Update on the Development of Toehold Switch-Based Approach for Molecular Diagnostic Tests of COVID-19

Almando Geraldi; Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih; Fatiha Khairunnisa

doi:10.1155/2022/7130061

Update on the Development of Toehold Switch-Based Approach for Molecular Diagnostic Tests of COVID-19

J Nucleic Acids. 2022 May 9:2022:7130061. doi: 10.1155/2022/7130061. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Almando Geraldi^{1

2}, Ni Nyoman Tri Puspaningsih^{1

3}, Fatiha Khairunnisa^{1

3}

Affiliations

¹ University CoE-Research Center for Bio-Molecule Engineering, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
² Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.
³ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universitas Airlangga, Surabaya 60115, Indonesia.

Abstract

A high volume of diagnostic tests is needed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to obtain representative results. These results can help to design and implement effective policies to prevent the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Diagnosis using current gold standard methods, i.e., real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), is challenging, especially in areas with limited trained personnel and health-related infrastructure. The toehold switch-based diagnostic system is a promising alternative method for detecting SARS-CoV-2 that has advantages such as inexpensive cost per testing, rapid, and highly sensitive and specific analysis. Moreover, the system can be applied to paper-based platforms, simplifying the distribution and utilization in low-resource settings. This review provides insight into the development of toehold switch-based diagnostic devices as the most recent methods for detecting SARS-CoV-2.

Publication types

Review