Re-purposing bridging flocculation for on-site, rapid, qualitative DNA detection in resource-poor settings.

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology
• Diagnostics

Background:

• Developing molecular diagnostics in resource-poor settings presents significant challenges.
• Existing methods may require complex equipment or specialized expertise, limiting their accessibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, visually detectable assay for molecular diagnostics suitable for resource-limited settings.
• To evaluate the performance of a bridging flocculation assay for qualitative DNA detection.

Main Methods:

• A novel bridging flocculation assay was purpose-built for qualitative evaluation of isothermally amplified DNA.
• The assay's performance was optimized by adjusting pH, DNA polymer amounts, and lengths.
• The method was applied to detect plant pathogens and subsequently extended to animal pathogens.

Main Results:

• The bridging flocculation assay enabled qualitative DNA evaluation by naked eye.
• Assay sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated for detecting various pathogens.
• The method proved adaptable for detecting pathogens across both plant and animal kingdoms.

Conclusions:

• The developed bridging flocculation assay offers a simple, visual, and adaptable molecular diagnostic tool.
• This approach has wide applicability for pathogen detection in resource-limited environments.
• The assay facilitates rapid and sensitive identification of important pathogens.