Enabling a universal lateral flow readout for DNA strand displacement via disassembling chemical labels

Area of Science:

• Biotechnology
• Molecular Biology
• Assay Development

Background:

• DNA strand displacement assays are crucial for molecular diagnostics.
• Existing methods often require complex instrumentation or lack sensitivity for specific genetic variations.
• Developing rapid, sensitive, and field-deployable DNA detection methods is a significant challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel lateral flow assay strategy for DNA strand displacement using disassembling chemical labels (DCL).
• To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the DCL-based lateral flow assay.
• To demonstrate the assay's capability in discriminating single nucleotide variants in real-world samples.

Main Methods:

• Development of a DNA strand displacement assay incorporating disassembling chemical labels (DCL).
• Implementation of the DCL strategy onto a lateral flow assay platform.
• Comparative analysis with a traditional fluorogenic assay.
• Testing with buccal swab samples to assess single nucleotide variant discrimination.

Main Results:

• The DCL-based lateral flow assay provides a sensitive and specific readout for DNA strand displacement.
• The assay demonstrates high performance, comparable or superior to classic fluorogenic methods.
• Successfully discriminated single nucleotide variants in DNA extracted from buccal swab samples.

Conclusions:

• Disassembling chemical labels (DCL) offer a viable strategy for sensitive DNA detection in lateral flow assays.
• The developed DCL lateral flow assay is a promising tool for rapid, point-of-care genetic variant detection.
• This approach has potential applications in diagnostics and genetic screening using easily accessible samples like buccal swabs.