Direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA using high-contrast pH-sensitive dyes.

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Journal of Biomolecular Techniques. 2021 Sep 01;32(3):121-133. doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.26.20248878

Direct detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA using high-contrast pH-sensitive dyes. Lavis LabTool Translation Team (T3)

Brown Timothy, Schaefer Katherine, Tsang Arthur, Yi Hyun, Grimm Jonathan, Lemire Andrew, Jradi Fadi, Kim Charles, McGowan Kevin, Ritola Kimberly, Armstrong Derek, Mostafa Heba, Korff Wyatt, Vale Ronald, Lavis Luke

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Abstract

The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on health, healthcare infrastructure, social structure, and economics. One of the limiting factors in containing the spread of this virus has been the lack of widespread availability of fast, inexpensive, and reliable methods for testing of individuals. Frequent screening for infected and often asymptomatic people is a cornerstone of pandemic management plans. Here, we introduce two pH sensitive ‘LAMPshade’ dyes as novel readouts in an isothermal RT- LAMP amplification assay for SARS-CoV-2 RNA. The resulting JaneliaLAMP (jLAMP) assay is robust, simple, inexpensive, has low technical requirements and we describe its use and performance in direct testing of contrived and clinical samples without RNA extraction.