Researchers from the University of Illinois have developed a Scalable and Portable Testing (SPOT) system consisting of a rapid and highly sensitive assay with a battery-powered portable device for COVID-19 diagnosis. The device consists of a 3D printed casing and an internal structure with precise temperature control and fluorescence detection system. The assay works on the principle of reverse transcriptase-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP).
A protein isolated from Pyrococcus furiosus , a hyperthermophilic archaea, precisely recognizes and cleaves the target DNA at 95 °C, guided by a small 5′-phosphorylated single-strand DNA (ssDNA). The multi-turnover activity of P.furiosus enables specific, sensitive, and multiplex nucleic acid detection. Although nasopharyngeal and nasal swab samples are recommended for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection, saliva sample offers a…
