A well-designed bridge probe with dual functions of recognition and transduction towards a universal LAMP system

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) is a rapid, sensitive, and equipment-light method, making it well-suited for point-of-care testing. However, conventional LAMP often lacks universality in detecting diverse nucleic acid targets. To address this limitation, we designed a bridge probe with both recognition and transduction functions and introduced it into the LAMP system to establish a universal detection method, termed U-LAMP. This system uses a universal detection component to detect both DNA and miRNA, significantly enhancing universality and eliminating the need for repeated design of detection components, thereby reducing experimental complexity and cost. Experimental results demonstrate that U-LAMP achieves quantitative detection from fM to nM within one hour, with a detection limit at the fM level and a dynamic range covering eight orders of magnitude. Molecular beacon serves as the signal output, effectively suppressing non-specific signals and improving detection accuracy. With its advantages of universality, sensitivity, and ease of operation, U-LAMP has broad application prospects in resource-limited testing settings.