Portable paper-based DNA test can rapidly diagnose
diseases
A team of researchers has developed a mini, portable
paper-based DNA test
that can rapidly diagnose diseases as
well as display results that can be seen with the naked eye, working just like
common pregnancy tests.
The test -- also known as SHERLOCK (Specific High Sensitivity Reporter unLOCKing)--
indicates the presence of the target molecule after the simple paper strip is
dipped into a processed sample.
This new feature helps to pave the way for field use,
such as during an outbreak.
The innovations are built upon the first version of
SHERLOCK, developed in 2017, and adds to a growing field of research that
harnesses CRISPR systems for uses beyond gene editing.
"SHERLOCK provides an inexpensive, easy-to-use, and
sensitive diagnostic method for detecting nucleic acid material -- and that can
mean a virus, tumour DNA,
and many other targets," said Feng Zhang from
the Massachusetts Institute
of Technology (MIT).
"The SHERLOCK improvements now give us even more
diagnostic information and put us closer to a tool that can be deployed in
real-world applications," Zhang added.
In the new SHERLOCK version, detailed in the journal
Science, researchers have increased the sensitivity of SHERLOCK and added
100-fold greater sensitivity to detect multiple targets within genetic
signatures.
Together, these advancements accelerate SHERLOCK's
ability to quickly and precisely detect genetic signatures -- including pathogens
and tumour DNA --
in samples.
In addition, the tool also enables in detecting cell-free
tumour DNA in
blood samples from lung cancer patients
and to detect synthetic Zika and Dengue virus simultaneously,
in addition to other demonstrations, the researchers noted.
"The technology demonstrates potential for many
healthcare applications, including diagnosing infections in
patients and detecting mutations that confer drug resistance or cause cancer,
but it can also be used for industrial and
agricultural applications where monitoring steps along the supply chain can
reduce waste and improve safety," Zhang said.
--IANS
Regards
Prof. Pralhad Jadhav
Master of Library &
Information Science (NET Qualified)
Senior Manager @ Knowledge
Repository
Khaitan & Co
Twitter Handle | @Pralhad161978
No comments:
Post a Comment