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Published on: February 3, 2021
Highly Stable and Sensitive Nucleic Acid Amplification and Cell-Phone-Based Readout
Janay E Kong1, Qingshan Wei1, Derek Tseng1
1Department of Bioengineering, ‡Department of Electrical Engineering, ∥Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, ^Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, ⊥California NanoSystems Institute, and ¶Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles , Los Angeles, California 90095, United States.
Researchers developed a portable, low-cost mobile phone-based nucleic acid test. This new platform enhances fluorescence readout stability and sensitivity for point-of-care diagnostics.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Analytical Chemistry
- Medical Diagnostics
Background:
- Point-of-care (POC) nucleic acid tests face challenges in cost, portability, and readout stability.
- Existing benchtop tests require complex laboratory equipment, limiting accessibility.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a cost-effective, portable platform for nucleic acid amplification and readout.
- To enhance the stability and sensitivity of fluorescence-based nucleic acid detection.
Main Methods:
- Identified hydroxynaphthol blue as a chemical additive to stabilize and enhance fluorescence.
- Developed a mobile phone-integrated, fiber-optic bundle-based fluorescence microplate reader.
- Utilized loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) for nucleic acid amplification.
Main Results:
- Achieved a 69-fold increase in signal-to-background ratio for lambda DNA detection.
- Demonstrated a limit of detection of 25 copies/μL within one hour.
- Improved fluorescence stability by over 60% across varying temperatures and time.
Conclusions:
- The developed mobile phone-based platform offers a cost-effective and field-portable solution for nucleic acid testing.
- Hydroxynaphthol blue significantly enhances intercalator-based fluorescence, improving assay performance.
- This technology is broadly applicable to various fluorescence-based assays, especially in resource-limited settings.
