quick and cost effective Isothermal Nucleic Acid Amplification diagnostic test (INAAT) that has the potential to be used in TB endemic settings of resource-poor countries. In the present study, we have developed a simple and rapid TB molecular diagnostic test using a Single-Step Loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification (SS-LAMP) method for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) strains, with a simplified sample preparation procedure, eliminating DNA extraction prior to LAMP amplification, DNA initial denaturation and enzymatic inactivation steps during the amplification process. To perform our in-house SS-LAMP assay, a set of six specific primers was specifically designed to recognize eight distinct regions on the MTBC species-specific repetitive insertion sequence 6110 (IS6110). The amplification of the targeted DNA was carried out under isothermal conditions at 65 °C within 1 h. Our protocol was firstly optimized using 60 of confirmed MTBC isolates and a recombinant pGEMeasy-IS6110 vector for sensitivity testing. Thereafter, the assay was evaluated on liquefied sputum specimens collected from 157 Moroccan patients suspected of having TB. Our SS-LAMP developed assay was able to detect MTBC DNA directly from liquefied sputum samples without any prior DNA extraction, denaturation nor the final enzymatic inactivation step. When compared to routinely used Löwenstein Jensen (LJ) Culture method, our SS-LAMP assay is rapid and showed specificity and sensitivity of 99.14 % and 82.93 % respectively which are within the international standards. In addition, the limit of detection of our assay was found to be as little as 10 copies of bacterial DNA. To our knowledge, this is the first study using a single step LAMP (SS-LAMP) procedure as a rapid, easy to perform and cost effective testing for TB early detection. This innovative assay could be suitable for low-income countries with restricted health equipment facilities.
Sahoo, Pravas Ranjan; Sethy, Kamadev; Mohapatra, Swagat; Panda, Debasis
2016-05-01
India being a developing country mainly depends on livestock sector for its economy. However, nowadays, there is emergence and reemergence of more transboundary animal diseases. The existing diagnostic techniques are not so quick and with less specificity. To reduce the economy loss, there should be a development of rapid, reliable, robust diagnostic technique, which can work with high degree of sensitivity and specificity. Loop mediated isothermal amplification assay is a rapid gene amplification technique that amplifies nucleic acid under an isothermal condition with a set of designed primers spanning eight distinct sequences of the target. This assay can be used as an emerging powerful, innovative gene amplification diagnostic tool against various pathogens of livestock diseases. This review is to highlight the basic concept and methodology of this assay in livestock disease.
Qu, Xiaojun; Jin, Haojun; Liu, Yuqian; Sun, Qingjiang
2018-03-06
The combination of microbead array, isothermal amplification, and molecular signaling enables the continuous development of next-generation molecular diagnostic techniques. Herein we reported the implementation of nicking endonuclease-assisted strand displacement amplification reaction on quantum dots-encoded microbead (Qbead), and demonstrated its feasibility for multiplexed miRNA assay in real sample. The Qbead featured with well-defined core-shell superstructure with dual-colored quantum dots loaded in silica core and shell, respectively, exhibiting remarkably high optical encoding stability. Specially designed stem-loop-structured probes were immobilized onto the Qbead for specific target recognition and amplification. In the presence of low abundance of miRNA target, the target triggered exponential amplification, producing a large quantity of stem-G-quadruplexes, which could be selectively signaled by a fluorescent G-quadruplex intercalator. In one-step operation, the Qbead-based isothermal amplification and signaling generated emissive "core-shell-satellite" superstructure, changing the Qbead emission-color. The target abundance-dependent emission-color changes of the Qbead allowed direct, visual detection of specific miRNA target. This visualization method achieved limit of detection at the subfemtomolar level with a linear dynamic range of 4.5 logs, and point-mutation discrimination capability for precise miRNA analyses. The array of three encoded Qbeads could simultaneously quantify three miRNA biomarkers in ∼500 human hepatoma carcinoma cells. With the advancements in ease of operation, multiplexing, and visualization capabilities, the isothermal amplification-on-Qbead assay could potentially enable the development of point-of-care diagnostics.
Patel, Jaymin C; Oberstaller, Jenna; Xayavong, Maniphet; Narayanan, Jothikumar; DeBarry, Jeremy D; Srinivasamoorthy, Ganesh; Villegas, Leopoldo; Escalante, Ananias A; DaSilva, Alexandre; Peterson, David S; Barnwell, John W; Kissinger, Jessica C; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam; Lucchi, Naomi W
2013-01-01
Plasmodium vivax infections remain a major source of malaria-related morbidity and mortality. Early and accurate diagnosis is an integral component of effective malaria control programs. Conventional molecular diagnostic methods provide accurate results but are often resource-intensive, expensive, have a long turnaround time and are beyond the capacity of most malaria-endemic countries. Our laboratory has recently developed a new platform called RealAmp, which combines loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with a portable tube scanner real-time isothermal instrument for the rapid detection of malaria parasites. Here we describe new primers for the detection of P. vivax using the RealAmp method. Three pairs of amplification primers required for this method were derived from a conserved DNA sequence unique to the P. vivax genome. The amplification was carried out at 64°C using SYBR Green or SYTO-9 intercalating dyes for 90 minutes with the tube scanner set to collect fluorescence signals at 1-minute intervals. Clinical samples of P. vivax and other human-infecting malaria parasite species were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the primers by comparing with an 18S ribosomal RNA-based nested PCR as the gold standard. The new set of primers consistently detected laboratory-maintained isolates of P. vivax from different parts of the world. The primers detected P. vivax in the clinical samples with 94.59% sensitivity (95% CI: 87.48-98.26%) and 100% specificity (95% CI: 90.40-100%) compared to the gold standard nested-PCR method. The new primers also proved to be more sensitive than the published species-specific primers specifically developed for the LAMP method in detecting P. vivax.
Ayukawa, Y; Komatsu, K; Kashiwa, T; Akai, K; Yamada, M; Teraoka, T; Arie, T
2016-09-01
Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) causes tomato wilt. Based on the difference in pathogenicity towards tomato cultivars, Fol is classified into three races. In this study, a rapid method is developed for the detection and discrimination of Fol race 1 using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with two primer sets targeting a region of the nucleotide sequence of the SIX4 gene specific for race 1 and a primer set targeting the SIX5 gene, conserved in all known Fol isolates. Upon LAMP reaction, amplification using all three primer sets was observed only when DNA of Fol race 1 was used as a template, and not when DNA of other Fol races or other fungal species was used. This method could detect 300 fg of Fol race 1 DNA, a 100-fold higher sensitivity than that obtained by conventional PCR. The method can also detect DNA extracted from soil artificially infested with Fol race 1. It is now possible to detect Fol race 1 in colonies and infected tomato stems without DNA isolation. This method is a rapid and simple tool for discrimination of Fol race 1. This study developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detection and differentiation of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (Fol) race 1 by using three primer sets targeting for the SIX4 and SIX5 genes. These genes are present together only in Fol race 1. This method can detect Fol race 1 in infected tomato stems without DNA extraction, affording an efficient diagnosis of Fusarium wilt on tomatoes in the field. © 2016 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Shen, Feng; Davydova, Elena K; Du, Wenbin; Kreutz, Jason E; Piepenburg, Olaf; Ismagilov, Rustem F
2011-05-01
In this paper, digital quantitative detection of nucleic acids was achieved at the single-molecule level by chemical initiation of over one thousand sequence-specific, nanoliter isothermal amplification reactions in parallel. Digital polymerase chain reaction (digital PCR), a method used for quantification of nucleic acids, counts the presence or absence of amplification of individual molecules. However, it still requires temperature cycling, which is undesirable under resource-limited conditions. This makes isothermal methods for nucleic acid amplification, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), more attractive. A microfluidic digital RPA SlipChip is described here for simultaneous initiation of over one thousand nL-scale RPA reactions by adding a chemical initiator to each reaction compartment with a simple slipping step after instrument-free pipet loading. Two designs of the SlipChip, two-step slipping and one-step slipping, were validated using digital RPA. By using the digital RPA SlipChip, false-positive results from preinitiation of the RPA amplification reaction before incubation were eliminated. End point fluorescence readout was used for "yes or no" digital quantification. The performance of digital RPA in a SlipChip was validated by amplifying and counting single molecules of the target nucleic acid, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) genomic DNA. The digital RPA on SlipChip was also tolerant to fluctuations of the incubation temperature (37-42 °C), and its performance was comparable to digital PCR on the same SlipChip design. The digital RPA SlipChip provides a simple method to quantify nucleic acids without requiring thermal cycling or kinetic measurements, with potential applications in diagnostics and environmental monitoring under resource-limited settings. The ability to initiate thousands of chemical reactions in parallel on the nanoliter scale using solvent-resistant glass devices is likely to be useful for a broader range of applications.
Shen, Feng; Davydova, Elena K.; Du, Wenbin; Kreutz, Jason E.; Piepenburg, Olaf; Ismagilov, Rustem F.
2011-01-01
In this paper, digital quantitative detection of nucleic acids was achieved at the single-molecule level by chemical initiation of over one thousand sequence-specific, nanoliter, isothermal amplification reactions in parallel. Digital polymerase chain reaction (digital PCR), a method used for quantification of nucleic acids, counts the presence or absence of amplification of individual molecules. However it still requires temperature cycling, which is undesirable under resource-limited conditions. This makes isothermal methods for nucleic acid amplification, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), more attractive. A microfluidic digital RPA SlipChip is described here for simultaneous initiation of over one thousand nL-scale RPA reactions by adding a chemical initiator to each reaction compartment with a simple slipping step after instrument-free pipette loading. Two designs of the SlipChip, two-step slipping and one-step slipping, were validated using digital RPA. By using the digital RPA SlipChip, false positive results from pre-initiation of the RPA amplification reaction before incubation were eliminated. End-point fluorescence readout was used for “yes or no” digital quantification. The performance of digital RPA in a SlipChip was validated by amplifying and counting single molecules of the target nucleic acid, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) genomic DNA. The digital RPA on SlipChip was also tolerant to fluctuations of the incubation temperature (37–42 °C), and its performance was comparable to digital PCR on the same SlipChip design. The digital RPA SlipChip provides a simple method to quantify nucleic acids without requiring thermal cycling or kinetic measurements, with potential applications in diagnostics and environmental monitoring under resource-limited settings. The ability to initiate thousands of chemical reactions in parallel on the nanoliter scale using solvent-resistant glass devices is likely to be useful for a broader range of applications. PMID:21476587
Liu, Zhongyuan; Dong, Zhijun; Liu, Dongyan
2016-07-01
Blooms of the harmful jellyfish Cyanea nozakii, which are a severe nuisance to fisheries and tourisms, frequently occur in the northern East China Sea, Yellow Sea, and Bohai Sea. To provide early warning of this species, a simple and effective molecular method for identifying C. nozakii was developed using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification method (LAMP). The LAMP assay is highly specific and uses a set of four primers that target six different regions on the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of C. nozakii. The amplification conditions, including the dNTP and betaine concentrations, the inner primer to outer primer concentration ratio, reaction time and temperature, were optimized. The LAMP assay amplified DNA extracted from tissue samples of C. nozakii but did not amplify DNA from other common scyphozoans and hydrozoans collected in the same region. In addition, the LAMP assay was more sensitive than conventional PCR. Therefore, the established LAMP assay is a sensitive, specific, fast, and easily performed method for detection of C. nozakii at different stages in their life cycle.
Hayashi, Nobuyuki; Arai, Ritsuko; Tada, Setsuzo; Taguchi, Hiroshi; Ogawa, Yutaka
2007-01-01
Primer sets for a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method were developed to specifically identify each of the four Brettanomyces/Dekkera species, Dekkera anomala, Dekkera bruxellensis, Dekkera custersiana and Brettanomyces naardenensis. Each primer set was designed with target sequences in the ITS region of the four species and could specifically amplify the target DNA of isolates from beer, wine and soft drinks. Furthermore, the primer sets differentiated strains of the target species from strains belonging to other species, even within the genus Brettanomyces/Dekkera. Moreover, the LAMP method with these primer sets could detect about 1 x 10(1) cfu/ml of Brettanomyces/Dekkera yeasts from suspensions in distilled water, wine and beer. This LAMP method with primer sets for the identification of Brettanomyces/Dekkera yeasts is advantageous in terms of specificity, sensitivity and ease of operation compared with standard PCR methods.
Mairinger, Fabian D; Walter, Robert Fh; Vollbrecht, Claudia; Hager, Thomas; Worm, Karl; Ting, Saskia; Wohlschläger, Jeremias; Zarogoulidis, Paul; Zarogoulidis, Konstantinos; Schmid, Kurt W
2014-01-01
Isothermal multiple displacement amplification (IMDA) can be a powerful tool in molecular routine diagnostics for homogeneous and sequence-independent whole-genome amplification of notably small tumor samples, eg, microcarcinomas and biopsies containing a small amount of tumor. Currently, this method is not well established in pathology laboratories. We designed a study to confirm the feasibility and convenience of this method for routine diagnostics with formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples prepared by laser-capture microdissection. A total of 250 μg DNA (concentration 5 μg/μL) was generated by amplification over a period of 8 hours with a material input of approximately 25 cells, approximately equivalent to 175 pg of genomic DNA. In the generated DNA, a representation of all chromosomes could be shown and the presence of elected genes relevant for diagnosis in clinical samples could be proven. Mutational analysis of clinical samples could be performed without any difficulty and showed concordance with earlier diagnostic findings. We established the feasibility and convenience of IMDA for routine diagnostics. We also showed that small amounts of DNA, which were not analyzable with current molecular methods, could be sufficient for a wide field of applications in molecular routine diagnostics when they are preamplified with IMDA.
Rapid detection of mecA and spa by the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method.
Koide, Y; Maeda, H; Yamabe, K; Naruishi, K; Yamamoto, T; Kokeguchi, S; Takashiba, S
2010-04-01
To develop a detection assay for staphylococcal mecA and spa by using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. Staphylococcus aureus and other related species were subjected to the detection of mecA and spa by both PCR and LAMP methods. The LAMP successfully amplified the genes under isothermal conditions at 64 degrees C within 60 min, and demonstrated identical results with the conventional PCR methods. The detection limits of the LAMP for mecA and spa, by gel electrophoresis, were 10(2) and 10 cells per tube, respectively. The naked-eye inspections were possible with 10(3) and 10 cells for detection of mecA and spa, respectively. The LAMP method was then applied to sputum and dental plaque samples. The LAMP and PCR demonstrated identical results for the plaque samples, although frequency in detection of mecA and spa by the LAMP was relatively lower for the sputum samples when compared to the PCR methods. Application of the LAMP enabled a rapid detection assay for mecA and spa. The assay may be applicable to clinical plaque samples. The LAMP offers an alternative detection assay for mecA and spa with a great advantage of the rapidity.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Six reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) primers designed against conserved regions of segment 6 (s6) gene were used for the detection of grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella reovirus (GCRV) HZ08 subtype. The entire amplification could be completed within 40 min at 62...
Zhang, Liding; Wei, Qiujiang; Han, Qinqin; Chen, Qiang; Tai, Wenlin; Zhang, Jinyang; Song, Yuzhu; Xia, Xueshan
2018-01-01
Shigella is an important human food-borne zoonosis bacterial pathogen, and can cause clinically severe diarrhea. There is an urgent need to develop a specific, sensitive, and rapid methodology for detection of this pathogen. In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with magnetic immunocapture assay (IC-LAMP) was first developed for the detection of Shigella in pure culture, artificial milk, and clinical stool samples. This method exhibited a detection limit of 8.7 CFU/mL. Compared with polymerase chain reaction, IC-LAMP is sensitive, specific, and reliable for monitoring Shigella. Additionally, IC-LAMP is more convenient, efficient, and rapid than ordinary LAMP, as it is more efficiently enriches pathogen cells without extraction of genomic DNA. Under isothermal conditions, the amplification curves and the green fluorescence were detected within 30 min in the presence of genomic DNA template. The overall analysis time was approximately 1 h, including the enrichment and lysis of the bacterial cells, a significantly short detection time. Therefore, the IC-LAMP methodology described here is potentially useful for the efficient detection of Shigella in various samples. PMID:29467730
Roy, Sharmili; Wei, Sim Xiao; Ying, Jean Liew Zhi; Safavieh, Mohammadali; Ahmed, Minhaz Uddin
2016-12-15
Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) has been widely rendered for nucleic acid testing. Here, we integrate loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with ECL technique for DNA detection and quantification. The target LAMP DNA bound electrostatically with [Ru(bpy)3](+2) on the carbon electrode surface, and an ECL reaction was triggered by tripropylamine (TPrA) to yield luminescence. We illustrated this method as a new and highly sensitive strategy for the detection of sequence-specific DNA from different meat species at picogram levels. The proposed strategy renders the signal amplification capacities of TPrA and combines LAMP with inherently high sensitivity of the ECL technique, to facilitate the detection of low quantities of DNA. By leveraging this technique, target DNA of Sus scrofa (pork) meat was detected as low as 1pg/µL (3.43×10(-1)copies/µL). In addition, the proposed technique was applied for detection of Bacillus subtilis DNA samples and detection limit of 10pg/µL (2.2×10(3)copies/µL) was achieved. The advantages of being isothermal, sensitive and robust with ability for multiplex detection of bio-analytes makes this method a facile and appealing sensing modality in hand-held devices to be used at the point-of-care (POC). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Genotyping three SNPs affecting warfarin drug response by isothermal real-time HDA assays.
Li, Ying; Jortani, Saeed A; Ramey-Hartung, Bronwyn; Hudson, Elizabeth; Lemieux, Bertrand; Kong, Huimin
2011-01-14
The response to the anticoagulant drug warfarin is greatly affected by genetic polymorphisms in the VKORC1 and CYP2C9 genes. Genotyping these polymorphisms has been shown to be important in reducing the time of the trial and error process for finding the maintenance dose of warfarin thus reducing the risk of adverse effects of the drug. We developed a real-time isothermal DNA amplification system for genotyping three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that influence warfarin response. For each SNP, real-time isothermal Helicase Dependent Amplification (HDA) reactions were performed to amplify a DNA fragment containing the SNP. Amplicons were detected by fluorescently labeled allele specific probes during real-time HDA amplification. Fifty clinical samples were analyzed by the HDA-based method, generating a total of 150 results. Of these, 148 were consistent between the HDA-based assays and a reference method. The two samples with unresolved HDA-based test results were repeated and found to be consistent with the reference method. The HDA-based assays demonstrated a clinically acceptable performance for genotyping the VKORC1 -1639G>A SNP and two SNPs (430C>T and 1075A>C) for the CYP2C9 enzyme (CYP2C9*2 and CYP2C9*3), all of which are relevant in warfarin pharmacogenentics. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Polymer-based microfluidic chips for isothermal amplification of nucleic acids
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Posmitnaya, Y. S.; Rudnitskaya, G. E.; Tupik, A. N.; Lukashenko, T. A.; Bukatin, A. C.; Evstrapov, A. A.
2017-11-01
Creation of low-cost compact devices based on microfluidic platforms for biological and medical research depends on the degree of development and enhancement of prototyping technologies. Two designs of polymer and hybrid microfluidic devices fabricated by soft lithography and intended for isothermal amplification and polymerase chain reaction are presented in this paper. The digital helicase-dependent isothermal amplification was tested in the device containing a droplet generator. Polymerase chain reaction was carried out in the hybrid microfluidic device having ten reaction chambers. A synthesized cDNA fragment of GAPDH housekeeping gene was used as a target.
Real-time fluorescence loop mediated isothermal amplification for the diagnosis of malaria.
Lucchi, Naomi W; Demas, Allison; Narayanan, Jothikumar; Sumari, Deborah; Kabanywanyi, Abdunoor; Kachur, S Patrick; Barnwell, John W; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam
2010-10-29
Molecular diagnostic methods can complement existing tools to improve the diagnosis of malaria. However, they require good laboratory infrastructure thereby restricting their use to reference laboratories and research studies. Therefore, adopting molecular tools for routine use in malaria endemic countries will require simpler molecular platforms. The recently developed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method is relatively simple and can be improved for better use in endemic countries. In this study, we attempted to improve this method for malaria diagnosis by using a simple and portable device capable of performing both the amplification and detection (by fluorescence) of LAMP in one platform. We refer to this as the RealAmp method. Published genus-specific primers were used to test the utility of this method. DNA derived from different species of malaria parasites was used for the initial characterization. Clinical samples of P. falciparum were used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of this system compared to microscopy and a nested PCR method. Additionally, directly boiled parasite preparations were compared with a conventional DNA isolation method. The RealAmp method was found to be simple and allowed real-time detection of DNA amplification. The time to amplification varied but was generally less than 60 minutes. All human-infecting Plasmodium species were detected. The sensitivity and specificity of RealAmp in detecting P. falciparum was 96.7% and 91.7% respectively, compared to microscopy and 98.9% and 100% respectively, compared to a standard nested PCR method. In addition, this method consistently detected P. falciparum from directly boiled blood samples. This RealAmp method has great potential as a field usable molecular tool for diagnosis of malaria. This tool can provide an alternative to conventional PCR based diagnostic methods for field use in clinical and operational programs.
Chandra, Amaresh; Keizerweerd, Amber T; Grisham, Michael P
2016-03-01
Puccinia kuehnii is a fungal pathogen that causes orange rust in sugarcane, which is now prevalent in many countries. At the early stage of disease, it is almost indistinguishable from brown rust, which is caused by Puccinia melanocephala. Although several PCR assays are available to detect these diseases, the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based assay has been reported to be more economical and easier to perform. Under isothermal conditions, DNA is amplified with high specificity and rapidity. Moreover, visual judgment of color change without further post-amplification processing makes the method convenient. The present study was undertaken to detect P. kuehnii genomic DNA using four primers corresponding to a unique DNA sequence of P. kuehnii. The LAMP assay was found to be optimal when 8 mM MgSO4 was used and the reaction was incubated at 63 °C for 90 min. Positive samples showed a color change from orange to green upon SYBR Green I dye addition. Specificity of the LAMP test was checked with DNA of P. melanocephala, which showed no reaction. Sensitivity of the LAMP method was observed to be the same as real-time PCR at 0.1 ng, thus providing a rapid and more affordable option for early disease detection.
Chandra, Amaresh; Keizerweerd, Amber T; Que, Youxiong; Grisham, Michael P
2015-08-01
Red rot, caused by Colletotrichum falcatum, is a destructive disease prevalent in most sugarcane-producing countries. Disease-free sugarcane planting materials (setts) are essential as the pathogen spreads primarily through infected setts. The present study was undertaken to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the detection of C. falcatum. C. falcatum genomic DNA was isolated from pure mycelium culture and infected tissues. Four sets of primers corresponding to a unique DNA sequence specific to C. falcatum were designed. Specificity of the LAMP test was checked with DNA of another fungal pathogen of sugarcane, Puccinia melanocephala, as well as two closely-related species, Colletotrichum fructivorum and Colletotrichum acutatum. No reaction was found with the three pathogens. When C. falcatum DNA from pure culture was used in a detection limit analysis, sensitivity of the LAMP method was observed to be ten times higher than that of conventional PCR; however, sensitivity was only 5 times higher when DNA from C. falcatum-infected tissues was used. Using the LAMP assay, C. falcatum DNA is amplified with high specificity, efficiency, and rapidity under isothermal conditions. Moreover, visual judgment of color change in <1 h without further post-amplification processing makes the LAMP method convenient, economical, and useful in diagnostic laboratories and the field.
Nakayama, Takako; Yamazaki, Takashi; Yo, Ayaka; Tone, Kazuya; Mahdi Alshahni, Mohamed; Fujisaki, Ryuichi; Makimura, Koichi
2017-01-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a useful DNA detection method with high specificity and sensitivity. The LAMP reaction is carried out within a short time at a constant temperature without the need for thermal cycling. We developed a LAMP primer set for detecting a wide range of fungi by aligning the sequences of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene of Candida albicans (Ascomycota), Cryptococcus neoformans (Basidiomycota), and Mucor racemosus (Mucorales). The threshold of C. albicans rDNA as template with our LAMP primer set was in the range of 10-100 copies per a reaction. In this study, we evaluated the correlation between colony forming units (CFU) and LAMP detection rate using the LAMP method for environmental fungi. The LAMP method should be a useful means of detecting fungi in indoor environments, disaster areas, or even in confined manned spacecraft to prevent allergies or infections caused by fungi.
Barreda-García, Susana; González-Álvarez, María José; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Palacios-Gutiérrez, Juan José; Miranda-Ordieres, Arturo J; Lobo-Castañón, María Jesús
2015-06-15
A highly sensitive and robust method for the quantification of specific DNA sequences based on coupling asymmetric helicase-dependent DNA amplification to electrochemical detection is described. This method relies on the entrapment of the amplified ssDNA sequences on magnetic beads followed by a post-amplification hybridization assay to provide an added degree of specificity. As a proof-of-concept a 84-bases long sequence specific of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is amplified at 65°C, providing 3×10(6) amplification after 90 min. Using this system 0.5 aM, corresponding to 15 copies of the target gene in 50 µL of sample, can be successfully detected and reliably quantified under isothermal conditions in less than 4h. The assay has been applied to the detection of M. tuberculosis in sputum, pleural fluid and urine samples. Besides this application, the proposed assays is a powerful and general tool for molecular diagnostic that can be applied to the detection of other specific DNA sequences, taking full advantage of the plethora of genomic information now available. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Hongxing; Xing, Da; Zhou, Xiaoming
2014-09-01
Food-borne pathogens such as Listeria monocytogenes have been recognized as a major cause of human infections worldwide, leading to substantial health problems. Food-borne pathogen identification needs to be simpler, cheaper and more reliable than the current traditional methods. Here, we have constructed a low-cost paper biosensor for the detection of viable pathogenic bacteria with the naked eye. In this study, an effective isothermal amplification method was used to amplify the hlyA mRNA gene, a specific RNA marker in Listeria monocytogenes. The amplification products were applied to the paper biosensor to perform a visual test, in which endpoint detection was performed using sandwich hybridization assays. When the RNA products migrated along the paper biosensor by capillary action, the gold nanoparticles accumulated at the designated Test line and Control line. Under optimized experimental conditions, as little as 0.5 pg/μL genomic RNA from Listeria monocytogenes could be detected. The whole assay process, including RNA extraction, amplification, and visualization, can be completed within several hours. The developed method is suitable for point-of-care applications to detect food-borne pathogens, as it can effectively overcome the false-positive results caused by amplifying nonviable Listeria monocytogenes.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wei, Shih-Chung; Chuang, Tsung-Liang; Wang, Da-Shin; Lu, Hui-Hsin; Gu, Frank X.; Sung, Kung-Bin; Lin, Chii-Wann
2015-02-01
A tip nanobiosensor for monitoring DNA replication was presented. The effects of excitation power and polarization on tip-enhanced fluorescence (TEF) were assessed with the tip immersed in fluorescein isothiocyanate solution first. The photon count rose on average fivefold with radially polarized illumination at 50 mW. We then used polymerase-functionalized tips for monitoring loop-mediated isothermal amplification on Hepatitis C virus cDNA. The amplicon-SYBR Green I complex was detected and compared to real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification. The signals of the reaction using 4 and 0.004 ng/μl templates were detected 10 and 30 min earlier, respectively. The results showed the potential of TEF in developing a nanobiosensor for real-time DNA amplification.
Hoser, Mark J; Mansukoski, Hannu K; Morrical, Scott W; Eboigbodin, Kevin E
2014-01-01
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies offer significant advantages over polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in that they do not require thermal cycling or sophisticated laboratory equipment. However, non-target-dependent amplification has limited the sensitivity of isothermal technologies and complex probes are usually required to distinguish between non-specific and target-dependent amplification. Here, we report a novel isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology, Strand Invasion Based Amplification (SIBA). SIBA technology is resistant to non-specific amplification, is able to detect a single molecule of target analyte, and does not require target-specific probes. The technology relies on the recombinase-dependent insertion of an invasion oligonucleotide (IO) into the double-stranded target nucleic acid. The duplex regions peripheral to the IO insertion site dissociate, thereby enabling target-specific primers to bind. A polymerase then extends the primers onto the target nucleic acid leading to exponential amplification of the target. The primers are not substrates for the recombinase and are, therefore unable to extend the target template in the absence of the IO. The inclusion of 2'-O-methyl RNA to the IO ensures that it is not extendible and that it does not take part in the extension of the target template. These characteristics ensure that the technology is resistant to non-specific amplification since primer dimers or mis-priming are unable to exponentially amplify. Consequently, SIBA is highly specific and able to distinguish closely-related species with single molecule sensitivity in the absence of complex probes or sophisticated laboratory equipment. Here, we describe this technology in detail and demonstrate its use for the detection of Salmonella.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) shield for Arduino DNA detection.
Velders, Aldrik H; Schoen, Cor; Saggiomo, Vittorio
2018-02-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of DNA is gaining relevance as a method to detect nucleic acids, as it is easier, faster, and more powerful than conventional Polymerase Chain Reaction. However, LAMP is still mostly used in laboratory settings, because of the lack of a cheap and easy, one-button device that can perform LAMP experiments. Here we show how to build and program an Arduino shield for a LAMP and detection of DNA. The here described Arduino Shield is cheap, easy to assemble, to program and use, it is battery operated and the detection of DNA is done by naked-eye so that it can be used in field.
James, Ameh; Macdonald, Joanne
2015-01-01
Isothermal molecular diagnostics are bridging the technology gap between traditional diagnostics and polymerase chain reaction-based methods. These new techniques enable timely and accurate testing, especially in settings where there is a lack of infrastructure to support polymerase chain reaction facilities. Despite this, there is a significant lack of uptake of these technologies in developing countries where they are highly needed. Among these novel isothermal technologies, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) holds particular potential for use in developing countries. This rapid nucleic acid amplification approach is fast, highly sensitive and specific, and amenable to countries with a high burden of infectious diseases. Implementation of RPA technology in developing countries is critically required to assess limitations and potentials of the diagnosis of infectious disease, and may help identify impediments that prevent adoption of new molecular technologies in low resource- and low skill settings. This review focuses on approaching diagnosis of infectious disease with RPA.
Deb, Rajib; Sengar, Gyanendra Singh; Singh, Umesh; Kumar, Sushil; Alyethodi, R R; Alex, Rani; Raja, T V; Das, A K; Prakash, B
2016-12-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a diagnostic method for amplification of DNA with rapid and minimal equipment requirement. In the present study, we applied the LAMP assay for rapid detection of cow components adulteration in buffalo milk/meat samples. The test can be completed within around 1 h 40 min starting from DNA extraction and can be performed in water bath without requirement of thermocycler. The cow DNA in buffalo samples were identified in the developed LAMP assay by either visualizing with SYBR Green I/HNB dyes or observing the typical ladder pattern on gel electrophoresis. The test can detect up to 5 % level of cow milk/meat mixed in buffalo counterparts. Due to the simplicity and specificity, the developed LAMP test can be easily adapted in any laboratory for rapid detection of cow species identification in livestock by products.
Xu, Junyi; Zheng, Qiuyue; Yu, Ling; Liu, Ran; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Gang; Wang, Qinghua; Cao, Jijuan
2013-11-01
The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay indicates a potential and valuable means for genetically modified organism (GMO) detection especially for its rapidity, simplicity, and low cost. We developed and evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of the LAMP method for rapid detection of the genetically modified (GM) maize T25. A set of six specific primers was successfully designed to recognize six distinct sequences on the target gene, including a pair of inner primers, a pair of outer primers, and a pair of loop primers. The optimum reaction temperature and time were verified to be 65°C and 45 min, respectively. The detection limit of this LAMP assay was 5 g kg(-1) GMO component. Comparative experiments showed that the LAMP assay was a simple, rapid, accurate, and specific method for detecting the GM maize T25.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for detection of genetically modified maize T25
Xu, Junyi; Zheng, Qiuyue; Yu, Ling; Liu, Ran; Zhao, Xin; Wang, Gang; Wang, Qinghua; Cao, Jijuan
2013-01-01
The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay indicates a potential and valuable means for genetically modified organism (GMO) detection especially for its rapidity, simplicity, and low cost. We developed and evaluated the specificity and sensitivity of the LAMP method for rapid detection of the genetically modified (GM) maize T25. A set of six specific primers was successfully designed to recognize six distinct sequences on the target gene, including a pair of inner primers, a pair of outer primers, and a pair of loop primers. The optimum reaction temperature and time were verified to be 65°C and 45 min, respectively. The detection limit of this LAMP assay was 5 g kg−1 GMO component. Comparative experiments showed that the LAMP assay was a simple, rapid, accurate, and specific method for detecting the GM maize T25. PMID:24804053
Wang, Jianchang; Li, Rui; Hu, Lianxia; Sun, Xiaoxia; Wang, Jinfeng; Li, Jing
2016-02-16
Food-borne disease caused by Salmonella has long been, and continues to be, an important global public health problem, necessitating rapid and accurate detection of Salmonella in food. Real time PCR is the most recently developed approach for Salmonella detection. Single primer isothermal amplification (SPIA), a novel gene amplification technique, has emerged as an attractive microbiological testing method. SPIA is performed under a constant temperature, eliminating the need for an expensive thermo-cycler. In addition, SPIA reactions can be accomplished in 30 min, faster than real time PCR that usually takes over 2h. We developed a quantitative fluorescence SPIA-based method for the detection of Salmonella. Using Salmonella Typhimurium genomic DNA as template and a primer targeting Salmonella invA gene, we showed the detection limit of SPIA was 2.0 × 10(1)fg DNA. Its successful amplification of different serotypic Salmonella genomic DNA but not non-Salmonella bacterial DNA demonstrated the specificity of SPIA. Furthermore, this method was validated with artificially contaminated beef. In conclusion, we showed high sensitivity and specificity of SPIA in the detection of Salmonella, comparable to real time PCR. In addition, SPIA is faster and more cost-effective (non-use of expensive cyclers), making it a potential alternative for field detection of Salmonella in resource-limited settings that are commonly encountered in developing countries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
2011-01-01
Background From April 2010 to January 2011, a severe new viral disease had devastated most duck-farming regions in China. This disease affected not only laying ducks but also meat ducks, causing huge economic losses for the poultry industry. The objective of this study is to develop a one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the detection of the new virus related to Tembusu-related Flavivirus. Results The RT-LAMP assay is very simple and rapid, and the amplification can be completed within 50 min under isothermal conditions at 63°C by a set of 6 primers targeting the E gene based on the sequences analysis of the newly isolated viruses and other closely related Flavivirus.The monitoring of gene amplification can also be visualized by using SYBR green I fluorescent dye. In addition, the RT-LAMP assay for newly isolated Tembusu-related Flavivirus showed higher sensitivity with an RNA detection-limit of 2 copies/μL compared with 190 copies/μL of the conventional RT-PCR method. The specificity was identified without cross reaction to other common avian pathogens. By screening a panel of clinical samples this method was more feasible in clinical settings and there was higher positive coincidence rate than conventional RT-PCR and virus isolation. Conclusion The RT-LAMP assay for newly isolated Tembusu-related Flavivirus is a valuable tool for the rapid and real-time detection not only in well-equipped laboratories but also in general conditions. PMID:22185513
Wang, Xiaoyu; Seo, Dong Joo; Lee, Min Hwa
2014-01-01
This study aimed to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the rapid detection of Arcobacter species. Specific primers targeting the 23S ribosomal RNA gene were used to detect Arcobacter butzleri, Arcobacter cryaerophilus, and Arcobacter skirrowii. The specificity of the LAMP primer set was assessed using DNA samples from a panel of Arcobacter and Campylobacter species, and the sensitivity was determined using serial dilutions of Arcobacter species cultures. LAMP showed a 10- to 1,000-fold-higher sensitivity than multiplex PCR, with a detection limit of 2 to 20 CFU per reaction in vitro. Whereas multiplex PCR showed cross-reactivity with Campylobacter species, the LAMP method developed in this study was more sensitive and reliable than conventional PCR or multiplex PCR for the detection of Arcobacter species. PMID:24478488
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lau, Han Yih; Wu, Haoqi; Wee, Eugene J. H.; Trau, Matt; Wang, Yuling; Botella, Jose R.
2017-01-01
Developing quick and sensitive molecular diagnostics for plant pathogen detection is challenging. Herein, a nanoparticle based electrochemical biosensor was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of plant pathogen DNA on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes. This 60 min assay relied on the rapid isothermal amplification of target pathogen DNA sequences by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) followed by gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical assessment with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Our method was 10,000 times more sensitive than conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/gel electrophoresis and could readily identify P. syringae infected plant samples even before the disease symptoms were visible. On the basis of the speed, sensitivity, simplicity and portability of the approach, we believe the method has potential as a rapid disease management solution for applications in agriculture diagnostics.
Lau, Han Yih; Wu, Haoqi; Wee, Eugene J H; Trau, Matt; Wang, Yuling; Botella, Jose R
2017-01-17
Developing quick and sensitive molecular diagnostics for plant pathogen detection is challenging. Herein, a nanoparticle based electrochemical biosensor was developed for rapid and sensitive detection of plant pathogen DNA on disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes. This 60 min assay relied on the rapid isothermal amplification of target pathogen DNA sequences by recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) followed by gold nanoparticle-based electrochemical assessment with differential pulse voltammetry (DPV). Our method was 10,000 times more sensitive than conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR)/gel electrophoresis and could readily identify P. syringae infected plant samples even before the disease symptoms were visible. On the basis of the speed, sensitivity, simplicity and portability of the approach, we believe the method has potential as a rapid disease management solution for applications in agriculture diagnostics.
Zhou, Hong; Liu, Jing; Xu, Jing-Juan; Zhang, Shu-Sheng; Chen, Hong-Yuan
2018-03-21
Modern optical detection technology plays a critical role in current clinical detection due to its high sensitivity and accuracy. However, higher requirements such as extremely high detection sensitivity have been put forward due to the clinical needs for the early finding and diagnosing of malignant tumors which are significant for tumor therapy. The technology of isothermal amplification with nucleic acids opens up avenues for meeting this requirement. Recent reports have shown that a nucleic acid amplification-assisted modern optical sensing interface has achieved satisfactory sensitivity and accuracy, high speed and specificity. Compared with isothermal amplification technology designed to work completely in a solution system, solid biosensing interfaces demonstrated better performances in stability and sensitivity due to their ease of separation from the reaction mixture and the better signal transduction on these optical nano-biosensing interfaces. Also the flexibility and designability during the construction of these nano-biosensing interfaces provided a promising research topic for the ultrasensitive detection of cancer diseases. In this review, we describe the construction of the burgeoning number of optical nano-biosensing interfaces assisted by a nucleic acid amplification strategy, and provide insightful views on: (1) approaches to the smart fabrication of an optical nano-biosensing interface, (2) biosensing mechanisms via the nucleic acid amplification method, (3) the newest strategies and future perspectives.
Chen, Xingxing; Wu, Xiaoli; Gan, Min; Xu, Feng; He, Lihua; Yang, Dong; Xu, Hengyi; Shah, Nagendra P; Wei, Hua
2015-03-01
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the main pathogens in dairy and meat products; therefore, developing a highly sensitive and rapid method for its detection is necessary. In this study, a quantitative detection method for Staph. aureus was developed using silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and thermophilic helicase-dependent isothermal amplification. First, genomic DNA was extracted from lysed bacteria using silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles and amplified using thermophilic helicase-dependent isothermal amplification. After adding the nucleic-acid dye SYBR Green I to the amplicons, the fluorescence intensity was observed using a UV lamp or recorded using a fluorescence spectrophotometer. This detection system had a detection limit of 5×10(0) cfu/mL in pure culture and milk-powder samples and 5×10(1) cfu/mL in pork samples using a UV light in less than 2h. In addition, a good linear relationship was obtained between fluorescence intensity and bacterial concentrations ranging from 10(2) to 10(4) cfu/mL under optimal conditions. Furthermore, the results from contaminated milk powder and pork samples suggested that the detection system could be used for the quantitative analysis of Staph. aureus and applied potentially to the food industry for the detection of this pathogen. Copyright © 2015 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
NASBA: A detection and amplification system uniquely suited for RNA
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sooknanan, R.; Malek, L.T.
1995-06-01
The invention of PCR (polymerase chain reaction) has revolutionized our ability to amplify and manipulate a nucleic acid sequence in vitro. The commercial rewards of this revolution have driven the development of other nuclei acid amplification and detection methodologies. This has created an alphabet soup of technologies that use different amplification methods, including NASBA (nucleic acid sequence-based amplification), LCR (ligase chain reaction), SDA (strand displacement amplification), QBR (Q-beta replicase), CPR (cycling probe reaction), and bDNA (branched DNA). Despite the differences in their processes, these amplification systems can be separated into two broad categories based on how they achieve their goal:more » sequence-based amplification systems, such as PCR, NASBA, and SDA, amplify a target nucleic acid sequence. Signal-based amplification systems, such as LCR, QBR, CPR and bDNA, amplify or alter a signal from a detection reaction that is target-dependent. While the various methods have relative strengths and weaknesses, only NASBA offers the unique ability to homogeneously amplify an RNA analyte in the presence of homologous genomic DNA under isothermal conditions. Since the detection of RNA sequences almost invariably measures biological activity, it is an excellent prognostic indicator of activities as diverse as virus production, gene expression, and cell viability. The isothermal nature of the reaction makes NASBA especially suitable for large-scale manual screening. These features extend NASBA`s application range from research to commercial diagnostic applications. Field test kits are presently under development for human diagnostics as well as the burgeoning fields of food and environmental diagnostic testing. These developments suggest future integration of NASBA into robotic workstations for high-throughput screening as well. 17 refs., 1 tab.« less
Polymerase Spiral Reaction (PSR): A novel isothermal nucleic acid amplification method.
Liu, Wei; Dong, Derong; Yang, Zhan; Zou, Dayang; Chen, Zeliang; Yuan, Jing; Huang, Liuyu
2015-07-29
In this study, we report a novel isothermal nucleic acid amplification method only requires one pair of primers and one enzyme, termed Polymerase Spiral Reaction (PSR) with high specificity, efficiency, and rapidity under isothermal condition. The recombinant plasmid of blaNDM-1 was imported to Escherichia coli BL21, and selected as the microbial target. PSR method employs a Bst DNA polymerase and a pair of primers designed targeting the blaNDM-1 gene sequence. The forward and reverse Tab primer sequences are reverse to each other at their 5' end (Nr and N), whereas their 3' end sequences are complementary to their respective target nucleic acid sequences. The PSR method was performed at a constant temperature 61 °C-65 °C, yielding a complicated spiral structure. PSR assay was monitored continuously in a real-time turbidimeter instrument or visually detected with the aid of a fluorescent dye (SYBR Greenı), and could be finished within 1 h with a high accumulation of 10(9) copies of the target and a fine sensitivity of 6 CFU per reaction. Clinical evaluation was also conducted using PSR, showing high specificity of this method. The PSR technique provides a convenient and cost-effective alternative for clinical screening, on-site diagnosis and primary quarantine purposes.
Xu, Changping; Wang, Hualei; Jin, Hongli; Feng, Na; Zheng, Xuexing; Cao, Zengguo; Li, Ling; Wang, Jianzhong; Yan, Feihu; Wang, Lina; Chi, Hang; Gai, Weiwei; Wang, Chong; Zhao, Yongkun; Feng, Yan; Wang, Tiecheng; Gao, Yuwei; Lu, Yiyu; Yang, Songtao; Xia, Xianzhu
2016-05-01
Ebola virus (species Zaire ebolavirus) (EBOV) is highly virulent in humans. The largest recorded outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever in West Africa to date was caused by EBOV. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a detection method for this virus that can be easily distributed and implemented. In the current study, we developed a visual assay that can detect EBOV-associated nucleic acids. This assay combines reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification and nucleic acid strip detection (RT-LAMP-NAD). Nucleic acid amplification can be achieved in a one-step process at a constant temperature (58 °C, 35 min), and the amplified products can be visualized within 2-5 min using a nucleic acid strip detection device. The assay is capable of detecting 30 copies of artificial EBOV glycoprotein (GP) RNA and RNA encoding EBOV GP from 10(2) TCID50 recombinant viral particles per ml with high specificity. Overall, the RT-LAMP-NAD method is simple and has high sensitivity and specificity; therefore, it is especially suitable for the rapid detection of EBOV in African regions.
Guo, Xu-Guang; Zhou, Yong-Zhuo; Li, Qin; Wang, Wei; Wen, Jin-Zhou; Zheng, Lei; Wang, Qian
2018-04-18
To detect Zika virus more rapidly and accurately, we developed a novel method that utilized a real-time fluorescence reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique. The NS5 gene was amplified by a set of six specific primers that recognized six distinct sequences. The amplification process, including 60 min of thermostatic reaction with Bst DNA polymerase following real-time fluorescence reverse transcriptase using genomic Zika virus standard strain (MR766), was conducted through fluorescent signaling. Among the six pairs of primers that we designate here, NS5 was the most efficient with a high sensitivity of up to 3.3 ng/μl and reproducible specificity on eight pathogen samples that were used as negative controls. The real-time fluorescence reverse transcription LAMP detection process can be completed within 35 min. Our study demonstrated that real-time fluorescence reverse transcription LAMP could be highly beneficial and convenient clinical application to detect Zika virus due to its high specificity and stability.
Wangt, Dan-Chen; Hu, Li-Hui; Zhou, Yu-Hui; Huang, Yu-Ting; Li, Xinhua; Zhu, Jun-Jie
2014-04-01
An isothermal, highly sensitive and specific assay for the detection of hsa-miR-21 with the integration of QDs tagging and rolling circle amplification was offered. In addition, a dual channel strategy for miRNA detection was proposed: anodic stripping voltammetry (ASV) and fluorescent method were both performed for the final Cd2+ signal readout. The designed strategy exhibited good specificity to hsa-miR-21 and presented comparable detection results by detection methods.
Wu, Xinghai; Chen, Chanfa; Xiao, Xizhi; Deng, Ming Jun
2016-11-01
A protocol for the reverse transcription-helicase-dependent amplification (RT-HDA) of isothermal DNA was developed for the detection of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV). Specific primers, which were based on the highly conserved region of the N gene sequence in TSWV, were used for the amplification of virus's RNA. The LOD of RT-HDA, reverse transcriptase-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays were conducted using 10-fold serial dilution of RNA eluates. TSWV sensitivity in RT-HDA and RT-LAMP was 4 pg RNA compared with 40 pg RNA in RT-PCR. The specificity of RT-HDA for TSWV was high, showing no cross-reactivity with other tomato and Tospovirus viruses including cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), tomato black ring virus (TBRV), tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), or impatiens necrotic spot virus (INSV). The RT-HDA method is effective for the detection of TSWV in plant samples and is a potential tool for early and rapid detection of TSWV.
Sharma, Nidhi; Hoshika, Shuichi; Hutter, Daniel; Bradley, Kevin M; Benner, Steven A
2014-10-13
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an isothermal method to amplify nucleic acid sequences without the temperature cycling that classical PCR uses. Instead of using heat to denature the DNA duplex, RPA uses recombination enzymes to swap single-stranded primers into the duplex DNA product; these are then extended using a strand-displacing polymerase to complete the cycle. Because RPA runs at low temperatures, it never forces the system to recreate base-pairs following Watson-Crick rules, and therefore it produces undesired products that impede the amplification of the desired product, complicating downstream analysis. Herein, we show that most of these undesired side products can be avoided if the primers contain components of a self-avoiding molecular recognition system (SAMRS). Given the precision that is necessary in the recombination systems for them to function biologically, it is surprising that they accept SAMRS. SAMRS-RPA is expected to be a powerful tool within the range of amplification techniques available to scientists. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The aim of this study was to develop a simple and rapid technique for detecting human norovirus (NoV). The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique was evaluated and found to be sensitive, highly specific, and useful for routine oyster testing. Reverse transcription-LAMP (RT-LAMP) pri...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Xanthomonas fragariae is a bacterium that causes angular leaf spot of strawberry. Asymptomatic infections are common and contribute to the difficulties in disease management. The aim of this study was to develop a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with a bacterial enrichment proced...
Imai, Kazuo; Tarumoto, Norihito; Misawa, Kazuhisa; Runtuwene, Lucky Ronald; Sakai, Jun; Hayashida, Kyoko; Eshita, Yuki; Maeda, Ryuichiro; Tuda, Josef; Murakami, Takashi; Maesaki, Shigefumi; Suzuki, Yutaka; Yamagishi, Junya; Maeda, Takuya
2017-09-13
A simple and accurate molecular diagnostic method for malaria is urgently needed due to the limitations of conventional microscopic examination. In this study, we demonstrate a new diagnostic procedure for human malaria using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and the MinION™ nanopore sequencer. We generated specific LAMP primers targeting the 18S-rRNA gene of all five human Plasmodium species including two P. ovale subspecies (P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale wallikeri, P. ovale curtisi, P. knowlesi and P. malariae) and examined human blood samples collected from 63 malaria patients in Indonesia. Additionally, we performed amplicon sequencing of our LAMP products using MinION™ nanopore sequencer to identify each Plasmodium species. Our LAMP method allowed amplification of all targeted 18S-rRNA genes of the reference plasmids with detection limits of 10-100 copies per reaction. Among the 63 clinical samples, 54 and 55 samples were positive by nested PCR and our LAMP method, respectively. Identification of the Plasmodium species by LAMP amplicon sequencing analysis using the MinION™ was consistent with the reference plasmid sequences and the results of nested PCR. Our diagnostic method combined with LAMP and MinION™ could become a simple and accurate tool for the identification of human Plasmodium species, even in resource-limited situations.
Duan, Yabing; Zhang, Xiaoke; Ge, Changyan; Wang, Yong; Cao, Junhong; Jia, Xiaojing; Wang, Jianxin; Zhou, Mingguo
2014-01-01
Resistance of Fusarium graminearum to carbendazim is caused by point mutations in the β2-tubulin gene. The point mutation at codon 167 (TTT → TAT, F167Y) occurs in more than 90% of field resistant isolates in China. To establish a suitable method for rapid detection of the F167Y mutation in F. graminearum, an efficient and simple method with high specificity was developed based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). A set of four primers was designed and optimized to specially distinguish the F167Y mutation genotype. The LAMP reaction was optimal at 63°C for 60 min. When hydroxynaphthol blue dye (HNB) was added prior to amplification, samples with DNA of the F167Y mutation developed a characteristic sky blue color after the reaction but those without DNA or with different DNA did not. Results of HNB staining method were reconfirmed by gel electrophoresis. The developed LAMP had good specificity, stability and repeatability and was suitable for monitoring carbendazim-resistance populations of F. graminearum in agricultural production. PMID:25403277
Molecular diagnosis of protozoan parasites by Recombinase Polymerase Amplification.
Castellanos-Gonzalez, A; White, A C; Melby, P; Travi, B
2018-06-01
Infections caused by protozoan parasites affect millions of people around the world. Traditionally, diagnosis was made by microscopy, which is insensitive and in some cases not specific. Molecular methods are highly sensitive and specific, but equipment costs and personnel training limit its availability only to specialized centers, usually far from populations with the highest risk of infection. Inexpensive methods that can be applied at the point of care (POC), especially in places with limited health infrastructure, would be a major advantage. Isothermal amplification of nucleic acids does not require thermocyclers and is relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Among isothermal methods, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is sensitive and potentially applicable at POC. We and others have developed RPA diagnostic tests to detect protozoan parasites of medical importance. Overall, our results have shown high specificity with limits of detection similar to PCR. Currently, the optimization of RPA for use at the POC is under development, and in the near future the tests should become available to detect protozoan infections in the field. In this review we discuss the current status, challenges, and future of RPA in the field of molecular diagnosis of protozoan parasites. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nagai, Satoshi; Itakura, Shigeru
2012-09-01
In this study, we succeeded in developing a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method that enables sensitive and specific detection of the toxic marine dinoflagellates Alexandrium tamarense and Alexandrium catenella from single cells of both laboratory cultures and naturally blooming cells within 25 min, by monitoring the turbidimeter from the start of the LAMP reaction. The fluorescence intensity was strong enough to allow discrimination between positive and negative results by naked eye under a UV lamp, even in amplified samples from a single cell, by using the LAMP method. Unambiguous detection by naked eye was possible even in half the volume of LAMP cocktail recommended by the manufacturer, suggesting the potential to significantly reduce the cost of Alexandrium monitoring. Therefore, we can conclude that this method is one of the most convenient, sensitive, and cost-effective molecular tools for Alexandrium monitoring. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Yang, Bo-Yun; Liu, Xiao-Lu; Wei, Yu-Mei; Wang, Jing-Qi; He, Xiao-Qing; Jin, Yi; Wang, Zi-Jian
2014-02-14
The aim of this paper was to develop a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for rapid, sensitive and inexpensive detection of astrovirus. The detection limit of LAMP using in vitro RNA transcripts was 3.6 × 10 copies·μL⁻¹, which is as sensitive as the presently used PCR assays. However, the LAMP products could be identified as different colors with the naked eye following staining with hydroxynaphthol blue dye (HNB). No cross-reactivity with other gastroenteric viruses (rotavirus and norovirus) was observed, indicating the relatively high specificity of LAMP. The RT-LAMP method with HNB was used to effectively detect astrovirus in reclaimed water samples. The LAMP technique described in this study is a cheap, sensitive, specific and rapid method for the detection of astrovirus. The RT-LAMP method can be simply applied for the specific detection of astrovirus and has the potential to be utilized in the field as a screening test.
Cao, Zengguo; Wang, Hualei; Wang, Lina; Li, Ling; Jin, Hongli; Xu, Changping; Feng, Na; Wang, Jianzhong; Li, Qian; Zhao, Yongkun; Wang, Tiecheng; Gao, Yuwei; Lu, Yiyu; Yang, Songtao; Xia, Xianzhu
2016-01-01
West Nile virus (WNV) causes a severe zoonosis, which can lead to a large number of casualties and considerable economic losses. A rapid and accurate identification method for WNV for use in field laboratories is urgently needed. Here, a method utilizing reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with a vertical flow visualization strip (RT-LAMP-VF) was developed to detect the envelope (E) gene of WNV. The RT-LAMP-VF assay could detect 10(2) copies/μl of an WNV RNA standard using a 40 min amplification reaction followed by a 2 min incubation of the amplification product on the visualization strip, and no cross-reaction with other closely related members of the Flavivirus genus was observed. The assay was further evaluated using cells and mouse brain tissues infected with a recombinant rabies virus expressing the E protein of WNV. The assay produced sensitivities of 10(1.5) TCID50/ml and 10(1.33) TCID50/ml for detection of the recombinant virus in the cells and brain tissues, respectively. Overall, the RT-LAMP-VF assay developed in this study is rapid, simple and effective, and it is therefore suitable for clinical application in the field.
[Synthesis of Circular DNA Templates with T4 RNA Ligase for Rolling Circle Amplification].
Sakhabutdinova, A R; Maksimova, M A; Garafutdinov, R R
2017-01-01
Currently, isothermal methods of nucleic acid amplification have been well established; in particular, rolling circle amplification is of great interest. In this approach, circular ssDNA molecules have been used as a target that can be obtained by the intramolecular template-dependent ligation of an oligonucleotide C-probe. Here, a new method of synthesizing small circular DNA molecules via the cyclization of ssDNA based on T4 RNA ligase has been proposed. Circular ssDNA is further used as the template for the rolling circle amplification. The maximum yield of the cyclization products was observed in the presence of 5-10% polyethylene glycol 4000, and the optimum DNA length for the cyclization constituted 50 nucleotides. This highly sensitive method was shown to detect less than 10^(2) circular DNA molecules. The method reliability was proved based on artificially destroyed dsDNA, which suggests its implementation for analyzing any significantly fragmented dsDNA.
Chen, Jiyun; Xu, Xiaomin; Huang, Zhimei; Luo, Yuan; Tang, Lijuan; Jiang, Jian-Hui
2018-01-02
A novel dNAD platform (BEAMing LAMP) by combining emulsion micro-reactors, single-molecule magnetic capture and on-bead loop-mediated isothermal amplification has been developed for DNA detection, which enables absolute and high-precision quantification of a target with a detection limit of 300 copies.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
A molecular diagnostic assay utilizing reverse transcription-recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA) at an isothermal constant temperature of 39 °C and target-specific primers and probe were developed for the rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of tomato chlorotic dwarf viroid (TCDVd) in ...
Heers, Teresa; van Neer, Abbo; Becker, André; Grilo, Miguel Luca; Siebert, Ursula; Abdulmawjood, Amir
2017-01-01
Carcasses of wild animals are often visited by different scavengers. However, determining which scavenger caused certain types of bite marks is particularly difficult and knowledge thereof is lacking. Therefore, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (target sequence cytochrome b) was developed to detect red fox DNA in carcasses of harbour porpoises. The MSwab™ method for direct testing without prior DNA isolation was validated. As a detection device, the portable real-time fluorometer Genie® II was used, which yields rapid results and can be used in field studies without huge laboratory equipment. In addition to in vitro evaluation and validation, a stranded and scavenged harbour porpoise carcass was successfully examined for red fox DNA residues. The developed LAMP method is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming presumable red fox bite wounds in harbour porpoises without further DNA isolation steps.
Wang, Deguo; Liu, Yanhong
2015-05-26
Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus agalactiae are the three main pathogens causing bovine mastitis, with great losses to the dairy industry. Rapid and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification methods (LAMP) for identification and differentiation of these three pathogens are not available. With the 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacers as targets, four sets of LAMP primers were designed for identification and differentiation of S. dysgalactiae, S. uberis and S. agalactiae. The detection limit of all four LAMP primer sets were 0.1 pg DNA template per reaction, the LAMP method with 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacers as the targets can differentiate the three pathogens, which is potentially useful in epidemiological studies.
Hobo, Seiji; Niwa, Hidekazu; Oku, Kazuomi
2012-03-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) constitutes a potentially valuable diagnostic tool for rapid diagnosis of contagious diseases. In this study, we developed a novel LAMP method (seM-LAMP) to detect the seM gene of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi (S. equi), the causative agent of strangles in equids. The seM-LAMP successfully amplified the target sequence of the seM gene at 63°C within 60 min. The sensitivity of the seM-LAMP was slightly lower than the 2nd reaction of the seM semi-nested PCR. To evaluate the species specificity of the seM-LAMP, we tested 100 S. equi and 189 non-S. equi strains. Significant amplification of the DNA originating from S. equi was observed within 60 min incubation, but no amplification of non-S. equi DNA occurred. The results were identical to those of seM semi-nested PCR. To investigate the clinical usefulness of the methods, the seM-LAMP and the seM semi-nested PCR were used to screen 590 nasal swabs obtained during an outbreak of strangles. Both methods showed that 79 and 511 swabs were S. equi positive and negative, respectively, and the results were identical to those of the culture examination. These results indicate that the seM-LAMP is potentially useful for the reliable routine diagnosis of Streptococcus equi subsp. equi infections.
Bühlmann, Andreas; Pothier, Joël F; Rezzonico, Fabio; Smits, Theo H M; Andreou, Michael; Boonham, Neil; Duffy, Brion; Frey, Jürg E
2013-03-01
Several molecular methods have been developed for the detection of Erwinia amylovora, the causal agent of fire blight in pear and apple, but none are truly applicable for on-site use in the field. We developed a fast, reliable and field applicable detection method using a novel target on the E. amylovora chromosome that we identified by applying a comparative genomic pipeline. The target coding sequences (CDSs) are both uniquely specific for and all-inclusive of E. amylovora genotypes. This avoids potential false negatives that can occur with most commonly used methods based on amplification of plasmid gene targets, which can vary among strains. Loop-mediated isothermal AMPlification (LAMP) with OptiGene Genie II chemistry and instrumentation proved to be an exceptionally rapid (under 15 min) and robust method for detecting E. amylovora in orchards, as well as simple to use in the plant diagnostic laboratory. Comparative validation results using plant samples from inoculated greenhouse trials and from natural field infections (of regional and temporal diverse origin) showed that our LAMP had an equivalent or greater performance regarding sensitivity, specificity, speed and simplicity than real-time PCR (TaqMan), other LAMP assays, immunoassays and plating, demonstrating its utility for routine testing. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nzelu, Chukwunonso O; Gomez, Eduardo A; Cáceres, Abraham G; Sakurai, Tatsuya; Martini-Robles, Luiggi; Uezato, Hiroshi; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Katakura, Ken; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa; Kato, Hirotomo
2014-04-01
Entomological monitoring of Leishmania infection in leishmaniasis endemic areas offers epidemiologic advantages for predicting the risk and expansion of the disease, as well as evaluation of the effectiveness of control programs. In this study, we developed a highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the mass screening of sand flies for Leishmania infection based on the 18S rRNA gene. The LAMP technique could detect 0.01 parasites, which was more sensitive than classical PCR. The method was robust and could amplify the target DNA within 1h from a crude sand fly template without DNA purification. Amplicon detection could be accomplished by the newly developed colorimetric malachite green (MG)--mediated naked eye visualization. Pre-addition of MG to the LAMP reaction solution did not inhibit amplification efficiency. The field applicability of the colorimetric MG-based LAMP assay was demonstrated with 397 field-caught samples from the endemic areas of Ecuador and eight positive sand flies were detected. The robustness, superior sensitivity, and ability to produce better visual discriminatory reaction products than existing LAMP fluorescence and turbidity assays indicated the field potential usefulness of this new method for surveillance and epidemiological studies of leishmaniasis in developing countries. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Kurosaki, Yohei; Magassouba, N’Faly; Oloniniyi, Olamide K.; Cherif, Mahamoud S.; Sakabe, Saori; Takada, Ayato; Hirayama, Kenji; Yasuda, Jiro
2016-01-01
Given the current absence of specific drugs or vaccines for Ebola virus disease (EVD), rapid, sensitive, and reliable diagnostic methods are required to stem the transmission chain of the disease. We have developed a rapid detection assay for Zaire ebolavirus based on reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and coupled with a novel portable isothermal amplification and detection platform. The RT-LAMP assay is based on primer sets that target the untranscribed trailer region or nucleoprotein coding region of the viral RNA. The test could specifically detect viral RNAs of Central and West African Ebola virus strains within 15 minutes with no cross-reactivity to other hemorrhagic fever viruses and arboviruses, which cause febrile disease. The assay was evaluated using a total of 100 clinical specimens (serum, n = 44; oral swab, n = 56) collected from suspected EVD cases in Guinea. The specificity of this diagnostic test was 100% for both primer sets, while the sensitivity was 100% and 97.9% for the trailer and nucleoprotein primer sets, respectively, compared with a reference standard RT-PCR test. These observations suggest that our diagnostic assay is useful for identifying EVD cases, especially in the field or in settings with insufficient infrastructure. PMID:26900929
Kurosaki, Yohei; Magassouba, N'Faly; Oloniniyi, Olamide K; Cherif, Mahamoud S; Sakabe, Saori; Takada, Ayato; Hirayama, Kenji; Yasuda, Jiro
2016-02-01
Given the current absence of specific drugs or vaccines for Ebola virus disease (EVD), rapid, sensitive, and reliable diagnostic methods are required to stem the transmission chain of the disease. We have developed a rapid detection assay for Zaire ebolavirus based on reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and coupled with a novel portable isothermal amplification and detection platform. The RT-LAMP assay is based on primer sets that target the untranscribed trailer region or nucleoprotein coding region of the viral RNA. The test could specifically detect viral RNAs of Central and West African Ebola virus strains within 15 minutes with no cross-reactivity to other hemorrhagic fever viruses and arboviruses, which cause febrile disease. The assay was evaluated using a total of 100 clinical specimens (serum, n = 44; oral swab, n = 56) collected from suspected EVD cases in Guinea. The specificity of this diagnostic test was 100% for both primer sets, while the sensitivity was 100% and 97.9% for the trailer and nucleoprotein primer sets, respectively, compared with a reference standard RT-PCR test. These observations suggest that our diagnostic assay is useful for identifying EVD cases, especially in the field or in settings with insufficient infrastructure.
Li, Jing-Jian; Xiong, Chao; Liu, Yue; Liang, Jun-Song; Zhou, Xing-Wen
2016-01-01
Correct identification of medicinal plant ingredients is essential for their safe use and for the regulation of herbal drug supply chain. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a recently developed approach to identify herbal medicine species. This novel molecular biology technique enables timely and accurate testing, especially in settings where infrastructures to support polymerase chain reaction facilities are lacking. Studies that used this method have altered our view on the extent and complexity of herbal medicine identification. In this review, we give an introduction into LAMP analysis, covers the basic principles and important aspects in the development of LAMP analysis method. Then we presented a critical review of the application of LAMP-based methods in detecting and identifying raw medicinal plant materials and their processed products. We also provide a practical standard operating procedure (SOP) for the utilization of the LAMP protocol in herbal authentication, and consider the prospects of LAMP technology in the future developments of herbal medicine identification and the challenges associated with its application.
Abdulmawjood, Amir; Grabowski, Nils; Fohler, Svenja; Kittler, Sophie; Nagengast, Helga; Klein, Guenter
2014-01-01
Animal species identification is one of the primary duties of official food control. Since ostrich meat is difficult to be differentiated macroscopically from beef, therefore new analytical methods are needed. To enforce labeling regulations for the authentication of ostrich meat, it might be of importance to develop and evaluate a rapid and reliable assay. In the present study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay based on the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial DNA of the species Struthio camelus was developed. The LAMP assay was used in combination with a real-time fluorometer. The developed system allowed the detection of 0.01% ostrich meat products. In parallel, a direct swab method without nucleic acid extraction using the HYPLEX LPTV buffer was also evaluated. This rapid processing method allowed detection of ostrich meat without major incubation steps. In summary, the LAMP assay had excellent sensitivity and specificity for detecting ostrich meat and could provide a sampling-to-result identification-time of 15 to 20 minutes. PMID:24963709
Li, Jing-jian; Xiong, Chao; Liu, Yue; Liang, Jun-song; Zhou, Xing-wen
2016-01-01
Correct identification of medicinal plant ingredients is essential for their safe use and for the regulation of herbal drug supply chain. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a recently developed approach to identify herbal medicine species. This novel molecular biology technique enables timely and accurate testing, especially in settings where infrastructures to support polymerase chain reaction facilities are lacking. Studies that used this method have altered our view on the extent and complexity of herbal medicine identification. In this review, we give an introduction into LAMP analysis, covers the basic principles and important aspects in the development of LAMP analysis method. Then we presented a critical review of the application of LAMP-based methods in detecting and identifying raw medicinal plant materials and their processed products. We also provide a practical standard operating procedure (SOP) for the utilization of the LAMP protocol in herbal authentication, and consider the prospects of LAMP technology in the future developments of herbal medicine identification and the challenges associated with its application. PMID:28082999
Digital LAMP in a sample self-digitization (SD) chip
Herrick, Alison M.; Dimov, Ivan K.; Lee, Luke P.; Chiu, Daniel T.
2012-01-01
This paper describes the realization of digital loop-mediated DNA amplification (dLAMP) in a sample self-digitization (SD) chip. Digital DNA amplification has become an attractive technique to quantify absolute concentrations of DNA in a sample. While digital polymerase chain reaction is still the most widespread implementation, its use in resource—limited settings is impeded by the need for thermal cycling and robust temperature control. In such situations, isothermal protocols that can amplify DNA or RNA without thermal cycling are of great interest. Here, we showed the successful amplification of single DNA molecules in a stationary droplet array using isothermal digital loop-mediated DNA amplification. Unlike most (if not all) existing methods for sample discretization, our design allows for automated, loss-less digitization of sample volumes on-chip. We demonstrated accurate quantification of relative and absolute DNA concentrations with sample volumes of less than 2 μl. We assessed the homogeneity of droplet size during sample self-digitization in our device, and verified that the size variation was small enough such that straightforward counting of LAMP-active droplets sufficed for data analysis. We anticipate that the simplicity and robustness of our SD chip make it attractive as an inexpensive and easy-to-operate device for DNA amplification, for example in point-of-care settings. PMID:22399016
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for detecting Sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) and Sorghum mosaic virus (SrMV) in sugarcane. Six sets of four primers corresponding to the conserved coat protein gene were designed for each virus and their succ...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Grey Leaf Spot (GLS) is a detrimental disease of perennial ryegrass caused by a host-specialized form of Magnaporthe oryzae (Mot). In order to improve turf management, a quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay coupled with a simple spore trap is being developed to monitor GL...
Sun, Yuanyuan; Tian, Hui; Liu, Chenghui; Sun, Yueying; Li, Zhengping
2017-10-05
A novel one-step microRNA assay is developed based on a target-triggered loop-mediated isothermal amplification (TT-LAMP) mechanism, which enables the accurate detection of as low as 100 aM (1 zmol) microRNA with simple one-step operation by using only one-type of DNA polymerase.
Zhang, Decai; Wang, Weijia; Dong, Qian; Huang, Yunxiu; Wen, Dongmei; Mu, Yuejing; Yuan, Yong
2017-12-21
An isothermal colorimetric method is described for amplified detection of the CaMV 35S promoter sequence in genetically modified organism (GMO). It is based on (a) target DNA-triggered unlabeled molecular beacon (UMB) termini binding, and (b) exonuclease III (Exo III)-assisted target recycling, and (c) hemin/G-quadruplex (DNAzyme) based signal amplification. The specific binding of target to the G-quadruplex sequence-locked UMB triggers the digestion of Exo III. This, in turn, releases an active G-quadruplex segment and target DNA for successive hybridization and cleavage. The Exo III impellent recycling of targets produces numerous G-quadruplex sequences. These further associate with hemin to form DNAzymes and hence will catalyze H 2 O 2 -mediated oxidation of the chromogenic enzyme substrate ABTS 2- causing the formation of a green colored product. This finding enables a sensitive colorimetric determination of GMO DNA (at an analytical wavelength of 420 nm) at concentrations as low as 0.23 nM. By taking advantage of isothermal incubation, this method does not require sophisticated equipment or complicated syntheses. Analyses can be performed within 90 min. The method also discriminates single base mismatches. In our perception, it has a wide scope in that it may be applied to the detection of many other GMOs. Graphical abstract An isothermal and sensitive colorimetric method is described for amplified detection of CaMV 35S promoter sequence in genetically modified organism (GMO). It is based on target DNA-triggered molecular beacon (UMB) termini-binding and exonuclease III assisted target recycling, and on hemin/G-quadruplex (DNAzyme) signal amplification.
Nunes, Marcio R T; Vianez, João Lídio; Nunes, Keley N B; da Silva, Sandro Patroca; Lima, Clayton P S; Guzman, Hilda; Martins, Lívia C; Carvalho, Valéria L; Tesh, Robert B; Vasconcelos, Pedro F C
2015-12-15
Yellow Fever virus (YFV) is an important human pathogen in tropical areas of Africa and South America. Although an efficient vaccine is available and has been used since the early 1940s, sylvatic YFV transmission still occurs in forested areas where anthropogenic actions are present, such as mineral extraction, rearing livestock and agriculture, and ecological tourism. In this context, two distinct techniques based on the RT-PCR derived method have been previously developed, however both methods are expensive due to the use of thermo cyclers and labeled probes. We developed isothermal genome amplification, which is a rapid, sensitive, specific and low cost molecular approach for YFV genome detection. This assay used a set of degenerate primers designed for the NS1 gene and was able to amplify, within 30 min in isothermal conditions, the YFV 17D vaccine strain derived from an African wild prototype strain (Asibi), as well as field strains from Brazil, other endemic countries from South and Central America, and the Caribbean. The generic RT-LAMP assay could be helpful for YFV surveillance in field and rapid response during outbreaks in endemic areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
A self-heating cartridge for molecular diagnostics.
Liu, Changchun; Mauk, Michael G; Hart, Robert; Qiu, Xianbo; Bau, Haim H
2011-08-21
A disposable, water-activated, self-heating, easy-to-use, polymeric cartridge for isothermal nucleic acid amplification and visual fluorescent detection of the amplification products is described. The device is self-contained and does not require any special instruments to operate. The cartridge integrates chemical, water-triggered, exothermic heating with temperature regulation facilitated with a phase-change material (PCM) and isothermal nucleic acid amplification. The water flows into the exothermic reactor by wicking through a porous paper. The porous paper's characteristics control the rate of water supply, which in turn controls the rate of exothermic reaction. The PCM material enables the cartridge to maintain a desired temperature independent of ambient temperatures in the range between 20 °C and 40 °C. The utility of the cartridge is demonstrated by amplifying and detecting Escherichia coli DNA with loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The device can detect consistently as few as 10 target molecules in the sample. With proper modifications, the cartridge also can work with other isothermal nucleic acid amplification technologies for detecting nucleic acids associated with various pathogens borne in blood, saliva, urine, and other body fluids as well as in water and food. The device is suitable for use at home, in the field, and in poor-resource settings, where access to sophisticated laboratories is impractical, unaffordable, or nonexistent. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011
Chen, Xiaoyun; Wang, Xiaofu; Jin, Nuo; Zhou, Yu; Huang, Sainan; Miao, Qingmei; Zhu, Qing; Xu, Junfeng
2012-11-07
Genetically modified (GM) rice KMD1, TT51-1, and KF6 are three of the most well known transgenic Bt rice lines in China. A rapid and sensitive molecular assay for risk assessment of GM rice is needed. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), currently the most common method for detecting genetically modified organisms, requires temperature cycling and relatively complex procedures. Here we developed a visual and rapid loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to amplify three GM rice event-specific junction sequences. Target DNA was amplified and visualized by two indicators (SYBR green or hydroxy naphthol blue [HNB]) within 60 min at an isothermal temperature of 63 °C. Different kinds of plants were selected to ensure the specificity of detection and the results of the non-target samples were negative, indicating that the primer sets for the three GM rice varieties had good levels of specificity. The sensitivity of LAMP, with detection limits at low concentration levels (0.01%−0.005% GM), was 10- to 100-fold greater than that of conventional PCR. Additionally, the LAMP assay coupled with an indicator (SYBR green or HNB) facilitated analysis. These findings revealed that the rapid detection method was suitable as a simple field-based test to determine the status of GM crops.
Xu, Chao; Li, Liang; Jin, Wujun; Wan, Yusong
2014-01-01
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that enables the amplification of DNA within 30 min at a constant temperature of 37–42 °C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. In this study, based on the regulatory sequence of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV-35S) promoter and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase gene (nos) terminator, which are widely incorporated in genetically modified (GM) crops, we designed two sets of RPA primers and established a real-time RPA detection method for GM crop screening and detection. This method could reliably detect as few as 100 copies of the target molecule in a sample within 15–25 min. Furthermore, the real-time RPA detection method was successfully used to amplify and detect DNA from samples of four major GM crops (maize, rice, cotton, and soybean). With this novel amplification method, the test time was significantly shortened and the reaction process was simplified; thus, this method represents an effective approach to the rapid detection of GM crops. PMID:25310647
Xu, Chao; Li, Liang; Jin, Wujun; Wan, Yusong
2014-10-10
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that enables the amplification of DNA within 30 min at a constant temperature of 37-42 °C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. In this study, based on the regulatory sequence of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV-35S) promoter and the Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase gene (nos) terminator, which are widely incorporated in genetically modified (GM) crops, we designed two sets of RPA primers and established a real-time RPA detection method for GM crop screening and detection. This method could reliably detect as few as 100 copies of the target molecule in a sample within 15-25 min. Furthermore, the real-time RPA detection method was successfully used to amplify and detect DNA from samples of four major GM crops (maize, rice, cotton, and soybean). With this novel amplification method, the test time was significantly shortened and the reaction process was simplified; thus, this method represents an effective approach to the rapid detection of GM crops.
Zhang, Hui; Wang, Zhen; Cao, Xudong; Wang, Zhengrong; Sheng, Jinliang; Wang, Yong; Zhang, Jing; Li, Zhiqiang; Gu, Xinli; Chen, Chuangfu
2016-11-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a highly sensitive, rapid, cost-effective nucleic acid amplification method. Tuberculosis (TB) is widely popular in the world and it is difficult to cure. The fundamental treatment is to clear the types of TB pathogens such as Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis), Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis). In order to detect and diagnose TB early, we constructed the differential diagnostic method of TB. In this study, we used LAMP for detection of M. bovis, based on amplification of the mpb70 gene which is a unique gene in M. bovis strain. The LAMP assay was able to detect only seven copies of the gene per reaction, whereas for the conventional PCR, it was 70 copies. The LAMP was evaluated for its specificity using six strains of five Mycobacterium species and 18 related non-Mycobacterium microorganism strains as controls. The target three Mycobacterium strains were all amplified, and no cross-reaction was found with 18 non-Mycobacterium microorganism strains. TB was detected by two methods, LAMP and conventional PCR (based on mpb70 gene); the positive rates of the two methods were 9.55 and 7.01 %, respectively. Our results indicate that the LAMP method should be a potential tool with high convenience, rapidity, sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of TB caused by M. bovis. Most importance is that the use of LAMP as diagnostic method in association with diagnostic tests based on mpb70 gene would allow the differentiation between M. bovis and other Mycobacterium in humans or animals. The LAMP method is actually in order to detect human TB, and it can be used for differential diagnosis in this paper.
Su, Zi Dan; Shi, Cheng Yin; Huang, Jie; Shen, Gui Ming; Li, Jin; Wang, Sheng Qiang; Fan, Chao
2015-09-26
Red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) is an important pathogen that causes diseases in many species of fish in marine aquaculture. The larvae and juveniles are more easily infected by RGNNV and the cumulative mortality is as high as 100 % after being infected with RGNNV. This virus imposes a serious threat to aquaculture of grouper fry. This study aimed to establish a simple, accurate and highly sensitive method for rapid detection of RGNNV on the spot. In this study, the primers specifically targeting RGNNV were designed and cross-priming isothermal amplification (CPA) system was established. The product amplified by CPA was detected through visualization with lateral flow dipstick (LFD). Three important parameters, including the amplification temperature, the concentration of dNTPs and the concentration of Mg(2+) for the CPA system, were optimized. The sensitivity and specificity of this method for RGNNV were tested and compared with those of the conventional RT-PCR and real-time quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR). The optimized conditions for the CPA amplification system were determined as follows: the optimal amplification temperature, the optimized concentration of dNTPs and the concentration for Mg(2+) were 69 °C, 1.2 mmol/L and 5 mmol/L, respectively. The lowest limit of detection (LLOD) of this method for RGNNV was 10(1) copies/μL of RNA sample, which was 10 times lower than that of conventional RT-PCR and comparable to that of RT-qPCR. This method was specific for RGNNV in combination with SJNNV and had no cross-reactions with 8 types of virus and bacterial strains tested. This method was successfully applied to detect RGNNV in fish samples. This study established a CPA-LFD method for detection of RGNNV. This method is simple and rapid with high sensitivity and good specificity and can be widely applied for rapid detection of this virus on the spot.
Li, Junlong; Chen, Zhongping; Xiang, Yu; Zhou, Lili; Wang, Ting; Zhang, Zhang; Sun, Kexin; Yin, Dan; Li, Yi; Xie, Guoming
2016-12-15
Wnt7B gene plays an important role in the development and progression of breast cancer, gastric cancer, esophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer. While, the natural state of DNA is double stranded, which makes it difficult to be directly detected. Here, we develop an electrochemical biosensor method for Wnt7B gene detection without the need to denature the target. This method firstly used nicking enzyme for exploiting in the double-stranded DNA (dsDNA). Then, long single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was generated from the cutting site through polymerase extension reaction. Whereafter, the long ssDNA triggered a hairpin self-assembly recycling reaction, which gave rise to another isothermal amplification reaction. Last, short ssDNA was formed after the this amplification process, which could hybridize with the capture probe immobilized on Au electrode and result in signal variation. This method showed excellent analytical performance for dsDNA, of which the linear range was 2fM to 500pM and the detection limit was 1.6fM (S/N=3). It also showed an good results when applied to the real sample of Wnt7B gene detection. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Kong, Xiangjiu; Qin, Wentao; Huang, Xiaoqing; Kong, Fanfang; Schoen, Cor D.; Feng, Jie; Wang, Zhongyue; Zhang, Hao
2016-01-01
A rapid LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal amplification) detection method was developed on the basis of the ITS sequence of P. viticola, the major causal agent of grape downy mildew. Among the 38 fungal and oomycete species tested, DNA isolated exclusively from P. viticola resulted in a specific product after LAMP amplification. This assay had high sensitivity and was able to detect the presence of less than 33 fg of genomic DNA per 25-μL reaction within 30 min. The infected leaves may produce sporangia that serve as a secondary inoculum. The developed LAMP assay is efficient for estimating the latent infection of grape leaves by P. viticola. When combined with the rapid and simple DNA extraction method, this assay’s total detection time is shortened to approximately one hour; therefore it is suitable for on-site detection of latent infection in the field. The sporangia levels in the air are strongly associated with disease severity. The LAMP method was also demonstrated to be able to estimate the level of sporangia released in the air in a certain period. This assay should make disease forecasting more accurate and rapid and should be helpful in decision-making regarding the control of grape downy mildew. PMID:27363943
A Simple Method for Amplifying RNA Targets (SMART)
McCalla, Stephanie E.; Ong, Carmichael; Sarma, Aartik; Opal, Steven M.; Artenstein, Andrew W.; Tripathi, Anubhav
2012-01-01
We present a novel and simple method for amplifying RNA targets (named by its acronym, SMART), and for detection, using engineered amplification probes that overcome existing limitations of current RNA-based technologies. This system amplifies and detects optimal engineered ssDNA probes that hybridize to target RNA. The amplifiable probe-target RNA complex is captured on magnetic beads using a sequence-specific capture probe and is separated from unbound probe using a novel microfluidic technique. Hybridization sequences are not constrained as they are in conventional target-amplification reactions such as nucleic acid sequence amplification (NASBA). Our engineered ssDNA probe was amplified both off-chip and in a microchip reservoir at the end of the separation microchannel using isothermal NASBA. Optimal solution conditions for ssDNA amplification were investigated. Although KCl and MgCl2 are typically found in NASBA reactions, replacing 70 mmol/L of the 82 mmol/L total chloride ions with acetate resulted in optimal reaction conditions, particularly for low but clinically relevant probe concentrations (≤100 fmol/L). With the optimal probe design and solution conditions, we also successfully removed the initial heating step of NASBA, thus achieving a true isothermal reaction. The SMART assay using a synthetic model influenza DNA target sequence served as a fundamental demonstration of the efficacy of the capture and microfluidic separation system, thus bridging our system to a clinically relevant detection problem. PMID:22691910
Barreda-García, Susana; Miranda-Castro, Rebeca; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Miranda-Ordieres, Arturo J; Lobo-Castañón, María Jesús
2018-01-01
Highly sensitive testing of nucleic acids is essential to improve the detection of pathogens, which pose a major threat for public health worldwide. Currently available molecular assays, mainly based on PCR, have a limited utility in point-of-need control or resource-limited settings. Consequently, there is a strong interest in developing cost-effective, robust, and portable platforms for early detection of these harmful microorganisms. Since its description in 2004, isothermal helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) has been successfully applied in the development of novel molecular-based technologies for rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of viruses and bacteria. In this review, we highlight relevant analytical systems using this simple nucleic acid amplification methodology that takes place at a constant temperature and that is readily compatible with microfluidic technologies. Different strategies for monitoring HDA amplification products are described. In addition, we present technological advances for integrating sample preparation, HDA amplification, and detection. Future perspectives and challenges toward point-of-need use not only for clinical diagnosis but also in food safety testing and environmental monitoring are also discussed. Graphical Abstract Expanding the analytical toolbox for the detection of DNA sequences specific of pathogens with isothermal helicase dependent amplification (HDA).
Moura-Melo, Suely; Miranda-Castro, Rebeca; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Miranda-Ordieres, Arturo J; Dos Santos Junior, J Ribeiro; da Silva Fonseca, Rosana A; Lobo-Castañón, Maria Jesús
2015-08-18
Cultivation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their use in food and feed is constantly expanding; thus, the question of informing consumers about their presence in food has proven of significant interest. The development of sensitive, rapid, robust, and reliable methods for the detection of GMOs is crucial for proper food labeling. In response, we have experimentally characterized the helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (HDA) and sequence-specific detection of a transgene from the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S Promoter (CaMV35S), inserted into most transgenic plants. HDA is one of the simplest approaches for DNA amplification, emulating the bacterial replication machinery, and resembling PCR but under isothermal conditions. However, it usually suffers from a lack of selectivity, which is due to the accumulation of spurious amplification products. To improve the selectivity of HDA, which makes the detection of amplification products more reliable, we have developed an electrochemical platform targeting the central sequence of HDA copies of the transgene. A binary monolayer architecture is built onto a thin gold film where, upon the formation of perfect nucleic acid duplexes with the amplification products, these are enzyme-labeled and electrochemically transduced. The resulting combined system increases genosensor detectability up to 10(6)-fold, allowing Yes/No detection of GMOs with a limit of detection of ∼30 copies of the CaMV35S genomic DNA. A set of general utility rules in the design of genosensors for detection of HDA amplicons, which may assist in the development of point-of-care tests, is also included. The method provides a versatile tool for detecting nucleic acids with extremely low abundance not only for food safety control but also in the diagnostics and environmental control areas.
2014-01-01
Background The aim of this paper was to develop a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for rapid, sensitive and inexpensive detection of astrovirus. Results The detection limit of LAMP using in vitro RNA transcripts was 3.6×10 copies·μL-1, which is as sensitive as the presently used PCR assays. However, the LAMP products could be identified as different colors with the naked eye following staining with hydroxynaphthol blue dye (HNB). No cross-reactivity with other gastroenteric viruses (rotavirus and norovirus) was observed, indicating the relatively high specificity of LAMP. The RT-LAMP method with HNB was used to effectively detect astrovirus in reclaimed water samples. Conclusions The LAMP technique described in this study is a cheap, sensitive, specific and rapid method for the detection of astrovirus. The RT-LAMP method can be simply applied for the specific detection of astrovirus and has the potential to be utilized in the field as a screening test. PMID:24524254
Bao, Hongmei; Zhao, Yuhui; Wang, Yunhe; Xu, Xiaolong; Shi, Jianzhong; Zeng, Xianying; Wang, Xiurong; Chen, Hualan
2014-01-01
A novel influenza A (H7N9) virus has emerged in China. To rapidly detect this virus from clinical samples, we developed a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for the detection of the H7N9 virus. The minimum detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was 0.01 PFU H7N9 virus, making this method 100-fold more sensitive to the detection of the H7N9 virus than conventional RT-PCR. The H7N9 virus RT-LAMP assays can efficiently detect different sources of H7N9 influenza virus RNA (from chickens, pigeons, the environment, and humans). No cross-reactive amplification with the RNA of other subtype influenza viruses or of other avian respiratory viruses was observed. The assays can effectively detect H7N9 influenza virus RNA in drinking water, soil, cloacal swab, and tracheal swab samples that were collected from live poultry markets, as well as human H7N9 virus, in less than 30 min. These results suggest that the H7N9 virus RT-LAMP assays were efficient, practical, and rapid diagnostic methods for the epidemiological surveillance and diagnosis of influenza A (H7N9) virus from different resource samples. PMID:24689044
Lucchi, Naomi W.; Ljolje, Dragan; Silva-Flannery, Luciana; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam
2016-01-01
Malaria elimination efforts are hampered by the lack of sensitive tools to detect infections with low-level parasitemia, usually below the threshold of standard diagnostic methods, microscopy and rapid diagnostic tests. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays such as the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are well suited for field use as they do not require thermal cyclers to run the test. However, the use of specialized equipment, as described by many groups, reduces the versatility of the LAMP technique as a simple tool for use in endemic countries. In this study, the use of the malachite green (MG) dye, as a visual endpoint readout, together with a simple mini heat block was evaluated for the detection of malaria parasites. The assay was performed for 1 hour at 63°C and the results scored by 3 independent human readers. The limit of detection of the assay was determined using well-quantified Plasmodium spp. infected reference samples and its utility in testing clinical samples was determined using 190 pre-treatment specimens submitted for reference diagnosis of imported malaria in the United States. Use of a simplified boil and spin methods of DNA extraction from whole blood and filter paper was also investigated. We demonstrate the accurate and sensitive detection of malaria parasites using this assay with a detection limit ranging between 1–8 parasites/μL, supporting its applicability for the detection of infections with low parasite burden. This assay is compatible with the use of a simple boil and spin sample preparation method from both whole blood and filter papers without a loss of sensitivity. The MG-LAMP assay described here has great potential to extend the reach of molecular tools to settings where they are needed. PMID:26967908
Zhu, Jing; Ding, Yongshun; Liu, Xingti; Wang, Lei; Jiang, Wei
2014-09-15
Highly sensitive and selective detection strategy for single-base mutations is essential for risk assessment of malignancy and disease prognosis. In this work, a fluorescent detection method for single-base mutation was proposed based on high selectivity of toehold-mediated strand displacement reaction (TSDR) and powerful signal amplification capability of isothermal DNA amplification. A discrimination probe was specially designed with a stem-loop structure and an overhanging toehold domain. Hybridization between the toehold domain and the perfect matched target initiated the TSDR along with the unfolding of the discrimination probe. Subsequently, the target sequence acted as a primer to initiate the polymerization and nicking reactions, which released a great abundant of short sequences. Finally, the released strands were annealed with the reporter probe, launching another polymerization and nicking reaction to produce lots of G-quadruplex DNA, which could bind the N-methyl mesoporphyrin IX to yield an enhanced fluorescence response. However, when there was even a single base mismatch in the target DNA, the TSDR was suppressed and so subsequent isothermal DNA amplification and fluorescence response process could not occur. The proposed approach has been successfully implemented for the identification of the single-base mutant sequences in the human KRAS gene with a detection limit of 1.8 pM. Furthermore, a recovery of 90% was obtained when detecting the target sequence in spiked HeLa cells lysate, demonstrating the feasibility of this detection strategy for single-base mutations in biological samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Thai, Hong Thi Cam; Le, Mai Quynh; Vuong, Cuong Duc; Parida, Manmohan; Minekawa, Harumi; Notomi, Tsugunori; Hasebe, Futoshi; Morita, Kouichi
2004-01-01
The development and evaluation of a one-step single-tube accelerated real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT) loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay is reported for rapid detection of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) replicase gene. A total of 49 samples (15 throat washes, 13 throat swabs, and 21 combined throat and nasal swabs) collected from patients admitted to the Hanoi-French and Ninhbinh hospitals in Vietnam during the SARS epidemic were evaluated and compared to conventional RT-PCR. The RT-LAMP assay demonstrated 100-fold-greater sensitivity, with a detection limit of 0.01 PFU. The sensitivity and specificity of RT-LAMP assay for detecting viral RNA in clinical specimens with regard to RT-PCR were 100 and 87%, respectively. The specificity of the RT-LAMP assay was further validated by restriction analysis as well as nucleotide sequencing of the amplified product. The concentration of virus in most of the clinical samples was 0.1 PFU (0.1 to 102 PFU), as determined from the standard curve of SARS RT-LAMP and based on the time of positivity. The assay procedure is quite simple, wherein the amplification is carried out in a single tube under isothermal conditions at 63°C, and the result can be obtained in less than 1 h (as early as 11 min). Thus, the RT-LAMP assay reported here has the advantages of rapid amplification, simple operation, and easy detection and will be useful for rapid and reliable clinical diagnosis of SARS-CoV in developing countries. PMID:15131154
Yang, Qianru; Domesle, Kelly J.
2018-01-01
Abstract Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has become a powerful alternative to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for pathogen detection in clinical specimens and food matrices. Nontyphoidal Salmonella is a zoonotic pathogen of significant food and feed safety concern worldwide. The first study employing LAMP for the rapid detection of Salmonella was reported in 2005, 5 years after the invention of the LAMP technology in Japan. This review provides an overview of international efforts in the past decade on the development and application of Salmonella LAMP assays in a wide array of food and feed matrices. Recent progress in assay design, platform development, commercial application, and method validation is reviewed. Future perspectives toward more practical and wider applications of Salmonella LAMP assays in food and feed testing are discussed. PMID:29902082
Qiao, Tian-Min; Zhang, Jing; Li, Shu-Jiang; Han, Shan; Zhu, Tian-Hui
2016-10-01
Eucalyptus dieback disease, caused by Cylindrocladium scoparium , has occurred in last few years in large Eucalyptus planting areas in China and other countries. Rapid, simple, and reliable diagnostic techniques are desired for the early detection of Eucalyptus dieback of C. scoparium prior to formulation of efficient control plan. For this purpose, three PCR-based methods of nested PCR, multiplex PCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) were developed for detection of C. scoparium based on factor 1-alpha (tef1) and beta-tubulin gene in this study. All of the three methods showed highly specific to C. scoparium . The sensitivities of the nested PCR and LAMP were much higher than the multiplex PCR. The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was also higher than regular PCR. C. scoparium could be detected within 60 min from infected Eucalyptus plants by LAMP, while at least 2 h was needed by the rest two methods. Using different Eucalyptus tissues as samples for C. scoparium detection, all of the three PCR-based methods showed much better detection results than regular PCR. Base on the results from this study, we concluded that any of the three PCR-based methods could be used as diagnostic technology for the development of efficient strategies of Eucalyptus dieback disease control. Particularly, LAMP was the most practical method in field application because of its one-step and rapid reaction, simple operation, single-tube utilization, and simple visualization of amplification products.
Qiao, Tian-Min; Zhang, Jing; Li, Shu-Jiang; Han, Shan; Zhu, Tian-Hui
2016-01-01
Eucalyptus dieback disease, caused by Cylindrocladium scoparium, has occurred in last few years in large Eucalyptus planting areas in China and other countries. Rapid, simple, and reliable diagnostic techniques are desired for the early detection of Eucalyptus dieback of C. scoparium prior to formulation of efficient control plan. For this purpose, three PCR-based methods of nested PCR, multiplex PCR, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) were developed for detection of C. scoparium based on factor 1-alpha (tef1) and beta-tubulin gene in this study. All of the three methods showed highly specific to C. scoparium. The sensitivities of the nested PCR and LAMP were much higher than the multiplex PCR. The sensitivity of multiplex PCR was also higher than regular PCR. C. scoparium could be detected within 60 min from infected Eucalyptus plants by LAMP, while at least 2 h was needed by the rest two methods. Using different Eucalyptus tissues as samples for C. scoparium detection, all of the three PCR-based methods showed much better detection results than regular PCR. Base on the results from this study, we concluded that any of the three PCR-based methods could be used as diagnostic technology for the development of efficient strategies of Eucalyptus dieback disease control. Particularly, LAMP was the most practical method in field application because of its one-step and rapid reaction, simple operation, single-tube utilization, and simple visualization of amplification products. PMID:27721691
Mohon, Abu Naser; Elahi, Rubayet; Khan, Wasif A; Haque, Rashidul; Sullivan, David J; Alam, Mohammad Shafiul
2014-06-01
Molecular diagnosis of malaria by nucleotide amplification requires sophisticated and expensive instruments, typically found only in well-established laboratories. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has provided a new platform for an easily adaptable molecular technique for molecular diagnosis of malaria without the use of expensive instruments. A new primer set has been designed targeting the 18S rRNA gene for the detection of Plasmodium falciparum in whole blood samples. The efficacy of LAMP using the new primer set was assessed in this study in comparison to that of a previously described set of LAMP primers as well as with microscopy and real-time PCR as reference methods for detecting P. falciparum. Pre-addition of hydroxy napthol blue (HNB) in the LAMP reaction caused a distinct color change, thereby improving the visual detection system. The new LAMP assay was found to be 99.1% sensitive compared to microscopy and 98.1% when compared to real-time PCR. Meanwhile, its specificity was 99% and 100% in contrast to microscopy and real-time PCR, respectively. Moreover, the LAMP method was in very good agreement with microscopy and real-time PCR (0.94 and 0.98, respectively). This new LAMP method can detect at least 5parasites/μL of infected blood within 35min, while the other LAMP method tested in this study, could detect a minimum of 100parasites/μL of human blood after 60min of amplification. Thus, the new method is sensitive and specific, can be carried out in a very short time, and can substitute PCR in healthcare clinics and standard laboratories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Introduction: Campylobacter jejuni is the leading foodborne pathogen that causes human bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Poultry products are regarded as a major source for human infection. Early, rapid detection of this microorganism in poultry products is necessary for contamination control ...
Tao, Chenyu; Zhang, Qingde; Zhai, Shanli; Liu, Bang
2013-11-01
In this study, sensitive and rapid detection systems were designed using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect the genetically modified goats. A set of 4 primers were designed for each exogenous nucleic acids HBsAg and hATIII. The DNA samples were first amplified with the outer and inner primers and released a single-stranded DNA,of which both ends were stem-loop structure. Then one inner primer hybridized with the loop, and initiated displacement synthesis in less than 1 h. The result could be visualized by both agarose gel electrophoresis and unaided eyes directly after adding SYBR GREEN 1. The detection limit of LAMP was ten copies of target molecules, indicating that LAMP was tenfold more sensitive than the classical PCR. Furthermore, all the samples of genetically modified goats were tested positively by LAMP, and the results demonstrated that the LAMP was a rapid and sensitive method for detecting the genetically modified organism.
Yoshida, Hiromi; Sakoda, Yoshihiro; Endo, Mayumi; Motoshima, Masayuki; Yoshino, Fumi; Yamamoto, Naoki; Okamatsu, Masatoshi; Soejima, Takahiro; Senba, Syouhei; Kanda, Hidetoshi; Kida, Hiroshi
2011-06-01
Migratory water birds are a natural reservoir for influenza A viruses. Viruses replicate in the intestines of ducks and are shed with the fecal materials. Virus isolation from collected fecal materials, therefore, is an integral part of the surveillance of avian influenza in water birds. In the present study, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was assessed for its usefulness in detecting the RNA of influenza A viruses in fecal materials. It was found that, RT-LAMP specifically and sensitively detects the matrix gene of influenza A viruses. Influenza A viruses were isolated from the fecal materials in which viral RNA were detected by RT-LAMP in 35 min. The present findings indicate that RT-LAMP is useful as a high throughput screening method for field samples prior to virus isolation, allowing the processing of hundreds of samples per day.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Singleton, Jered; Zentner, Chris; Buser, Josh; Yager, Paul; LaBarre, Paul; Weigl, Bernhard H.
2013-03-01
Many infectious diseases, as well as some cancers, that affect global health are most accurately diagnosed through nucleic acid amplification and detection. There is a great need to simplify nucleic acid-based assay systems for use in global health in low-resource settings as well as in settings that do not have convenient access to laboratory staff and equipment such as doctors' offices and home care settings. In developing countries, unreliable electric power, inadequate supply chains, and lack of maintenance for complex diagnostic instruments are all common infrastructure shortfalls. Many elements of instrument-free, disposable, nucleic acid amplification assays have been demonstrated in recent years. However, the problem of instrument-free,1 low-cost, temperature-controlled chemical heating remains unsolved. In this paper we present the current status and results of work towards developing disposable, low-cost, temperature-controlled heaters designed to support isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays that are integrated with a two-dimensional paper network. Our approach utilizes the heat generated through exothermic chemical reactions and controls the heat through use of engineered phase change materials to enable sustained temperatures required for nucleic acid amplification. By selecting appropriate exothermic and phase change materials, temperatures can be controlled over a wide range, suitable for various isothermal amplification methods, and maintained for over an hour at an accuracy of +/- 1°C.
Singleton, Jered; Zentner, Chris; Buser, Josh; Yager, Paul; LaBarre, Paul; Weigl, Bernhard H
2013-03-09
Many infectious diseases, as well as some cancers, that affect global health are most accurately diagnosed through nucleic acid amplification and detection. There is a great need to simplify nucleic acid-based assay systems for use in global health in low-resource settings as well as in settings that do not have convenient access to laboratory staff and equipment such as doctors' offices and home care settings. In developing countries, unreliable electric power, inadequate supply chains, and lack of maintenance for complex diagnostic instruments are all common infrastructure shortfalls. Many elements of instrument-free, disposable, nucleic acid amplification assays have been demonstrated in recent years. However, the problem of instrument-free, low-cost, temperature-controlled chemical heating remains unsolved. In this paper we present the current status and results of work towards developing disposable, low-cost, temperature-controlled heaters designed to support isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays that are integrated with a two-dimensional paper network. Our approach utilizes the heat generated through exothermic chemical reactions and controls the heat through use of engineered phase change materials to enable sustained temperatures required for nucleic acid amplification. By selecting appropriate exothermic and phase change materials, temperatures can be controlled over a wide range, suitable for various isothermal amplification methods, and maintained for over an hour at an accuracy of +/- 1°C.
Singleton, Jered; Zentner, Chris; Buser, Josh; Yager, Paul; LaBarre, Paul; Weigl, Bernhard H.
2014-01-01
Many infectious diseases, as well as some cancers, that affect global health are most accurately diagnosed through nucleic acid amplification and detection. There is a great need to simplify nucleic acid-based assay systems for use in global health in low-resource settings as well as in settings that do not have convenient access to laboratory staff and equipment such as doctors' offices and home care settings. In developing countries, unreliable electric power, inadequate supply chains, and lack of maintenance for complex diagnostic instruments are all common infrastructure shortfalls. Many elements of instrument-free, disposable, nucleic acid amplification assays have been demonstrated in recent years. However, the problem of instrument-free,1 low-cost, temperature-controlled chemical heating remains unsolved. In this paper we present the current status and results of work towards developing disposable, low-cost, temperature-controlled heaters designed to support isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays that are integrated with a two-dimensional paper network. Our approach utilizes the heat generated through exothermic chemical reactions and controls the heat through use of engineered phase change materials to enable sustained temperatures required for nucleic acid amplification. By selecting appropriate exothermic and phase change materials, temperatures can be controlled over a wide range, suitable for various isothermal amplification methods, and maintained for over an hour at an accuracy of +/- 1°C. PMID:25426269
Kim, Mi-Ju; Kim, Hae-Yeong
2018-04-25
A multiple loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method was developed to detect cow and goat milk in the field using a portable fluorescence device. For rapid on-site detection, this duplex LAMP assay was used in combination with direct amplification, without DNA extraction. The cow- and goat-specific LAMP primer sets were designed based on the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, and showed specificity against 13 other animal species in the reactions. The sensitivity of the duplex LAMP assay for cow and goat was 0.1 and 1 pg, respectively. The detection limit for both target species in milk mixtures was 2%. This assay successfully amplified and identified the two target species in 24 samples of commercial milk and yogurt products, with 30 min sampling-to-result analysis time. Therefore, this direct duplex real-time LAMP assay is useful for on-site simultaneous detection of cow and goat milk in commercial products, a capability needed to confirm accurate labeling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Microfluidic electrochemical assay for rapid detection and quantification of Escherichia coli.
Safavieh, Mohammadali; Ahmed, Minhaz Uddin; Tolba, Mona; Zourob, Mohammed
2012-01-15
Microfluidic electrochemical biosensor for performing Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was developed for the detection and quantification of Escherichia coli. The electrochemical detection for detecting the DNA amplification was achieved using Hoechst 33258 redox molecule and linear sweep voltametry (LSV). The DNA aggregation and minor groove binding with redox molecule cause a significant drop in the anodic oxidation of LSV. Unlike other electrochemical techniques, this method does not require the probe immobilization and the detection of the bacteria can be accomplished in a single chamber without DNA extraction and purification steps. The isothermal amplification time has a major role in the quantification of the bacteria. We have shown that we could detect and quantify 24 CFU/ml of bacteria and 8.6 fg/μl DNA in 60 min and 48 CFU/ml of bacteria in 35 min in LB media and urine samples. We believe that this microfluidic chip has great potential to be used as a point of care diagnostic (POC) device in the clinical/hospital application. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Tie, Zhang; Chunguang, Wang; Xiaoyuan, Wei; Xinghua, Zhao; Xiuhui, Zhong
2012-01-01
To develop a rapid detection method of Staphylococcus aureus using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), four specific primers were designed according to six distinct sequences of the nuc gene. In addition, the specificity and sensitivity of LAMP were verified and compared with those of PCR. Results showed that the LAMP reaction was completed within 45 min at 62.5°C, and ladder bands were appeared in LAMP products analyzed by gel electrophoresis. After adding 1x SYBR Green l, the positive reaction tube showed green color and the negative reaction tube remained orange, indicating that the LAMP has high specificity. The minimal detectable concentration of LAMP was 1 × 10² CFU/mL and that of PCR was 1 × 10⁴ CFU/mL, indicating that the LAMP was 100 times more sensitive than the PCR. The LAMP method for detection of Staphylococcus aureus has many advantages, such as simple operation, high sensitivity, high specificity, and rapid analysis. Therefore, this method is more suitable for the rapid on-site detection of Staphylococcus aureus.
Anthony Johnson, A M; Dasgupta, I; Sai Gopal, D V R
2014-07-01
Citrus yellow mosaic badnavirus (CMBV) is an important pathogen in southern India spread by infected citrus propagules. One of the measures to arrest the spread of CMBV is to develop methods to screen and certify citrus propagules as CMBV-free. The methods loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and SYBR green real-time PCR (SGRTPCR) have been developed for the efficient detection of CMBV in citrus propagules. This paper compares the sensitivities of LAMP and SGRTPCR with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of CMBV. Whereas PCR and LAMP were able to detect CMBV from a minimum of 10 ng of total DNA of infected leaf samples, SGRTPCR could detect the same from 1 ng of total DNA. Using SGRTPCR, the viral titres were estimated to be the highest in rough lemon and lowest in Nagpur Mandarin of the five naturally infected citrus species tested. The results will help in designing suitable strategies for the sensitive detection of CMBV from citrus propagules. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Siddique, M P; Jang, W J; Lee, J M; Ahn, S H; Suraiya, S; Kim, C H; Kong, I S
2017-08-01
A groEL gene-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus in contaminated seafood and water. The assay was optimized and conducted at 63°C for 40 min using Bacillus stearothermophilus (Bst) DNA polymerase, large fragment. Amplification was analysed via multiple detection methods, including opacity, formation of white precipitate, DNA intercalating dyes (ethidium bromide and SYBR Green I), metal ion-binding indicator dye, calcein, and 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. A characteristic ladder-like band pattern on agarose gel and the desired colour changes when using different dyes were observed in positive cases, and these were species-specific for V. parahaemolyticus when compared with other closely related Vibrio spp. The limit of detection (LoD) of this assay was 100 fg per reaction, 100-fold higher than that for conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR). When tested on artificially contaminated seafood and seawater, the LoDs of the LAMP assay were 120 and 150 fg per reaction respectively, and those of conventional PCR were 120 and 150 pg per reaction respectively. Based on our results, the groEL gene-based LAMP assay is rapid, specific, sensitive, and reliable for detecting V. parahaemolyticus, and it could be used in field diagnosis. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay using groEL gene (an abundant, highly conserved gene and member of the groESL chaperone gene family) provided rapid, species-specific and highly sensitive method for detecting Vibrio parahaemolyticus, the leading causal agent of seafood-borne diseases worldwide. Moreover, groEL LAMP revealed high efficiency than conventional PCR assay for V. parahaemolyticus using template both from pure culture and artificially contaminated seafood and water, which indicated the applicability in the field and environmental screening purpose for the organism. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Advanced DNA-Based Point-of-Care Diagnostic Methods for Plant Diseases Detection.
Lau, Han Yih; Botella, Jose R
2017-01-01
Diagnostic technologies for the detection of plant pathogens with point-of-care capability and high multiplexing ability are an essential tool in the fight to reduce the large agricultural production losses caused by plant diseases. The main desirable characteristics for such diagnostic assays are high specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility, quickness, cost efficiency and high-throughput multiplex detection capability. This article describes and discusses various DNA-based point-of care diagnostic methods for applications in plant disease detection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common DNA amplification technology used for detecting various plant and animal pathogens. However, subsequent to PCR based assays, several types of nucleic acid amplification technologies have been developed to achieve higher sensitivity, rapid detection as well as suitable for field applications such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification, helicase-dependent amplification, rolling circle amplification, recombinase polymerase amplification, and molecular inversion probe. The principle behind these technologies has been thoroughly discussed in several review papers; herein we emphasize the application of these technologies to detect plant pathogens by outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each technology in detail.
Advanced DNA-Based Point-of-Care Diagnostic Methods for Plant Diseases Detection
Lau, Han Yih; Botella, Jose R.
2017-01-01
Diagnostic technologies for the detection of plant pathogens with point-of-care capability and high multiplexing ability are an essential tool in the fight to reduce the large agricultural production losses caused by plant diseases. The main desirable characteristics for such diagnostic assays are high specificity, sensitivity, reproducibility, quickness, cost efficiency and high-throughput multiplex detection capability. This article describes and discusses various DNA-based point-of care diagnostic methods for applications in plant disease detection. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most common DNA amplification technology used for detecting various plant and animal pathogens. However, subsequent to PCR based assays, several types of nucleic acid amplification technologies have been developed to achieve higher sensitivity, rapid detection as well as suitable for field applications such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification, helicase-dependent amplification, rolling circle amplification, recombinase polymerase amplification, and molecular inversion probe. The principle behind these technologies has been thoroughly discussed in several review papers; herein we emphasize the application of these technologies to detect plant pathogens by outlining the advantages and disadvantages of each technology in detail. PMID:29375588
Nkere, Chukwuemeka K; Oyekanmi, Joshua O; Silva, Gonçalo; Bömer, Moritz; Atiri, Gabriel I; Onyeka, Joseph; Maroya, Norbert G; Seal, Susan E; Kumar, P Lava
2018-04-01
A closed-tube reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (CT-RT-LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of yam mosaic virus (YMV, genus Potyvirus) infecting yam (Dioscorea spp.). The assay uses a set of six oligonucleotide primers targeting the YMV coat protein region, and the amplification products in YMV-positive samples are visualized by chromogenic detection with SYBR Green I dye. The CT-RT-LAMP assay detected YMV in leaf and tuber tissues of infected plants. The assay is 100 times more sensitive in detecting YMV than standard RT-PCR, while maintaining the same specificity.
Nishiuchi, Yukiko; Tamaru, Aki; Suzuki, Yasuhiko; Kitada, Seigo; Maekura, Ryoji; Tateishi, Yoshitaka; Niki, Mamiko; Ogura, Hisashi; Matsumoto, Sohkichi
2014-06-01
We previously demonstrated the colonization of Mycobacterium avium complex in bathrooms by the conventional culture method. In the present study, we aimed to directly detect M. avium organisms in the environment using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and to demonstrate the efficacy of LAMP by comparing the results with those obtained by culture. Our data showed that LAMP analysis has detection limits of 100 fg DNA/reaction for M. avium. Using an FTA(®) elute card, DNA templates were extracted from environmental samples from bathrooms in the residences of 29 patients with pulmonary M. avium disease. Of the 162 environmental samples examined, 143 (88%) showed identical results by both methods; 20 (12%) and 123 (76%) samples were positive and negative, respectively, for M. avium. Of the remaining 19 samples (12%), seven (5%) and 12 (7%) samples were positive by the LAMP and culture methods, respectively. All samples that contained over 20 colony forming units/primary isolation plate, as measured by the culture method, were also positive by the LAMP method. Our data demonstrate that the combination of the FTA elute card and LAMP can facilitate prompt detection of M. avium in the environment.
Law, I L G; Loo, J F C; Kwok, H C; Yeung, H Y; Leung, C C H; Hui, M; Wu, S Y; Chan, H S; Kwan, Y W; Ho, H P; Kong, S K
2018-03-01
With the emergence of multi- and extensive-drug (MDR/XDR) resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb), tuberculosis (TB) persists as one of the world's leading causes of death. Recently, isothermal DNA amplification methods received much attention due to their ease of translation onto portable point-of-care (POC) devices for TB diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to devise a simple yet robust detection method for M. tb. Amongst the numerous up-and-coming isothermal techniques, Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) was chosen for a real-time detection of TB with or without MDR. In our platform, real-time RPA (RT-RPA) was integrated on a lab-on-a-disc (LOAD) with on-board power to maintain temperature for DNA amplification. Sputa collected from healthy volunteers were spiked with respective target M. tb samples for testing. A limit of detection of 10 2 colony-forming unit per millilitre in 15 min was achieved, making early detection and differentiation of M. tb strains highly feasible in extreme POC settings. Our RT-RPA LOAD platform has also been successfully applied in the differentiation of MDR-TB from H37Ra, an attenuated TB strain. In summary, a quantitative RT-RPA on LOAD assay with a high level of sensitivity was developed as a foundation for further developments in medical bedside and POC diagnostics. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Soejima, Mikiko; Egashira, Kouichi; Kawano, Hiroyuki; Kawaguchi, Atsushi; Sagawa, Kimitaka; Koda, Yoshiro
2011-01-01
Anhaptoglobinemic patients run the risk of severe anaphylactic transfusion reaction because they produce serum haptoglobin antibodies. Being homozygous for the haptoglobin gene deletion allele (HPdel) is the only known cause of congenital anhaptoglobinemia, and detection of HPdel before transfusion is important to prevent anaphylactic shock. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-based screening for HPdel. Optimal primer sets and temperature for LAMP were selected for HPdel and the 5′ region of the HP using genomic DNA as a template. Then, the effects of diluent and boiling on LAMP amplification were examined using whole blood as a template. Blood samples diluted 1:100 with 50 mmol/L NaOH without boiling gave optimal results as well as those diluted 1:2 with water followed by boiling. The results from 100 blood samples were fully concordant with those obtained by real-time PCR methods. Detection of the HPdel allele by LAMP using alkaline-denatured blood samples is rapid, simple, accurate, and cost effective, and is readily applicable in various clinical settings because this method requires only basic instruments. In addition, the simple preparation of blood samples using NaOH saves time and effort for various genetic tests. PMID:21497293
Okafuji, Takao; Yoshida, Naoko; Fujino, Motoko; Motegi, Yoshie; Ihara, Toshiaki; Ota, Yoshinori; Notomi, Tsugunori; Nakayama, Tetsuo
2005-01-01
Most mumps patients are clinically diagnosed without any virological examinations, but some diagnosed cases of mumps may be caused by other pathogens or secondary vaccine failure (SVF). To clarify these issues, a sensitive, specific, and rapid diagnostic method is required. We obtained 60 salivary swabs from 34 patients with natural infection during the course of the illness, 10 samples from patients with vaccine-associated parotitis, and 5 samples from patients with SVF. Total RNA was extracted and subjected to reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for genome amplification. We detected mumps virus RNA corresponding to 0.1 PFU by LAMP within 60 min after RNA extraction, with the same sensitivity as RT-nested PCR. Mumps virus was isolated in 30 of 33 samples within day 2, and mumps virus genome was amplified by LAMP in 32 of them. The quantity of virus titer was calculated by monitoring the time to reach the threshold of turbidity. The viral load decreased after day 3 and was lower in patients serologically diagnosed as having SVF with milder illness. Accuracy of LAMP for the detection of mumps virus genome was confirmed; furthermore, it is of benefit for calculating the viral load, which reflects disease pathogenesis. PMID:15814976
Chahar, Madhvi; Mishra, Neelima; Anvikar, Anup; Dixit, Rajnikant; Valecha, Neena
2017-01-01
Chloroquine (CQ) resistance in Plasmodium falciparum is determined by the mutations in the chloroquine resistance transporter (Pfcrt) gene. The point mutation at codon 76 (K76T), which has been observed in more than 91% of P. falciparum isolates in India, is the major determinant of CQ resistance. To overcome the limitations and challenges of traditional methods, in this investigation we developed an easy to use loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocol for rapid detection of the K76T mutation associated with CQ resistance in P. falciparum with naked eye visualization. In- house designed primers were synthesized and optimized to specifically distinguish the CQ resistant mutants of P. falciparum. The LAMP reaction was optimal at 61 °C for 60 min and calcein dye was added prior to amplification to enable visual detection. We demonstrate the detection limit of <2 ng/μl respectively, supporting the high sensitivity of this calcein based LAMP method. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on the establishment of an easy, reliable and cost effective LAMP assay for rapid and specific detection of highly CQ resistance in P. falciparum malaria. PMID:28134241
Tsaloglou, M-N; Watson, R J; Rushworth, C M; Zhao, Y; Niu, X; Sutton, J M; Morgan, H
2015-01-07
Clostridium difficile is one of the key bacterial pathogens that cause infectious diarrhoea both in the developed and developing world. Isothermal nucleic acid amplification methods are increasingly used for identification of toxinogenic infection by clinical labs. For this purpose, we developed a low-cost microfluidic platform based on the SlipChip concept and implemented real-time isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The on-chip RPA assay targets the Clostridium difficile toxin B gene (tcdB) coding for toxin B, one of the proteins responsible for bacterial toxicity. The device was fabricated in clear acrylic using rapid prototyping methods. It has six replicate 500 nL reaction wells as well as two sets of 500 nL control wells. The reaction can be monitored in real-time using exonuclease fluorescent probes with an initial sample volume of as little as 6.4 μL. We demonstrated a limit of detection of 1000 DNA copies, corresponding to 1 fg, at a time-to-result of <20 minutes. This miniaturised platform for pathogen detection has potential for use in resource-limited environments or at the point-of-care because of its ease of use and low cost, particularly if combined with preserved reagents.
Singh, Monika; Bhoge, Rajesh K; Randhawa, Gurinderjit
2018-04-20
Background : Confirming the integrity of seed samples in powdered form is important priorto conducting a genetically modified organism (GMO) test. Rapid onsite methods may provide a technological solution to check for genetically modified (GM) events at ports of entry. In India, Bt cotton is the commercialized GM crop with four approved GM events; however, 59 GM events have been approved globally. GMO screening is required to test for authorized GM events. The identity and amplifiability of test samples could be ensured first by employing endogenous genes as an internal control. Objective : A rapid onsite detection method was developed for an endogenous reference gene, stearoyl acyl carrier protein desaturase ( Sad1 ) of cotton, employing visual and real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Methods : The assays were performed at a constant temperature of 63°C for 30 min for visual LAMP and 62ºC for 40 min for real-time LAMP. Positive amplification was visualized as a change in color from orange to green on addition of SYBR ® Green or detected as real-time amplification curves. Results : Specificity of LAMP assays was confirmed using a set of 10 samples. LOD for visual LAMP was up to 0.1%, detecting 40 target copies, and for real-time LAMP up to 0.05%, detecting 20 target copies. Conclusions : The developed methods could be utilized to confirm the integrity of seed powder prior to conducting a GMO test for specific GM events of cotton. Highlights : LAMP assays for the endogenous Sad1 gene of cotton have been developed to be used as an internal control for onsite GMO testing in cotton.
Kurosaki, Yohei; Magassouba, N'Faly; Bah, Hadja Aïssatou; Soropogui, Barré; Doré, Amadou; Kourouma, Fodé; Cherif, Mahamoud Sama; Keita, Sakoba; Yasuda, Jiro
2016-10-15
To strengthen the laboratory diagnostic capacity for Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the remote areas of Guinea, we deployed a mobile field laboratory and implemented reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) for postmortem testing. We tested 896 oral swab specimens and 21 serum samples, using both RT-LAMP and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Neither test yielded a positive result, and the results from RT-LAMP and RT-PCR were consistent. More than 95% of the samples were tested within 2 days of sample collection. These results highlight the usefulness of the RT-LAMP assay as an EVD diagnostic testing method in the field or remote areas. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.
He, Xiangfeng; Xue, Fei; Xu, Shufa; Wang, Wenhe
2016-12-01
Lily symptomless virus (LSV) is one of the most prevalent viruses that infect lily plants worldwide. A rapid and sensitive reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for detection of LSV, using two primer pairs that specifically amplified the conserved sequence of LSV coat protein. The optimum reaction conditions were as follows: 4mM MgCl 2 and 0.8M betaine with incubation at 64°C for 30min. The limit of detection of LSV from infected lily leaves was 10-fold higher for RT-LAMP than for conventional RT-PCR. Moreover, RT-LAMP detected LSV in not only symptomatic, but also in symptomless tissues of infected plants. These findings indicate that our RT-LAMP method for LSV can serve as a low-cost, simple, and rapid alternative to conventional detection assays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Birmpa, Angeliki; Kalogeropoulos, Konstantinos; Kokkinos, Petros
2015-01-01
In the present study, the effectiveness of two loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays was evaluated. Samples of romaine lettuce, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, green onions and sour berries were inoculated with known dilutions (100-108 CFU/g of produce) of S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes. With LAMP, assay pathogens can be detected in less than 60 min. The limits of detection of S. Enteritidis and L. monocytogenes depended on the food sample tested and on the presence of enrichment step. After enrichment steps, all food samples were found positive even at low initial pathogen levels. The developed LAMP, assays, are expected to become a valuable, robust, innovative, powerful, cheap and fast monitoring tool, which can be extensively used for routine analysis, and screening of contaminated foods by the food industry and the Public Food Health Authorities. PMID:27800413
Xia, Xiaoming; Yu, Yongxin; Hu, Linghao; Weidmann, Manfred; Pan, Yingjie; Yan, Shuling; Wang, Yongjie
2015-04-01
Infectious hypodermal and hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) causes mortality or runt deformity syndrome in penaeid shrimps and is responsible for significant economic losses in the shrimp aquaculture industry. Here, we describe a novel real-time isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assay developed for IHHNV detection. Using IHHNV plasmid standards and DNA samples from a variety of organisms, we evaluated the ability of the IHHNV-RPA assay to detect IHHNV based on analysis of its sensitivity, specificity, rapidity, and reproducibility. Probit analysis of eight independent experimental replicates indicated satisfactory performance of the RPA assay, which is sufficiently sensitive to detect as few as 4 copies of the IHHNV genome within 7 min at 39 °C with 95 % reliability. Therefore, this rapid RPA method has great potential for applications, either in field use or as a point of care diagnostic technique.
Saleh, Mona; Soliman, Hatem; El-Matbouli, Mansour
2008-08-12
Enteric Redmouth (ERM) disease also known as Yersiniosis is a contagious disease affecting salmonids, mainly rainbow trout. The causative agent is the gram-negative bacterium Yersinia ruckeri. The disease can be diagnosed by isolation and identification of the causative agent, or detection of the Pathogen using fluorescent antibody tests, ELISA and PCR assays. These diagnostic methods are laborious, time consuming and need well trained personnel. A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and evaluated for detection of Y. ruckeri the etiological agent of enteric red mouth (ERM) disease in salmonids. The assay was optimised to amplify the yruI/yruR gene, which encodes Y. ruckeri quorum sensing system, in the presence of a specific primer set and Bst DNA polymerase at an isothermal temperature of 63 degrees C for one hour. Amplification products were detected by visual inspection, agarose gel electrophoresis and by real-time monitoring of turbidity resulted by formation of LAMP amplicons. Digestion with HphI restriction enzyme demonstrated that the amplified product was unique. The specificity of the assay was verified by the absence of amplification products when tested against related bacteria. The assay had 10-fold higher sensitivity compared with conventional PCR and successfully detected Y. ruckeri not only in pure bacterial culture but also in tissue homogenates of infected fish. The ERM-LAMP assay represents a practical alternative to the microbiological approach for rapid, sensitive and specific detection of Y. ruckeri in fish farms. The assay is carried out in one hour and needs only a heating block or water bath as laboratory furniture. The advantages of the ERM-LAMP assay make it a promising tool for molecular detection of enteric red mouth disease in fish farms.
LaBarre, Paul; Hawkins, Kenneth R.; Gerlach, Jay; Wilmoth, Jared; Beddoe, Andrew; Singleton, Jered; Boyle, David; Weigl, Bernhard
2011-01-01
Background Molecular assays targeted to nucleic acid (NA) markers are becoming increasingly important to medical diagnostics. However, these are typically confined to wealthy, developed countries; or, to the national reference laboratories of developing-world countries. There are many infectious diseases that are endemic in low-resource settings (LRS) where the lack of simple, instrument-free, NA diagnostic tests is a critical barrier to timely treatment. One of the primary barriers to the practicality and availability of NA assays in LRS has been the complexity and power requirements of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) instrumentation (another is sample preparation). Methodology/Principal Findings In this article, we investigate the hypothesis that an electricity-free heater based on exothermic chemical reactions and engineered phase change materials can successfully incubate isothermal NA amplification assays. We assess the heater's equivalence to commercially available PCR instruments through the characterization of the temperature profiles produced, and a minimal method comparison. Versions of the prototype for several different isothermal techniques are presented. Conclusions/Significance We demonstrate that an electricity-free heater based on exothermic chemical reactions and engineered phase change materials can successfully incubate isothermal NA amplification assays, and that the results of those assays are not significantly different from ones incubated in parallel in commercially available PCR instruments. These results clearly suggest the potential of the non-instrumented nucleic acid amplification (NINA) heater for molecular diagnostics in LRS. When combined with other innovations in development that eliminate power requirements for sample preparation, cold reagent storage, and readout, the NINA heater will comprise part of a kit that should enable electricity-free NA testing for many important analytes. PMID:21573065
Patterson, Adriana S.; Heithoff, Douglas M.; Ferguson, Brian S.; Soh, H. Tom; Mahan, Michael J.
2013-01-01
Salmonella is a zoonotic pathogen that poses a considerable public health and economic burden in the United States and worldwide. Resultant human diseases range from enterocolitis to bacteremia to sepsis and are acutely dependent on the particular serovar of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, which comprises over 99% of human-pathogenic S. enterica isolates. Point-of-care methods for detection and strain discrimination of Salmonella serovars would thus have considerable benefit to medical, veterinary, and field applications that safeguard public health and reduce industry-associated losses. Here we describe a single, disposable microfluidic chip that supports isothermal amplification and sequence-specific detection and discrimination of Salmonella serovars derived from whole blood of septic mice. The integrated microfluidic electrochemical DNA (IMED) chip consists of an amplification chamber that supports loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), a rapid, single-temperature amplification method as an alternative to PCR that offers advantages in terms of sensitivity, reaction speed, and amplicon yield. The amplification chamber is connected via a microchannel to a detection chamber containing a reagentless, multiplexed (here biplex) sensing array for sequence-specific electrochemical DNA (E-DNA) detection of the LAMP products. Validation of the IMED device was assessed by the detection and discrimination of S. enterica subsp. enterica serovars Typhimurium and Choleraesuis, the causative agents of enterocolitis and sepsis in humans, respectively. IMED chips conferred rapid (under 2 h) detection and discrimination of these strains at clinically relevant levels (<1,000 CFU/ml) from whole, unprocessed blood collected from septic animals. The IMED-based chip assay shows considerable promise as a rapid, inexpensive, and portable point-of-care diagnostic platform for the detection and strain-specific discrimination of microbial pathogens. PMID:23354710
Rapid and sensitive detection of canine parvovirus type 2 by recombinase polymerase amplification.
Wang, Jianchang; Liu, Libing; Li, Ruiwen; Wang, Jinfeng; Fu, Qi; Yuan, Wanzhe
2016-04-01
A novel recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA)-based method for detection of canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) was developed. Sensitivity analysis showed that the detection limit of RPA was 10 copies of CPV-2 genomic DNA. RPA amplified both CPV-2a and -2b DNA but did not amplify the template of other important dog viruses (CCoV, PRV or CDV), demonstrating high specificity. The method was further validated with 57 canine fecal samples. An outstanding advantage of RPA is that it is an isothermal reaction and can be performed in a water bath, making RPA a potential alternative method for CPV-2 detection in resource-limited settings.
Precision chemical heating for diagnostic devices.
Buser, J R; Diesburg, S; Singleton, J; Guelig, D; Bishop, J D; Zentner, C; Burton, R; LaBarre, P; Yager, P; Weigl, B H
2015-12-07
Decoupling nucleic acid amplification assays from infrastructure requirements such as grid electricity is critical for providing effective diagnosis and treatment at the point of care in low-resource settings. Here, we outline a complete strategy for the design of electricity-free precision heaters compatible with medical diagnostic applications requiring isothermal conditions, including nucleic acid amplification and lysis. Low-cost, highly energy dense components with better end-of-life disposal options than conventional batteries are proposed as an alternative to conventional heating methods to satisfy the unique needs of point of care use.
Nucleic acid detection system and method for detecting influenza
Cai, Hong; Song, Jian
2015-03-17
The invention provides a rapid, sensitive and specific nucleic acid detection system which utilizes isothermal nucleic acid amplification in combination with a lateral flow chromatographic device, or DNA dipstick, for DNA-hybridization detection. The system of the invention requires no complex instrumentation or electronic hardware, and provides a low cost nucleic acid detection system suitable for highly sensitive pathogen detection. Hybridization to single-stranded DNA amplification products using the system of the invention provides a sensitive and specific means by which assays can be multiplexed for the detection of multiple target sequences.
Suebsing, Rungkarn; Kampeera, Jantana; Sirithammajak, Sarawut; Withyachumnarnkul, Boonsirm; Turner, Warren; Kiatpathomchai, Wansika
2015-03-01
Flavobacterium columnare, the causative agent of columnaris disease in fish, affects many economically important freshwater fish species. A colorimetric method of loop-mediated isothermal amplification with the pre-addition of calcein (LAMP-calcein) was developed and used to detect the presence of F. columnare in farmed tilapia (Nile Tilapia Oreochromis niloticus and red tilapia [Nile Tilapia × Mozambique Tilapia O. mossambicus]) and rearing water. The detection method, based on a change in color from orange to green, could be performed within 45 min at 63°C. The method was highly specific, as it had no cross-detections with 14 other bacterial species, including other fish pathogens and two Flavobacterium species. The method has a minimum detection limit of 2.2 × 10(2) F. columnare CFU; thus, it is about 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. With this method, F. columnare was detected in gonad, gill, and blood samples from apparently healthy tilapia broodstock as well as in samples of fertilized eggs, newly hatched fry, and rearing water. The bacteria isolated from the blood were further characterized biochemically and found to be phenotypically identical to F. columnare. The amplified products from the LAMP-calcein method had 97% homology with the DNA sequence of F. columnare.
Ma, Yu-Dong; Chang, Wen-Hsin; Luo, Kang; Wang, Chih-Hung; Liu, Shih-Yuan; Yen, Wen-Hsiang; Lee, Gwo-Bin
2018-01-15
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a DNA amplification approach characterized by high sensitivity and specificity. In "digital LAMP", small quantities of both template DNA and reagents are encapsulated within a droplet or microwell, allowing for analysis of precious nucleic acid samples in shorter amounts of time relative to traditional DNA amplification protocols (e.g., PCR) with an improved limit of detection. In this study, an integrated, self-driven microfluidic chip was designed to carry out digital LAMP. The entire quantification process could be automatically performed on this chip via capillary forces enabled through microwells comprised of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) surfaces coated with a hydrophilic film; no external pumps were required. Moreover, digitized droplets could be separated from each other by normally-closed microvalves. The contact angle of the hydrophilic film-coated PDMS surface was only 14.3°. This is the first time that a rapid (30min) and simple method has been used to create hydrophilic PDMS surfaces that allow for digital LAMP to be performed in a self-driven microfluidic device. As a proof of concept, amplification of a gene specific to a vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus strain was performed on the developed microfluidic chip within 30min, and the limit of detection was only 11 copies with a volume of 30μL. This device may therefore become a promising tool for clinical diagnosis and point-of-care applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Zhang, Miao; Liu, Yinan; Chen, Lili; Quan, Sheng; Jiang, Shimeng; Zhang, Dabing; Yang, Litao
2013-01-02
Quickness, simplicity, and effectiveness are the three major criteria for establishing a good molecular diagnosis method in many fields. Herein we report a novel detection system for genetically modified organisms (GMOs), which can be utilized to perform both on-field quick screening and routine laboratory diagnosis. In this system, a newly designed inexpensive DNA extraction device was used in combination with a modified visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (vLAMP) assay. The main parts of the DNA extraction device included a silica gel membrane filtration column and a modified syringe. The DNA extraction device could be easily operated without using other laboratory instruments, making it applicable to an on-field GMO test. High-quality genomic DNA (gDNA) suitable for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and isothermal amplification could be quickly isolated from plant tissues using this device within 15 min. In the modified vLAMP assay, a microcrystalline wax encapsulated detection bead containing SYBR green fluorescent dye was introduced to avoid dye inhibition and cross-contaminations from post-LAMP operation. The system was successfully applied and validated in screening and identification of GM rice, soybean, and maize samples collected from both field testing and the Grain Inspection, Packers, and Stockyards Administration (GIPSA) proficiency test program, which demonstrated that it was well-adapted to both on-field testing and/or routine laboratory analysis of GMOs.
Zhang, Guodong; Brown, Eric W.; González-Escalona, Narjol
2011-01-01
Contamination of foods, especially produce, with Salmonella spp. is a major concern for public health. Several methods are available for the detection of Salmonella in produce, but their relative efficiency for detecting Salmonella in commonly consumed vegetables, often associated with outbreaks of food poisoning, needs to be confirmed. In this study, the effectiveness of three molecular methods for detection of Salmonella in six produce matrices was evaluated and compared to the FDA microbiological detection method. Samples of cilantro (coriander leaves), lettuce, parsley, spinach, tomato, and jalapeno pepper were inoculated with Salmonella serovars at two different levels (105 and <101 CFU/25 g of produce). The inoculated produce was assayed by the FDA Salmonella culture method (Bacteriological Analytical Manual) and by three molecular methods: quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), quantitative reverse transcriptase real-time PCR (RT-qPCR), and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Comparable results were obtained by these four methods, which all detected as little as 2 CFU of Salmonella cells/25 g of produce. All control samples (not inoculated) were negative by the four methods. RT-qPCR detects only live Salmonella cells, obviating the danger of false-positive results from nonviable cells. False negatives (inhibition of either qPCR or RT-qPCR) were avoided by the use of either a DNA or an RNA amplification internal control (IAC). Compared to the conventional culture method, the qPCR, RT-qPCR, and LAMP assays allowed faster and equally accurate detection of Salmonella spp. in six high-risk produce commodities. PMID:21803916
A Digital Microfluidics Platform for Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Detection
Veigas, Bruno; Águas, Hugo; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo; Baptista, Pedro Viana; Igreja, Rui
2017-01-01
Digital microfluidics (DMF) arises as the next step in the fast-evolving field of operation platforms for molecular diagnostics. Moreover, isothermal schemes, such as loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), allow for further simplification of amplification protocols. Integrating DMF with LAMP will be at the core of a new generation of detection devices for effective molecular diagnostics at point-of-care (POC), providing simple, fast, and automated nucleic acid amplification with exceptional integration capabilities. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the role of coupling DMF and LAMP, in a dedicated device that allows straightforward mixing of LAMP reagents and target DNA, as well as optimum temperature control (reaction droplets undergo a temperature variation of just 0.3 °C, for 65 °C at the bottom plate). This device is produced using low-temperature and low-cost production processes, adaptable to disposable and flexible substrates. DMF-LAMP is performed with enhanced sensitivity without compromising reaction efficacy or losing reliability and efficiency, by LAMP-amplifying 0.5 ng/µL of target DNA in just 45 min. Moreover, on-chip LAMP was performed in 1.5 µL, a considerably lower volume than standard bench-top reactions. PMID:29144379
Bhadra, Sanchita; Jiang, Yu Sherry; Kumar, Mia R.; Johnson, Reed F.; Hensley, Lisa E.; Ellington, Andrew D.
2015-01-01
The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), an emerging human coronavirus, causes severe acute respiratory illness with a 35% mortality rate. In light of the recent surge in reported infections we have developed asymmetric five-primer reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assays for detection of MERS-CoV. Isothermal amplification assays will facilitate the development of portable point-of-care diagnostics that are crucial for management of emerging infections. The RT-LAMP assays are designed to amplify MERS-CoV genomic loci located within the open reading frame (ORF)1a and ORF1b genes and upstream of the E gene. Additionally we applied one-step strand displacement probes (OSD) for real-time sequence-specific verification of LAMP amplicons. Asymmetric amplification effected by incorporating a single loop primer in each assay accelerated the time-to-result of the OSD-RT-LAMP assays. The resulting assays could detect 0.02 to 0.2 plaque forming units (PFU) (5 to 50 PFU/ml) of MERS-CoV in infected cell culture supernatants within 30 to 50 min and did not cross-react with common human respiratory pathogens. PMID:25856093
Camp, Jeremy V; Nowotny, Norbert
2016-10-01
The development of reverse transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assays are described herein for the detection of two orthobunyaviruses (Bunyaviridae), which represent the two main serogroups found in mosquitoes in Central Europe. The RT-LAMP assays were optimized for the detection of Ťahyňa virus (a California encephalitis group virus found in Aedes sp or Ochlerotatus sp mosquitoes) and Batai virus (also called Čalovo virus, a Bunyamwera group virus found in Anopheles maculipennis s.l. mosquitoes) nucleic acid using endemic European virus isolates. The sensitivity of the RT-LAMP assays was determined to be comparable to that of conventional tests, with a limit of detection<0.1 pfu per reaction. The assays can be performed in 60min under isothermal conditions using very simple equipment. Furthermore, it was possible to proceed with the assays without nucleic acid extraction, albeit at a 100-fold loss of sensitivity. The RT-LAMP assays are a sensitive, cost-efficient method for both arbovirus surveillance as well as diagnostic laboratories to detect the presence of these endemic orthobunyaviruses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Helicase-dependent amplification of nucleic acids.
Cao, Yun; Kim, Hyun-Jin; Li, Ying; Kong, Huimin; Lemieux, Bertrand
2013-10-11
Helicase-dependent amplification (HDA) is a novel method for the isothermal in vitro amplification of nucleic acids. The HDA reaction selectively amplifies a target sequence by extension of two oligonucleotide primers. Unlike the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), HDA uses a helicase enzyme to separate the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) strands, rather than heat denaturation. This allows DNA amplification without the need for thermal cycling. The helicase used in HDA is a helicase super family II protein obtained from a thermophilic organism, Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis (TteUvrD). This thermostable helicase is capable of unwinding blunt-end nucleic acid substrates at elevated temperatures (60° to 65°C). The HDA reaction can also be coupled with reverse transcription for ribonucleic acid (RNA) amplification. The products of this reaction can be detected during the reaction using fluorescent probes when incubations are conducted in a fluorimeter. Alternatively, products can be detected after amplification using a disposable amplicon containment device that contains an embedded lateral flow strip. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Pang, Bo; Ding, Xiong; Wang, Guoping; Zhao, Chao; Xu, Yanan; Fu, Kaiyue; Sun, Jingjing; Song, Xiuling; Wu, Wenshuai; Liu, Yushen; Song, Qi; Hu, Jiumei; Li, Juan; Mu, Ying
2017-12-27
Vibrio parahemolyticus (VP) mostly isolated from aquatic products is one of the major causes of bacterial food-poisoning events worldwide, which could be reduced using a promising on-site detection method. Herein, a rapid and quantitative method for VP detection was developed by applying a mixed-dye-loaded loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay on a self-priming compartmentalization (SPC) microfluidic chip, termed on-chip mixed-dye-based LAMP (CMD-LAMP). In comparison to conventional approaches, CMD-LAMP was advantageous on the limit of detection, which reached down to 1 × 10 3 CFU/mL in food-contaminated samples without the pre-enrichment of bacteria. Additionally, as a result of the use of a mixed dye and SPC chip, the quantitative result could be easily acquired, avoiding the requirement of sophisticated instruments and tedious operation. Also, CMD-LAMP was rapid and cost-effective. Conclusively, CMD-LAMP has great potential in realizing the on-site quantitative analysis of VP for food safety.
Evaluation of the Illumigene Malaria LAMP: A Robust Molecular Diagnostic Tool for Malaria Parasites
Lucchi, Naomi W.; Gaye, Marie; Diallo, Mammadou Alpha; Goldman, Ira F.; Ljolje, Dragan; Deme, Awa Bineta; Badiane, Aida; Ndiaye, Yaye Die; Barnwell, John W.; Udhayakumar, Venkatachalam; Ndiaye, Daouda
2016-01-01
Isothermal nucleic acid amplification assays such as the loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), are well suited for field use as they do not require thermal cyclers to amplify the DNA. To further facilitate the use of LAMP assays in remote settings, simpler sample preparation methods and lyophilized reagents are required. The performance of a commercial malaria LAMP assay (Illumigene Malaria LAMP) was evaluated using two sample preparation workflows (simple filtration prep (SFP)) and gravity-driven filtration prep (GFP)) and pre-dispensed lyophilized reagents. Laboratory and clinical samples were tested in a field laboratory in Senegal and the results independently confirmed in a reference laboratory in the U.S.A. The Illumigene Malaria LAMP assay was easily implemented in the clinical laboratory and gave similar results to a real-time PCR reference test with limits of detection of ≤2.0 parasites/μl depending on the sample preparation method used. This assay reliably detected Plasmodium sp. parasites in a simple low-tech format, providing a much needed alternative to the more complex molecular tests for malaria diagnosis. PMID:27827432
Kitamura, Masashi; Aragane, Masako; Nakamura, Kou; Watanabe, Kazuhito; Sasaki, Yohei
2016-07-01
In many parts of the world, the possession and cultivation of Cannabis sativa L. are restricted by law. As chemical or morphological analyses cannot identify the plant in some cases, a simple yet accurate DNA-based method for identifying C. sativa is desired. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid identification of C. sativa. By optimizing the conditions for the LAMP reaction that targets a highly conserved region of tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA) synthase gene, C. sativa was identified within 50 min at 60-66°C. The detection limit was the same as or higher than that of conventional PCR. The LAMP assay detected all 21 specimens of C. sativa, showing high specificity. Using a simple protocol, the identification of C. sativa could be accomplished within 90 min from sample treatment to detection without use of special equipment. A rapid, sensitive, highly specific, and convenient method for detecting and identifying C. sativa has been developed and is applicable to forensic investigations and industrial quality control.
Karthik, K.; Rathore, Rajesh; Thomas, Prasad; Arun, T.R.; Viswas, K.N.; Dhama, Kuldeep; Agarwal, R.K.
2014-01-01
Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, a promising diagnostic test, has been developed for detection of different pathogens of human as well as animals. Various positive points support its use as a field level test but the major problem is product cross contamination leading to false positive results. Different methods were adopted by various researchers to control this false positive amplification due to cross contamination but all have their own advantages and disadvantages. A new closed tube LAMP assay based on agar dye capsule was developed in the present study and this technique has some advantages over the other closed tube technique.•Agar at the concentration of 1.5% was used to sandwich SYBR green dye I with the aid of intradermal syringe. This agar dye capsule was placed over the LAMP reaction mixture before it was amplified.•To eliminate the hazardous nature of Ultra Violet (UV) light during result visualization of LAMP products, the present study demonstrates the use of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights for result visualization.•LAMP was carried out for Brucella species detection using this modified techniques yielding good results without any cross contamination and LED showed similar fluorescence compared to UV. PMID:26150945
Karthik, K; Rathore, Rajesh; Thomas, Prasad; Arun, T R; Viswas, K N; Dhama, Kuldeep; Agarwal, R K
2014-01-01
Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, a promising diagnostic test, has been developed for detection of different pathogens of human as well as animals. Various positive points support its use as a field level test but the major problem is product cross contamination leading to false positive results. Different methods were adopted by various researchers to control this false positive amplification due to cross contamination but all have their own advantages and disadvantages. A new closed tube LAMP assay based on agar dye capsule was developed in the present study and this technique has some advantages over the other closed tube technique.•Agar at the concentration of 1.5% was used to sandwich SYBR green dye I with the aid of intradermal syringe. This agar dye capsule was placed over the LAMP reaction mixture before it was amplified.•To eliminate the hazardous nature of Ultra Violet (UV) light during result visualization of LAMP products, the present study demonstrates the use of Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights for result visualization.•LAMP was carried out for Brucella species detection using this modified techniques yielding good results without any cross contamination and LED showed similar fluorescence compared to UV.
Jauset-Rubio, Miriam; Sabaté Del Río, Jonathan; Mairal, Teresa; Svobodová, Markéta; El-Shahawi, Mohammad S; Bashammakh, Abdulaziz S; Alyoubi, Abdulrahman O; O'Sullivan, Ciara K
2017-01-01
Lupin is increasingly being used in a variety of food products due to its nutritional, functional and nutraceutical properties. However, several examples of severe and even fatal food-associated anaphylaxis due to lupin inhalation or ingestion have been reported, resulting in the lupin subunit β-conglutin, being defined as the Lup an 1 allergen by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) in 2008. Here, we report an innovative method termed aptamer-recombinase polymerase amplification (Apta-RPA) exploiting the affinity and specificity of a DNA aptamer selected against the anaphylactic β-conglutin allergen termed β-conglutin binding aptamer II (β-CBA II), facilitating ultrasensitive detection via isothermal amplification. Combining magnetic beads as the solid phase with Apta-RPA detection, the total assay time was reduced from 210 min to just 25 min, with a limit of detection of 3.5 × 10 -11 M, demonstrating a rapid and ultrasensitive generic methodology that can be used with any aptamer. Future work will focus on further simplification of the assay to a lateral flow format. Graphical Abstract Schematic representation of the rapid and novel bead-based Apta-RPA assay.
Liu, Wei; Liu, Hui-Xin; Zhang, Lin; Hou, Xue-Xia; Wan, Kang-Lin; Hao, Qin
2016-08-03
A novel isothermal detection for recombinase polymerase amplification with lateral flow (LF-RPA) was established for Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) detection in this study. This assay with high sensitivity and specificity can get a visible result without any additional equipment in 30 min. We designed a pair of primers according to recA gene of B. burgdorferi strains and a methodology evaluation was performed. The results showed that the RPA assay based on the recA gene was successfully applied in B. burgdorferi detection, and its specific amplification was only achieved from the genomic DNA of B. burgdorferi. The detection limit of the new assay was about 25 copies of the B. burgdorferi genomic DNA. Twenty Lyme borreliosis patients' serum samples were detected by LF-RPA assay, real-time qPCR and nested-PCR. Results showed the LF-RPA assay is more effective than nested-PCR for its shorter reaction time and considerably higher detection rate. This method is of great value in clinical rapid detection for Lyme borreliosis. Using the RPA assay might be a megatrend for DNA detection in clinics and endemic regions.
Liu, Changchun; Geva, Eran; Mauk, Michael; Qiu, Xianbo; Abrams, William R.; Malamud, Daniel; Curtis, Kelly; Owen, S. Michele; Bau, Haim H.
2015-01-01
A simple, point of care, inexpensive, disposable cassette for the detection of nucleic acids extracted from pathogens was designed, constructed, and tested. The cassette utilizes a single reaction chamber for isothermal amplification of nucleic acids. The chamber is equipped with an integrated, flow-through, Flinders Technology Associates (Whatman FTA®) membrane for the isolation, concentration, and purification of DNA and/or RNA. The nucleic acids captured by the membrane are used directly as templates for amplification without elution, thus simplifying the cassette’s flow control. The FTA membrane also serves another critical role—enabling the removal of inhibitors that dramatically reduce detection sensitivity. Thermal control is provided with a thin film heater external to the cassette. The amplification process was monitored in real time with a portable, compact fluorescent reader. The utility of the integrated, single-chamber cassette was demonstrated by detecting the presence of HIV-1 in oral fluids. The HIV RNA was reverse transcribed and subjected to loop-mediated, isothermal amplification (LAMP). A detection limit of less than 10 HIV particles was demonstrated. The cassette is particularly suitable for resource poor regions, where funds and trained personnel are in short supply. The cassette can be readily modified to detect nucleic acids associated with other pathogens borne in saliva, urine, and other body fluids as well as in water and food. PMID:21455542
Liu, Changchun; Geva, Eran; Mauk, Michael; Qiu, Xianbo; Abrams, William R; Malamud, Daniel; Curtis, Kelly; Owen, S Michele; Bau, Haim H
2011-05-21
A simple, point of care, inexpensive, disposable cassette for the detection of nucleic acids extracted from pathogens was designed, constructed, and tested. The cassette utilizes a single reaction chamber for isothermal amplification of nucleic acids. The chamber is equipped with an integrated, flow-through, Flinders Technology Associates (Whatman FTA®) membrane for the isolation, concentration, and purification of DNA and/or RNA. The nucleic acids captured by the membrane are used directly as templates for amplification without elution, thus simplifying the cassette's flow control. The FTA membrane also serves another critical role-enabling the removal of inhibitors that dramatically reduce detection sensitivity. Thermal control is provided with a thin film heater external to the cassette. The amplification process was monitored in real time with a portable, compact fluorescent reader. The utility of the integrated, single-chamber cassette was demonstrated by detecting the presence of HIV-1 in oral fluids. The HIV RNA was reverse transcribed and subjected to loop-mediated, isothermal amplification (LAMP). A detection limit of less than 10 HIV particles was demonstrated. The cassette is particularly suitable for resource poor regions, where funds and trained personnel are in short supply. The cassette can be readily modified to detect nucleic acids associated with other pathogens borne in saliva, urine, and other body fluids as well as in water and food.
Simple System for Isothermal DNA Amplification Coupled to Lateral Flow Detection
Roskos, Kristina; Hickerson, Anna I.; Lu, Hsiang-Wei; Ferguson, Tanya M.; Shinde, Deepali N.; Klaue, Yvonne; Niemz, Angelika
2013-01-01
Infectious disease diagnosis in point-of-care settings can be greatly improved through integrated, automated nucleic acid testing devices. We have developed an early prototype for a low-cost system which executes isothermal DNA amplification coupled to nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF) detection in a mesofluidic cartridge attached to a portable instrument. Fluid handling inside the cartridge is facilitated through one-way passive valves, flexible pouches, and electrolysis-driven pumps, which promotes a compact and inexpensive instrument design. The closed-system disposable prevents workspace amplicon contamination. The cartridge design is based on standard scalable manufacturing techniques such as injection molding. Nucleic acid amplification occurs in a two-layer pouch that enables efficient heat transfer. We have demonstrated as proof of principle the amplification and detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) genomic DNA in the cartridge, using either Loop Mediated Amplification (LAMP) or the Exponential Amplification Reaction (EXPAR), both coupled to NALF detection. We envision that a refined version of this cartridge, including upstream sample preparation coupled to amplification and detection, will enable fully-automated sample-in to answer-out infectious disease diagnosis in primary care settings of low-resource countries with high disease burden. PMID:23922706
Almasi, Mohammad Amin; Almasi, Galavizh
2017-01-01
In human, SRY (sex-determining region of the Y chromosome) is the major gene for the testis-determining factor which is found in normal XY males and in the rare XX males, and it is absent in normal XX females and many XY females. There are several methods which can indicate a male genotype by the presence of the amplified product of SRY gene. The aim of this study was to identify the SRY gene for embryo sex determination in human during pregnancy using loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. A total of 15 blood samples from pregnant women at eight weeks of pregnancy were collected, and Plasma DNA was extracted. LAMP assay was performed using DNA obtained for detection of SRY gene. Furthermore, colorimetric LAMP assay for rapid and easy detection of SRY gene was developed. LAMP results revealed that the positive reaction was highly specific only with samples containing XY chromosomes, while no amplification was found in samples containing XX chromosomes. A total of 15 blood samples from pregnant women were seven male embryos (46.6%) and eight female embryos (53.4%). All used visual components in the colorimetric assay could successfully make a clear distinction between positive and negative ones. The LAMP assay developed in this study is a valuable tool capable of monitoring the purity and detection of SRY gene for sex determination.
Mahittikorn, Aongart; Mori, Hirotake; Popruk, Supaluk; Roobthaisong, Amonrattana; Sutthikornchai, Chantira; Koompapong, Khuanchai; Siri, Sukhontha; Sukthana, Yaowalark; Nacapunchai, Duangporn
2015-01-01
Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of the fatal disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Detection of N. fowleri using conventional culture and biochemical-based assays is time-consuming and laborious, while molecular techniques, such as PCR, require laboratory skills and expensive equipment. We developed and evaluated a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the virulence-related gene for N. fowleri. Time to results is about 90 min and amplification products were easily detected visually using hydroxy naphthol blue. The LAMP was highly specific after testing against related microorganisms and able to detect one trophozoite, as determined with spiked water and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The assay was then evaluated with a set of 80 water samples collected during the flooding crisis in Thailand in 2011, and 30 natural water samples from border areas of northern, eastern, western, and southern Thailand. N. fowleri was detected in 13 and 10 samples using LAMP and PCR, respectively, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.855. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LAMP assay for N. fowleri. Due to its simplicity, speed, and high sensitivity, the LAMP method described here might be useful for quickly detecting and diagnosing N. fowleri in water and clinical samples, particularly in resource-poor settings. PMID:25822175
Mahittikorn, Aongart; Mori, Hirotake; Popruk, Supaluk; Roobthaisong, Amonrattana; Sutthikornchai, Chantira; Koompapong, Khuanchai; Siri, Sukhontha; Sukthana, Yaowalark; Nacapunchai, Duangporn
2015-01-01
Naegleria fowleri is the causative agent of the fatal disease primary amebic meningoencephalitis. Detection of N. fowleri using conventional culture and biochemical-based assays is time-consuming and laborious, while molecular techniques, such as PCR, require laboratory skills and expensive equipment. We developed and evaluated a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the virulence-related gene for N. fowleri. Time to results is about 90 min and amplification products were easily detected visually using hydroxy naphthol blue. The LAMP was highly specific after testing against related microorganisms and able to detect one trophozoite, as determined with spiked water and cerebrospinal fluid samples. The assay was then evaluated with a set of 80 water samples collected during the flooding crisis in Thailand in 2011, and 30 natural water samples from border areas of northern, eastern, western, and southern Thailand. N. fowleri was detected in 13 and 10 samples using LAMP and PCR, respectively, with a Kappa coefficient of 0.855. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a LAMP assay for N. fowleri. Due to its simplicity, speed, and high sensitivity, the LAMP method described here might be useful for quickly detecting and diagnosing N. fowleri in water and clinical samples, particularly in resource-poor settings.
Okuda, Mitsuru; Okuda, Shiori; Iwai, Hisashi
2015-09-01
Cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) of the genus Crinivirus within the family Closteroviridae is an emerging infectious agent of cucurbits leading to severe disease and significant economic losses. Effective detection and identification methods for this virus are urgently required. In this study, a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed to detect CCYV from its vector Bemisia tabaci. LAMP primer sets to detect CCYV were evaluated for their sensitivity and specificity, and a primer set designed from the HSP70h gene with corresponding loop primers were selected. The RT-LAMP assay was applied to detect CCYV from viruliferous B. tabaci trapped on sticky traps. A simple extraction procedure using RNAsecure™ was developed for template preparation. CCYV was detected in all of the B. tabaci 0, 1, 7 and 14 days after they were trapped. Although the rise of turbidity was delayed in reactions using RNA from B. tabaci trapped for 7 and 14 days compared with those from 0 and 1 day, the DNA amplification was sufficient to detect CCYV in all of the samples. These findings therefore present a simple template preparation method and an effective RT-LAMP assay, which can be easily and rapidly performed to monitor CCYV-viruliferous B. tabaci in the field. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, H; Sun, M; Xu, D; Podok, P; Xie, J; Jiang, Ys; Lu, Lq
2018-05-28
Herpesviral haematopoietic necrosis (HVHN), caused by cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2), causes significant losses in crucian carp (Carassius carassius) aquaculture. Rapid and convenient DNA assay detection of CyHV-2 is useful for field diagnosis. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a novel isothermal DNA amplification and detection technology that can amplify DNA within 30 min at ~37°C by simulating in vivo DNA recombination. Herein, a rapid and convenient detection assay based on RPA with a lateral flow dipstick (LFD) was developed for detecting CyHV-2. The highly conserved ORF72 of CyHV-2 was targeted by specific and sensitive primers and probes. The optimized assay takes only 15 min at 38°C using a water bath, with analysis of products by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis within 30 min. A simple lateral flow strip based on the unique probe in reaction buffer was developed for visualization. The entire RPA-LFD assay takes 50 min less than the routine PCR method, is 100 times more sensitive and displays no cross-reaction with other aquatic viruses. The combined isothermal RPA and lateral flow assay (RPA-LFD) provides a simple, rapid, reliable method that could improve field diagnosis of CyHV-2 when resources are limited. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
El-Matbouli, M; Soliman, H
2005-09-01
A loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay was developed for the rapid detection of Myxobolus cerebralis in both fish and oligochaete hosts. The assay was optimized to amplify parasitic DNA by incubation with Bst DNA polymerase and a set of six specially constructed primers at 65 degrees C for 60 min. The amplification products were detected visually using SYBR Green I dye which gave identical results to gel electrophoresis analysis. Parasite DNA was detected from infected oligochaetes, and from the anal fin, caudal fin, dorsal fin and operculum of clinically infected fish. This 'Myxo-LAMP' assay has a detection limit similar to that of a polymerase chain reaction assay (10(-6)), but is more rapid and only requires a water bath for amplification and is therefore practical for simple and rapid diagnosis of infected tissue.
Polley, Spencer D.; Mori, Yasuyoshi; Watson, Julie; Perkins, Mark D.; González, Iveth J.; Notomi, Tsugunori; Chiodini, Peter L.; Sutherland, Colin J.
2010-01-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of DNA offers the ability to detect very small quantities of pathogen DNA following minimal tissue sample processing and is thus an attractive methodology for point-of-care diagnostics. Previous attempts to diagnose malaria by the use of blood samples and LAMP have targeted the parasite small-subunit rRNA gene, with a resultant sensitivity for Plasmodium falciparum of around 100 parasites per μl. Here we describe the use of mitochondrial targets for LAMP-based detection of any Plasmodium genus parasite and of P. falciparum specifically. These new targets allow routine amplification from samples containing as few as five parasites per μl of blood. Amplification is complete within 30 to 40 min and is assessed by real-time turbidimetry, thereby offering rapid diagnosis with greater sensitivity than is achieved by the most skilled microscopist or antigen detection using lateral flow immunoassays. PMID:20554824
Venkatesan, G; Balamurugan, V; Bhanuprakash, V; Singh, R K; Pandey, A B
2016-06-01
A Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the highly conserved DNA polymerase gene of capripox virus genome was developed and evaluated for rapid detection of sheep pox and goat pox viruses. The optimized LAMP assay is found specific and sensitive for amplification of target DNA with a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 96.6% and 100% respectively compared to quantitative PCR. The detection rate of LAMP, PCR and Q-PCR assays is found to be 81.5%, 67% and 83% respectively. This LAMP assay has the potential for rapid clinical diagnosis and surveillance of sheep pox and goat pox in field diagnostic laboratories. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Evaluating whole transcriptome amplification for gene profiling experiments using RNA-Seq.
Faherty, Sheena L; Campbell, C Ryan; Larsen, Peter A; Yoder, Anne D
2015-07-30
RNA-Seq has enabled high-throughput gene expression profiling to provide insight into the functional link between genotype and phenotype. Low quantities of starting RNA can be a severe hindrance for studies that aim to utilize RNA-Seq. To mitigate this bottleneck, whole transcriptome amplification (WTA) technologies have been developed to generate sufficient sequencing targets from minute amounts of RNA. Successful WTA requires accurate replication of transcript abundance without the loss or distortion of specific mRNAs. Here, we test the efficacy of NuGEN's Ovation RNA-Seq V2 system, which uses linear isothermal amplification with a unique chimeric primer for amplification, using white adipose tissue from standard laboratory rats (Rattus norvegicus). Our goal was to investigate potential biological artifacts introduced through WTA approaches by establishing comparisons between matched raw and amplified RNA libraries derived from biological replicates. We found that 93% of expressed genes were identical between all unamplified versus matched amplified comparisons, also finding that gene density is similar across all comparisons. Our sequencing experiment and downstream bioinformatic analyses using the Tuxedo analysis pipeline resulted in the assembly of 25,543 high-quality transcripts. Libraries constructed from raw RNA and WTA samples averaged 15,298 and 15,253 expressed genes, respectively. Although significant differentially expressed genes (P < 0.05) were identified in all matched samples, each of these represents less than 0.15% of all shared genes for each comparison. Transcriptome amplification is efficient at maintaining relative transcript frequencies with no significant bias when using this NuGEN linear isothermal amplification kit under ideal laboratory conditions as presented in this study. This methodology has broad applications, from clinical and diagnostic, to field-based studies when sample acquisition, or sample preservation, methods prove challenging.
Yao, Yongpeng; Li, Shanshan; Cao, Jiaqian; Liu, Weiwei; Fan, Keqiang; Xiang, Wensheng; Yang, Keqian; Kong, Deming; Wang, Weishan
2018-05-08
Here, we demonstrate an easy-to-implement and general biosensing strategy by coupling the small-molecule recognition of the bacterial allosteric transcription factor (aTF) with isothermal strand displacement amplification (SDA) in vitro. Based on this strategy, we developed two biosensors for the detection of an antiseptic, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, and a disease marker, uric acid, using bacterial aTF HosA and HucR, respectively, highlighting the great potential of this strategy for the development of small-molecule biosensors.
Edwards, Thomas; Burke, Patricia A; Smalley, Helen B; Gillies, Liz; Hobbs, Glyn
2014-06-01
A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for open reading frame 1 (ORF1) of the glutamine synthetase gene of Neisseria gonorrhoeae was able to tolerate urea concentrations of ≤ 1.8 M, compared with a PCR assay that was functional at concentrations of <100 mM. The LAMP assay was as sensitive as the PCR assay while being faster and simpler to perform. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Zeng, Jing; Wei, Haiyan; Zhang, Lei; Liu, Xuefeng; Zhang, Haiyu; Cheng, Jinxia; Ma, Dan; Zhang, Ximeng; Fu, Pubo; Liu, Li
2014-03-17
The objective of this study was to develop a method that combined nanoparticle-based immunomagnetic separation (IMS) with real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the rapid detection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Magnetic nanoparticles were functionalized with monoclonal antibodies that were produced against flagella from V. parahaemolyticus to capture and separate the target cells from raw oysters. After optimization, the immunomagnetic nanoparticles (IMNPs) presented a capture efficiency of 87.3% for 10(5) colony-forming unit (CFU)/mL of V. parahaemolyticus using 2.5μg of IMNPs within 30min. Although a very low level of non-specific binding was seen among 8 non-V. parahaemolyticus Vibrio spp. and 5 non-Vibrio strains, the IMS-LAMP method identified 133 V. parahaemolyticus strains correctly without the amplification from 54 other strains. The detection limit was about 1.4×10(2)CFU/mL in pure culture and was unaffected by the presence of 10(8)CFU/mL of competing microflora. When applied in spiked oysters, the sensitivity was found to be 1.9×10(3)CFU/g without enrichment. After enrichment for 6-8h, the limit of detectability could be improved to 1.9 to 0.19CFU/g. Hence, the IMS-LAMP assay provided a rapid, simple, and cost-effective method for total V. parahaemolyticus detection. This method will have important implications in the rapid detection of contaminated food in the early stage before distribution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fluidics platform and method for sample preparation and analysis
Benner, W. Henry; Dzenitis, John M.; Bennet, William J.; Baker, Brian R.
2014-08-19
Herein provided are fluidics platform and method for sample preparation and analysis. The fluidics platform is capable of analyzing DNA from blood samples using amplification assays such as polymerase-chain-reaction assays and loop-mediated-isothermal-amplification assays. The fluidics platform can also be used for other types of assays and analyzes. In some embodiments, a sample in a sealed tube can be inserted directly. The following isolation, detection, and analyzes can be performed without a user's intervention. The disclosed platform may also comprises a sample preparation system with a magnetic actuator, a heater, and an air-drying mechanism, and fluid manipulation processes for extraction, washing, elution, assay assembly, assay detection, and cleaning after reactions and between samples.
Abildgaard, Anders; Tovbjerg, Sara K; Giltay, Axel; Detemmerman, Liselot; Nissen, Peter H
2018-03-26
The lactase persistence phenotype is controlled by a regulatory enhancer region upstream of the Lactase (LCT) gene. In northern Europe, specifically the -13910C > T variant has been associated with lactase persistence whereas other persistence variants, e.g. -13907C > G and -13915 T > G, have been identified in Africa and the Middle East. The aim of the present study was to compare a previously developed high resolution melting assay (HRM) with a novel method based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification and melting curve analysis (LAMP-MC) with both whole blood and DNA as input material. To evaluate the LAMP-MC method, we used 100 whole blood samples and 93 DNA samples in a two tiered study. First, we studied the ability of the LAMP-MC method to produce specific melting curves for several variants of the LCT enhancer region. Next, we performed a blinded comparison between the LAMP-MC method and our existing HRM method with clinical samples of unknown genotype. The LAMP-MC method produced specific melting curves for the variants at position -13909, -13910, -13913 whereas the -13907C > G and -13915 T > G variants produced indistinguishable melting profiles. The LAMP-MC assay is a simple method for lactase persistence genotyping and compares well with our existing HRM method. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Raele, Donato Antonio; Pugliese, Nicola; Galante, Domenico; Latorre, Laura Maria; Cafiero, Maria Assunta
2016-01-01
Dirofilariasis by Dirofilaria repens is an important mosquito vector borne parasitosis, and the dog represents the natural host and reservoir of the parasite. This filarial nematode can also induce disease in humans, and in the last decades an increasing number of cases have been being reported. The present study describes the first loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect D. repens DNA in blood and mosquitoes. Two versions of the technique have been developed and described: in the first, the amplification is followed point by point through a real time PCR instrument (ReT-LAMP); in the second, the amplification is visualized by checking UV fluorescence of the reaction mixture after addition of propidium iodide (PI-LAMP). The two variants use the same set of 4 primers targeting the D. repens cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. To assess the specificity of the method, reactions were carried out by using DNA from the major zoonotic parasites of the family of Onchocercidae, and no amplification was observed. The lower limit of detection of the ReT-LAMP assay was 0.15 fg/μl (corresponding to about 50 copy of COI gene per μl). Results suggest that the described assay is specific, and its sensitivity is higher than the conventional PCR based on the same gene. It is also provide a rapid and cost-effective molecular detection of D. repens, mainly when PI-LAMP is applied, and it should be performed in areas where this emerging parasitosis is endemic. PMID:27341205
Advanced yellow fever virus genome detection in point-of-care facilities and reference laboratories.
Domingo, Cristina; Patel, Pranav; Yillah, Jasmin; Weidmann, Manfred; Méndez, Jairo A; Nakouné, Emmanuel Rivalyn; Niedrig, Matthias
2012-12-01
Reported methods for the detection of the yellow fever viral genome are beset by limitations in sensitivity, specificity, strain detection spectra, and suitability to laboratories with simple infrastructure in areas of endemicity. We describe the development of two different approaches affording sensitive and specific detection of the yellow fever genome: a real-time reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and an isothermal protocol employing the same primer-probe set but based on helicase-dependent amplification technology (RT-tHDA). Both assays were evaluated using yellow fever cell culture supernatants as well as spiked and clinical samples. We demonstrate reliable detection by both assays of different strains of yellow fever virus with improved sensitivity and specificity. The RT-qPCR assay is a powerful tool for reference or diagnostic laboratories with real-time PCR capability, while the isothermal RT-tHDA assay represents a useful alternative to earlier amplification techniques for the molecular diagnosis of yellow fever by field or point-of-care laboratories.
Gallas-Lindemann, Carmen; Sotiriadou, Isaia; Plutzer, Judit; Noack, Michael J; Mahmoudi, Mohammad Reza; Karanis, Panagiotis
2016-06-01
Environmental water samples from the Lower Rhine area in Germany were investigated via immunofluorescence assays (IFAs), nested polymerase chain reaction (nested PCR) and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect the presence of Giardia spp. (n=185) and Cryptosporidium spp. (n=227). The samples were concentrated through filtration or flocculation, and oocysts were purified via centrifugation through a sucrose density gradient. For all samples, IFA was performed first, followed by DNA extraction for the nested PCR and LAMP assays. Giardia cysts were detected in 105 samples (56.8%) by IFA, 62 samples (33.5%) by nested PCR and 79 samples (42.7%) by LAMP. Cryptosporidium spp. were detected in 69 samples (30.4%) by IFA, 95 samples (41.9%) by nested PCR and 99 samples (43.6%) by LAMP. According to these results, the three detection methods are complementary for monitoring Giardia and Cryptosporidium in environmental waters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Pandey, Mamta; Singh, Dheer; Onteru, Suneel K
2018-06-01
Transcript analysis is usually performed by costly, time-consuming, and expertise intensive methods, like real time-PCR, microarray, etc. However, they are not much feasible in low-input laboratories. Therefore, we implemented the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) as a means of mammalian transcript analysis. Particularly, RT-LAMP was developed for buffalo aromatase cytochrome P450 (CYP19) transcript, to study its expression in 3D-cultured buffalo granulosa cells, which were exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The CYP19-RT-LAMP assay rapidly identified the LPS-induced downregulation of the CYP19 gene within 30 min at 63°C in a water bath. The assay was visualized via unaided eye by observing the change in turbidity and fluorescence, which were decreased by increasing the LPS exposure time to granulosa cells. Overall, the developed CYP19-RT-LAMP assay provided a hope on the application of RT-LAMP for mammalian transcript analysis in low-input laboratories. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Zheng, S; Wu, X; Shi, J; Peng, Z; Gao, M; Xin, C; Liu, Y; Wang, S; Xu, S; Han, H; Yu, J; Sun, W; Cong, X; Li, J; Wang, J
2018-06-01
In this study, a rapid and specific assay for the detection of porcine circovirus type 3 (PCV3) was established using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). Four primers were specifically designed to amplify PCV3. The LAMP assay was effectively optimized to amplify PCV3 by water bath at 60°C for 60 min. The detection limit was approximately 1 × 10 1 copy in this LAMP assay. Compared to porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2), both gE and gD genes of pseudorabies virus (PRV) and porcine parvovirus (PPV), the LAMP assay showed a high specific detection of PCV3. A visible detection method was developed using SYBR Green I to recognize the results rapidly. Based on the detection of 20 clinical tissue samples, the LAMP assay was more practical and convenient than classical PCR due to its simplicity, high sensitivity, rapidity, specificity, visibility and cost efficiency. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
Chen, M H; Kuo, S T; Renault, T; Chang, P H
2014-02-01
A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of abalone herpesvirus DNA. Two pairs of primers were designed, based on the sequence of the DNA polymerase gene of abalone herpesvirus. The reaction temperature and time were optimized to 63°C and 60min, respectively. LAMP amplicons were analyzed by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis or by visual inspection of a colour change emitted by fluorescent dye. The method developed was specific for the detection of abalone herpesvirus, without cross-reactions with other tested herpesviruses including ostreid herpesvirus 1 (OsHV-1), European eel herpesvirus, koi herpesvirus (KHV) and an avian herpesvirus. The LAMP assay was 100 folds more sensitive than a conventional PCR and 10 folds less sensitive than a SYBR Green PCR. These results indicate that the developed LAMP assay is a simple, rapid, sensitive, specific and reliable technique for the detection of abalone herpesvirus. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Xia, Yun; Yan, Shuangqian; Zhang, Xian; Ma, Peng; Du, Wei; Feng, Xiaojun; Liu, Bi-Feng
2017-03-21
Digital loop-mediated isothermal amplification (dLAMP) is an attractive approach for absolute quantification of nucleic acids with high sensitivity and selectivity. Theoretical and numerical analysis of dLAMP provides necessary guidance for the design and analysis of dLAMP devices. In this work, a mathematical model was proposed on the basis of the Monte Carlo method and the theories of Poisson statistics and chemometrics. To examine the established model, we fabricated a spiral chip with 1200 uniform and discrete reaction chambers (9.6 nL) for absolute quantification of pathogenic DNA samples by dLAMP. Under the optimized conditions, dLAMP analysis on the spiral chip realized quantification of nucleic acids spanning over 4 orders of magnitude in concentration with sensitivity as low as 8.7 × 10 -2 copies/μL in 40 min. The experimental results were consistent with the proposed mathematical model, which could provide useful guideline for future development of dLAMP devices.
Xue, Qingwang; Lv, Yanqin; Xu, Shuling; Zhang, Yuanfu; Wang, Lei; Li, Rui; Yue, Qiaoli; Li, Haibo; Gu, Xiaohong; Zhang, Shuqiu; Liu, Jifeng
2015-04-15
Site-specific identification of DNA methylation and assay of MTase activity are imperative for determining specific cancer types, provide insights into the mechanism of gene repression, and develop novel drugs to treat methylation-related diseases. Herein, we developed a highly sensitive fluorescence assay of DNA methyltransferase by methylation-sensitive cleavage-based primer generation exponential isothermal amplification (PG-EXPA) coupled with supramolecular fluorescent Zinc(II)-protoporphyrin IX (ZnPPIX)/G-quadruplex. In the presence of DNA adenine methylation (Dam) MTase, the methylation-responsive sequence of hairpin probe is methylated and cleaved by the methylation-sensitive restriction endonuclease Dpn I. The cleaved hairpin probe then functions as a signal primer to initiate the exponential isothermal amplification reaction (EXPAR) by hybridizing with a unimolecular DNA containing three functional domains as the amplification template, producing a large number of G-quadruplex nanostructures by utilizing polymerases and nicking enzymes as mechanical activators. The G-quadruplex nanostructures act as host for ZnPPIX that lead to supramolecular complexes ZnPPIX/G-quadruplex, which provides optical labels for amplified fluorescence detection of Dam MTase. While in the absence of Dam MTase, neither methylation/cleavage nor PG-EXPA reaction can be initiated and no fluorescence signal is observed. The proposed method exhibits a wide dynamic range from 0.0002 to 20U/mL and an extremely low detection limit of 8.6×10(-5)U/mL, which is superior to most conventional approaches for the MTase assay. Owing to the specific site recognition of MTase toward its substrate, the proposed sensing system was able to readily discriminate Dam MTase from other MTase such as M.SssI and even detect the target in a complex biological matrix. Furthermore, the application of the proposed sensing strategy for screening Dam MTase inhibitors was also demonstrated with satisfactory results. This novel method not only provides a promising platform for monitoring activity and inhibition of DNA MTases, but also shows great potentials in biological process researches, drugs discovery and clinical diagnostics. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Satoh, Tetsuya; Kouroki, Seiya; Ogawa, Keita; Tanaka, Yorika; Matsumura, Kazutoshi; Iwase, Susumu
2018-04-25
Identifying body fluids from forensic samples can provide valuable evidence for criminal investigations. Messenger RNA (mRNA)-based body fluid identification was recently developed, and highly sensitive parallel identification using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been described. In this study, we developed reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) as a simple, rapid assay for identifying three common forensic body fluids, namely blood, semen, and saliva, and evaluated its specificity and sensitivity. Hemoglobin beta (HBB), transglutaminase 4 (TGM4), and statherin (STATH) were selected as marker genes for blood, semen, and saliva, respectively. RT-LAMP could be performed in a single step including both reverse transcription and DNA amplification under an isothermal condition within 60 min, and detection could be conveniently performed via visual fluorescence. Marker-specific amplification was performed in each assay, and no cross-reaction was observed among five representative forensically relevant body fluids. The detection limits of the assays were 0.3 nL, 30 nL, and 0.3 μL for blood, semen, and saliva, respectively, and their sensitivities were comparable with those of RT-PCR. Furthermore, RT-LAMP assays were applicable to forensic casework samples. It is considered that RT-LAMP is useful for body fluid identification.
Wang, Cong; Li, Rong; Quan, Sheng; Shen, Ping; Zhang, Dabing; Shi, Jianxin; Yang, Litao
2015-06-01
Isothermal DNA/RNA amplification techniques are the primary methodology for developing on-spot rapid nucleic acid amplification assays, and the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique has been developed and applied in the detection of foodborne pathogens, plant/animal viruses, and genetically modified (GM) food/feed contents. In this study, one set of LAMP assays targeting on eight frequently used universal elements, marker genes, and exogenous target genes, such as CaMV35S promoter, FMV35S promoter, NOS, bar, cry1Ac, CP4 epsps, pat, and NptII, were developed for visual screening of GM contents in plant-derived food samples with high efficiency and accuracy. For these eight LAMP assays, their specificity was evaluated by testing commercial GM plant events and their limits of detection were also determined, which are 10 haploid genome equivalents (HGE) for FMV35S promoter, cry1Ac, and pat assays, as well as five HGE for CaMV35S promoter, bar, NOS terminator, CP4 epsps, and NptII assays. The screening applicability of these LAMP assays was further validated successfully using practical canola, soybean, and maize samples. The results suggested that the established visual LAMP assays are applicable and cost-effective for GM screening in plant-derived food samples.
Nucleic acid arrays and methods of synthesis
Sabanayagam, Chandran R.; Sano, Takeshi; Misasi, John; Hatch, Anson; Cantor, Charles
2001-01-01
The present invention generally relates to high density nucleic acid arrays and methods of synthesizing nucleic acid sequences on a solid surface. Specifically, the present invention contemplates the use of stabilized nucleic acid primer sequences immobilized on solid surfaces, and circular nucleic acid sequence templates combined with the use of isothermal rolling circle amplification to thereby increase nucleic acid sequence concentrations in a sample or on an array of nucleic acid sequences.
Su, Yachun; Yang, Yuting; Peng, Qiong; Zhou, Dinggang; Chen, Yun; Wang, Zhuqing; Xu, Liping; Que, Youxiong
2016-01-01
Smut is a fungal disease with widespread prevalence in sugarcane planting areas. Early detection and proper identification of Sporisorium scitamineum are essential in smut management practices. In the present study, four specific primers targeting the core effector Pep1 gene of S. scitamineum were designed. Optimal concentrations of Mg2+, primer and Bst DNA polymerase, the three important components of the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction system, were screened using a single factor experiment method and the L16(45) orthogonal experimental design. Hence, a LAMP system suitable for detection of S. scitamineum was established. High specificity of the LAMP method was confirmed by the assay of S. scitamineum, Fusarium moniliforme, Pestalotia ginkgo, Helminthospcrium sacchari, Fusarium oxysporum and endophytes of Yacheng05-179 and ROC22. The sensitivity of the LAMP method was equal to that of the conventional PCR targeting Pep1 gene and was 100 times higher than that of the conventional PCR assay targeting bE gene in S. scitamineum. The results suggest that this novel LAMP system has strong specificity and high sensitivity. This method not only provides technological support for the epidemic monitoring of sugarcane smut, but also provides a good case for development of similar detection technology for other plant pathogens. PMID:27035751
Bao, Hongmei; Wang, Xiurong; Zhao, Yuhui; Sun, Xiaodong; Li, Yanbing; Xiong, Yongzhong; Chen, Hualan
2012-01-01
A rapid and sensitive reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for the detection of the H7 avian influenza virus (H7 AIV) isotype was developed. The minimum detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was 0.1-0.01 PFU per reaction for H7 AIV RNA, making this assay 100-fold more sensitive than the conventional RT-PCR method. This RT-LAMP assay also has the capacity to detect both high- and low-pathogenic H7 AIV strains. Using a pool of RNAs extracted from influenza viruses corresponding to all 15 HA subtypes (in addition to other avian pathogenic viruses), the RT-LAMP system was confirmed to amplify only H7 AIV RNA. Furthermore, specific pathogen free (SPF) chickens were infected artificially with H7 AIV, throat and cloacal swabs were collected, and viral shedding was examined using viral isolation, RT-PCR and RT-LAMP. Shedding was detected following viral isolation and RT-LAMP one day after infection, whereas viral detection using RT-PCR was effective only on day 3 post-infection. These results indicate that the RT-LAMP method could facilitate epidemiological surveillance and the rapid diagnosis of the avian influenza subtype H7. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Lee, Dohwan; Kim, Yong Tae; Lee, Jee Won; Kim, Do Hyun; Seo, Tae Seok
2016-05-15
We have developed an integrated direct loop-mediated isothermal amplification (Direct LAMP) microdevice incorporated with an immunochromatographic strip (ICS) to identify bacteria contaminated in real samples. The Direct LAMP is a novel isothermal DNA amplification technique which does not require thermal cycling steps as well as any sample preparation steps such as cell lysis and DNA extraction for amplifying specific target genes. In addition, the resultant amplicons were colorimetrically detected on the ICS, thereby enabling the entire genetic analysis process to be simplified. The two functional units (Direct LAMP and ICS) were integrated on a single device without use of the tedious and complicated microvalve and tubing systems. The utilization of a slidable plate allows us to manipulate the fluidic control in the microchannels manually and the sequential operation of the Direct LAMP and ICS detection could be performed by switching the slidable plate to each functional unit. Thus, the combination of the direct isothermal amplification without any sample preparation and thermal cycling steps, the ICS based amplicon detection by naked eyes, and the slidable plate to eliminate the microvalves in the integrated microdevice would be an ideal platform for point-of-care DNA diaganotics. On the integrated Direct LAMP-ICS microdevice, we could analyze Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli O157:H7 (E. coli O157:H7) contaminated in human whole blood or milk at a single-cell level within 1h. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Helicase dependent OnChip-amplification and its use in multiplex pathogen detection.
Andresen, Dennie; von Nickisch-Rosenegk, Markus; Bier, Frank F
2009-05-01
The need for fast, specific and sensitive multiparametric detection methods is an ever growing demand in molecular diagnostics. Here we report on a newly developed method, the helicase dependent OnChip amplification (OnChip-HDA). This approach integrates the analysis and detection in one single reaction thus leading to time and cost savings in multiparametric analysis. HDA is an isothermal amplification method that is not depending on thermocycling as known from PCR due to the helicases' ability to unwind DNA double-strands. We have combined the HDA with microarray based detection, making it suitable for multiplex detection. As an example we used the OnChip HDA in single and multiplex amplifications for the detection of the two pathogens N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus directly on surface bound primers. We have successfully shown the OnChip-HDA and applied it for single- and duplex-detection of the pathogens N. gonorrhoeae and S. aureus. We have developed a new method, the OnChip-HDA for the multiplex detection of pathogens. Its simplicity in reaction setup and potential for miniaturization and multiparametric analysis is advantageous for the integration in miniaturized Lab on Chip systems, e.g. needed in point of care diagnostics.
Real-time DNA Amplification and Detection System Based on a CMOS Image Sensor.
Wang, Tiantian; Devadhasan, Jasmine Pramila; Lee, Do Young; Kim, Sanghyo
2016-01-01
In the present study, we developed a polypropylene well-integrated complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) platform to perform the loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for real-time DNA amplification and detection simultaneously. An amplification-coupled detection system directly measures the photon number changes based on the generation of magnesium pyrophosphate and color changes. The photon number decreases during the amplification process. The CMOS image sensor observes the photons and converts into digital units with the aid of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). In addition, UV-spectral studies, optical color intensity detection, pH analysis, and electrophoresis detection were carried out to prove the efficiency of the CMOS sensor based the LAMP system. Moreover, Clostridium perfringens was utilized as proof-of-concept detection for the new system. We anticipate that this CMOS image sensor-based LAMP method will enable the creation of cost-effective, label-free, optical, real-time and portable molecular diagnostic devices.
Oishi, Motoi
2015-05-01
An enzyme-free and isothermal microRNA (miRNA) detection method has been developed based on click-chemical ligation-assisted hybridization coupled with hybridization chain reaction (HCR) on magnetic beads (MBs). The click-chemical ligation between an azide-modified probe DNA and a dibenzocyclooctyne-modified probe DNA occurred through the hybridization of target miRNA (miR-141). HCR on MBs was performed by the addition of DNA hairpin monomers (H1 and H2). After magnetic separation and denaturation/rehybridization of HCR products ([H1/H2] n ), the resulting HCR products were analyzed by the fluorescence emitted from an intercalative dye, allowing amplification of the fluorescent signal. The proposed assay had a limit of detection of 0.55 fmol, which was 230-fold more sensitive than that of the HCR on the MBs coupled with a conventional sandwich hybridization assay (without click-chemical ligation) (limit of detection 127 fmol). Additionally, the proposed assay could discriminate between miR-141 and other miR-200 family members. In contrast to quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction techniques using enzymes and thermal cycling, this is an enzyme-free assay that can be conducted under isothermal conditions and can specifically detect miR-141 in fetal bovine serum.
Kawano, Shuichi; Maeda, Takuya; Suzuki, Takefumi; Abe, Tatsuhiro; Mikita, Kei; Hamakawa, Yusuke; Ono, Takeshi; Sonehara, Wataru; Miyahira, Yasushi; Kawana, Akihiko
2015-03-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an innovative molecular technique requiring only a heating device and isothermal conditions to amplify a specific target gene. The results of current microscopic diagnostic tools for pneumocystis pneumonia are not sufficiently consistent for detecting infection with a low-density of Pneumocystis jirovecii. Although polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is highly sensitive, it is not suitable for resource-limited facilities. LAMP is a potential diagnostic replacement for PCR in such settings but a critical disadvantage of DNA extraction was still remained. Therefore, we employed the Procedure for Ultra Rapid Extraction (PURE) kit, which uses a porous material, to isolate the DNA from clinical samples in a simple way in combination with previously reported LAMP procedure for diagnosing PCP. The detection limit of the PURE-LAMP method applied to artificial bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples was 100 copies/tube, even with the use of massive blood-contaminated solutions. In addition, we concluded the diagnostic procedure within 1 h without the need for additional equipment. PURE-LAMP coupled with suitable primers for specific pathogens has good potential for diagnosing various infectious diseases. Copyright © 2014 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Li, Ying; Zeng, Yan; Mao, Yaning; Lei, Chengcun; Zhang, Shusheng
2014-01-15
A novel proximity-dependent isothermal cycle amplification (PDICA) strategy has been proposed and successfully used for the determination of cocaine coupled with surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). For enhancing the SERS signal, Raman dye molecules modified bio-barcode DNA and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) are used to prepare the Raman probes. Magnetic beads (MBs) are used as the carrier of amplification template and signal output products for circumventing the problem of high background induced by excess bio-barcode DNA. In the presence of target molecules, two label-free proximity probes can hybridize with each other and subsequently opens the hairpin connector-probe to perform the PDICA reaction including the target recycling amplification and strand-displacement amplification. As a result, abundant AuNPs Raman probes can be anchored on the surface of MBs and a low detection limit of 0.1 nM for cocaine is obtained. This assay also exhibits an excellent selectivity and has been successfully performed in human serum, which confirms the reliability and practicality of this protocol. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Oriero, Eniyou C; Okebe, Joseph; Jacobs, Jan; Van Geertruyden, Jean-Pierre; Nwakanma, Davis; D'Alessandro, Umberto
2015-10-09
New diagnostic tools to detect reliably and rapidly asymptomatic and low-density malaria infections are needed as their treatment could interrupt transmission. Isothermal amplification techniques are being explored for field diagnosis of malaria. In this study, a novel molecular tool (loop-mediated isothermal amplification-LAMP) targeting the apicoplast genome of Plasmodium falciparum was evaluated for the detection of asymptomatic malaria-infected individuals in a rural setting in The Gambia. A blood was collected from 341 subjects (median age 9 years, range 1-68 years) screened for malaria. On site, a rapid diagnostic test (RDT, SD Bioline Malaria Antigen P.f) was performed, thick blood films (TBF) slides for microscopy were prepared and dry blood spots (DBS) were collected on Whatman(®) 903 Specimen collection paper. The TBF and DBS were transported to the field laboratory where microscopy and LAMP testing were performed. The latter was done on DNA extracted from the DBS using a crude (methanol/heating) extraction method. A laboratory-based PCR amplification was done on all the samples using DNA extracted with the Qiagen kit and its results were taken as reference for all the other tests. Plasmodium falciparum malaria prevalence was 37 % (127/341) as detected by LAMP, 30 % (104/341) by microscopy and 37 % (126/341) by RDT. Compared to the reference PCR method, sensitivity was 92 % for LAMP, 78 % for microscopy, and 76 % for RDT; specificity was 97 % for LAMP, 99 % for microscopy, and 88 % for RDT. Area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve in comparison with the reference standard was 0.94 for LAMP, 0.88 for microscopy and 0.81 for RDT. Turn-around time for the entire LAMP assay was approximately 3 h and 30 min for an average of 27 ± 9.5 samples collected per day, compared to a minimum of 10 samples an hour per operator by RDT and over 8 h by microscopy. The LAMP assay could produce reliable results the same day of the screening. It could detect a higher proportion of low density malaria infections than the other methods tested and may be used for large campaigns of systematic screening and treatment.
Wang, Li-Juan; Ren, Ming; Zhang, Qianyi; Tang, Bo; Zhang, Chun-Yang
2017-04-18
Uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) is an important base excision repair (BER) enzyme responsible for the repair of uracil-induced DNA lesion and the maintenance of genomic integrity, while the aberrant expression of UDG is associated with a variety of cancers. Thus, the accurate detection of UDG activity is essential to biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Here, we develop a fluorescent method for ultrasensitive detection of UDG activity using excision repair-initiated enzyme-assisted bicyclic cascade signal amplification. This assay involves (1) UDG-actuated uracil-excision repair, (2) excision repair-initiated nicking enzyme-mediated isothermal exponential amplification, (3) ribonuclease H (RNase H)-induced hydrolysis of signal probes for generating fluorescence signal. The presence of UDG enables the removal of uracil from U·A pairs and generates an apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site. Endonuclease IV (Endo IV) subsequently cleaves the AP site, resulting in the break of DNA substrate. The cleaved DNA substrate functions as both a primer and a template to initiate isothermal exponential amplification, producing a large number of triggers. The resultant trigger may selectively hybridize with the signal probe which is modified with FAM and BHQ1, forming a RNA-DNA heterogeneous duplex. The subsequent hydrolysis of RNA-DNA duplex by RNase H leads to the generation of fluorescence signal. This assay exhibits ultrahigh sensitivity with a detection limit of 0.0001 U/mL, and it can even measure UDG activity at the single-cell level. Moreover, this method can be applied for the measurement of kinetic parameters and the screening of inhibitors, thereby providing a powerful tool for DNA repair enzyme-related biomedical research and clinical diagnosis.
Kiddle, Guy; Hardinge, Patrick; Buttigieg, Neil; Gandelman, Olga; Pereira, Clint; McElgunn, Cathal J; Rizzoli, Manuela; Jackson, Rebecca; Appleton, Nigel; Moore, Cathy; Tisi, Laurence C; Murray, James A H
2012-04-30
There is an increasing need for quantitative technologies suitable for molecular detection in a variety of settings for applications including food traceability and monitoring of genetically modified (GM) crops and their products through the food processing chain. Conventional molecular diagnostics utilising real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence-based determination of amplification require temperature cycling and relatively complex optics. In contrast, isothermal amplification coupled to a bioluminescent output produced in real-time (BART) occurs at a constant temperature and only requires a simple light detection and integration device. Loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) shows robustness to sample-derived inhibitors. Here we show the applicability of coupled LAMP and BART reactions (LAMP-BART) for determination of genetically modified (GM) maize target DNA at low levels of contamination (0.1-5.0% GM) using certified reference material, and compare this to RT-PCR. Results show that conventional DNA extraction methods developed for PCR may not be optimal for LAMP-BART quantification. Additionally, we demonstrate that LAMP is more tolerant to plant sample-derived inhibitors, and show this can be exploited to develop rapid extraction techniques suitable for simple field-based qualitative tests for GM status determination. We also assess the effect of total DNA assay load on LAMP-BART quantitation. LAMP-BART is an effective and sensitive technique for GM detection with significant potential for quantification even at low levels of contamination and in samples derived from crops such as maize with a large genome size. The resilience of LAMP-BART to acidic polysaccharides makes it well suited to rapid sample preparation techniques and hence to both high throughput laboratory settings and to portable GM detection applications. The impact of the plant sample matrix and genome loading within a reaction must be controlled to ensure quantification at low target concentrations.
Wang, Yi; Li, Hui; Li, Dongxun; Li, Kewei; Wang, Yan; Xu, Jianguo; Ye, Changyun
2016-01-01
Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus) is a marine seafood-borne pathogen causing severe illnesses in humans and aquatic animals. In the present study, multiple cross displacement amplification was combined with a lateral flow biosensor (MCDA-LFB) to detect the toxR gene of V. parahaemolyticus in DNA extracts from pure cultures and spiked oyster homogenates. Amplification was carried out at a constant temperature (62°C) for only 30 min, and amplification products were directly applied to the biosensor. The entire process, including oyster homogenate processing (30 min), isothermal amplification (30 min) and results indicating (∼2 min), could be completed within 65 min. Amplification product was detectable from as little as 10 fg of pure V. parahaemolyticus DNA and from approximately 4.2 × 102 CFU in 1 mL of oyster homogenate. No cross-reaction with other Vibrio species and with non-Vibrio species was observed. Therefore, the MCDA-LFB method established in the current report is suitable for the rapid screening of V. parahaemolyticus in clinical, food, and environmental samples. PMID:28066368
Rapid screening for human-pathogenic Mucorales using rolling circle amplification.
Dolatabadi, S; Najafzadeh, M J; de Hoog, G S
2014-12-01
Mucormycosis has emerged as a relatively common severe mycosis in patients with haematological and allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Source of transmission is from unidentified sources in the environment. Early diagnosis of infection and its source of contamination are paramount for rapid and appropriate therapy. In this study, rolling circle amplification (RCA) is introduced as a sensitive, specific and reproducible isothermal DNA amplification technique for rapid molecular identification of six of the most virulent species (Rhizopus microsporus, R. arrhizus var. arrhizus, R. arrhizus var. delemar, Mucor irregularis, Mucor circinelloides, Lichtheimia ramosa, Lichtheimia corymbifera). DNAs of target species were successfully amplified, with no cross reactivity between species. RCA can be considered as a rapid detection method with high specificity and sensitivity, suitable for large screening. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.
2016-01-01
Digital single-molecule technologies are expanding diagnostic capabilities, enabling the ultrasensitive quantification of targets, such as viral load in HIV and hepatitis C infections, by directly counting single molecules. Replacing fluorescent readout with a robust visual readout that can be captured by any unmodified cell phone camera will facilitate the global distribution of diagnostic tests, including in limited-resource settings where the need is greatest. This paper describes a methodology for developing a visual readout system for digital single-molecule amplification of RNA and DNA by (i) selecting colorimetric amplification-indicator dyes that are compatible with the spectral sensitivity of standard mobile phones, and (ii) identifying an optimal ratiometric image-process for a selected dye to achieve a readout that is robust to lighting conditions and camera hardware and provides unambiguous quantitative results, even for colorblind users. We also include an analysis of the limitations of this methodology, and provide a microfluidic approach that can be applied to expand dynamic range and improve reaction performance, allowing ultrasensitive, quantitative measurements at volumes as low as 5 nL. We validate this methodology using SlipChip-based digital single-molecule isothermal amplification with λDNA as a model and hepatitis C viral RNA as a clinically relevant target. The innovative combination of isothermal amplification chemistry in the presence of a judiciously chosen indicator dye and ratiometric image processing with SlipChip technology allowed the sequence-specific visual readout of single nucleic acid molecules in nanoliter volumes with an unmodified cell phone camera. When paired with devices that integrate sample preparation and nucleic acid amplification, this hardware-agnostic approach will increase the affordability and the distribution of quantitative diagnostic and environmental tests. PMID:26900709
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Zhu, Xiao; Xing, Da
2012-12-01
A new label-free isothermal fluorescence amplification detection for nucleic acid has been developed. In this paper, we first developed a novel sensitive and specific detection platform with an unmodified hairpin probe (HP) combination of the graphene oxid (GO)/ SYBR green I dye (SG), which was relied on the selective principle of adsorption and the high quenching efficiency of GO. Then for the application of this new strategy, we used Mirco RNA-21 (Mir-21) as the target to evaluate this working principle of our design. When the target was hybridizing with the HP and inducing its conformation of change, an efficient isothermal circular strand-displacement polymerization reaction was activating to assist the first signal amplification. In this format, the formed complex conformation of DNA would interact with its high affinity dye, then detached from the surface of GO after incubating with the platform of GO/intercalating dye. This reaction would accompany with obvious fluorescence recovery, and accomplish farther signal enhancement by a mass of intercalating dye inserting into the minor groove of the long duplex replication product. By taking advantage of the multiple amplification of signal, this method exerted substantial enhancement in sensitivity and could be used for rapid and selective detection of Mir-21 with attomole range. It is expected that this cost-effective GO based sensor might hold considerable potential to apply in bioanalysis studies.
Miniaturized devices towards an integrated lab-on-a-chip platform for DNA diagnostics
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kaprou, G.; Papadakis, G.; Kokkoris, G.; Papadopoulos, V.; Kefala, I.; Papageorgiou, D.; Gizeli, E.; Tserepi, A.
2015-06-01
Microfluidics is an emerging technology enabling the development of Lab-on-a-chip (LOC) systems for clinical diagnostics, drug discovery and screening, food safety and environmental analysis. LOC systems integrate and scale down one or several laboratory functions on a single chip of a few mm2 to cm2 in size, and account for many advantages on biochemical analyses, such as low sample and reagent consumption, low cost, reduced analysis time, portability and point-of-need compatibility. Currently, available nucleic acid diagnostic tests take advantage of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) that allows exponential amplification of portions of nucleic acid sequences that can be used as indicators for the identification of various diseases. Here, we present a comparison between static chamber and continuous flow miniaturized PCR devices, in terms of energy consumption for devices fabricated on the same material stack, with identical sample volume and channel dimensions. The comparison is implemented by a computational study coupling heat transfer in both solid and fluid, mass conservation of species, and joule heating. Based on the conclusions of this study, we develop low-cost and fast DNA amplification devices for both PCR and isothermal amplification, and we implement them in the detection of mutations related to breast cancer. The devices are fabricated by mass production amenable technologies on printed circuit board (PCB) substrates, where copper facilitates the incorporation of on-chip microheaters, defining the thermal zones necessary for PCR or isothermal amplification methods.
Monazah, A; Zeinoddini, M; Saeeidinia, A R
2017-08-01
Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a member of the genus Enterovirus within the family Picornaviridae and is an important pathogen of viral myocarditis, which accounts for more than 50% viral myocarditis cases. VP1 is major capsid protein that this region has a low homology in both amino acid and nucleotide sequences among Enteroviruses. Therefore we have chosen this region for designed a set of RT-LAMP primers for CVB3 detection. For this the total RNA was extracted from 24-h post infected-HeLa cells with complete cytopathic effect (CPE), and applied to a one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification reaction (RT-LAMP) using CVB3-specific primers. The optimization of RT-LAMP reaction was carried out with three variables factors including MgSO 4 concentration, temperature and time of incubation. Amplification was analyzed by using 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and ethidium bromide and SYBR Green staining. Our results were shown the ladder-like pattern of the VP1 gene amplification. The LAMP reaction mix was optimized and the best result observed at 4mM MgSO 4 and 60°C for 90min incubation. RT-LAMP had high sensitivity and specificity for detection of CVB3 infection. This method can be used as a rapid and easy diagnostic test for detection of CVB3 in clinical laboratories. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Fully 3D printed integrated reactor array for point-of-care molecular diagnostics.
Kadimisetty, Karteek; Song, Jinzhao; Doto, Aoife M; Hwang, Young; Peng, Jing; Mauk, Michael G; Bushman, Frederic D; Gross, Robert; Jarvis, Joseph N; Liu, Changchun
2018-06-30
Molecular diagnostics that involve nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are crucial for prevention and treatment of infectious diseases. In this study, we developed a simple, inexpensive, disposable, fully 3D printed microfluidic reactor array that is capable of carrying out extraction, concentration and isothermal amplification of nucleic acids in variety of body fluids. The method allows rapid molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases at point of care. A simple leak-proof polymerization strategy was developed to integrate flow-through nucleic acid isolation membranes into microfluidic devices, yielding a multifunctional diagnostic platform. Static coating technology was adopted to improve the biocompatibility of our 3D printed device. We demonstrated the suitability of our device for both end-point colorimetric qualitative detection and real-time fluorescence quantitative detection. We applied our diagnostic device to detection of Plasmodium falciparum in plasma samples and Neisseria meningitides in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples by loop-mediated, isothermal amplification (LAMP) within 50 min. The detection limits were 100 fg for P. falciparum and 50 colony-forming unit (CFU) for N. meningitidis per reaction, which are comparable to that of benchtop instruments. This rapid and inexpensive 3D printed device has great potential for point-of-care molecular diagnosis of infectious disease in resource-limited settings. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Storari, M; von Rohr, R; Pertot, I; Gessler, C; Broggini, G A L
2013-04-01
To develop two assays based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) of DNA for the quick and specific identification of Aspergillus carbonarius and ochratoxigenic strains of the Aspergillus niger clade isolated from grapes. Two sets of primers were designed based on the polyketide synthase genes involved or putatively involved in ochratoxin A (OTA) biosynthesis in A. carbonarius and A. niger clade. Hydroxynaphthol blue was used as indirect method to indicate DNA amplification. The limit of detection of both assays was comparable to that of a PCR reaction. Specificities of the reactions were tested using DNA from different black aspergilli isolated from grapes. The two LAMP assays were then used to identify A. carbonarius and ochratoxigenic A. niger and A. awamori grown in pure cultures without a prior DNA extraction. The two LAMP assays permitted to quickly and specifically identify DNA from OTA-producing black aspergilli, as well as isolates grown in pure culture. Monitoring vineyards for the presence of OTA-producing strains is part of the measures to minimize the occurrence of OTA in grape products. The two LAMP assays developed here could be potentially used to speed the screening process of vineyards for the presence of OTA-producing black aspergilli. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Gadkar, Vijay J; Goldfarb, David M; Gantt, Soren; Tilley, Peter A G
2018-04-03
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification (iNAAT) technique known for its simplicity, sensitivity and speed. Its low-cost feature has resulted in its wide scale application, especially in low resource settings. The major disadvantage of LAMP is its heavy reliance on indirect detection methods like turbidity and non-specific dyes, which often leads to the detection of false positive results. In the present work, we have developed a direct detection approach, whereby a labelled loop probe quenched in its unbound state, fluoresces only when bound to its target (amplicon). Henceforth, referred to as Fluorescence of Loop Primer Upon Self Dequenching-LAMP (FLOS-LAMP), it allows for the sequence-specific detection of LAMP amplicons. The FLOS-LAMP concept was validated for rapid detection of the human pathogen, Varicella-zoster virus, from clinical samples. The FLOS-LAMP had a limit of detection of 500 copies of the target with a clinical sensitivity and specificity of 96.8% and 100%, respectively. The high level of specificity is a major advance and solves one of the main shortcomings of the LAMP technology, i.e. false positives. Self-quenching/de-quenching probes were further used with other LAMP primer sets and different fluorophores, thereby demonstrating its versatility and adaptability.
Almasi, Mohammad Amin; Erfan Manesh, Maryam; Jafary, Hossein; Dehabadi, Seyed Mohammad Hosseini
2013-09-01
The most common virus affecting potatoes in the field worldwide is Potato Leafroll virus (PLRV), belonging to the family Luteoviridae, genius Plerovirus. There are several molecular methods to detect PLRV including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Multiplex AmpliDet RNA and double antibody sandwich ELISA (DAS-ELISA). But these techniques take a long time for 3h to two days, requiring sophisticated tools. The aim of this study was to reduce the time required to detect PLRV, using a newly designed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique requiring only an ordinary water bath or thermoblock. PLRV RNA was extracted from overall 80 infected naturally potato leaves. A set of six novel primers for the LAMP reaction was designed according to the highly conserved sequence of the viral coat protein (CP) gene. LAMP was carried out under isothermal conditions, applying the Bst DNA polymerase enzyme; the LAMP products were detected visually using the GeneFinder™ florescence dye. A positive result using the GeneFinder™ dye was a color change from the original orange to green. Results confirmed LAMP with GeneFinder™ provides a rapid and safe assay for detection of PLRV. Since with other molecular methods, equipping laboratories with a thermocycler or expensive detector systems is unavoidable, this assay was found to be a simple, cost-effective molecular method that has the potential to replace other diagnostic methods in primary laboratories without the need for expensive equipment or specialized techniques. It can also be considered as a reliable alternative viral detection system in further investigations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Chen, Hua-Wei; Ching, Wei-Mei
2016-04-18
Coxiella burnetii, the agent causing Q fever, is an obligate intracellular bacterium. PCR based diagnostic assays have been developed for detecting C. burnetii DNA in cell cultures and clinical samples. PCR requires specialized equipment and extensive end user training, and therefore, it is not suitable for routine work especially in a resource-constrained area. We have developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect the presence of C. burnetii in patient samples. This method is performed at a single temperature around 60 °C in a water bath or heating block. The sensitivity of this LAMP assay is very similar to PCR with a detection limit of about 25 copies per reaction. This report describes the preparation of the reaction using lyophilized reagents and visualization of results using hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) or a UV lamp with fluorescent intercalating dye in the reaction. The LAMP reagents were lyophilized and stored at room temperature (RT) for one month without loss of detection sensitivity. This LAMP assay is particularly robust because the reaction mixture preparation does not involve complex steps. This method is ideal for use in resource-limited settings where Q fever is endemic.
Lu, Hengyu; Wilson, Bree A. L.; Ash, Gavin J.; Woruba, Sharon B.; Fletcher, Murray J.; You, Minsheng; Yang, Guang; Gurr, Geoff M.
2016-01-01
Phytoplasmas are insect vectored mollicutes responsible for disease in many economically important crops. Determining which insect species are vectors of a given phytoplasma is important for managing disease but is methodologically challenging because disease-free plants need to be exposed to large numbers of insects, often over many months. A relatively new method to detect likely transmission involves molecular testing for phytoplasma DNA in sucrose solution that insects have fed upon. In this study we combined this feeding medium method with a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to study 627 insect specimens of 11 Hemiptera taxa sampled from sites in Papua New Guinea affected by Bogia coconut syndrome (BCS). The LAMP assay detected phytoplasma DNA from the feeding solution and head tissue of insects from six taxa belonging to four families: Derbidae, Lophopidae, Flatidae and Ricaniidae. Two other taxa yielded positives only from the heads and the remainder tested negative. These results demonstrate the utility of combining single-insect feeding medium tests with LAMP assays to identify putative vectors that can be the subject of transmission tests and to better understand phytoplasma pathosystems. PMID:27786249
Suebsing, R; Kampeera, J; Tookdee, B; Withyachumnarnkul, B; Turner, W; Kiatpathomchai, W
2013-10-01
Streptococcus agalactiae and Strep. iniae are bacterial pathogens that cause streptococcosis in many fish species. An accelerated colorimetric loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay with pre-addition of calcein was established, and the transmission and detection of Strep. agalactiae and Strep. iniae in tilapia under natural aquatic environment were investigated. A positive reaction was observed by a colour change from orange to green through the naked eyes after completion at 63°C for 30 min with 10 times higher sensitivity than that of nested PCR assays and without cross-amplification with other fish bacterial pathogens. All sample types of Nile and red tilapia (broodstock, fertilized egg, fry) were Strep. agalactiae- and Strep. iniae positive by this new method, implying that they could be vertically transmitted. With its application for screening broodstock and fry before stocking and for monitoring fish health in grow-out ponds, the method would become very useful in fish farming industry. The application of colorimetric LAMP with pre-addition of calcein offers simple, rapid and sensitive technique with applicability for small field laboratories. This technique explored the possible vertical transmission mode of Strep. agalactiae and Strep. iniae under natural aquatic environment. It could be such preliminary data provided for the screening broodstock before breeding and/or the specific-pathogen-free production. © 2013 The Society for Applied Microbiology.
Recombinase polymerase amplification as a promising tool in hepatitis C virus diagnosis.
Zaghloul, Hosam; El-Shahat, Mahmoud
2014-12-27
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a significant health problem and represents a heavy load on some countries like Egypt in which about 20% of the total population are infected. Initial infection is usually asymptomatic and result in chronic hepatitis that give rise to complications including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The management of HCV infection should not only be focus on therapy, but also to screen carrier individuals in order to prevent transmission. In the present, molecular detection and quantification of HCV genome by real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) represent the gold standard in HCV diagnosis and plays a crucial role in the management of therapeutic regimens. However, real time PCR is a complicated approach and of limited distribution. On the other hand, isothermal DNA amplification techniques have been developed and offer molecular diagnosis of infectious dieses at point-of-care. In this review we discuss recombinase polymerase amplification technique and illustrate its diagnostic value over both PCR and other isothermal amplification techniques.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
McCarthy, Erik L.; Egeler, Teressa J.; Bickerstaff, Lee E.; Pereira da Cunha, Mauricio; Millard, Paul J.
2005-11-01
RNA sequences derived from infectious hematopoeitic necrosis virus (IHNV) could be detected using a combination of surface-associated molecular padlock DNA probes (MPP) and rolling circle amplification (RCA) in microcapillary tubes. DNA oligonucleotides with base sequences identical to RNA obtained from IHNV were recognized by MPP. Circularized MPP were then captured on the inner surface of glass microcapillary tubes by immobilized DNA oligonucleotide primers. Extension of the immobilized primers by isothermal RCA gave rise to DNA concatamers, which were in turn bound by the fluorescent reporter SYBR Green II nucleic acid stain, and measured by microfluorimetry. Surface-associated molecular padlock technology, combined with isothermal RCA, exhibited high selectivity and sensitivity without thermal cycling. This technology is applicable to direct RNA and DNA detection, permitting detection of a variety of viral or bacterial pathogens.
2015-01-01
The Salmonella enterotoxin (stn) gene exhibits high homology among S. enterica serovars and S. bongori. A set of 6 specific primers targeting the stn gene were designed for detection of Salmonella spp. using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method. The primers amplified target sequences in all 102 strains of 87 serovars of Salmonella tested and no products were detected in 57 non-Salmonella strains. The detection limit in pure cultures was 5 fg DNA/reaction when amplified at 65°C for 25 min. The LAMP assay could detect Salmonella in artificially contaminated food samples as low as 220 cells/g of food without a preenrichment step. However, the sensitivity was increased 100-fold (~2 cells/g) following 5 hr preenrichment at 35°C. The LAMP technique, with a preenrichment step for 5 and 16 hr, was shown to give 100% specificity with food samples compared to the reference culture method in which 67 out of 90 food samples gave positive results. Different food matrixes did not interfere with LAMP detection which employed a simple boiling method for DNA template preparation. The results indicate that the LAMP method, targeting the stn gene, has great potential for detection of Salmonella in food samples with both high specificity and high sensitivity. PMID:26543859
Suwancharoen, Duangjai; Sittiwicheanwong, Busara; Wiratsudakul, Anuwat
2016-09-01
Leptospirosis has been one of the worldwide zoonotic diseases caused by pathogenic Leptospira spp. Many molecular techniques have consecutively been developed to detect such pathogen including loop-mediated isothermal amplification method (LAMP). The objectives of this study were to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of LAMP assay and real-time PCR using bacterial culture as the gold standard and to assess the agreement among these three tests using Cohen's kappa statistics. In total, 533 urine samples were collected from 266 beef and 267 dairy cattle reared in central region of Thailand. Sensitivity and specificity of LAMP were 96.8% (95% CI 81.5-99.8) and 97.0% (95% CI 94.9-98.2), respectively. The accuracy of LAMP (97.0%) was significantly higher than that of real-time PCR (91.9%) at 95% CI. With Cohen's kappa statistics, culture method and LAMP were substantially agreed with each other (77.4%), whereas real-time PCR only moderately agreed with culture (47.7%) and LAMP (45.3%), respectively. Consequently, LAMP was more effective than real-time PCR in detecting Leptospira spp. in the urine of cattle. Besides, LAMP had less cost and was simpler than real-time PCR. Thus, LAMP was an excellent alternative for routine surveillance of leptospirosis in cattle.
Lee, Mei-Feng; Chen, Yen-Hsu; Hsu, Hui-Jine; Peng, Chien-Fang
2010-10-01
In this study, we designed a simple and rapid colorimetric detection method, a one-tube loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP)-PCR-hybridization-restriction endonuclease-ELISA [one-tube LAMP-PCR-HY-RE-ELISA] system, to detect resistance to isoniazid, ethambutol and streptomycin in strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from clinical specimens. The clinical performance of this method for detecting isoniazid-resistant, ethambutol-resistant and streptomycin-resistant isolates of M. tuberculosis showed 98.9%, 94.3% and 93.8%, respectively. This assay is rapid and convenient that can be performed within one working day. One-tube LAMP-PCR-HY-RE-ELISA system was designed based on hot spot point mutations in target drug-resistant genes, using LAMP-PCR, hybridization, digestion with restriction endonuclease and colorimetric method of ELISA. In this study, LAMP assay was used to amplify DNA from drug-resistant M. tuberculosis, and ELISA was used for colorimetrical determination. This assay will be a useful tool for rapid diagnosis of mutant codons in strains of M. tuberculosis for isoniazid at katG 315 and katG 463, ethambutol at embB 306 and embB 497, and streptomycin at rpsL 43. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Centeno-Cuadros, A; Abbasi, I; Nathan, R
2017-03-01
PCR-based methods are the most common technique for sex determination of birds. Although these methods are fast, easy and accurate, they still require special facilities that preclude their application outdoors. Consequently, there is a time lag between sampling and obtaining results that impedes researchers to take decisions in situ and in real time considering individuals' sex. We present an outdoor technique for sex determination of birds based on the amplification of the duplicated sex-chromosome-specific gene Chromo-Helicase-DNA binding protein using a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). We tested our method on Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus), Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) and Black Kite (Milvus migrans) (family Accipitridae). We introduce the first fieldwork procedure for sex determination of animals in the wild, successfully applied to raptor species of three different subfamilies using the same specific LAMP primers. This molecular technique can be deployed directly in sampling areas because it only needs a voltage inverter to adapt a thermo-block to a car lighter and results can be obtained by the unaided eye based on colour change within the reaction tubes. Primers and reagents are prepared in advance to facilitate their storage at room temperature. We provide detailed guidelines how to implement this procedure, which is simpler (no electrophoresis required), cheaper and faster (results in c. 90 min) than PCR-based laboratory methods. Our successful cross-species application across three different raptor subfamilies posits our set of markers as a promising tool for molecular sexing of other raptor families and our field protocol extensible to all bird species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tsaloglou, M.-N.; Loukas, C. M.; Ruano-López, J. M.; Morgan, H.; Mowlem, M. C.
2012-04-01
Quantitation of RNA sequences coding either for key metabolic proteins or highly conserved ribosomal subunits can provide insight on cell abundance, speciation and viability. Nucleic sequence-based amplification (NASBA) is an isothermal alternative to traditional nucleic acid amplification methods, such as quantitative PCR. We present here an integrated microfluidic sensor for cell concentration and lysis, RNA extraction/purification and quantitative RNA detection for environmental applications. The portable system uses pre-loaded reagents, stored as a gel on a disposable microfluidic cartridge, which is manufactured using low-cost injection moulding. The NASBA reaction is monitored real-time using a bespoke control unit which includes: an external fluorescence detector, three peristaltic micro-pumps, two heaters and temperature sensors, a battery, seven pin actuated micro-motors (or valve actuators), and an automatic cartridge insertion mechanism. The system has USB connectivity and none of the expensive components require replacing between reactions. Long-term storage of reagents is critically important for any diagnostic tool that will be used in the field, whether for medical or environmental analysis and has not been previously demonstrated for NASBA reagents on-chip. We have shown effective amplification, for as little as 500 cells of the toxic microalga Karenia brevis using reagents which had been preserved as a gel for 45 days. This is the first reported real-time isothermal RNA amplification using with on-chip preservation. Annealing of primers, amplification at 41 °C and real-time fluorescence detection using, also for the first time, an internal control and sequence-specific molecular beacons was all performed on our microfluidic sensor. Our results show excellent promise as a future quantitative tool of in situ phytoplankton analysis and other environmental applications, where long-term reagent storage and low power consumption is essential.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Red rot, caused by Colletotrichum falcatum, is a destructive disease prevalent in most sugarcane-producing countries. Disease-free sugarcane planting materials are essential as the pathogen spreads primarily through infected setts. The present study was undertaken to develop loop-mediated isothermal...
Method for analyzing microbial communities
Zhou, Jizhong [Oak Ridge, TN; Wu, Liyou [Oak Ridge, TN
2010-07-20
The present invention provides a method for quantitatively analyzing microbial genes, species, or strains in a sample that contains at least two species or strains of microorganisms. The method involves using an isothermal DNA polymerase to randomly and representatively amplify genomic DNA of the microorganisms in the sample, hybridizing the resultant polynucleotide amplification product to a polynucleotide microarray that can differentiate different genes, species, or strains of microorganisms of interest, and measuring hybridization signals on the microarray to quantify the genes, species, or strains of interest.
Low Cost Extraction and Isothermal Amplification of DNA for Infectious Diarrhea Diagnosis
Huang, Shichu; Do, Jaephil; Mahalanabis, Madhumita; Fan, Andy; Zhao, Lei; Jepeal, Lisa; Singh, Satish K.; Klapperich, Catherine M.
2013-01-01
In order to counter the common perception that molecular diagnostics are too complicated to work in low resource settings, we have performed a difficult sample preparation and DNA amplification protocol using instrumentation designed to be operated without wall or battery power. In this work we have combined a nearly electricity-free nucleic acid extraction process with an electricity-free isothermal amplification assay to detect the presence of Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) DNA in the stool of infected patients. We used helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (HDA) to amplify the DNA in a low-cost, thermoplastic reaction chip heated with a pair of commercially available toe warmers, while using a simple Styrofoam insulator. DNA was extracted from known positive and negative stool samples. The DNA extraction protocol utilized an air pressure driven solid phase extraction device run using a standard bicycle pump. The simple heater setup required no electricity or battery and was capable of maintaining the temperature at 65°C±2°C for 55 min, suitable for repeatable HDA amplification. Experiments were performed to explore the adaptability of the system for use in a range of ambient conditions. When compared to a traditional centrifuge extraction protocol and a laboratory thermocycler, this disposable, no power platform achieved approximately the same lower limit of detection (1.25×10−2 pg of C. difficile DNA) while requiring much less raw material and a fraction of the lab infrastructure and cost. This proof of concept study could greatly impact the accessibility of molecular assays for applications in global health. PMID:23555883
Linardy, Evelyn M; Erskine, Simon M; Lima, Nicole E; Lonergan, Tina; Mokany, Elisa; Todd, Alison V
2016-01-15
Advancements in molecular biology have improved the ability to characterize disease-related nucleic acids and proteins. Recently, there has been an increasing desire for tests that can be performed outside of centralised laboratories. This study describes a novel isothermal signal amplification cascade called EzyAmp (enzymatic signal amplification) that is being developed for detection of targets at the point of care. EzyAmp exploits the ability of some restriction endonucleases to cleave substrates containing nicks within their recognition sites. EzyAmp uses two oligonucleotide duplexes (partial complexes 1 and 2) which are initially cleavage-resistant as they lack a complete recognition site. The recognition site of partial complex 1 can be completed by hybridization of a triggering oligonucleotide (Driver Fragment 1) that is generated by a target-specific initiation event. Binding of Driver Fragment 1 generates a completed complex 1, which upon cleavage, releases Driver Fragment 2. In turn, binding of Driver Fragment 2 to partial complex 2 creates completed complex 2 which when cleaved releases additional Driver Fragment 1. Each cleavage event separates fluorophore quencher pairs resulting in an increase in fluorescence. At this stage a cascade of signal production becomes independent of further target-specific initiation events. This study demonstrated that the EzyAmp cascade can facilitate detection and quantification of nucleic acid targets with sensitivity down to aM concentration. Further, the same cascade detected VEGF protein with a sensitivity of 20nM showing that this universal method for amplifying signal may be linked to the detection of different types of analytes in an isothermal format. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, Liu; Wang, Rui; Yu, Yonghua; Zhang, Fang; Wang, Xiaofu; Ying, Yibin; Wu, Jian; Xu, Junfeng
2016-01-01
The requirement of power-dependent instruments or excessive operation time usually restricts current nucleic acid amplification methods from being used for detection of transgenic crops in the field. In this paper, an easy and rapid detection method which requires no electricity supply has been developed. The time-consuming process of nucleic acid purification is omitted in this method. DNA solution obtained from leaves with 0.5 M sodium hydroxide (NaOH) can be used for loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) only after simple dilution. Traditional instruments like a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifier and water bath used for DNA amplification are abandoned. Three kinds of dewar flasks were tested and it turned out that the common dewar flask was the best. Combined with visual detection of LAMP amplicons by phosphate (Pi)-induced coloration reaction, the whole process of detection of transgenic crops via genetically pure material (leaf material of one plant) could be accomplished within 30 min. The feasibility of this method was also verified by analysis of practical samples.
Carinelli, S; Kühnemund, M; Nilsson, M; Pividori, M I
2017-07-15
This work addresses the design of an Ebola diagnostic test involving a simple, rapid, specific and highly sensitive procedure based on isothermal amplification on magnetic particles with electrochemical readout. Ebola padlock probes were designed to detect a specific L-gene sequence present in the five most common Ebola species. Ebola cDNA was amplified by rolling circle amplification (RCA) on magnetic particles. Further re-amplification was performed by circle-to-circle amplification (C2CA) and the products were detected in a double-tagging approach using a biotinylated capture probe for immobilization on magnetic particles and a readout probe for electrochemical detection by square-wave voltammetry on commercial screen-printed electrodes. The electrochemical genosensor was able to detect as low as 200 ymol, corresponding to 120 cDNA molecules of L-gene Ebola virus with a limit of detection of 33 cDNA molecules. The isothermal double-amplification procedure by C2CA combined with the electrochemical readout and the magnetic actuation enables the high sensitivity, resulting in a rapid, inexpensive, robust and user-friendly sensing strategy that offers a promising approach for the primary care in low resource settings, especially in less developed countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
[Investigation of RNA viral genome amplification by multiple displacement amplification technique].
Pang, Zheng; Li, Jian-Dong; Li, Chuan; Liang, Mi-Fang; Li, De-Xin
2013-06-01
In order to facilitate the detection of newly emerging or rare viral infectious diseases, a negative-strand RNA virus-severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus, and a positive-strand RNA virus-dengue virus, were used to investigate RNA viral genome unspecific amplification by multiple displacement amplification technique from clinical samples. Series of 10-fold diluted purified viral RNA were utilized as analog samples with different pathogen loads, after a series of reactions were sequentially processed, single-strand cDNA, double-strand cDNA, double-strand cDNA treated with ligation without or with supplemental RNA were generated, then a Phi29 DNA polymerase depended isothermal amplification was employed, and finally the target gene copies were detected by real time PCR assays to evaluate the amplification efficiencies of various methods. The results showed that multiple displacement amplification effects of single-strand or double-strand cDNA templates were limited, while the fold increases of double-strand cDNA templates treated with ligation could be up to 6 X 10(3), even 2 X 10(5) when supplemental RNA existed, and better results were obtained when viral RNA loads were lower. A RNA viral genome amplification system using multiple displacement amplification technique was established in this study and effective amplification of RNA viral genome with low load was achieved, which could provide a tool to synthesize adequate viral genome for multiplex pathogens detection.
Macuhova, K; Kumagai, T; Akao, N; Ohta, N
2010-12-01
We developed a novel and simple method, using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), for the detection and discrimination of Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati eggs. The new method employs 4 steps: (1) concentration of Toxocara eggs in a small amount of sand; (2) dissolution of the proteinaceous membrane of eggs and simultaneously separation of them from the sand using NaClO treatment; (3) extraction of DNA using NaOH treatment; and (4) detection of T. canis / T. cati DNA using a LAMP assay. All these steps are fast, easy to perform, and do not require expensive equipment or reagents. The novel method was tested both experimentally and in a field study. In the laboratory, we could reliably detect as few as 3 T. canis eggs in artificially contaminated sand, if the experiment was repeated twice. In the field trial, we were able to detect T. cati DNA from 4 natural sandpits having moderate to heavy contamination, although not in a single lightly contaminated sandpit. All of the examined sandpits were found to be contaminated with eggs of T. cati, but none appeared to contain T. canis. Our new method could extract DNA from T. canis and T. cati eggs directly from sand samples as well as detect and distinguish these 2 species in a few easy steps, with markedly reduced time and expense.
Zhou, Dinggang; Guo, Jinlong; Xu, Liping; Gao, Shiwu; Lin, Qingliang; Wu, Qibin; Wu, Luguang; Que, Youxiong
2014-01-01
To meet the demand for detection of foreign genes in genetically modified (GM) sugarcane necessary for regulation of gene technology, an efficient method with high specificity and rapidity was developed for the cry1Ac gene, based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). A set of four primers was designed using the sequence of cry1Ac along with optimized reaction conditions: 5.25 mM of Mg2+, 4:1 ratio of inner primer to outer primer, 2.0 U of Bst DNA polymerase in a reaction volume of 25.0 μL. Three post-LAMP detection methods (precipitation, calcein (0.60 mM) with Mn2+ (0.05 mM) complex and SYBR Green I visualization), were shown to be effective. The sensitivity of the LAMP method was tenfold higher than that of conventional PCR when using templates of the recombinant cry1Ac plasmid or genomic DNA from cry1Ac transgenic sugarcane plants. More importantly, this system allowed detection of the foreign gene on-site when screening GM sugarcane without complex and expensive instruments, using the naked eye. This method can not only provide technological support for detection of cry1Ac, but can also further facilitate the use of this detection technique for other transgenes in GM sugarcane. PMID:24810230
Almasi, Mohammad Amin; Almasi, Galavizh
2017-02-01
Sugar beet can be infected by many different viruses that can reduce yield; beet necrotic yellow vein virus (BNYVV) is one of the most economically important viruses of this crop plant. This report describes a new reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for identification of BNYVV. In addition, a novel immunocapture (IC) RT-LAMP assay for rapid and easy detection (without RNA extraction) of BNYVV was developed here and compared with DAS-ELISA and RT-LAMP assays. Our results show that the IC-RT-LAMP assay is a highly reliable alternative assay for identification of BNYVV.
Development of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assay for Detection of Entamoeba histolytica▿
Liang, Shih-Yu; Chan, Yun-Hsien; Hsia, Kan-Tai; Lee, Jing-Lun; Kuo, Ming-Chu; Hwa, Kuo-Yuan; Chan, Chi-Wen; Chiang, Ting-Yi; Chen, Jung-Sheng; Wu, Fang-Tzy; Ji, Dar-Der
2009-01-01
A novel one-step, closed-tube, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detecting Entamoeba histolytica, one of the leading causes of morbidity in developing countries, was developed. The sensitivity of the LAMP assay is 1 parasite per reaction. A total of 130 clinical samples were analyzed, and the results compared with those of conventional nested PCR to validate the practicability of this assay. No DNA was amplified from other diarrheal pathogens, such as other Entamoeba species, bacteria, and viruses. These results indicate that LAMP is a rapid, simple, and valuable diagnostic tool for epidemiological studies of amebiasis. PMID:19321720
Zhao, Mingming; Shi, Yuhua; Wu, Lan; Guo, Licheng; Liu, Wei; Xiong, Chao; Yan, Song; Sun, Wei; Chen, Shilin
2016-01-01
Saffron is one of the most expensive species of Chinese herbs and has been subjected to various types of adulteration because of its high price and limited production. The present study introduces a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for the differentiation of saffron from its adulterants. This novel technique is sensitive, efficient and simple. Six specific LAMP primers were designed on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) nuclear ribosomal DNA of Crocus sativus. All LAMP amplifications were performed successfully, and visual detection occurred within 60 min at isothermal conditions of 65 °C. The results indicated that the LAMP primers are accurate and highly specific for the discrimination of saffron from its adulterants. In particular, 10 fg of genomic DNA was determined to be the limit for template accuracy of LAMP in saffron. Thus, the proposed novel, simple, and sensitive LAMP assay is well suited for immediate on-site discrimination of herbal materials. Based on the study, a practical standard operating procedure (SOP) for utilizing the LAMP protocol for herbal authentication is provided. PMID:27146605
Zhao, Mingming; Shi, Yuhua; Wu, Lan; Guo, Licheng; Liu, Wei; Xiong, Chao; Yan, Song; Sun, Wei; Chen, Shilin
2016-05-05
Saffron is one of the most expensive species of Chinese herbs and has been subjected to various types of adulteration because of its high price and limited production. The present study introduces a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for the differentiation of saffron from its adulterants. This novel technique is sensitive, efficient and simple. Six specific LAMP primers were designed on the basis of the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) nuclear ribosomal DNA of Crocus sativus. All LAMP amplifications were performed successfully, and visual detection occurred within 60 min at isothermal conditions of 65 °C. The results indicated that the LAMP primers are accurate and highly specific for the discrimination of saffron from its adulterants. In particular, 10 fg of genomic DNA was determined to be the limit for template accuracy of LAMP in saffron. Thus, the proposed novel, simple, and sensitive LAMP assay is well suited for immediate on-site discrimination of herbal materials. Based on the study, a practical standard operating procedure (SOP) for utilizing the LAMP protocol for herbal authentication is provided.
Verma, Sandeep; Avishek, Kumar; Sharma, Vanila; Negi, Narendra Singh; Ramesh, Venkatesh; Salotra, Poonam
2013-04-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is at the forefront in the search for innovative diagnostics for rapid and specific amplification of target DNA under isothermal conditions. We have applied LAMP assay using SYBR Green for clear-cut naked eye detection of Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani in 200 clinical samples of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis (PKDL). The assay was positive in 53/55 VL blood samples (sensitivity, 96.4%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 87.7-99%), 15/15 VL bone marrow aspirate samples (sensitivity, 100%; 95% CI, 79.6-100%), 60/62 PKDL tissue biopsy samples (sensitivity, 96.8%; 95% CI, 88.9-99.1%), and 1/68 control samples (specificity, 98.5%; 95% CI, 92.1-99.7%). The assay was specific for L. (L.) donovani, the causative species for VL and negative for L. (L.) infantum, L. (L.) tropica, and L. (L.) major. This is the first comprehensive clinical study demonstrating the applicability of the LAMP assay for a rapid and reliable molecular diagnosis of VL and PKDL. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Ai, L; Li, C; Elsheikha, H M; Hong, S J; Chen, J X; Chen, S H; Li, X; Cai, X Q; Chen, M X; Zhu, X Q
2010-12-15
The present study developed and validated a species-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for the rapid detection and discrimination of Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica. The LAMP assay is inexpensive, easy to perform and shows rapid reaction, wherein the amplification can be obtained in 45 min under isothermal conditions of 61 °C or 62 °C by employing a set of four species-specific primer mixtures and results can be checked through naked-eye visualization. The optimal assay conditions with no cross-reaction with other closely related trematodes (Clonorchis sinensis, Opisthorchis viverrini, Orientobilharzia turkestanicum and Schistosoma japonicum) as well as within the two Fasciola species were established. The assay was validated by examining F. gigantica DNA in the intermediate host snails and in faecal samples. The results indicated that the LAMP assay is approximately 10(4) times more sensitive than the conventional specific PCR assays. These findings indicate that this Fasciola species-specific LAMP assay may have a potential clinical application for detection and differentiation of Fasciola species, especially in endemic countries. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Kaewmanee, M; Phoksawat, W; Romphruk, A; Romphruk, A V; Jumnainsong, A; Leelayuwat, C
2013-06-01
Natural killer group 2 member D (NKG2D) on immune effector cells recognizes multiple stress-inducible ligands. NKG2D single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) haplotypes were related to the levels of cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Indeed, these polymorphisms were also located in NKG2F. Isothermal multiple displacement amplification (IMDA) is used for whole genome amplification (WGA) that can amplify very small genomic DNA templates into microgram with whole genome coverage. This is particularly useful in the cases of limited amount of valuable DNA samples requiring multi-locus genotyping. In this study, we evaluated the quality and applicability of IMDA to genetic studies in terms of sensitivity, efficiency of IMDA re-amplification and stability of IMDA products. The smallest amount of DNA to be effectively amplified by IMDA was 200 pg yielding final DNA of approximately 16 µg within 1.5 h. IMDA could be re-amplified only once (second round of amplification), and could be kept for 5 months at 4°C and more than a year at -20°C without loosing genome coverage. The amplified products were used successfully to setup a multiplex polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer for SNP typing of the NKG2D/F genes. The NKG2D/F multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) contained six PCR mixtures for detecting 10 selected SNPs, including 8 NKG2D/F SNP haplotypes and 2 additional NKG2D coding SNPs. This typing procedure will be applicable in both clinical and research laboratories. Thus, our data provide useful information and limitations for utilization of genome-wide amplification using IMDA and its application for multiplex NKG2D/F typing. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Ren, Xiaojun; Deng, Ruijie; Wang, Lida; Zhang, Kaixiang; Li, Jinghong
2017-08-01
RNA splicing, which mainly involves two transesterification steps, is a fundamental process of gene expression and its abnormal regulation contributes to serious genetic diseases. Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) are genetic control tools that can be used to specifically control genes through alteration of the RNA splicing pathway. Despite intensive research, how ASOs or various other factors influence the multiple processes of RNA splicing still remains obscure. This is largely due to an inability to analyze the splicing efficiency of each step in the RNA splicing process with high sensitivity. We addressed this limitation by introducing a padlock probe-based isothermal amplification assay to achieve quantification of the specific products in different splicing steps. With this amplified assay, the roles that ASOs play in RNA splicing inhibition in the first and second steps could be distinguished. We identified that 5'-ASO could block RNA splicing by inhibiting the first step, while 3'-ASO could block RNA splicing by inhibiting the second step. This method provides a versatile tool for assisting efficient ASO design and discovering new splicing modulators and therapeutic drugs.
Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Targeting Actin DNA of Trichomonas vaginalis.
Goo, Youn-Kyoung; Shin, Won-Sik; Yang, Hye-Won; Joo, So-Young; Song, Su-Min; Ryu, Jae-Sook; Kong, Hyun-Hee; Lee, Won-Ki; Chung, Dong-Il; Hong, Yeonchul
2016-06-01
Trichomoniasis caused by Trichomonas vaginalis is a common sexually transmitted disease. Its association with several health problems, including preterm birth, pelvic inflammatory disease, cervical cancer, and transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, emphasizes the importance of improved access to early and accurate detection of T. vaginalis. In this study, a rapid and efficient loop-mediated isothermal amplification-based method for the detection of T. vaginalis was developed and validated, using vaginal swab specimens from subjects suspected to have trichomoniasis. The LAMP assay targeting the actin gene was highly sensitive with detection limits of 1 trichomonad and 1 pg of T. vaginalis DNA per reaction, and specifically amplified the target gene only from T. vaginalis. Validation of this assay showed that it had the highest sensitivity and better agreement with PCR (used as the gold standard) compared to microscopy and multiplex PCR. This study showed that the LAMP assay, targeting the actin gene, could be used to diagnose early infections of T. vaginalis. Thus, we have provided an alternative molecular diagnostic tool and a point-of-care test that may help to prevent trichomoniasis transmission and associated complications.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wijesinghe, Ruchire Eranga; Lee, Seung-Yeol; Ravichandran, Naresh Kumar; Shirazi, Muhammad Faizan; Han, Sangyeop; Jeong, Hyosang; Kim, Pilun; Jung, Hee-Young; Jeon, Mansik; Kim, Jeehyun
2017-04-01
Here we describe the possible application of optical coherence tomography (OCT) to inspect Marssonina coronaria infected apple blotch disease of in situ apple leaves. To fulfill the in situ field inspection requirement, we developed a compact wearable OCT system. For the confirmation of OCT results, simultaneous experiment was performed in realtime using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), which is frequently used in agriculture. LAMP method was developed as an alternative approach for the inspection of disease. We performed field inspection for 30 consecutive days, and all the acquired results from both OCT and lamp were compared to confirm the correlation. A clear identification between healthy specimens, apparently healthy but infected specimens, and infected specimens could be obtained through the real-time OCT images, and the correlation between OCT and lamp results was confirmed through the obtained realtime lamp results. Based on this feasibility study, we conclude that the combination of both these diagnosing modalities can be effective for various novel agricultural discoveries.
A real-time loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay for rapid detection of Shigella species.
Liew, P S; Teh, C S J; Lau, Y L; Thong, K L
2014-12-01
Shigellosis is a foodborne illness caused by the genus Shigella and is an important global health issue. The development of effective techniques for rapid detection of this pathogen is essential for breaking the chain of transmission. Therefore, we have developed a novel loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the invasion plasmid antigen H (ipaH) gene to rapidly detect Shigella species. This assay could be performed in 90 min at an optimal temperature of 64ºC, with endpoint results visualized directly. Notably, the method was found to be more sensitive than conventional PCR. Indeed, the detection limit for the LAMP assay on pure bacterial cultures was 5.9 x 10(5) CFU/ml, while PCR displayed a limit of 5.9 x 10(7) CFU/ml. In spiked lettuce samples, the sensitivity of the LAMP assay was 3.6 x 10(4) CFU/g, whereas PCR was 3.6 x 10(5) CFU/g. Overall, the assay accurately identified 32 Shigella spp. with one enteroinvasive Escherichia coli displaying positive reaction while the remaining 32 non-Shigella strains tested were negative.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Wheat blast, caused by Magnaporthe oryzae Triticum (MoT) pathotype, is an economically important fungal disease of wheat. Wheat blast symptoms are similar to Fusarium head scab and can cause confusion in the field. Currently, no in-field diagnostic exists for MoT. Loop-mediated isothermal amplificat...
Richards-Kortum, Rebecca
2015-01-01
It was recently demonstrated that recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), an isothermal amplification platform for pathogen detection, may be used to quantify DNA sample concentration using a standard curve. In this manuscript, a detailed protocol for developing and implementing a real-time quantitative recombinase polymerase amplification assay (qRPA assay) is provided. Using HIV-1 DNA quantification as an example, the assembly of real-time RPA reactions, the design of an internal positive control (IPC) sequence, and co-amplification of the IPC and target of interest are all described. Instructions and data processing scripts for the construction of a standard curve using data from multiple experiments are provided, which may be used to predict the concentration of unknown samples or assess the performance of the assay. Finally, an alternative method for collecting real-time fluorescence data with a microscope and a stage heater as a step towards developing a point-of-care qRPA assay is described. The protocol and scripts provided may be used for the development of a qRPA assay for any DNA target of interest. PMID:25867513
Crannell, Zachary A; Rohrman, Brittany; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca
2015-03-30
It was recently demonstrated that recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), an isothermal amplification platform for pathogen detection, may be used to quantify DNA sample concentration using a standard curve. In this manuscript, a detailed protocol for developing and implementing a real-time quantitative recombinase polymerase amplification assay (qRPA assay) is provided. Using HIV-1 DNA quantification as an example, the assembly of real-time RPA reactions, the design of an internal positive control (IPC) sequence, and co-amplification of the IPC and target of interest are all described. Instructions and data processing scripts for the construction of a standard curve using data from multiple experiments are provided, which may be used to predict the concentration of unknown samples or assess the performance of the assay. Finally, an alternative method for collecting real-time fluorescence data with a microscope and a stage heater as a step towards developing a point-of-care qRPA assay is described. The protocol and scripts provided may be used for the development of a qRPA assay for any DNA target of interest.
Kawai, Kazuhiro; Inada, Mika; Ito, Keiko; Hashimoto, Koji; Nikaido, Masaru; Hata, Eiji; Katsuda, Ken; Kiku, Yoshio; Tagawa, Yuichi; Hayashi, Tomohito
2017-12-22
Bovine mastitis causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry. Effective prevention of bovine mastitis requires an understanding of the infection status of a pathogenic microorganism in a herd that has not yet shown clinical signs of mastitis and appropriate treatment specific for the pathogenic microorganism. However, bacterial identification by culture has drawbacks in that the sensitivity may be low and the procedure can be complex. In this study, we developed a genetic detection method to identify mastitis pathogens using a simple and highly sensitive electrochemical DNA chip which can specifically detect bacterial DNA in milk specimens. First, we selected microorganisms belonging to 12 families and/or genera associated with mastitis for which testing should be performed. Next, we optimized the conditions for amplifying microorganism DNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) using 32 primers and the use of a DNA chip capable of measuring all pathogens simultaneously. Sample detection could be completed in just a few hours using this method. Comparison of the results obtained with our DNA chip method and those obtained by bacterial culture verified that when the culture method was set to 100%, the total positive concordance rate of the DNA chip was 85.0% and the total negative concordance rate was 86.9%. Furthermore, the proposed method allows both rapid and highly sensitive detection of mastitis pathogens. We believe that this method will contribute to the development of an effective mastitis control program.
KAWAI, Kazuhiro; INADA, Mika; ITO, Keiko; HASHIMOTO, Koji; NIKAIDO, Masaru; HATA, Eiji; KATSUDA, Ken; KIKU, Yoshio; TAGAWA, Yuichi; HAYASHI, Tomohito
2017-01-01
Bovine mastitis causes significant economic losses in the dairy industry. Effective prevention of bovine mastitis requires an understanding of the infection status of a pathogenic microorganism in a herd that has not yet shown clinical signs of mastitis and appropriate treatment specific for the pathogenic microorganism. However, bacterial identification by culture has drawbacks in that the sensitivity may be low and the procedure can be complex. In this study, we developed a genetic detection method to identify mastitis pathogens using a simple and highly sensitive electrochemical DNA chip which can specifically detect bacterial DNA in milk specimens. First, we selected microorganisms belonging to 12 families and/or genera associated with mastitis for which testing should be performed. Next, we optimized the conditions for amplifying microorganism DNA by loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) using 32 primers and the use of a DNA chip capable of measuring all pathogens simultaneously. Sample detection could be completed in just a few hours using this method. Comparison of the results obtained with our DNA chip method and those obtained by bacterial culture verified that when the culture method was set to 100%, the total positive concordance rate of the DNA chip was 85.0% and the total negative concordance rate was 86.9%. Furthermore, the proposed method allows both rapid and highly sensitive detection of mastitis pathogens. We believe that this method will contribute to the development of an effective mastitis control program. PMID:29093278
Yang, Xiang; Yang, Ke; Zhao, Xiang; Lin, Zhongquan; Liu, Zhiyong; Luo, Sha; Zhang, Yang; Wang, Yunxia; Fu, Weiling
2017-12-04
The demand for rapid and sensitive bacterial detection is continuously increasing due to the significant requirements of various applications. In this study, a terahertz (THz) biosensor based on rolling circle amplification (RCA) was developed for the isothermal detection of bacterial DNA. The synthetic bacterium-specific sequence of 16S rDNA hybridized with a padlock probe (PLP) that contains a sequence fully complementary to the target sequence at the 5' and 3' ends. The linear PLP was circularized by ligation to form a circular PLP upon recognition of the target sequence; then the capture probe (CP) immobilized on magnetic beads (MBs) acted as a primer to initialize RCA. As DNA molecules are much less absorptive than water molecules in the THz range, the RCA products on the surface of the MBs cause a significant decrease in THz absorption, which can be sensitively probed by THz spectroscopy. Our results showed that 0.12 fmol of synthetic bacterial DNA and 0.05 ng μL -1 of genomic DNA could be effectively detected using this assay. In addition, the specificity of this strategy was demonstrated by its low signal response to interfering bacteria. The proposed strategy not only represents a new method for the isothermal detection of the target bacterial DNA but also provides a general methodology for sensitive and specific DNA biosensing using THz spectroscopy.
Hsu, Te-Hua; Gwo, Jin-Chywan; Lin, Kuan-Hung
2012-10-01
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is established as a cash crop throughout the tropical and subtropical regions due to its easy adaptation to diverse agricultural conditions, high yields, and prompt returns. The sex types of papaya plants are hermaphrodite, male, and female. Among them, hermaphroditic plants are the major type in papaya production, because the fruit has commercial advantages over that of the other sexes. Sex inheritance in papaya is determined by the M and M(h) dominant alleles in males and hermaphrodites, respectively, and a recessive m allele in females. Currently, all hermaphrodite seeds are not available due to the lethality of dominant homozygosity. Therefore, in this study, six male-hermaphrodite-specific markers were developed for a rapid sex identification using multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (mLAMP) to efficiently and precisely select hermaphroditic individuals in the seedling or early growth stage. The LM1-LAMP assay consisted of two sex-LAMP reactions for amplifying two male-specific markers (T12 and Cpsm90) in one reaction, and showed several advantages in terms of a rapid reaction time (<1 h), isothermal conditions (less equipment required), a high efficiency (0.5 ng of DNA required in the reaction mixture), and an economical reaction system (5 μl in volume). The established method can be easily performed in the field by visual inspection and facilitates the selection of all hermaphroditic individuals in papaya production.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Tien, Bui Quang; Ngoc, Nguyen Thy; Loc, Nguyen Thai; Thu, Vu Thi; Lam, Tran Dai
2017-06-01
Accurate in situ diagnostic tests play a key role in patient management and control of most infectious diseases. To achieve this, use of handheld biochips that implement sample handling, sample analysis, and result readout together is an ideal approach. We present herein a fluid-handling biochip for real-time electrochemical monitoring of nucleic acid amplification based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification and real-time electrochemical detection on a microfluidic platform. Intercalation between amplifying DNA and free redox probe in solution phase was used to monitor the number of DNA copies. The whole diagnostic process is completed within 70 min. Our platform offers a fast and easy tool for quantification of viral pathogens in shorter time and with limited risk of all potential forms of cross-contamination. Such diagnostic tools have potential to make a huge difference to the lives of millions of people worldwide.
Li, Ying; Yu, Chuanfeng; Han, Huixia; Zhao, Caisheng; Zhang, Xiaoru
2016-07-15
A novel and sensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) method is proposed for the assay of DNA methyltransferase (MTase) activity and evaluation of inhibitors by developing a target triggering primer generation-based multiple signal amplification strategy. By using of a duplex substrate for Dam MTase, two hairpin templates and a Raman probe, multiple signal amplification mode is achieved. Once recognized by Dam MTase, the duplex substrate can be cleaved by Dpn I endonuclease and two primers are released for triggering the multiple signal amplification reaction. Consequently, a wide dynamic range and remarkably high sensitivity are obtained under isothermal conditions. The detection limit is 2.57×10(-4)UmL(-1). This assay exhibits an excellent selectivity and is successfully applied in the screening of inhibitors for Dam MTase. In addition, this novel sensing system is potentially universal as the recognition element can be conveniently designed for other target analytes by changing the substrate of DNA MTase. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Lee, Se Hee; Baek, Yun Hee; Kim, Yang-Hoon; Choi, Young-Ki; Song, Min-Suk; Ahn, Ji-Young
2017-01-01
Due to the limitation of rapid development of specific antiviral drug or vaccine for novel emerging viruses, an accurate and rapid diagnosis is a key to manage the virus spread. We developed an efficient and rapid method with high specificity for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), based on one-pot reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (one-pot RT-LAMP). A set of six LAMP primers [F3, B3, FIP, BIP, LF (Loop-F), and LB (Loop-B)] were designed using the sequence of nucleocapsid (N) gene with optimized RT-LAMP enzyme conditions: 100 U M-MLV RTase and 4 U Bst polymerase, implying that the reaction was able to detect four infectious viral genome copies of MERS-CoV within a 60 min reaction time period. Significantly, EvaGreen dye has better signal read-out properties in one-pot RT-LAMP reaction and is more compatible with DNA polymerase than SYBR green I. Isothermally amplified specific N genes were further evaluated using field-deployable microchamber devices, leading to the specific identification of as few as 0.4 infectious viral genome copies, with no cross-reaction to the other acute respiratory disease viruses, including influenza type A (H1N1 and H3N2), type B, human coronavirus 229E, and human metapneumovirus. This sensitive, specific and feasible method provides a large-scale technical support in emergencies, and is also applied as a sample-to-detection module in Point of Care Testing devices. PMID:28119682
Yan, Muxia; Li, Weidong; Zhou, Zhenwen; Peng, Hongxia; Luo, Ziyan; Xu, Ling
2017-01-01
In this work, loop-mediated isothermal amplification based detection assay using bacterial culture and bacterial colony for various common pathogens direct detection had been established, evaluated and further applied. A total of five species of common pathogens and nine detection targets (tlh, tdh and trh for V. Parahaemolyticus, rfbE, stx1 and stx2 for E. coli, oprI for P. aeruginosa, invA for Salmonella and hylA for L. monocytogenes) were performed on bacterial culture and bacterial colony LAMP. To evaluate and optimize this assay, a total of 116 standard strains were included. Then, for each detected targets, 20 random selected strains were applied. Results were determined through both visual observation of the changed color by naked eye and electrophoresis, which increased the accuracy of survey. The minimum adding quantity of each primer had been confirmed, and the optimal amplification was obtained under 65 °C for 45 min with 25 μl reaction volume. The detection limit of bacterial culture LAMP and PCR assay were determined to be 10 2 and 10 4 or 10 5 CFU/reaction, respectively. No false positive amplification was observed when subjecting the bacterial -LAMP assay to 116 reference strains. This was the first report of colony-LAMP and culture-LAMP assay, which had been demonstrated to be a fast, reliable, cost-effective and simple method on detection of various common pathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Fallahi, Shirzad; Seyyed Tabaei, Seyyed Javad; Pournia, Yadollah; Zebardast, Nozhat; Kazemi, Bahram
2014-07-01
Toxoplasmosis diagnosis constitutes an important measure for disease prevention and control. In this paper, a newly described DNA amplification technique, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and nested-PCR targeting the repeated element (RE) and B1 gene, were compared to each other for the detection of Toxoplasma gondii DNA in blood samples of children with leukaemia. One hundred ten blood samples from these patients were analyzed by LAMP and nested-PCR. Out of 50 seropositive samples (IgM+, IgG+), positive results were obtained with 92% and 86% on RE, B1-LAMP and 82% and 68% on RE, B1-nested PCR analyses, respectively. Of the 50 seronegative samples, three, two and one samples were detected positive by RE-LAMP, B1-LAMP and RE-nested PCR assays, respectively, while none were detected positive by B1-nested PCR. None of the 10 IgM-, IgG+ samples was detected positive after testing LAMP and nested-PCR assays in duplicate. This is the first report of a study in which the LAMP method was applied with high sensitivity and efficacy for the diagnosis of T. gonii in blood samples of children with leukaemia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Poon, Leo L M; Wong, Bonnie W Y; Ma, Edmund H T; Chan, Kwok H; Chow, Larry M C; Abeyewickreme, Wimal; Tangpukdee, Noppadon; Yuen, Kwok Y; Guan, Yi; Looareesuwan, Sornchai; Peiris, J S Malik
2006-02-01
Malaria is one of the most important parasitic infections in humans. A sensitive diagnostic test for malaria that could be applied at the community level could be useful in programs to control the disease. The aim of the present work was to develop a simple, inexpensive molecular test for Plasmodium falciparum. Blood was collected from controls (n = 100) and from patients diagnosed with falciparum malaria infection (n = 102), who were recruited to the study. Heat-treated blood samples were tested by a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for P. falciparum. Results were interpreted by a turbidity meter in real time or visually at the end of the assay. To evaluate the assay, DNA from these samples was purified and tested by PCR. Results from the LAMP and PCR assays were compared. The LAMP assay detected P. falciparum directly from heat-treated blood. The quantitative data from the assay correlated to the parasite counts obtained by blood-film microscopic analyses. When we used the PCR assay as the comparison method, the sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assay were 95% and 99%, respectively. Unlike PCR, the LAMP assay does not require purified DNA for efficient DNA amplification, thereby reducing the cost and turnaround time for P. falciparum diagnosis. The assay requires only basic instruments, and assay positivity can be verified by visual inspection.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Shiga toxin (Stx) producing E. coli (STEC) are a major family of foodborne pathogens of immense public health, zoonotic and economic significance in the US and worldwide. To date, there are no published reports on use of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) for STEC detection. The primary goal...
Shirato, Kazuya; Semba, Shohei; El-Kafrawy, Sherif A; Hassan, Ahmed M; Tolah, Ahmed M; Takayama, Ikuyo; Kageyama, Tsutomu; Notomi, Tsugunori; Kamitani, Wataru; Matsuyama, Shutoku; Azhar, Esam Ibraheem
2018-05-12
Clinical detection of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in patients is achieved using genetic diagnostic methods, such as real-time RT-PCR assay. Previously, we developed a reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the detection of MERS-CoV [Virol J. 2014. 11:139]. Generally, amplification of RT-LAMP is monitored by the turbidity induced by precipitation of magnesium pyrophosphate with newly synthesized DNA. However, this mechanism cannot completely exclude the possibility of unexpected reactions. Therefore, in this study, fluorescent RT-LAMP assays using quenching probes (QProbes) were developed specifically to monitor only primer-derived signals. Two primer sets (targeting nucleocapsid and ORF1a sequences) were constructed to confirm MERS cases by RT-LAMP assay only. Our data indicate that both primer sets were capable of detecting MERS-CoV RNA to the same level as existing genetic diagnostic methods, and that both were highly specific with no cross-reactivity observed with other respiratory viruses. These primer sets were highly efficient in amplifying target sequences derived from different MERS-CoV strains, including camel MERS-CoV. In addition, the detection efficacy of QProbe RT-LAMP was comparable to that of real-time RT-PCR assay using clinical specimens from patients in Saudi Arabia. Altogether, these results indicate that QProbe RT-LAMP assays described here can be used as powerful diagnostic tools for rapid detection and surveillance of MERS-CoV infections. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Ahmad, Farhan; Stedtfeld, Robert D.; Waseem, Hassan; Williams, Maggie R.; Cupples, Alison M.; Tiedje, James M.; Hashsham, Syed A.
2016-01-01
We are reporting a most probable number approach integrated to loop mediated isothermal technique (MPN-LAMP) focusing on Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis bacterial cells without nucleic acids extraction. LAMP assays for uidA from E. coli and gelE from E. faecalis were successfully performed directly on cells up to single digit concentration using a commercial real time PCR instrument. Threshold time values of LAMP assays of bacterial cells, heat treated bacterial cells (95 °C for 5 min), and their purified genomic DNA templates were similar, implying that amplification could be achieved directly from bacterial cells at 63 °C. Viability of bacterial cells was confirmed by using propidium monoazide in a LAMP assay with E. faecalis. To check its functionality on a microfluidic platform, MPN-LAMP assays targeting < 10 CFU of bacteria were also translated onto polymeric microchips and monitored by a low-cost fluorescence imaging system. The overall system provided signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios up to 800, analytical sensitivity of < 10 CFU, and time to positivity of about 20 min. MPN-LAMP assays were performed for cell concentrations in the range of 105 CFU to < 10 CFU. MPN values from LAMP assays confirmed that the amplifications were from < 10 CFU. The method described here, applicable directly on cells at 63 °C, eliminates the requirement of complex nucleic acids extraction steps, facilitating the development of sensitive, rapid, low-cost, and field-deployable systems. This rapid MPN-LAMP approach has the potential to replace conventional MPN method for waterborne pathogens. PMID:27856278
Yang, X; Qi, M W; Zhang, Z Z; Gao, C; Wang, C Q; Lei, W Q; Tan, L; Zhao, J L; Fang, R; Hu, M
2017-04-01
Haemonchus contortus is one of the most significant strongylid nematodes infecting small ruminants, and it causes great economic losses to the livestock industry worldwide. Accurate diagnosis of H. contortus is crucial to control strategies. Traditional microscopic examinations are the most common methods for the diagnosis of H. contortus , but they are time-consuming and inaccurate. Molecular methods based on PCR are more accurate, but need expensive machines usually only used in the laboratory. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a rapid, simple, specific, and sensitive method that has been widely used to detect viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In the present study, a LAMP method targeting ribosomal ITS-2 gene for detection of the H. contortus in goat fecal samples has been established. The established LAMP method was H. contortus specific, and the sensitivity of LAMP was the same as that of the H. contortus species-specific PCR, with the lowest DNA level detected as being 1 pg. Examination of the clinical samples indicated that the positive rate of LAMP was higher than that of PCR, but no statistical difference was observed between LAMP and PCR (χ 2 = 17.991, P = 0.053). In conclusion, a LAMP assay with a high specificity and a good sensitivity has been developed to detect H. contortus infection in goats. The established LAMP assay is useful for clinical diagnosis of H. contortus .
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel simple detection technology that amplifies DNA with high speed, efficiency, and specificity under isothermal conditions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of 3M Molecular Detection System (MDS) and ANSR Pathogen Det...
Santiago-Felipe, S; Tortajada-Genaro, L A; Puchades, R; Maquieira, A
2014-02-06
Polymerase chain reaction in conjunction with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PCR-ELISA) is a well-established technique that provides a suitable rapid, sensitive, and selective method for a broad range of applications. However, the need for precise rapid temperature cycling of PCR is an important drawback that can be overcome by employing isothermal amplification reactions such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). The RPA-ELISA combination is proposed for amplification at a low, constant temperature (40°C) in a short time (40 min), for the hybridisation of labelled products to specific 5'-biotinylated probes/streptavidin in coated microtiter plates at room temperature, and for detection by colorimetric immunoassay. RPA-ELISA was applied to screen common safety threats in foodstuffs, such as allergens (hazelnut, peanut, soybean, tomato, and maize), genetically modified organisms (P35S and TNOS), pathogenic bacteria (Salmonella sp. and Cronobacter sp.), and fungi (Fusarium sp.). Satisfactory sensitivity and reproducibility results were achieved for all the targets. The RPA-ELISA technique does away with thermocycling and provides a suitable sensitive, specific, and cost-effective method for routine applications, and proves particularly useful for resource-limited settings. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
CAO, Lili; CHENG, Ronghua; YAO, Lin; YUAN, Shuxian; YAO, Xinhua
2013-01-01
ABSTRACT The Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method amplifies DNA with high simply, specificity, sensitivity and rapidity. In this study, A LAMP assay with 6 primers targeting a highly conserved region of the GRA1 gene was developed to diagnose Toxoplasma gondii. The reaction time of the LAMP assay was shortened to 30 min after optimizing the reaction system. The LAMP assay was found to be highly specific and stable. The detection limit of the LAMP assay was 10 copies, the same as that of the conventional PCR. We used the LAMP assay to develop a real-time fluorogenic protocol to quantitate T. gondii DNA and generated a log-linear regression plot by plotting the time-to-threshold values against genomic equivalent copies. Furthermore, the LAMP assay was applied to detect T. gondii DNA in 423 blood samples and 380 lymph node samples from 10 pig farms, and positive results were obtained for 7.8% and 8.2% of samples, respectively. The results showed that the LAMP method is slightly more sensitive than conventional PCR (6.1% and 7.6%). Positive samples obtained from 6 pig farms. The LAMP assay established in this study resulted in simple, specific, sensitive and rapid detection of T. gondii DNA and is expected to play an important role in clinical detection of T. gondii. PMID:23965849
Zheney, Makay; Kaziyev, Zhambul; Kassenova, Gulmira; Zhao, Lingna; Liu, Wei; Liang, Lin; Li, Gang
2018-02-13
Egg drop syndrome (EDS), caused by the adenovirus "egg drop syndrome virus" (EDSV) causes severe economic losses through reduced egg production in breeder and layer flocks. The diagnosis of EDSV has been done by molecular tools since its complete genome sequence was identified. In order to enhance the capabilities of the real-time fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RealAmp) assay, we aimed to apply the method for direct detection of the EDSV without viral DNA extraction. In order to detect the presence of the EDSV DNA, three pairs of primers were designed, from the conserved region of fiber gene of the EDSV. For our assay, test and control samples were directly used in the reaction mixture in 10-fold serial dilution. The target DNA was amplified at 65 °C, which yield positive results in a relatively short period of 40-45 min. The method reported in this study is highly sensitive as compared to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and showed no sign of cross-reactivity or false positive results. The RealAmp accomplished specific identification of EDSV among a variety of poultry disease viruses. The direct RealAmp can be used to detect the presence of EDSV. As our result showed, the RealAmp method could be suitable for the direct detection of other DNA viruses.
Gong, Jiansen; Zhuang, Linlin; Zhu, Chunhong; Shi, Shourong; Zhang, Di; Zhang, Linji; Yu, Yan; Dou, Xinhong; Xu, Bu; Wang, Chengming
2016-04-01
Salmonella spp. pose a threat to both human and animal health, with more than 2600 serovars having been reported to date. Salmonella serovars are usually identified by slide agglutination tests, which are labor intensive and time consuming. In an attempt to develop a more rapid screening method for the major poultry Salmonella serovars, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay, which directly detected the sefA gene, a fimbrial operon gene existing in several specific serovars of Salmonella enterica including the major poultry serovars, namely Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis (Salmonella Enteritidis) and Salmonella enterica serovar Gallinarum (Salmonella Gallinarum). With the 177 bacterial strains we tested, positive reactions were only observed with 85 strains of serovar Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum. The detection limit of the LAMP assay was 4 CFU/reaction with genomic DNAs of Salmonella Enteritidis (ATCC 13076) from pure culture and 400 CFU/ reaction with DNA extracted from spiked chicken feces. The LAMP assay was more sensitive than conventional culture, especially without enrichment, in detecting Salmonella Enteritidis (CMCC 50041) in the spiked fecal samples. The results show the sefA LAMP method is a rapid, sensitive, specific, and practical method for directly detection of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Gallinarum in chickens. The sefA LAMP assay can potentially serve as new on-site diagnostics in the poultry industry.
Aikawa, T; Horino, S; Ichihara, Y
2015-08-01
Severe damages to natural vegetation, agriculture, and forestry caused by overpopulation of sika deer (Cervus nippon) have markedly increased in Japan in recent years. To devise a population management plan of sika deer, information on the distribution and population size of the animal in each region is indispensable. An easy and effective method to obtain this information is to count the fecal pellets in the field. However, the habitat of sika deer in Japan overlaps that of Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus). Additionally, it is difficult to discriminate between the feces of both animals. Here, we present a rapid and precise diagnostic method for discriminating between the feces of sika deer and Japanese serow using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) targeting cytochrome b gene in the mitochondrial DNA. Our results showed that the LAMP can discriminate between the feces of sika deer and Japanese serow, and the method is simpler and more sensitive than the conventional molecular diagnostic method. Since LAMP method does not require special skills for molecular biology techniques, even the field researchers who have never done a molecular experiment can easily carry out the protocol. In addition, the entire protocol, from DNA extraction from fecal pellet to identification of species, takes only about 75 min and does not require expensive equipment. Hence, this diagnostic method is simple, fast, and accessible to anyone. As such, the method can be a useful tool to estimate distribution and population size of sika deer.
Integrating DNA strand displacement circuitry to the nonlinear hybridization chain reaction.
Zhang, Zhuo; Fan, Tsz Wing; Hsing, I-Ming
2017-02-23
Programmable and modular attributes of DNA molecules allow one to develop versatile sensing platforms that can be operated isothermally and enzyme-free. In this work, we present an approach to integrate upstream DNA strand displacement circuits that can be turned on by a sequence-specific microRNA analyte with a downstream nonlinear hybridization chain reaction for a cascading hyperbranched nucleic acid assembly. This system provides a two-step amplification strategy for highly sensitive detection of the miRNA analyte, conducive for multiplexed detection. Multiple miRNA analytes were tested with our integrated circuitry using the same downstream signal amplification setting, showing the decoupling of nonlinear self-assembly with the analyte sequence. Compared with the reported methods, our signal amplification approach provides an additional control module for higher-order DNA self-assembly and could be developed into a promising platform for the detection of critical nucleic-acid based biomarkers.
Kapoor, Reetika; Srivastava, Nishant; Kumar, Shailender; Saritha, R K; Sharma, Susheel Kumar; Jain, Rakesh Kumar; Baranwal, Virendra Kumar
2017-09-01
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a rapid, isothermal amplification method with high specificity and sensitivity. In this study, an assay was developed and evaluated for the detection of banana bunchy top virus (BBTV) in infected banana plants. Three oligonucleotide primer pairs were designed from the replicase initiator protein gene sequences of BBTV to function both in RPA as well as in polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A total of 133 symptomatic as well as asymptomatic banana leaf samples from various cultivars were collected from the different regions of India and evaluated for BBTV infection using the RPA assay. BBTV was efficiently detected using crude leaf sap in RPA and the results obtained were consistent with PCR-based detection using purified DNA as template. To our knowledge, this is the first report of reliable diagnosis of BBTV infection by RPA using crude leaf sap as a template.
Rosser, A; Rollinson, D; Forrest, M; Webster, B L
2015-09-04
Accurate diagnosis of urogenital schistosomiasis is vital for surveillance/control programs. Amplification of schistosome DNA in urine by PCR is sensitive and specific but requires infrastructure, financial resources and skilled personnel, often not available in endemic areas. Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) is an isothermal DNA amplification/detection technology that is simple, rapid, portable and needs few resources. Here a Schistosoma haematobium RPA assay was developed and adapted so that DNA amplicons could be detected using oligochromatographic Lateral Flow (LF) strips. The assay successfully amplified S. haematobium DNA at 30-45 °C in 10 mins and was sensitive to a lower limit of 100 fg of DNA. The assay was also successful with the addition of crude urine, up to 5% of the total reaction volume. Cross amplification occurred with other schistosome species but not with other common urine microorganisms. The LF-RPA assay developed here can amplify and detect low levels of S. haematobium DNA. Reactions are rapid, require low temperatures and positive reactions are interpreted using lateral flow strips, reducing the need for infrastructure and resources. This together with an ability to withstand inhibitors within urine makes RPA a promising technology for further development as a molecular diagnostic tool for urogenital schistosomiasis.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
The use of field effect transistors (FETs) as the transduction element for the detection of DNA amplification reactions will enable portable and inexpensive nucleic acid analysis. Transistors used as biological sensors,or BioFETs, minimize the cost and size of detection platforms by leveraging fabri...
Cordray, Michael S; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R
2015-11-26
Isothermal amplification techniques are emerging as a promising method for malaria diagnosis since they are capable of detecting extremely low concentrations of parasite target while mitigating the need for infrastructure and training required by other nucleic acid based tests. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is promising for further development since it operates in a short time frame (<30 min) and produces a product that can be visually detected on a lateral flow dipstick. A self-sealing paper and plastic system that performs both the amplification and detection of a malaria DNA sequence is presented. Primers were designed using the NCBI nBLAST tools and screened using gel electrophoresis. Paper and plastic devices were prototyped using commercial design software and parts were cut using a laser cutter and assembled by hand. Synthetic copies of the Plasmodium 18S gene were spiked into solution and used as targets for the RPA reaction. To test the performance of the device the same samples spiked with synthetic target were run in parallel both in the paper and plastic devices and using conventional bench top methods. Novel RPA primers were developed that bind to sequences present in the four species of Plasmodium which infect humans. The paper and plastic devices were found to be capable of detecting as few as 5 copies/µL of synthetic Plasmodium DNA (50 copies total), comparable to the same reaction run on the bench top. The devices produce visual results in an hour, cost approximately $1, and are self-contained once the device is sealed. The device was capable of carrying out the RPA reaction and detecting meaningful amounts of synthetic Plasmodium DNA in a self-sealing and self-contained device. This device may be a step towards making nucleic acid tests more accessible for malaria detection.
Yang, Zunyi; McLendon, Chris; Hutter, Daniel; Bradley, Kevin M; Hoshika, Shuichi; Frye, Carole B; Benner, Steven A
2015-06-15
Assays that detect DNA or RNA (xNA) are highly sensitive, as small amounts of xNA can be amplified by PCR. Unfortunately, PCR is inconvenient in low-resource environments, and requires equipment and power that might not be available in these environments. Isothermal procedures, which avoid thermal cycling, are often confounded by primer dimers, off-target priming, and other artifacts. Here, we show how a "self avoiding molecular recognition system" (SAMRS) eliminates these artifacts and gives clean amplicons in a helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (SAMRS-HDA). We also show that incorporating SAMRS into the 3'-ends of primers facilitates the design and screening of primers for HDA assays. Finally, we show that SAMRS-HDA can be twofold multiplexed, difficult to achieve with HDA using standard primers. Thus, SAMRS-HDA is a more versatile approach than standard HDA, with a broader applicability for xNA-targeted diagnostics and research. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Yang, Zunyi; McLendon, Chris; Hutter, Daniel; Bradley, Kevin M.; Hoshika, Shuichi; Frye, Carole; Benner, Steven A.
2015-01-01
Assays that target DNA or RNA (xNA) are highly sensitive, as small amounts of xNA can be amplified by PCR. Unfortunately, PCR is inconvenient in low resource environments, requiring equipment and power that may not be available in these environments. However, isothermal procedures that avoid thermal cycling are often confounded by primer dimers, off-target priming, and other artifacts. Here, we show how a “self avoiding molecular recognition system” (SAMRS) eliminates these artifacts to give clean amplicons in a helicase-dependent isothermal amplification (SAMRS-HDA). We also show that incorporating SAMRS into the 3′-ends of primers facilitates the design and screening of primers for HDA assays. Finally, we show that SAMRS-HDA can be twofold multiplexed, something difficult to achieve with HDA using standard primers. This shows that SAMRS-HDA is a more versatile approach than standard HDA with a broader applicability for xNA-targeted diagnostics and research. PMID:25953623
Lai, Guan-Hua; Chao, Jung; Lin, Ming-Kuem; Chang, Wen-Te; Peng, Wen-Huang; Sun, Fang-Chun; Lee, Meng-Shiunn; Lee, Meng-Shiou
2015-01-09
Taraxacum formosanum (TF) is a medicinal plant used as an important component of health drinks in Taiwan. In this study, a rapid, sensitive and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for authenticating TF was established. A set of four specific LAMP primers was designed based on the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) of TF. LAMP amplicons were successfully amplified and detected when purified genomic DNA of TF was added in the LAMP reaction under isothermal condition (65 °C) within 45 min. These specific LAMP primers have high specificity and can accurately discriminate Taraxacum formosanum from other adulterant plants; 1 pg of genomic DNA was determined to be the detection limit of the LAMP assay. In conclusion, using this novel approach, TF and its misused plant samples obtained from herbal tea markets were easily identified and discriminated by LAMP assay for quality control.
Lai, Guan-Hua; Chao, Jung; Lin, Ming-Kuem; Chang, Wen-Te; Peng, Wen-Huang; Sun, Fang-Chun; Lee, Meng-Shiunn; Lee, Meng-Shiou
2015-01-01
Taraxacum formosanum (TF) is a medicinal plant used as an important component of health drinks in Taiwan. In this study, a rapid, sensitive and specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for authenticating TF was established. A set of four specific LAMP primers was designed based on the nucleotide sequence of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) of TF. LAMP amplicons were successfully amplified and detected when purified genomic DNA of TF was added in the LAMP reaction under isothermal condition (65 °C) within 45 min. These specific LAMP primers have high specificity and can accurately discriminate Taraxacum formosanum from other adulterant plants; 1 pg of genomic DNA was determined to be the detection limit of the LAMP assay. In conclusion, using this novel approach, TF and its misused plant samples obtained from herbal tea markets were easily identified and discriminated by LAMP assay for quality control. PMID:25584616
Li, Feiwu; Yan, Wei; Long, Likun; Qi, Xing; Li, Congcong; Zhang, Shihong
2014-01-01
The cry2Ab and cry3A genes are two of the most important insect-resistant exogenous genes and had been widely used in genetically-modified crops. To develop more effective alternatives for the quick identification of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) containing these genes, a rapid and visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect the cry2Ab and cry3A genes is described in this study. The LAMP assay can be finished within 60 min at an isothermal condition of 63 °C. The derived LAMP products can be obtained by a real-time turbidimeter via monitoring the white turbidity or directly observed by the naked eye through adding SYBR Green I dye. The specificity of the LAMP assay was determined by analyzing thirteen insect-resistant genetically-modified (GM) crop events with different Bt genes. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the LAMP assay was evaluated by diluting the template genomic DNA. Results showed that the limit of detection of the established LAMP assays was approximately five copies of haploid genomic DNA, about five-fold greater than that of conventional PCR assays. All of the results indicated that this established rapid and visual LAMP assay was quick, accurate and cost effective, with high specificity and sensitivity. In addition, this method does not need specific expensive instruments or facilities, which can provide a simpler and quicker approach to detecting the cry2Ab and cry3A genes in GM crops, especially for on-site, large-scale test purposes in the field. PMID:25167136
Li, Feiwu; Yan, Wei; Long, Likun; Qi, Xing; Li, Congcong; Zhang, Shihong
2014-08-27
The cry2Ab and cry3A genes are two of the most important insect-resistant exogenous genes and had been widely used in genetically-modified crops. To develop more effective alternatives for the quick identification of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) containing these genes, a rapid and visual loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect the cry2Ab and cry3A genes is described in this study. The LAMP assay can be finished within 60 min at an isothermal condition of 63 °C. The derived LAMP products can be obtained by a real-time turbidimeter via monitoring the white turbidity or directly observed by the naked eye through adding SYBR Green I dye. The specificity of the LAMP assay was determined by analyzing thirteen insect-resistant genetically-modified (GM) crop events with different Bt genes. Furthermore, the sensitivity of the LAMP assay was evaluated by diluting the template genomic DNA. Results showed that the limit of detection of the established LAMP assays was approximately five copies of haploid genomic DNA, about five-fold greater than that of conventional PCR assays. All of the results indicated that this established rapid and visual LAMP assay was quick, accurate and cost effective, with high specificity and sensitivity. In addition, this method does not need specific expensive instruments or facilities, which can provide a simpler and quicker approach to detecting the cry2Ab and cry3A genes in GM crops, especially for on-site, large-scale test purposes in the field.
Tsaloglou, Maria-Nefeli; Laouenan, Florian; Loukas, Christos-Moritz; Monsalve, Lisandro Gabriel; Thanner, Christine; Morgan, Hywel; Ruano-López, Jesus M; Mowlem, Matthew C
2013-01-21
Quantitation of specific RNA sequences is a useful technique in marine biology that can elucidate cell abundance, speciation and viability, especially for early detection of harmful algal blooms. We are thus developing an integrated microfluidic system for cell concentration and lysis, RNA extraction/purification and quantitative RNA detection for environmental applications. The portable system is based on a microfluidic cartridge, or "lab-card", using a low-cost injection moulded device, with a laminated lid. Here we present real-time isothermal RNA amplification using reagent master-mixes preserved on-chip in a gel at 4 °C for up to eight months. We demonstrate quantitation by reference to an internal control in a competitive assay with 500 cell equivalents of the toxic microalga Karenia brevis. Annealing of primers, amplification at 41 °C and real-time fluorescence detection of the internal control and target using sequence-specific molecular beacons were all performed on-chip.
Novel Bioluminescent Quantitative Detection of Nucleic Acid Amplification in Real-Time
Gandelman, Olga A.; Church, Vicki L.; Moore, Cathy A.; Kiddle, Guy; Carne, Christopher A.; Parmar, Surendra; Jalal, Hamid; Tisi, Laurence C.; Murray, James A. H.
2010-01-01
Background The real-time monitoring of polynucleotide amplification is at the core of most molecular assays. This conventionally relies on fluorescent detection of the amplicon produced, requiring complex and costly hardware, often restricting it to specialised laboratories. Principal Findings Here we report the first real-time, closed-tube luminescent reporter system for nucleic acid amplification technologies (NAATs) enabling the progress of amplification to be continuously monitored using simple light measuring equipment. The Bioluminescent Assay in Real-Time (BART) continuously reports through bioluminescent output the exponential increase of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) produced during the isothermal amplification of a specific nucleic acid target. BART relies on the coupled conversion of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi) produced stoichiometrically during nucleic acid synthesis to ATP by the enzyme ATP sulfurylase, and can therefore be coupled to a wide range of isothermal NAATs. During nucleic acid amplification, enzymatic conversion of PPi released during DNA synthesis into ATP is continuously monitored through the bioluminescence generated by thermostable firefly luciferase. The assay shows a unique kinetic signature for nucleic acid amplifications with a readily identifiable light output peak, whose timing is proportional to the concentration of original target nucleic acid. This allows qualitative and quantitative analysis of specific targets, and readily differentiates between negative and positive samples. Since quantitation in BART is based on determination of time-to-peak rather than absolute intensity of light emission, complex or highly sensitive light detectors are not required. Conclusions The combined chemistries of the BART reporter and amplification require only a constant temperature maintained by a heating block and are shown to be robust in the analysis of clinical samples. Since monitoring the BART reaction requires only a simple light detector, the iNAAT-BART combination is ideal for molecular diagnostic assays in both laboratory and low resource settings. PMID:21152399
Lee, DoKyung; Kim, Eun Jin; Kilgore, Paul E.; Takahashi, Hideyuki; Ohnishi, Makoto; Tomono, Jun; Miyamoto, Shigehiko; Omagari, Daisuke; Kim, Dong Wook; Seki, Mitsuko
2016-01-01
We have developed a novel Neisseria meningitidis serogroup-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for six of the most common meningococcal serogroups (A, B, C, W, X, and Y). The assay was evaluated using a set of 31 meningococcal LAMP assay positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from 1574 children with suspected meningitis identified in prospective surveillance between 1998 and 2002 in Vietnam, China, and Korea. Primer specificity was validated using 15 N. meningitidis strains (including serogroups A, B, C, E, W, X, Y, and Z) and 19 non-N. meningitidis species. The N. meningitidis serogroup LAMP detected down to ten copies and 100 colony-forming units per reaction. Twenty-nine CSF had N. meningitidis serogroup identified by LAMP compared with two CSF in which N. meningitidis serogroup was identified by culture and multi-locus sequence typing. This is the first report of a serogroup-specific identification assay for N. meningitidis using the LAMP method. Our results suggest that this assay will be a rapid, sensitive, and uniquely serogroup-specific assay with potential for application in clinical laboratories and public health surveillance systems. PMID:26793181
Draz, Mohamed Shehata; Lu, Xiaonan
2016-01-01
As a major foodborne pathogen, Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis is increasingly rising as a global health concern. Here, we developed an integrated assay that combines loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) for DNA detection of S. Enteritidis using specifically designed Raman active Au-nanoprobes. The target DNA was amplified by LAMP and then labeled with Au-nanoprobes comprised of gold nanoparticle-modified with specific cy5/DNA probes to allow the detection by SERS. The sensitivity of the developed LAMP-SERS detection assay (66 CFU/mL) was ~100-fold higher than the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. Significantly, this technique allowed highly specific detection of the target DNA of S. Enteritidis and could differentiate it from the DNA of closely related bacterial species or non-specific contamination, making it more accurate and reliable than the standard LAMP technique. The applicability of detection of S. Enteritidis in milk samples using LAMP-SERS assay was validated as well. In sum, the developed LAMP-SERS assay is highly specific and sensitive, and has the potential to be applied for rapid detection of different foodborne pathogens and other microbial contaminants.
Zhang, Fang; Wang, Liu; Fan, Kai; Wu, Jian; Ying, Yibin
2014-05-01
An isothermal cross-priming amplification (CPA) assay for Agrobacterium tumefaciens nopaline synthase terminator (T-Nos) was established and investigated in this work. A set of six specific primers, recognizing eight distinct regions on the T-Nos sequence, was designed. The CPA assay was performed at a constant temperature, 63 °C, and detected by real-time fluorescence. The results indicated that real-time fluorescent CPA had high specificity, and the limit of detection was 1.06 × 10(3) copies of rice genomic DNA, which could be detected in 40 min. Comparison of real-time fluorescent CPA and conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was also performed. Results revealed that real-time fluorescent CPA had a comparable sensitivity to conventional real-time PCR and had taken a shorter time. In addition, different contents of genetically modified (GM)-contaminated rice seed powder samples were detected for practical application. The result showed real-time fluorescent CPA could detect 0.5 % GM-contaminated samples at least, and the whole reaction could be finished in 35 min. Real-time fluorescent CPA is sensitive enough to monitor labeling systems and provides an attractive method for the detection of GMO.
Rahman, S. M. Mazidur; Song, Hyun Beom; Jin, Yan; Oh, Jin-Kyoung; Lim, Min Kyung; Hong, Sung-Tae
2017-01-01
Background Clonorchiasis is prevalent in the Far East, and a major health problem in endemic areas. Infected persons may experience, if not treated, serious complications such as bile stone formation, pyogenic cholangitis, and even cholangiocarcinoma. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent serious complications and, therefore, the simple and reliable diagnostic method is necessary to control clonorchiasis in endemic areas, where resources for the diagnosis are limited. Methodology/Principle findings The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has been applied for the detection of Clonorchis sinensis DNA. Six primers targeting eight locations on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene of C. sinensis were designed for species-specific amplification using the LAMP assay. The LAMP assay was sensitive enough to detect as little as 100 fg of C. sinensis genomic DNA and the detection limit in 100 mg of stool was as low as one egg. The assay was highly specific because no cross-reactivity was observed with the DNA of other helminths, protozoa or Escherichia coli. Then, LAMP assay was applied to human fecal samples collected from an endemic area of clonorchiasis in Korea. Using samples showing consistent results by both Kato-Katz method and real-time PCR as reference standards, the LAMP assay showed 97.1% (95% CI, 90.1–99.2) of sensitivity and 100% (95% CI, 92.9–100) of specificity. In stool samples with more than 100 eggs per gram of feces, the sensitivity achieved 100%. Conclusions To detect C. sinensis in human fecal samples, the LAMP assay was applied and achieved high sensitivity and specificity. The LAMP assay can be utilized in field laboratories as a powerful tool for diagnosis and epidemiological survey of clonorchiasis. PMID:28991924
Rahman, S M Mazidur; Song, Hyun Beom; Jin, Yan; Oh, Jin-Kyoung; Lim, Min Kyung; Hong, Sung-Tae; Choi, Min-Ho
2017-10-01
Clonorchiasis is prevalent in the Far East, and a major health problem in endemic areas. Infected persons may experience, if not treated, serious complications such as bile stone formation, pyogenic cholangitis, and even cholangiocarcinoma. Early diagnosis and treatment are important to prevent serious complications and, therefore, the simple and reliable diagnostic method is necessary to control clonorchiasis in endemic areas, where resources for the diagnosis are limited. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay has been applied for the detection of Clonorchis sinensis DNA. Six primers targeting eight locations on the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene of C. sinensis were designed for species-specific amplification using the LAMP assay. The LAMP assay was sensitive enough to detect as little as 100 fg of C. sinensis genomic DNA and the detection limit in 100 mg of stool was as low as one egg. The assay was highly specific because no cross-reactivity was observed with the DNA of other helminths, protozoa or Escherichia coli. Then, LAMP assay was applied to human fecal samples collected from an endemic area of clonorchiasis in Korea. Using samples showing consistent results by both Kato-Katz method and real-time PCR as reference standards, the LAMP assay showed 97.1% (95% CI, 90.1-99.2) of sensitivity and 100% (95% CI, 92.9-100) of specificity. In stool samples with more than 100 eggs per gram of feces, the sensitivity achieved 100%. To detect C. sinensis in human fecal samples, the LAMP assay was applied and achieved high sensitivity and specificity. The LAMP assay can be utilized in field laboratories as a powerful tool for diagnosis and epidemiological survey of clonorchiasis.
Ahmad, Farhan; Stedtfeld, Robert D; Waseem, Hassan; Williams, Maggie R; Cupples, Alison M; Tiedje, James M; Hashsham, Syed A
2017-01-01
We are reporting a most probable number approach integrated to loop mediated isothermal technique (MPN-LAMP) focusing on Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis bacterial cells without nucleic acids extraction. LAMP assays for uidA from E. coli and gelE from E. faecalis were successfully performed directly on cells up to single digit concentration using a commercial real time PCR instrument. Threshold time values of LAMP assays of bacterial cells, heat treated bacterial cells (95°C for 5min), and their purified genomic DNA templates were similar, implying that amplification could be achieved directly from bacterial cells at 63°C. Viability of bacterial cells was confirmed by using propidium monoazide in a LAMP assay with E. faecalis. To check its functionality on a microfluidic platform, MPN-LAMP assays targeting <10CFU of bacteria were also translated onto polymeric microchips and monitored by a low-cost fluorescence imaging system. The overall system provided signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios up to 800, analytical sensitivity of <10CFU, and time to positivity of about 20min. MPN-LAMP assays were performed for cell concentrations in the range of 10 5 CFU to <10CFU. MPN values from LAMP assays confirmed that the amplifications were from <10CFU. The method described here, applicable directly on cells at 63°C, eliminates the requirement of complex nucleic acids extraction steps, facilitating the development of sensitive, rapid, low-cost, and field-deployable systems. This rapid MPN-LAMP approach has the potential to replace conventional MPN method for waterborne pathogens. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Cho, Ae-Ri; Dong, Hee-Jin; Cho, Seongbeom
2014-01-01
Meat source fraud and adulteration scandals have led to consumer demands for accurate meat identification methods. Nucleotide amplification assays have been proposed as an alternative method to protein-based assays for meat identification. In this study, we designed Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays targeting species-specific mitochondrial DNA to identify and discriminate eight meat species; cattle, pig, horse, goat, sheep, chicken, duck, and turkey. The LAMP primer sets were designed and the target genes were discriminated according to their unique annealing temperature generated by annealing curve analysis. Their unique annealing temperatures were found to be 85.56±0.07℃ for cattle, 84.96±0.08℃ for pig, and 85.99±0.05℃ for horse in the BSE-LAMP set (Bos taurus, Sus scrofa domesticus and Equus caballus); 84.91±0.11℃ for goat and 83.90±0.11℃ for sheep in the CO-LAMP set (Capra hircus and Ovis aries); and 86.31±0.23℃ for chicken, 88.66±0.12℃ for duck, and 84.49±0.08℃ for turkey in the GAM-LAMP set (Gallus gallus, Anas platyrhynchos and Meleagris gallopavo). No cross-reactivity was observed in each set. The limits of detection (LODs) of the LAMP assays in raw and cooked meat were determined from 10 pg/μL to 100 fg/μL levels, and LODs in raw and cooked meat admixtures were determined from 0.01% to 0.0001% levels. The assays were performed within 30 min and showed greater sensitivity than that of the PCR assays. These novel LAMP assays provide a simple, rapid, accurate, and sensitive technology for discrimination of eight meat species.
Londoño, Maria A; Harmon, Carrie L; Polston, Jane E
2016-03-22
Plant viruses in the genus Begomovirus, family Geminiviridae often cause substantial crop losses. These viruses have been emerging in many locations throughout the tropics and subtropics. Like many plant viruses, they are often not recognized by plant diagnostic clinics due in large part to the lack of rapid and cost effective assays. An isothermal amplification assay, Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), was evaluated for its ability to detect three begomoviruses and for its suitability for use in plant diagnostic clinics. Methods for DNA extraction and separation of amplicons from proteins used in the assay were modified and compared to RPA manufacturer's protocols. The modified RPA assays were compared to PCR assays for sensitivity, use in downstream applications, cost, and speed. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays for the detection of Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, Tomato mottle virus and Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) were specific, only amplifying the target viruses in three different host species. RPA was able to detect the target virus when the template was in a crude extract generated using a simple inexpensive extraction method, while PCR was not. Separation of RPA-generated amplicons from DNA-binding proteins could be accomplished by several methods, all of which were faster and less expensive than that recommended by the manufacturer. Use of these modifications resulted in an RPA assay that was faster than PCR but with a similar reagent cost. This modified RPA was the more cost effective assay when labor is added to the cost since RPA can be performed much faster than PCR. RPA had a sensitivity approximate to that of ELISA when crude extract was used as template. RPA-generated amplicons could be used in downstream applications (TA cloning, digestion with a restriction endonuclease, direct sequencing) similar to PCR but unlike some other isothermal reactions. RPA could prove useful for the cost effective detection of plant viruses by plant diagnostic clinics. It can be performed in one hour or less with a reagent cost similar to that of PCR but with a lower labor cost, and with an acceptable level of sensitivity and specificity.
Yu, Yanyan; Chen, Zuanguang; Jian, Wensi; Sun, Duanping; Zhang, Beibei; Li, Xinchun; Yao, Meicun
2015-02-15
In this work, a simple and label-free electrochemical biosensor with duel amplification strategy was developed for DNA detection based on isothermal exponential amplification (EXPAR) coupled with hybridization chain reaction (HCR) of DNAzymes nanowires. Through rational design, neither the primer nor the DNAzymes containing molecular beacons (MBs) could react with the duplex probe which were fixed on the electrode surface. Once challenged with target, the duplex probe cleaved and triggered the EXPAR mediated target recycle and regeneration circles as well as the HCR process. As a result, a greater amount of targets were generated to cleave the duplex probes. Subsequently, the nanowires consisting of the G-quadruplex units were self-assembled through hybridization with the strand fixed on the electrode surface. In the presence of hemin, the resulting catalytic G-quadruplex-hemin HRP-mimicking DNAzymes were formed. Electrochemical signals can be obtained by measuring the increase in reduction current of oxidized 3.3',5.5'-tetramethylbenzidine sulfate (TMB), which was generated by DNAzyme in the presence of H2O2. This method exhibited ultrahigh sensitivity towards avian influenza A (H7N9) virus DNA sequence with detection limits of 9.4 fM and a detection range of 4 orders of magnitude. The biosensor was also capable of discriminating single-nucleotide difference among concomitant DNA sequences and performed well in spiked cell lysates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Bosward, Katrina L; House, John K; Deveridge, Amber; Mathews, Karen; Sheehy, Paul A
2016-03-01
Streptococcus agalactiae is a well-characterized bovine mastitis pathogen that is known to be highly contagious and capable of spreading rapidly in affected dairy herds. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel molecular diagnostic method that has the capability to provide rapid, cost-effective screening for pathogens to support on-farm disease control and eradication programs. In the current study, a LAMP test was developed to detect S. agalactiae in milk. The assay was validated on a bank of existing clinical mastitis milk samples that had previously been identified as S. agalactiae positive via traditional microbiological culture techniques and PCR. The LAMP assay was conducted on bacterial colonies and DNA extracted from milk in tube- and plate-based formats using multiple detection platforms. The 1-h assay conducted at 64 °C exhibited repeatability (coefficient of variation) of 2.07% (tube) and 8.3% (plate), sensitivity to ~20 pg of extracted DNA/reaction, and specificity against a panel of known bacterial mastitis pathogens. Of the 109 known S. agalactiae isolates assessed by LAMP directly from bacterial cells in culture, 108 were identified as positive, in accordance with PCR analysis. The LAMP analysis from the corresponding milk samples indicated that 104 of these milks exhibited a positive amplification curve. Although exhibiting some limitations, this assay provides an opportunity for rapid screening of milk samples to facilitate on-farm management of this pathogen. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Martínez-Valladares, María; Rojo-Vázquez, Francisco Antonio
2016-02-05
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a very specific, efficient, and rapid gene amplification procedure in which the reaction can run at a constant temperature. In the current study we have developed a LAMP assay to improve the diagnosis of Fasciola spp. in the faeces of sheep. After the optimisation of the LAMP assay we have shown similar results between this technique and the standard PCR using the outer primers of the LAMP reaction. In both cases the limit of detection was 10 pg; also, the diagnosis of fasciolosis was confirmed during the first week post-infection in experimental infected sheep by both techniques. In eight naturally infected sheep, the infection with F. hepatica was confirmed in all animals before a treatment with triclabendazole and on day 30 post treatment in two sheep using the LAMP assay; however, when we carried out the standard PCR with the outer primers, the results before treatment were the same but on day 30 post-treatment the infection was only confirmed in one out of the two sheep. On the other hand, the standard PCR took around 3 h to obtain a result, comparing with 1 h and 10 min for the LAMP assay. The LAMP assay described here could be a good alternative to conventional diagnostic methods to detect F. hepatica in faeces since it solves the drawbacks of the standard PCR.
Emergence of a replicating species from an in vitro RNA evolution reaction
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Breaker, R. R.; Joyce, G. F.
1994-01-01
The technique of self-sustained sequence replication allows isothermal amplification of DNA and RNA molecules in vitro. This method relies on the activities of a reverse transcriptase and a DNA-dependent RNA polymerase to amplify specific nucleic acid sequences. We have modified this protocol to allow selective amplification of RNAs that catalyze a particular chemical reaction. During an in vitro RNA evolution experiment employing this modified system, a unique class of "selfish" RNAs emerged and replicated to the exclusion of the intended RNAs. Members of this class of selfish molecules, termed RNA Z, amplify efficiently despite their inability to catalyze the target chemical reaction. Their amplification requires the action of both reverse transcriptase and RNA polymerase and involves the synthesis of both DNA and RNA replication intermediates. The proposed amplification mechanism for RNA Z involves the formation of a DNA hairpin that functions as a template for transcription by RNA polymerase. This arrangement links the two strands of the DNA, resulting in the production of RNA transcripts that contain an embedded RNA polymerase promoter sequence.
Kumvongpin, Ratchanida; Jearanaikool, Patcharee; Wilailuckana, Chotechana; Sae-Ung, Nattaya; Prasongdee, Prinya; Daduang, Sakda; Wongsena, Metee; Boonsiri, Patcharee; Kiatpathomchai, Wansika; Swangvaree, Sukumarn Sanersak; Sandee, Alisa; Daduang, Jureerut
2016-08-01
High-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) causes cervical cancer. HPV16 and HPV18 are the most prevalent strains of the virus reported in women worldwide. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is an alternative method for DNA detection under isothermal conditions. However, it results in a turbid amplified product which is not easily detected by the naked eye. This study aimed to develop an improved technique by using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) attached to a single-stranded DNA probe for the detection of HPV16 and HPV18. Detection of the LAMP product by AuNP color change was compared with detection by visual turbidity. The optimal conditions for this new LAMP-AuNP assay were an incubation time of 20min and a temperature of 65°C. After LAMP amplification was complete, its products were hybridized with the AuNP probe for 5min and then detected by the addition of magnesium salt. The color changed from red to blue as a result of aggregation of the AuNP probe under high ionic strength conditions produced by the addition of the salt. The sensitivity of the LAMP-AuNP assay was greater than the LAMP turbidity assay by up to 10-fold for both HPV genotypes. The LAMP-AuNP assay showed higher sensitivity and ease of visualization than did the LAMP turbidity for the detection of HPV16 and HPV18. Additionally, AuNP-HPV16 and AuNP-HPV18 probes were stable for over 1year. The combination of LAMP and the AuNP-probe colorimetric assay offers a simple, rapid and highly sensitive alternative diagnostic tool for the detection of HPV16 and HPV18 in district hospitals or field studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Kanitkar, Yogendra H.; Stedtfeld, Robert D.; Steffan, Robert J.; Hashsham, Syed A.
2016-01-01
Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) protocols specific to the reductive dehalogenase (RDase) genes vcrA, bvcA, and tceA are commonly used to quantify Dehalococcoides spp. in groundwater from chlorinated solvent-contaminated sites. In this study, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was developed as an alternative approach for the quantification of these genes. LAMP does not require a real-time thermal cycler (i.e., amplification is isothermal), allowing the method to be performed using less-expensive and potentially field-deployable detection devices. Six LAMP primers were designed for each of three RDase genes (vcrA, bvcA, and tceA) using Primer Explorer V4. The LAMP assays were compared to conventional qPCR approaches using plasmid standards, two commercially available bioaugmentation cultures, KB-1 and SDC-9 (both contain Dehalococcoides species). DNA was extracted over a growth cycle from KB-1 and SDC-9 cultures amended with trichloroethene and vinyl chloride, respectively. All three genes were quantified for KB-1, whereas only vcrA was quantified for SDC-9. A comparison of LAMP and qPCR using standard plasmids indicated that quantification results were similar over a large range of gene concentrations. In addition, the quantitative increase in gene concentrations over one growth cycle of KB-1 and SDC-9 using LAMP was comparable to that of qPCR. The developed LAMP assays for vcrA and tceA genes were validated by comparing quantification on the Gene-Z handheld platform and a real-time thermal cycler using DNA isolated from eight groundwater samples obtained from an SDC-9-bioaugmented site (Tulsa, OK). These assays will be particularly useful at sites subject to bioaugmentation with these two commonly used Dehalococcoides species-containing cultures. PMID:26746711
Field Demonstration of a Multiplexed Point-of-Care Diagnostic Platform for Plant Pathogens.
Lau, Han Yih; Wang, Yuling; Wee, Eugene J H; Botella, Jose R; Trau, Matt
2016-08-16
Effective disease management strategies to prevent catastrophic crop losses require rapid, sensitive, and multiplexed detection methods for timely decision making. To address this need, a rapid, highly specific and sensitive point-of-care method for multiplex detection of plant pathogens was developed by taking advantage of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) labeled nanotags and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), which is a rapid isothermal amplification method with high specificity. In this study, three agriculturally important plant pathogens (Botrytis cinerea, Pseudomonas syringae, and Fusarium oxysporum) were used to demonstrate potential translation into the field. The RPA-SERS method was faster, more sensitive than polymerase chain reaction, and could detect as little as 2 copies of B. cinerea DNA. Furthermore, multiplex detection of the three pathogens was demonstrated for complex systems such as the Arabidopsis thaliana plant and commercial tomato crops. To demonstrate the potential for on-site field applications, a rapid single-tube RPA/SERS assay was further developed and successfully performed for a specific target outside of a laboratory setting.
Lillis, Lorraine; Lehman, Dara; Singhal, Mitra C.; Cantera, Jason; Singleton, Jered; Labarre, Paul; Toyama, Anthony; Piepenburg, Olaf; Parker, Mathew; Wood, Robert; Overbaugh, Julie; Boyle, David S.
2014-01-01
Sensitive diagnostic tests for infectious diseases often employ nucleic acid amplification technologies (NAATs). However, most NAAT assays, including many isothermal amplification methods, require power-dependent instrumentation for incubation. For use in low resource settings (LRS), diagnostics that do not require consistent electricity supply would be ideal. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an isothermal amplification technology that has been shown to typically work at temperatures ranging from 25–43°C, and does not require a stringent incubation temperature for optimal performance. Here we evaluate the ability to incubate an HIV-1 RPA assay, intended for use as an infant HIV diagnostic in LRS, at ambient temperatures or with a simple non-instrumented heat source. To determine the range of expected ambient temperatures in settings where an HIV-1 infant diagnostic would be of most use, a dataset of the seasonal range of daily temperatures in sub Saharan Africa was analyzed and revealed ambient temperatures as low as 10°C and rarely above 43°C. All 24 of 24 (100%) HIV-1 RPA reactions amplified when incubated for 20 minutes between 31°C and 43°C. The amplification from the HIV-1 RPA assay under investigation at temperatures was less consistent below 30°C. Thus, we developed a chemical heater to incubate HIV-1 RPA assays when ambient temperatures are between 10°C and 30°C. All 12/12 (100%) reactions amplified with chemical heat incubation from ambient temperatures of 15°C, 20°C, 25°C and 30°C. We also observed that incubation at 30 minutes improved assay performance at lower temperatures where detection was sporadic using 20 minutes incubation. We have demonstrated that incubation of the RPA HIV-1 assay via ambient temperatures or using chemical heaters yields similar results to using electrically powered devices. We propose that this RPA HIV-1 assay may not need dedicated equipment to be a highly sensitive tool to diagnose infant HIV-1 in LRS. PMID:25264766
Lillis, Lorraine; Lehman, Dara; Singhal, Mitra C; Cantera, Jason; Singleton, Jered; Labarre, Paul; Toyama, Anthony; Piepenburg, Olaf; Parker, Mathew; Wood, Robert; Overbaugh, Julie; Boyle, David S
2014-01-01
Sensitive diagnostic tests for infectious diseases often employ nucleic acid amplification technologies (NAATs). However, most NAAT assays, including many isothermal amplification methods, require power-dependent instrumentation for incubation. For use in low resource settings (LRS), diagnostics that do not require consistent electricity supply would be ideal. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an isothermal amplification technology that has been shown to typically work at temperatures ranging from 25-43°C, and does not require a stringent incubation temperature for optimal performance. Here we evaluate the ability to incubate an HIV-1 RPA assay, intended for use as an infant HIV diagnostic in LRS, at ambient temperatures or with a simple non-instrumented heat source. To determine the range of expected ambient temperatures in settings where an HIV-1 infant diagnostic would be of most use, a dataset of the seasonal range of daily temperatures in sub Saharan Africa was analyzed and revealed ambient temperatures as low as 10°C and rarely above 43°C. All 24 of 24 (100%) HIV-1 RPA reactions amplified when incubated for 20 minutes between 31°C and 43°C. The amplification from the HIV-1 RPA assay under investigation at temperatures was less consistent below 30°C. Thus, we developed a chemical heater to incubate HIV-1 RPA assays when ambient temperatures are between 10°C and 30°C. All 12/12 (100%) reactions amplified with chemical heat incubation from ambient temperatures of 15°C, 20°C, 25°C and 30°C. We also observed that incubation at 30 minutes improved assay performance at lower temperatures where detection was sporadic using 20 minutes incubation. We have demonstrated that incubation of the RPA HIV-1 assay via ambient temperatures or using chemical heaters yields similar results to using electrically powered devices. We propose that this RPA HIV-1 assay may not need dedicated equipment to be a highly sensitive tool to diagnose infant HIV-1 in LRS.
Rapid detection of Porcine circovirus 2 by recombinase polymerase amplification.
Wang, Jianchang; Wang, Jinfeng; Liu, Libing; Li, Ruiwen; Yuan, Wanzhe
2016-09-01
Porcine circovirus-associated disease, caused primarily by Porcine circovirus 2 (PCV-2), has become endemic in many pig-producing countries and has resulted in significant economic losses to the swine industry worldwide. Tests for PCV-2 infection include PCR, nested PCR, competitive PCR, and real-time PCR (rtPCR). Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) has emerged as an isothermal gene amplification technology for the molecular detection of infectious disease agents. RPA is performed at a constant temperature and therefore can be carried out in a water bath. In addition, RPA is completed in ~30 min, much faster than PCR, which usually takes >60 min. We developed a RPA-based method for the detection of PCV-2. The detection limit of RPA was 10(2) copies of PCV-2 genomic DNA. RPA showed the same sensitivity as rtPCR but was 10 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. Successful amplification of PCV-2 DNA, but not other viral templates, demonstrated high specificity of the RPA assay. This method was also validated using clinical samples. The results showed that the RPA assay had a diagnostic agreement rate of 93.7% with conventional PCR and 100% with rtPCR. These findings suggest that the RPA assay is a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for PCV-2 detection, which could be potentially applied in clinical diagnosis and field surveillance of PCV-2 infection. © 2016 The Author(s).
Zhang, Qingli; Standish, Isaac; Winters, Andrew D; Puzach, Corey; Ulferts, Rachel; Ziebuhr, John; Faisal, Mohamed
2014-06-01
Fathead minnow nidovirus (FHMNV) is a serious baitfish-pathogenic virus in North America. Studies to trace the spread of the virus and determine its host range are hampered by the absence of reliable diagnostic assays. In this study, a one-step, reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed that targets a region in the FHMNV spike protein gene. The assay was optimized, and the best results were obtained at 8 mM of Mg(2+) with an incubation time of 40 min at 63 °C in the presence of calcein. The analytical sensitivity of the RT-LAMP method was estimated to be as low as 5 viral copies and was 1000-fold more sensitive than the conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the developed RT-LAMP assay versus the RT-PCR assay was 100% and 95.7%, respectively. A quantitative RT-LAMP of FHMNV with a high correlation coefficient (r(2)=0.9926) was also developed and the result of quantitation of viral copies in tissue samples of infected fish showed that the viral loads of the infected fish tissue samples reached up to 4.7×10(10) copies per mg. It is anticipated that the developed RT-LAMP and quantitative RT-LAMP methods will be instrumental for diagnosis and surveillance of FHMNV. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Shen, Wentao; Tuo, Decai; Yan, Pu; Li, Xiaoying; Zhou, Peng
2014-01-01
Papaya leaf distortion mosaic virus (PLDMV) can infect transgenic papaya resistant to a related pathogen, Papaya ringspot virus (PRSV), posing a substantial threat to papaya production in China. Current detection methods, however, are unable to be used for rapid detection in the field. Here, a reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of PLDMV, using a set of four RT-LAMP primers designed based on the conserved sequence of PLDMV CP. The RT-LAMP method detected specifically PLDMV and was highly sensitive, with a detection limit of 1.32×10(-6) μg of total RNA per reaction. Indeed, the reaction was 10 times more sensitive than one-step RT-PCR, while also requiring significantly less time and equipment. The effectiveness of RT-LAMP and one-step RT-PCR in detecting the virus were compared using 90 field samples of non-transgenic papaya and 90 field samples of commercialized PRSV-resistant transgenic papaya from Hainan Island. None of the non-transgenic papaya tested positive for PLDMV using either method. In contrast, 19 of the commercialized PRSV-resistant transgenic papaya samples tested positive by RT-LAMP assay, and 6 of those tested negative by RT-PCR. Therefore, the PLDMV-specific RT-LAMP is a simple, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective tool in the field diagnosis and control of PLDMV. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, Yi; Wang, Yan; Ma, Aijing; Li, Dongxun; Luo, Lijuan; Liu, Dongxin; Hu, Shoukui; Jin, Dong; Liu, Kai; Ye, Changyun
2015-12-03
Here, a novel model of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), termed multiple inner primers-LAMP (MIP-LAMP), was devised and successfully applied to detect Listeria monocytogenes. A set of 10 specific MIP-LAMP primers, which recognized 14 different regions of target gene, was designed to target a sequence in the hlyA gene. The MIP-LAMP assay efficiently amplified the target element within 35 min at 63 °C and was evaluated for sensitivity and specificity. The templates were specially amplified in the presence of the genomic DNA from L. monocytogenes. The limit of detection (LoD) of MIP-LAMP assay was 62.5 fg/reaction using purified L. monocytogenes DNA. The LoD for DNA isolated from serial dilutions of L. monocytogenes cells in buffer and in milk corresponded to 2.4 CFU and 24 CFU, respectively. The amplified products were analyzed by real-time monitoring of changes in turbidity, and visualized by adding Loop Fluorescent Detection Reagent (FD), or as a ladder-like banding pattern on gel electrophoresis. A total of 48 pork samples were investigated for L. monocytogenes by the novel MIP-LAMP method, and the diagnostic accuracy was shown to be 100% when compared to the culture-biotechnical method. In conclusion, the MIP-LAMP methodology was demonstrated to be a reliable, sensitive and specific tool for rapid detection of L. monocytogenes strains.
Escalante-Maldonado, Oscar; Kayali, Ahmad Y.; Yamazaki, Wataru; Vuddhakul, Varaporn; Nakaguchi, Yoshitsugu; Nishibuchi, Mitsuaki
2015-01-01
Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a marine microorganism that can cause seafood-borne gastroenteritis in humans. The infection can be spread and has become a pandemic through the international trade of contaminated seafood. Strains carrying the tdh gene encoding the thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) and/or the trh gene encoding the TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) are considered to be pathogenic with the former gene being the most frequently found in clinical strains. However, their distribution frequency in environmental isolates is below 1%. Thus, very sensitive methods are required for detection and quantitation of tdh+ strains in seafood. We previously reported a method to detect and quantify tdh+ V. parahaemolyticus in seafood. This method consists of three components: the most-probable-number (MPN), the immunomagnetic separation (IMS) targeting all established K antigens, and the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) targeting the tdh gene. However, this method faces regional issues in tropical zones of the world. Technicians have difficulties in securing dependable reagents in high-temperature climates where we found MPN underestimation in samples having tdh+ strains as well as other microorganisms present at high concentrations. In the present study, we solved the underestimation problem associated with the salt polymyxin broth enrichment for the MPN component and with the immunomagnetic bead-target association for the IMS component. We also improved the supply and maintenance of the dependable reagents by introducing a dried reagent system to the LAMP component. The modified method is specific, sensitive, quick and easy and applicable regardless of the concentrations of tdh+ V. parahaemolyticus. Therefore, we conclude this modified method is useful in world tropical, sub-tropical, and temperate zones. PMID:25914681
Kurosaki, Yohei; Okada, Sayaka; Nakamae, Sayuri; Yasuda, Jiro
2016-12-01
Bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV) causes pustular cutaneous disease in cattle worldwide. This paper describes the development of a specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect BPSV which did not cross-react with other parapoxviruses. To assess analytical sensitivity of this LAMP assay, DNA was extracted from serially diluted BPSV from which the infectious titer was determined by a novel assay based on calf kidney epithelial cells. The LAMP assay had equivalent analytical sensitivity to quantitative PCR, and could detect as few as 86 copies of viral DNA per reaction. These results suggest that the assay is a specific and sensitive technique to rapidly diagnose bovine papular stomatitis in domestic animals. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Thanarajoo, Sathis Sri; Kong, Lih Ling; Kadir, Jugah; Lau, Wei Hongi; Vadamalai, Ganesan
2014-06-01
A reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) detected Coconut cadang-cadang viroid (CCCVd) within 60 min at 60 °C in total nucleic acid extracted from oil palm leaves infected with CCCVd. Positive reactions showed colour change from orange to green in the reaction mix after the addition of fluorescent reagent, and a laddering pattern band on 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. Conventional RT-PCR with LAMP primers produced amplicons with a sequence identical to the 297-nt CCCVd oil palm variant with the primers being specific for CCCVd and not for other viroids such as PSTVd and CEVd. RT-LAMP was found to be rapid and specific for detecting oil palm CCCVd. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Xu, Gaolian; Zhao, Hang; Cooper, Jonathan M; Reboud, Julien
2016-10-06
We demonstrate a multiplexed loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for infectious disease diagnostics, where the analytical process flow of target pathogens genomic DNA is performed manually by moving magnetic beads through a series of plugs in a capillary. Heat is provided by a water bath and the results are read by the naked eye, enabling applications in low resource settings.
Kusumawati, Asmarani; Tampubolon, Issabellina Dwades; Hendarta, Narendra Yoga; Salasia, Siti Isrina Oktavia; Wanahari, Tenri Ashari; Mappakaya, Basofi Ashari; Hartati, Sri
2015-09-01
Jembrana disease virus (JDV) is a viral pathogen that causes Jembrana disease in Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) with high mortality rate. An easy and rapid diagnostic method is essential for further control this disease. We used a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) combined with lateral flow dipstick (LFD), based on conserved tm subunit of Jembrana disease virus env gene. The RT-LAMP conditions were optimized by varying the concentration of MgSO4, betaine, dNTP, and temperature as well as the time and duration of reaction. The primers sensitivity for JDV was confirmed. The method was able to detect env-tm gene dilution which contained 2 × 10(-15) g of template. Comparatively, the sensitivity of RT-LAMP/LFD was 100-fold more sensitive than reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The primers specificity for JDV was also confirmed using positive and negative controls. This work also showed that virus detection could be done not only on total RNA extracted from blood but various organs could also be analyzed for the presence of JDV using RT-LAMP/LFD method. The whole process, including the LAMP reaction and the LFD hybridization step only lasts approximately 75 min. Results of analysis can be easily observed with naked eyes without addition of any chemical or further analysis. The combination of RT-LAMP with LFD makes the method a more suitable diagnostic tool in conditions where sophisticated and expensive equipments are not available for field investigations on Jembrana disease in Bali cattle.
Convenient, Sensitive and High-Throughput Method for Screening Botanic Origin
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yuan, Yuan; Jiang, Chao; Liu, Libing; Yu, Shulin; Cui, Zhanhu; Chen, Min; Lin, Shufang; Wang, Shu; Huang, Luqi
2014-06-01
In this work, a rapid (within 4-5 h), sensitive and visible new method for assessing botanic origin is developed by combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification with cationic conjugated polymers. The two Chinese medicinal materials (Jin-Yin-Hua and Shan-Yin-Hua) with similar morphology and chemical composition were clearly distinguished by gene SNP genotyping assays. The identification of plant species in Patented Chinese drugs containing Lonicera buds is successfully performed using this detection system. The method is also robust enough to be used in high-throughput screening. This new method is very helpful to identify herbal materials, and is beneficial for detecting safety and quality of botanic products.
Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Mvoulouga, Prosper Obolo; Akue, Jean Paul; Abán, Julio López; Santiago, Belén Vicente; Sánchez, Miguel Cordero; Muro, Antonio
2014-01-01
The filarial parasite Loa loa, the causative agent of loiasis, is endemic in Central and Western Africa infecting 3-13 million people. L. loa has been associated with fatal encephalopathic reactions in high Loa-infected individuals receiving ivermectin during mass drug administration programs for the control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. In endemic areas, the only diagnostic method routinely used is the microscopic examination of mid-day blood samples by thick blood film. Improved methods for detection of L. loa are needed in endemic regions with limited resources, where delayed diagnosis results in high mortality. We have investigated the use of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to facilitate rapid, inexpensive, molecular diagnosis of loiasis. Primers for LAMP were designed from a species-specific repetitive DNA sequence from L. loa retrieved from GenBank. Genomic DNA of a L. loa adult worm was used to optimize the LAMP conditions using a thermocycler or a conventional heating block. Amplification of DNA in the LAMP mixture was visually inspected for turbidity as well as addition of fluorescent dye. LAMP specificity was evaluated using DNA from other parasites; sensitivity was evaluated using DNA from L. loa 10-fold serially diluted. Simulated human blood samples spiked with DNA from L. loa were also tested for sensitivity. Upon addition of fluorescent dye, all positive reactions turned green while the negative controls remained orange under ambient light. After electrophoresis on agarose gels, a ladder of multiple bands of different sizes could be observed in positive samples. The detection limit of the assay was found to be as little as 0.5 ag of L. loa genomic DNA when using a heating block. We have designed, for the first time, a highly sensitive LAMP assay for the detection of L. loa which is potentially adaptable for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in loiasis-endemic areas.
Fernández-Soto, Pedro; Mvoulouga, Prosper Obolo; Akue, Jean Paul; Abán, Julio López; Santiago, Belén Vicente; Sánchez, Miguel Cordero; Muro, Antonio
2014-01-01
The filarial parasite Loa loa, the causative agent of loiasis, is endemic in Central and Western Africa infecting 3–13 million people. L. loa has been associated with fatal encephalopathic reactions in high Loa-infected individuals receiving ivermectin during mass drug administration programs for the control of onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis. In endemic areas, the only diagnostic method routinely used is the microscopic examination of mid-day blood samples by thick blood film. Improved methods for detection of L. loa are needed in endemic regions with limited resources, where delayed diagnosis results in high mortality. We have investigated the use of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to facilitate rapid, inexpensive, molecular diagnosis of loiasis. Primers for LAMP were designed from a species-specific repetitive DNA sequence from L. loa retrieved from GenBank. Genomic DNA of a L. loa adult worm was used to optimize the LAMP conditions using a thermocycler or a conventional heating block. Amplification of DNA in the LAMP mixture was visually inspected for turbidity as well as addition of fluorescent dye. LAMP specificity was evaluated using DNA from other parasites; sensitivity was evaluated using DNA from L. loa 10-fold serially diluted. Simulated human blood samples spiked with DNA from L. loa were also tested for sensitivity. Upon addition of fluorescent dye, all positive reactions turned green while the negative controls remained orange under ambient light. After electrophoresis on agarose gels, a ladder of multiple bands of different sizes could be observed in positive samples. The detection limit of the assay was found to be as little as 0.5 ag of L. loa genomic DNA when using a heating block. We have designed, for the first time, a highly sensitive LAMP assay for the detection of L. loa which is potentially adaptable for field diagnosis and disease surveillance in loiasis-endemic areas. PMID:24722638
Ma, Biao; Fang, Jiehong; Wang, Ye; He, Haizhen; Dai, Mingyan; Lin, Wei; Su, Wei; Zhang, Mingzhou
2017-01-01
Cervical cancer is a common gynecologic malignant tumor and has a great impact on women's health. Human papillomavirus (HPV) is implicated in cervical cancer and precancerous lesions and the two are possibly two stages of disease progression. With the technological development of molecular biology and epidemiology, detection and treatment of HPV has become an important means to prevent cervical cancer. Here we present a novel, rapid, sensitive and specific isothermal method of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), which is established to detect the two most common high-risk human papillomavirus type 16 and type 18 DNA. In this study, we evaluate the efficacy of the RPA assay, incubating clinical specimens of HPV16 and HPV18 using plasmids standard. It operates at constant low temperature without the thermal instrumentation for incubation. The products can be detected via agarose gel electrophoresis assay, reverse dot blot assay, and quantitative real-time assay with SYBR Green I. We assess the diagnostic performance of the RPA assay for detecting of HPV16 and HPV18 in 335 clinical samples from patients suspected of cervical cancer. The results revealed no cross-reaction with other HPV genotypes and the RPA assay achieve a sensitivity of 100 copies. Compared with TaqMan qPCR, the RPA technique achieves exponential amplification with no need for pretreatment of sample DNA at 37°C for 20 minutes, which reveals more satisfactory performance. The agreement between the RPA and qPCR assays was 97.6% (κ = 0.89) for HPV16 positivity and 98.5% (κ = 0.81) for HPV18 positivity, indicating very good correlation between both tests. Importantly, the RPA assay was demonstrated to be a useful and powerful method for detection of HPV virus, which therefore may serve as a valuable tool for rapid diagnosis of HPV infection in both commercial and clinical applications.
Arunrut, Narong; Kampeera, Jantana; Sirithammajak, Sarawut; Sanguanrut, Piyachat; Proespraiwong, Porranee; Suebsing, Rungkarn; Kiatpathomchai, Wansika
2016-01-01
Acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is a component cause of early mortality syndrome (EMS) of shrimp. In 2013, the causative agent was found to be unique isolates of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VPAHPND) that contained a 69 kbp plasmid (pAP1) carrying binary Pir-like toxin genes PirvpA and PirvpB. In Thailand, AHPND was first recognized in 2012, prior to knowledge of the causative agent, and it subsequently led to a precipitous drop in shrimp production. After VPAHPND was characterized, a major focus of the AHPND control strategy was to monitor broodstock shrimp and post larvae for freedom from VPAHPND by nucleic acid amplification methods, most of which required use of expensive and sophisticated equipment not readily available in a shrimp farm setting. Here, we describe a simpler but equally sensitive approach for detection of VPAHPND based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with unaided visual reading of positive amplification products using a DNA-functionalized, ssDNA-labled nanogold probe (AuNP). The target for the special set of six LAMP primers used was the VPAHPND PirvpA gene. The LAMP reaction was carried out at 65°C for 45 min followed by addition of the red AuNP solution and further incubation at 65°C for 5 min, allowing any PirvpA gene amplicons present to hybridize with the probe. Hybridization protected the AuNP against aggregation, so that the solution color remained red upon subsequent salt addition (positive test result) while unprotected AuNP aggregated and underwent a color change from red to blue and eventually precipitated (negative result). The total assay time was approximately 50 min. The detection limit (100 CFU) was comparable to that of other commonly-used methods for nested PCR detection of VPAHPND and 100-times more sensitive than 1-step PCR detection methods (104 CFU) that used amplicon detection by electrophoresis or spectrophotometry. There was no cross reaction with DNA templates derived from non-AHPND bacteria commonly found in shrimp ponds (including other Vibrio species). The new method significantly reduced the time, difficulty and cost for molecular detection of VPAHPND in shrimp hatchery and farm settings. PMID:27003504
Dugan, Lawrence C.; Baker, Brian R.; Hall, Sara B.; Ebert, Katja; Mioulet, Valerie; Madi, Mikidache; King, Donald P.
2011-01-01
Development of small footprint, disposable, fast, and inexpensive devices for pathogen detection in the field and clinic would benefit human and veterinary medicine by allowing evidence-based responses to future out breaks. We designed and tested an integrated nucleic acid extraction and amplification device employing a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) or reverse transcriptase-LAMP assay. Our system provides a screening tool with polymerase-chain-reaction-level sensitivity and specificity for outbreak detection, response, and recovery. Time to result is ~90 min. The device utilizes a swab that collects sample and then transfers it to a disc of cellulose-based nucleic acid binding paper. The disc is positioned within a disposable containment tube with a manual loading port. In order to test for the presence of target pathogens, LAMP reagents are loaded through the tube’s port into contact with the sample containing cellulose disc. The reagents then are isothermally heated to 63°C for ~1 h to achieve sequence-specific target nucleic acid amplification. Due to the presence of a colorimetric dye, amplification induces visible color change in the reagents from purple to blue. As initial demonstrations, we detected methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus genomic DNA, as well as recombinant and live foot-and-mouth disease virus. PMID:21342806
Prithiviraj, Jothikumar; Hill, Vincent; Jothikumar, Narayanan
2012-04-20
In this study we report the development of a simple target-specific isothermal nucleic acid amplification technique, termed genome exponential amplification reaction (GEAR). Escherichia coli was selected as the microbial target to demonstrate the GEAR technique as a proof of concept. The GEAR technique uses a set of four primers; in the present study these primers targeted 5 regions on the 16S rRNA gene of E. coli. The outer forward and reverse Tab primer sequences are complementary to each other at their 5' end, whereas their 3' end sequences are complementary to their respective target nucleic acid sequences. The GEAR assay was performed at a constant temperature 60 °C and monitored continuously in a real-time PCR instrument in the presence of an intercalating dye (SYTO 9). The GEAR assay enabled amplification of as few as one colony forming units of E. coli per reaction within 30 min. We also evaluated the GEAR assay for rapid identification of bacterial colonies cultured on agar media directly in the reaction without DNA extraction. Cells from E. coli colonies were picked and added directly to GEAR assay mastermix without prior DNA extraction. DNA in the cells could be amplified, yielding positive results within 15 min. Published by Elsevier Inc.
Inoshima, Yasuo; Ishiguro, Naotaka
2015-01-01
Temperature-stability of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reagents was determined for their use in on-site diagnosis, such as in farms/pastures. Bst and Csa DNA polymerases and the reagents that were stored at different temperatures (4 or 25°C) for 1, 2, or 4 days were used for the LAMP assay to detect orf virus DNA as a model. After storage at 4 and 25°C for 2 days, the enzymes and reagents were found to retain sufficient activity to carry out successful DNA amplification. Visual diagnosis was also possible with the reagents (Loopamp Fluorescent Detection Reagent or hydroxy naphthol blue, as well as DNA amplification checker, D-Quick) that were stored for 2 days at different temperatures. Although the time taken to obtain the positive/negative results were delayed, the enzymes and reagents, stored at 25°C for 4 days, were active and had the ability to efficiently amplify DNA in less than 50 min. These results indicate that LAMP assay can be successfully utilized for the diagnosis of infectious diseases under non-clinical settings such as for on-site diagnosis in farms/pastures, owing to the fact that the relevant enzymes and reagents does not require restricted temperature storage.
Improved Performance of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification Assays via Swarm Priming.
Martineau, Rhett L; Murray, Sarah A; Ci, Shufang; Gao, Weimin; Chao, Shih-Hui; Meldrum, Deirdre R
2017-01-03
This work describes an enhancement to the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction which results in improved performance. Enhancement is achieved by adding a new set of primers to conventional LAMP reactions. These primers are termed "swarm primers" based on their relatively high concentration and their ability to create new amplicons despite the theoretical lack of single-stranded annealing sites. The primers target a region upstream of the FIP/BIP primer recognition sequences on opposite strands, substantially overlapping F1/B1 sites. Thus, despite the addition of a new primer set to an already complex assay, no significant increase in assay complexity is incurred. Swarm priming is presented for three DNA templates: Lambda phage, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 rbcL gene, and human HFE. The results of adding swarm primers to conventional LAMP reactions include increased amplification speed, increased indicator contrast, and increased reaction products. For at least one template, minor improvements in assay repeatability are also shown. In addition, swarm priming is shown to be effective at increasing the reaction speed for RNA amplification via RT-LAMP. Collectively, these results suggest that the addition of swarm primers will likely benefit most if not all existing LAMP assays based on state-of-the-art, six-primer reactions.
Du, Yi-Chen; Zhu, Li-Na; Kong, De-Ming
2016-12-15
To promote application of strand-displacement amplification (SDA) techniques in biosensing, a label-free, real-time monitoring strategy for isothermal nucleic acid amplification reactions was designed. G-quadruplex structures were introduced into SDA products using specific recognition of G-quadruplexes by the fluorogenic dye thioflavin T. Performance was good for real-time monitoring of traditional SDA by a linear-amplification mechanism and for exponential cross-triggered SDA amplification. The strategy worked on a commercial real-time PCR instrument, making it suitable for biosensing platforms. As examples, two highly sensitive and specific biosensors were designed for analysis of the activity of uracil-DNA glycosylase (UDG) and the restriction endonuclease EcoRI. Detection limits were 6×10(-5)U/mL for UDG and 0.016U/mL for EcoRI. Detection of corresponding targets in complex matrices such as cell lysates or human serum was also demonstrated. Compared to traditional end-point detection methods, real-time SDA-based approaches have the advantages of simple, fast operation; high sensitivity; low risk of carryover contamination; and very high throughput. The introduction of real-time monitoring strategies may promote application of SDA reactions in biosensor design. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Enhanced solid-phase recombinase polymerase amplification and electrochemical detection.
Del Río, Jonathan Sabaté; Lobato, Ivan Magriñà; Mayboroda, Olena; Katakis, Ioanis; O'Sullivan, Ciara K
2017-05-01
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is an elegant method for the rapid, isothermal amplification of nucleic acids. Here, we elucidate the optimal surface chemistry for rapid and efficient solid-phase RPA, which was fine-tuned in order to obtain a maximum signal-to-noise ratio, defining the optimal DNA probe density, probe-to-lateral spacer ratio (1:0, 1:1, 1:10 and 1:100) and length of a vertical spacer of the probe as well as investigating the effect of different types of lateral spacers. The use of different labelling strategies was also examined in order to reduce the number of steps required for the analysis, using biotin or horseradish peroxidase-labelled reverse primers. Optimisation of the amplification temperature used and the use of surface blocking agents were also pursued. The combination of these changes facilitated a significantly more rapid amplification and detection protocol, with a lowered limit of detection (LOD) of 1 · 10 -15 M. The optimised protocol was applied to the detection of Francisella tularensis in real samples from hares and a clear correlation with PCR and qPCR results observed and the solid-phase RPA demonstrated to be capable of detecting 500 fM target DNA in real samples. Graphical abstract Relative size of thiolated lateral spacers tested versus the primer and the uvsx recombinase protein.
Bhat, A I; Siljo, A; Deeshma, K P
2013-10-01
The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for Piper yellow mottle virus and the reverse transcription (RT) LAMP assay for Cucumber mosaic virus each consisted of a set of five primers designed against the conserved sequences in the viral genome. Both RNA and DNA isolated from black pepper were used as a template for the assay. The results were assessed visually by checking turbidity, green fluorescence and pellet formation in the reaction tube and also by gel electrophoresis. The assay successfully detected both viruses in infected plants whereas no cross-reactions were recorded with healthy plants. Optimum conditions for successful amplification were determined in terms of the concentrations of magnesium sulphate and betaine, temperature, and duration. The detection limit for both LAMP and RT-LAMP was up to 100 times that for conventional PCR and up to one-hundredth of that for real-time PCR. The optimal conditions arrived at were validated by testing field samples of infected vines of three species from different regions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nair, Smita; Manimekalai, Ramaswamy; Ganga Raj, Palliyath; Hegde, Vinayaka
2016-07-01
The coconut root wilt disease (RWD) and the arecanut yellow leaf disease (YLD) are two major phytoplasma associated diseases affecting palms in South India. Greatly debilitating the palm health, these diseases cause substantial yield reduction and economic loss to farmers. A rapid and robust diagnostic technique is crucial in efficient disease management. We established phytoplasma 16S rDNA targeted loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and real time LAMP based diagnostics for coconut RWD and arecanut YLD. The LAMP reaction was set at 65 °C and end point detection made using hydroxynaphthol blue (HNB) and agarose gel electrophoresis. Molecular typing of LAMP products were made with restriction enzyme HpyCH4 V. Conventional PCR with LAMP external primers and sequencing of amplicons was carried out. Real time LAMP was performed on the Genei II platform (Optigene Ltd., UK). An annealing curve analysis was programmed at the end of the incubation to check the fidelity of the amplicons. The phytoplasma positive samples produced typical ladder like bands on agarose gel, showed colour change from violet to blue with HNB and produced unique annealing peak at 85 ± 0.5 °C in the real time detection. Restriction digestion produced predicted size fragments. Sequencing and BLASTN analysis confirmed that the amplification corresponded to phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene. LAMP method devised here was found to be more robust compared to conventional nested PCR and hence has potential applications in detection of phytoplasma from symptomatic palm samples and in rapid screening of healthy seedlings.
Gotoh, Kensei; Nishimura, Naoko; Ohshima, Yasunori; Arakawa, Yasuko; Hosono, Haruki; Yamamoto, Yasuto; Iwata, Yasushi; Nakane, Kazumasa; Funahashi, Keiji; Ozaki, Takao
2012-10-01
Rapid diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia is required for treatment with effective antimicrobial agents without delay; however, this capacity has not yet been established in clinical practice. Recently, a novel nucleic acid amplification method termed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has been used to rapidly diagnose various infectious diseases. In this study, we prospectively evaluated the efficacy of the LAMP assay to rapidly diagnose M. pneumoniae pneumonia in clinical practice. Three hundred sixty-eight children (median age, 3.8 years; range, 0.1-14.3 years) admitted to our hospital between April 2009 and March 2010 for community-acquired pneumonia were enrolled in this study. We obtained throat swabs on admission to detect M. pneumoniae DNA and paired serum samples on admission and at discharge to assay M. pneumoniae antibody titers. M. pneumoniae pneumonia was diagnosed by either a positive LAMP assay or a fourfold or greater increase in antibody titer. Overall, 46 children (12.5% of the patients with pneumonia) were diagnosed with M. pneumoniae pneumonia; of these, 27 (58.7%) were aged less than 6 years. Of the aforementioned 46 children, 38 (82.6%) and 37 (80.4%) were identified by LAMP and serology, respectively. When the results of serology were taken as the standard, the sensitivity and specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the LAMP assay were 78.4%, 97.3%, 76.3%, and 97.6%, respectively. We concluded the LAMP assay may be useful for rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae pneumonia.
Zhang, Jinhai; Feng, Youjun; Hu, Dan; Lv, Heng; Zhu, Jing; Cao, Min; Zheng, Feng; Zhu, Jin; Gong, Xiufang; Hao, Lina; Srinivas, Swaminath; Ren, Hao; Qi, Zhongtian
2013-01-01
An epidemic of human H7N9 influenza virus infection recently emerged in China whose clinical features include high mortality and which has also resulted in serious economic loss. The novel reassortant avian-origin influenza A (H7N9) virus which was the causative agent of this epidemic raised the possibility of triggering a large-scale influenza pandemic worldwide. It seemed likely that fast molecular detection assays specific for this virus would be in great demand. Here, we report a one-step reverse transcription–loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method for rapid detection of the hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of H7N9 virus, the minimum detection limit of which was evaluated using in vitro RNA transcription templates. In total, 135 samples from clinical specimens (from either patients or poultry) were tested using this method in comparison with the real-time PCR recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Our results showed that (i) RT-LAMP-based trials can be completed in approximately 12 to 23 min and (ii) the detection limit for the H7 gene is around 10 copies per reaction, similar to that of the real-time PCR, whereas the detection limit for its counterpart the N9 gene is 5 copies per reaction, a 100-fold-higher sensitivity than the WHO-recommended method. Indeed, this excellent performance of our method was also validated by the results for a series of clinical specimens. Therefore, we believe that the simple, fast, and sensitive method of RT-LAMP might be widely applied for detection of H7N9 infections and may play a role in prevention of an influenza pandemic. PMID:24006004
Li, Zhao; Liu, Yong; Wei, Qingquan; Liu, Yuanjie; Liu, Wenwen; Zhang, Xuelian; Yu, Yude
2016-01-01
Absolute, precise quantification methods expand the scope of nucleic acids research and have many practical applications. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a powerful method for nucleic acid detection and absolute quantification. However, it requires thermal cycling and accurate temperature control, which are difficult in resource-limited conditions. Accordingly, isothermal methods, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), are more attractive. We developed a picoliter well array (PWA) chip with 27,000 consistently sized picoliter reactions (314 pL) for isothermal DNA quantification using digital RPA (dRPA) at 39°C. Sample loading using a scraping liquid blade was simple, fast, and required small reagent volumes (i.e., <20 μL). Passivating the chip surface using a methoxy-PEG-silane agent effectively eliminated cross-contamination during dRPA. Our creative optical design enabled wide-field fluorescence imaging in situ and both end-point and real-time analyses of picoliter wells in a 6-cm(2) area. It was not necessary to use scan shooting and stitch serial small images together. Using this method, we quantified serial dilutions of a Listeria monocytogenes gDNA stock solution from 9 × 10(-1) to 4 × 10(-3) copies per well with an average error of less than 11% (N = 15). Overall dRPA-on-chip processing required less than 30 min, which was a 4-fold decrease compared to dPCR, requiring approximately 2 h. dRPA on the PWA chip provides a simple and highly sensitive method to quantify nucleic acids without thermal cycling or precise micropump/microvalve control. It has applications in fast field analysis and critical clinical diagnostics under resource-limited settings.
Li, Zhao; Liu, Yong; Wei, Qingquan; Liu, Yuanjie; Liu, Wenwen; Zhang, Xuelian; Yu, Yude
2016-01-01
Absolute, precise quantification methods expand the scope of nucleic acids research and have many practical applications. Digital polymerase chain reaction (dPCR) is a powerful method for nucleic acid detection and absolute quantification. However, it requires thermal cycling and accurate temperature control, which are difficult in resource-limited conditions. Accordingly, isothermal methods, such as recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), are more attractive. We developed a picoliter well array (PWA) chip with 27,000 consistently sized picoliter reactions (314 pL) for isothermal DNA quantification using digital RPA (dRPA) at 39°C. Sample loading using a scraping liquid blade was simple, fast, and required small reagent volumes (i.e., <20 μL). Passivating the chip surface using a methoxy-PEG-silane agent effectively eliminated cross-contamination during dRPA. Our creative optical design enabled wide-field fluorescence imaging in situ and both end-point and real-time analyses of picoliter wells in a 6-cm2 area. It was not necessary to use scan shooting and stitch serial small images together. Using this method, we quantified serial dilutions of a Listeria monocytogenes gDNA stock solution from 9 × 10-1 to 4 × 10-3 copies per well with an average error of less than 11% (N = 15). Overall dRPA-on-chip processing required less than 30 min, which was a 4-fold decrease compared to dPCR, requiring approximately 2 h. dRPA on the PWA chip provides a simple and highly sensitive method to quantify nucleic acids without thermal cycling or precise micropump/microvalve control. It has applications in fast field analysis and critical clinical diagnostics under resource-limited settings. PMID:27074005
Wang, Yi; Wang, Yan; Zhang, Lu; Liu, Dongxin; Luo, Lijuan; Li, Hua; Cao, Xiaolong; Liu, Kai; Xu, Jianguo; Ye, Changyun
2016-01-01
We have devised a novel isothermal amplification technology, termed endonuclease restriction-mediated real-time multiple cross displacement amplification (ET-MCDA), which facilitated multiplex, rapid, specific and sensitive detection of nucleic-acid sequences at a constant temperature. The ET-MCDA integrated multiple cross displacement amplification strategy, restriction endonuclease cleavage and real-time fluorescence detection technique. In the ET-MCDA system, the functional cross primer E-CP1 or E-CP2 was constructed by adding a short sequence at the 5' end of CP1 or CP2, respectively, and the new E-CP1 or E-CP2 primer was labeled at the 5' end with a fluorophore and in the middle with a dark quencher. The restriction endonuclease Nb.BsrDI specifically recognized the short sequence and digested the newly synthesized double-stranded terminal sequences (5' end short sequences and their complementary sequences), which released the quenching, resulting on a gain of fluorescence signal. Thus, the ET-MCDA allowed real-time detection of single or multiple targets in only a single reaction, and the positive results were observed in as short as 12 min, detecting down to 3.125 fg of genomic DNA per tube. Moreover, the analytical specificity and the practical application of the ET-MCDA were also successfully evaluated in this study. Here, we provided the details on the novel ET-MCDA technique and expounded the basic ET-MCDA amplification mechanism.
Ball, Cameron S; Light, Yooli K; Koh, Chung-Yan; Wheeler, Sarah S; Coffey, Lark L; Meagher, Robert J
2016-04-05
Reverse-transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) has frequently been proposed as an enabling technology for simplified diagnostic tests for RNA viruses. However, common detection techniques used for LAMP and RT-LAMP have drawbacks, including poor discrimination capability, inability to multiplex targets, high rates of false positives, and (in some cases) the requirement of opening reaction tubes postamplification. Here, we present a simple technique that allows closed-tube, target-specific detection, based on inclusion of a dye-labeled primer that is incorporated into a target-specific amplicon if the target is present. A short, complementary quencher hybridizes to unincorporated primer upon cooling down at the end of the reaction, thereby quenching fluorescence of any unincorporated primer. Our technique, which we term QUASR (for quenching of unincorporated amplification signal reporters, read "quasar"), does not significantly reduce the amplification efficiency or sensitivity of RT-LAMP. Equipped with a simple LED excitation source and a colored plastic gel filter, the naked eye or a camera can easily discriminate between positive and negative QUASR reactions, which produce a difference in signal of approximately 10:1 without background subtraction. We demonstrate that QUASR detection is compatible with complex sample matrices such as human blood, using a novel LAMP primer set for bacteriophage MS2 (a model RNA virus particle). Furthermore, we demonstrate single-tube duplex detection of West Nile virus (WNV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) RNA.
chipPCR: an R package to pre-process raw data of amplification curves.
Rödiger, Stefan; Burdukiewicz, Michał; Schierack, Peter
2015-09-01
Both the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and quantitative isothermal amplification (qIA) are standard methods for nucleic acid quantification. Numerous real-time read-out technologies have been developed. Despite the continuous interest in amplification-based techniques, there are only few tools for pre-processing of amplification data. However, a transparent tool for precise control of raw data is indispensable in several scenarios, for example, during the development of new instruments. chipPCR is an R: package for the pre-processing and quality analysis of raw data of amplification curves. The package takes advantage of R: 's S4 object model and offers an extensible environment. chipPCR contains tools for raw data exploration: normalization, baselining, imputation of missing values, a powerful wrapper for amplification curve smoothing and a function to detect the start and end of an amplification curve. The capabilities of the software are enhanced by the implementation of algorithms unavailable in R: , such as a 5-point stencil for derivative interpolation. Simulation tools, statistical tests, plots for data quality management, amplification efficiency/quantification cycle calculation, and datasets from qPCR and qIA experiments are part of the package. Core functionalities are integrated in GUIs (web-based and standalone shiny applications), thus streamlining analysis and report generation. http://cran.r-project.org/web/packages/chipPCR. Source code: https://github.com/michbur/chipPCR. stefan.roediger@b-tu.de Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Ptaszyńska, Aneta A; Borsuk, Grzegorz; Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Gnat, Sebastian; Małek, Wanda
2014-08-01
Nosemosis is a contagious disease of honeybees (Apis mellifera) manifested by increased winter mortality, poor spring build-up and even the total extinction of infected bee colonies. In this paper, loop-mediated isothermal amplifications (LAMP) were used for the first time to identify and differentiate N. apis and N. ceranae, the causative agents of nosemosis. LAMP assays were performed at a constant temperature of 60 °C using two sets of six species-specific primers, recognising eight distinct fragments of 16S rDNA gene and GspSSD polymerase with strand displacement activity. The optimal time for LAMP and its Nosema species sensitivity and specificity were assessed. LAMP only required 30 min for robust identification of the amplicons. Ten-fold serial dilutions of total DNA isolated from bees infected with microsporidia were used to determine the detection limit of N. apis and N. ceranae DNAs by LAMP and standard PCR assays. LAMP appeared to be 10(3) -fold more sensitive than a standard PCR in detecting N. apis and N. ceranae. LAMP methods developed by us are highly Nosema species specific and allow to identify and differentiate N. apis and N. ceranae. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.
Peng, Huan; Long, Haibo; Huang, Wenkun; Liu, Jing; Cui, Jiangkuan; Kong, Lingan; Hu, Xianqi; Gu, Jianfeng; Peng, Deliang
2017-01-01
The northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) is a damaging nematode that has caused serious economic losses worldwide. In the present study, a sensitive, simple and rapid method was developed for detection of M. hapla in infested plant roots by combining a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The specific primers of LAMP were designed based on the distinction of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences between M. hapla and other Meloidogyne spp. The LAMP assay can detect nematode genomic DNA at concentrations low to 1/200 000, which is 100 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The LAMP was able to highly specifically distinguish M. hapla from other closely related nematode species. Furthermore, the advantages of the FTA-LAMP assay to detect M. hapla were demonstrated by assaying infected root galls that were artificially inoculated. In addition, M. hapla was successfully detected from six of forty-two field samples using FTA-LAMP technology. This study was the first to provide a simple diagnostic assay for M. hapla using the LAMP assay combined with FTA technology. In conclusion, the new FTA-LAMP assay has the potential for diagnosing infestation in the field and managing the pathogen M. hapla. PMID:28368036
Peng, Huan; Long, Haibo; Huang, Wenkun; Liu, Jing; Cui, Jiangkuan; Kong, Lingan; Hu, Xianqi; Gu, Jianfeng; Peng, Deliang
2017-04-03
The northern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla) is a damaging nematode that has caused serious economic losses worldwide. In the present study, a sensitive, simple and rapid method was developed for detection of M. hapla in infested plant roots by combining a Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) card with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The specific primers of LAMP were designed based on the distinction of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences between M. hapla and other Meloidogyne spp. The LAMP assay can detect nematode genomic DNA at concentrations low to 1/200 000, which is 100 times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The LAMP was able to highly specifically distinguish M. hapla from other closely related nematode species. Furthermore, the advantages of the FTA-LAMP assay to detect M. hapla were demonstrated by assaying infected root galls that were artificially inoculated. In addition, M. hapla was successfully detected from six of forty-two field samples using FTA-LAMP technology. This study was the first to provide a simple diagnostic assay for M. hapla using the LAMP assay combined with FTA technology. In conclusion, the new FTA-LAMP assay has the potential for diagnosing infestation in the field and managing the pathogen M. hapla.
Roy, Sharmili; Mohd-Naim, Noor Faizah; Safavieh, Mohammadali; Ahmed, Minhaz Uddin
2017-11-22
Nucleic acid detection is of paramount importance in monitoring of microbial pathogens in food safety and infectious disease diagnostic applications. To address these challenges, a rapid, cost-effective label-free technique for nucleic acid detection with minimal instrumentations is highly desired. Here, we present paper microchip to detect and quantify nucleic acid using colorimetric sensing modality. The extracted DNA from food samples of meat as well as microbial pathogens was amplified utilizing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). LAMP amplicon was then detected and quantified on a paper microchip fabricated in a cellulose paper and a small wax chamber utilizing crystal violet dye. The affinity of crystal violet dye toward dsDNA and positive signal were identified by changing the color from colorless to purple. Using this method, detection of Sus scrofa (porcine) and Bacillus subtilis (bacteria) DNA was possible at concentrations as low as 1 pg/μL (3.43 × 10 -1 copies/μL) and 10 pg/μL (2.2 × 10 3 copies/μL), respectively. This strategy can be adapted for detection of other DNA samples, with potential for development of a new breed of simple and inexpensive paper microchip at the point-of-need.
Cohen, Daniel M; Russo, Michael E; Jaggi, Preeti; Kline, Jennifer; Gluckman, William; Parekh, Amisha
2015-07-01
Rapid detection of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GAS) is used routinely to help diagnose and treat pharyngitis. However, available rapid antigen detection tests for GAS have relatively low sensitivity, and backup testing is recommended in children. Newer assays are more sensitive yet require excessive time for practical point-of-care use as well as laboratory personnel. The Alere i strep A test is an isothermal nucleic acid amplification test designed to offer highly sensitive results at the point of care within 8 min when performed by nonlaboratory personnel. The performance of the Alere i strep A test was evaluated in a multicenter prospective trial in a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-waived setting in comparison to bacterial culture in 481 children and adults. Compared to culture, the Aleri i strep A test had 96.0% sensitivity and 94.6% specificity. Discrepant results were adjudicated by PCR and found the Alere i strep A test to have 98.7% sensitivity and 98.5% specificity. Overall, the Alere i strep A test could provide a one-step, rapid, point-of-care testing method for GAS pharyngitis and obviate backup testing on negative results. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.
Sharma, Megha; Sharma, Kusum; Sharma, Aman; Gupta, Nalini; Rajwanshi, Arvind
2016-09-01
Tuberculous lymphadenitis (TBLA), the most common presentation of tuberculosis, poses a significant diagnostic challenge in the developing countries. Timely, accurate and cost-effective diagnosis can decrease the high morbidity associated with TBLA especially in resource-poor high-endemic regions. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay (LAMP), using two targets, was evaluated for the diagnosis of TBLA. LAMP assay using 3 sets of primers (each for IS6110 and MPB64) was performed on 170 fine needle aspiration samples (85 confirmed, 35 suspected, 50 control cases of TBLA). Results were compared against IS6110 PCR, cytology, culture and smear. The overall sensitivity and specificity of LAMP assay, using multi-targeted approach, was 90% and 100% respectively in diagnosing TBLA. The sensitivity of multi-targeted LAMP, only MPB64 LAMP, only IS6110 LAMP and IS6110 PCR was 91.7%, 89.4%, 84.7% and 75.2%, respectively among confirmed cases and 85.7%, 77.1%, 68.5% and 60%, respectively among suspected cases of TBLA. Additional 12/120 (10%) cases were detected using multi-targeted method. The multi-targeted LAMP, with its speedy and reliable results, is a potential diagnostic test for TBLA in low-resource countries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Liu, Chun-Yan; Song, Hui-Qun; Zhang, Ren-Li; Chen, Mu-Xin; Xu, Min-Jun; Ai, Lin; Chen, Xiao-Guang; Zhan, Xi-Mei; Liang, Shao-Hui; Yuan, Zi-Guo; Lin, Rui-Qing; Zhu, Xing-Quan
2011-08-01
Angiostrongylus cantonensis, a rat lungworm, can cause eosinophilic meningitis and angiostrongyliasis in humans following ingestion of contaminated foods or intermediate/paratenic hosts with infective larvae. The snail Achatina fulica is one of the important intermediate hosts of A. cantonensis and is commonly eaten by humans in some countries. In the present study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the specific detection of A. cantonensis in Ac. fulica. Primers for LAMP were designed based on the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of A. cantonensis. Specificity tests showed that only the products of A. cantonensis were detected when DNA samples of A. cantonensis and the heterologous control samples Anisakis simplex s.s, Trichuris trichiura, Toxocara canis, Trichinella spiralis and Ascaris lumbricoides were amplified by LAMP. Sensitivity evaluation indicated that the LAMP assay is 10 times more sensitive than the conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. The established LAMP assay is rapid, inexpensive and easy to be performed. It can be used in clinical applications for rapid and sensitive detection of A. cantonensis in snails, which has implications for the effective control of angiostrongyliasis. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Mirzai, S; Safi, S; Mossavari, N; Afshar, D; Bolourchian, M
2016-08-31
The present study was conducted to establish a Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technique for the rapid detection of B. mallei the etiologic agent of glanders, a highly contagious disease of equines. A set of six specific primers targeting integrase gene cluster were designed for the LAMP test. The reaction was optimized using different temperatures and time intervals. The specificity of the assay was evaluated using DNA from B.pseudomallei and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The LAMP products were analyzed both visually and under UV light after electrophoresis. The optimized conditions were found to be at 63ºC for 60 min. The assay showed high specificity and sensitivity. It was concluded that the established LAMP assay is a rapid, sensitive and practical tool for detection of B. mallei and early diagnosis of glanders.
Zeng, Weiwei; Yao, Wei; Wang, Yingying; Li, Yingying; Bermann, Sven M; Ren, Yan; Shi, Cunbin; Song, Xinjian; Huang, Qiwen; Zheng, Shuchen; Wang, Qing
2017-05-01
Grass carp reovirus (GCRV) is the causative agent of the grass carp hemorrhagic disease that has resulted in severe economic losses in the grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) farming industry in China. Early diagnosis and vaccine administration are important priorities for GCRV control. In this study, a nucleic acid sequence-based amplification with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (NASBA-ELISA) was developed for to detect genotype II GCRV (GCRV- II). Primers specifically targeting viral RNA genome segment 6 were utilized for amplification in an isothermal digoxigenin-labeling NASBA process, resulting in DIG-labeled RNA amplicons. The amplicons were hybridized to specific biotinylated DNA probes and the products were detected colorimetrically using horseradish peroxidase and a microplate reader. The new method is able to detect GCRV at 14 copies/μL within 5h and had a diagnostic sensitivity and a specificity of 100% when GCRV-II and non-target virus were tested. This NASBA-ELISA was evaluated using a panel of clinical samples (n=103) to demonstrate that it is a rapid, effective and sensitive method for GCRV detection in grass carp aquaculture. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Li, Chenghua; Ying, Qi; Su, Xiurong; Li, Taiwu
2012-04-01
Given that live Shewanella putrefaciens is one of the major causes of spoilage for aquatic products even in chill storage, the rapid and accurate detection process is the first priority. In the present study, a novel reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) detecting assay was developed by targeting internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence between 16S and 23S rRNA. At the same time, a new procaryotic mRNA isolation strategy was also established by introducing a polyA tail to RNA during cDNA synthesis step. Under the optimal reaction time (60 min) and temperature (64.1 °C), S. putrefaciens could be specially identified from a variety of other tested bacteria by RT-LAMP. The sensitivity analysis showed that RT-LAMP could be identified as lower as 5.4 copies per reaction, which is over 200-fold higher than that of standard PCR (1.08 × 10³ copies per reaction). The method could be effectively identified S. putrefaciens in artificially contaminated or spoilaged fish samples with dose-dependent manners. To our knowledge, this is the first report using RT-LAMP assay to detect live S. putrefaciens in fish. The study provided a rapid and accurate detection method for live bacteria in aquatic food and established a new procaryotic mRNA isolation strategy at the same time, which will be useful for food preservation. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®
Lee, Meng-Shiou; Su, Ting-Ying; Lien, Yi-Yang; Sheu, Shyang-Chwen
2017-01-01
Plant-based food ingredients such as garlic, Chinese leek, Chinese onion, green onion and onion are widely used in many cuisines around the world. However, these ingredients known as the “five forbidden vegetables” (FFVs) are not allowed in some vegetarian diets. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of FFVs using five respective LAMP primer sets. The specific primers targeted the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence regions among the five vegetables. The results demonstrated that the identification of FFVs using the newly developed LAMP assay is more sensitive than the traditional PCR method. Using pepper, basil, parsley, chili and ginger as references, established LAMP primer sets showed high specificity for the identification of the FFV species. Moreover, when FFVs were mixed with other plant ingredients at different ratios (100:0, 50:50, 20:80, 10:90, 5:95, 2:98, and 1:99), no cross-reactivity was evident using LAMP. Finally, genomic DNAs extracted from boiled and steamed FFVs in processed foods were used as templates; the performance of the LAMP reaction was not influenced using validated LAMP primers. Not only can FFV ingredients be identified but commercial foods containing FFVs can also be authenticated. This LAMP method will be useful for the authentication of FFVs in practical food markets in the future. PMID:28290475
Lee, Meng-Shiou; Su, Ting-Ying; Lien, Yi-Yang; Sheu, Shyang-Chwen
2017-03-14
Plant-based food ingredients such as garlic, Chinese leek, Chinese onion, green onion and onion are widely used in many cuisines around the world. However, these ingredients known as the "five forbidden vegetables" (FFVs) are not allowed in some vegetarian diets. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of FFVs using five respective LAMP primer sets. The specific primers targeted the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence regions among the five vegetables. The results demonstrated that the identification of FFVs using the newly developed LAMP assay is more sensitive than the traditional PCR method. Using pepper, basil, parsley, chili and ginger as references, established LAMP primer sets showed high specificity for the identification of the FFV species. Moreover, when FFVs were mixed with other plant ingredients at different ratios (100:0, 50:50, 20:80, 10:90, 5:95, 2:98, and 1:99), no cross-reactivity was evident using LAMP. Finally, genomic DNAs extracted from boiled and steamed FFVs in processed foods were used as templates; the performance of the LAMP reaction was not influenced using validated LAMP primers. Not only can FFV ingredients be identified but commercial foods containing FFVs can also be authenticated. This LAMP method will be useful for the authentication of FFVs in practical food markets in the future.
SUN, Yu-Ling; YEN, Chon-Ho; TU, Ching-Fu
2013-01-01
ABSTRACT Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) combined with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (LAMP–ELISA) and with lateral flow dipstick (LAMP–LFD) are rapid, sensitive and specific methods for the visual detection of clinical pathogens. In this study, LAMP–ELISA and LAMP–LFD were developed for the visual detection of canine parvovirus (CPV). For LAMP, a set of four primers (biotin-labeled forward inner primers) was designed to specifically amplify a region of the VP2 gene of CPV. The optimum time and temperature for LAMP were 60 min and 65°C, respectively. The specific capture oligonucleotide probes, biotin-labeled CPV probe for LAMP–ELISA and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled CPV probe for LAMP–LFD were also designed for hybridization with LAMP amplicons on streptavidin-coated wells and LFD strips, respectively. For the comparison of detection sensitivity, conventional PCR and LAMP for CPV detection were also performed. The CPV detection limits by PCR, PCR–ELISA, LAMP, LAMP–ELISA and LAMP–LFD were 102, 102, 10−1, 10−1 and 10−1 TCID50/ml, respectively. In tests using artificially contaminated dog fecal samples, the samples with CPV inoculation levels of ≥1 TCID50/ml gave positive results by both LAMP–ELISA and LAMP–LFD. Our data indicated that both LAMP–ELISA and LAMP–LFD are promising as rapid, sensitive and specific methods for an efficient diagnosis of CPV infection. PMID:24334855
Salamin, Olivier; Kuuranne, Tiia; Saugy, Martial; Leuenberger, Nicolas
2017-11-01
Innovation in medical research has been diverted at multiple occasions to enhance human performance. The predicted great progress in gene therapy has raised some concerns regarding its misuse in the world of sports (gene doping) for several years now. Even though there is no evidence that gene doping has ever been used in sports, the continuous improvement of gene therapy techniques increases the likelihood of abuse. Therefore, since 2004, efforts have been invested by the anti-doping community and WADA for the development of detection methods. Several nested PCR and qPCR-based strategies exploiting the absence of introns in the transgenic DNA have been proposed for the long-term detection of transgene in blood. Despite their great sensitivity, those protocols are hampered by limitations of the techniques that can be cumbersome and costly. The purpose of this perspective is to describe a new approach based on loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the detection of gene doping. This protocol enables a rapid and simple method to amplify nucleic acids with a high sensitivity and specificity and with a simple visual detection of the results. LAMP is already being used in clinical application for the detection of viruses or mutations. Therefore, this technique has the potential to be further developed for the detection of foreign genetic material in elite athletes. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Morris, Ulrika; Ding, Xavier C.; Jovel, Irina; Msellem, Mwinyi I.; Bergman, Daniel; Islam, Atiqul; Ali, Abdullah S.; Polley, Spencer; Gonzalez, Iveth J.; Mårtensson, Andreas; Björkman, Anders
2017-01-01
Background New field applicable diagnostic tools are needed for highly sensitive detection of residual malaria infections in pre-elimination settings. Field performance of a high throughput DNA extraction system for loop mediated isothermal amplification (HTP-LAMP) was therefore evaluated for detecting malaria parasites among asymptomatic individuals in Zanzibar. Methods HTP-LAMP performance was evaluated against real-time PCR on 3008 paired blood samples collected on filter papers in a community-based survey in 2015. Results The PCR and HTP-LAMP determined malaria prevalences were 1.6% (95%CI 1.3–2.4) and 0.7% (95%CI 0.4–1.1), respectively. The sensitivity of HTP-LAMP compared to PCR was 40.8% (CI95% 27.0–55.8) and the specificity was 99.9% (CI95% 99.8–100). For the PCR positive samples, there was no statistically significant difference between the geometric mean parasite densities among the HTP-LAMP positive (2.5 p/μL, range 0.2–770) and HTP-LAMP negative (1.4 p/μL, range 0.1–7) samples (p = 0.088). Two lab technicians analysed up to 282 samples per day and the HTP-LAMP method was experienced as user friendly. Conclusions Although field applicable, this high throughput format of LAMP as used here was not sensitive enough to be recommended for detection of asymptomatic low-density infections in areas like Zanzibar, approaching malaria elimination. PMID:28095434
Zhang, Xiaoru; Xu, Yunpeng; Zhao, Yanqing; Song, Weiling
2013-01-15
We report a strategy for the transduction of DNA hybridization into a readily detectable photoelectrochemical signal by means of a conformational change analogous to electrochemical DNA (E-DNA) approach. To demonstrate the effect of distance change for photosensitizer to the surface of electrode on the change of photocurrent, photosensitizer Ru(bpy)(2)(dcbpy)(2+) tagged DNA stem-loop structures were self-assembled onto a nanogold modified ITO electrode. Hybridization induced a large conformational change in DNA structure, which in turn significantly altered the electron-transfer tunneling distance between the electrode and photosensitizer. The resulting change in photocurrent was proportional to the concentration of DNA in the range of 1.0×10(-10)-8.0×10(-9)M. In order to improve the sensitivity of the photoelectrochemical biosensor, an amplified detection method based on isothermal strand displacement polymerization reaction was employed. With multiple rounds of isothermal strand replication, which led to strand displacement and constituted consecutive signal amplification, a detection limit of 9.4×10(-14)M target DNA was achieved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Detection of lead(II) ions with a DNAzyme and isothermal strand displacement signal amplification.
Li, Wenying; Yang, Yue; Chen, Jian; Zhang, Qingfeng; Wang, Yan; Wang, Fangyuan; Yu, Cong
2014-03-15
A DNAzyme based method for the sensitive and selective quantification of lead(II) ions has been developed. A DNAzyme that requires Pb(2+) for activation was selected. An RNA containing DNA substrate was cleaved by the DNAzyme in the presence of Pb(2+). The 2',3'-cyclic phosphate of the cleaved 5'-part of the substrate was efficiently removed by Exonuclease III. The remaining part of the single stranded DNA (9 or 13 base long) was subsequently used as the primer for the strand displacement amplification reaction (SDAR). The method is highly sensitive, 200 pM lead(II) could be easily detected. A number of interference ions were tested, and the sensor showed good selectivity. Underground water samples were also tested, which demonstrated the feasibility of the current approach for real sample applications. It is feasible that our method could be used for DNAzyme or aptazyme based new sensing method developments for the quantification of other target analytes with high sensitivity and selectivity. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Miles, Timothy D; Martin, Frank N; Coffey, Michael D
2015-02-01
Several isothermal amplification techniques recently have been developed that are tolerant of inhibitors present in many plant extracts, which can reduce the need for obtaining purified DNA for running diagnostic assays. One such commercially available technique that has similarities with real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for designing primers and a labeled probe is recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA). This technology was used to develop two simple and rapid approaches for detection of Phytophthora spp.: one genus-specific assay multiplexed with a plant internal control and the other species-specific assays for Phytophthora ramorum and P. kernoviae. All assays were tested for sensitivity (ranging from 3 ng to 1 fg of DNA) and specificity using DNA extracted from more than 136 Phytophthora taxa, 21 Pythium spp., 1 Phytopythium sp., and a wide range of plant species. The lower limit of linear detection using purified DNA was 200 to 300 fg of DNA in all pathogen RPA assays. Six different extraction buffers were tested for use during plant tissue maceration and the assays were validated in the field by collecting 222 symptomatic plant samples from over 50 different hosts. Only 56 samples were culture positive for Phytophthora spp. whereas 91 were positive using the Phytophthora genus-specific RPA test and a TaqMan real-time PCR assay. A technique for the generation of sequencing templates from positive RPA amplifications to confirm species identification was also developed. These RPA assays have added benefits over traditional technologies because they are rapid (results can be obtained in as little as 15 min), do not require DNA extraction or extensive training to complete, use less expensive portable equipment than PCR-based assays, and are significantly more specific than current immunologically based methods. This should provide a rapid, field-deployable capability for pathogen detection that will facilitate point-of-sample collection processing, thereby reducing the time necessary for accurate diagnostics and making management decisions.
Tang, Ruihua; Yang, Hui; Gong, Yan; You, MinLi; Liu, Zhi; Choi, Jane Ru; Wen, Ting; Qu, Zhiguo; Mei, Qibing; Xu, Feng
2017-03-29
Nucleic acid testing (NAT) has been widely used for disease diagnosis, food safety control and environmental monitoring. At present, NAT mainly involves nucleic acid extraction, amplification and detection steps that heavily rely on large equipment and skilled workers, making the test expensive, time-consuming, and thus less suitable for point-of-care (POC) applications. With advances in paper-based microfluidic technologies, various integrated paper-based devices have recently been developed for NAT, which however require off-chip reagent storage, complex operation steps and equipment-dependent nucleic acid amplification, restricting their use for POC testing. To overcome these challenges, we demonstrate a fully disposable and integrated paper-based sample-in-answer-out device for NAT by integrating nucleic acid extraction, helicase-dependent isothermal amplification and lateral flow assay detection into one paper device. This simple device allows on-chip dried reagent storage and equipment-free nucleic acid amplification with simple operation steps, which could be performed by untrained users in remote settings. The proposed device consists of a sponge-based reservoir and a paper-based valve for nucleic acid extraction, an integrated battery, a PTC ultrathin heater, temperature control switch and on-chip dried enzyme mix storage for isothermal amplification, and a lateral flow test strip for naked-eye detection. It can sensitively detect Salmonella typhimurium, as a model target, with a detection limit of as low as 10 2 CFU ml -1 in wastewater and egg, and 10 3 CFU ml -1 in milk and juice in about an hour. This fully disposable and integrated paper-based device has great potential for future POC applications in resource-limited settings.
System for portable nucleic acid testing in low resource settings
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lu, Hsiang-Wei; Roskos, Kristina; Hickerson, Anna I.; Carey, Thomas; Niemz, Angelika
2013-03-01
Our overall goal is to enable timely diagnosis of infectious diseases through nucleic acid testing at the point-of-care and in low resource settings, via a compact system that integrates nucleic acid sample preparation, isothermal DNA amplification, and nucleic acid lateral flow (NALF) detection. We herein present an interim milestone, the design of the amplification and detection subsystem, and the characterization of thermal and fluidic control and assay execution within this system. Using an earlier prototype of the amplification and detection unit, comprised of a disposable cartridge containing flexible pouches, passive valves, and electrolysis-driven pumps, in conjunction with a small heater, we have demonstrated successful execution of an established and clinically validated isothermal loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) reaction targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) DNA, coupled to NALF detection. The refined design presented herein incorporates miniaturized and integrated electrolytic pumps, novel passive valves, overall design changes to facilitate integration with an upstream sample preparation unit, and a refined instrument design that automates pumping, heating, and timing. Nucleic acid amplification occurs in a two-layer pouch that facilitates fluid handling and appropriate thermal control. The disposable cartridge is manufactured using low-cost and scalable techniques and forms a closed system to prevent workplace contamination by amplicons. In a parallel effort, we are developing a sample preparation unit based on similar design principles, which performs mechanical lysis of mycobacteria and DNA extraction from liquefied and disinfected sputum. Our next step is to combine sample preparation, amplification, and detection in a final integrated cartridge and device, to enable fully automated sample-in to answer-out diagnosis of active tuberculosis in primary care facilities of low-resource and high-burden countries.
Convenient, sensitive and high-throughput method for screening botanic origin.
Yuan, Yuan; Jiang, Chao; Liu, Libing; Yu, Shulin; Cui, Zhanhu; Chen, Min; Lin, Shufang; Wang, Shu; Huang, Luqi
2014-06-23
In this work, a rapid (within 4-5 h), sensitive and visible new method for assessing botanic origin is developed by combining loop-mediated isothermal amplification with cationic conjugated polymers. The two Chinese medicinal materials (Jin-Yin-Hua and Shan-Yin-Hua) with similar morphology and chemical composition were clearly distinguished by gene SNP genotyping assays. The identification of plant species in Patented Chinese drugs containing Lonicera buds is successfully performed using this detection system. The method is also robust enough to be used in high-throughput screening. This new method is very helpful to identify herbal materials, and is beneficial for detecting safety and quality of botanic products.
Youn, S Y; Jeong, O M; Choi, B K; Jung, S C; Kang, M S
2017-02-01
Raw chicken products are major causes of human foodborne salmonellosis worldwide. In particular, there is a significant risk of human exposure to Salmonella originating from the chicken slaughtering process. Controlling the contamination of chicken carcasses by Salmonella has been a considerable challenge in chicken-slaughtering facilities and involves routine microbiological monitoring using reliable detection methods. Simple and rapid detection methods, particularly those capable of determining cell viability, will significantly facilitate routine monitoring of Salmonella Here, we report an invA-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification method coupled with a simple propidium monoazide treatment (PMA-LAMP) for simple and rapid detection and quantification of viable Salmonella in rinse water of chicken carcasses. In this study, PMA-LAMP consistently gave negative results for isopropanol-killed Salmonella with concentrations up to 8.0 × 10 6 CFU/reaction. The detection limit of PMA-LAMP was 8.0 × 10 1 CFU/reaction with viable Salmonella in both pure culture and rinse water of chicken carcasses, and 10-fold lower than a conventional polymerase chain reaction coupled with PMA (PMA-PCR) targeting invA There was a high correlation (R 2 = 0.99 to 0.976) between LAMP time threshold (T T ) values and viable Salmonella with a quantification range of 1.0 × 10 3 to 1.0 × 10 8 CFU/mL in pure culture and rinse water of chicken carcasses. The PMA-LAMP assay took less than 2 h to detect Salmonella contaminated in test samples. Therefore, this simple and rapid method will be a very useful tool to detect live Salmonella contamination of chicken carcasses without pre-enrichment at the slaughterhouse where sanitizing treatments are commonly used. © 2016 Poultry Science Association Inc.
Wang, Xuan; Yin, Fenggui; Bi, Yuhai; Cheng, Gong; Li, Jing; Hou, Lidan; Li, Yunlong; Yang, Baozhi; Liu, Wenjun; Yang, Limin
2016-12-01
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus that recently emerged and has expanded worldwide, causing a global threat and raising international concerns. Current molecular diagnostics, e.g., real-time PCR and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR), are time consuming, expensive, and can only be deployed in a laboratory instead of for field diagnostics. This study aimed to develop a one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) platform showing sensitivity, specificity, and more convenience than previous methods, being easily distributed and implemented. Specific primers were designed and screened to target the entire ZIKV genome. The analytical sensitivity and specificity of the assay were evaluated and compared with traditional PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Three different simulated clinical sample quick preparation protocols were evaluated to establish a rapid and straightforward treatment procedure for clinical specimens in open field detection. The RT-LAMP assay for detection of ZIKV demonstrated superior specificity and sensitivity compared to traditional PCR at the optimum reaction temperature. For the ZIKV RNA standard, the limit of detection was 20 copies/test. For the simulated ZIKV clinical samples, the limit of detection was 0.02 pfu/test, which was one order of magnitude higher than RT-PCR and similar to real-time PCR. The detection limit of simulated ZIKV specimens prepared using a protease quick processing method was consistent with that of samples prepared using commercial nucleic acid extraction kits, indicating that our ZIKV detection method could be used in point-of-care testing. The RT-LAMP assay had excellent sensitivity and specificity for detecting ZIKV and can be deployed together with a rapid specimen processing method, offering the possibility for ZIKV diagnosis outside of the laboratory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Lodh, Nilanjan; Mikita, Kei; Bosompem, Kwabena M; Anyan, William K; Quartey, Joseph K; Otchere, Joseph; Shiff, Clive J
2017-09-01
Schistosomes are easily transmitted and high chance of repeat infection, so if control strategies based on targeted mass drug administration (MDA) are to succeed it is essential to have a test that is sensitive, accurate and simple to use. It is known and regularly demonstrated that praziquantel does not always eliminate an infection so in spite of the successes of control programs a residual of the reservoir survives to re-infect snails. The issue of diagnostic sensitivity becomes more critical in the assessment of program effectiveness. While serology, such as antigen capture tests might improve sensitivity, it has been shown that the presence of species-specific DNA fragments will indicate, most effectively, the presence of active parasites. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can amplify and detect DNA from urine residue captured on Whatman No. 3 filter paper that is dried after filtration. Previously we have detected S. mansoni and S. haematobium parasite-specific small repeat DNA fragment from filtered urine on filter paper by PCR. In the current study, we assessed the efficacy of detection of 86 urine samples for either or both schistosome parasites by PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) that were collected from a low to moderate transmission area in Ghana. Two different DNA extraction methods, standard extraction kit and field usable LAMP-PURE kit were also evaluated by PCR and LAMP amplification. With S. haematobium LAMP amplification for both extractions showed similar sensitivity and specificity when compared with PCR amplification (100%) verified by gel electrophoresis. For S. mansoni sensitivity was highest for LAMP amplification (100%) for standard extraction than PCR and LAMP with LAMP-PURE (99% and 94%). The LAMP-PURE extraction produced false negatives, which require further investigation for this field usable extraction kit. Overall high positive and negative predictive values (90% - 100%) for both species demonstrated a highly robust approach. The LAMP approach is close to point of care use and equally sensitive and specific to detection of species-specific DNA by PCR. LAMP can be an effective means to detect low intensity infection due to its simplicity and minimal DNA extraction requirement. This will enhance the effectiveness of surveillance and MDA control programs of schistosomiasis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Martin, Jaclyn; Carrillo, Yisel; Talley, Justin L.; Ochoa-Corona, Francisco M.
2018-01-01
Background The importance of tick and flea-borne rickettsia infections is increasingly recognized worldwide. While increased focus has shifted in recent years to the development of point-of-care diagnostics for various vector-borne diseases in humans and animals, little research effort has been devoted to their integration into vector surveillance and control programs, particularly in resource-challenged countries. One technology which may be helpful for large scale vector surveillance initiatives is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The aim of this study was to develop a LAMP assay to detect spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia DNA from field-collected ticks and fleas and compare with published end-point PCR results. Methodology/Principal findings A Spotted Fever Group rickettsia-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (SFGR-LAMP) assay was developed using primers based on a region of the R. rickettsii 17kDa protein gene. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the assay were evaluated. The assay was then compared with the results of end-point PCR assays for pooled tick and flea samples obtained from field-based surveillance studies. The sensitivity of the SFGR-LAMP assay was 0.00001 ng/μl (25μl volume) which was 10 times more sensitive than the 17kDa protein gene end-point PCR used as the reference method. The assay only recognized gDNA from SFG and transitional group (TRG) rickettsia species tested but did not detect gDNA from typhus group (TG) rickettsia species or closely or distantly related bacterial species. The SFGR-LAMP assay detected the same positives from a set of pooled tick and flea samples detected by end-point PCR in addition to two pooled flea samples not detected by end-point PCR. Conclusions/significance To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop a functional LAMP assay to initially screen for SFG and TRG rickettsia pathogens in field-collected ticks and fleas. With a high sensitivity and specificity, the results indicate the potential use as a field-based surveillance tool for tick and flea-borne rickettsial pathogens in resource-challenged countries. PMID:29390021
Noden, Bruce H; Martin, Jaclyn; Carrillo, Yisel; Talley, Justin L; Ochoa-Corona, Francisco M
2018-01-01
The importance of tick and flea-borne rickettsia infections is increasingly recognized worldwide. While increased focus has shifted in recent years to the development of point-of-care diagnostics for various vector-borne diseases in humans and animals, little research effort has been devoted to their integration into vector surveillance and control programs, particularly in resource-challenged countries. One technology which may be helpful for large scale vector surveillance initiatives is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The aim of this study was to develop a LAMP assay to detect spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia DNA from field-collected ticks and fleas and compare with published end-point PCR results. A Spotted Fever Group rickettsia-specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (SFGR-LAMP) assay was developed using primers based on a region of the R. rickettsii 17kDa protein gene. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the assay were evaluated. The assay was then compared with the results of end-point PCR assays for pooled tick and flea samples obtained from field-based surveillance studies. The sensitivity of the SFGR-LAMP assay was 0.00001 ng/μl (25μl volume) which was 10 times more sensitive than the 17kDa protein gene end-point PCR used as the reference method. The assay only recognized gDNA from SFG and transitional group (TRG) rickettsia species tested but did not detect gDNA from typhus group (TG) rickettsia species or closely or distantly related bacterial species. The SFGR-LAMP assay detected the same positives from a set of pooled tick and flea samples detected by end-point PCR in addition to two pooled flea samples not detected by end-point PCR. To our knowledge, this is the first study to develop a functional LAMP assay to initially screen for SFG and TRG rickettsia pathogens in field-collected ticks and fleas. With a high sensitivity and specificity, the results indicate the potential use as a field-based surveillance tool for tick and flea-borne rickettsial pathogens in resource-challenged countries.
Meagher, Robert J.; Priye, Aashish; Light, Yooli K.; ...
2018-03-27
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), coupled with reverse transcription (RT), has become a popular technique for detection of viral RNA due to several desirable characteristics for use in point-of-care or low-resource settings. The large number of primers in LAMP (six per target) leads to an increased likelihood of primer-dimer interactions, and the inner primers in particular are prone to formation of stable hairpin structures due to their length (typically 40-45 bases). Although primer-dimers and hairpin structures are known features to avoid in nucleic acid amplification techniques, there is little quantitative information in literature regarding the impact of these structures on LAMPmore » or RT-LAMP assays. In this study, we examine the impact of primer-dimers and hairpins on previously-published primer sets for dengue virus and yellow fever virus. We demonstrate that minor changes to the primers to eliminate amplifiable primer dimers and hairpins improves the performance of the assays when monitored in real time with intercalating dyes, and when monitoring a fluorescent endpoint using the QUASR technique. We also discuss the thermodynamic implications of these minor changes on the overall stability of amplifiable secondary structures, and we present a single thermodynamic parameter to predict the probability of non-specific amplification associated with LAMP primers.« less
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Meagher, Robert J.; Priye, Aashish; Light, Yooli K.
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), coupled with reverse transcription (RT), has become a popular technique for detection of viral RNA due to several desirable characteristics for use in point-of-care or low-resource settings. The large number of primers in LAMP (six per target) leads to an increased likelihood of primer-dimer interactions, and the inner primers in particular are prone to formation of stable hairpin structures due to their length (typically 40-45 bases). Although primer-dimers and hairpin structures are known features to avoid in nucleic acid amplification techniques, there is little quantitative information in literature regarding the impact of these structures on LAMPmore » or RT-LAMP assays. In this study, we examine the impact of primer-dimers and hairpins on previously-published primer sets for dengue virus and yellow fever virus. We demonstrate that minor changes to the primers to eliminate amplifiable primer dimers and hairpins improves the performance of the assays when monitored in real time with intercalating dyes, and when monitoring a fluorescent endpoint using the QUASR technique. We also discuss the thermodynamic implications of these minor changes on the overall stability of amplifiable secondary structures, and we present a single thermodynamic parameter to predict the probability of non-specific amplification associated with LAMP primers.« less
Chen, Jun; Zhou, Xueqing; Ma, Yingjun; Lin, Xiulian; Dai, Zong; Zou, Xiaoyong
2016-01-01
The sensitive and specific analysis of microRNAs (miRNAs) without using a thermal cycler instrument is significant and would greatly facilitate biological research and disease diagnostics. Although exponential amplification reaction (EXPAR) is the most attractive strategy for the isothermal analysis of miRNAs, its intrinsic limitations of detection efficiency and inevitable non-specific amplification critically restrict its use in analytical sensitivity and specificity. Here, we present a novel asymmetric EXPAR based on a new biotin/toehold featured template. A biotin tag was used to reduce the melting temperature of the primer/template duplex at the 5′ terminus of the template, and a toehold exchange structure acted as a filter to suppress the non-specific trigger of EXPAR. The asymmetric EXPAR exhibited great improvements in amplification efficiency and specificity as well as a dramatic extension of dynamic range. The limit of detection for the let-7a analysis was decreased to 6.02 copies (0.01 zmol), and the dynamic range was extended to 10 orders of magnitude. The strategy enabled the sensitive and accurate analysis of let-7a miRNA in human cancer tissues with clearly better precision than both standard EXPAR and RT-qPCR. Asymmetric EXPAR is expected to have an important impact on the development of simple and rapid molecular diagnostic applications for short oligonucleotides. PMID:27257058
Feng, Jiawang; Tang, Shiming; Liu, Lideng; Kuang, Xiaoshan; Wang, Xiaoyu; Hu, Songnan; You, Shuzhu
2015-03-01
Here, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for 11 common transgenic target DNA in GMOs. Six sets of LAMP primer candidates for each target were designed and their specificity, sensitivity, and reproductivity were evaluated. With the optimized LAMP primers, this LAMP assay was simply run within 45-60 min to detect all these targets in GMOs tested. The sensitivity, specificity, and reproductivity of the LAMP assay were further analyzed in comparison with those of Real-Time PCR. In consistent with real-time PCR, detection of 0.5% GMOs in equivalent background DNA was possible using this LAMP assay for all targets. In comparison with real-time PCR, the LAMP assay showed the same results with simple instruments. Hence, the LAMP assay developed can provide a rapid and simple approach for routine screening as well as specific events detection of many GMOs.
Hu, Xin; Pan, Chang-Wang; Li, Ya-Fei; Wang, Han; Tan, Feng
2012-02-01
In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was established to detect Toxoplasma gondii DNA in mice infected with T. gondii PRU strain. This LAMP assay was based on the sequence of highly repetitive B1 gene. The detection limit of T. gondii LAMP assay was 1 pg of T. gondii DNA, which was evaluated using 10-fold serially diluted DNA of cultured parasites. The LAMP assay was also highly specific for T. gondii and able to detect T. gondii DNA in urine of mice treated with dexamethasone at 90 day post infection (p.i.), although this assay could not detect the DNA in mice urine 2-6 days p.i. These results demonstrated that LAMP is effective for evaluation of therapy effectiveness for T. gondii infection. The established LAMP assay may represent a useful and practical tool for the routine diagnosis and therapeutic evaluation of human toxoplasmosis.
Controlled Microwave Heating Accelerates Rolling Circle Amplification.
Yoshimura, Takeo; Suzuki, Takamasa; Mineki, Shigeru; Ohuchi, Shokichi
2015-01-01
Rolling circle amplification (RCA) generates single-stranded DNAs or RNA, and the diverse applications of this isothermal technique range from the sensitive detection of nucleic acids to analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Microwave chemistry is widely applied to increase reaction rate as well as product yield and purity. The objectives of the present research were to apply microwave heating to RCA and indicate factors that contribute to the microwave selective heating effect. The microwave reaction temperature was strictly controlled using a microwave applicator optimized for enzymatic-scale reactions. Here, we showed that microwave-assisted RCA reactions catalyzed by either of the four thermostable DNA polymerases were accelerated over 4-folds compared with conventional RCA. Furthermore, the temperatures of the individual buffer components were specifically influenced by microwave heating. We concluded that microwave heating accelerated isothermal RCA of DNA because of the differential heating mechanisms of microwaves on the temperatures of reaction components, although the overall reaction temperatures were the same.
Zong, Xiaojuan; Wang, Wenwen; Wei, Hairong; Wang, Jiawei; Chen, Xin; Xu, Li; Zhu, Dongzi; Tan, Yue; Liu, Qingzhong
2014-11-01
Prunus necrotic ringspot virus (PNRSV) has seriously reduced the yield of Prunus species worldwide. In this study, a highly efficient and specific two-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was developed to detect PNRSV. Total RNA was extracted from sweet cherry leaf samples using a commercial kit based on a magnetic nanoparticle technique. Transcripts were used as the templates for the assay. The results of this assay can be detected using agarose gel electrophoresis or by assessing in-tube fluorescence after adding SYBR Green I. The assay is highly specific for PNRSV, and it is more sensitive than reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Restriction enzyme digestion verified further the reliability of this RT-LAMP assay. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the application of RT-LAMP to PNRSV detection in Prunus species. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
[Recombinase Polymerase Amplification and its Applications in Parasite Detection].
ZHENG, Wen-bin; WU, Yao-dong; MA, Jian-gang; ZHU, Xing-quan; ZHOU, Dong-hui
2015-10-01
Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) is a recently -developed isothermal nucleic-acid-amplification technology that is based on the nucleic acid replication mechanism in T4 bacteriophage. With this technique, nucleic-acid templates can be amplified to measurable levels within 20 min at 37-42 °C. The. RPA process has high sensitivity and specificity, and is simple to operate, thus nucleic acids can be detected rapidly in non-laboratory conditions. Since its development in 2006, the RPA technique has been applied in agriculture, food safety, medicine, transgene detection, etc. In this review, we will give an overview on the research progress of RPA and its application in parasite detection.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Ball, Cameron S.; Light, Yooli K.; Koh, Chung -Yan
Reverse-transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) has frequently been proposed as an enabling technology for simplified diagnostic tests for RNA viruses. However, common detection techniques used for LAMP and RT-LAMP have drawbacks, including poor discrimination capability, inability to multiplex targets, high rates of false positives, and (in some cases) the requirement of opening reaction tubes postamplification. Here, we present a simple technique that allows closed-tube, target-specific detection, based on inclusion of a dye-labeled primer that is incorporated into a target-specific amplicon if the target is present. A short, complementary quencher hybridizes to unincorporated primer upon cooling down at the end of themore » reaction, thereby quenching fluorescence of any unincorporated primer. Our technique, which we term QUASR (for quenching of unincorporated amplification signal reporters, read “quasar”), does not significantly reduce the amplification efficiency or sensitivity of RT-LAMP. Equipped with a simple LED excitation source and a colored plastic gel filter, the naked eye or a camera can easily discriminate between positive and negative QUASR reactions, which produce a difference in signal of approximately 10:1 without background subtraction. We demonstrate that QUASR detection is compatible with complex sample matrices such as human blood, using a novel LAMP primer set for bacteriophage MS2 (a model RNA virus particle). As a result, we demonstrate single-tube duplex detection of West Nile virus (WNV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) RNA.« less
Ball, Cameron S.; Light, Yooli K.; Koh, Chung -Yan; ...
2016-03-16
Reverse-transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) has frequently been proposed as an enabling technology for simplified diagnostic tests for RNA viruses. However, common detection techniques used for LAMP and RT-LAMP have drawbacks, including poor discrimination capability, inability to multiplex targets, high rates of false positives, and (in some cases) the requirement of opening reaction tubes postamplification. Here, we present a simple technique that allows closed-tube, target-specific detection, based on inclusion of a dye-labeled primer that is incorporated into a target-specific amplicon if the target is present. A short, complementary quencher hybridizes to unincorporated primer upon cooling down at the end of themore » reaction, thereby quenching fluorescence of any unincorporated primer. Our technique, which we term QUASR (for quenching of unincorporated amplification signal reporters, read “quasar”), does not significantly reduce the amplification efficiency or sensitivity of RT-LAMP. Equipped with a simple LED excitation source and a colored plastic gel filter, the naked eye or a camera can easily discriminate between positive and negative QUASR reactions, which produce a difference in signal of approximately 10:1 without background subtraction. We demonstrate that QUASR detection is compatible with complex sample matrices such as human blood, using a novel LAMP primer set for bacteriophage MS2 (a model RNA virus particle). As a result, we demonstrate single-tube duplex detection of West Nile virus (WNV) and chikungunya virus (CHIKV) RNA.« less
Zhou, Dinggang; Wang, Chunfeng; Li, Zhu; Chen, Yun; Gao, Shiwu; Guo, Jinlong; Lu, Wenying; Su, Yachun; Xu, Liping; Que, Youxiong
2016-01-01
Genetic engineering offers an attractive alternative in sugarcane breeding for increasing cane and sugar yields as well as disease and insect resistance. Bar transgenic sugarcane employing the herbicide tolerance is a useful agronomical trait in weed control. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of the bar gene in transgenic sugarcane has been developed and evaluated. A set of six primers was designed for LAMP-based amplification of the bar gene. The LAMP reaction conditions were optimized as follows: 5.25 mM of Mg(2+), 6:1 ratio of inner vs. outer primer, and 6.0 U of Bst DNA polymerase in a reaction volume of 25.0 μL. The detection limit of the recombinant plasmid 1Ac0229 was as low as 10 copies in the developed LAMP, which was 10-fold higher sensitive than that of conventional PCR. In 100 putative transgenic lines, the bar gene was detected in 100/100 cases (100%) by LAMP and 97/100 cases (97%) by conventional PCR, respectively. In conclusion, the developed LAMP assay is visual, rapid, sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective for detection of the bar specific transgenic sugarcane.
Nzelu, Chukwunonso O; Cáceres, Abraham G; Guerrero-Quincho, Silvia; Tineo-Villafuerte, Edwin; Rodriquez-Delfin, Luis; Mimori, Tatsuyuki; Uezato, Hiroshi; Katakura, Ken; Gomez, Eduardo A; Guevara, Angel G; Hashiguchi, Yoshihisa; Kato, Hirotomo
2016-01-01
Leishmaniasis remains one of the world's most neglected diseases, and early detection of the infectious agent, especially in developing countries, will require a simple and rapid test. In this study, we established a quick, one-step, single-tube, highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of Leishmania DNA from tissue materials spotted on an FTA card. An FTA-LAMP with pre-added malachite green was performed at 64°C for 60min using a heating block and/or water bath and DNA amplification was detected immediately after incubation. The LAMP assay had high detection sensitivity down to a level of 0.01 parasites per μl. The field- and clinic-applicability of the colorimetric FTA-LAMP assay was demonstrated with 122 clinical samples collected from patients suspected of having cutaneous leishmaniasis in Peru, from which 71 positives were detected. The LAMP assay in combination with an FTA card described here is rapid and sensitive, as well as simple to perform, and has great potential usefulness for diagnosis and surveillance of leishmaniasis in endemic areas. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nkouawa, Agathe; Sako, Yasuhito; Okamoto, Munehiro; Ito, Akira
2016-01-01
For differential detection of Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, and Taenia asiatica, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene has been recently developed and shown to be sensitive, specific, and effective. However, to achieve differential identification, one specimen requires three reaction mixtures containing a primer set of each Taenia species separately, which is complex and time consuming and increases the risk of cross-contamination. In this study, we developed a simple differential identification of human Taenia species using multiplex LAMP (mLAMP) in combination with dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA). Forward inner primers of T. solium, T. saginata, and T. asiatica labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), digoxigenin (DIG), and tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), respectively, and biotin-labeled backward inner primers were used in mLAMP. The mLAMP assay succeeded in specific amplification of each respective target gene in a single tube. Furthermore, the mLAMP product from each species was easily distinguished by dot-ELISA with an antibody specific for FITC, DIG, or TAMRA. The mLAMP assay in combination with dot-ELISA will make identification of human Taenia species simpler, easier, and more practical. PMID:27044566
Zhou, Dinggang; Wang, Chunfeng; Li, Zhu; Chen, Yun; Gao, Shiwu; Guo, Jinlong; Lu, Wenying; Su, Yachun; Xu, Liping; Que, Youxiong
2016-01-01
Genetic engineering offers an attractive alternative in sugarcane breeding for increasing cane and sugar yields as well as disease and insect resistance. Bar transgenic sugarcane employing the herbicide tolerance is a useful agronomical trait in weed control. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of the bar gene in transgenic sugarcane has been developed and evaluated. A set of six primers was designed for LAMP-based amplification of the bar gene. The LAMP reaction conditions were optimized as follows: 5.25 mM of Mg2+, 6:1 ratio of inner vs. outer primer, and 6.0 U of Bst DNA polymerase in a reaction volume of 25.0 μL. The detection limit of the recombinant plasmid 1Ac0229 was as low as 10 copies in the developed LAMP, which was 10-fold higher sensitive than that of conventional PCR. In 100 putative transgenic lines, the bar gene was detected in 100/100 cases (100%) by LAMP and 97/100 cases (97%) by conventional PCR, respectively. In conclusion, the developed LAMP assay is visual, rapid, sensitive, reliable, and cost-effective for detection of the bar specific transgenic sugarcane. PMID:27014303
Fan, Fenxia; Yan, Meiying; Du, Pengcheng; Chen, Chen; Kan, Biao
2015-09-01
Typhoid fever caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi remains a significant public health problem in developing countries. Although the main method for diagnosing typhoid fever is blood culture, the test is time consuming and not always able to detect infections. Thus, it is very difficult to distinguish typhoid from other infections in patients with nonspecific symptoms. A simple and sensitive laboratory detection method remains necessary. The purpose of this study is to establish and evaluate a rapid and sensitive reverse transcription-based loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method to detect Salmonella Typhi infection. In this study, a new specific gene marker, STY1607, was selected to develop a STY1607-RT-LAMP assay; this is the first report of specific RT-LAMP detection assay for typhoid. Human-simulated and clinical blood/stool samples were used to evaluate the performance of STY1607-RT-LAMP for RNA detection; this method was compared with STY1607-LAMP, reverse transcription real-time polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR), and bacterial culture methods for Salmonella Typhi detection. Using mRNA as the template, STY1607-RT-LAMP exhibited 50-fold greater sensitivity than STY1607-LAMP for DNA detection. The STY1607-RT-LAMP detection limit is 3 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL for both the pure Salmonella Typhi samples and Salmonella Typhi-simulated blood samples and was 30 CFU/g for the simulated stool samples, all of which were 10-fold more sensitive than the rRT-PCR method. RT-LAMP exhibited improved Salmonella Typhi detection sensitivity compared to culture methods and to rRT-PCR of clinical blood and stool specimens from suspected typhoid fever patients. Because it can be performed without sophisticated equipment or skilled personnel, RT-LAMP is a valuable tool for clinical laboratories in developing countries. This method can be applied in the clinical diagnosis and care of typhoid fever patients as well as for a quick public health response.
Validation of a Salmonella loop-mediated isothermal amplification assay in animal food.
Domesle, Kelly J; Yang, Qianru; Hammack, Thomas S; Ge, Beilei
2018-01-02
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) has emerged as a promising alternative to PCR for pathogen detection in food testing and clinical diagnostics. This study aimed to validate a Salmonella LAMP method run on both turbidimetry (LAMP I) and fluorescence (LAMP II) platforms in representative animal food commodities. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)'s culture-based Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) method was used as the reference method and a real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay was also performed. The method comparison study followed the FDA's microbiological methods validation guidelines, which align well with those from the AOAC International and ISO. Both LAMP assays were 100% specific among 300 strains (247 Salmonella of 185 serovars and 53 non-Salmonella) tested. The detection limits ranged from 1.3 to 28 cells for six Salmonella strains of various serovars. Six commodities consisting of four animal feed items (cattle feed, chicken feed, horse feed, and swine feed) and two pet food items (dry cat food and dry dog food) all yielded satisfactory results. Compared to the BAM method, the relative levels of detection (RLODs) for LAMP I ranged from 0.317 to 1 with a combined value of 0.610, while those for LAMP II ranged from 0.394 to 1.152 with a combined value of 0.783, which all fell within the acceptability limit (2.5) for an unpaired study. This also suggests that LAMP was more sensitive than the BAM method at detecting low-level Salmonella contamination in animal food and results were available 3days sooner. The performance of LAMP on both platforms was comparable to that of qPCR but notably faster, particularly LAMP II. Given the importance of Salmonella in animal food safety, the LAMP assays validated in this study holds great promise as a rapid, reliable, and robust method for routine screening of Salmonella in these commodities. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Linear nicking endonuclease-mediated strand-displacement DNA amplification.
Joneja, Aric; Huang, Xiaohua
2011-07-01
We describe a method for linear isothermal DNA amplification using nicking endonuclease-mediated strand displacement by a DNA polymerase. The nicking of one strand of a DNA target by the endonuclease produces a primer for the polymerase to initiate synthesis. As the polymerization proceeds, the downstream strand is displaced into a single-stranded form while the nicking site is also regenerated. The combined continuous repetitive action of nicking by the endonuclease and strand-displacement synthesis by the polymerase results in linear amplification of one strand of the DNA molecule. We demonstrate that DNA templates up to 5000 nucleotides can be linearly amplified using a nicking endonuclease with 7-bp recognition sequence and Sequenase version 2.0 in the presence of single-stranded DNA binding proteins. We also show that a mixture of three templates of 500, 1000, and 5000 nucleotides in length is linearly amplified with the original molar ratios of the templates preserved. Moreover, we demonstrate that a complex library of hydrodynamically sheared genomic DNA from bacteriophage lambda can be amplified linearly. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Linear nicking endonuclease-mediated strand displacement DNA amplification
Joneja, Aric; Huang, Xiaohua
2011-01-01
We describe a method for linear isothermal DNA amplification using nicking endonuclease-mediated strand displacement by a DNA polymerase. The nicking of one strand of a DNA target by the endonuclease produces a primer for the polymerase to initiate synthesis. As the polymerization proceeds, the downstream strand is displaced into a single-stranded form while the nicking site is also regenerated. The combined continuous repetitive action of nicking by the endonuclease and strand displacement synthesis by the polymerase results in linear amplification of one strand of the DNA molecule. We demonstrate that DNA templates up to five thousand nucleotides can be linearly amplified using a nicking endonuclease with seven base-pair recognition sequence and Sequenase version 2.0 in the presence of single-stranded DNA binding proteins. We also show that a mixture of three templates of 500, 1000, and 5000 nucleotides in length are linearly amplified with the original molar ratios of the templates preserved. Moreover, we demonstrate that a complex library of hydrodynamically sheared genomic DNA from bacteriophage lambda can be amplified linearly. PMID:21342654
Chandu, Dilip; Paul, Sudakshina; Parker, Mathew; Dudin, Yelena; King-Sitzes, Jennifer; Perez, Tim; Mittanck, Don W; Shah, Manali; Glenn, Kevin C; Piepenburg, Olaf
2016-01-01
Testing for the presence of genetically modified material in seed samples is of critical importance for all stakeholders in the agricultural industry, including growers, seed manufacturers, and regulatory bodies. While rapid antibody-based testing for the transgenic protein has fulfilled this need in the past, the introduction of new variants of a given transgene demands new diagnostic regimen that allows distinguishing different traits at the nucleic acid level. Although such molecular tests can be performed by PCR in the laboratory, their requirement for expensive equipment and sophisticated operation have prevented its uptake in point-of-use applications. A recently developed isothermal DNA amplification technique, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), combines simple sample preparation and amplification work-flow procedures with the use of minimal detection equipment in real time. Here, we report the development of a highly sensitive and specific RPA-based detection system for Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield (RR2Y) material in soybean (Glycine max) seed samples and present the results of studies applying the method in both laboratory and field-type settings.
Liu, Bingqian; Chen, Jinfeng; Wei, Qiaohua; Zhang, Bing; Zhang, Lan; Tang, Dianping
2015-07-15
A new signal amplification strategy based on target-regulated DNA proximity hybridization (TRPH) reaction accompanying formation of three-way DNA junction was designed for electronic detection of Microcystin-LR (MC-LR used in this case), coupling with junction-induced isothermal cycling signal amplification. Initially, a sandwiched-type immunoreaction was carried out in a low-cost PCR tube between anti-MC-LR mAb1 antibody-labeled DNA1 (mAb1-DNA1) and anti-MC-LR mAb2-labeled DNA2 (mAb2-DNA2) in the presence of target to form a three-way DNA junction. Then, the junction could undergo an unbiased strand displacement reaction on an h-like DNA nanostructure-modified electrode (labeled with methylene blue redox tag on the short DNA strand), thereby resulting in the dissociation of methylene blue-labeled signal DNA from the electrode. The newly formed double-stranded DNA could be cleaved again by exonuclease III, and the released three-way DNA junction retriggered the strand-displacement reaction with h-like DNA nanostructures for junction recycling. During the strand-displacement reaction, numerous methylene blue-labeled DNA strands were far away from the electrode, thus decreasing the detectable electrochemical signal within the applied potentials. Under optimal conditions, the TRPH-based immunosensing system exhibited good electrochemical responses for detecting target MC-LR at a concentration as low as 1.0ngkg(-1) (1.0ppt). Additionally, the precision, reproducibility, specificity and method accuracy were also investigated with acceptable results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Murinda, Shelton E; Ibekwe, A Mark; Zulkaffly, Syaizul; Cruz, Andrew; Park, Stanley; Razak, Nur; Paudzai, Farah Md; Ab Samad, Liana; Baquir, Khairul; Muthaiyah, Kokilah; Santiago, Brenna; Rusli, Amirul; Balkcom, Sean
2014-07-01
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are a major family of foodborne pathogens of public health, zoonotic, and economic significance in the United States and worldwide. To date, there are no published reports on use of recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) for STEC detection. The primary goal of this study was to assess the potential application of RPA in detection of STEC. This study focused on designing and evaluating RPA primers and fluorescent probes for isothermal (39°C) detection of STEC. Compatible sets of candidate primers and probes were designed for detection of Shiga toxin 1 and 2 (Stx1 and 2), respectively. The sets were evaluated for specificity and sensitivity against STEC (n=12) of various stx genotypes (stx1/stx2, stx1, or stx2, respectively), including non-Stx-producing E. coli (n=28) and other genera (n=7). The primers and probes that were designed targeted amplification of the subunit A moiety of stx1 and stx2. The assay detected STEC in real time (within 5-10 min at 39°C) with high sensitivity (93.5% vs. 90%; stx1 vs. stx2), specificity (99.1% vs. 100%; stx1 vs. stx2), and predictive value (97.9% for both stx1 vs. stx2). Limits of detection of ∼ 5-50 colony-forming units/mL were achieved in serially diluted cultures grown in brain heart infusion broth. This study successfully demonstrated for the first time that RPA can be used for isothermal real-time detection of STEC.
System and method for measuring fluorescence of a sample
Riot, Vincent J
2015-03-24
The present disclosure provides a system and a method for measuring fluorescence of a sample. The sample may be a polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) array, a loop-mediated-isothermal amplification array, etc. LEDs are used to excite the sample, and a photodiode is used to collect the sample's fluorescence. An electronic offset signal is used to reduce the effects of background fluorescence and the noises from the measurement system. An integrator integrates the difference between the output of the photodiode and the electronic offset signal over a given period of time. The resulting integral is then converted into digital domain for further processing and storage.
Park, Jung Hun; Jang, Hyowon; Jung, Yun Kyung; Jung, Ye Lim; Shin, Inkyung; Cho, Dae-Yeon; Park, Hyun Gyu
2017-05-15
We herein describe a new mass spectrometry-based method for multiplex SNP genotyping by utilizing allele-specific ligation and strand displacement amplification (SDA) reaction. In this method, allele-specific ligation is first performed to discriminate base sequence variations at the SNP site within the PCR-amplified target DNA. The primary ligation probe is extended by a universal primer annealing site while the secondary ligation probe has base sequences as an overhang with a nicking enzyme recognition site and complementary mass marker sequence. The ligation probe pairs are ligated by DNA ligase only at specific allele in the target DNA and the resulting ligated product serves as a template to promote the SDA reaction using a universal primer. This process isothermally amplifies short DNA fragments, called mass markers, to be analyzed by mass spectrometry. By varying the sizes of the mass markers, we successfully demonstrated the multiplex SNP genotyping capability of this method by reliably identifying several BRCA mutations in a multiplex manner with mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Soliman, Hatem; El-Matbouli, Mansour
2005-01-01
Background Koi Herpesvirus (KHV) affects both juvenile and adult common carp and koi, and is especially lethal to fry. The high mortalities caused by the disease have had a negative impact on the international koi trade. Different diagnostic techniques have been used to detect KHV, including: isolation of the virus in cell culture, electron microscopy, several PCR tests, ELISA and in situ hybridisation. All of these methods are time consuming, laborious and require specialised equipment. Results A rapid field diagnosis of KHV in common and koi carp was developed using loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). The LAMP reaction rapidly amplified nucleic acid with high specificity and efficiency under isothermal conditions using a simple water bath. Two methods of extracting DNA from host tissue were compared: extraction by boiling and by using a commercial extraction kit. A set of six primers – two inner primers, two outer primers and two loop primers – was designed from a KHV amplicon. The reaction conditions were optimised for detection of KHV in 60 min at 65°C using Bst (Bacillus stearothermophilus) DNA polymerase. When visualised by gel electrophoresis, the products of the KHV LAMP assay appeared as a ladder pattern, with many bands of different sizes from 50 base-pairs (bp) up to the loading well. The KHV LAMP product could also be simply detected visually by adding SYBR Green I to the reaction tube and observing a colour change from orange to green. All samples positive for KHV by visual detection were confirmed positive by gel electrophoresis. The KHV LAMP had the same sensitivity as a standard PCR assay for the detection of KHV. Conclusion This paper describes an accelerated LAMP assay for diagnosis of KHV. The entire procedure took only 90 minutes to produce a result: 15 minutes for DNA extraction; 60 min for the LAMP reaction; 2 min for visual detection using SYBR Green I. The test can be used under field conditions because the only equipment it requires is a water bath. PMID:16216123
Law, Jodi Woan-Fei; Ab Mutalib, Nurul-Syakima; Chan, Kok-Gan; Lee, Learn-Han
2015-01-01
The incidence of foodborne diseases has increased over the years and resulted in major public health problem globally. Foodborne pathogens can be found in various foods and it is important to detect foodborne pathogens to provide safe food supply and to prevent foodborne diseases. The conventional methods used to detect foodborne pathogen are time consuming and laborious. Hence, a variety of methods have been developed for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens as it is required in many food analyses. Rapid detection methods can be categorized into nucleic acid-based, biosensor-based and immunological-based methods. This review emphasizes on the principles and application of recent rapid methods for the detection of foodborne bacterial pathogens. Detection methods included are simple polymerase chain reaction (PCR), multiplex PCR, real-time PCR, nucleic acid sequence-based amplification (NASBA), loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and oligonucleotide DNA microarray which classified as nucleic acid-based methods; optical, electrochemical and mass-based biosensors which classified as biosensor-based methods; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and lateral flow immunoassay which classified as immunological-based methods. In general, rapid detection methods are generally time-efficient, sensitive, specific and labor-saving. The developments of rapid detection methods are vital in prevention and treatment of foodborne diseases. PMID:25628612
Lee, DoKyung; Kim, Eun Jin; Kilgore, Paul E; Kim, Soon Ae; Takahashi, Hideyuki; Ohnishi, Makoto; Anh, Dang Duc; Dong, Bai Qing; Kim, Jung Soo; Tomono, Jun; Miyamoto, Shigehiko; Notomi, Tsugunori; Kim, Dong Wook; Seki, Mitsuko
2015-01-01
Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading causative agent of bacterial meningitis in humans. Traditionally, meningococcal meningitis has been diagnosed by bacterial culture. However, isolation of bacteria from patients' cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is time consuming and sometimes yields negative results. Recently, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based diagnostic methods of detecting Nm have been considered the gold standard because of their superior sensitivity and specificity compared with culture. In this study, we developed a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and evaluated its ability to detect Nm in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). We developed a meningococcal LAMP assay (Nm LAMP) that targets the ctrA gene. The primer specificity was validated using 16 strains of N. meningitidis (serogroup A, B, C, D, 29-E, W-135, X, Y, and Z) and 19 non-N. meningitidis species. Within 60 min, the Nm LAMP detected down to ten copies per reaction with sensitivity 1000-fold more than that of conventional PCR. The LAMP assays were evaluated using a set of 1574 randomly selected CSF specimens from children with suspected meningitis collected between 1998 and 2002 in Vietnam, China, and Korea. The LAMP method was shown to be more sensitive than PCR methods for CSF samples (31 CSF samples were positive by LAMP vs. 25 by PCR). The detection rate of the LAMP method was substantially higher than that of the PCR method. In a comparative analysis of the PCR and LAMP assays, the clinical sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the LAMP assay were 100%, 99.6%, 80.6%, and 100%, respectively. Compared to PCR, LAMP detected Nm with higher analytical and clinical sensitivity. This sensitive and specific LAMP method offers significant advantages for screening patients on a population basis and for diagnosis in clinical settings.
Recombinase polymerase amplification applied to plant virus detection and potential implications.
Babu, Binoy; Ochoa-Corona, Francisco M; Paret, Mathews L
2018-04-01
Several isothermal techniques for the detection of plant pathogens have been developed with the advent of molecular techniques. Among them, Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) is becoming an important technique for the rapid, sensitive and cost-effective detection of plant viruses. The RPA technology has the advantage to be implemented in field-based scenarios because the method requires a minimal sample preparation, and is performed at constant low temperature (37-42 °C). The RPA technique is rapidly becoming a promising tool for use in rapid detection and further diagnostics in plant clinics and monitoring quarantine services. This paper presents a review of studies conducted using RPA for detection/diagnosis of plant viruses with either DNA genomes (Banana bunchy top virus, Bean golden yellow mosaic virus, Tomato mottle virus, Tomato yellow leaf curl virus) or RNA genomes (Little Cherry virus 2, Plum pox virus and Rose rosette virus). Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Multiplexed protein profiling on microarrays by rolling-circle amplification
Schweitzer, Barry; Roberts, Scott; Grimwade, Brian; Shao, Weiping; Wang, Minjuan; Fu, Qin; Shu, Quiping; Laroche, Isabelle; Zhou, Zhimin; Tchernev, Velizar T.; Christiansen, Jason; Velleca, Mark; Kingsmore, Stephen F.
2010-01-01
Fluorescent-sandwich immunoassays on microarrays hold appeal for proteomics studies, because equipment and antibodies are readily available, and assays are simple, scalable, and reproducible. The achievement of adequate sensitivity and specificity, however, requires a general method of immunoassay amplification. We describe coupling of isothermal rolling-circle amplification (RCA) to universal antibodies for this purpose. A total of 75 cytokines were measured simultaneously on glass arrays with signal amplification by RCA with high specificity, femtomolar sensitivity, 3 log quantitative range, and economy of sample consumption. A 51-feature RCA cytokine glass array was used to measure secretion from human dendritic cells (DCs) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). As expected, LPS induced rapid secretion of inflammatory cytokines such as macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1β, interleukin (IL)-8, and interferon-inducible protein (IP)-10. We found that eotaxin-2 and I-309 were induced by LPS; in addition, macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC), soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R), and soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I (sTNF-RI) were induced by TNF-α treatment. Because microarrays can accommodat ~1,000 sandwich immunoassays of this type, a relatively small number of RCA microarrays seem to offer a tractable approach for proteomic surveys. PMID:11923841
Direct detection of Marek's disease virus in poultry dust by loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
Woźniakowski, Grzegorz; Samorek-Salamonowicz, Elżbieta
2014-11-01
Marek's disease virus (MDV) is a serious concern for poultry production and represents a unique herpesvirus model. MDV can be shed by doubly infected chickens despite vaccination. The fully infectious MDV particles are produced in the feather follicle epithelium (FFE), and MDV remains infectious for many months in fine skin particles and feather debris. Molecular biology methods including PCR and real-time PCR have been shown to be valuable for the detection of MDV DNA in farm dust. Recently, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) was found to be useful in the detection of MDV in feathers and internal organs of infected chickens. LAMP is also less affected by the inhibitors present in DNA samples. Taking into account the advantages of LAMP, direct detection of MDV DNA in poultry dust has been conducted in this research. The detection of MDV DNA was possible in 11 out of the 12 examined dust samples without DNA extraction. The DNA was retrieved from dust samples by dilution and incubation at 95 °C for 5 min. The direct detection of MDV DNA in the dust was possible within 30 min using a water bath and UV light. The results were confirmed by electrophoresis and melting curve analysis of the LAMP products. Our results show that LAMP may be used to test for the presence of virulent MDV in poultry farm dust without DNA extraction.
Li, Chuanfeng; Chen, Zongyan; Meng, Chunchun; Liu, Guangqing
2014-02-01
A one-step reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay was used and optimized to develop a rapid and sensitive detection system for duck hepatitis A virus genotype C (DHAV-C) RNA. A set of four specific primers was designed against highly conserved sequences located within the 3D gene from DHAV (strain GX1201). Under optimal reaction conditions, the sensitivity of DHAV-C-specific RT-LAMP was 100-fold higher than that of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), with a detection limit of 0.3pg (6.59×10(4) copies) per reaction. No cross-reactivity was observed from the samples of other duck viruses, which is in good accordance with RT-PCR. Furthermore, a positive reaction can be visually inspected by observing turbidity or color change after the addition of SYBR green I dye. The DHAV-C-specific RT-LAMP assay was applied to the samples and compared with RT-PCR. The positive-sample ratios were 26.7% (12 of 45) by RT-LAMP and 20% (9 of 45) by RT-PCR. Therefore, the newly developed RT-LAMP assay is a rapid, specific, sensitive, and cost-effective method of DHAV-C detection. This assay has potential applications in both clinical diagnosis and field surveillance of DHAV-C infection. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V.
WANG, Lih-Chiann; HUANG, Dean; CHEN, Hui-Wen
2016-01-01
The H6N1 avian influenza virus has circulated in Taiwan for more than 40 years. The sporadic activity of low pathogenic H5N2 virus has been noted since 2003, and highly pathogenic H5N2 avian influenza virus has been detected since 2008. Ressortant viruses between H6N1 and H5N2 viruses have become established and enzootic in chickens throughout Taiwan. Outbreaks caused by Novel highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza viruses whose HA genes were closely related to that of the H5N8 virus isolated from ducks in Korea in 2014 were isolated from outbreaks in Taiwan since early 2015. The avian influenza virus infection status is becoming much more complicated in chickens in Taiwan. This necessitates a rapid and simple approach to detect and differentiate the viruses that prevail. H6N1, H5N2 and novel H5 viruses were simultaneously subtyped and pathotyped in this study using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification and microarray, with detection limits of 10°, 101 and 10° viral copy numbers, respectively. The microarray signals were read by the naked eye with no expensive equipment needed. The method developed in this study could greatly improve avian influenza virus surveillance efficiency. PMID:27086860
Tang, Yidan; Lu, Baiyang; Zhu, Zhentong; Li, Bingling
2018-01-21
The polymerase chain reaction and many isothermal amplifications are able to achieve super gene amplification. Unfortunately, most commonly-used transduction methods, such as dye staining and Taqman-like probing, still suffer from shortcomings including false signals or difficult probe design, or are incompatible with multi-analysis. Here a universal and rational gene detection strategy has been established by translating isothermal amplicons to enzyme-free strand displacement circuits via three-way junction-based remote transduction. An assistant transduction probe was imported to form a partial hybrid with the target single-stranded nucleic acid. After systematic optimization the hybrid could serve as an associative trigger to activate a downstream circuit detector via a strand displacement reaction across the three-way junction. By doing so, the detection selectivity can be double-guaranteed through both amplicon-transducer recognition and the amplicon-circuit reaction. A well-optimized circuit can be immediately applied to a new target detection through simply displacing only 10-12 nt on only one component, according to the target. More importantly, this property for the first time enables multi-analysis and logic-analysis in a single reaction, sharing a single fluorescence reporter. In an applicable model, trace amounts of Cronobacter and Enterobacteria genes have been clearly distinguished from samples with no bacteria or one bacterium, with ultra-high sensitivity and selectivity.
Liu, Da-Fei; Liu, Chun-Guo; Tian, Jin; Jiang, Yi-Tong; Zhang, Xiao-Zhan; Chai, Hong-Liang; Yang, Tian-Kuo; Yin, Xiu-Chen; Zhang, Hong-Ying; Liu, Ming; Hua, Yu-Ping; Qu, Lian-Dong
2015-06-01
Although widespread vaccination against canine distemper virus (CDV) has been conducted for many decades, several canine distemper outbreaks in vaccinated animals have been reported frequently. In order to detect and differentiate the wild-type and vaccine strains of the CDV from the vaccinated animals, a novel reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method was developed. A set of four primers-two internal and two external-were designed to target the H gene for the specific detection of wild-type CDV variants. The CDV-H RT-LAMP assay rapidly amplified the target gene, within 60 min, using a water bath held at a constant temperature of 65°C. The assay was 100-fold more sensitive than conventional RT-PCR, with a detection limit of 10(-1)TCID50ml(-1). The system showed a preference for wild-type CDV, and exhibited less sensitivity to canine parvovirus, canine adenovirus type 1 and type 2, canine coronavirus, and canine parainfluenza virus. The assay was validated using 102 clinical samples obtained from vaccinated dog farms, and the results were comparable to a multiplex nested RT-PCR assay. The specific CDV-H RT-LAMP assay provides a simple, rapid, and sensitive tool for the detection of canines infected with wild-type CDV from canines vaccinated with attenuated vaccine. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Ponce, Camille; Kaczorowski, Flora; Perpoint, Thomas; Miailhes, Patrick; Sigal, Alain; Javouhey, Etienne; Gillet, Yves; Jacquin, Laurent; Douplat, Marion; Tazarourte, Karim; Potinet, Véronique; Simon, Bruno; Lavoignat, Adeline; Bonnot, Guillaume; Sow, Fatimata; Bienvenu, Anne-Lise; Picot, Stéphane
2017-01-01
Background: Sensitive and easy-to-perform methods for the diagnosis of malaria are not yet available. Improving the limit of detection and following the requirements for certification are issues to be addressed in both endemic and non-endemic settings. The aim of this study was to test whether loop-mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (LAMP) may be an alternative to microscopy or real-time PCR for the screening of imported malaria cases in non-endemic area. Results: 310 blood samples associated with 829 suspected cases of imported malaria were tested during a one year period. Microscopy (thin and thick stained blood slides, reference standard) was used for the diagnosis. Real-time PCR was used as a standard of truth, and LAMP (Meridian Malaria Plus) was used as an index test in a prospective study conducted following the Standards for Reporting Diagnosis Accuracy Studies. In the 83 positive samples, species identification was P. falciparum (n = 66), P. ovale (n = 9), P. vivax (n = 3) P. malariae (n = 3) and 2 co-infections with P. falciparum + P.malariae. Using LAMP methods, 93 samples gave positive results, including 4 false-positives. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for LAMP tests were 100%, 98.13%, 95.51%, and 100% compared to PCR. Conclusion: High negative predictive value, and limit of detection suggest that LAMP can be used for screening of imported malaria cases in non-endemic countries when expert microscopists are not immediately available. However, the rare occurrence of non-valid results and the need for species identification and quantification of positive samples preclude the use of LAMP as a single reference method. PMID:29251261
Ligation with Nucleic Acid Sequence–Based Amplification
Ong, Carmichael; Tai, Warren; Sarma, Aartik; Opal, Steven M.; Artenstein, Andrew W.; Tripathi, Anubhav
2012-01-01
This work presents a novel method for detecting nucleic acid targets using a ligation step along with an isothermal, exponential amplification step. We use an engineered ssDNA with two variable regions on the ends, allowing us to design the probe for optimal reaction kinetics and primer binding. This two-part probe is ligated by T4 DNA Ligase only when both parts bind adjacently to the target. The assay demonstrates that the expected 72-nt RNA product appears only when the synthetic target, T4 ligase, and both probe fragments are present during the ligation step. An extraneous 38-nt RNA product also appears due to linear amplification of unligated probe (P3), but its presence does not cause a false-positive result. In addition, 40 mmol/L KCl in the final amplification mix was found to be optimal. It was also found that increasing P5 in excess of P3 helped with ligation and reduced the extraneous 38-nt RNA product. The assay was also tested with a single nucleotide polymorphism target, changing one base at the ligation site. The assay was able to yield a negative signal despite only a single-base change. Finally, using P3 and P5 with longer binding sites results in increased overall sensitivity of the reaction, showing that increasing ligation efficiency can improve the assay overall. We believe that this method can be used effectively for a number of diagnostic assays. PMID:22449695
Nucleic acid purification from plants, animals and microbes in under 30 seconds
Zou, Yiping; Wang, Yuling; Wee, Eugene; Turni, Conny; Blackall, Patrick J.; Trau, Matt; Botella, Jose Ramon
2017-01-01
Nucleic acid amplification is a powerful molecular biology tool, although its use outside the modern laboratory environment is limited due to the relatively cumbersome methods required to extract nucleic acids from biological samples. To address this issue, we investigated a variety of materials for their suitability for nucleic acid capture and purification. We report here that untreated cellulose-based paper can rapidly capture nucleic acids within seconds and retain them during a single washing step, while contaminants present in complex biological samples are quickly removed. Building on this knowledge, we have successfully created an equipment-free nucleic acid extraction dipstick methodology that can obtain amplification-ready DNA and RNA from plants, animals, and microbes from difficult biological samples such as blood and leaves from adult trees in less than 30 seconds. The simplicity and speed of this method as well as the low cost and availability of suitable materials (e.g., common paper towelling), means that nucleic acid extraction is now more accessible and affordable for researchers and the broader community. Furthermore, when combined with recent advancements in isothermal amplification and naked eye DNA visualization techniques, the dipstick extraction technology makes performing molecular diagnostic assays achievable in limited resource settings including university and high school classrooms, field-based environments, and developing countries. PMID:29161268
Zhang, Kai; Wang, Ke; Zhu, Xue; Xu, Fei; Xie, Minhao
2017-01-15
MicroRNA (miRNA) has become an important biomarker candidate for cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy. In this study, we have developed a novel fluorescence method for sensitive and specific miRNA detection via duplex specific nuclease (DSN) signal amplification and demonstrated its practical application in biological samples. Malachite green (MG) was employed as a "label-free" signal transducer since fluorescence of MG could be enhanced by 100-fold when MG were binding to a G-quadruplex structure formed within the d(G 2 T) 13 G sequence. The proposed signal amplification strategy is an integrated "biological circuit" designed to initiate a cascade of enzymatic reactions in order to detect, amplify, and measure a specific miRNA sequence by using the isothermal cleavage property of a DSN. The circuit is composed of two molecular switches operating in series: the amplification reaction activated by a specific miRNA and the strand-displacement polymerization reaction designed to initiate molecular beacon-assisted amplification and signal transduction by using MG/G-quadruplex complex. The hsa-miR-141 (miR141) was chosen as a target miRNA because its level specifically abnormal in a wide range of common human cancers including breast, lung, colon, and prostate cancer. The proposed method allowed quantitative sequence-specific detection of miR141 (with a detection limit of 1.03pM) in a dynamic range from 1pM to 10μM, with an excellent ability to discriminate differences in miRNAs. Moreover, the detection assay was applied to quantify miR141 in cancerous cell lysates. On the basis of these findings, we believe that this proposed sensitive and specific assay has great potential as a miRNA quantification method for use in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
SUWANCHAROEN, Duangjai; LIMLERTVATEE, Supaluck; CHETIYAWAN, Philaiphon; TONGPAN, Phichet; SANGKAEW, Nongluck; SAWADDEE, Yaowarat; INTHAKAN, Kanya; WIRATSUDAKUL, Anuwat
2016-01-01
Leptospirosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis which has long been endemic in Thailand. Cattle and buffaloes are important livestock species that live in close contact with humans, especially in rural areas. These animals may, therefore, act as long-term carriers of leptospirosis for humans and other livestock species. The present study employed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect pathogenic leptospiral 16S rDNA in the urine of cattle and buffaloes for assessing associations between uroprevalence and species, sex, age and spatial distribution. A total of 3,657 urine samples were collected for laboratory diagnosis, and 312 of which turned positive to the test (true prevalence 5.90%; 95% CI 4.98–6.91). The highest true uroprevalence was found in lower northern region at 19.80% (95% CI 15.83–24.32) followed by upper and lower northeastern regions at 15.22% and 6.25%, respectively. However, the highest true uroprevalence in beef cattle, the majority of cattle in Thailand, was recorded in northeastern region which is the endemic area of human leptospirosis. The uroprevalence was not statistically different among species and types of examined animals. Male animals were over twice more likely to be infected compared to females. Excluding animals younger than one year of age due to small sample size, the uroprevalence upraised with increasing age. A collaborative investigation between veterinary and public health sectors is required to holistically explore the link between leptospirosis in humans and livestock, especially in high prevalent areas. PMID:27302016
Suwancharoen, Duangjai; Limlertvatee, Supaluck; Chetiyawan, Philaiphon; Tongpan, Phichet; Sangkaew, Nongluck; Sawaddee, Yaowarat; Inthakan, Kanya; Wiratsudakul, Anuwat
2016-10-01
Leptospirosis is a worldwide distributed zoonosis which has long been endemic in Thailand. Cattle and buffaloes are important livestock species that live in close contact with humans, especially in rural areas. These animals may, therefore, act as long-term carriers of leptospirosis for humans and other livestock species. The present study employed loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method to detect pathogenic leptospiral 16S rDNA in the urine of cattle and buffaloes for assessing associations between uroprevalence and species, sex, age and spatial distribution. A total of 3,657 urine samples were collected for laboratory diagnosis, and 312 of which turned positive to the test (true prevalence 5.90%; 95% CI 4.98-6.91). The highest true uroprevalence was found in lower northern region at 19.80% (95% CI 15.83-24.32) followed by upper and lower northeastern regions at 15.22% and 6.25%, respectively. However, the highest true uroprevalence in beef cattle, the majority of cattle in Thailand, was recorded in northeastern region which is the endemic area of human leptospirosis. The uroprevalence was not statistically different among species and types of examined animals. Male animals were over twice more likely to be infected compared to females. Excluding animals younger than one year of age due to small sample size, the uroprevalence upraised with increasing age. A collaborative investigation between veterinary and public health sectors is required to holistically explore the link between leptospirosis in humans and livestock, especially in high prevalent areas.
Ide, Tatsuya; Kanzaki, Natsumi; Ohmura, Wakako; Okabe, Kimiko
2016-03-27
Lyctus brunneus(Stephens) is one of the most destructive and worldwide invasive pests of seasoned woods for wooden products. This and other pestLyctusspecies have had their distribution expanded by international and domestic human transportation of infested wood and wood products. Rapid detection and accurate identification ofLyctusspecies are effective tools for helping to eradicate them in new introduction sites. The accurate species-level identification of adults requires expert knowledge about their morphology. However, it takes much time and effort to recover suitable adult specimens because they are borers inside wood. Frass ofLyctusspecies can easily be detected and recovered in and around infested wood. Thus, frass was tested to see if it was a suitable sample to allow development of a rapid and technically easy molecular detection and identification method forL.brunneus.Species-specific primers were designed from the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I region ofL.brunneusand used in development and testing of methods for successfully identifying them from their frass using the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) or species-specific nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays. The LAMP assay was faster and more sensitive for detecting the presence of DNA derived fromL.brunneusin their frass than the nested PCR assay. These methodologies will be applicable for the rapid detection and identification of other wood-boring invasive pests in regulatory applications. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Wang, Fang; Li, Ran; Shang, Ying; Wang, Can; Wang, Guo-Qing; Zhou, De-Xun; Yang, Dong-Hong; Xi, Wen; Wang, Ke-Qiang; Bao, Jing; Kang, Yu; Gao, Zhan-Cheng
2016-01-20
It is important to achieve the definitive pathogen identification in hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP), but the traditional culture results always delay the target antibiotic therapy. We assessed the method called quantitative loop-mediated isothermal amplification (qLAMP) as a new implement for steering of the antibiotic decision-making in HAP. Totally, 76 respiratory tract aspiration samples were prospectively collected from 60 HAP patients. DNA was isolated from these samples. Specific DNA fragments for identifying 11 pneumonia-related bacteria were amplified by qLAMP assay. Culture results of these patients were compared with the qLAMP results. Clinical data and treatment strategies were analyzed to evaluate the effects of qLAMP results on clinical data. McNemar test and Fisher's exact test were used for statistical analysis. The detection of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumonia, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Streptococcus pneumonia, and Acinetobacter baumannii by qLAMP was consistent with sputum culture (P > 0.05). The qLAMP results of 4 samples for Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila, or Mycoplasma pneumonia (MP) were inconsistent with culture results; however, clinical data revealed that the qLAMP results were all reliable except 1 MP positive sample due to the lack of specific species identified in the final diagnosis. The improvement of clinical condition was more significant (P < 0.001) in patients with pathogen target-driven therapy based on qLAMP results than those with empirical therapy. qLAMP is a more promising method for detection of pathogens in an early, rapid, sensitive, and specific manner than culture.
Seok, Youngung; Joung, Hyou-Arm; Byun, Ju-Young; Jeon, Hyo-Sung; Shin, Su Jeong; Kim, Sanghyo; Shin, Young-Beom; Han, Hyung Soo; Kim, Min-Gon
2017-01-01
Paper-based diagnostic devices have many advantages as a one of the multiple diagnostic test platforms for point-of-care (POC) testing because they have simplicity, portability, and cost-effectiveness. However, despite high sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid testing (NAT), the development of NAT based on a paper platform has not progressed as much as the others because various specific conditions for nucleic acid amplification reactions such as pH, buffer components, and temperature, inhibitions from technical differences of paper-based device. Here, we propose a paper-based device for performing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with real-time simultaneous detection of multiple DNA targets. We determined the optimal chemical components to enable dry conditions for the LAMP reaction without lyophilization or other techniques. We also devised the simple paper device structure by sequentially stacking functional layers, and employed a newly discovered property of hydroxynaphthol blue fluorescence to analyze real-time LAMP signals in the paper device. This proposed platform allowed analysis of three different meningitis DNA samples in a single device with single-step operation. This LAMP-based multiple diagnostic device has potential for real-time analysis with quantitative detection of 10 2 -10 5 copies of genomic DNA. Furthermore, we propose the transformation of DNA amplification devices to a simple and affordable paper system approach with great potential for realizing a paper-based NAT system for POC testing.
Seok, Youngung; Joung, Hyou-Arm; Byun, Ju-Young; Jeon, Hyo-Sung; Shin, Su Jeong; Kim, Sanghyo; Shin, Young-Beom; Han, Hyung Soo; Kim, Min-Gon
2017-01-01
Paper-based diagnostic devices have many advantages as a one of the multiple diagnostic test platforms for point-of-care (POC) testing because they have simplicity, portability, and cost-effectiveness. However, despite high sensitivity and specificity of nucleic acid testing (NAT), the development of NAT based on a paper platform has not progressed as much as the others because various specific conditions for nucleic acid amplification reactions such as pH, buffer components, and temperature, inhibitions from technical differences of paper-based device. Here, we propose a paper-based device for performing loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with real-time simultaneous detection of multiple DNA targets. We determined the optimal chemical components to enable dry conditions for the LAMP reaction without lyophilization or other techniques. We also devised the simple paper device structure by sequentially stacking functional layers, and employed a newly discovered property of hydroxynaphthol blue fluorescence to analyze real-time LAMP signals in the paper device. This proposed platform allowed analysis of three different meningitis DNA samples in a single device with single-step operation. This LAMP-based multiple diagnostic device has potential for real-time analysis with quantitative detection of 102-105 copies of genomic DNA. Furthermore, we propose the transformation of DNA amplification devices to a simple and affordable paper system approach with great potential for realizing a paper-based NAT system for POC testing. PMID:28740546
Wang, Tiantian; Kim, Sanghyo; An, Jeong Ho
2017-02-01
Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is considered as one of the alternatives to the conventional PCR and it is an inexpensive portable diagnostic system with minimal power consumption. The present work describes the application of LAMP in real-time photon detection and quantitative analysis of nucleic acids integrated with a disposable complementary-metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensor. This novel system works as an amplification-coupled detection platform, relying on a CMOS image sensor, with the aid of a computerized circuitry controller for the temperature and light sources. The CMOS image sensor captures the light which is passing through the sensor surface and converts into digital units using an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). This new system monitors the real-time photon variation, caused by the color changes during amplification. Escherichia coli O157 was used as a proof-of-concept target for quantitative analysis, and compared with the results for Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica to confirm the efficiency of the system. The system detected various DNA concentrations of E. coli O157 in a short time (45min), with a detection limit of 10fg/μL. The low-cost, simple, and compact design, with low power consumption, represents a significant advance in the development of a portable, sensitive, user-friendly, real-time, and quantitative analytic tools for point-of-care diagnosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wu, Dong; Xu, Huo; Shi, Haimei; Li, Weihong; Sun, Mengze; Wu, Zai-Sheng
2017-03-08
K-Ras mutations at codon 12 play an important role in an early step of carcinogenesis. Here, a label-free colorimetric isothermal cascade amplification for ultrasensitive and specific detection of K-Ras point mutation is developed based on a double-hairpin molecular beacon (DHMB). The biosensor consists of DHMB probe and a primer-incorporated polymerization template (PPT) designed partly complementary to DHMB. In the presence of polymerase, target DNA is designed to trigger strand displacement amplification (SDA) via promote the hybridization of PPT with DHMB and subsequently initiates cascade amplification process with the help of the nicking endonuclease. During the hybridization and enzymatic reaction, G-quadruplex/hemin DNAzymes are generated, catalyzing the oxidation of ABTS 2- by H 2 O 2 in the presence of hemin. Utilizing the proposed facile colorimetric scheme, the target DNA can be quantified down to 4 pM with the dynamic response range of 5 orders of magnitude, indicating the substantially improved detection capability. Even more strikingly, point mutation in K-ras gene can be readily observed by the naked eye without the need for the labeling or expensive equipment. Given the high-performance for K-Ras analysis, the enhanced signal transduction capability associated with double-hairpin structure of DHMB provides a novel rout to screen biomarkers, and the descripted colorimetric biosensor seems to hold great promise for diagnostic applications of genetic diseases. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Zhang, Manjun; Li, Ruimin; Ling, Liansheng
2017-06-01
This work proposed a homogenous fluorescence assay for proteins, based on the target-triggered proximity DNA hybridization in combination with strand displacement amplification (SDA). It benefited from target-triggered proximity DNA hybridization to specifically recognize the target and SDA making recycling signal amplification. The system included a molecular beacon (MB), an extended probe (EP), and an assistant probe (AP), which were not self-assembly in the absence of target proteins, due to the short length of the designed complementary sequence among MB, EP, and AP. Upon addition of the target proteins, EP and AP are bound to the target proteins, which induced the occurrence of proximity hybridization between MB, EP, and AP and followed by strand displacement amplification. Through the primer extension, a tripartite complex of probes and target was displaced and recycled to hybridize with another MB, and the more opened MB enabled the detection signal to amplify. Under optimum conditions, it was used for the detection of streptavidin and thrombin. Fluorescence intensity was proportional to the concentration of streptavidin and thrombin in the range of 0.2-30 and 0.2-35 nmol/L, respectively. Furthermore, this fluorescent method has a good selectivity, in which the fluorescence intensity of thrombin was ~37-fold or even larger than that of the other proteins at the same concentration. It is a new and simple method for SDA-involved target protein detection and possesses a great potential for other protein detection in the future. Graphical abstract A homogenous assay for protein detection is based on proximity DNA hybridization and strand displacement amplification reaction.
Smart Cup: A Minimally-Instrumented, Smartphone-Based Point-of-Care Molecular Diagnostic Device.
Liao, Shih-Chuan; Peng, Jing; Mauk, Michael G; Awasthi, Sita; Song, Jinzhao; Friedman, Harvey; Bau, Haim H; Liu, Changchun
2016-06-28
Nucleic acid amplification-based diagnostics offer rapid, sensitive, and specific means for detecting and monitoring the progression of infectious diseases. However, this method typically requires extensive sample preparation, expensive instruments, and trained personnel. All of which hinder its use in resource-limited settings, where many infectious diseases are endemic. Here, we report on a simple, inexpensive, minimally-instrumented, smart cup platform for rapid, quantitative molecular diagnostics of pathogens at the point of care. Our smart cup takes advantage of water-triggered, exothermic chemical reaction to supply heat for the nucleic acid-based, isothermal amplification. The amplification temperature is regulated with a phase-change material (PCM). The PCM maintains the amplification reactor at a constant temperature, typically, 60-65°C, when ambient temperatures range from 12 to 35°C. To eliminate the need for an optical detector and minimize cost, we use the smartphone's flashlight to excite the fluorescent dye and the phone camera to record real-time fluorescence emission during the amplification process. The smartphone can concurrently monitor multiple amplification reactors and analyze the recorded data. Our smart cup's utility was demonstrated by amplifying and quantifying herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) with LAMP assay in our custom-made microfluidic diagnostic chip. We have consistently detected as few as 100 copies of HSV-2 viral DNA per sample. Our system does not require any lab facilities and is suitable for use at home, in the field, and in the clinic, as well as in resource-poor settings, where access to sophisticated laboratories is impractical, unaffordable, or nonexistent.
Hayasaka, Daisuke; Aoki, Kotaro; Morita, Kouichi
2013-03-04
Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is a causative agent of acute central nervous system disease in humans. It has three subtypes, far eastern (FE), Siberian (Sib) and European (Eu) subtypes, which are distributed over a wide area of Europe and Asia. The objective of this study was to develop a simple and rapid assay for the detection of TBEV RNA by using reverse-transcriptase loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) method that can differentiate the three subtypes of TBEV and can be used for clinical diagnosis and epidemiological study. Primers for TBEV-specific and subtype-specific RT-LAMP assay were designed to target the consensus sequence in NS1 of all subtypes and the consensus sequence in the E gene of each subtype, respectiveluy. In vitro transcribed RNA of Oshima strain that belongs to FE subtype was serially diluted and used to examine the sensitivity of the assay. Cross-reactivity of subtype-specific RT-LAMP assay was tested by using the RNA of Oshima and Sofjin (FE), IR-99 (Sib) and Hochosterwitz (Eu) strains. RNA extracted from the mixtures of TBEV and ticks, and of TBEV and human blood, and the mouse tissues infected with TBEV, were evaluated in the assay. Positive amplification was observed by real-time monitoring of turbidity and by visual detection of color change. The sensitivity of TBEV-specific RT-LAMP assay was 102 copies of target RNA per reaction volume. FE-specific RT-LAMP assay amplified viral genes of Oshima and Sofjin strains but not of IR-99 and Hochosterwitz strains, and of Japanese encephalitis virus. RT-LAMP assay for Sib and for Eu specifically amplified viral genes of IR-99 and Hochosterwitz strains, respectively. We also showed that tick or human blood extract did not inhibit the amplification of viral gene during the assay. Furthermore, we confirmed that the TBEV RT-LAMP could detect virus RNA from peripheral and central nervous system tissues of laboratory mice infected with TBEV. TBEV RT-LAMP assay offers a sensitive, specific, rapid and easy-to-handle method for the detection of TBEV RNA in tick samples and this may be applied in the clinical samples collected from TBE-suspected patients.
Abd El Wahed, Ahmed; Patel, Pranav; Heidenreich, Doris; Hufert, Frank T.; Weidmann, Manfred
2013-01-01
The emergence of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in the eastern Mediterranean and imported cases to Europe has alerted public health authorities. Currently, detection of MERS-CoV in patient samples is done by real-time RT-PCR. Samples collected from suspected cases are sent to highly-equipped centralized laboratories for screening. A rapid point-of-care test is needed to allow more widespread mobile detection of the virus directly from patient material. In this study, we describe the development of a reverse transcription isothermal Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RT-RPA) assay for the identification of MERS-CoV. A partial nucleocapsid gene RNA molecular standard of MERS-coronavirus was used to determine the assay sensitivity. The isothermal (42°C) MERS-CoV RT-RPA was as sensitive as real-time RT-PCR (10 RNA molecules), rapid (3-7 minutes) and mobile (using tubescanner weighing 1kg). The MERS-CoV RT-RPA showed cross-detection neither of any of the RNAs of several coronaviruses and respiratory viruses affecting humans nor of the human genome. The developed isothermal real-time RT-RPA is ideal for rapid mobile molecular MERS-CoV monitoring in acute patients and may also facilitate the search for the animal reservoir of MERS-CoV. PMID:24459611
Liu, Weipeng; Zhu, Minjun; Liu, Hongxing; Wei, Jitao; Zhou, Xiaoming; Xing, Da
2016-07-15
Searching for a strategy to enhance the efficiency of nucleic acid amplification and achieve exquisite discrimination of nucleic acids at the single-base level for biological detection has become an exciting research direction in recent years. Here, we have developed a simple and universal primer design strategy which produces a fascinating effect on isothermal strand displacement amplification (iSDA). We refer to the resultant primer as "invading stacking primer (IS-Primer)" which is based on contiguous stacking hybridization and toehold-mediated exchange reaction and function by merely changing the hybridization location of the primer. Using the IS-Primer, the sensitivity in detecting the target miR-21 is improved approximately five fold compared with the traditional iSDA reaction. It was further demonstrated that the IS-Primer acts as an invading strand to initiate branch migration which can increase the efficiency of the untwisting of the hairpin probe. This effect is equivalent to reducing the free energy of the stem, and the technique shows superior selectivity for single-base mismatches. By demonstrating the enhanced effect of the IS-Primer in the iSDA reaction, this work may provide a potentially new avenue for developing more sensitive and selective nucleic acids assays. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Nkouawa, Agathe; Sako, Yasuhito; Okamoto, Munehiro; Ito, Akira
2016-06-01
For differential detection of Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, and Taenia asiatica, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene has been recently developed and shown to be sensitive, specific, and effective. However, to achieve differential identification, one specimen requires three reaction mixtures containing a primer set of each Taenia species separately, which is complex and time consuming and increases the risk of cross-contamination. In this study, we developed a simple differential identification of human Taenia species using multiplex LAMP (mLAMP) in combination with dot enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (dot-ELISA). Forward inner primers of T. solium, T. saginata, and T. asiatica labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC), digoxigenin (DIG), and tetramethylrhodamine (TAMRA), respectively, and biotin-labeled backward inner primers were used in mLAMP. The mLAMP assay succeeded in specific amplification of each respective target gene in a single tube. Furthermore, the mLAMP product from each species was easily distinguished by dot-ELISA with an antibody specific for FITC, DIG, or TAMRA. The mLAMP assay in combination with dot-ELISA will make identification of human Taenia species simpler, easier, and more practical. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.
Lang, Jillian M.; Langlois, Paul; Nguyen, Marian Hanna R.; Triplett, Lindsay R.; Purdie, Laura; Holton, Timothy A.; Djikeng, Appolinaire; Vera Cruz, Casiana M.; Verdier, Valérie
2014-01-01
Molecular diagnostics for crop diseases can enhance food security by enabling the rapid identification of threatening pathogens and providing critical information for the deployment of disease management strategies. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a PCR-based tool that allows the rapid, highly specific amplification of target DNA sequences at a single temperature and is thus ideal for field-level diagnosis of plant diseases. We developed primers highly specific for two globally important rice pathogens, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, the causal agent of bacterial blight (BB) disease, and X. oryzae pv. oryzicola, the causal agent of bacterial leaf streak disease (BLS), for use in reliable, sensitive LAMP assays. In addition to pathovar distinction, two assays that differentiate X. oryzae pv. oryzae by African or Asian lineage were developed. Using these LAMP primer sets, the presence of each pathogen was detected from DNA and bacterial cells, as well as leaf and seed samples. Thresholds of detection for all assays were consistently 104 to 105 CFU ml−1, while genomic DNA thresholds were between 1 pg and 10 fg. Use of the unique sequences combined with the LAMP assay provides a sensitive, accurate, rapid, simple, and inexpensive protocol to detect both BB and BLS pathogens. PMID:24837384
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Riot, Vincent J.
The present disclosure provides a system and a method for measuring fluorescence of a sample. The sample may be a polymerase-chain-reaction (PCR) array, a loop-mediated-isothermal amplification array, etc. LEDs are used to excite the sample, and a photodiode is used to collect the sample's fluorescence. An electronic offset signal is used to reduce the effects of background fluorescence and the noises from the measurement system. An integrator integrates the difference between the output of the photodiode and the electronic offset signal over a given period of time. The resulting integral is then converted into digital domain for further processing andmore » storage.« less
Reyes, John Carlo B; Solon, Juan Antonio A; Rivera, Windell L
2014-07-01
A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay targeting the 2-kbp repeated DNA species-specific sequence was developed for detection of Trichomonas vaginalis, the causative agent of trichomoniasis. The analytical sensitivity and specificity of the LAMP assay were evaluated using pooled genital swab and urine specimens, respectively, spiked with T. vaginalis trophozoites. Genital secretion and urine did not inhibit the detection of the parasite. The sensitivity of the LAMP was 10-1000 times higher than the PCR performed. The detection limit of LAMP was 1 trichomonad for both spiked genital swab and urine specimens. Also, LAMP did not exhibit cross-reactivity with closely-related trichomonads, Trichomonas tenax and Pentatrichomonas hominis, and other enteric and urogenital microorganisms, Entamoeba histolytica, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. This is the first report of a LAMP assay for the detection of T. vaginalis and has prospective application for rapid diagnosis and control of trichomoniasis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Kumagai, Takashi; Furushima-Shimogawara, Rieko; Ohmae, Hiroshi; Wang, Tian-Ping; Lu, Shaohong; Chen, Rui; Wen, Liyong; Ohta, Nobuo
2010-09-01
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the specific primer set amplifying 28S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of Schistosoma japonicum was able to detect genomic DNA of S. japonicum, but not S. mansoni, at 100 fg. This procedure enabled us to detect the DNA from a single miracidium and a snail infected with one miracidium at just 1 day after infection. We compared these results with those from loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) targeting 28S rDNA and found similar results. The LAMP could amplify the specific DNA from a group of 100 normal snails mixed with one infected snail A PCR screening of infected snails from endemic regions in Anhui Province revealed schistosomal DNA even in snails found negative by microscopy. PCR and LAMP show promise for monitoring the early infection rate in snails, and they may be useful for predicting the risk of infection in the endemic places.
Controlled Microwave Heating Accelerates Rolling Circle Amplification
Yoshimura, Takeo; Suzuki, Takamasa; Mineki, Shigeru; Ohuchi, Shokichi
2015-01-01
Rolling circle amplification (RCA) generates single-stranded DNAs or RNA, and the diverse applications of this isothermal technique range from the sensitive detection of nucleic acids to analysis of single nucleotide polymorphisms. Microwave chemistry is widely applied to increase reaction rate as well as product yield and purity. The objectives of the present research were to apply microwave heating to RCA and indicate factors that contribute to the microwave selective heating effect. The microwave reaction temperature was strictly controlled using a microwave applicator optimized for enzymatic-scale reactions. Here, we showed that microwave-assisted RCA reactions catalyzed by either of the four thermostable DNA polymerases were accelerated over 4-folds compared with conventional RCA. Furthermore, the temperatures of the individual buffer components were specifically influenced by microwave heating. We concluded that microwave heating accelerated isothermal RCA of DNA because of the differential heating mechanisms of microwaves on the temperatures of reaction components, although the overall reaction temperatures were the same. PMID:26348227
Wang, Minghui; Zhou, Yunlei; Yin, Huanshun; Jiang, Wenjing; Wang, Haiyan; Ai, Shiyun
2018-06-01
MicroRNAs play crucial role in regulating gene expression in organism, thus it is very necessary to exploit an efficient method for the sensitive and specific detection of microRNA. Herein, a signal-on electrochemiluminescence biosensor was fabricated for microRNA-319a detection based on two-stage isothermal strand-displacement polymerase reaction (ISDPR). In the presence of target microRNA, amounts of trigger DNA could be generated by the first ISDPR. Then, the trigger DNA and the primer hybridized simultaneously with the hairpin probe to open the stem of the probe, and then the ECL signal will be emitted. In the presence of phi29 DNA polymerase and dNTPs, the trigger DNA could be displaced to initiate a new cycle which was the second ISDPR. Due to the two-stage amplification, this method presented excellent detection sensitivity with a low detection limit of 0.14 fM. Moreover, the applicability of the developed method was demonstrated by detecting the change of microRNA-319a content in the leaves of rice seedlings after the rice seeds were incubated with chemical mutagen of ethyl methanesulfonate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Poudel, A; Pandey, B D; Lekhak, B; Rijal, B; Sapkota, B R; Suzuki, Y
2009-01-01
Tuberculosis is a global health problem and the situation is worsening with newer incidences of drug resistance and HIV association. Diagnosis of tuberculosis can be done by many methods and test, culture of sputum being the ideal one. Nucleic acid amplification (NAA) assay are more time efficient one, that amplify and detect specific nucleic acid sequences allows rapid, sensitive and specific detection of M. tuberculosis in sputum samples. The present study intends to compile the clinical presentations of the pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients and to evaluate the efficacy of in-house loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) in detecting Mycobacterium tuberculosis in sputum samples by comparing with microscopy and culture. Two hundred two sputum samples were collected from 202 patients at National Tuberculosis Center, Bhaktapur, Nepal. Complete clinical profiling, epidemiological data and record on BCG vaccination were noted and the samples were subjected for microscopy, culture and in-house LAMP with six primers specific for 16S RNA gene of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Of the 176 cases of clinical profiling, productive cough was most common symptom in 147 (83.52%), followed by chest pain 136 (77.27%), fever 133 (75.56%) and haemoptysis 61 (34.66%). There was a statistically significant association between BCG vaccination and development of TB (chi(2)=5.33, P=0.02). Of 202 cases, 115 (56.93%) were chest X-ray positive, 101(50%) were direct smear-positive and 100 (49.51%) were culture positive. LAMP had a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 94.12% while comparing with culture. In addition, its sensitivity and specificity were 91.09% and 89.11% respectively with reference to microscopy. As in our previous study, overall, the result of present study further confirms that the in-house LAMP is a simple, rapid, sensitive and specific DNA amplification technique for PTB diagnosis. Because of rapidity of microscopy and specificity of culture, in-house LAMP assay can be used as a very powerful and useful supplementary tool with complete clinical profiling of the patients for rapid diagnosis of TB in both AFB-positive and negative cases who are suspected as PTB in disease endemic country like Nepal.
Adsorption-induced auto-amplification of enantiomeric excess on an achiral surface
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yun, Yongju; Gellman, Andrew J.
2015-06-01
The homochirality of biomolecules is a signature of life on Earth and has significant implications in, for example, the production of pharmaceutical compounds. It has been suggested that biomolecular homochirality may have arisen from the amplification of a spontaneously formed small enantiomeric excess (e.e.). Many minerals exhibit naturally chiral surfaces and so adsorption has been proposed as one possible mechanism for such an amplification of e.e. Here we show that when gas-phase mixtures of D- and L-aspartic acid are exposed to an achiral Cu(111) surface, a small e.e. in the gas phase, e.e.g, leads to an amplification of the e.e. on the surface, e.e.s, under equilibrium conditions. Adsorption-induced amplification of e.e. does not require a chiral surface. The dependence of e.e.s on e.e.g has been modelled successfully using a Langmuir-like adsorption isotherm that incorporates the formation of homochiral adsorbate clusters on the surface.
Zhou, Ya; Xiao, Jingfan; Ma, Xin; Wang, Qiyao; Zhang, Yuanxing
2018-06-01
In purpose of valid Streptococcus iniae detection, we established a colorimetric biosensor using gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) labeled with dual functional probes and along with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (LAMP-AuNPs). Based on the characteristics of self-aggregation and bio-conjugation with ligands, AuNPs were chosen for observable color change in tandem with LAMP amplification method to reach high sensitivity and easy operation. Meanwhile, the improvement of dual probes that could fully utilize the LAMP product gave the biosensor a stable result exhibition. LAMP-AuNPs targeting gene ftsB, one of the ATP transporter-related genes, turned out favorable specificity in cross reaction among other fish pathogens. The detect limit of 10 2 CFU revealed a better sensitivity compared with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method and AuNPs lateral flow test strip (LFTS). It was also proved to be effective by zebrafish infection model trials with less than 2-h time consumption and nearly no devices which make it a convenient biosensor for point-to-care S. iniae detection.
Detection of the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer using a nucleic acid probe with cycling probe technology.
Nakagawa, Kazuhiro; Yamamoto, Takuro; Yasuda, Akio
2010-09-15
An isothermal signal amplification technique for specific DNA sequences, known as cycling probe technology (CPT), has enabled rapid acquisition of genomic information. Here we report an analogous technique for the detection of an activated transcription factor, a transcription element-binding assay with fluorescent amplification by apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) site lysis cycle (TEFAL). This simple amplification assay can detect activated transcription factors by using a unique nucleic acid probe containing a consensus binding sequence and an AP site, which enables the CPT reaction with AP endonuclease. In this article, we demonstrate that this method detects the functional CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer via the TEFAL probe containing the E-box consensus sequence to which the CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer binds. Using TEFAL combined with immunoassays, we measured oscillations in the amount of CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer in serum-stimulated HeLa cells. Furthermore, we succeeded in measuring the circadian accumulation of the functional CLOCK/BMAL1 heterodimer in human buccal mucosa cells. TEFAL contributes greatly to the study of transcription factor activation in mammalian tissues and cell extracts and is a powerful tool for less invasive investigation of human circadian rhythms. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Yasuhara-Bell, Jarred; Kubota, Ryo; Jenkins, Daniel M; Alvarez, Anne M
2013-12-01
Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP) was used to specifically identify Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, causal agent of bacterial canker of tomato. LAMP primers were developed to detect micA, a chromosomally stable gene that encodes a type II lantibiotic, michiganin A, which inhibits growth of other C. michiganensis subspecies. In all, 409 bacterial strains (351 C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis and 58 non-C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis) from a worldwide collection were tested with LAMP to determine its specificity. LAMP results were compared with genetic profiles established using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of seven genes (dnaA, ppaJ, pat-1, chpC, tomA, ppaA, and ppaC). C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains produced eight distinct profiles. The LAMP reaction identified all C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains and discriminated them from other C. michiganensis subspecies and non-Clavibacter bacteria. LAMP has advantages over immunodiagnostic and other molecular detection methods because of its specificity and isothermal nature, which allows for easy field application. The LAMP reaction is also not affected by as many inhibitors as PCR. This diagnostic tool has potential to provide an easy, one-step test for rapid identification of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis.
Chandu, Dilip; Paul, Sudakshina; Parker, Mathew; Dudin, Yelena; King-Sitzes, Jennifer; Perez, Tim; Mittanck, Don W.; Shah, Manali; Glenn, Kevin C.; Piepenburg, Olaf
2016-01-01
Testing for the presence of genetically modified material in seed samples is of critical importance for all stakeholders in the agricultural industry, including growers, seed manufacturers, and regulatory bodies. While rapid antibody-based testing for the transgenic protein has fulfilled this need in the past, the introduction of new variants of a given transgene demands new diagnostic regimen that allows distinguishing different traits at the nucleic acid level. Although such molecular tests can be performed by PCR in the laboratory, their requirement for expensive equipment and sophisticated operation have prevented its uptake in point-of-use applications. A recently developed isothermal DNA amplification technique, recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), combines simple sample preparation and amplification work-flow procedures with the use of minimal detection equipment in real time. Here, we report the development of a highly sensitive and specific RPA-based detection system for Genuity Roundup Ready 2 Yield (RR2Y) material in soybean (Glycine max) seed samples and present the results of studies applying the method in both laboratory and field-type settings. PMID:27314015
A Paper and Plastic Device for Performing Recombinase Polymerase Amplification of HIV DNA
Rohrman, Brittany A.; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R.
2013-01-01
Despite the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of HIV, only a small fraction of HIV-exposed infants in low- and middle-income countries are tested for the disease. The gold standard for early infant diagnosis, DNA PCR, requires resources that are unavailable in poor settings, and no point-of-care HIV DNA test is currently available. We have developed a device constructed of layers of paper, glass fiber, and plastic that is capable of performing isothermal, enzymatic amplification of HIV DNA. The device is inexpensive, small, light-weight, and easy to assemble. The device stores lyophilized enzymes, facilitates mixing of reaction components, and supports recombinase polymerase amplification in five steps of operation. Using commercially available lateral flow strips as a detection method, we demonstrate the ability of our device to amplify 10 copies of HIV DNA to detectable levels in 15 minutes. Our results suggest that our device, which is designed to be used after DNA extraction from dried-blood spots, may serve in conjunction with lateral flow strips as part of a point-of-care HIV DNA test to be used in low resource settings. PMID:22733333
A paper and plastic device for performing recombinase polymerase amplification of HIV DNA.
Rohrman, Brittany A; Richards-Kortum, Rebecca R
2012-09-07
Despite the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of HIV, only a small fraction of HIV-exposed infants in low- and middle-income countries are tested for the disease. The gold standard for early infant diagnosis, DNA PCR, requires resources that are unavailable in poor settings, and no point-of-care HIV DNA test is currently available. We have developed a device constructed of layers of paper, glass fiber, and plastic that is capable of performing isothermal, enzymatic amplification of HIV DNA. The device is inexpensive, small, light-weight, and easy to assemble. The device stores lyophilized enzymes, facilitates mixing of reaction components, and supports recombinase polymerase amplification in five steps of operation. Using commercially available lateral flow strips as a detection method, we demonstrate the ability of our device to amplify 10 copies of HIV DNA to detectable levels in 15 min. Our results suggest that our device, which is designed to be used after DNA extraction from dried-blood spots, may serve in conjunction with lateral flow strips as part of a point-of-care HIV DNA test to be used in low resource settings.
Del Río, Jonathan Sabaté; Svobodova, Marketa; Bustos, Paulina; Conejeros, Pablo; O'Sullivan, Ciara K
2016-12-01
Electrochemical detection of solid-phase isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) of Piscirickettsia salmonis in salmon genomic DNA is reported. The electrochemical biosensor was constructed by surface functionalization of gold electrodes with a thiolated forward primer specific to the genomic region of interest. Solid-phase RPA and primer elongation were achieved in the presence of the specific target sequence and biotinylated reverse primers. The formation of the subsequent surface-tethered duplex amplicons was electrochemically monitored via addition of streptavidin-linked HRP upon completion of solid-phase RPA. Successful quantitative amplification and detection were achieved in less than 1 h at 37 °C, calibrating with PCR-amplified genomic DNA standards and achieving a limit of detection of 5 · 10 -8 μg ml -1 (3 · 10 3 copies in 10 μl). The presented system was applied to the analysis of eight real salmon samples, and the method was also compared to qPCR analysis, observing an excellent degree of correlation. Graphical abstract Schematic of use of electrochemical RPA for detection of Psiricketessia salmonis in salmon liver.
Rector, Annabel; Tachezy, Ruth; Van Ranst, Marc
2004-01-01
The discovery of novel viruses has often been accomplished by using hybridization-based methods that necessitate the availability of a previously characterized virus genome probe or knowledge of the viral nucleotide sequence to construct consensus or degenerate PCR primers. In their natural replication cycle, certain viruses employ a rolling-circle mechanism to propagate their circular genomes, and multiply primed rolling-circle amplification (RCA) with φ29 DNA polymerase has recently been applied in the amplification of circular plasmid vectors used in cloning. We employed an isothermal RCA protocol that uses random hexamer primers to amplify the complete genomes of papillomaviruses without the need for prior knowledge of their DNA sequences. We optimized this RCA technique with extracted human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) DNA from W12 cells, using a real-time quantitative PCR assay to determine amplification efficiency, and obtained a 2.4 × 104-fold increase in HPV-16 DNA concentration. We were able to clone the complete HPV-16 genome from this multiply primed RCA product. The optimized protocol was subsequently applied to a bovine fibropapillomatous wart tissue sample. Whereas no papillomavirus DNA could be detected by restriction enzyme digestion of the original sample, multiply primed RCA enabled us to obtain a sufficient amount of papillomavirus DNA for restriction enzyme analysis, cloning, and subsequent sequencing of a novel variant of bovine papillomavirus type 1. The multiply primed RCA method allows the discovery of previously unknown papillomaviruses, and possibly also other circular DNA viruses, without a priori sequence information. PMID:15113879
Mauk, Michael G.; Song, Jinzhao; Liu, Changchun; Bau, Haim H.
2018-01-01
Designs and applications of microfluidics-based devices for molecular diagnostics (Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests, NAATs) in infectious disease testing are reviewed, with emphasis on minimally instrumented, point-of-care (POC) tests for resource-limited settings. Microfluidic cartridges (‘chips’) that combine solid-phase nucleic acid extraction; isothermal enzymatic nucleic acid amplification; pre-stored, paraffin-encapsulated lyophilized reagents; and real-time or endpoint optical detection are described. These chips can be used with a companion module for separating plasma from blood through a combined sedimentation-filtration effect. Three reporter types: Fluorescence, colorimetric dyes, and bioluminescence; and a new paradigm for end-point detection based on a diffusion-reaction column are compared. Multiplexing (parallel amplification and detection of multiple targets) is demonstrated. Low-cost detection and added functionality (data analysis, control, communication) can be realized using a cellphone platform with the chip. Some related and similar-purposed approaches by others are surveyed. PMID:29495424
"Paper Machine" for Molecular Diagnostics.
Connelly, John T; Rolland, Jason P; Whitesides, George M
2015-08-04
Clinical tests based on primer-initiated amplification of specific nucleic acid sequences achieve high levels of sensitivity and specificity. Despite these desirable characteristics, these tests have not reached their full potential because their complexity and expense limit their usefulness to centralized laboratories. This paper describes a device that integrates sample preparation and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) with end point detection using a hand-held UV source and camera phone. The prototype device integrates paper microfluidics (to enable fluid handling) and a multilayer structure, or a "paper machine", that allows a central patterned paper strip to slide in and out of fluidic path and thus allows introduction of sample, wash buffers, amplification master mix, and detection reagents with minimal pipetting, in a hand-held, disposable device intended for point-of-care use in resource-limited environments. This device creates a dynamic seal that prevents evaporation during incubation at 65 °C for 1 h. This interval is sufficient to allow a LAMP reaction for the Escherichia coli malB gene to proceed with an analytical sensitivity of 1 double-stranded DNA target copy. Starting with human plasma spiked with whole, live E. coli cells, this paper demonstrates full integration of sample preparation with LAMP amplification and end point detection with a limit of detection of 5 cells. Further, it shows that the method used to prepare sample enables concentration of DNA from sample volumes commonly available from fingerstick blood draw.
Blocked recombinase polymerase amplification for mutation analysis of PIK3CA gene.
Martorell, Sara; Palanca, Sarai; Maquieira, Ángel; Tortajada-Genaro, Luis A
2018-03-01
A blocked recombinase polymerase amplification (blocked-RPA) approach has been developed for the enrichment of mutated templates in heterogeneous specimens as tumor tissues. This isothermal amplification technique opens alternative solutions for meeting the technological demand of physician office laboratories. Herein, the detection of mutations in PIK3CA gene, such as p.E545K, and p.H1047L, is presented. The main element was an oligonucleotide (dideoxycytidine functionalized at 3'-end) which matched with wild-type sequence in the target locus. The amplification was performed operating at 37 °C during 40 min. The results demonstrated that the competition between the upstream primer and the blocker reduced the percentage of amplified wild-type allele, making the detection of the present mutation easier. For mutation discrimination, a fast hybridization assay was performed in microarray format on plastic chip and colorimetric detection. This approach enabled the reliable discrimination of specific mutations against a background of up to 95% wild-type DNA. The applicability of the method, based on the combination of blocked-RPA and low-cost chip hybridization, was successfully proven for the genotyping of various cancer cell lines as well as tumor tissues. The assignations agreed with those provided by next-generation sequencing. Therefore, these investigations would support a personalized approach to patient care based on the molecular signature of human cancers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Colorimetric Detection of Ehrlichia Canis via Nucleic Acid Hybridization in Gold Nano-Colloids
Muangchuen, Ajima; Chaumpluk, Piyasak; Suriyasomboon, Annop; Ekgasit, Sanong
2014-01-01
Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a major thick-bone disease of dog caused by Ehrlichia canis. Detection of this causal agent outside the laboratory using conventional methods is not effective enough. Thus an assay for E. canis detection based on the p30 outer membrane protein gene was developed. It was based on the p30 gene amplification using loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification (LAMP). The primer set specific to six areas within the target gene were designed and tested for their sensitivity and specificity. Detection of DNA signals was based on modulation of gold nanoparticles' surface properties and performing DNA/DNA hybridization using an oligonucleotide probe. Presence of target DNA affected the gold colloid nanoparticles in terms of particle aggregation with a plasmonic color change of the gold colloids from ruby red to purple, visible by the naked eye. All the assay steps were completed within 90 min including DNA extraction without relying on standard laboratory facilities. This method was very specific to target bacteria. Its sensitivity with probe hybridization was sufficient to detect 50 copies of target DNA. This method should provide an alternative choice for point of care control and management of the disease. PMID:25111239
Direct LAMP Assay without Prior DNA Purification for Sex Determination of Papaya.
Tsai, Chi-Chu; Shih, Huei-Chuan; Ko, Ya-Zhu; Wang, Ren-Huang; Li, Shu-Ju; Chiang, Yu-Chung
2016-09-24
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an economically important tropical fruit tree with hermaphrodite, male and female sex types. Hermaphroditic plants are the major type used for papaya production because their fruits have more commercial advantages than those of female plants. Sex determination of the seedlings, or during the early growth stages, is very important for the papaya seedling industry. Thus far, the only method for determining the sex type of a papaya at the seedling stage has been DNA analysis. In this study, a molecular technique-based on DNA analysis-was developed for detecting male-hermaphrodite-specific markers to examine the papaya's sex type. This method is based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and does not require prior DNA purification. The results show that the method is an easy, efficient, and inexpensive way to determine a papaya's sex. This is the first report on the LAMP assay, using intact plant materials-without DNA purification-as samples for the analysis of sex determination of papaya. We found that using high-efficiency DNA polymerase was essential for successful DNA amplification, using trace intact plant material as a template DNA source.
Colorimetric detection of Ehrlichia canis via nucleic acid hybridization in gold nano-colloids.
Muangchuen, Ajima; Chaumpluk, Piyasak; Suriyasomboon, Annop; Ekgasit, Sanong
2014-08-08
Canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME) is a major thick-bone disease of dog caused by Ehrlichia canis. Detection of this causal agent outside the laboratory using conventional methods is not effective enough. Thus an assay for E. canis detection based on the p30 outer membrane protein gene was developed. It was based on the p30 gene amplification using loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification (LAMP). The primer set specific to six areas within the target gene were designed and tested for their sensitivity and specificity. Detection of DNA signals was based on modulation of gold nanoparticles' surface properties and performing DNA/DNA hybridization using an oligonucleotide probe. Presence of target DNA affected the gold colloid nanoparticles in terms of particle aggregation with a plasmonic color change of the gold colloids from ruby red to purple, visible by the naked eye. All the assay steps were completed within 90 min including DNA extraction without relying on standard laboratory facilities. This method was very specific to target bacteria. Its sensitivity with probe hybridization was sufficient to detect 50 copies of target DNA. This method should provide an alternative choice for point of care control and management of the disease.
Direct LAMP Assay without Prior DNA Purification for Sex Determination of Papaya
Tsai, Chi-Chu; Shih, Huei-Chuan; Ko, Ya-Zhu; Wang, Ren-Huang; Li, Shu-Ju; Chiang, Yu-Chung
2016-01-01
Papaya (Carica papaya L.) is an economically important tropical fruit tree with hermaphrodite, male and female sex types. Hermaphroditic plants are the major type used for papaya production because their fruits have more commercial advantages than those of female plants. Sex determination of the seedlings, or during the early growth stages, is very important for the papaya seedling industry. Thus far, the only method for determining the sex type of a papaya at the seedling stage has been DNA analysis. In this study, a molecular technique—based on DNA analysis—was developed for detecting male-hermaphrodite-specific markers to examine the papaya’s sex type. This method is based on the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and does not require prior DNA purification. The results show that the method is an easy, efficient, and inexpensive way to determine a papaya’s sex. This is the first report on the LAMP assay, using intact plant materials-without DNA purification-as samples for the analysis of sex determination of papaya. We found that using high-efficiency DNA polymerase was essential for successful DNA amplification, using trace intact plant material as a template DNA source. PMID:27669237
Wang, Yichao; Zhang, Bumei; Sun, Yan; Liu, Yunde; Gu, Yajun
2017-12-20
Mycoplasma-related vaginitis gradually has been growing as a threat in adults-genitourinary infection contributes to funisitis, spontaneous abortion, and low birth weight. Until now, use of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) to detect Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), or Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) has been reported by some researchers. However, previous studies focused on purified DNA as the template for LAMP assay, which is usually extracted via commercial kit. We developed a LAMP assay for rapid detection of UU, MH, and MG genital mycoplasmas using a simple boiling method for DNA extraction, in a cohort of pregnant women with mycoplasma-related vaginitis. We monitored amplicons with the naked eye using SYBR Green I. The cohort in our study showed a prevalence of 22.6% in pregnant women, as detected by UU-LAMP assay. Compared to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test with purified DNA, the sensitivity of the UU-LAMP in clinical specimens with crude DNA was 87.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 64.6%->99.9). For crude DNA specimens, UU-LAMP was more sensitive and reliable than PCR, with a higher agreement rate (96.8%) and Youden index value (0.88). As a point-of-care test, LAMP is a useful, specific, and efficient way to detect genital mycoplasmas in resource-limited settings, especially for crude DNA. © American Society for Clinical Pathology 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Aydin-Schmidt, Berit; Morris, Ulrika; Ding, Xavier C; Jovel, Irina; Msellem, Mwinyi I; Bergman, Daniel; Islam, Atiqul; Ali, Abdullah S; Polley, Spencer; Gonzalez, Iveth J; Mårtensson, Andreas; Björkman, Anders
2017-01-01
New field applicable diagnostic tools are needed for highly sensitive detection of residual malaria infections in pre-elimination settings. Field performance of a high throughput DNA extraction system for loop mediated isothermal amplification (HTP-LAMP) was therefore evaluated for detecting malaria parasites among asymptomatic individuals in Zanzibar. HTP-LAMP performance was evaluated against real-time PCR on 3008 paired blood samples collected on filter papers in a community-based survey in 2015. The PCR and HTP-LAMP determined malaria prevalences were 1.6% (95%CI 1.3-2.4) and 0.7% (95%CI 0.4-1.1), respectively. The sensitivity of HTP-LAMP compared to PCR was 40.8% (CI95% 27.0-55.8) and the specificity was 99.9% (CI95% 99.8-100). For the PCR positive samples, there was no statistically significant difference between the geometric mean parasite densities among the HTP-LAMP positive (2.5 p/μL, range 0.2-770) and HTP-LAMP negative (1.4 p/μL, range 0.1-7) samples (p = 0.088). Two lab technicians analysed up to 282 samples per day and the HTP-LAMP method was experienced as user friendly. Although field applicable, this high throughput format of LAMP as used here was not sensitive enough to be recommended for detection of asymptomatic low-density infections in areas like Zanzibar, approaching malaria elimination.
A new TaqMan method for the reliable diagnosis of Ehrlichia spp. in canine whole blood.
Thomson, Kirsty; Yaaran, Tal; Belshaw, Alex; Curson, Lucia; Tisi, Laurence; Maurice, Sarah; Kiddle, Guy
2018-06-18
Ehrlichiosis is an important emerging infectious disease of the canid family and humans worldwide. To date, no extensive evaluation or validation of a molecular diagnostic test for ehrlichiosis has been published. Here, we present data for a newly designed TaqMan assay and compare its performance to a commercial technology (PCRun®). Both of these real-time methods of analysis were evaluated using a comprehensive number of prospective and retrospective samples collected from dogs exhibiting symptoms of ehrlichiosis. Whole blood samples collected from dogs, retrospectively in the United Kingdom and prospectively in Israel, were analysed for the presence of Ehrlichia canis and Ehrlichia minasensis DNA using the TaqMan PCR, developed specifically for this study. The results were compared to those of a real time commercial isothermal amplification method (PCRun® system developed by Biogal Galed Labs ACS, Galed, Israel). The sensitivity and specificity (CI: 95%) of the TaqMan PCR and PCRun® were both determined to be 100% and absolute, for all of the samples tested. Interestingly, both tests were demonstrated to be highly comparable, irrespective of differences in amplification chemistry or sequences targeted. Host differences, incidence of disease and geographical location of the isolates had little impact on the positivity recorded by each of the diagnostic methods. It was evident that both amplification methods were equally suited for diagnosing canine ehrlichiosis and while the PCRun® clearly amplified all clinically relevant Ehrlichia species known to infect dogs and humans, the TaqMan method was more specific for E. canis and E. minasensis. This work demonstrates that despite good analytical sensitivities and specificities for Ehrlichia spp. neither method could fully account for the clinical diagnosis of thrombocytopenia.
Instrument for Real-Time Digital Nucleic Acid Amplification on Custom Microfluidic Devices
Selck, David A.
2016-01-01
Nucleic acid amplification tests that are coupled with a digital readout enable the absolute quantification of single molecules, even at ultralow concentrations. Digital methods are robust, versatile and compatible with many amplification chemistries including isothermal amplification, making them particularly invaluable to assays that require sensitive detection, such as the quantification of viral load in occult infections or detection of sparse amounts of DNA from forensic samples. A number of microfluidic platforms are being developed for carrying out digital amplification. However, the mechanistic investigation and optimization of digital assays has been limited by the lack of real-time kinetic information about which factors affect the digital efficiency and analytical sensitivity of a reaction. Commercially available instruments that are capable of tracking digital reactions in real-time are restricted to only a small number of device types and sample-preparation strategies. Thus, most researchers who wish to develop, study, or optimize digital assays rely on the rate of the amplification reaction when performed in a bulk experiment, which is now recognized as an unreliable predictor of digital efficiency. To expand our ability to study how digital reactions proceed in real-time and enable us to optimize both the digital efficiency and analytical sensitivity of digital assays, we built a custom large-format digital real-time amplification instrument that can accommodate a wide variety of devices, amplification chemistries and sample-handling conditions. Herein, we validate this instrument, we provide detailed schematics that will enable others to build their own custom instruments, and we include a complete custom software suite to collect and analyze the data retrieved from the instrument. We believe assay optimizations enabled by this instrument will improve the current limits of nucleic acid detection and quantification, improving our fundamental understanding of single-molecule reactions and providing advancements in practical applications such as medical diagnostics, forensics and environmental sampling. PMID:27760148
Paris, Daniel H; Blacksell, Stuart D; Newton, Paul N; Day, Nicholas P J
2008-12-01
We present a loop-mediated isothermal PCR assay (LAMP) targeting the groEL gene, which encodes the 60kDa heat shock protein of Orientia tsutsugamushi. Evaluation included testing of 63 samples of contemporary in vitro isolates, buffy coats and whole blood samples from patients with fever. Detection limits for LAMP were assessed by serial dilutions and quantitation by real-time PCR assay based on the same target gene: three copies/microl for linearized plasmids, 26 copies/microl for VERO cell culture isolates, 14 copies/microl for full blood samples and 41 copies/microl for clinical buffy coats. Based on a limited sample number, the LAMP assay is comparable in sensitivity with conventional nested PCR (56kDa gene), with limits of detection well below the range of known admission bacterial loads of patients with scrub typhus. This inexpensive method requires no sophisticated equipment or sample preparation, and may prove useful as a diagnostic assay in financially poor settings; however, it requires further prospective validation in the field setting.
Yoshida, Naoko; Fujino, Motoko; Miyata, Akiko; Nagai, Takao; Kamada, Makoto; Sakiyama, Hiroshi; Ihara, Toshiaki; Kumagai, Takuji; Okafuji, Teruo; Okafuji, Takao; Nakayama, Tetsuo
2008-03-01
Clinically apparent mumps reinfection is considered extremely rare, but several cases have been suspected of reinfection in an out-patient clinic. In this study, virological examination, virus isolation, the reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP), and IgG and IgM EIA antibodies, were examined in order to identify mumps reinfection. Patients were divided into three categories; the reinfection group comprised 29 patients with a history of natural infection, the vaccine-failure group consisted of 37 patients with an immunization history, and two patients had histories of both immunization and mumps infection. Another 25 patients were enrolled as a primary infection group. Mumps virus was isolated in 5 (17%) and the genome was detected in 12 (41%) of 29 in the reinfection group. Reinfection was confirmed in 21/28, demonstrating high avidity of IgG EIA. Mumps virus was isolated in 15 (41%) and there was a higher positivity of genome amplification in 25 (68%) of 37 patients in the vaccine-failure group. Among these, 23 were confirmed as secondary vaccine failure by high avidity IgG EIA serology. In the primary infection group, the isolation rate and genome detection rate was higher in 16 (64%) and in 18 (72%) of 25 patients, respectively. There was no significant difference in virus load among the three groups but high mumps virus load was suspected in the IgM EIA-positive group based on the shorter amplification time on RT-LAMP. Mumps virus reinfection was confirmed by RT-LAMP and an IgG avidity test and was not a rare event.
Intestinal Carriage of Carbapenemase-Producing Organisms: Current Status of Surveillance Methods
Jacobs, Michael R.; Wilson, Brigid; Kaye, Keith; Donskey, Curtis J.; Perez, Federico
2015-01-01
SUMMARY Carbapenemases have become a significant mechanism for broad-spectrum β-lactam resistance in Enterobacteriaceae and other Gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Acinetobacter spp. Intestinal carriage of carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) is an important source of transmission. Isolation of carriers is one strategy that can be used to limit the spread of these bacteria. In this review, we critically examine the clinical performance, advantages, and disadvantages of methods available for the detection of intestinal carriage of CPOs. Culture-based methods (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC] protocols, chromogenic media, specialized agars, and double-disk synergy tests) for detecting carriage of CPOs are convenient due to their ready availability and low cost, but their limited sensitivity and long turnaround time may not always be optimal for infection control practices. Contemporary nucleic acid amplification techniques (NAATs) such as real-time PCR, hybridization assays, loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), or a combined culture and NAAT approach may provide fast results and/or added sensitivity and specificity compared with culture-based methods. Infection control practitioners and clinical microbiologists should be aware of the strengths and limitations of available methods to determine the most suitable approach for their medical facility to fit their infection control needs. PMID:26511484
Specific detection of Pectobacterium carotovorum by loop-mediated isothermal amplification.
Yasuhara-Bell, Jarred; Marrero, Glorimar; De Silva, Asoka; Alvarez, Anne M
2016-12-01
Potatoes are an important agroeconomic crop worldwide and maceration diseases caused by pectolytic bacterial pathogens result in significant pre- and post-harvest losses. Pectobacterium carotovorum shares a common host range with other Pectobacterium spp. and other members of the Enterobacteriaceae, such as Dickeya spp. As these pathogens cannot be clearly differentiated on the basis of the symptoms they cause, improved methods of identification are critical for the determination of sources of contamination. Current standardized methods for the differentiation of pectolytic species are time consuming and require trained personnel, as they rely on traditional bacteriological practices that do not always produce conclusive results. In this growing world market, there is a need for rapid diagnostic tests that can differentiate between pectolytic pathogens, as well as separate them from non-pectolytic enteric bacteria associated with soft rots of potato. An assay has been designed previously to detect the temperate pathogen Pectobacterium atrosepticum, but there is currently no recognized rapid assay for the detection of the tropical/subtropical counterpart, Pectobacterium carotovorum. This report describes the development of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay that detects P. carotovorum with high specificity. The assay was evaluated using all known species of Pectobacterium and only showed positive reactions for P. carotovorum. This assay was also tested against 15 non-target genera of plant-associated bacteria and did not produce any false positives. The LAMP assay described here can be used as a rapid test for the differentiation of P. carotovorum from other pectolytic pathogens, and its gene target can be the basis for the development of other molecular-based detection assays. © 2016 BSPP and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Gupta, Vikas; Chakravarti, Soumendu; Chander, Vishal; Majumder, Saurabh; Bhat, Shabir Ahmad; Gupta, Vivek Kumar; Nandi, Sukdeb
2017-07-01
Canine parvovirus-2 (CPV-2), which is ubiquitously distributed worldwide, causes severe and often fatal gastroenteritis in dogs. Accurate, differential and rapid diagnosis of canine parvoviral enteritis remains a challenge for clinicians. A recently developed isothermal amplification technique, polymerase spiral reaction (PSR), was optimized for the first time for a viral pathogen with reference recombinant plasmid standards from different CPV-2 antigenic variants (CPV-2, CPV-2a, CPV-2b and CPV-2c) and subsequently validated using clinical samples. Addition of chromogenic substrate SYBR Green I after the completion of the reaction resulted in bright green fluorescence in positive samples, while negative samples and a no-template control remained orange. These results were further substantiated through visualization of a laddering pattern of the PSR-amplified product in an agarose gel in positive cases and the absence of this pattern in no-template control and negative samples. The PSR assay was found to be highly specific, as it did not react with other putative canine pathogens (canine adenovirus 1 and canine distemper virus). The sensitivity of the newly developed PSR technique was compared with that of conventional PCR, real-time PCR and LAMP, using a serial tenfold dilution of canine parvovirus DNA. The detection limit of PSR was found to be at the femtogram level, which is comparable with that of real-time PCR and LAMP, which are ten times more sensitive than conventional PCR. The assay was validated using 90 clinical samples, of which 54 were found positive, while only 45 samples were positive in conventional PCR. This novel assay, which is fully compliant with the 'ASSURED' concept for disease diagnosis, provides a simple, rapid, specific, sensitive and cost-effective method for diagnosis of canine parvoviral enteritis in veterinary clinics.
McKenna, James Patrick; Cox, Ciara; Fairley, Derek John; Burke, Rachael; Shields, Michael D; Watt, Alison; Coyle, Peter Valentine
2017-03-01
Neonatal sepsis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae [group B streptococcus (GBS)] is a life-threatening condition, which is preventable if colonized mothers are identified and given antibiotic prophylaxis during labour. Conventional culture is time consuming and unreliable, and many available non-culture diagnostics are too complex to implement routinely at point of care. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a method that, enables the rapid and specific detection of target nucleic acid sequences in clinical materials without the requirement for extensive sample preparation. A prototype LAMP assay targeting GBS sip gene is described. The assay was 100 % specific for GBS, with a limit of detection of 14 genome copies per reaction. The clinical utility of the LAMP assay for rapid direct molecular detection of GBS was determined by testing a total of 157 vaginal swabs with minimal sample processing using a rapid lysis solution. Compared to a reference quantitative real-time PCR assay, the direct LAMP protocol had a sensitivity and specificity of 95.4 and 100 %, respectively, with positive and negative predictive values of 100 and 98.3 %, respectively. Positive and negative likelihood ratios were infinity and 0.05, respectively. The direct LAMP method required a mean time of 45 min from the receipt of a swab to generation of a confirmed result, compared to 2 h 30 min for the reference quantitative real-time PCR test. The direct LAMP protocol described is easy to perform, facilitating rapid and accurate detection of GBS in vaginal swabs. This test has a potential for use at point of care.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Bozorgmehr, Ali; Yazdanparast, Razieh; Mollasalehi, Hamidreza
2016-12-01
In this study, we developed a non-crosslinking gold nanoprobe loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for nanodiagnosis of bacterial typhoid fever source, Salmonella typhi. Therefore, a unique region in the S. typhi genomic DNA was targeted for LAMP amplification using a specific set of four precisely designed primers. Also, for specific colorimetric visualization of the amplicons, a thiolated oligonucleotide probe, complementary to the single-stranded loop region of the amplicons between F2 and F1C segments, was designed. The probe was bound to the surface of gold nanoparticles via covalent bonds. Increasing the salt concentration in the detection reaction medium led to aggregation of nanoprobes in the blank and the negative vessels in a time-dependent form. That was followed by a change in the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) leading to blue/black color that was observable by the naked eyes after about 5 min. Meanwhile, the original pink/red color was retained in the positive sample due to the large interparticle spaces and the stability against the ionic strength elevation which persisted for about 30 min. The whole process of DNA extraction, amplification, and detection took less than 2 h with a sensitivity of 20 CFU/ml. The developed gold nanoprobe-LAMP could serve as a simple, rapid, and cost-effective method for nanodiagnosis of S. typhi in point-of-need applications.
Geng, Yunyun; Wang, Jianchang; Liu, Libing; Lu, Yan; Tan, Ke; Chang, Yan-Zhong
2017-11-06
Canine parvovirus 2, a linear single-stranded DNA virus belonging to the genus Parvovirus within the family Parvoviridae, is a highly contagious pathogen of domestic dogs and several wild canidae species. Early detection of canine parvovirus (CPV-2) is crucial to initiating appropriate outbreak control strategies. Recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA), a novel isothermal gene amplification technique, has been developed for the molecular detection of diverse pathogens. In this study, a real-time RPA assay was developed for the detection of CPV-2 using primers and an exo probe targeting the CPV-2 nucleocapsid protein gene. The real-time RPA assay was performed successfully at 38 °C, and the results were obtained within 4-12 min for 10 5 -10 1 molecules of template DNA. The assay only detected CPV-2, and did not show cross-detection of other viral pathogens, demonstrating a high level of specificity. The analytical sensitivity of the real-time RPA was 10 1 copies/reaction of a standard DNA template, which was 10 times more sensitive than the common RPA method. The clinical sensitivity of the real-time RPA assay matched 100% (n = 91) to the real-time PCR results. The real-time RPA assay is a simple, rapid, reliable and affordable method that can potentially be applied for the detection of CPV-2 in the research laboratory and point-of-care diagnosis.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Ratoon stunt, caused by the xylem-limited coryneform bacterium Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli (Lxx), is prevalent in most sugarcane-producing countries. Because the disease does not cause characteristic external symptoms, a laboratory-based technique is needed for accurate diagnosis. We developed a diag...
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Ratoon stunt, caused by the xylem-limited coryneform bacterium Leifsonia xyli subsp. xyli (Lxx), is prevalent in most sugarcane-planting countries. Because the disease does not cause characteristic external symptoms, a laboratory-based technique is needed for accurate diagnosis. Based on loop-mediat...
2012-01-01
Background Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a novel strategy which amplifies DNA with high sensitivity and rapidity under isothermal conditions. In the present study, the performance of the repetitive insertion mobile element (RIME)-LAMP and human serum resistance-associated gene (SRA)-LAMP assays were evaluated using clinical specimens obtained from four male patients from Luangwa and Zambezi valleys in Zambia and Zimbabwe, respectively. Findings The cases reported in this preliminary communication were all first diagnosed by microscopy, through passive surveillance, and confirmed by both RIME-LAMP and SRA-LAMP. A good correlation between microscopy and LAMP was observed and contributed to staging and successful treatment of patient. RIME-LAMP and SRA-LAMP complimented each other well in all the cases. Conclusions Both RIME-LAMP and SRA-LAMP were able to detect Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense DNA in patient blood and CSF and hence confirmed HAT in the parasitaemic patients. Our study indicates that the LAMP technique is a potential tool for HAT diagnosis, staging and may be useful for making therapeutic decisions. However, no statistically significant conclusion may be drawn due to the limited sample size used in the present study. It is thus imperative to conduct a detailed study to further evaluate the potential of LAMP as a bedside diagnostic test for HAT. PMID:23211002
Li, Wei; Hou, Ting; Wu, Min; Li, Feng
2016-01-01
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in many biological processes, and have been regarded as potential targets and biomarkers in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Also, to meet the big challenge imposed by the characteristics of miRNAs, such as small size and vulnerability to enzymatic digestion, it is of great importance to develop accurate, sensitive and simple miRNA assays. Herein, we developed a label-free fluorescence strategy for sensitive miRNA detection by combining isothermal exponential amplification and the unique features of SYBR Green I (SG) and graphene oxide (GO), in which SG gives significantly enhanced fluorescence upon intercalation into double-stranded DNAs (dsDNAs), and GO selectively adsorbs miRNA, single-stranded DNA and SG, to protect miRNA from enzymatic digestion, and to quench the fluorescence of the adsorbed SG. In the presence of the target miRNA, the ingeniously designed hairpin probe (HP) is unfolded and the subsequent polymerization and strand displacement reaction takes place to initiate the target recycling process. The newly formed dsDNAs are then recognized and cleaved by the nicking enzyme, generating new DNA triggers with the same sequence as the target miRNA, which hybridize with intact HPs to initiate new extension reactions. As a result, the circular exponential amplification for target miRNA is achieved and large amount of dsDNAs are formed to generate significantly enhanced fluorescence upon the intercalation of SG. Thus sensitive and selective fluorescence miRNA detection is realized, and the detection limit of 3 fM is obtained. Besides, this method exhibits additional advantages of simplicity and low cost, since expensive and tedious labeling process is avoided. Therefore, the as-proposed label-free fluorescence strategy has great potential in the applications in miRNA-related clinical practices and biochemical researches. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Batinga, Maria Cryskely Agra; de Lima, Julia Teresa Ribeiro; Gregori, Fabio; Diniz, Jaqueline Assumpção; Muner, Kerstin; Oliveira, Trícia M F S; Ferreira, Helena Lage; Soares, Rodrigo Martins; Keid, Lara Borges
2018-06-01
Canine brucellosis is caused by Brucella canis, a gram negative and facultative intracellular bacterium that is commonly associated with reproductive failures in dogs. The accurate diagnosis of the infection relies on the use of serological tests associated with blood culturing to guarantee sensitivity. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can replace the culturing procedure for the direct diagnosis of the infection because of its speed, high specificity and sensitivity values; however, it depends on some laboratory infrastructure to be conducted. The loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) may be an alternative method for DNA amplification in a shorter period, using simpler equipment, and with a lower cost. This study evaluated the potential of molecular tools based on PCR and LAMP using primers targeting the insertion sequence IS711 for Brucella detection in three groups of dogs (infected, non-infected and suspected of brucellosis), which were determined according to the results of blood culturing and clinical examination. The performance of the three diagnostic tests was also determined using McNemar test and Kappa coefficient. The proportion of positive samples detected by blood culturing, PCR and LAMP was respectively 31.57% (18/57), 33.34% (19/57), and 14.03% (8/57). The agreement between blood culturing and PCR was almost perfect, while the agreement of PCR and blood culturing compared to LAMP was fair. The diagnostic sensitivity of PCR and LAMP was respectively 100% (18/18) and 44.44% (8/18), while the diagnostic specificity of both tests was 100% (21/21). LAMP performance was not satisfactory for canine brucellosis diagnosis because of the low diagnostic sensitivity of the test. The IS711 based PCR, otherwise, showed high values of sensitivity and specificity, which makes it a good alternative for use for the rapid diagnosis of canine brucellosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Signal amplification of microRNAs with modified strand displacement-based cycling probe technology.
Jia, Huning; Bu, Ying; Zou, Bingjie; Wang, Jianping; Kumar, Shalen; Pitman, Janet L; Zhou, Guohua; Song, Qinxin
2016-10-24
Micro ribose nucleic acids (miRNAs) play an important role in biological processes such as cell differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. Therefore, miRNAs are potentially a powerful marker for monitoring cancer and diagnosis. Here, we present sensitive signal amplification for miRNAs based on modified cycling probe technology with strand displacement amplification. miRNA was captured by the template coupled with beads, and then the first cycle based on SDA was repeatedly extended to the nicking end, which was produced by the extension reaction of miRNA. The products generated by SDA are captured by a molecular beacon (MB), which is designed to initiate the second amplification cycle, with a similar principle to the cycling probe technology (CPT), which is based on repeated digestion of the DNA-RNA hybrid by the RNase H. After one sample enrichment and two steps of signal amplification, 0.1 pM of let-7a can be detected. The miRNA assay exhibits a great dynamic range of over 100 orders of magnitude and high specificity to clearly discriminate a single base difference in miRNA sequences. This isothermal amplification does not require any special temperature control instrument. The assay is also about signal amplification rather than template amplification, therefore minimising contamination issues. In addition, there is no need for the reverse transcription (RT) process. Thus the amplification is suitable for miRNA detection.
Clancy, Eoin; Cormican, Martin; Boo, Teck Wee; Cunney, Robert
2018-01-01
Bacterial meningitis infection is a leading global health concern for which rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential to reduce associated morbidity and mortality. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) offers an effective low-cost diagnostic approach; however, multiplex LAMP is difficult to achieve, limiting its application. We have developed novel real-time multiplex LAMP technology, TEC-LAMP, using Tth endonuclease IV and a unique LAMP primer/probe. This study evaluates the analytical specificity, limit of detection (LOD) and clinical application of an internally controlled multiplex TEC-LAMP assay for detection of leading bacterial meningitis pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae. Analytical specificities were established by testing 168 bacterial strains, and LODs were determined using Probit analysis. The TEC-LAMP assay was 100% specific, with LODs for S. pneumoniae, N. meningitidis and H. influenzae of 39.5, 17.3 and 25.9 genome copies per reaction, respectively. Clinical performance was evaluated by testing 65 archived PCR-positive samples. Compared to singleplex real-time PCR, the multiplex TEC-LAMP assay demonstrated diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 92.3% and 100%, respectively. This is the first report of a single-tube internally controlled multiplex LAMP assay for bacterial meningitis pathogen detection, and the first report of Tth endonuclease IV incorporation into nucleic acid amplification diagnostic technology. PMID:29425124
2010-01-01
Background The rickettsial bacterium Ehrlichia ruminantium is the causative agent of heartwater, a potential zoonotic disease of ruminants transmitted by ticks of the genus Amblyomma. The disease is distributed in nearly all of sub-Saharan Africa and some islands of the Caribbean, from where it threatens the American mainland. This report describes the development of two different loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assays for sensitive and specific detection of E. ruminantium. Results Two sets of LAMP primers were designed from the pCS20 and sodB genes. The detection limits for each assay were 10 copies for pCS20 and 5 copies for sodB, which is at least 10 times higher than that of the conventional pCS20 PCR assay. DNA amplification was completed within 60 min. The assays detected 16 different isolates of E. ruminantium from geographically distinct countries as well as two attenuated vaccine isolates. No cross-reaction was observed with genetically related Rickettsiales, including zoonotic Ehrlichia species from the USA. LAMP detected more positive samples than conventional PCR but less than real-time PCR, when tested with field samples collected in sub-Saharan countries. Conclusions Due to its simplicity and specificity, LAMP has the potential for use in resource-poor settings and also for active screening of E. ruminantium in both heartwater-endemic areas and regions that are at risk of contracting the disease. PMID:21087521
Abbasi, Ibrahim; Kirstein, Oscar D; Hailu, Asrat; Warburg, Alon
2016-10-01
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), one of the most important neglected tropical diseases, is caused by Leishmania donovani eukaryotic protozoan parasite of the genus Leishmania, the disease is prevalent mainly in the Indian sub-continent, East Africa and Brazil. VL can be diagnosed by PCR amplifying ITS1 and/or kDNA genes. The current study involved the optimization of Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for the detection of Leishmania DNA in human blood or tissue samples. Three LAMP systems were developed; in two of those the primers were designed based on shared regions of the ITS1 gene among different Leishmania species, while the primers for the third LAMP system were derived from a newly identified repeated region in the Leishmania genome. The LAMP tests were shown to be sufficiently sensitive to detect 0.1pg of DNA from most Leishmania species. The green nucleic acid stain SYTO16, was used here for the first time to allow real-time monitoring of LAMP amplification. The advantage of real time-LAMP using SYTO 16 over end-point LAMP product detection is discussed. The efficacy of the real time-LAMP tests for detecting Leishmania DNA in dried blood samples from volunteers living in endemic areas, was compared with that of qRT-kDNA PCR. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Higgins, Owen; Clancy, Eoin; Cormican, Martin; Boo, Teck Wee; Cunney, Robert; Smith, Terry J
2018-02-09
Bacterial meningitis infection is a leading global health concern for which rapid and accurate diagnosis is essential to reduce associated morbidity and mortality. Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) offers an effective low-cost diagnostic approach; however, multiplex LAMP is difficult to achieve, limiting its application. We have developed novel real-time multiplex LAMP technology, TEC-LAMP, using Tth endonuclease IV and a unique LAMP primer/probe. This study evaluates the analytical specificity, limit of detection (LOD) and clinical application of an internally controlled multiplex TEC-LAMP assay for detection of leading bacterial meningitis pathogens: Streptococcus pneumoniae , Neisseria meningitidis and Haemophilus influenzae . Analytical specificities were established by testing 168 bacterial strains, and LODs were determined using Probit analysis. The TEC-LAMP assay was 100% specific, with LODs for S. pneumoniae , N. meningitidis and H. influenzae of 39.5, 17.3 and 25.9 genome copies per reaction, respectively. Clinical performance was evaluated by testing 65 archived PCR-positive samples. Compared to singleplex real-time PCR, the multiplex TEC-LAMP assay demonstrated diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of 92.3% and 100%, respectively. This is the first report of a single-tube internally controlled multiplex LAMP assay for bacterial meningitis pathogen detection, and the first report of Tth endonuclease IV incorporation into nucleic acid amplification diagnostic technology.
Li, Qiong; Yue, Zhiqin; Liu, Hong; Liang, Chengzhu; Zheng, Xiaolong; Zhao, Yuran; Chen, Xiao; Xiao, Xizhi; Chen, Changfu
2010-02-01
A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed for the detection of lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV). A set of five specific primers, two inner and two outer primers and a loop primer, were designed on the basis of the major capsid protein gene of LCDV. The reaction time and temperatures were optimized for 60 min at 63 degrees C, respectively. LAMP amplification products were detected by a ladder-like appearance on agarose gel electrophoresis or a naked-eye inspection of a color change in the reaction tube by addition of SYBR Green I. The assay was specific for LCDV, and there was no cross-reactivity with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) or six other Iridoviridae viruses (epizootic hematopoietic necrosis virus, EHNV; tiger frog virus, TFV; Bohle iridovirus, BIV; soft-shelled turtle iridovirus, STIV; infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus, ISKNV; red sea bream iridovirus, RSIV). The detection limit of the LAMP assay was 15 fg, which was similar to that of real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 10-fold higher than the conventional PCR. The LAMP assay was evaluated using 109 clinical samples, and the results indicated the suitability and simplicity of the test as a rapid, field diagnostic tool for detection of LCDV. The LCDV LAMP assay has potential for early diagnosis of LCDV infection. 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Kulshreshtha, Deepika; Gupta, Sangeeta; Singh, Kartar; Bhardwaj, Subhash C.
2018-01-01
Leaf rust of wheat caused by Puccinia triticina has significant impact on wheat production worldwide. Effective and quick detection methodologies are required to mitigate yield loss and time constraints associated with monitoring and management of leaf rust of wheat. In the present study, detection of P. triticina has been simplified by developing a rapid, reliable, efficient and visual colorimetric method i.e., loop mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (LAMP). Based on in silico analysis of P. triticina genome, PTS68, a simple sequence repeat was found highly specific to leaf rust fungus. A marker (PtRA68) was developed and its specificity was validated through PCR technique which gave a unique and sharp band of 919 bp in P. triticina pathotypes only. A novel gene amplification method LAMP which enables visual detection of pathogen by naked eye was developed for leaf rust pathogen. A set of six primers was designed from specific region of P. triticina and conditions were optimised to complete the observation process in 60 minutes at 65o C. The assay developed in the study could detect presence of P. triticina on wheat at 24 hpi (pre-symptomatic stage) which was much earlier than PCR without requiring thermal cycler. Sensitivity of LAMP assay developed in the study was 100 fg which was more sensitive than conventional PCR (50 pg) and equivalent to qPCR (100 fg). The protocol developed in the study was utilized for detection of leaf rust infected samples collected from different wheat fields. LAMP based colorimetric detection assay showed sky blue color in positive reaction and violet color in negative reaction after addition of 120 μM hydroxyl napthol blue (HNB) solution to reaction mixture. Similarly, 0.6 mg Ethidium bromide/ml was added to LAMP products, placed on transilluminator to witness full brightness in positive reaction and no such brightness could be seen in negative reaction mixture. Further, LAMP products spread in a ladder like banding pattern in gel electrophoresis. Our assay is significantly faster than the conventional methods used in the identification of P. triticina. The assay developed in the study shall be very much useful in the development of diagnostic kit for monitoring disease, creation of prediction model and efficient management of disease. PMID:29698484
Manjunatha, C; Sharma, Sapna; Kulshreshtha, Deepika; Gupta, Sangeeta; Singh, Kartar; Bhardwaj, Subhash C; Aggarwal, Rashmi
2018-01-01
Leaf rust of wheat caused by Puccinia triticina has significant impact on wheat production worldwide. Effective and quick detection methodologies are required to mitigate yield loss and time constraints associated with monitoring and management of leaf rust of wheat. In the present study, detection of P. triticina has been simplified by developing a rapid, reliable, efficient and visual colorimetric method i.e., loop mediated isothermal amplification of DNA (LAMP). Based on in silico analysis of P. triticina genome, PTS68, a simple sequence repeat was found highly specific to leaf rust fungus. A marker (PtRA68) was developed and its specificity was validated through PCR technique which gave a unique and sharp band of 919 bp in P. triticina pathotypes only. A novel gene amplification method LAMP which enables visual detection of pathogen by naked eye was developed for leaf rust pathogen. A set of six primers was designed from specific region of P. triticina and conditions were optimised to complete the observation process in 60 minutes at 65o C. The assay developed in the study could detect presence of P. triticina on wheat at 24 hpi (pre-symptomatic stage) which was much earlier than PCR without requiring thermal cycler. Sensitivity of LAMP assay developed in the study was 100 fg which was more sensitive than conventional PCR (50 pg) and equivalent to qPCR (100 fg). The protocol developed in the study was utilized for detection of leaf rust infected samples collected from different wheat fields. LAMP based colorimetric detection assay showed sky blue color in positive reaction and violet color in negative reaction after addition of 120 μM hydroxyl napthol blue (HNB) solution to reaction mixture. Similarly, 0.6 mg Ethidium bromide/ml was added to LAMP products, placed on transilluminator to witness full brightness in positive reaction and no such brightness could be seen in negative reaction mixture. Further, LAMP products spread in a ladder like banding pattern in gel electrophoresis. Our assay is significantly faster than the conventional methods used in the identification of P. triticina. The assay developed in the study shall be very much useful in the development of diagnostic kit for monitoring disease, creation of prediction model and efficient management of disease.
Emerging Technologies for the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Buchan, Blake W.
2014-01-01
SUMMARY In this review we examine the literature related to emerging technologies that will help to reshape the clinical microbiology laboratory. These topics include nucleic acid amplification tests such as isothermal and point-of-care molecular diagnostics, multiplexed panels for syndromic diagnosis, digital PCR, next-generation sequencing, and automation of molecular tests. We also review matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) and electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry methods and their role in identification of microorganisms. Lastly, we review the shift to liquid-based microbiology and the integration of partial and full laboratory automation that are beginning to impact the clinical microbiology laboratory. PMID:25278575
Detection of Streptococcus pyogenes using rapid visual molecular assay.
Zhao, Xiangna; He, Xiaoming; Li, Huan; Zhao, Jiangtao; Huang, Simo; Liu, Wei; Wei, Xiao; Ding, Yiwei; Wang, Zhaoyan; Zou, Dayang; Wang, Xuesong; Dong, Derong; Yang, Zhan; Yan, Xiabei; Huang, Liuyu; Du, Shuangkui; Yuan, Jing
2015-09-01
Streptococcus pyogenes is an increasingly important pathogen in many parts of the world. Rapid and accurate detection of S. pyogenes aids in the control of the infection. In this study, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was developed and validated for the specific detection of S. pyogenes. The assay incorporates two methods: a chromogenic analysis using a calcein/Mn(2+) complex and real-time turbidity monitoring to assess the reaction. Both methods detected the target DNA within 60 min under 64°C isothermal conditions. The assay used specifically designed primers to target spy1258, and correctly identified 111 strains of S. pyogenes and 32 non-S. pyogenes strains, including other species of the genus Streptococcus. Tests using reference strains showed that the LAMP assay was highly specific. The sensitivity of the assay, with a detection limit of 1.49 pg DNA, was 10-fold greater than that of PCR. The LAMP assay established in this study is simple, fast and sensitive, and does not rely upon any special equipment; thus, it could be employed in clinical diagnosis. © FEMS 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Xu, Huo; Jiang, Yifan; Liu, Dengyou; Liu, Kai; Zhang, Yafeng; Yu, Suhong; Shen, Zhifa; Wu, Zai-Sheng
2018-06-29
The sensitive detection of cancer-related genes is of great significance for early diagnosis and treatment of human cancers, and previous isothermal amplification sensing systems were often based on the reuse of target DNA, the amplification of enzymatic products and the accumulation of reporting probes. However, no reporting probes are able to be transformed into target species and in turn initiate the signal of other probes. Herein we reported a simple, isothermal and highly sensitive homogeneous assay system for tumor suppressor p53 gene detection based on a new autonomous DNA machine, where the signaling probe, molecular beacon (MB), was able to execute the function similar to target DNA besides providing the common signal. In the presence of target p53 gene, the operation of DNA machine can be initiated, and cyclical nucleic acid strand-displacement polymerization (CNDP) and nicking/polymerization cyclical amplification (NPCA) occur, during which the MB was opened by target species and cleaved by restriction endonuclease. In turn, the cleaved fragments could activate the next signaling process as target DNA did. According to the functional similarity, the cleaved fragment was called twin target, and the corresponding fashion to amplify the signal was named twin target self-amplification. Utilizing this newly-proposed DNA machine, the target DNA could be detected down to 0.1 pM with a wide dynamic range (6 orders of magnitude) and single-base mismatched targets were discriminated, indicating a very high assay sensitivity and good specificity. In addition, the DNA machine was not only used to screen the p53 gene in complex biological matrix but also was capable of practically detecting genomic DNA p53 extracted from A549 cell line. This indicates that the proposed DNA machine holds the potential application in biomedical research and early clinical diagnosis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.