A rapid and highly sensitive CRISPR assay utilizing Cas12a orthologs for the detection of Novel Duck Reovirus

The Novel Duck Reovirus (NDRV) seriously threatens the global poultry industry due to the lack of effective therapies. Preventive measures for NDRV heavily depend on early disease detection, highlighting the need for rapid and sensitive diagnostic methods. This study used Cas12a orthologs Gs12-18 to develop a visual CRISPR-based detection assay targeting the NDRV S3 gene. Comparative analysis of candidate Cas12a proteins, Gs12-16 and Gs12-18, showed that Gs12-18 has significantly better trans-cleavage activity, making it especially suitable for highly sensitive nucleic acid detection. We integrated Gs12-18 with loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) technology to create a LAMP-CRISPR/Gs12-18 detection platform. This method enables visual detection of the NDRV S3 gene with high specificity and sensitivity, with a detection limit of 38 copies per reaction. It does not require complex equipment and is suitable for point-of-care testing. This research provides a reliable diagnostic tool for the early prevention and control of NDRV.